The best dining experiences happen when great food meets stunning atmosphere with a story to tell. Fernanda Langhammer headed to Mei Ling to find out more about its secrets.
As a journalist, I love storytelling and I believe that everything that comes with a good story has a deeper value. Mei Ling fits into that category; the dining destination is not only a restaurant but a concept, born to entice its patrons as they dine on delectable food.
The story behind the eatery is that Mei Ling, a female Chinese royal warrior with a special connection to dragons (hence the restaurant’s logo), creates a secret society to protect and maintain the world’s balance. The existence of this society is known only through whispers travelling with the wind. Mei Ling, the eatery, carries this perception of mystery and allure and feels extremely exclusive – a dining destination for those who are worthy of being there.
The place feels like a hidden spot, and I almost felt I should have been given a password to enter. There is a private car park, a big plus in Adliya, and from the parking area, a path led me to an imposing logo on the wall and an almost-hidden red door opened as if it sensed my presence. Inside, a copper singing bowl resounded, and a voice welcomed me to Mei Ling. At that exact moment, I knew this was going to be an enthralling experience.
The décor is impressive. The lighting is minimal to maintain the sense of secrecy, with floating lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Dark wood, grey tones and red accents in carved walls and passages complement the enigmatic vibe. The space is massive, with various dining rooms, including the Emerald Oasis and the Bamboo Garden (a beautiful terrace to enjoy on good weather days). We dined in the private room upstairs, and the handrail beside the stairs was covered in greenish leather imitating a dragon’s scales – every detail seemed to belong there seemingly.
The cuisine is modern Chinese (with Cantonese and Szechuan recipes), interpreted with authentic techniques and a twist: contemporary ingredients and presentation. For my dining journey, the team (special thanks to Omar and Saran) handpicked the dishes – signature and must-try items.
The dinner started with the Crispy Aromatic Duck Salad and Dao Sliced Salmon. The salad came with a mountain of fresh green leaves hiding the crunchy duck pieces. The contrasts of textures and the tanginess of the lemongrass vinaigrette dressing and pomelo segments made this a complete dish, fulfilling and full of flavour. The raw-sliced salmon came bathed in Szechuan truffle sauce, topped with shredded green papaya and sesame seeds – for me, one of the star dishes of the night. The salmon was super thin and soft, which contrasted beautifully with the crunchy papaya. The dressing had an umami-rich blend, with a unique spicy-numbing sensation from the Szechuan peppercorns, complemented by the musky aroma of truffle, a savoury soy base and sweet notes, creating a complex profile that excited my taste buds. Absolutely delicious. I didn’t let them take the plate away until I was sure every last little piece had been eaten.
Next, a variety of appetisers and dim sum. The Crystal Prawn Har Gao was my favourite. These dumplings are usually filled with minced shrimp, but at Mei Ling, they come in big pieces, which seems like a small detail but makes them much better than usual – wrapped in a delicate, slightly chewy, translucent dough offering a delightful contrast in textures for an exciting bite. The Xiao Long Bao is a fun dish; its bright green dough encases small pieces of chicken thigh in a warm coriander and Szechuan chilli stock, served with ginger vinegar sauce. Ginger is great to balance the richness of chicken fat. The dumplings come sitting in a special spoon to catch the liquid that pours from the parcels – warm, comfy and perfect for cold nights. The Jasmine Smoked Wagyu were roasted boneless Wagyu ribs glazed in Chinese honey, sitting on top of fried lotus and thin slices of kumquat for a touch of citrus. The meat, as expected, melted in the mouth and delivered the perfect balance between sweet and savoury.
We also tried the Truffle Puff, Angus tenderloin with mixed mushrooms encased in buttery Chinese puff pastry, which is flakier than its Western counterpart. It was like opening a little present; yummy and hearty.
The Cantonese Roasted Peking Duck was a show apart. The oven-roasted Chinese-spice-marinated duck came in a special chest, and as soon as the host opened it, smoke filled the room, giving us a hint of the flavour we were about to try. One of the chefs was waiting by our table, ready to slice it skillfully. The meat was tender and soft, and, as one of my dining companions pointed out, because each slice came from different parts of the duck, they had different textures – the ones with fatty skin were juicy and delicious. Served with homemade pancakes, thinly sliced cucumber, red chilli, leeks and Hoisin sauce.
From the main course section, the Bashu Style Sea Bass blew our minds. Deep-fried fish served with eggplant, tofu, lotus root and chilli broth. Everything was delicious on its own, but a mouthful with a small piece of each ingredient elevated the experience into a delightful surprise. The Sous Vide Angus Short Ribs were perfectly braised, accompanied by mustard leaves and barbecue sauce. The Ha-Haa Prawn was fried prawns coated in a crispy batter and a flavourful sticky chilli sauce – apparently, it was named Ha-Haa because it makes you laugh; at least we all did after our host’s joke, so I guess it suits.
To end this magnificent spread, a tray of desserts arrived at our table. We sampled the blueberry cheesecake, crème brûlée, chocolate fondant, apple crumble and fresh fruits such as dragon fruit and mango. They were all very light and not too sweet, but the crème brûlée and chocolate fondant were memorable and the ones we would go back to any day.
The dining journey had many wow moments, from theatrical presentations with dry ice and dishes that I am coming back for, to impeccable ambience and good music playing in the background. Mei Ling is the place to be: I unveiled its secrets and became part of this unique society where food does the honours.
For more information or to make a reservation,
please call Mei Ling on 1711 1187.
@meilingbh