Pork-Free Chinese Restaurant In Chow Kit Has Hot BBQ Buns & Beluga Caviar Prawn Dumplings
Centring on the zen concept, come to this relaxing restaurant for a lively brunch or quiet dinner.
Craving dim sum? The Qing in Chow Kit will transport you to modern day Chengdu with more dumpling options than you can think of.
Bringing an unparalleled dining experience, The Qing is laid out using multiple traditional Chinese aspects at the forefront of its design.
Initially composing an idea to create a heritage restaurant with modern interior, Chan Wai Keong, founder of The Qing, noted how his concept shifted after making a trip to China for a holiday.
Understanding Chinese restaurants to usually be busy and lively, his idea for a fine-dining concept with elevated flavours would not resonate with the usual ambience of the same kind of eatery. In response, he managed to create an amalgamation of dynamic proportions, creating a fine dining experience for every Malaysian to enjoy when they visit The Qing.
Entering the locale, it was hard to misrepresent the feature they were going for. Ravishing in deep sapphire blue leather seats, the choice of the symbolic colour was to represent the element of spring in Chinese culture, brimming over with vigour and vitality.
The addition of a ginormous Chinese bonsai at the stairwell, which leads to more seating areas, was sophisticated and enlightening. With the belief that bonsai lifts spirits and creates a harmonious balance, it was certainly a sight for sore eyes when making our entrance.
Moving to the upstairs seating area which can seat approximately 40 people, we were entranced by the illuminated goldfish swimming on the ceiling of the restaurant. The various seating options from private booth to round table were complemented by the opulent lighting through the ceiling-high windows.
Another acute detail with the colour palette of the upstairs dining area, yellow was chosen to represent royalty, taking inspiration from the first emperor in China, Huangdi, who was also known as the 'Yellow Emperor'.
A great aesthetic section of the restaurant for photos? Indeed. But the deeper meaning behind the key details of the second-floor structure did not go unnoticed to the keen eye.
If you're looking for a more intimate dining experience, there are two private dining spaces for special events or gatherings.
Located in a secluded area of the restaurant, one private room seats 10 people, with a Lazy Susan and delicate bonsai centrepiece. The second room is larger, possessing a refectory table that seats up to 14 adults.
A fun feature of both private rooms is a karaoke system in each room, provided in accompaniment with a large flatscreen television.
Lucky enough to graze the chic interior of The Qing, we followed our visit with a sit-down dim sum fest of epic proportions
As we sat down, we were presented with a pot of Yunnan Reserved Ole Pu'er (RM12), that was refreshing and rejuvenating, cleansing our palettes before the dim sum.
Described with effortless intricacy, Wai Keong explained the 'Yum Cha' process to us, which involved drinking of the tea and eating the dim sum in succession. After sipping this delicious tea, we were ready to devour all the dim sum items served.
As all the dishes of The Qing are pork-free, the establishment has clearly set out their intentions and hope for the future, as a welcome spot to all Malaysians to enjoy the flavours of their delectable Chinese cuisine.
With dark walls, soft lighting, and interior decor that transports you to a refined heritage district in China, the peaceful surroundings whisked us away to total calmness and serenity for our meal.
Starting off with the Baked Foie Gras Puff (RM35), which takes 20 minutes to create, the tart melted in our mouths. Combining the flavours of the buttery foie gras with the sharp strawberry and apple slices, this made for a great sweet-savoury starter.
We then moved on to the Slow Cooked Prawn Dumpling with Hot and Spicy Sauce (RM16). While the dumpling itself was subtle, we would say that the sauce, though tasty, was sweeter rather than the intended sour, Sichuan-like sauce.
We can't stop raving about how the Breaded Prawn Mango Roll topped Mango Dressing (RM18) was one of our absolute favourites of the day. Crunchy and crisp on the outside, bite into these fried dumplings and the interior mango cream oozes out to balances the dish with a twang of zest.
Though unassuming on its white exterior, the Baked Crispy BBQ Chicken Bun (RM18) has coated chicken pieces, bundled in the warm and fluffy bun. You'll need to wait awhile though, as this signature isn't served until after 12pm.
The Delicious Yam Dumpling (RM16) was a crunchy delight. One rub of our chopsticks over the brittle exterior and we knew we were in for a treat. As expected, it was a tasty savoury dish with hints of sweetness that amplified this classic to a bolder palette.
Another one of our favourites, the Signature Prawn Beancurd Skin Roll Wrapped With Rice Roll (RM23) was scrumptious. With a pinch of floss on the layer of each piece, the rolls practically fell apart in our mouth, gushing forth a warm and spicy broth we'll dream about for days.
The two restaurant heavy-hitters were the next to reach our table, and they knocked a big punch that sent us on a whirlwind
If you're visiting The Qing, you can't miss out on the Trio Dim Sum Combination (RM25). Consisting of three variations of classic dim sum pieces, there were some special additions to each piece that transported these favourites out into orbit.
Laid in a row, we were presented with Black Truffle Siew Mai, Steamed Prawn Dumpling With Cavier Beluga, and a Cheese Beancurd Roll. Oscillating between a series of flavours, this trio was worth the extra money out of your pocket, and stood out immediately to us as a harmoniously compounded plate.
We were excited to try out the Steamed XO Scallop Dumpling Wrapped with Beetroot Skin (RM23) because of the chefs special ingredient. No, it wasn't brandy. Instead, we got to try a secret XO sauce with dry seafood ingredients.
Spicy and tangy, this dumpling is definitely an evolved version of its usual Siew Mai counterpart, affectionately known as the 'Pink' Dim Sum.
The Lava Peanut Cream Sesame Ball (RM15) dessert starter however, surely lived up to its name. A bright burnt orange coloured exterior, pop this sweet treat into your mouth for an explosion of peanut paste that'll tickle your fancy.
Adding more desserts to our table, the Steamed Layer Cake with Purple Sweet Potato (RM13) was light and airy, a good balance to some of the other more intense dishes we tried for some relief.
A visual highlight would definitely go to the Golden Salted Egg Cream Bun with Charcoal Skin (RM18). With a grey exterior and gold dashes across its surface, the creamy texture of the salted egg filing was on the thinner side as to others we have tried, though it still made for a ravishing artistic addition.
We were stuffed by the end of the dim sum pieces, but we couldn't miss out on helpings of their stir fried carrot cake and abalone sticky rice
The Stir Fried Carrot Cake with Homemade Belacan Sauce (RM20) was fresh from the wok with its steaming presentation. Vibrant in colour with specks of sprouts for some crunch, the pulpy cake bits were tasty. A perk in comparison to others that we've tried, it definitely maintained a strong consistency in texture without making the dish too oily or slippery.
As for the Slice Abalone Sticky Rice with Chicken and Mushroom (RM15), it checked all the boxes for a simple, yet enhanced dish. Maintaining a good consistency of the chewy texture of the rice, the chicken and mushroom slices paired nicely for a herbal finish.
To end our tasting session, we proceeded with a pot of Supreme Sui Xian (RM12) tea, that was earthy and light, ideal after stuffing our faces with a plethora of dim sum pieces.
Overall, our dining session at The Qing was more than just sitting down and having divine selections of pork-free dim sum
From beginning to end, it's quite appropriate that this fine dining experience encapsulates more than just quality features of food, but also the composed and mellowed environment that comes with the territory of the theme.
Aside from the array of dim sum options, there are also set lunch options on weekdays (RM78 per pax) and a premium set lunch choice (RM98 per pax) if you want a touch of refinery to your courses.
If set lunches aren't your thing, take a swing at their à la carte menu, with soups, lamb, beef, claypot, poultry, and noodle choices among others.
