Renowned for its century-old Cantonese culinary traditions, dining at Yue Jing Xuan becomes an immersive art form. Located on the 68th floor of the hotel, the entrance lift lobby is not large but exudes a warm welcome with the service team ever ready to welcome your presence. The low ceiling lobby has the design ethos with minimalist approach on earth tone mood with giant wooden sculptured horses strategically displayed in the foyer on well polished marble floors relating to the other wooden sculptures throughout the hotel.
As you enter the dining room you are immediately drawn to the evening view of the lit up skyscrapers surrounding the hotel and Guangzhou environs beyond.
The huge open kitchen runs the length of the dining room at the rear incorporating the concept of “kitchen cuisine” that cleverly bridges the gap between diners, offering a dining experience while witnessing the cooking process, giving each dish a vivid nice feel and marks a profound tribute to traditional cooking arts. At the same time it brings the enticing aromas of delicious food to mingle with the cheerful conversations of diners and further enhance the culinary experience by adding a touch of local charm.
The countertop in front of the happening kitchen displays some seasonal fresh fruits alongside with a few sweet treats well stacked and presented on decorative standing bowls that sit on the raw ingredients such as lotus seeds, mung beans, red beans and so forth, highlighting the inviting desserts and snacks.
Moving further along, there are nine different types of carefully selected premium Chinese teas from different regions that are on offer and well laid on a wooden box for your enjoyment that creates a unique dining atmosphere where exquisite culinary and pure ingredients become a captivating focal point.
Being the only open Chinese kitchen in Guangzhou, the elegance of traditional Cantonese cuisine intertwines with the essence of culinary art.
The Chinese elements are represented by the style of well spaced out dining tables and chairs with red cushions.
There are two transparent acrylic panels at each end of the dining room adorned with Chinese roof ornament designs which are rather captivating and the far end wall with a random collection of copper hulu bottle gourds which is such a wonderfully eye-catching feature that is also a symbol of luck and health. We were lucky being ushered to sit next to this auspicious wall.
There are eight private dining rooms, several of which offer the majestic views of the Canton Tower and the Pearl River. Despite the low ceiling, the tasteful design of the entire dining room blending the Chinese art with Lingnan style sensibly keeps decorations to a minimum amongst the tables so that you can see across the room and all the dining tables setting are front and centre with unobstructed views through the windows.
Helmed by Executive Chef Jacob Huang, who inherited the excellence of Cantonese flavours, he strives to deliver a memorable dining experience setting a unique standard that has won him recognition including the Michelin Guide and Black Pearl Award. His exceptional culinary skills, deep passion for Cantonese cuisine and meticulous approach has brought Yue Jing Xuan to be one of the leading restaurants in Guangzhou’s culinary scene, thanks to his relentless pursuit of quality and innovation dedicated in the field of Cantonese cuisine.
Yue Jing Xuan exquisitely interprets the essence of Cantonese cuisine, skillfully and masterfully blending centuries-old recipes with modern creative elements for a refined dining experience. From classic delicacies to seasonal ingredients, Chef Jacob highlights authentic Guangzhou flavours, showcases elegant tastes with a friendly approach minus the formality of formal dining.
It was so difficult to choose what to order as most signature dishes were prominently highlighted and you don’t want to miss a beat, but as we were in the good hands of the restaurant Manager Candy He, she quickly made some suggestions and insisted on certain dishes that are a must-go-for and not-to-be-missed. The length and breath of the menu showcases a profound understanding of Chinese cuisine by seamlessly blending traditional Cantonese flavours with regional characteristics by delivering a delightful dining experienced underscored by quality.
A refreshing bubbly sparkling peach oolong tea was offered as a welcome drink while we were perusing the menu, which offers a true elaborate taste of Cantonese cuisine.
Given that we were looking to enjoy some very tasty dishes, we ordered a glass of 2024 Sancerre Le Rochoy to enjoy with the first few courses, which provided a dry flinty palate as a counterbalance.
This innovative and delicate starter has the silky tofu placed in the centre of the hollow plate next to a bed of puree herby and minty Chinese toon and rich broad bean. Once you mixed it all up you got a nutty flavour from the broad bean and a savoury flavour reminiscent of beef and onions from the Chinese toon which enhanced the silken tofu. This was a fabulously savoury vegetarian dish that was served warm and we devoured it in no time as it was simply delectable.
<Fish Chowder>
Rustic yet creamy, this classic Foshan cod filet fish chowder had an abundance of ingredients to make this a delicate chowder and a lot to savour. All ingredients created a harmonious palate and the lemongrass garnish added a distinctive aroma to the soup as well as a crunchy texture of the peanuts and carrots. Another reinvention of a typical traditional recipe to please. Simply delicious!
<Poached Zhanjiang Chicken>
The chicken is grown for more than 4 months to ensure optimum flavour and on first taste the chicken has a hint of sweetness, juicy and aromatic. The meat was so tender and packed a lot of flavour, serves on the side with the homemade galangal ginger dipping sauce gave that amazing depth of taste on the palate. Half a chicken was served and made this a very generous portion and a delicious meat course!
<Crispy Roasted Pork Belly>
The presentation was stunning and the scent of the smoking star anise attracted you that imbued the bottom layer with a wonderful flavour that had us salivating for more. Three layers of fat and lean meat instead of five was chosen for a smaller mouthful with sugar and mustard on the side as dipping. A new dimension to enjoy this very tasty crispy pork that was so inventive. Sensational!
<Roasted Xinjiang Lamb Ribs>
This very big chuck of Xinjiang lamb ribs was marinated awfully in special aromatic spices with plenty of meat and fat to savour – the fat is important to flavour the meat which was incredibly juicy and tender that almost melted in the mouth. It arrived at the table in one piece and the chef served it table side for easy consumption with cumin chili flakes on the side as well as lettuce cups. This was an absolute standout dish and a must-order!
<Sweet & Sour Pork>
This was a special request order and turned out to be one of the best Sweet & Sour Pork we have had in years thanks to the delicate handling of the batter which created such a fluffy, crispy, crunchy flavour and texture that almost popped in the mouth. This quintessential Cantonese dish takes years to master and can go wrong quite easily if not handled well. Chef Jacob’s version did not disappoint and literally danced on the tongue. The sauce had just the right sticky texture with such a perfect execution, as this is hard to come by at this level. Absolutely delectable and you will be hankering for an encore serving!
All our meat dishes were well-paired with the critically acclaimed high-altitude viticulture 2019 Canaan Chapter and Verse Mastery Pinot Noir from Hebei Province for its medium-bodied palate and silky tannins with aromatic fresh strawberries, raspberries ad vanilla oak that gives a long and elegant fruity finish.
<Wok-Fried Beef Noodle >
The handmade noodles made a difference as the texture of the noodle was light and airy. This superior rendition was wok-fried in high heat with the premium and most tender and juicy beef and on top of that minced beef was added which gave another depth to the flavour profile. It was greasy as it should be (the glossiness and the right amount of the oil used in this cooking) but not oil and with immense smoky flavour that was such a pleasure to enjoy and all together the best beef noodle we have ever had! Kudos!
<Seasonal Vegetables>
A classic fresh morning glory is a Cantonese staple stir-fried in garlic, chilli and fermented beancurd. This most humble farm grown vegetable was so fresh, crunchy, moist and delicious yet the kitchen made it taste so exquisite with a light smoky flavour and a hint of saltiness well absorbed from the fermented beancurd which added a depth of flavour that was to be savoured. So enjoyable!
<Mango Sago Pudding with Coconut Milk & Pomelo>
This was another elevated and wonderful rendition that was almost like a yoghurt smoothie with a thick creamy texture and intense flavour that danced on the tongue. After all the riches of food we had enjoyed, it was the perfect ending to a perfect dinner, as it provided a soothing flavour that cooled down the palate with a wonderful rich mango taste.
We sat momentarily letting the memory of each dish linger in our mind and hands down this was one of the most perfect Cantonese dinners we have had, because the quality of the ingredients used and the execution of each dish was pretty much flawless. The service was exemplary all evening and the service team were so polite and attentive. The recommendations by Candy were spot on and the variety of flavours was delicious, pleasing on the palate and every dish met or exceeded our expectations.
It was not fine dining and yet would give a lesson to many fine dining establishments, because each dish resonated with us, had an authenticity and exuded the most unctuous flavours one could hope to enjoy with service that could not be faulted. Chef Jacob and his culinary team understand the philosophy and the essence of Cantonese cuisine and offered a profound balance of exotic flavours and textures, heavily emphasising on seasonal, fresh ingredients with the mastery and skillful culinary techniques which combined and offered a delectable feast for every taste. This memorable and finest Cantonese dinner will linger in our minds and be talked about for many years to come. We will certainly be back!
Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5
Yue Jing Xuan
68th Floor, Park Hyatt Guangzhou,16 Huaxia Road, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, ChinaTel: +86 20 3769 1234
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5
Yue Jing Xuan
68th Floor, Park Hyatt Guangzhou,
16 Huaxia Road, Zhujiang New Town,
Tianhe District,
Guangzhou, China
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment