The Maxim's Group, Hong Kong's largest restaurant empire is wooing us again with a new suave Cantonese affection, Xi Yue. Xi Yue is a fine place to entertain important guests, or have simple dinners with the valuable people in our lives. Set in Quarry Bay's financial district, Xi Yue's handsome dining room is floor to ceiling glamour with sterling accents, smooth linens and plush carpet. The colossal jewel above our heads hangs from a dome-shaped skylight and allows us to soak up some vitamin D over picturesque dim sum and Chinese tea. 

Xi Yue, an encore performance of two other Jade Concept branded restaurants, Jasmine and House of Jasmine, re-embraces traditional Cantonese cuisine with no added MSG and harmful oils, and grasps a contemporary display to Imperial refineness. Since 1995, the group adopted a no added MSG policy in all their outlets and turned to a healthier approach of using Rice Bran oil, which is considered as the world's healthiest cooking oil. Recognising the Chinese culture of family importance and reunion over the dinner table, the three establishments tailors the menu to be suitable and acceptable for all generations at the table. And with their exclusive promotion with American Express, American Express Cardmembers can enjoy year round savings up to 50% off on a la carte dinner menus at Xi Yue. This offer is applicable to two other Jade Concept branded restaurants as well.  

Signature Dishes

Six hours of braising oxtail can be mission impossible at home, so why not have someone wash, cook, and clean for you? The Braised Beef Tail with Chestnut and Red Date in Whisky Tomato Sauce is beauty on a plate. Served per person at a modest $38 a serving, is a symphony of beef, whiskey, and tomato. After six hours of tlc in the kitchen, the beef is almost fall-off the bone tender, and the braising liquid has become this rich myriad of beef, carrots, celery, chestnut, Chinese red dates, and tomatoes.

The Fine Soy Sauce Marinated Chicken is a new adaptation of the old-fashion dish. Xi Yue's head chef, Chef Chiu, uses extra virgin soy sauce, the first press soy instead of regular soy and reduces it at the last minute with additional spices to be drizzled along side the juicy bird. 

The Poached Mandarin Fish in Soup with Vegetables is perfect for the entire family. The fish is deboned and flesh filleted; the bones are then used to make the soup which is boiled with Chinese vegetables until it becomes this milky harmony of the fresh fish and the earthiness from the veggies.

The Steamed Black Eye Bean and Peanut Pudding with Taro and Mushroom in Basin, and Steamed Turnip Pudding with Preserved Meat in Basin are two platters of steamed village-style savoury Cantonese puddings. Yet another labour intensive dish, made fresh daily and steamed at the point of ordering. The turnip cake is a combination of Chinese preserved meat, dried scallops, grated turnip, and Chinese spices. The oils and flavours of the preserved meat are released into the turnip when steamed. The taro pudding is vegetarian, a healthy and undoubtedly, tasty alternative.

And for signature desserts, Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Spicy is a tease on taste. Four mini cups of sweetness on a lovely platter. Sweet, the whipped strawberry custard topped with strawberry coulis; Sour, layered creamed custard and mango jelly with diced sweet mango; Bitter, a play on coffee and cream; and Spicy, gets its hot zing from ginger. Besides modern desserts, a list of traditional Chinese desserts also tops off an amazing meal.

Xi Yue's dim sum and lunch menu consists of everything from old to new. From Cantonese barbecue platters, small plates, congee, to rice and noodles. Dim Sum in the Cage is a stunning two-tier birdcage of six tempting assortments of dim sum and pastries, almost too beautiful to eat! Set lunches available for two to twelve persons. Early morning dim sum or afternoon tea also available.

There is also an assortment of floral teas, such as Love at First Sight. Watch the heart shaped tea leaves blossom into a beautiful flower, or select from the range of hot beverages, perfect for cold winter days like the Pomelo, Honey, and Jasmine. Honey sweetened jasmine tea with hints of pomelo. Selections of fizzy mocktails like the Rose Guava Soda are also recommended.

After Thought 

If only one can do Cantonese cuisine right, it would be the people behind Maxim's. With over 60 years of experience in the industry, the company knows a thing or two about bringing quality food to the table. And now with the extraordinary joint promotion with American Express, whether for your business lunch or dinners, or just a gathering with friends and family, you can enjoy Xi Yue's elegant style and healthy approach to traditional Cantonese cooking at a phenomenal premium.