KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 — It was a lunch to jolt us back 38 years, with dishes that the Golden Phoenix at Hotel Equatorial were famous for then. So we were dining on nostalgia, when the hotel was in its glory, when big dinners celebrating weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other events were held there.

The hotel is closing its doors on March 31, the building will be torn down and a new hotel built, so there are not many days left to eat here.

So last week Golden Phoenix chef Ng Chee Wah made good his promise to cook for us some of the dishes that have been on the menu all this while.

First, the Kai Choy Tofu looks almost surreal: spongy pieces that resemble the surface of the moon. “We boil the tofu in water for four hours till it has holes,” said Ng. “Then it has mouthfeel (hau kum).” Indeed.

He also roasted flat sole, ground it into powder and sprinkled this on top of each piece of tofu. It’s a subtle sweetness to match the tofu. Around it are succulent pieces of kai choy, bathed in a thickened chicken stock.

The Belacan Fish — a seven-star garoupa — has the fish deepfried, then topped with a mix of fried belacan, dried shrimps, chilli and shallots. The fish still sits on a soya sauce gravy, which is a curious combination, but it works. The belacan in the topping is not overpowering, just enough to remind you it’s there. Together with the dried shrimps and shallots it gives heaps of flavour to the fish. I like the crispy outer bits that descend into smooth, sweet flesh. Dredge it through the sauce, and it tastes so good.

The Mui Choy Kau Yook or braised belly pork with dark preserved vegetables was perfectly done. At the bite the skin of the pork almost melted against the meat with the layered fat. It was scrumptious. I had the pork on top of the rice, the saltish, sweetish sauce drizzled over it. It was too good to eat it separately on a plate.

The Spareribs with BBQ Sauce seemed ordinary after what we had eaten. But it was still to be appreciated for the firm yet tender meat, and the marinade seeping into every fibre of the meat.

We had the Deepfried Chicken with Onion Sauce yet again. It was even better this time as the skin of the chicken was superbly crispy, the sauce well tuned in its tart and gingery notes, and of course the crispy shallots were a bonus.

Dessert was the exquisite chilled Mango Noodles. It’s thin, silky noodles derived from rice flour combined with milk, and finished with mango puree and a little cream.

Make the most of these last days of the Golden Phoenix at the Equatorial Kuala Lumpur and have a meal there, on classic dishes from its 38-year-old menu. You will have to book your table in advance, just call 03-2161 7777 ext 8223.