mylifestylenews: NICCOLO KITCHEN Chongqing - Savouring “MASTER LIM” Reccomendation Specialties

2026-05-29

NICCOLO KITCHEN Chongqing - Savouring “MASTER LIM” Reccomendation 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.

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.

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!