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Cebu City, Philippines – In a celebration of refined craftsmanship and regional elegance, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu unveiled “Huai Yang: A Tasting Journey Through Jiangnan” on July 31 at its award-winning Chinese restaurant, Hai Shin Lou Cebu. This immersive culinary event gathered distinguished guests—including representatives from the local government, members of Cebu’s Chinese community, corporate partners, and the media—for an exquisite tasting that paid homage to one of China’s most revered regional cuisines.
Chef Nick Huang, Executive Chinese Chef of Suzhou Niccolo Hotel, was welcomed to Cebu for this one-night-only launch. Known for his mastery of Huai Yang cuisine, Chef Huang brought with him not only rare ingredients but also centuries of culinary tradition from the water towns of Jiangnan. Each of the eleven masterfully crafted dishes reflected the region’s devotion to purity, balance, and poetic presentation.
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The evening opened with “Whispers of the Water Town,” a duo of cold starters that set the tone for the journey ahead. The Crystal-Glazed Crispy Fish (Suzhou Style), thin as stained glass, offered a caramelized crunch kissed by rice wine. Beside it, the Moonlit Drunken Platter of five artisan cuts cured in Shaoxing wine and perfumed with chrysanthemum petals evoked the quiet mystery of Suzhou’s canals at dusk.
The soups, described as “liquid poetry,” were a triumph of precision and patience. The Silken Threads in Jade Broth (Wensi Tofu Soup) featured tofu cut into 10,000 strands, suspended in a clear chrysanthemum consommé. The Golden Dew Tofu Pudding, crowned with edible gold leaf, offered elegance in every golden spoonful.
For the main courses—The Flames of Jiangnan—Chef Huang presented a vibrant scroll of flavors and techniques. The Dongpo’s Secret Braised Beef Rib was rich, tender, and lacquered in aged vinegar and Suzhou rock sugar, while the Citrus-Gilded Grouper, crisped in the traditional “squirrel-tail” style and glazed with blood orange, stood out as a visual and culinary centerpiece.
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Other highlights included the Clove-Embered Pork Ribs, smoked over lychee wood and glazed with clove-infused honey, and the Suzhou Mist-Soaked Chicken, delicately steeped in Shaoxing wine and wrapped in the scent of lotus leaves.
As the evening turned to its final act, guests were treated to “Treasures of the Canal.” The Truffle Wontons in Sesame Silk Sauce, filled with foie gras mousse, and the Wagyu “Cloud” Rolls, air-fried and dusted with plum salt, showcased the ingenuity of modern Jiangnan cuisine. The finale, a Silver-Brushed Osmanthus Mooncake filled with red date and honey, brought the meal full circle—a sweet echo of tradition and craftsmanship.
The special Huai Yang Tasting Menu is available at Hai Shin Lou Cebu until August 24, 2025, offering diners a rare opportunity to experience this exquisite regional cuisine, brought to life with modern elegance and historic soul.
More than a dinner, Huai Yang: A Tasting Journey Through Jiangnan was a story told in eleven courses—a tribute to the slow art of Chinese cooking, to the poetry of flavor, and to the enduring ties between cultures. It was a night that lingered not only on the palate, but in memory—like a quiet evening on a Suzhou canal, where history floats gently in the air.
About Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
Perched atop Cebu’s prestigious Nivel Hills, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu is a luxury urban resort offering panoramic views of the city, mountains, and sea. Known for its blend of world-class service and warm Cebuano hospitality, the hotel features 328 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, award-winning dining outlets, and state-of-the-art event facilities. Marco Polo Plaza Cebu remains a landmark of elevated stays, celebrated cuisine, and meaningful experiences in the heart of the Queen City of the South.
