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2016-12-18
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Following "Yum Cha"'s array of creative and aesthetically pleasing dim-sum and many other Chinese restaurants to follow suit, there hasn't been great stirs to the Chinese dining scene until the opening of Dragon Noodles Academy ("DNA") in Central. Fusion food is no longer taking the lead, but "back to originality" with a playful plating and culinary experience. I was fascinated by its hearty decor, and probably this is what makes DNA worth a visit if you are looking for a dining vibe comparable
Following "Yum Cha"'s array of creative and aesthetically pleasing dim-sum and many other Chinese restaurants to follow suit, there hasn't been great stirs to the Chinese dining scene until the opening of Dragon Noodles Academy ("DNA") in Central. Fusion food is no longer taking the lead, but "back to originality" with a playful plating and culinary experience. I was fascinated by its hearty decor, and probably this is what makes DNA worth a visit if you are looking for a dining vibe comparable to a living museum. Not at all having a hefty price tag, food, especially larger plates to be shared among 4 or above, is worth a try to get a reasonable bill, although spending around $150 for a bowl of signature lobster noodles is deemed alright in the business district.
Given the large floor space it occupies and how "central" of Central it is located at, spending of $300-400/head for dinner is not a shock to us to spend on intriguing and delicate food and vibe it offers. Just around the corner if you know where Topshop is, but wonder what this was before? It was Toysrus - coincidently DNA is carrying on the crusade of a light-hearted casual dining venue.
Chinese craftsmanship is permeated into every corner of the restaurant, as evident as the golden handcraft dragon greeting you at the Entrance to colourful lion heads coming into attention once lifting up your head. Apparently on a more affluent style than "Yum Cha", such a whimsical dining scene should be quite costly as these aren't counterfeits but made with extincting handcraft techniques of old craftsmen. Intangible "handcraft" like making of noodles and roasting peking ducks in wood-oven is showcased through the open kitchen, further enlivening the museum-like dining scene.
Another eye-catching handcraft is the golden "hulu" made of copper and filling with water and craft beer. Just like other restaurants not intending to be a bar/pub, alcoholic drinks and beer are good deals here. As for the main menu, brochures just like "dim sum paper" are user-friendly and clear enough to showcase its delicacies. Dinner menu is a longer one than the one for lunch, mainly with a full list of larger and sharing-friendly plates but not for lunch. There isn't any lunch set but ordering noodles plus snacks would be equally fine if you are not going alone.
Lucky us spotted a discount voucher on DNA's facebook page, thus using this to save a bit from our bill. Not flooding here with menu photos as you may find them on its official website.
Gwei-lo draught beer pale ale $59/glass - feeling trendy to grab a craft beer than ordinary ones, gwei-lo and moonzen are two famous local brands that win our liking. Smooth and refreshing, it cools us down in the evening of a hectic day, realising its potential to be "foreigners' herb tea"! I realised the mismatch of logo on my glass and its content, but didn't bother further.
Berry Wintermelon 蓝莓冬瓜 $69 - this was ordered before my arrival, thus I wasn't able to capture its divine plating of a bunch of grapes. Translucent like real grapes, small wintermelon balls are soaked in blueberry sauce. Crunchy and lightly sweetened, this makes a playful appetiser to start with, good rating of which falls more on its plating instead of the portion/value of ingredients though.
Crispy Lobster Puff 龙虾萝卜酥 $69/件 - this is one among several dim sum dishes here, mainly featuring the signature lobster theme of using real lobster heads and re-creating the abdomen with tulip puff. It isn't as oily as imagined, mashed and sliced tulip inside remains moist, while the outer puff performs well as a crispy wrap. It is a bit pricey though, and puff isn't something easy to be shared as layers of puff fall off from cutting and biting.
Wood-oven whole peking duck +pancakes 京城：即烧片皮鸭 $499
It isn't our first time to watch how peking duck is sliced up, but how the chef masters cutting different parts of it and plates them nicely to serve deserves our applause. What makes it special and stand out from other peking duck eateries is its 3-way of eating arrangement to be paired with an array of sauces and veggies. The 3 ways are skin only, meat only for area around duck breast and skin + meat for duck's back.
Alongside these 3 parts of duck are several sauces that match with different parts as well - garlic mash, raw cane sugar, sweet duck sauce & sesame paste. For the prevalent skin + meat option to be enjoyed elsewhere, "pancakes" are to be matched and served with cucumber, rock melon, chinese leeks, pink cabbage to balance off the grease.
It is totally new to us to dip crispy duck skin into raw cane sugar. Natural sweetness blend well with briny flavour of duck skin. Skin remains crispy and doesn't turn soggy even taking some time to finish all.
My favourite is still the most common way to enjoy peking duck, having a handful of pancake and everything else and stuffing all divine ingredients in a bite.
24hrs ale-braised pork knuckle & rice (6ppl) 啤烧元蹄 (6位用) $399
啤烧元蹄 (6位用)
$399
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For sharing among 6 of us is a fair description. It takes us some time to finish as we wait for veggie dishes to come to make the taste more balanced, though pomegranate seeds perform its neutralising fruity role.
桂花炒假翅 Mock Shark's fin $119
桂花炒假翅
$119
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With enough heat and rapid frying, not much oil is put to the dish which is definitely worth a mention. Ingredients including mock shark's fin which is a bean-related product, crab meat, yolk and pork are stir-fried in a pot, bringing us a decadent yet not greasy dish.
Baby cabbage florets w/ parma ham 花拳秀腿 $99 - veggie dishes can be equally aesthetically pleasing to the eye like this. With parma ham slices and dried sakura shrimp drizzled over delicately sliced cabbage and served in a clear broth, it brings in natural refreshing sweetness, though aroma of parma ham can be even stronger to be more flavourful.
花拳秀腿
$99
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樱花虾菜
$99
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For desserts, it is rather "international" as we spot thai, chinese and western dishes in the menu. We go for two potted western desserts out of curiosity for some of us who didn't pay a visit to Sense Cafe before for potted-plant-like tiramisu. What surprises me is the detail it is able to create, most impressive being the red and green but edible elements on the "soil" (chocolate and coffee powder). They are in fact dyed snow fungus!
椰汁黑糯米
$69
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