Saudi Gazette Flavors of Far Eastern cuisine are simple yet exotic; be it Indian, Chinese, Thai, or Japanese. In Jeddah, there are many Chinese restaurants but one which has particularly become our favorite, and would become yours too, is Durrat China. Durrat China is a prim and proper dine-in restaurant which serves authentic Chinese food as everyone involved in its making are sheer experts, and they will definitely make sure that you enjoy every bite. They have numerous branches across Jeddah and can be located with ease. For starters, we ordered spring rolls which were okay, but it was their piping hot cheese rolls which truly made us go for more - soft white cheese wrapped in crispy spring roll pastry — fried to perfection. Wantons filled with minced meat and onions is also an excellent choice. The starters are priced between SR15 and SR20. Rice is the mainstay of the Chinese diet and our main course was the egg fried rice which was tasty and surprisingly had diced cucumbers that gave it a nice crunch and moisture. Mushrooms are thrown into almost every Chinese dish with appetizing choices like chicken with mushrooms, bamboo shoots or beef with broccoli and mushrooms, and even in the vegetable chop suey; which would be a delight for vegetarians. That goes to show another Chinese trait, wisdom. A chemical called lentinan is found in mushrooms and it boosts the immune system, has anti-tumor activity, and increases resistance to bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. Our choice of sizzler chicken with loads of mushroom sauce and mushrooms was delicious. Their sizzlers come with a wonderful combination of different kinds of vegetables combined with your preference of chicken, beef, shrimp, or fish, and are priced between SR35 to SR75. It is almost impossible to imitate Chinese food at home, because of their use of special sauces that impart an unforgettable taste to each dish. The sweet and sour dishes excite taste buds making it a favorite dish of many people. Chicken with cashew nuts and chicken with ginger sauce which have a sweet and sour taste are surely worth every penny. These dishes can be customized according to ones preference, those who are fond of spice can go for chili sauce and those who want a rich, salty taste can go for their oyster sauce. The ginger sauce is strong, and strikes a balance between spicy and bitter, but is quite pleasant. Dishes with chicken are priced around SR28, beef at SR35, fish at SR45 and shrimps at SR49. Durrat China is one of the few restaurants in Jeddah that actually removed the service charge as mandated by the Ministry of Commerce. Those restaurants who have not still waived their service charge have been given a period of 60 days to eliminate it. Thus, this Chinese restaurant must definitely be on your check-list of dining places around Jeddah as their food is delectable, service commendable, and ambience amazing. __
