Deluxe Late Snack at Hilton Chongqing
重庆希尔顿的奢华夜宵

9 o’clock in the evening is kind of awkward for a meal because it’s late for dinner yet still early for a late snack. However, elaborate courses and subtle delicacies offered by the Chinese restaurant at Hilton Chongqing turns it into a wonderful time of fine taste.

When the hotel’s PR manager, Ms. Lee introduced to us that Jimmy, the seasoned chef of the Chinese restaurant from Hong Kong used to work in various five star hotels across the world, has already created several new dishes of the blended flavor of Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine, I couldn’t wait to try them all.

The waitress brought us refreshing Yong Chuan Tea first, a rare kind of tea which only grows near Chongqing and needs to be picked around Qing Ming Festival, subtle aroma and sweet taste like liquorices comforts the mouth and wakes up taste buds. Delicate appetizers and soup by Jimmy followed the tea, the mixture of Cantonese cuisine and local specialty such as chicken soup with asparagus maximized the freshness of the asparagus and tenderness of the chicken.

Every single course of the late snack was so fascinating in both color and taste. Jimme was a master to create the fusion of Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine. Traditional Chongqing cuisine is all about the spicy flavor, while Cantonese cuisine is prestigious for its light and mild taste. It seems to be impossible to make a perfect combination of two entirely different flavors. Spice can greatly influence the taste of a course, and Mr. Jean-Philippe Jacopin, general manager of Hilton Chongqing who’s very particular about the food as every French does, thinks that too much spice is no good for the taste buds or the esophagus, as French cuisine never allows a dish that’s too strong or spicy that makes the diner sweat or burns his tongue. Jimmy had this brilliant idea to add wasabi in the shrimp balls to make a slightly spicy taste to cater to the local guests.

Jimmy cooks delicate dishes, and serves them even better. Each course looks like a fine piece of art that can be placed on a book cover. The fried rice with foie gras has the colors of pearls and amber, and the exact perfect and unique flavor that can’t be seen from the picture.

The definition of “deluxe” can mean so much because the dishes and environment are beyond great that it’s difficult to describe. The meal at Hilton Chongqing was a deluxe late snack.
 
 
 
晚上九点多是晚餐略迟夜宵又早的尴尬时间，重庆希尔顿的中餐厅，却以精心的安排和出神入化的菜式让这段时间变成美食享受的难忘时光。

酒店公关部李小姐介绍，餐厅的主厨Jimmy来自香港，有在世界各地五星级酒店担任餐厅主厨的丰富经验。尽管刚到重庆半年，已大胆尝试创新数款以粤味为主同时结合川谕本地口味的新菜式，听后不禁跃跃欲试。

为使我们这些远道客人能清爽口腔，唤起食欲，餐厅服务员奉上一杯永川秀茶、清香四溢、味微甜，略有春日特有的日光下的甘草味，真乃一味香茗。此茶乃重庆周边地区特产，季节性极强，非清明前后采拮不可得。之后由Jimmy精心调配的前菜和汤纷纷上桌。不仅样式有粤式风格，更融入本地特色芦笋鸡清汤既有新鲜芦笋的味道又不失鸡肉的嫩滑适口。

整套夜宵食谱吃下来可谓道道精品，色味都不可轻易放过，在结合川粤风味上Jimmy下的功夫令人印象深刻。重庆菜都离不开一个辣字。这和传统及地域密不可分，而粤菜却讲究清淡新鲜，如何结合让人颇费周章。其实菜的味道过辣对品味菜的本真味道是有影响的。重庆希尔顿总经理翼宏飞先生来自法国对食物极有研究，认为菜点太辣影响味蕾敏感，亦不利食道健康。法国菜最讲究一道道慢慢品味，自然不可能有某种味道过重，麻辣得让食客满头大汗，频频吐舌的菜式。为迎合本地食客习惯，Jimmy在虾球两吃菜里加了芥末酱调味以微辣调动各位食欲，可谓一种创新。

Jimmy的菜做得好，装盘后卖相更佳，每道菜都像艺术品。拍了照片再看简直每张都可做封面。那道鹅肝酱炒饭在照片中每一粒米都如晶莹剔透的珍珠，配以鹅肝酱汁色如琥珀，卖相甚好，其味道绝不似XO酱炒饭那样容易犯饭和酱调配不均的错误或是扬州炒饭过于通俗，而这一切则又是在照片上反映不出来的。

“奢华”二字看似有太多含义，盖因菜式和环境都有某种豪华与过于丰富，却没有合适的字眼形容。重庆希尔顿一桌菜就称为“奢华夜宵”吧。