Chinese dynasties paint a picture of elegance, timelessness and sophistication coupled with rich culture. From their exquisitely classy decor to their delicious food, Dragon-i embodies such traits and projects them in a modern manner. Greeted by Dragon-i’s marketing team, they were very hospitable and told us about the signature dishes that would be served to us. We were pumped to taste them!
To whet our appetites came this quite interesting dish. It’s made with chilled steamed chicken pieces served in a chilli oil-type sauce. Called “口水鸡” (Kou Shui Ji) in mandarin which directly translates to “Saliva Chicken”, the savory and spicy flavours as well as textures are meant to get your mouth and stomach ready for the delicious meal ahead.
While the idea of eating cold chicken may seem strange to some, the combination of the savory chilli oil and the flavour of the chicken was really yummy together and was very appetizing indeed. We were ready to try the next dish by the time we were done with this one!
Next up were the Xiao Long Bao, or Shanghainese Steamed Meat Dumplings. A Shanghainese specialty, this dumplings require lots of skill and finesse to make. We were served these lovely little gems in a traditional bamboo steamer atop sweet cabbage leaves. Every dumpling is expertly made (look at that pleating on the dough!) and uses an array of different ingredients to really bring out the flavours of this dish.
The trick to eating this is to make a little hole at the top or side and drink the delicious broth inside the dumplings, before topping it with some ginger and black vinegar and eating the rest whole. The meat filling was just delightfully succulent and very flavourful, and the skin was just the right thickness: thick enough to hold the filling and broth, but thin enough to have a lovely feeling in the mouth. This is definitely something you should try at Dragon-i, and it’s no wonder these little dumplings are their best sellers.
These fresh string beans served in dry, stir fried style with minced meat in a dark soy sauce really reminded me of a taste of home. The beans crunched with every bite and the meat was savory and lovely, making this a great combination. Reminiscent of my mother’s cooking, it was made with familiar, home-style flavours that would go great with a bowl of white rice eaten with chopsticks. Delicious!
The table was filled with delicious aroma when this dish hit the table. Almost a Chinese version of popcorn chicken, these tender chicken pieces were battered and deep fried before being fried again with aromatic dried chilies and curry leaves.
This delicious Szechuan dish is flavored with chili oil, which gives the chicken pieces a little more kick and makes this just that little bit more spicy. Beware, this can get really addictive (is that really a problem though?). Try it with the fried dry chilies and a curry leaf or two to really taste the full flavours of this dish!
This hearty pot is filled with rice that’s been stir fried with Chinese Bak Choy and sweet corn, topped with some golden battered pork ribs. The meat is crunchy on the outside, but being deep fried does not compromise on how yummy and juicy it was on the inside.
Great as a meal dish for one (or to share really), the rice and pork ribs go really well with some dried shrimp chili sauce on the side.
Our last (but certainly not least) dish was the Fried La Mian with Assorted Seafood. Cooked in a dark soy sauce, these handmade noodles have a nice chew to them, and go really well with the seafood served. The prawns, squid and fish filets are all really fresh and portions for them are quite generous. A great option for seafood lovers!
Dragon-i’s dishes were quintessential Chinese flavours served in a classy, elegant setting which I really appreciated. Dragon-i served up yummy Chinese cuisine that while was familiar, was also surprisingly refined and being able to sample their signature dishes was a delightful experience.
Dragon-i
Address: Dragon-i Sunway Pyramid, G1.43, Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Opening hours: Mo – Su, 10.00am – 10.00pm
Click here to order online.
Sydney is a thoroughbred foodie, who loves researching recipes and experimenting with flavours. In her free time, she is either writing about food or beauty or she’s out seeing the world!
