China Calling

Hidden away behind Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Le Meridien Dubai (not to be confused with its sister property Le Meridien Fairway) may take a while to find if you’re not familiar with the Garhoud area. But, as we soon discovered, their newly refurbished Cantonese & Szechwan restaurant Long Yin is also worth going around in circles for.

This much was clear right from the moment we were ushered in past the stone warrior statue at the entrance — the place was full of patrons (almost none of them Chinese) dining late into the Monday week night. Plonking ourselves under one of the giant low-hanging purple lamps (not unlike enormous jellyfish heads), we checked out the interiors that so recently underwent a complete makeover and note the more comfortable seating, the subtler wall hangings and the addition of a live cooking station. The large fish tanks from which one can order the ‘catch of the day’, if it should so tickle your fancy, are still there — only reinstalled on the other side.

My dining partner — who’d been hankering after Chinese cuisine a while now after watching one too many episodes of The Big Bang Theory — was already eyeing the new, dedicated Dim Sum menu of steamed and fried dumplings. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration either to say every variation conceivable was probably on that list. We opted for half portions of Steamed Beef Sio Mai, Seafood Dumplings (minced prawn wrapped in the shape of an autumn leaf) and Deep-fried Chicken Wontons. (Yes, we’re fans of this Chinese offering, as you can tell). Delectable as the steamed dumplings were though, the Wontons won our double thumbs-up, hands down. If only everything wasn’t extra sinful — to taste and health — when fried!

When ordering mains, if you’re expecting the standard Chinese fare of Chicken Manchurian and Chilli Chicken curries, expect also to be sorely disappointed. The rather extensive menu goes nowhere near these ‘classics’ that we’ve come to associate with Chinese restaurants in the country. What Long Yin does offer is over 100 other options — an experience akin to opening a cupboard full of dresses and moaning about “nothing to wear”; we just couldn’t make up our minds! In the end, our server Christopher took pity on our plight and patiently decoded the menu for us, recommending dishes based on our preferences.

There was nothing to do now but wait, so we couldn’t help noticing the two Far Easterners at the next table, who seemed to have taken a vow of silence as they chopsticked mouthfuls without a word through the entire meal. They might have been mad at each other, but we settled instead for the more likely possibility that when confronted with food so good the only way to do it justice is to, well, eat. It was enough to whip up anyone’s appetite.

Our orders soon arrived and none too early (the complimentary caramelised walnuts were about to do a disappearing act, courtesy my partner) and we tucked right in. Presented in boat-shaped porcelain bowls, each of the dishes contributed to a triple conspiracy that attacked our senses of sight, smell and taste. We ladled spoonfuls of Stir-fried Chicken with Guilin Chilli Sauce and Sautéed Striploin (sliced beef tenderloin with green onion leeks) atop our fried noodles — an excellent combination. My partner was all praises for the Wok-fried Prawn in X.O sauce (having most recently had an unfortunate experience with poorly cooked ones). The prices for seafood are, however, a bit tougher to swallow (being charged by the kilo) so you might want to order with care.

We wrapped up with small portions of dessert — a vanilla cream cheesecake with roasted mango, orange marmalade and coconut mousse for me and a chocolate sponge cake layered with chocolate parfait, passion fruit cream and served with strawberry ice cream for my companion, who was sure he wouldn’t be able to finish. “Who passes up on chocolate cake though?!” he demanded, spearing the last scrumptious crumb and wiping his plate clean.

Unlike past experiences, the meal didn’t lie heavy on our stomachs nor did we feel like we’d just participated in one of those competitive speed-eating contests. When it comes to fine dining, Long Yin sure knows how it’s done.

karen@khaleejtimes.com

Cost for 2: Dh500 (about Dh350 without the seafood)

Contact: 
Long Yin, Le Meridien Dubai, Airport Road, 04-2170000

Editor’s rating: 5/5

• Food and Dining