WITH so many red-letter days coming up in the next few months, Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year, just to name two that are fast approaching, it’s always good to know what new, dependable, and exciting dining options are around. We always want to treat our family, loved ones, and close friends to something special.
While Makati and BGC seem to monopolize a lot of the attention when it comes to new culinary offerings, there’s a relatively unsung gem of a place that has emerged at Gateway 2 at Araneta City – very much worth discovering.
World Kitchens on the 4th level of Gateway 2 is a dining concept that elevates the proverbial food hall and makes the venue a haven for discriminating diners. At World Kitchens, one enjoys the option of ordering the best of different world cuisines in a single setting that suggests fine dining, but without the stiff formality.
The new ‘kid on the block’ at World Kitchens is 18 Jade, where the menu is all about Classic Chinese Cuisine. Chef Peng, who hails from China and used to work at the famous Kai Garden, Marina Square, in Singapore, is in charge of the 18 Jade show kitchen – the largest at World Kitchens – and is especially proud of his signature dish, the Dried Aged Peking Duck Two Way.
At this upscale food destination, the Peking Duck is truly special. The duck is imported from China and is marinated and dry-aged for a full week, then finished with a delicate blend of sugar, wine, and water to create the most tender and succulent meat, combined with crisp, golden skin.
While 18 Jade has special and customized equipment for the roasting and drying of their Peking Duck, Chef Peng is proud to point out that his Duck recipe is rooted in a time-honored culinary tradition. Their custom cart allows for table-side carving, and the serving of the hot dishes straight to the diners; so, these diners are witness to the intricate preparation, and skilled presentation and carving of the Duck.
This is one of the highlights when dining at 18 Jade; the custom cart and table-side carving are hallmarks of the very best fine-dining Chinese restaurants that one can enjoy in Hong Kong, Singapore, or Shanghai. That we can find this within World Kitchens is a testament to the attention to detail and how the food concept strives to go that extra mile in offering a complete dining experience.
The sliced Peking Duck is the first way, served with the thin Mandarin pancakes, and sides of cucumber and spring onion, which we are familiar with. There’s the sweet bean or Hoisin sauce, or the pinch of sugar, if eating the skin on its own.
For the second way at 18 Jade, the carved duck is chopped and stir-fried in light, sweet bean sauce. We can place morsels of the duck meat on leaves of crisp lettuce, and nimbly bite into them. For many, this second way is just as enjoyable as the sliced skin.
With 18 Jade, classic Chinese comes to life in a setting that’s upscale yet comfortable and inviting. The 18 symbolizes prosperity, while jade refers to purity and enduring value – qualities that one will find in every dish of this new player at World Kitchens.
