Proper Chinese dishes in Oman are hard to come by. If you know a place, you're one of the lucky few who has locked down on probably something good.
One of the creme de la creme in Oman when it comes to Chinese dishes is Al Bustan Palace's China Mood. Reopened recently after its seasonal hiatus, China Mood came back with a bang upgrading some of its dishes and providing a few more options on its menu.
A recent visit to China Mood revealed that familiar look — three private dining areas the biggest of which can accommodate about 15 to 20 people and the smaller ones usually reserved for intimate family dinners. The decorations are still loud and proud with their intricate Chinese decors but the one good thing is that the pop music turned classic musical spills over from the two performers passionately performing in the lobby nearby.
It remains to be one of the top fancy places for fine dining when you're craving Chinese food.
Restaurant Manager Nyi Nyi Htun who also goes by his English name Victor said that what makes China Mood different is that they've elevated the taste of their dishes to cater to the taste of people in Oman.
"We use authentic Chinese techniques in cooking. But we wanted to make sure that the taste connects with the tastebud of diners in Oman," he said during their food tasting event a few weeks back.
"Our Peking Duck, usually the hardest to get right, is one of the most succulent and memorable dishes you will ever try in Oman. It's a must-try and a best seller and we guarantee that you'd love it," he said.
With Chef de Cuisine Peong Teck You aka Sam overseeing and personally handling some of the dishes, his meticulous Chinese background gives the whole experience the exact meaning of how it is to dine and enjoy a Chinese meal.
For the tasting menu, the Chef's Special was quite comprehensive and divided into different parts.
First out from the kitchen is the China Mood Dim Sum Platter which included chicken shaomai, prawn har gau, wild mushroom dumplings, and shanghai beef xiao long bao. The dim sums came in different colours with each colour corresponding to different fillings.
A must-try in the current offerings is the pan-fried Angus beef and foie gras dumpling and the sesame prawn toast. The taste was not only complex but dipped in soy sauce, they are some of the most memorable dim sums one can try in Oman.
For the mains, the two dishes that will surely not disappoint are the wagyu beef in black pepper sauce and the steamed turbot fillet with garlic soy sauce and bean crisps. The former highlights the beautiful texture of this premium beef while the latter is a beautifully done fish that melts in your mouth as you eat it. We also thought we already tried the best possible way of preparing Omani lobster but the wok-fried lobster in China's Mood takes this seafood to another level.
For dessert, the coconut pandan cake and miso caramel chocolate pudding are the perfect way to end the meal and topped up with a refreshing hot tea, it's the kind of meal you will remember even weeks after.
There are a lot of spectacles and new offerings happening at China Mood this season. In this dining experience, we barely tried 40 per cent of their offering and the chef guarantees that the other dishes available on the menu are the same favourites but elevated and made even better. With a new executive chef providing direction to the food served at The Palace, it looks like we won't be able to overlook what they are serving in the coming days.
China Mood is open from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm. For bookings and reservations, you can follow them on Instagram: @ritzcarltonalbustan
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