Best Food In China

Location

Opulent is the word that comes to mind when I think of The Oriental Restaurant in Landison Plaza Hotel. The first restaurant in Hangzhou to specialize in pan-Asian food such as Southeast Asian and Indian flavors, they serve some of the best Thai and Indian food I’ve ever had, no doubt compliments of the Thai chef they currently employ at the restaurant. The Oriental’s menu changes seasonally or annually depending on the regional promotions and they currently have an impressively wide range of Thai and Indian specialties, not to mention some Chinese and Korean dishes. Furthermore, on the weekends, they have an incredibly palatable deal for brunch that includes an appetizer buffet and choice of 5 dishes from the menu, all for a mere 78 RMB.

Some things worth mentioning include the relaxed and zen-like atmosphere of the restaurant, with its eclectic Asian decorations. I was happily situated in a huge love seat with comfortable cushions in a semi-private corner. As expected of a five-star restaurant and hotel, the service was thoughtful, discreet and meticulous. I also appreciated the fact that everyone spoke English and the fact that the expansive menu detailed the dishes and its ingredients. The drink that I chose, lychee and coconut milk, was frothy, creamy, and delicious. The Direct of F&D, Rose, and PR Manager, Fiona joined us for a sumptuous 7-course meal that reflected the pan-Asian cuisines of the restaurant. I tasted Chinese, Thai, Indian, and Korean dishes that were all thoughtfully and authentically prepared.

While chicken feet is not something I normally enjoy, Rose and Fiona assured me that this national delicacy was deboned and cooked with Thai spices. The deboning of the meat did make it easier to eat and the tangy Thai flavors were fresh and clean; definitely something that many people would enjoy. Some of the other dishes worth mentioning are Korean bi-bim-bap, which is a rice dish mixed with kimchi (Korean spicy pickled cabbage), meat, vegetables and an egg on top. Mixed together, this rice dish is a traditional favorite in Korea. The Oriental added some sesame oil to the dish that enhanced the dish with a slightly savory, nutty flavor and made the rice just a little bit crispy, which was delicious. Another Thai dish that I enjoyed was a Thai curry with duck. It carried some heat with cilantro and peppers. The curry itself was of a thinner texture than most curry that I’ve tasted, but nevertheless delicious and would have been perfect over rice.

My favorite dishes of the meal were the Vietnamese Spring rolls, the fabulous Tom Yum Kung soup, and Indian Prawns Jalfrezi. I have yet to find satisfactory spring rolls in Hangzhou and The Oriental’s spring rolls were lovely. It was generously stuffed with giant prawns and meat and had the perfect balance of vegetables and vermicelli noodles that make spring rolls so delicious. Now the highlight of the meal was the famous Thai spicy and sour soup, Tom Yum Kung. This might be the best Tom Yum Kung soup I’ve ever had. Presented in a hollowed coconut, the soup has generous amounts of giant prawns, mushrooms, and peppers with flavors of coconut and lemongrass. It was altogether slightly sour, spicy, savory, and sweet without the flavors overwhelming one another. The base of coconut milk provided a rich broth with a hint of sweetness, which was balanced by the distinctively delicious and fragrant flavors of lemongrass and peppers. The seafood enhanced the rich flavors to make a perfect mouthful of soup.

Another favorite, Indian Prawns Jalfrezi was an Indian curry dish with giant prawns in Indian curry sauce. It was deliciously rich, enhanced with some cream on top and packed a bit of heat from peppers. Accompanying the dish was fresh naan, warm and crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside. When I told the Director of F&D, Rose Ye, that the sweet Kashmiri naans were my favorite, she asked the kitchen to bake some fresh ones. Talk about good service! The Kashmiri naans that I sampled were sublime; with nuts, honey and some dried green grapes. It was sweet but not overpoweringly so, and slightly juicy from honey and grape pieces.

I had such a satisfying meal at The Oriental that I went back the very next day with several friends, all of whom was impressed by the wide range of pan-Asian cuisine that is not easily found in Hangzhou. The Oriental boasts one of the most extensive range of authentic Thai and Indian cuisine in Hangzhou and some of the most authentic housed under one roof. It’s a winning combination and definitely worth a try for those who crave Thai and Indian flavors.

-- by Kate Moon

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