Partner Content: An authentic taste of China overlooking the world’s largest fountain.
An insatiable appetite for upmarket Chinese cuisine appears to have taken over Dubai’s dining scene in recent months. MICHELIN, the World’s 50 Best, Gault Millau and our very own FACT Dining Awards are all turning their eyes towards the cuisine of the world’s most populous country. Still, when it comes to acute authenticity, there’s only one spot that should be on your list: Chuan.
There’s so much to love at waterfront dining destination The Pointe, from the Atlantis views to the world’s largest fountain and a wealth of entertainment and retail options. Yet, despite offering almost fifty restaurants, the upmarket dining options are few and far between, that is until we discovered Chuan.
Away from the fast food outlets and casual cafes at the western end of The Pointe, this upmarket Chinese restaurant makes quite the impression and offers many unique advantages. Here, diners can enjoy valet parking, the closest seats to The Palm Fountain, four private dining rooms and a temperature-controlled wine cellar stocked with over 3000 bottles (many of which have been signed by visiting celebrities).
However, it’s the authentic Chinese recipes (or ancestor recipes, as we like to call them) at this homegrown restaurant that have been passed down from generation to generation that attracts a loyal clientele of regular customers, government entities and UAE royalty.
Chuan’s expansive menu covers nearly 150 dishes, resulting in something for every palate and preference, including delicious dim sum, steaming soups and hearty noodle and rice dishes. With a focus on premium ingredients, including the finest beef carefully selected for its marbling and quality from Australia and Japan. All seafood is live before being cooked to the preference of guests, meaning Alaskan King Crab, Australian lobsters and Hokkaido scallops can be found surrounding the forty specialist chefs in Chuan’s Kitchen.
The Peking duck is Chuan’s calling card and pièce de résistance. With limited pieces of duck served daily, this speciality from Beijing must be ordered at least 24 to 48 hours in advance. However, it is well worth the wait, offering melt-in-the-mouth skin from a bird that has been marinated for two days before being cooked in an open oven fueled by fruit wood to give the poultry its distinct and aromatic flavour. Chuan offers the best Peking duck in Dubai, period.
The Chuan experience is wrapped up in a dining room steeped in symbolism. From the lucky foo lions that guard the entranceway to the Chinese family names inscribed on the walls and the handprinted murals across the walls and ceilings, Chuan adheres to the principles of Feng shui across a space that resembles a decadent queen’s palace.
The literal meaning of Chuan is “a steady and continuous stream that flows forever into the sea”, which seems part considering the stunning waterfront location.
GO: Visit www.chuanseafood.com for reservations and more information.
