Sponsored: Epic eastern cuisine, waterside views, and abra chauffeur service…

Based in the breathtakingly handsome Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, Zheng He’s is a restaurant that blends modern luxuries with enchanting, old world spirit.

Arrive by abra

First impressions count, and Zheng He’s offers an experiential amuse-bouche that really sets the tone for a special evening. You’re invited to hop on an abra and make your way along the hotel’s winding network of fairytale canals, before arriving at your waterside destination.

The terrace offers spectacular views of the Burj Al Arab, coastal breeze and a low-lit intimate dining enclave that has ‘date night’ in its DNA.

Dining dynasty

The restaurant is known for its authentic Cantonese cuisine, with subtle influences from the kitchens of Szechuan, Singapore and Malaysia.

Some of the best-loved, or ‘Hero’ dishes include the hand-pulled noodles, homemade dim sum, Alaskan king crab, and of course, the show-stopping Peking duck.

Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find flaming black cod, sweet and sour chicken, honey glazed BBQ ‘European meat’, black truffle noodles and special fried rice with Chinese olive leaf and pine nuts.

They offer set menus from Dhs220 (for five courses) that feature such culinary highlights as Szechuan hot and sour soup with tofu and black mushroom; chicken and prawn siew mai; wok-fried black pepper Australian beef tenderloin; yong chow fried rice, with prawn and chicken; with sago pearls and fresh mango for dessert.

For dim sum lovers, there’s an excellent unlimited dim sum offer every Friday from 12.30pm to 3pm for just Dhs189 per person. Alternatively, there’s a Yum Cha brunch all weekend from 1pm to 4pm, serving up portions of crystal lobster dumpling, barbecue chicken bao, hand-pulled noodles, egg-fried rice and other Chinese delicacies. Prices start at Dhs325.

What’s more

Named after an intrepid Chinese explorer, your voyage at Zheng He’s takes you well beyond the highlands of gastronomy. The interiors are styled with an intricate attention to detail, the terrace offers privileged canalside views, and there’s the option to make pre (or post) dinner cocktail reservations at the exotic Asian lounge & bar, Bahri. Here you can indluge in the silk route mystique of spice-laden mixology, and rich plumes of sheesha.

Lower Ground Floor, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, open daily for dinner from 6pm, Fri to Sun lunch timings from 1pm. Tel: (04) 432 3232. jumeirah.com/mina-a-salam-zheng-hes

Images: provided