Saudi Gazette One of the most popular cuisines among people of some nationalities and backgrounds is Chinese, as its exotic and rich flavors are simply divine. To indulge in authentic Chinese food, to pamper yourself in a soothing atmosphere, and to enjoy the view of the shimmering Red Sea, head over to “Noodles" –– a fancy restaurant located on the second floor at Rosewood Corniche Hotel in Jeddah. At this elegant restaurant, we wanted to be a bit more adventurous and so we tried a few new Chinese dishes. For appetizers, instead of ordering spring rolls, we ordered Dim Sum –– a pouch made out of pasta that is hand-pulled and stretched until it is soft and thin, filled with your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or vegetables; a healthy option as it is steamed and not fried. I recommend diners should opt for vegetable filling that is made up of diced bok choy (Chinese cabbage), mushrooms, carrots, and an interesting mix of seasonings. Until recently, I had never tried any salads at Chinese restaurants and so this time I decided to give it a try, and I ordered Chinese cucumber salad which had thinly sliced cucumbers and carrots drizzled with sesame seed oil and garnished with crushed garlic. Even the soy sauce at Noodles has crushed garlic in it. Garlic is well known for its flavor and health giving properties such as, it boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduces blood clotting, and is beneficial for the respiratory system as well. Next, I ordered mushroom soup which, unlike other traditional creamy mushroom soups was not heavy or high in fat content; it was made of light, clear broth filled with fresh mushrooms, green onions, steamed baby shrimps. The cost of a bowl of soup ranges from SR35 to SR40 and there are five options to choose from. For the main course, my order was egg fried rice and steamed rice which were prepared to perfection, though one should go for white rice as it is healthy and low in fat. Making Chinese food is not a child's play, one cannot simply throw in all ingredients in a wok and come with something exotic within no time. Cooking Chinese cuisine requires perfect addition of ingredients at right intervals to bring out the perfect flavors, and at the same time procure and preserve the crispiness of the vegetables and tenderness of the meats. The stir-fried dishes start at around SR58 and go up, with the seafood and freshly cooked lobsters on the higher side. Some excellent dishes that we sampled were beef with black pepper sauce and sweet and sour chicken with red, green, and yellow bell peppers. When dining at Noodles, you can design your own menu or you can choose one of the set menus that offer a combination of soup, appetizers, salad, main course of stir-fried dishes, rice, Chinese noodles, and of course the dessert which is the grand finale to an exquisite meal. The three set menus are priced at SR150, SR180 and SR220. Desserts at Noodles are absolutely heavenly and one bite will make you want to finish all of it and probably ask for more too. The mouth-watering mango mousse cake, I ordered, was made up of a layer of soft yellow cake, topped with fresh mango pieces and creamy, tangy mango mousse, and surrounded by more mango chunks and a pool of sweet syrup. In the end digest your meal, relax, and soothe your nerves by enjoying a cup of aromatic jasmine tea. The service was excellent and although it is not an ideal place for small children, the staff was very welcoming and they brought us child-friendly, easy to use chopsticks for my three-year-old daughter.
