Dragonair has continued its partnership with local Hong Kong restaurant Xin Dau Ji for a second successive year, after the two parties collaborated last May to introduce new dishes to the airline’s customers (see here).
Speaking to Business Traveller Asia-Pacific, Jonathan Chou, director of Xin Dau Ji, stated that both the restaurant and Dragonair have received positive reviews from the airline’s passengers regarding the quality of the dishes introduced last year. It was therefore a no-brainer for the two parties to join forces once again.
Chou explained the key difference with the 2015 menuis that every dish is a new, original creation between the restaurant and airline, whereas last year the offerings were based on signature dishes from Xin Dau Ji.
Depending on customer feedback, Xin Dau Ji will consider introducing these new dishes to its restaurant’s menu.
The new menu is being rolled out now in all classes on selected Dragonair flights from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai; first and business class cabins to Taipei and Kaohsiung, and in business class to Taichung, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao and Fukuoka.
Business Traveller Asia-Pacific had the opportunity to sample some of the new dishes. These were our observations:
Appetiser (available exclusively on first class)
Centre: Golden pomelo with prawn; clockwise from bottom: Oyster mushroom with French bean; sea whelk with abalone sauce; shredded chicken with tribute vegetables; and preserved plum with pork belly and zucchini.
From the subtle aroma of the oyster mushroom, to the spicier and sharper taste of the prawns, each of the five appetisers offered an entirely different taste. In my opinion, the highlight here had to be the sea whelk with abalone sauce. The slightly saltier taste of the dish, courtesy of the abalone sauce, would contribute to a more positive dining experience in the air, due to the numbing effect that altitude has on the taste buds.
I was also suitably impressed by the shredded chicken appetiser. Despite being a simple dish, I felt that the tenderness of the chicken worked well with the crunchier nature of the vegetables, and created texture to the dish.
Main course
F = First class, J = Business class
Steamed cod fish with conpoy, silver fish and dried shrimp (F)
An excellent dish. I have always been a great fan of cod - the dense, white flesh just isn’t matched by any other fish (except perhaps sea bass). What is a fairly common and affordable fish in places like the UK, commands a premium status in Asia, which explains why Dragonair has opted to use it for this first class dish. The salty dried shrimp and silver fish complemented the milder taste of the cod perfectly.
Stir-fried prawn and asparagus with termite mushroom paste (F/J)
One has to appreciate the generous size of the prawns in this dish. I confess that I don’t normally like asparagus very much, but it worked well in this dish. The termite mushroom paste softened the overpowering nature of the asparagus, and provide the prawns with some much-needed flavour.
Sauteed Angus beef fillet with Matsutake mushroom (F)
Possibly my favourite main course. The beef was tender and had the tiniest touch of pink. Meanwhile, the spicy-aromatic odour of the luxurious Matsutake mushroom helped elevate the whole dish, and worked well with the dark sauce used to sautée the beef.
Abalone Maitake mushroom chicken parcel with supreme egg white sauce (F)
A very mild dish, which may have tasted great on the ground but may not translate so well at altitude. The egg white sauce was practically tasteless, while the parcel itself was primarily filled with vegetables that were also mild in flavour. While the abalone did taste wonderful, I should mention that each parcel only contained two small pieces of the mollusc, hardly enough to provide a strong flavour to the dish.
Double-boiled marmoreal mushroom, dried fig, silky fowl soup (F)
Another standout from the tasting session. Many will be familiar with the benefits of using black chicken in soup, due to its role as a “superfood” in Chinese cuisine. Rich in antioxidants, black chicken is thought to improve one’s health and immune system. Having been double-boiled, the soup was flavourful, while the marmoreal mushroom and dried figs give it a lot of intensity.
Prawn mousse stuffed with scallop in pomelo honey sauce (F/J)
I appreciated the citrus flavour given to the sauce by the tangerine zest. This gave the dish a very distinct taste, which should retain well at altitude. Having said that, I did feel that the citrus completely overpowered the flavours that the pomelo honey sauce contributed to the dish, and thought these flavours could have been balanced better.
Braised duck leg with five spice paste (F/J)
Business class passengers should rejoice knowing that this first class dish will be available for them as well! The duck was remarkably tender, while the five-spice paste helped to balance out the gamey taste of the dark meat. The dish was served alongside pak choi. Overall, highly recommended.
Stewed Berkshire pork with preserved salted cabbage in Hak-ka style (F)
The sauce of this dish was flavourful due to the added preserved salted cabbage, while I found the Berkshire pork to be tender. Having been cooked in a clay pot, the food loses little of its moisture because it is surrounded by steam. In addition, it also ensures that the nutrients are retained, thereby benefiting the consumer.
For more information, visit dragonair.com and xindauji.com
Clement Huang
