Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/761508
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 11 DECEMBER 2016 34 Food SITUATED on the scenic Val- letta Waterfront, Nan Yuan is a little taste of China amongst a collection of Mediterranean restaurants. Charmaine and her husband Lee seem to have found the perfect combination of décor, music, and food to set the per- fect ambiance at their restaurant. With Charmaine as front of house and Lee as head chef, they insist on the importance of the smooth- running of their restaurant, and aim to give their guests the most enjoyable and memorable expe- rience of Cantonese-style dining they possibly can. They always aim to welcome and please their guests, and are happy to be at your service. Upon my arrival I was greet- ed by Charmaine, who kindly showed me to my table. After a few minutes she brought out a pot of refreshing Chinese green tea. This can be enjoyed both before and after your meal as it is both refreshing and light. It is also ideal as a palate cleanser between courses so that you can fully enjoy the new tastes and flavours that every dish has to offer. The first dish was a bountiful platter of mixed hors d'oeuvres which consisted of vegetable spring rolls, duck spring rolls, pork spare ribs, chicken wings, samosas, dumplings and various meat-stuffed dim sums. The hors d'oeuvres were freshly prepared and incredibly tasty. This was certainly the ideal way to kick off my meal. The next dish was the aromatic duck accompanied by steamed pancakes, a variety of chopped vegetables and hoisin sauce. The combination of flavours from the crispy aromatic duck – ever so tasty hoisin sauce and crunchy fresh vegetables wrapped up inside a steamed pancake – turned out to be a parcel bursting with flavour. Following this dish, were the restaurant's very own special vermicelli noodles togeth- er with garlic chicken and pork in plum sauce. These included a medley of chopped vegetables and chicken strips, and were gener- ously seasoned with an array of spices. It was the optimal dish to accompany the sweet and tender pork in plum sauce, and the salty and crispy garlic chicken. My guest and I were served a very light, fruity and crisp rose wine; Pink Giovello, which was carefully selected by Charmaine so as to enhance the experience of the different flavours offered by the food prepared by Lee. All food dishes were decorated artistically, with flower or swan carvings cre- ated using fruit or vegetables. This completed each dish's pres- entation, and exposed the chef's creativity. In spite of the horrible weather, Charmaine and Lee still managed to set the ultimate tradi- tional and cosy atmosphere with soft classical music in the back- ground, traditional Chinese deco- rations, and appropriately dim lighting, which added a lovely at- mosphere for a perfect afternoon. This was a quality lunching experience. Great food. Tre- mendous service. Fantastic dé- cor. I would certainly love to re- visit Charmaine and Lee again, whether with family, friends or some colleagues, for any occasion or to simply satisfy a craving for some delicious Cantonese cuisine, which happens to be a personal favourite. Resto of the week WINE OF THE WEEK A taste of China in the Mediterranean 2010 Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni Arnaldo Caprai, Umbria - Italy The color is ruby red very deep and hard to see through with shades of garnet.. The bouquet is intense with notes of mature fruits and spices. The taste is smooth, persistent with a long finish rich of fruits and spices one more time. The Caprai winery and its wines have received several awards: Winery of the Year, the European Winery of the Year, Sagrantino recived "Tre Bicchieri" and the "Cinque Grappoli" award. Arnaldo Caprai is the most famous among the producers of Sagrantino di Montefalco, a red wine with a strong and elegant taste. The vineyards grow, for over four hundred years, only in the territories around Montefalco. The company plays a meticulous work in of quality, researching and testing new agricultural and winemaking techniques, to spread of the culture and tradition of the territory. Exclusively imported by Charles Grech & Co. Ltd, Valley Road, Birkirkara T:2144 4400 Being in the Mediterranean means there is no shortage of really good Mediterranean restaurants. However when it comes to oriental food it is difficult to find ones that serve authentic quality food. Nan Yuan on the Waterfront in Valletta does that. KRISTIANNE AZZOPARDI gets a taste of truly authentic Cantonese food