With Dubai's sprawling selection of culinary destinations, it's really hard to pinpoint which is the best. Some claim that they are, while some say otherwise.

I had been having this huge craving for dim sum for weeks! I guess the universe heard my pleas when an invitation from Long Yin popped up on my email.

It was a Saturday and Mark and I just lazed around the whole day, so we found ourselves again walking into New Sarhad Darbar for our Saturday dinner habit. I was craving some Mutton Korma and Roti, which unfortunately were not available that time and I wasn't up for having their other dishes, so we decided to dine elsewhere.

Got back home last Monday, December 7. Yup, I'll be spending Christmas, New Year, and my birthday here in the Philippines. Yay!

I arrived in the morning and got to Antipolo just in time for lunch. Hap Chan has always been a family favorite, and because I missed having Chinese food a lot, this is where we had my first food trip. :)

I started using the Zomato app just a couple of months back, after Mark has finally convinced me. Yes, Mark was also just relatively new, but he was the more active Zomato user between us two.

I believe I just had 3 reviews, if I remembered it right, when I was invited to meet with one of the Zomato staff to get my account verified, until I was eventually invited to my first ever Zomato Meetup. Everything came to me by surprise to which I felt excited and anxious at the same time.

Photo grabbed from Inna :)

I was caught up in traffic so I arrived past the 7:30 pm meeting time. They were already starting with some discussions when I made my most dreaded 'grand entrance'. I'm not a social butterfly, you know, and having to mingle with people I barely know, not to mention them coming from different races, is definitely not my cup of tea.

But I somehow felt a little at ease when I saw that Pallavi (who I already met when my Zomato account was verified) and Inna (Radisson Blu's PR & Marketing Director who I now consider as a friend, I hope she feels the same way too..haha!) were there. At least I know two persons in the group. Haha! :p

This refreshing peach and lychee iced tea was a good way to calm me down. :)

I got to know the rest of the group when we were asked to introduced ourselves (yes, I was able to talk. Yay!). Then our Chinese feast began. And when I say feast, I meant FEAST!

Shiitake mushrooms were served along with some dumplings and clear veggie soup for our starters. I loved the mushrooms that I totally forgot to take a photo of it. The soup didn't really appeal to my palates but I loved how there was a generous serving of vegetables which tasted fresh. Among the chicken, shrimp, and vegetable dumplings, the shrimp dumpling (har gau) was my favorite!

Clear Mixed Vegetables Soup

Chicken, Shrimp, and Vegetable Dumplings

Bamboo canisters of dimsum and dumplings, and plates of Chinese specialties came one by one until there was barely a space on the lazy susan. Food was overflowing! :D

Also part of the starters were the Crispy Cucumber Salad Tossed in Garlic, pickled cabbage and roasted peanuts. The cucumber with garlic was something new to me, which my palates definitely approved. The pungent flavor from the fresh garlic was balanced out by the refreshing taste of the thin cucumber slices. I remember it also had that tangy kick which I believe is from vinegar and lemon juice.

There's also this cute Char Siew Bao, in chicken of course, which I thought would be better if there was more filling.

Steamed Honey Chicken Char Siew Bao

I've already tried the Peking Duck Wraps during one of our brunches in Radisson Blu, but it was only during the meetup at The China Club when I got to appreciate them more. I love how the pecking duck meat was tender and didn't have that fishy/slimy taste. The nutty taste of the sweet sauce also brought out that distinct peking duck flavor. I also loved how the wrapper was just thin yet sturdy which kept the filling intact without having to overpower the flavors.

Peking Duck Wraps

The Deep Fried Prawns with Sweet and Sour Sauce were what I kept digging my fork into. Layers of textures play with my palates as I sink my teeth into the crispy batter coated in thick sweet and tangy sauce, down to the slightly sweet, supple, and juicy prawns. The sesame seeds added that nutty flavor and texture as well. This is one of my favorites!

Deep Fried Prawns with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Another personal favorite is the Black Pepper Beef Fillet. Thin slices of tender beef coated in a savory and well-seasoned sauce melt in my mouth in every bite. The distinct taste of black pepper was there but I loved how the dish wasn't that spicy at all.

Black Pepper Beef Fillet

The Chongqing Style Hot and Spicy Crispy Chicken was an eye candy, but it just tasted alright. Compared to the prawns and beef, this dish wasn't something to rave about. I loved how it wasn't oily but didn't like how it was on the dry side too. The chicken meat didn't have that juiciness. It's good though that it just had that spiciness which is still tolerable for my palates.

Chongqing Style Hot and Spicy Crispy Chicken

I'm not really a fan of fish dishes, let alone a steamed one, so the Steamed Black Cod with Supreme Soya and Spring Onions didn't touch my picky palates. I must admit though that the dish looked really tempting. I'm sure Mark will love this as he's a big fan of fish!

Steamed Black Cod with Supreme Soya and Spring Onions

We also had Wok Fried Broccoli with Garlic and Mushrooms. The vibrant color of the broccoli shouts out freshness. It was cooked to perfection, yet still maintaining that crunch which I like. The garlicky flavor was also evident and the mushrooms had that slight sweetness which was perfect with the well-seasoned sauce.

Wok Fried Broccoli with Garlic and Mushrooms

We were also served with Yang Chow Fried Rice to go with the delectable mains. There's a lot going on in this small cup of rice but I loved how the flavors complemented each of the ingredients.

For desserts, we had this little orange balls. Unassuming as it may seem, these balls of goodness have more to offer. I forgot to take note of the name but it's fried glutinous rice with sweet potato mash or pumpkin mash filling, at least that's what my taste buds say. They were actually more like the butchi that I used to grow up with, just with fewer sesame seeds.

Another simple looking dessert, China Club's Ba Si is definitely not to be missed. With the same outer crust as the orange balls above, encapsulating some ripe plantain chunks, this caramelized banana fritter became my instant favorite! The vanilla ice cream was also a nice addition.

Famous China Club Caramelized Banana Fritter Ba Si with Vanilla Ice Cream

The China Club not only boasts of its authentic Chinese cuisine, but also its authentic Chinese cultural heritage which is evident in their interiors. I must also say that Radisson Blu's commendable customer service has been very consistent in all their restaurant that I've been to, now including The China Club.

In between bites, stories on food, travel, life, and laughter filled the air as we went along with our gastronomic feast. It was indeed an amazing night. The social butterfly in me somehow got to spread its teeny tiny wings as I became more at ease knowing that there are people who I share the same interests with, and that is no less than our love and passion for good food. :D

For updates about Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek, you can visit and like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RadissonBluDXB, or follow them on Twitter: @RadissonBluDXB, and on Instagram: @radissonbludxb. You can also visit their website at www.radissonblu.com/hotel-dubaideiracreek

THE CHINA CLUB
Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek
Bani Yas Road, P.O. Box 476
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Phone +971 (4) 222 717
www.radissonblu.com/hotel-dubaideiracreek
Nearest Metro Station: Union (Green Line connecting to Red Line)

We were guests at The China Club and our meal was complimentary, but as always, this post is sincerely written and all views and opinions are my own.

      sweetnothings.kriskamarie
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