While for something that has been reknown for its authentic flavours that was inherited from its century old traditional recipes, you would probably value its heritage and culture for a legacy being well preserved and carried on to this very day by paying homage to some reputable dishes. Chinese cuisine in this bustling city deserves equal stature because Chengdu’s gastronomique and limitless dining experiences are a top priority for any serious foodie and there is always something new to discover and to enjoy.
Old is the new NEW and this is what piqued our interest to dine in Phoenix Pavilion located in the InterContinental Chengdu Global Centre adjacent to the majestic Global Centre which consists of a massive mega shopping mall, offices, food centre and the one and only indoor water theme park in Chengdu. Tucked away at the far end of the cavernous main hotel lobby, Phoenix Pavilion has its strategic location to welcome its guest, as the large windows allow you to watch the world go by from its bustling gigantic foyer and also enjoy the daylight with plentiful natural lighting passing through the entrance facade as well the illuminated chandeliers when the night falls within the lobby ambience.
The interior design of the Phoenix Pavilion is quite appealing, more like a mini ballroom being transformed into a bright and airy restaurant especially where the large central oval ceiling lighting features with a modern glass ball drop chandelier takes centre stage. The main dining area is incredibly spacious with borderless windows looking out to the expansive and the grandeur of the hotel lobby as well as an alternative entrance and exit that leads to the pool side restaurant, adorned with a roll of Oriental screen doors that is quite charming and gracefully adding a sense of Chinoiserie touch.
The main entrance from the lobby is inviting, with a short staircase that ends with a bookshelf arrangement, well decorated with numerous ornamental vases to screen off the entrance and allow for a reveal once you step inside. The hue of orange cushioned dining chair arrangements further brighten up the illuminated restaurant and contrasting the elegant marble floorings with a touch of sophistication.
The Sichuan and Canonese inspired menu is in great variety of selection and easy to navigate as most of the menu items have their visual images to indicate the dishes especially those signature ones. We never would like to miss an opportunity to try something old and something new from the exciting menu to satisfy our craving. After some deliberation we settled on what dishes piqued our interest and then enquired about ordering some Chinese tea to go with the meal and to our dismay and surprise, Chinese tea is not served here but only warmed lemongrass water which we found quite peculiar especially when you are dining in a typical Chinese restaurant where Chinese tea is commonly served and available in no time.
<Boiled Chicken Soup with Matsutake>
A beautiful clear chicken broth with redolent and aromatic flavours extracted from the matsutake mushroom and chicken essence. The light consomme was so delicious and light that it made a good start for the evening.
<Combination of Cantonese BBQ Pork, Crispy Roast Goose & Crispy Chicken>
The BBQ pork was pleasant with the right amount of fat and lean meat in between that offered a tender texture on the meat but not having the melting effect either. It was also not quite well barbequed to the smoky flavour and lightly burnt crust texture on the palate and it was slightly too sweet from its marinated sauce. The chicken wasn’t crispy at all as its name suggested and rather on the dry side and turned out to be poached chicken with sesame ginger marinade. The roast goose also tasted more like a duck dish instead and dry from inside out too, so overall not a great BBQ combination and rather disappointing.
<Stir-Fried Asparagus with Prawn in X.O. Sauce>
A quintessential dish that was done so well with the meaty and crunchy prawns lightly stir-fried with X.O. sauce and not killing the freshness of the asparagus which was equally pleasing on the palate. A delectable dish to enjoy!
<Braised Longsnout Catfish in Chilli Soup>
Unfortunately the catfish was so tough that the fibre would not break, which should not have been the case with any fish dishes. The presentation wasn’t as palatable as the image shown on the menu where endless sesame seeds were sprinkled all over the giant serving bowl onto a clear layer of chili oil which turned out to be quite cloudy instead. The only thing we could enjoy from this dish was the condiments and vegetable beneath which soaked up all the rich flavour.
<Caramelised Veal>
Less is more for when you order this dish and you want it more.The caramelised veal was very well executed offering the crispy burnt and caramelised outer part of the meat, juicy and sticky chunk of tender veal that was very much well enjoyed on its own. Not to mention that the two pieces of caramelised pineapple were also an enjoyable component. A must order!
<Chive, Sprout, Chilli & Intestines>
All ingredients had been perfectly julienned and it was a quite well wok-fried smoky and fragrant dish, particularly the chive and fish mint that was used. The intestines had quite a strong taste and light chewy texture and may not be to everyone’s taste for such a complex palate, but we quite liked all the combination of condiments used to make this local delight quite enjoyable.
<Stir-fried Chinese Kale with Garlic, Chilli & Crispy Pork>
A comforting Cantonese stir-fried green mustard was done beautifully by elevating the humble vegetable with the smoky garlic, pungent chili and crispy pork that is a Chinese staple. So delicious and a simple comfort dish done well!
<Spicy Beef Vermicelli Noodles>
While Chengdu is infamous for its hot and sourish chilly-vinegar broth noodles from all kind of restaurants that has their very own creation, these silky vermicelli noodles soaked up the intense spicy broth that created a delicious rendition with the thickly sliced juicy beef and a kick of chilli with the noodles cooked just so and this was delicious.
<Durian Egg Tart & Mango Pamelo Sago>
The durian egg tart could have been crispier when it was served hot from the oven with rich and pungent durian filling to be enjoyed at its highest quality. The mango pamelo wasn’t a stand out either, lacking in that intense texture and fragrant palate.
The durian egg tart could have been crispier when it was served hot from the oven with rich and pungent durian filling to be enjoyed at its highest quality. The mango pamelo wasn’t a stand out either, lacking in that intense texture and fragrant palate.
The culinary journey was overall a very successful one, with a few dishes not hitting the mark. The breadth of flavours covered the local Sichuan tastes as well as classic Cantonese, so a good yin and yang for the palate over the course of the evening. It was a quiet night during our visit and lacking some atmosphere as there there was also no background music to lift up the ambeince but the service team were very warm in their approach on our arrival and even though a few things got lost in translation at the beginning, they found a way to make it work to their credit. We were looked after by Anya and she found a way to communicate given that her English was not good but she showed a delightful professionalism to make communication that we very much appreciated.
Tried & Tested:
Location: 4.5/5
Design & Decor: 4/5
Food & Beverage: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Experience: 4/5
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