Xin Wha
At Mandarin Oriental Jakarta
Located inside Mandarin Oriental, one of Jakarta’s oldest luxury hotels by the iconic Selamat Datang Monument, Xin Hwa Restaurant offers Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine presented in an exciting, modern and elegant way.
Hand in hand with Mandarin Oriental’s famous hospitality and service quality, the atmosphere of Xin Hwa Restaurant is friendly and welcoming. With authentic decorations, such as paintings and crystal chandeliers reminiscent of old Eastern tradition, the interior of the restaurant is intimately decorated to complete the guests’ dining experience.
Should you find yourself sitting down in this exquisite high-end eatery deciding what appetizers to have, be sure to ask for the old-fashioned Shanghai-style Smoked Cod Fish Fillet and Chilled Drunken Chicken topped with “Shao Xing” Wine Shaved Ice. This is a very exotic cold dish that leaves a satisfyingly rich aftertaste, easily inviting other courses ahead. For soup, the Double-boiled Chicken Consommé contains delicate warmth, and the agaricus mushrooms, fish maw and nourishing herbal roots gives the soup that authentic herby flavour from the dish’s Cantonese origin.
On to heavier entrées, the Steamed Black Cod Fish spells flavourful tenderness at every bite, and when taken with the homemade Green Ginger Purée, the fish just turns into a whole new level of richness.
Another favourite main dish is the Pan-fried Australian Wagyu rib-eye with Szechuan pepper and golden mushroom. This is a mildly spicy dish that offers a balanced dose of rich protein and fibre. The golden mushroom essentially works as an accompaniment to harmonize the wagyu.
As for vegetable recommendations, the Poached Spinach with Cordycep Flower in Chicken Consommé is a delicious and unique vegetable dish with depth that warms your palate and helps wash away any remnants of meaty flavours.
Recommended for dessert is the Chilled Cream of Mango with Sago Pearls and Lime Sorbet accompanied by Chinese pancake stuffed with red bean paste. The combined tastes of the lime sorbet’s refreshing flavour and the sweetness of the mango cream create a fitting finale for your dining experience.
Aside from the set menu and signature dishes, a selection of classic dim sum dishes and Chinese teas are available all day, with the restaurant’s popular all-you-can-eat dim sum brunches available on Saturdays and Sundays.
One Restaurant, Two Traditions
Chuan, more commonly known as Szechuan, cuisines is today characterized by being hot and heavily spiced with fresh chilli and chilli oil, a development which started around the 17th century with the introduction of chilli. Szechuan cuisine today is synonymous with chilli, although the region actually produces and uses many different flavourings and seasonings, including soy sauce from Zhongba, cooking vinegar from Baoning, and number of others that have contributed to the development of a more complex range of dishes reflecting the original nature of Szechuan cuisine.
Cantonese cuisine, on the other hand, is characterized by well-balanced seasoning to enhance the main ingredients instead of changing the flavour. Another important aspect is the freshness of the produce used in cooking. Cantonese cuisine is arguably one of the most popular cooking styles compared to the other four cooking traditions.
Xin Hwa is known to deliver the best of both Szechuan and Cantonese cuisines, a commendable undertaking considering the vastly different ingredients and cooking style involved in the overall preparation of the dishes.
