Best Food In China

Location

If you want to dine like a king (or queen) on masterfully prepared delicacies from Southern China, surrounded by European-style pomp and circumstance, you will not regret a visit to Legendale Hotel Beijing´s "Macao Chinese Restaurant".

"You know you are in a Gothic cathedral when you have not looked down for at least 30 seconds", a tour guide once told me. I suddenly remember his words as I enter the Legendale Hotel Beijing. Despite the fact that this is not a religious building, but a 5-star luxury hotel, and the style is neo-classical rather than Gothic, the tour guide´s description still holds true. Golden decor, imposing columns, and two winding staircases leading up to sixteen brightly lit floors ensure the Legendale Hotel lives up to its self-definition as "an epitome of European elegance and luxury".

The pomp and circumstance continues in the basement, which houses the Macao Chinese Restaurant. With Chef Fong originally hailing from Macao, the geographical emphasis of the restaurant is clear; however, the menu also includes Cantonese specialities such as shark fins and bird nests. The Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, Edmund Chan, personally served my dinner partner and me the following six-course menu:
1. BBQ Pork and Chicken Liver Wrapped in Rice Roll
2. Double Boiled Winter Melon with Fish Maw and Conpoy
3. Sauteed Diced Beef with Garlic
4. Pan-fried King Prawn with Soya Sauce
5. Simmered Winter Melon with Yunnan Ham
6. Baked Egg Custard Tartlets

The top quality and freshness of the ingredients used as well as the expertise of the kitchen team were evident in every course. The crispy texture of the starter came as a pleasant surprise, while the Double Boiled Winter Melon is said to be beneficial to female beauty. The delicious seasoning of the pan-fried King Prawn made a lasting impression on me personally, while my dinner partner especially enjoyed the mellow taste of the Simmered Winter Melon, which was perfectly complemented by the lean Yunnan Ham. The deliciously sweet Egg Custard Tartlets came fresh from the oven and are a must-try.

Our meal was accompanied by soft traditional Chinese background music on the one hand and fragrant Jasmine tea, which is kept at just the right drinking temperature on a tea warmer, on the other hand.
In addition to the main dining area, which boasts a noble red carpet, mirrored columns and golden decor, Macao Chinese Restaurant also boasts four VIP rooms designed by a Japanese architect which lend themselves to business functions or banquets. Each VIP room has its own design and boasts a private bathroom and plasma screen TV.

Its top-quality food, impeccable service, and impressive interior design all work together to make an evening spent at the Macao Chinese Restaurant unforgettable. Invite business partners to this Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Official Hotel to impress, or bring your loved ones on a special occasion.

-by Sarah Pfleger

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