I’m always on the lookout for good Chinese food. I’ve come across so many Chinese restaurants in this country, and there are some very authentic ones, as well as many fusion-style (usually Indo-Chinese) Chinese cuisines. I can’t really say that I’m a huge fan of traditional ‘straight from China’-Chinese food, because I really prefer Chinese food with a bit of an American twist. I think Dai Pai Dong really delivers on what I look for in Chinese food, so I was really happy that we tried it out!

On the second night of our stay at Rosewood Hotel Abu Dhabi, we made our way through the hotel’s lobby and into the attached Galleria Mall, where Dai Pai Dong is located. Most of the seats were taken and we were lucky to have a reservation (although walk-ins are welcome as well).

Once we were seated in a booth, we had the chance to look over the menu. Before even looking at the food, we ordered a couple of mocktails, and then  went on to ask the waitress about recommendations for dinner.

My husband and I decided to skip on appetizers (which mainly consisted of many kinds of dim sum), and went straight to hearty mains. I also had to order our little 1-year old Khalifa a little something to eat, and being the picky eater that he is, I knew that he wouldn’t eat Chinese food. The boy literally only eats chicken, burgers, fries and Emirati mandi rice. Unfortunately they didn’t have any of those on hand, and I really didn’t expect them to, but the waitress went out of her way and brought french fries from another one of the hotel’s restaurants just to accommodate our little Khalifa. That was incredibly thoughtful and sweet!

For our mains, the staff didn’t have to go too far. We ordered Wok Fried Gulf Prawns, Wok Fried Beef Tenderloin and a simple fried rice.

Everything was absolutely scrumptious! All of the flavors were incredible, and I would especially recommend the prawns– they were the perfect combination of sweet and sour and the batter that it was fried in was nothing short of delicious.

After a heavy meal, we opted for some light desserts. I got the fruit platter, while my husband ordered the Creme Brulee. This is definitely not your average creme brulee; its infused with oolong tea! Its topped off with lychees and a little bit of lime zest. Its such a fresh and light dessert that is like no other that I’ve tried.

Ratings (0-5): 

• Staff/Service: 5
• Ambience: 5
• Food: 4
• Presentation: 4
• Cleanliness: 5
• Value for money: 4

Overall Rating: 4.5

Worth Trying?: Yes– totally worth trying, and its some of the best Chinese food that I’ve had in Abu Dhabi!

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