Even with a restaurant and cuisine you love, it is important to experiment and try new items being offered. Dynasty at Avari Lahore has been one of the longest standing Chinese restaurants. With a set clientele and hotel guests, the restaurants long standing menu is widely popular. With old institutional eateries, regular clients have a very set menu that they order. While Chinese is one of the most popular cuisines in Pakistan, what people order at restaurants has become very generic.
Under the tutelage of their new Head Chef, Yang Erbing, the restaurant now offers a vast array of items that are not only unique to the menu, but also manifest authentic Chinese flavours.
“In this new menu, I have added some authentic Cantonese and Schezuan dishes,” says Erbing, “in northern China, people like a very natural flavour and very minimal seasoning, but in the south a lot more spices are used, since it is colder and the spices allow for people to warm up,” he adds.
Prawn dumpling
The steamed prawn dumplings are flavourful and light. Fused with light seasoning, coriander and mint, they are bite-sized and can be had on their own or with a dash of soy sauce.
“I want to bring out the natural flavour of the food,” continues Erbing, “there are parts of China where people just steam some fish and have it with soy sauce.”
Silk-coated prawns
A must-try item on the menu. Zest and crispy, coated with Julian style shredded crispy potatoes, they are probably the best addition to the menu. With a kick of lime and a hint of spice, the flavours are harmonious and work well together.
Chicken chops with chilli honey sauce
Another appetiser that are essentially pepper cracked fried pieces of boneless chicken. The thin strips of chicken are served with a sweet chilli sauce that brings out the flavours of the peppered chicken.
Prawn coriander soup
While the first spoonful feels very fresh, it is soon noticeable that the soup is bland and lacks flavour. The chopped up prawn also gives the soup an uncomfortable texture and while it is a lighter soup, its lack of flavour makes it not entirely suitable for the local market.
Roast duck with oyster sauce
A Cantonese dish that focuses on bringing out the flavour of the roasted duck, lined with a very light oyster sauce. Roasted duck is an acquired taste and this particular entree can be enjoyed by those who like soft flavours and are willing to experiment with their palette.
Prawns with spicy chilli sauce
A Schezuan dish that is probably the best addition to the menu. Well-cooked, succulent prawn, served with medium-spiced chilli sauce. It is always important to hit that right balance with spicy food, so that there is enough that can be enjoyed and not let the consumer gasp for water. This entree hits the spot for those who love spices and those who do not.
What is interesting to notice about Chef Erbing’s food is the vegetable carvings he does, they are fantastic and very skillfully made.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2014.
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