Dragon-i

My Rating: 4 Stars

Cuisine: Shanghainese Chinese
Location: Queensbay Mall, Penang
RM40-50 per person

This successful new chain of restaurant serving Shanghainese Chinese cuisine is owned by businessman and restauranteur Henry Yip.

I tried their signature dishes which are the the steamed "Xiao Long Bao" dumpling with soup (sweat frm the pork) inside it and the hand pulled Dan Dan "La Mien" Noodles. Pretty expensive. Per dumpling cost like RM2++ . Generally, the food is good. I recommend their hand tossed "La Mien" noodles, especially the Schecuan Noodles. Also try the pork Kau-Yuk (Pork Belly) with salted preserved Boey Chai or cabbage.

For dessert, I recommend their famous Mango Pudding. Can really taste the fresh and meaty mango flesh with a balance of sweetness. Definitely 4 stars for taste of food, service and ambience but it really hurts your wallet. It is expensive and therefore not really good if you are thinking of stretching your bucks. Therefore I give 2-stars for value for money.

The ambience of the restaurant has a nostalgic feel of Chinese Dynasty with life-sizes terra cotta warriors guards placed throughout the restaurant. It has an acquarium kitchen to showcase their bao making techniques and hand pulling of their specially made noodles. Supervised by master chefs from mainland China, this restaurant serves authentic Shanghainese cuisine with some ingredients specially air flown to the restaurants to make the dining experience even more exhilarating.

I think because the outlet is newly opened, their is a consistent crowd for both lunch and dinner, particularly during weekends. Be prepared to wait in queue.

Check out their website

Call +604 6466888 for reservations at Queensbay Mall