Hakkasan (Abu Dhabi UAE)

I need my occasional Chinese food fix during business trip. So while in Abu Dhabi (among the delicious meals of falafel and hummus), I have decided to visit Hakkasan restaurant in the luxurious Emirates Palace Hotel.

Being an international high-end restaurant chain, Hakkasan has a menu that gravitates towards Cantonese cuisine. I ordered the tea-smoked chicken, gai lan (Chinese broccoli) in oyster sauce and a fried rice. The food was well executed with the dried scallops and crab meat adding sophistication in the fried rice. Simple food with a touch of luxury – reflected by an expensive bill.

Details:
Hakkasan Abu Dhabi
Emirates Palace
West Corniche Road
Abu Dhabi
UAE

http://hakkasan.com/abudhabi/

Uncorked (North Sydney)

For our pre-wedding photoshoot, we invited our photographer to dine with us at Uncorked in The Union Hotel in North Sydney.

The dining room was rather quiet on the night of dinner which was great for us to talk over the details of our wedding plans. All the dishes were consistently good – from my smoked pig cheek starter to the tender wagyu steak. My fiancé’s foie gras salad starter was also interesting. I also enjoyed chocolate terrine dessert which had the right mix of textures.

Details:
Uncorked Restaurant at The Union Hotel
Corner Pacific Hwy & West Street
North Sydney NSW 2060
http://www.unionhotel.com.au/uncorked

Pei Modern (Melbourne)

On the final night of my business trip in Melbourne, I treated myself to Pei Modern for dinner. I was quite excited given it was a while since I visited its big brother Marque in Sydney.

The steak tartare was well seasoned and I loved the use of ‘potato chips’ instead of the usual toast. The chicken dumplings casarecce pasta was prepared the risotto way. The sauce was creamy in texture and intense with chicken stock flavour. The dish made me a convert in making the pasta this way.

Details:
Pei Modern
Collins Place
45 Collins Street
Melbourne
http://www.peimodern.com.au