Wynn Palace
Wynn Palace
Every visit to Wynn Palace leaves me in a good mood, and the majority of that isn't necessarily due to the food or service but rather the excellent feng shui of the restaurant (or, as one might say, its adherence to environmental psychology). Sitting quietly by the floor-to-ceiling windows, sipping tea while overlooking the splendid lights in the distance and listening to the drifting melodies nearby, one feels expansive and relaxed.
Some are called philosophers of the kitchen, others anthropologists, and some are dubbed literary figures of the dining room, with many referred to as gourmets. I, however, might be best described as a human signal receiver in the restaurant, perhaps innately attuned to the myriad of subtle and chaotic signals from the environment and people. These signals, once received and amplified, make my world exceptionally noisy.
The long-term process of dining out brings endless discontent, a discontent that can only be forgotten by writing it all down.
Under such almost mystical interpretation, I always believe that a restaurant's failure begins with poor location and a disoriented magnetic field, leading to noisy and chaotic signals that unsettle guests, making it hard for them to be tolerant of any flaws in service or food. Simply put, it’s all about location...
Wynn Palace, evidently, has secured the best dining spot within Wynn Palace, with a finely crafted environmental field. The interior geography and arrangement are meticulously considered, facing a fountain, with brilliant lights in the distance and songs wafting close by. Sitting here, one feels open and relaxed, disinclined to make any demands of the food or service.
The cuisine at Wynn Palace, in comparison to renowned market players like Sheng Ge, Zhou Ge, 102, and Qi Fu, belongs to a large faction that includes many traditional Cantonese and elaborate dishes. Within this faction, Wynn Palace has the most "tycoon cafeteria" vibe.
On this visit to Wynn Palace, I ordered several less common dishes.
"Crab Roe Grouper" is drizzled with crab roe upon serving, a display of ingredient brute-force aesthetics. The roe, extracted from a whole crab, is soft and supplemented by tiny shrimp. Visually striking, this original dish feels a bit too heavy for my taste and carries a "dad flavor."
"Pig Net Lobster Roll" involves small chunks of lobster meat stir-fried with mushrooms and bamboo shoots to form a filling, then wrapped in pig's netting and fried. The netting, once pivotal in traditional Cantonese cuisine, is becoming rare due to its complex preparation and health concerns. However, I find it can have a subtle oily gamey taste. The accompanying fresh cucumber is quite nice, and I ended up ordering a larger portion of "Pomelo Cucumber," which with its citrusy freshness, became my favorite dish of the evening.
"Spanish Style Honey Bean Roasted Ribs" have a similar taste to the Iberian char siu of Yu Tang Chun.
"Scallop and Shrimp with Egg White Cheese" is a soft stir-fry of egg whites and milk, with shrimp and scallops underneath, circled by crispy fried dough sticks, giving off a head chef's kitchen vibe.
"Osmanthus and Golden Needles Stir-fried Eel Belly" contains eel belly, eggs, bean sprouts, and cabbage, offering a robust wok hei similar to eating fried rice.
"Almond Juice Go Zha" is a bit oily, and I can't forget the stunning crab roe go zha I had at Foshan 102 years ago... I haven't had better since then.
