Jia Wei

Jia Wei’s extensive menu scores with contemporary Cantonese creations rooted in tradition. The restaurant occupies the second level of Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel and reflects the hotel’s fresh aesthetic with classic wood panelled walls and floors juxtaposed against purplish pink, and green mosaic walls. The restaurant’s charm is contributed by ambient lighting, wood tables topped with glass, jade pots and fine China pottery and plates.

Chef Lee Tuck Seng, who has over 40 years of experience in Cantonese cuisine, helms the two-year old restaurant which offers three types of menus – a la carte, dim sum menu for Chinese high tea on Friday and weekends, and four different executive set menus rotated on a weekly basis. Each set boasts four menu choices and will please busy professionals seeking a good variety of culinary specialties. They can also pair their meals with a multitude of fine wines. For those wishing to entertain more exclusively, the restaurant has two well-furnished private rooms that can hold up to 20 and 14 people respectively.

The house four-platter appetiser consists of a crystal-skin scallop dumpling, fried lobster roll, fried roll with fruit, and another crystal-skin dumpling with vegetables. The scallop dumpling featured a huge scallop, big on taste and juiciness. The lobster roll comprises crispy battered strips wrapped around the succulent white flesh, and the vegetable dumpling comes with a superbly well-made skin – smooth yet not easily breakable. Surprising the palate was the fried roll with fruit –red apple blended with honeydew and mango, wrapped in crispy pastry.The dish that followed – shark’s fin in golden stock was a clear winner. Looking like a white island in an orange sea, the package’s skin was actually egg white. Once broken, generous chunks of shark’s fin flowed into the broth of pumpkin and chicken stock, the rich sweetness of which complemented the delicacy superbly. The fried sea perch in orange sauce didn’t disappoint, with the crisp batter enveloping fresh perch, which went well with the refreshing orange sauce, honeydew and strawberry bits. Ending the meal was classic pulut hitam with ice cream accompanied by red bean pancakes. While the pulut hitam was a refreshing, not-too-thick take of the famous dessert, the star was the red bean pancakes. The red bean paste, warm, and semi-sweet was coated in an astounding batter that crumbled like soft biscuit and was a delicious surprise.With a free shuttle service hourly to and from the airport, Jia Wei is easily accessible and should be a prime option for working professionals or families seeking to entertain with fine Chinese cuisine. Jia Wei Chinese Restaurant, Grand Mercure Roxy