This February – Luxurious Cantonese Food in Saigon, Why Not?

To be honest, I didn’t expect so much as first when I was introduced about luxury Cantonese food since this is quite similar to me. I grow up with drinking tea, tasting dimsum and enjoying desserts like green bean bun, egg tarts, almond jelly soup…Yet it was the first time I witnessed a place where people set such a high level for Cantonese cuisine. And yes, they have done a great job at introducing Cantonese food as a luxury cuisine.

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I first entered a giant floor which was decorated as a royal palace with embroided pictures, Chinese Feng Shui drawings, and gems decorated around. Then our host led us into a room, where we would have luncheon together with friends and their chef – Mr Yan (Remember Yan Can Cook?).

Martin Yan - Royal Pavilion - James Pham-26
Visiting their kitchen. Photo by my friend – James Pham

What do you often talk about on a table? Everything out there, except for the food inside the dish. Have you ever felt curious about the secret inside your bowl? I was so glad I sat with a chef, so that I could listen to him talking about all what stayed inside my mouth. How other cut this by hand, what made this become so crisp outside and soft inside…I did really enjoy my appetizer with fried radish, young tofu, dimsum and pieces of veggie rollings. I really like the fried radish topped by sugar, which went perfectly with dimsum, fresh tofu and veggies rollings.

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Can you see the hot sauce inside that dimsum
Appetizer with radish, tofu, rolls and dimsum
Appetizer with radish, tofu, rolls and dimsum

The followings were shark’s fin dumplings in soup, then sauteed scallop & asparagus with XO sauce (XO sauce was something made from egg white and crab meat); steamed whole tomato stuffed with assorted fungi, and finally fried glutinous rice. My favourite of all was scallop topped with carvia, gone with sauce from asparagus, egg white and crab meat. It was a stroke of taste! The sauce was rich, creamy and extremely savory. You could tell how fresh the crab was just by its fragrance. The asparagus added sweet and veggie flavor, which made you feel the most of the sauteed scallop.

Anyone wants fresh scallop?
Anyone wants this lovely sauteed scallop?
My giant tomato with veggies & mushroom inside
My giant steamed tomato with veggies & fungi inside

And hoorey, the sweetest part of the luncheon: dessert with steamed custard bun and mango milk roll. Custard bun? We all know this. Let’s talk about mango milk roll which is really something to me. The cold milky cream mixed with fresh mango, wrapped inside the glutinous layer and covered by dried coconut. It was awesome.

Cold mango cake
Cold mango cake

We talked, we laughed, and we enjoyed everything over here in this Royal Pavilion restaurant. Luxurious Cantonese Cuisine this weekend, why not?

 

 

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