ZHUO YUE XUAN Four Seasons Shenzhen - Timeless Gourmet Cantonese Flavours

Merging elegance and intention, Zhuo Yue Xuan in Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen honours the season’s freshest ingredients with a regionally rooted Cantonese celebration from its classic and signature menu that invites you to savour the refined culinary journey through mountain, sea and forest. mylifestylenews writes.

While travelling in China, finding reputable Chinese restaurants in most luxury hotels can be just the perfect avenue to explore and to savour a joyful abundance with artistry and imaginative gastronomy. Four Seasons as a brand is renowned for its prestige food and beverage deliveries as well as elevated dining experiences. The hotel occupies a prized location in the Futian District with seamless access to the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Centre, but for this visit we were only interested in an evening of fine dining at its reknown Chinese restaurant - Zhuo Yue Xuan.

Located on the 3rd floor of the hotel, the entrance from the lift lobby is a little nondescript, but once you enter the restaurant proper the Chinese elements come into play. The illuminated main entrance of Zhuo Yue Xuan welcomes you with the elegant and structural concepts of gold copper-like gilded lattice screens on both sides of the wall,evoking images of intricate geometric gold patterns interwoven polished screens adorned with colorful pot plants.

The cozy internal waiting area elegantly set with plush lounge chairs and beige sofa is well decorated with a colorful floral painting with oriental motif that didn’t take away your attention as you can be easily distracted by the box wall full of ceramic vases, tea pots and cups as well as well decorative ornamental pieces that was rather striking.

The expansive rectangular main dining room is broken up into three sections by large standing wooden screens adorned with large decorative fans and each section is lit by gigantic modern glass chandelier sculpture lighting, in the middle of which is an enormous upside down coloured rice bowl.

Each section has standing lamps and paint brush artwork, brightened up with a woven carpet in a golden lotus leaf design on which elegant dining chairs rested in a dark wooden frame with a gold brocade fabric. Black glass tabletops are simply adorned with a stunning gold and black Legle French Porcelain show plate and a colour glass vase with a beautiful floral piece exuding elegant simplicity.

Somehow though the entire dining room seemed to be lacking any distinctive design intent and felt more like a banquet set-up and not fine dining, not to mention it was a windowless room, so it felt very claustrophobic in one sense and the air-conditioning didn’t seem to offer a restful ambience with the still air flow as the room got quite warm as the night progressed. A more sophisticated interior was to be expected in any Four Season’s hotel restaurants, and some definitely would surprise you with a “WOW” factor.

Nevertheless we were here to savour the rich diversity of fine Cantonese cuisine and we pretty much looked forward to Zhuo Yue Xuan culinary delights. A thick, intense yet smooth and deeply satisfying mouthfeel of Pu’er tea was poured to start up the culinary journey which is always a perfect pairing with Chinese food that is also known for aiding digestion.

<Appetizer>
All appetizers were uniformly excellent with inventive combinations using ingredients to deliver the delicate yet distinctive flavour of each component that made these mouthful sized bites a pleasing start to the evening.

Passionfruit Skin

A delightfully fresh, spritzy and sharp with a distinctive flavour to open up the appetite.

Fresh Walnut Truffle

A very creative combination with a semi-crunchy texture and subtle truffle flavour which was really tantalizing on the front palate.

Honey Smoked Fish

A delightfully crispy and warm presentation that was smoky and incredibly flavoursome.
 

<Double-Boiled Sea Cucumber Soup, Bamboo Piths & Bok Choy>
This was a delicious delicately flavoured clear broth that we enjoyed on its own as much with all the other ingredients. The sea cucumber was young, firm and so tender that offers an important source of collagen. The delicate sponge-like texture and bamboo piths absorbed the rich broth flavours to the maximum as well as the bok choy that added to the overall palate to create such a harmonious well-balanced flavour.

<Zhuo Yue Xuan Signature Roasted Crispy Chicken>
Absolutely superb in all regards and well complimented with the spiced salt and lemon juice dipping for its tangy palate. The perfectly half roasted golden brown crispy chicken just can’t have your chopstick lay down at any time as the crispy, tender, juicy morsel of this triumphant dish is a homage to a traditional Cantonese dish that was utterly delicious.
 

<Crispy Roasted Wagyu Beef in Red Wine Sauce>
This is another nouvelle creation to enjoy such a premium cut of Wagyu beef in another level with a wonderful execution that was perfectly roasted to a light and thin crispiness. The Wagyu beef texture remained soft and tender with the meat easily sliced with a knife. Even if you bit against the grain of the meat, the fibre tissue was easily broken with gentle mastication that made this dish very enjoyable. The red wine sauce may have been a little too rich for the meat with a hint of black pepper which we loved yet can still do without to enjoy as it is. Simply stunning and a winning dish!
 

<Steamed Lobster with Egg White & Lobster Sauce>
You got to admire this bright and colourful stunning presentation with the lobster feeler /claw sitting atop for garnish along with a small spoonful of caviar. Essentially, the chef steams egg whites over which they pour the rich and intense lobster bisque and then the lobster meat is carefully placed on top. A quintessential Cantonese dish that never fails to please with the tender and springy texture of the diced pieces of lobster to be enjoyed with flavoursome and bold bisque. Heavenly and prestige!
 

<Wok-Fried Rice Noodles with Beef Slices>
This is another signature dish in Zhuo Yue Xuan with extremely smoky and unctuous wok-fried flat rice noodles over tender and tasty beef alongside with onion, bean sprout, spring onion and chive for its pungent, greasy yet not oily palate delivery. A wonderful rendition that was so enjoyable which takes years to master by getting it right.
 

<Braised Seasonal Vegetables, Yellow Fungus with Chicken Soup>
Genuine and pure in taste with natural flavours and a wonderful palate cleanser.  Simply delicious!
 

<Zhuo Yue Xuan Signature Fried Rice>
Barbeque Char Siu and reasonable sized prawns were chosen to be stir-fried in high heat in a homemade delectable X.O. sauce that came to the table with a smoky aroma. It was the perfect combination of ingredients where every bite had so much flavour and with all the essential character a good fried rice should offer to make this Zhuo Yue Xuan’s signature dish a must-order.

<Sweetened Almond Soup with Fruits>
A traditional warm, soothing and comfort soup based dessert which is commonly used in a Cantonese dinner to round up the whole banquet and most often you get quite miffed and a little put out for its overly artificial sweetener or syrup used. But this Zhuo Yue Xuan version was a delicious one redolent of almonds and not too sweet with a a hint of thickness and creamy texture that was quite premium and well executed.
 

The evening’s culinary journey was a huge success with classic, traditional and authentic Cantonese flavours that never go out of style. The food might look simple, but as we know a lot of preparation goes into creating such delectable flavours to please and the culinary team delivered on every front that was executed to perfection. We were well looked after the whole evening by Tina and Sally who never missed a beat to offer seamless service in a warm, friendly manner with absolute professionalism. Zhuo Yue Xuan delivers a truly Cantonese menu and every mouthful was savoured and maintained a high standard of a delectable feast for every taste paying homage to timeless gourmet Cantonese flavours.

Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 4/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 4.5/5

Zhuo Yue Xuan
138 Fuhua Third Road, 

Futian District, Shenzhen, 

Guangdong, China

Tel: +86 755 8826 8888

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.  

INTERCONTINENTAL CHENGDU GLOBAL CENTER - Mediterranean-Inspired Urban Resort Staycation

Chengdu is a city that does things on a large scale in its very own aesthetic way and the InterContinental Global Center Chengdu nestled within the world’s largest standalone building by floor area acts as a massive self-contained city - The New Century Global Center Hi-Tech Zone is no stranger to locals and business travellers alike for its resort style staycation, business conference and convention, not forgetting the leisure and luxury shopping experience. mylifestylenews writes.

Easily accessible by local metro and a convenient short walk from Jincheng Plaza station, the InterContinental Global Center creates a Mediterranean style resort within a massive building that has a drawcard appeal for families. The 975 thematic design rooms, showcasing the panoramic water view of the Mediterranean-inspired indoor Paradise Island Water Park and an indoor beach with numerous borderless hot water pools features a gigantic 150-meter indoor LED screen where the main action takes place, so this is certainly an InterContinental hotel with a difference! Moreover, the New Century Global Center has its own leisure and lifestyle shopping mall beside the largest convention and conference facilities as well as commercial offices and extensive apartment living within and directly adjacent to this massive edifice. Connectivity is all a key factor, so you will not be short of things to do right on their doorstep.

The hotel is also directly across from Chengdu’s newest and largest village style “sunken” SKP shopping precinct that houses multiple global international luxury brands (the locals like to call it underground shopping) with the metro access directly below and this proves to be very fortuitous as this is the easiest way to get around this sprawling city.

We started our InterContinental Chengdu journey at the Chengdu East Railway Station with a limousine pick-up in a luxury Buick people mover, which made for an easy arrival at the hotel in the Hi-Tech Zone which looks akin to a relatively new financial district. The designated chauffeur didn’t make himself obvious at the meeting point in the chaotic train station, as the signage was not visible. After 5-8 minutes we sighted him but didn’t speak English and we managed to get by with sign language. Unfortunately he also had a wrist sprain, so we needed to assist him in putting our luggage into the vehicle instead. Moreover, his driving was not as smooth as we expected either and drove more like an erratic rally driver, but we arrived at the hotel without any issue and were met on arrival by a number of the hotel team and it was smooth sailing from that moment forward which was a relief.

The InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) are renown for creating superb luxury destinations, but not every hotel has to be a serious ode to the business traveller and the main arrival entrance, befitting such a colossal centre such as the New Century Global Center is, has the port cochere which is rather grand with a fountain feature on one side.

As you enter the main doors you are quite taken away by the grand scale of the cavernous space which has been appropriately adorned with a huge hanging glass modern chandelier resembling a flowing river shape. The ceiling is composed of steel and glass panels, so light floods the space and picks up striations in the eye-catching marble flooring.

The actual check-in is located in another inner lobby off to the right side of this foyer. With 975 luxury guest rooms and suites the main check-in lobby is also rather in a large scale. The full-on marble experience with two massive marble columns centre left and right, another gigantic cascading chandelier and lots of gold on black decorative elements with the back of the front desk anchored by a multi-panel art work, showcasing the luminescent ambience with elegant furniture on each side of the reception area. Simply eye-catching and no doubt instagrammable!

The hotel is positioned within the centre of this huge complex and all guest rooms have an internally facing view, which may sound odd, but as the hotel and water park complex are under a huge atrium roof, there is natural daylight flooding in through the clear roof structure. With such a large count of guest rooms, the hotel spreads out into four different sections – each section has 9 floors – and luckily our 2nd floor room was adjacent to the lobby, pool deck, gym and Club Lounge, with all the important amenities front and centre and the pool deck is the location of the all day dining, The Paradise Island Cafe.

We were escorted to the Club Lounge for the formalities and our room keys were promptly presented. Our Premier Twin Room was incredibly spacious at 52sqm and as soon as you walked in you have a small walk-in closet immediately on the left, after which is a huge marble bathroom with a separate toilet and large walk-in shower with a large single vanity counter and looking out to the bed/living area a large sunken bathtub.

Bathroom amenities are the luxurious Bryredo Blanche brand, adding a touch of luxury to the bathroom experience. The bathroom can be screened off with blinds at the touch of a button for privacy, or left open to make the room look even larger. The bed/living area has more space than you could possibly need with the large minibar sideboard amoire and separate working desk on the right and two large twin beds on your left. The seating area was beyond and a large balcony with even more lounge furniture which overlooks the pool deck and all day dining through the balcony.

The room interior mood and theme is certainly clashing with confidence. Beige is banned here as it has an exotic design reference with canopied beds and an upholstered sofa in an animal print like pattern resembling an European Chateau style, bold yet delicate with a touch of luxury. Yes, certain elements of the room date back to the opening of the hotel in 2013 but still look good. This is a very regal old European design ethos with black and gold cabinetry in a quasi art deco Chinoiserie look that exudes elegance as well as the striking gold and black bedside lamps.

The painterly prints are integral to a warm, inviting and characterful interior which was a nice surprise and worked well to create something unique. More is definitely more here to create that palazzo ambience. With more than just a bit of consideration and experimentation, the clashing ideas and concept work together wonderfully. It does tell a story and immerse your senses.

For wellness they have an ‘indoor’ outdoor gym located on top of the Club Lounge which is well kitted out and a great location to exercise, as you feel you are outdoors, but actually under the enormous atrium roof.

The large 25 metre swimming pool and adjacent children’s pool have plenty of pool deck space and cater for leisure swimmers or guests that need to do their swimming laps.

Our room included Club Lounge access and we always find this elevates the stay. The elegant Club Lounge was located on one side of the pool deck atrium and it felt like an oasis amid all the outside buzz of the Paradise Island Cafe and the busy architecture.

As you enter the reception desk is to the left and the buffet set up is on the right. The interior is styled in a European elegance design, with draped tasselled curtains at the far end, which is the lounge section, featuring an array of wing-back style armchairs and some low sofas separated by a wooden shelving unit. It is quite spacious and elegantly carpeted.

The front section is the dining area and a wall of beautiful glass panelled doors open onto the ‘outdoor’ terrace area, yet well separated from the Paradise Island Cafe. Like all InterContinental Club Lounges they serve three presentations – breakfast, afternoon tea and happy hour and refreshments throughout the day.

Afternoon Tea

While afternoon tea is a fine repast of beautiful cakes and pastries, happy hour is a proper buffet of hot and cold delights featuring some flavourful Thai dishes and local delicacies included noodle dishes as part of the highlight as well as a generous selection of alcoholic beverages.

Breakfast is served at The Paradise Island Cafe located on the atrium pool deck – outside but inside – and it is a very airy space where you can relax while starting your day. The expansive full buffet breakfast set up is enormous that will have you salivating before you start eating. The variety was incredible and you will not be disappointed.

Highlights were the make your own congee station, wagyu beef noodles, fried dough stick , fresh tropical fruits including guava and passionfruit, salad station which had fresh frosty ice leaf (a unique local vegetable in China), fried rice, crispy bacon, steamed buns and the pancake station. There were too many individual items to mention but a very consistent food quality standard that did not fail to please anyone’s appetite. Despite the service was a little disoriented as we placed an order for tea and coffee, but the coffee never arrived. Table clearance was excellent and while very little English, still very polite and they found a way to communicate.

Breakfast in the Club Lounge was also quite large in offerings in an elevated atmosphere and they had a few items that were exclusive to lounge guests. There was a good selection of pastry and bread, lots of raw nuts and dried fruits, a salad station, freshly made bottled juices and a great selection of Chinese dishes including the popular made-to-order noodle station. The key was, the Club Lounge has better quality food and better presentation, so it is worth the extra rate to enjoy an oasis of calm and serenity as you start your day.

Given the spread out nature of this resort style hotel, guests staying further away from the lobby are taken to their rooms by a buggy, so help is at hand. We were fortunate to be so near all the amenities we required. The stay was short but memorable and while the scale of the whole complex may seem daunting, the hotel is in its own space and you are not disturbed by activity taking place elsewhere in the Century Global Center complex. 

The water park was still closed during our visit, so we were not able to see what effect this had on the hotel staycation experience, if any. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and beverage offerings with the overall experience meeting our expectations and this was most certainly a stay with a difference!

Tried & Tested:
Location: 4.5/5
Design & Decor: 4/5

Housekeeping: 4/5
Food & Beverage: 4/5

Service: 4/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Experience: 4/5

InterContinental Chengdu Global Center
1736, Tianfu Avenue North,

Wuhou District,

Chengdu, China

Tel: +86 28 6275 8888

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.   

NICCOLO KITCHEN Chongqing - Savouring “MASTER LIM” Recommendation Specialties

It is almost impossible not to savour or at least sample one Peking Duck dinner experience while in China. While you can enjoy this eponymous golden roasted crispy skin juicy bird just about in any other regional cities, the Niccolo Kitchen in Chongqing does it differently among a few classic Chongqing dishes curated from the “MASTER LIM” Recommendation menu tby the Head Chef in Chinese kitchen hat are not to be missed. mylifestylenews writes.

The Niccolo Kitchen Chongqing is located on the 62nd floor with amazing views of the city to marvel while dining in this chic, modern and unpretentious ambience. Since the hotel doesn’t have a standalone Chinese restaurant, the alternative way to enjoy Chinese food in this all-day-dining that not only serves a sumptuous spread of breakfast but also a great mix of Asian and Western cuisine, complemented by interactive live cooking stations and enticing flavours.

The restaurant also takes great pride in reducing the carbon footprint but most importantly having their seasonal ingredients sourced locally and to support the local farming and producers for you to embark on a culinary journey through Eastern and Western flavours in a single venue.

Our evening was to savour “MASTER LIM” Recommendation among many traditional Chongqing classics but one of the many highlights was the legendary succulent Peking Duck.This signature and enduring all-time-favourite has become so popular and sometimes pre-order is required to avoid any disappointment. Once we were seated and settled in, it was all about the food and our dinner was a culinary journey made all the better by very switched on hospitality provided by Alina, the outlet Manager and well-looked after by Gavin, from the dedicated service team.

 

<Mushroom Broth>

Alina suggested us to warm up our palette with this tasty clear broth - a delicate, light and aromatic mushroom flavour on the forefront that was quite enjoyable. Assorted mushroom specimens were used to create this delightful fragrant taste, double boiled, slow cooked in spring water that offers a firm yet slight resistance when chewed and not mushy. There was so much joy in this clear mushroom consommé that was packed with delightful flavours.

 

<Crucian Tofu Coriander Soup>

This is one of those dishes that preparation plays a key part in the final presentation, as crucian carp is used to create the milky soup stock, thanks to its delicate flesh and fine inter-muscular bones as well as its nutritional profile. This nourishing broth was simmered with ginger (to get rid of the fishy palate), scallions and silken tofu to get the right balance on flavours that was simply heart warming.

 

<Roasted Peking Duck>

The highlight of the evening did not disappoint but only got better. A small unofficial Peking Duck dining ceremony can be expected and it comes in various inventive forms by paying “homage” to this most celebrated poultry as a “craving sacrifice” before it was served at the table. Minus the gong hitting ritual (thank goodness) instead, a specially made oven-like towering wooden trolley was pushed out gracefully to the table with the whole big fat oven roasted duck in mahogany deep reddish-brown colour that looked extremely enticing. You could tell by the look at the glossy crispy skin that was so inviting.

The “sacrifice” was then transferred onto a carving trolley and carved in front of you. In order to be sliced out the thin, shatteringly crispy skin and the tender juicy meat in particular order and placed it neatly onto a rectangle serving plate, it needs a good skilful hand to achieve that level by presenting this delectable dish to the table for enjoyment. The duck was properly bred in Beijing for the right size, weight and the perfect ratio of succulent fat beneath the crispy skin for approximately 65 days before being slaughtered. This culinary art takes days to prepare, traditionally, the duck is inflated with air to separate the skin from the fat, glazed with maltose syrup to promote that distinct crispy exterior and well seasoned before being slow-roasted in a open or closed hung oven to finally create this scrumptious dish.

With all the essential accompaniment condiments such as the refined julienned crunchy Japanese cucumber, pungent and fragrant scallion, sweet and juicy melon, not forgetting the steamy hot thin pancake which was thoughtfully stacked and separated by the baking paper for not having it get starched together. Another bonus point added to the presentation well considered.

The meat texture was unbeatable, thin crispy skin versus the little meat (just the right amount) is the authentic version being served and enjoyed. A very fine granulated white sugar as well as the homemade tangy sweet bean sauce was also offered as a dipping sauce to further enhance the savory and sweet palate while enjoying this juicy, tender and mouth-watering meat. Smear a small amount of the thick and dark sweet bean sauce, gently roll, wrap and fold to your desirable amount of fresh and crunchy condiments. You may also enjoy the paper-thin crispy skin by dipping in sugar to experience the melt-in-your-mouth texture or sauce to appreciate the crunch to your liking. We deliberately requested the chef not to slice both of the legs as we enjoyed having them as a drumstick to be savoured separately. Simply heavenly and a Peking duck experience at its finest.

 

<Stir-Fried Beef with Chilli & Ginger>

Moving on, we picked one of the star-signature Chongqing local spicy specialties - stir-fried beef with chilli and ginger and we enjoyed it immensely, as we have quite a high tolerance for chilli. The slices of beef was deliciously tender, slightly caramelized and juicy, plenty of garlic and ginger and a variety of vibrant and aromatic chilies with a bold, spicy kick and zesty warmth. The savory depth of the garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame complemented the sharp, fiery punch of fresh chilies. Such a classic Sichuan dish that should not be missed!

 

<Braised Mandarin Fish with Chilli Oil>

This vibrant Sichuan-style classic featured a tender fillet of mandarin fish poached and braised in a fiery rich chili oil broth. The visual appeal also offered a umami robust punchy savory and melt-in-your-mouth fish texture that was silky, flaky and bold, effortlessly pulling apart with chopsticks with a hint of numbing effect from the mala Sichuan pepper used. The beansprouts beneath the oil broth absorbed all the sharp and spicy tangy packing flavours from all the condiments used and was  second best to finish off this quintessential Sichuan dish without hesitancy.

 

<Niccolo Kitchen Signature Pizza – Sausage, Artichoke, Mushroom, Olive>

While the Executive Chef Francesco Sanna was doing his rounds, an authentic Niccolo Kitchen Signature Pizza with sausage, artichoke, mushroom and olive offered by the Sardinian Chef was hard to resist. In fact, it didn’t disappoint, with light crispy and airy pizza dough fresh from the high-temperature oven, the aromatic mushrooms that filled the air and a great combination of all the ingredients finally with a light drizzle of a good olive oil and pizza doesn’t get much better than this!

 

As you can imagine, we had no room for dessert after so many rich dishes and it gave us a moment to reflect on the contrasts of the East and West cuisines and how combining such contrasts in flavour can make for such an enjoyable evening and wowed by so many delectable flavours. Traditionally you would have a dinner solely based on one cuisine, but why not mix things up we say. That is what dining out is for!

Tried & Tested:

Location: 5/5

Design & Decor: 5/5

Food & Beverage: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Value For Money: 5/5

Experience: 5/5

Niccolo Kitchen Chongqing
Tower 1, Chongqing IFS,

No.1 Qingyun Road,

Liangjiang New Area,

Chongqing, China

Tel: +86 23 6508 8888

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.