Dubai: In keeping with its long tradition of experimenting with new flavours, Dynasty has come up with a host of new dishes. On offer is a line-up of Asian fusion creations blending hot Szechuan with mild Cantonese flavours, and the result is a range of toothsome delicacies.
Located on the lobby level of the landmark Ramada Hotel in the busy Bur Dubai business district, Dynasty which opened about two decades ago has been among the longest standing Chinese restaurants in the city and has a large following.
As we walked in we noticed not much has changed over time in terms of its simplistic-but-warm décor and affable staff. We’re shown to our table by the genial Ramada veteran Bevis, who besides explaining the new menu in detail, recommended a couple of signature dishes.
So, as suggested, we started the meal with golden fried spiced prawns and crispy chicken Manchurian. But before that we were served a refreshing lemon and mint welcome drink. The crisply fried prawns were coated with thick batter and had a distinct ‘five’ spice flavour, plus it also had traces of onion, garlic and chilly – spicy but a worthy starter.
The Manchurian too was crunchy and the bite-size pieces of chicken were sautéed in a delicious blend of garlic, ginger, onion, coriander and tomato paste. The sweet and mildly pungent flavoured dish lived up to its fusion billing.
Next up was soup – vegetarian manchow, seafood hotpot and Tom Yum Kung. The manchow came with fried noodles and had a mild, hot-tangy taste. The seafood hotpot was nice and included a variety of marine species, glass noodles in a clear Cantonese style broth.
The best of the lot, however, was the all-time Thai favourite Tom Yum. Featuring prawns, mushrooms, galangal, lemongrass and coriander, the soup had a zesty, sour and spicy curry-like flavour that tickles your palate.
For mains we opted for the signature dishes. Our choice included chicken and duck liver with sweet and sour sauce; black pepper beef (tender pieces of tenderloin in pepper sauce); sizzling silky tofu (cubes of tofu with broccoli and black mushroom in a traditional Cantonese sauce served on a sizzler plate); vegetable hakka noodles and vegetable fried rice.
All the dishes were top notch and left little room for complaints. However, the stand-out dish was the black pepper beef. The beef pieces were succulent and juicy and stir-fried to perfection. Though the dark sauce had a strong and hot flavour brought on by the use of pepper, it was nevertheless delicious and blended perfectly with the meat.
To give diners a hint about the flavour of each dish, Chef Jianwei Li, from China and the brain behind the fusion, has illustrated the dominant ingredient of each preparation on the menu card alongside the title. For example, if a dish is pungent you will find a chilly symbol next to the title.
We decided to skip the dessert as we were already feeling full. We left the place satiated and satisfied and with one thought: we would come back again.
Details:
Meal for two: 250-300
Timings: Noon to midnight
Location: Ramada Dubai Hotel, Bur Dubai
For bookings: 04-506 1148
We recommend: Tom Yum Kung, golden fried spiced prawns, chicken & duck liver with sweet and sour sauce
