Enduring Traditions: Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise Launches Exquisite New Menu at Hilton Manila

Chef Xi Qiao Yuan presents the highly anticipated launch of an all new menu at Hua Yuan BrasserieChinoise in Hilton Manila showcasing elegant and traditional Shanghainese cuisine. The new menu recreates the essence of Shanghai's rich culinary heritage recreated and plated in exquisite dishes at Hilton Manila's signature restaurant. Read on for a virtual taste of classic Shanghainese flavors at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise... 

Located at the Second Floor of Hilton Manila, diners are greeted by the impressive and intricate sculptures by Chinese artist Zheng Lu. Known for using language as a pictoral element, a closer look at the elegant sculptures reveal a visual surprise...

...with a lattice work of Chinese characters derived from ancient texts and poems to form the art pieces at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise. The dramatic sculptures becomes a preview of the flavorful surprises prepared by Chef Xi Qiao Yuan. It's pretty easy to find good Chinese restaurants in the metro, but Shanghainese restaurants are rare...

...and now you know where to find authentic Shanghainese cuisine. Inside Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise, the modern yet refined interiors becomes the stylish setting for classic and contemporary Shanghainese cuisine. Also called Benbang cuisine, a unique style of cooking influenced by neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Shanghainese cuisine highlights the use of quality raw ingredients and rich seasonings while maintaining and preserving the original flavors following the five elements of color, aroma, taste, meaning and form. At Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise, only the finest locally sourced produce and sustainable seafood (often live seafood) are used without MSG or harmful additives for fresh and clean flavors.

At the helm of Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise's kitchen is Chef Xi Qiao Yuan who's on a mission to preserve the culinary heritage of the famed Chinese municipality of Shanghai. The new menu presents the best of Shanghai's cuisine, masterfully recreated and executed by Chef Xi Qiao Yuan. Good food, they say transports you to a different place or time. As the premier restaurant of Hilton Manila, Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise is dedicated to delivering an unparalleled dining experience that delights the senses and transports guests to the bustling streets of Shanghai. And the new menu by Chef Xi Qiao Yuan further solidifies the restaurant as the culinary destination of choice for both local diners and international travelers.

"We have gone to great lengths to source unique and hard to find ingredients, allowing our guests to indulge in new and exciting flavors," explained Chef Xi Qiao Yuan. "While some of these ingredients may be unfamiliar to our guests, we are confident that once they experience the incredible taste sensations, they will be compelled to return for more."  

Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise sets the standard for authenticity and freshness. "We are delighted to mark this milestone with the launch of our new menu at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise," shared John Lucas, General Manager of Hilton Manila. "Chef Xi Qiao Yuan has delved deep into the culinary traditions and secrets of Shanghai to curate a menu that captures the authentic flavors of the region. We are excited to share these culinary treasures with our discerning guests."

Our dining experience at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise began with tasty bites of delicately soft and crisp Rice Cakes with Dried Scallops and Sriracha Mayo... 

...teasing the palate with its delightful textural contrasts and subtle notes with just a whisper of soothing heat from Sriracha mayo. 

Then, the first course was served with the Braised Beef Shank with Homemade Chili Oil (P 688). Intricately plated, the thin slices of fork-tender beef drapes the palate with a lingering savory richness tempered by the sharpness of the homemade chili oil for a balanced finish. 

Unlike the more common Chinese regional cooking styles, Shanghainese cuisine has milder flavors and less saltier than the familiar dishes. The pure, fresh and clean flavors of the beef come through with each bite, followed by a soothing heat. It's a welcome change from the usual, and the first course hits all the right notes.

The Double Boiled White Mushroom Soup is a delicately flavored dish with deep nutty and earthy notes from the mushrooms embracing the palate like a comforting hug. The slow and tedious double boiled process build on subtle and soothing flavors...

...followed by the gentle sweetness from the garden fresh greens and goji berries. The deceptively simple clear broth packs gentle flavors while the mix of mushrooms and vegetables with its subtle layers of distinct notes completes the dish.

The Heirloom Shrimp (cost based on market price) draped in a rich sauce is one dish that will have you coming back to Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise. The briny sweetness of the firm yet succulent shrimps with that first bite announced by an audible snap is one dish high on my list of personal picks at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise. 

The quality and freshness lets you peel the shell clean off the shrimp. But Chef Xi Qiao Yuan suggests enjoying the shrimps with its shell to experience all the flavors. The thin and lightly crisp shell releases rich notes for that flavorful burst. Chef Xi Qiao Yuan was right. Definitely one of the highlights of my visit to Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise.

The Pan Fried Pork Dumpling is one of Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise's signature dim sum offerings filled with juicy pork and broth sprinkled with sesame seeds and spring onions. That's right, the large Pan-Fried Pork Dumpling is best enjoyed in one bite... 

...with the savory pork filling and broth delivering rich flavors capped by the soft, mildly chewy and delicately crisp dumpling. It's a serious dumpling with solid flavors.

Chef Xi Qiao Yuan has more tasty surprises from his kitchen...

Impressed with the Pan-Fried Pork Dumpling, Chef Xi Qiao Yuan follows it up with another savory dish that's equally impressive. The Tungpo Pork with Baby Abalone is a slab of fork-tender pork belly cooked for hours for that buttery finish, draping the palate with porky goodness. Like all the dishes served so far, the flavors of the ingredients punches through without the excessive saltiness or seasonings.

The Braised Grouper with Kao Fu (cost based on market price) adds a festive vibe to the table topped with fresh herbs. Freshness is flavor, and this elegant dish is an excellent example with the delicate sweetness of the fish teasing the palate with each bite complemented by the rich sauce and fresh herbs. 

The Fried Rice with Lamb and Cumin Powder (P 658) caps the savory feast by Chef Xi Qiao Yuan at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise.

The soft and fluffy rice is infused with the different and distinct flavors of the various ingredients, with the lamb and cumin adding their punchy notes to the dish. From starters to mains, Chef Xi Qiao Yuan recreated authentic Shanghainese flavors for a unique dining experience at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise. The menu at Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise includes an extensive array of options from cold dishes to appetizers, dried and live seafood, soups, dim sum, noodles and roasts.

For dessert, Chef Xi Qiao Yuan served the Black Sesame Ice Cream with Peach Gum and Taro Ball for that perfect sweet ending. Change up your Chinese food game with authentic Shanghainese cuisine, and now you know where to find it. At Hua Yuan Brasserie Chinoise in Hilton Manila...