Dai Pai Dong balances fiery spice and deft cooking and, for a limited time, the restaurant aims to bring the alleyways of the Szechuan province to foodies in the capital with menu available until 30 April.
If you are fan of a little fire in your daily meals, become acquainted with Dai Pai Dong’s “From the Alleyways of Szechuan” feast, which sees lovely morsels of meat and seafood buried like treasures beneath dried red chilis. This menu is quite possibly the best Chinese we’ve tasted in the capital with the bonus of a bold buzz at the end.
The interior of the restaurant is atypical of anything else you will find in Abu Dhabi. The open kitchen feels quite like walking the small streets of Hong Kong with diners peering in as chefs maneuver around their kitchens amidst bursts of searing steam and the smoky, savoury smells emitted that seep out into the streets — too bold to be contained within the kitchens. Unlike those small Hong Kong restaurants, Dai Pai Dong is strictly five-star with outdoor seating reminiscent of a tropical island smack dab in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s financial and high-end shopping districts.
We decide to take on the special Szechuan Feast for our lunch appointment in spite of the warning that it might be a bit spicy. It would be hard to walk away given the ambiance of the restaurants with the perfumed aroma of spices permeating the dining room: a potent mixture of roasted cumin, chilies, and Szechuan peppercorns. Even before we sat down, we could almost taste those bold pink peppercorns, which can feel like a thousand needles dancing across the tip of the tongue when they sneak up on you in a typical meal.
Chef Dong, the head chef at Dai Pai Dong, has designed a full menu dedicated entirely to Szechuan cuisine, known around the world for its bold, and spicy flavors. He has chosen 10 of the most popular traditional dishes to allow guests to discover the authentic side of Szechuan cooking.
Southwest China is known to prepare more fish and beef dishes than other regions, and this has been reflected in the “From the Alleyways of Szechuan” menu which features favourites of the mainland like chili poached beef, pickled cabbage seabass, wok-fried sliced beef ribeye and sautéed chili beef. Catering to a variety of palates, Chef Dong has also included dishes like wok-fried chili prawns prepared and served in a clay pot, vegetarian options like wok-fried cauliflower and three different kinds of chicken specialties.
We start with delicious chicken wantons that are bathed on a fiery chili sauce. When the flavour of the meat and the still-crunchy onions push through and tame the spice, it feels like an exciting roller coaster ride. It’s this type of seesaw of flavors that makes Chef Dong’s food and this menu so compelling. We try the pickled cabbage seabass, which was a bit too soupy, but the fish was cooked to perfection and and broth-like sauce had an excellent flavour portfolio despite its consistency. The wok-fried ribeye was also skillfully prepared and plated and the wok-fried cauliflower’s preparation rendered the cruciferous side a standout main.
It’s not uncommon for Chinese restaurants like Dai Pai Dong to offer limited time menus to diners. What sets Dai Pai Dong apart is that even the regular menu showcases the talented Chef Dong’s deft cooking and refined balance and makes any meal at this spot decidedly memorable.
Dai Pai Dong, Rosewood Abu Dhabi. To book, e-mail [email protected] or call 02 813 5588.
