When all food options fail, the natural recourse—usually—is to go for Chinese food. Whether it’s the ever delightful pair of sweet and sour pork with yang chow rice, some hearty congee or dim sum, or a fat and juicy roast goose, it all comes down to devouring comfort food that’s both filling and flavorful.
And just as Chinese cuisine is varied and differs per region, not all Chinese restaurants are the same. At City of Dreams for instance, you could count six outlets serving Chinese dishes already.
Executive Chinese Chef Bon Jun Choi is responsible for coming up with enticing dishes and distinct menus for each outlet. There’s Crystal Dragon, which serves premium Cantonese and regional cuisine; Noodl8, which serves noodle dishes from various parts of China and other Asian dishes; the Crystal Lounge at Crown Towers, which offers Chinese dim sum; and City of Dreams’ gaming restaurants like Li Ying Lounge, Li Uing Hin, and the 24-hour exclusive Signature Club.
And lately, Jing Ting, City of Dream’s newest Chinese restaurant has been attracting crowds for its Northern region cuisine.
Northern Chinese cuisine is known for its rich and salty flavors, roast meats, and noodles. It has a lot of wheat-based items like noodles, dim sum, steamed buns, and pancakes. The region includes Beijing, Xi’an, Inner Mongolia, and Northeast China and is known to have harsh winters and dry summers. This is why the cuisine tends to go for soups and salty but rich taste profiles that are achieved with the use of ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, sweet bean sauces, chilis, garlic, scallions, ginger, leeks, and sesame oil.
Little village
Jing Ting means “little house or resting place inspired by Northern Chinese hutongs. Part of Beijing’s rich history and culture, these centuries-old hutongs consisted of tree-lined alleys with rows of grey-tiled courtyards houses and shops.
Hutong helped neighborhoods bond and unite.
These sense of bonding was the inspiration behind the cozy interiors of Jing Ting. Diners get that feeling of entering an enclosed neighborhood with long tables set for their bonding and dining experience with friends and family.
Chef de Cuisine Yang Chen Fe, also known as Chef Allan, leads the Jing Ting kitchen. He’s got more than 15 years of experience in Northern Chinese cuisine and has been trained by Chinese Master Chef Cheng Hui. The master chef is famous for being the chef of China’s former president Hu Jintao.
Flavorful comfort food
Just gaze through the glass-walled kitchen of Jing Ting and you’ll easily see why Chef Allan is indeed the ninja master of noodles and dim sum. For the record, Chef Allan can create hand-pulled noodles in only two minutes and create 600 dumplings in an hour!
Those freshly made noodles, the broth cooked for hours—slurping Jing Ting’s hot noodle soups readily lifts one’s spirits over lunch or helps cure a hangover after a late night out at the property’s club or gaming area.
For something easy but heartwarming, go for Hand-Pulled Noodles in Beef Broth (Php398), Hang-Pulled Noodles in Clear Chicken Soup (Php368), or the Hand-Pulled Noodles with Stewed Pork Ribs Soup (Php388). For noodles with thicker sauce, opt for Sweet Soy Noodles with Pork and Assorted Vegetables (Php268) and Northern Fried Noodles with Pork, Egg, and Vegetables (Php268).
Jing Ting’s Beijing Dumpling Selections have each have distinct flavors. Among the must-trys are Beijing Pork “Jiao Zi” Dumpling (Php378 for 8 pieces; Php1,260 for 30 pieces); must-try Poached Pork and Kimchi “Jiao Zi” Dumplings (Php378 for 8 pieces, PhpPhp1,260 for 30 pieces); and Chopped Beef and Celery “Jiao Zi” Dumpling (Php390 for 8 pieces, Php1,350 for 30 pieces).
From here, it’s anything one is hankering for. Diners can refer to the menu’s Chef’s Recommendation and have the huge-sized, tender, and indulgent “Genghis Khan” Roasted Prime Beef Short Rips (Php1,380), “Xinjiang Style” Spicy Lamb Skewer with Cumin Spice (Php768), Pang-fried Grains and Bacon Pancake Roll (Php328), Braised Pork with Homemade Toasted Burger (Php268), and Beef Slices and Mushrooms with Flat Bread in Noodle Soup (Php388).
Dessert is a different affair on its own with light but refreshing items that complement the richness of the Northern Chinese cuisine fare: Chilled Honey and Red Bean Cake (Php148), Homely-style Sweetened Pumpkin Pastry (six pieces, Php198), and Chilled Sweetened Eight Treasure with Shaved Ice (Php178).
A sweet treat that’s getting to be a favorite is the Palace Snow Skin Pastry Roll with Sesame and Peanuts (Php198), which is good for sharing at five pieces per order.
• Jing Ting is located at the Upper Ground Floor, Retail Area, at City of Dreams Manila in Parañaque City. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. For reservations and inquiries, look for manager Michelle Gonzales. Or, call (+632) 800-8080.
