Lucky us, No. 8 China House, the fine dining Chinese restaurant of Grand Hyatt Manila, has officially opened its doors to an auspicious—and delicious—experience
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Above The all important traditional Peking Duck station

Standing at a neck craning height, the instantly recognisable iconic structure of the Grand Hyatt Manila had the city all abuzz and anticipating its inauguration early on in the year.

Since its January soft opening, the 5-star property has become the 25th Grand Hyatt in Southeast Asia and the 98th of its the brand in the world. Over the last two months, it has let its hospitable presence be felt, revealing phase by phase what it has to offer Manila.

This month, following launches of The Grand Kitchen (its all-day dining hub) and Spanish-inspired The Cellar, an exciting addition to its already very impressive F&B roster, is No. 8 China House located on the 5th floor.

In keeping with the “open kitchen” theme of all of the Hyatt’s dining establishments, No. 8 China House leaves no authentic Chinese culinary stone unturned, serving Peking Duck, Chinese barbecue, homemade dim sum and Cantonese seafood dishes, which are all artfully prepared at the various cooking stations spread out throughout the well-appointed space.

 

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Above Peking Duck all around
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Above One of the Private Dining Rooms of No. 8 China House

Explained General Manager Gottfried Bogensperger, “I think anybody who likes authentic Chinese, or Asian food for that matter, will love coming here. The idea is very Cantonese-based—for example, we have the live fish tanks in the back for live steamed seafood. But it’s not just about Cantonese food though; Chinese food, in general, is very misinterpreted. People have the tendency to think it’s one cuisine and put it all in one pot, so to speak. But Chinese food is so diversified. Here, diners will experience first-hand how all these dishes from the various cuisines are actually prepared the traditional way.”

As a true testament to his honed palate’s expertise, shared Bogensperger, who resided in Shanghai for over eight years prior to his move to the Philippines: “I have tasted a variety of Chinese food and I can say that the dishes prepared in No. 8 China House are as authentic as they get.”

For opening night, the restaurant pulled out all the stops and marked the occasion with a vibrant lion dance, ceremonious offerings, and blessings to attract and perpetuate good tidings. Moreover, No. 8’s feng shui was interpreted by no less than yin yang expert, the very lovely Princess Lim Fernandez.

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“Every year, there are certain directions that are lucky,” started Fernandez. “This year,” she continued, “the luckiest direction is the South East. Fortunately, this hotel is facing that direction as well as the ‘Wealth Star.’ So for those who want to close a business deal or who are presenting new ideas or trying to woo or invite investors…this would be a great venue to meet.” Joked Bogensperger with a cheeky grin, “Investors are always most welcome here!”

Further to her very positive point, added Fernandez, “If you face the wealth direction, the fountain out front in the driveway motivates that good energy. Conversely, if it’s a bad energy, you keep [things] quiet. Because the hotel faces the wealth star, as people come in, it helps them imbibe that energy for whatever purpose they wish to fulfill.”

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Above The must-try Peking Duck being roasted

Whether the Grand Hyatt Manila’s good energy has anything to do with or not, the chefs of No. 8 China House more than fulfill their purpose as diners leave the table superbly satisfied with their dining experience and even more contented with life in general as when they walked in. Helmed by Hyatt-grown Chef de Cuisine Carson Luo, the open kitchen is then “split” between six specialised chefs, four of which are dedicated to its Cantonese bill of fare; one that is an expert on roasting Peking Duck, another from the Sze Chuan province; and a sixth that focuses on wok specialties. As Bogensperger previously pointed out, the menu spans the regional specialities, so depending on what the diner is jonesing for, there’s something for everyone.

The star dish of the show that everyone must try, however, is—hands down—the Peking Duck, a meticulously prepared poultry dish that originated in Beijing in the early 1400s. “The beauty of authentic Peking Duck is the manner in which it is consumed—knowing the right way to enjoy it defines whether you consumed a roast duck or an actual Peking Duck,” explained master chef Luo. “The best way to honour this classic dish is to eat it traditionally—just like how my ancestors ate it.”

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Above Princess Lim Fernandez & Executive Chef Mark Hagan

Slow roasted for an hour in a specially built wood-fired oven, its flavour is enhanced by using fragrant mango wood as fuel. Then, similar to how it was back in ancient China, this delicacy is carved tableside by expert chefs for you to consume three ways. The crispy yet melt-in-your-mouth skin that has been skillfully trimmed off the flesh is served as the first course, and best enjoyed when dipped in white granulated sugar to further enhance the flavor, a subtle caramelisation to balance out the bitterness of the skin. For the main course, either the fattier leg meat or leaner white breast meat is then wrapped in thin pancakes together with cucumber, spring onions, and hoisin sauce. Lastly, the deep-fried duck bones are then brought back to the table to nibble on and savour.

“Most people have just tried the Hong Kong roast duck which is sold with plum or hoisin sauce, spring onions and pancakes. This is believed to be authentic Peking Duck but it’s not,” asserted Bogensperger.

Star dish aside, to whet the appetite, Luo highly recommends the chilled black fungus with Thai chilli, and homemade soy sauce to stimulate those buds followed by the textured and more palate refreshing (and a tad sour) water spinach with peanut, black vinegar, and char sui barbecued pork. Soup lovers will have to sample the double-boiled seafood soup with shrimp, crab, and winter melon (Fernandez, herself, who is on a strict carb-less diet couldn’t resist a second serving).

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Above Wok-fried King Prawns in rice wine, black rice vinegar, and honey

For the mains, don’t stop at just the one seafood dish; a smorgasbord is the way to go. Try the fragrant and absolutely flavourful braised codfish in ginger, and garlic, served—interestingly—in a red hot lava bowl to retain the temperature. No. 8’s crustaceans are fresh and juicy so do give the wok-fried king prawns generously drizzled in a gorgeous savoury rice wine, black rice vinegar, and honey sauce.

Easy, all-round favourite dishes that’ll please most palates is certainly the sweet and sour pork as well as the tummy-filling e-fu noodles heaving with mushrooms and chunks of pork. Top these off with the spicy and salty wok-fried long beans with a liberal sprinkling of with minced beef, and dried chilli. Dessert? Look no further than the tart, sweet and absolutely gratifying mango pomelo sago topped with seasonal fruit.

And there you have your complete meal spanning all of the delicious flavour profiles of the Middle Kingdom. As Fernandez duly pointed out earlier in the evening, whether you know the theories or geomantic concepts behind feng shui or not, it all boils down to one’s gut feel. Judging by mine, I was terribly happy and already looking forward to coming back.