Keep it simple, stupid – oh, and organic. That’s the current rallying cry by those in the culinary profession. A dominant trend, it’s an antidote to the complexity of food these days, and a backlash against the onslaught of pumped up, engineered produce.
The Dining Room, located on the 65th floor, is the Park Hyatt Guangzhou’s focal point for fare, featuring a residential-style interior and an open kitchen that speaks volumes about its commitment to artful simplicity and organic preparation.
Featuring international fare for breakfast, a semi-buffet lunch and a la carte options for dinner, the venue’s ingredients are locally sourced from the organic depths of Ruijin in Jiangxi province, sans the pesticides and fertilizers.
Emphasis is on farm-to-table and sustainable meats and seafood that burst with full flavors. At the helm is Executive Chef Marco Ullrich. He may be German, but his love of Italian food and work ethic (you'll actually find him in the kitchen, not in a corner office) has endeared him to create a trifold menu that highlights Mediterranean flavors.
Teaming up with him is Chef de Cuisine Vicenzo Gatti, a native of the Puglia region of Southern Italy. Together, the duo is a refreshing addition to the five-star dining scene.
Antipasti specialties like oven baked scallops (RMB140) set the stage for what is to come. Served whole in shell on a bed of pancetta and spinach and topped with Parmesan sabayon, it's a one-bite explosion that bursts with a melange of flavors.
There’s a fine art to beef carpaccio (RMB140) and the Dining Room appears to have it down pat; it’s light and topped with the tanginess of arugula and olive oil. Freshly made, the soft buffalo mozzarella cheese (RMB150) is subtle and creamy, pairing wonderfully with a green herb sauce and organic yellow, red and green tomatoes.
Homemade pastas are the norm here. The tagliolini lobster (RMB190) is an ode to culinary luxury, with delicately sliced truffles strewn over bits of rich lobster.
Handmade Puglian Orecchiette (RMB160) is Chef Gatti’s signature. Italian for ‘little ears’, the pasta, although slightly doughy for our liking, sits in a white wine, parsley and butter sauce, and is mixed with clams and porcini mushrooms.
Mains stay true to the restaurant’s philosophy. Try the cod fillet ‘cartoccio’ (RMB180). Cooked in a wrapper, it swells with steam as you cut it open, revealing seasonal mushrooms, artichokes, aromatic herbs and a zesty juice that is worth spooning up till the last drop.
If you’re seeking tradition, the ossobuco alla milanese (RMB250) is highly recommended. These crosscut stewed veal shanks sit on a bed of perfumed saffron risotto, topped with flavorful gravy that renders the meat so incredibly tender that it practically melts in your mouth.
Meat lovers will devour the Australian rack of lamb (RMB330), encrusted with a layer of mustard and herb that will leave you craving the no-frills vanilla bean panna cotta (RMB45).
With its array of exquisite dishes and breathtaking views from the heights of Zhujiang New Town, the Dining Room makes old new again.
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