Jade Dragon brings one of China’s favorite and
most esteemed cuisines — Cantonese — to Nüwa Macau at the City of
Dreams. Master chef Kelvin Au Yeung’s experience cooking for royalty makes him
the ideal person to cater to international high rollers. He specializes in
choosing the freshest, healthiest ingredients, many of them organic, to create
dishes that help to balance the body and encourage longevity.
He is assisted by Lam Lat Cho, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, who has brought elements of the ancient philosophy of well-being into the menu. You’ll see his philosophy in soups, such as double-boiled cordyceps (a deliciously healthful fungus) with fish maw.
He is assisted by Lam Lat Cho, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, who has brought elements of the ancient philosophy of well-being into the menu. You’ll see his philosophy in soups, such as double-boiled cordyceps (a deliciously healthful fungus) with fish maw.
The entrance has old-style traditional Chinese medicine
apothecary drawers, creating an attractive and cultural welcome. (VIPs can use
a private lift that takes them here directly from the car park.) A
mouthwatering and theatrical show follows as you make your way toward the
dining room, with various open kitchens displaying the meats being roasted, the
desserts being created and the fish swimming in their tanks while awaiting
their fate.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- The memorable interiors mix contemporary décor seen in the
metallic silver and gold VIP rooms with curving walls with the classic elegance
of dark wood furniture and traditional Chinese symbols. You’ll notice
blue-and-white Chinese tableware, the jade dragon chopstick holders and
hand-painted walls featuring traditional scenes.
- The Macau restaurant is renowned for
its barbecued items, roasted in-house over lychee wood, which infuses the sweet
flavor of the smoke into the tenderly cooked meats.
- Dim sum is also particularly popular here, with chef Song
Jian Li standing by in the dining room to create his famous Japanese hairy
crabmeat dumpling to order.
- Every dish is a mini work of art. Dim sum is served on a
plate garnished with a double leaf, and flanked by three sauces, or if steamed
in a steamer, it is placed within a silver dragon-carved dish that stands on
three feet. The meats and soups are presented rather more earthily on an
irregular-shaped ceramic plate and a clay-style pot, respectively.
- The chef works with a traditional
Chinese medicine doctor on a menu that combines the freshest ingredients with
organic and healthy produce to balance and
promote a long life. Particularly interesting is the menu of TCM-inspired
soups.
Things to Know
- Professional and charming, the service at Jade Dragon
is superb. While not all the waitstaff speaks English, there are plenty who do,
and they are ready to share helpful information on the menu.
- At dinnertime, you might find the restaurant filled
with businessmen entertaining important clients, see VIPs from a nearby casino
or spy couples on dates. During the day, however, it attracts families who are
interested in an authentic dim sum lunch.
- The dress code is casually elegant. It’s best to avoid
wearing shorts, sleeveless shirts and open-toe shoes.
- The place settings, which cost more than HK$15,000 (about US$1,920) each, feature an eye-catching, light-reflecting transparent dragon. This symbol of happiness and immortality is placed in the middle of the table to reflect the healthful philosophy of the Macau restaurant.
- Securing a reservation to
dine at Jade Dragon couldn’t be easier. Book through any of the City of Dreams hotel
concierges or by calling 853-8868-2822. It’s recommended to reserve tables and
VIP rooms well in advance.
The Food
- Served unusually in single portions,
the dim sum at the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant — in particular the
light-as-air beef puff and the creamy shrimp dumpling with the most delicate
skin — transcends other versions you’ll have eaten before.
- The traditional Chinese medicine soups are
nerve-wracking to order, simply because even the English translations of some
of the ingredients will mean nothing to the average diner. Instead, choose your
soup according to the benefits you seek, or go for the simple-sounding double-boiled
herbal winter melon, meant to counter dampness and increase the appetite —
which could be handy considering what is to come.
- The roasted meats are sublime, with the
Iberico ham char siu another menu
item that takes the traditional Chinese dish far beyond the usual, in terms of
flavor and texture. Incredibly tender and a little crispy with ambrosial fat,
the hint of lychee and its sweet coating makes it pleasingly rich.
- One of the most luxurious ingredients
in Chinese cooking is abalone, and there is a list of dishes dedicated to this
much-loved specialty.
- The desserts span Western and Chinese
sweets. The petits fours are a spectacular dish of mini ice creams in cones
served in a teapot, a square of the softest chocolate, a mini cake, fruit
jellies and a macaron.
The Drinks
- The imperial Cantonese cuisine goes
well with the Cantonese restaurant’s various teas
- Choose from Chinese rice wines and
liqueurs, and international grape wines from both the old and new worlds.
- Staff members are knowledgeable about
all of the options and can help suggest a tea that will complement the dishes
or suit the palate, as well as steer the less experienced diner through Chinese
wines and liqueurs. They can also suggest individual pairings to go with each
dish for an extremely personalized meal.
