Strategically located in the busy Ortigas Business District, Marco Polo Hotel is one of the country's premiere 5 Star Hotel. The place screams elegance and sophistication. Spacious lobby, high ceiling, expensive furniture, chandelier and high end restaurants to boot. I haven't really explored this place until an invite for a sponsored dinner came about - Lung Hin x Zomato!
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| Cantonese Cuisine is being offered at Lung Hin |
The restaurant offers a nice view of the Ortigas Skyline.
The receiving area was a little dim with a huge wooden sliding door that was out of the ordinary.
Welcome to Lung Hin!
The dining area was enormous as well and if you're looking for a more intimate or private set-up, they have private rooms available for use.
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| Chef Raymond Yeung shared a recipe of one of his new dishes - my favorite dish that night! |
We started off our dinner with a taste of Marco Polo's Signature Iced Tea.
Cubes of frozen Earl Grey Tea with some green grapes were served in a wine glass followed by a generous pouring of more tea. Since the ice cubes were made up of tea, the drink got cold without the watered down taste.
Mix in the peach flavored syrup and enjoy this refreshing drink that has a good bitter after taste.
We went straight on to the appetizers next - Drunken Chicken and Crystal Duck Terrine.
Drunken Chicken had tender chicken meat slices in a light and clear wine sauce.
Highlighting the natural flavors of the chicken, there was no overpowering taste here but only clean and subtle ones.
Crystal Duck Terrine is a dish that I have not encountered before. A bit of research taught me that terrine is of French origin and is more like a pate. Chef Raymond's version was a creative way of presenting liver pate. The mousse like liver was smooth with some very thin strands of what I think were meat. Sitting on top was a clear aspic jelly with a floral pattern. It was savory but with light flavors and this went well with the rich terrine.
The soup was served next and I must admit that this one wowed me! Chicken Consommé with Chrysanthemum Tofu and Matsutake Mushroom - delicate and clean flavors, beautiful presentation. According to Chef Raymond, it took him around 10 hours to make the Consommé itself. He needed to simmer different chicken parts separately and bring them together to create this wonderful clear soup.
Served in a goblet, the Consommé came in with a silky and soft tofu that was cut delicately to look like a chrysanthemum. Chef Raymond explained that in order to attain that kind of intricate design, cutting should be precise but delicate at the same time.
Onto the mains, we had the following:
Steamed King Prawn with Steamed Egg
I loved this dish! Sweet, juicy and succulent king prawn that has been peeled sat on top of a light and delicate steamed duck egg and a thin film of broth.
The texture of the egg was like that of "taho" or soy/bean curd pudding. It was silky and smooth. To add beauty to this dish, it was plated with a crisp asparagus and a gold leaf.
Deep Fried Lapu Lapu with Sliced Mango and Sweet Chili Sauce
Served on top of a thick sweet chili sauce, the Lapu Lapu was crisp and topped with a mango salsa. Chef Raymond tries to bring something local and fresh into his dishes, thus the use of our very own mangoes in this dish which he thinks are one of the best in the world. Though the fried fish and the sauce went well together, I still prefer my Lapu Lapu steamed.
Fried Rice with Asparagus and Five Spice Pork
Lightly seasoned with soy sauce, this fried rice is a shy away from the usual Chinese Yang Chow or Salted Fish that are packed with flavors and are on the salty side.
The meat was the main highlight - savory with a great aroma, I just wish that the bits were a bit bigger. According to Chef Raymond, he intended for the rice to be a little bland so that it will not overpower the flavor of the meat.
For dessert we had Homemade Snow Skin Mooncake.
Not your traditional mooncake, this has a mochi like skin with an intricate design. It's filled with a slightly sweet white mung bean paste. Had two servings of this and it's best paired with tea.
Overall, it was a great dinner. A different take on the usual Chinese food that we know, this dinner showed me that culinary techniques and expertise play as important factors in delivering high quality meals that appeal to both the palate and the sight. I think I can't emphasize enough how the dishes stayed true to the ingredients' natural flavors and texture.
4 out of 5 Stars for Lung Hin!
--- Lung Hin: 44th Floor, Marco Polo Hotel, Sapphire Street Corner Meralco Avenue, Ortigas, Pasig City
I think this is not the usual Chinese food being serve. But, a Chinese cuisine with countless delicious and fantastic dishes. Surprising range and variety of ingredients.
ReplyDeleteYup! Definitely not your usual Chinese but very good flavors and textures!
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