Authentic Flavors, Healthier Takes: Lung Hin’s New Chinese Chef Introduces New Fare

Chef Leung Chi Kwan now helms Lung Hin, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila's Cantonese restaurant, and puts his signature on new dishes. Chef Ken has been cooking for twenty years and he has worked in the kitchen of many hotels and Chinese restaurants, his skills taking him to different countries like Singapore, Ireland, and Hong Kong.

Coinciding with a new chef helming Lung Hin is an award bagged by Marco Polo Ortigas at the 16th China Hotel Industry Golden Horse Awards. Lung Hin recently won Most Outstanding Chinese Restaurant, included as one of the 'Top 100 Chinese Restaurants' around the world–the only restaurant in the country to receive this recognition for its excellency in serving authentic Chinese cuisine.

We had a taste of some of Lung Hin's new dishes which features the new chef's style that leans on more healthful takes on traditional Chinese fare, deliciously proving that not all Chinese meals require heavy-handed treatment. Begin with a meatless starter, the Deep-fried Crispy Tofu with Seaweed Salad (P340) a delicious explanation of how a good combination of fresh vegetables of different textures can shine, assisted by crisp taro shreds and cubes of tofu — fried, with a crisp coating, but not oily at all. Another fried yet surprisingly light appetizer is the Deep-fried Beancurd Leek Roll with XO Chili Sauce (P380), with a delicate, thin and crisp skin shattering upon bite, revealing chopped leeks and just a zing of the chili sauce. For a lighter start, order the Spinach Seafood Soup (P330/cup, P1,280/small) — it's simple, uncomplicated, clean, yet comforting the way a hot cup of soup can soothe.

For filling yet healthful and elevated seafood served Cantonese style given a spin by the new chef, have the Stir-fried Crystal Prawns (P1,680): a platter of juicy plump prawns topped with goji berries and flanked by crunchy broccoli — nothing is overflavored nor overdone, the prawns and broccoli still snappy with every bite. Another chef's recommendation is the Live Garoupa (Market Price) which was served Poached with Mushroom (additional P405 per kg). You can choose how the fish is cooked at Lung Hin, but for this one, we were treated to a fish bathing in a flavorful broth, it felt rewarding to get more and more servings since it just tastes so clean and uncomplicated, letting the garoupa's flavors shine.

Of course, there are heartier new dishes, familiar indulgent Chinese dishes that Chef Ken presents to meatlovers but with a little touch of healthy components, as he is inclined to do. His Deep Fried Spareribs with Black Vinegar Sauce (P520) is a riff on the restaurant's old spareribs specialty. His is swathed with the black vinegar sauce, the hint of sour and acidity countering the richness of the meat; it is also served with a salad. An even healthier take on meat is the Ham and Vegetables in Superior Broth (P590), thin slices of ham laid on a bed of leafy vegetables, salty and tender meat meeting fresh textures of the greens, and a clear light broth that tastes like the marriage of the two components. We end our lunch of new dishes with Fookian Misua (P688), a noodle dish often made and served during celebrations and gatherings. Here, the thin noodles are pleasant and the natural flavors shine — this seems to be the trademark of Chef Leung Chi Kwan, allowing each component to enhance the dish as it is, rather than relying on heavy sauces and seasonings. The misua is topped with mushrooms, vegetables, fresh shrimps, egg strips, and nuts. While our Lung Hin luncheon was served in many courses like a traditional lauriat, the new chef was able to make one's belly feel less guilty, the fullness arriving at just the right amount of satisfaction.

Lung Hin is located at the 44th floor of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Meralco Avenue and Sapphire Street, Ortigas Center, Pasig. The restaurant is open for Lunch (11:30am-2:30pm) and Dinner (6:00pm-10:30 pm). Visit www.marcopolohotels.com, Like in Facebook (/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila), and follow on Twitter or Instagram (@MarcoPoloManila).