Li Jiang: Asian fine dining at its best in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: There’s been a plethora of fine-dining restaurants mushrooming in the capital lately, but Ritz Carlton’s Asian restaurant Li Jiang has managed to stand tall.

Its tasteful décor filled with dark wood panelling, open kitchen that gives you a ringside view of the chef’s noodle making skills and a trendy beverage counter at the entrance sets the tone for a wonderful culinary experience.

We started off with an appetiser – the wasabi prawns. The shrimps were smeared with potent horseradish paste and topped off with avocado and tangy mango salsa. The prawns were succulent and meaty but bland. However, the condiments made a difference and infused a much-needed kick.

Next to arrive at our table was another delectable starter titled Chew Yim Calamari. It was served to us straight from the frying pan and that was the reason it was sumptuously crunchy. The deep fried shallot flakes and spring onion tossed in a green and red chilli infusion with a dash of garlic went well with the dish. Though the item was deep-fried it wasn’t greasy and the calamari was done just right, no fishy taste – just the way I like it.

It is a cardinal sin to omit dumplings when you dine in an Asian restaurant, especially one like Li Jiang which offers an amazing selection of those tiny parcels. We recommend the pan-fired beef foie gras and tom yum dumpling. The beef foie gras is a time-tested Asian starter with contemporary fillings. The highlight of the evening, however, was the main course. The signature honey-glazed black cod with asparagus and mayonnaise tasted as good as it looked. The fish was caramelised and tasted divine. The flesh came off easily on to the fork, and it was more appealing when combined with asparagus and the sauce.

Another must try is the stir-fried chicken noodles with Kung Pao chicken – a delightful mix of lotus roots, bell peppers, cashew nuts and red chilli. The noodle is an improvised take on Phad Thai with the usual suspects such as bean sprouts, bell peppers and mushrooms thrown in.

After such a splendid main course, the dessert had some stiff competition. While Mango Tatin was satisfactory, it wasn’t as sublime as the main meal.

Having said that, deep-fried ice-cream with warm chocolate sauce brought a perfect ending to the evening.

We recommend: Wasabi prawns, Honey-glazed cod fish, Beef Foie Gras,

Meal for two: DH350 – 500

Our ratings: Ambience 5, Food: 5, Value for money 4, Over all 5

Location, Ritz Carlton, Khor AL Maqtaa,

Timing: 7pm to 12am

For reservations: Call 02-818 8888