Savor New Flavors At New World Makati Hotel As Jasmine Unveils New A La Carte Menu
Dante Ulanday - Senior News Editor 
There are restaurants with dishes that you just keep coming back to again and again. Jasmine at New World Makati Hotel is that kind of restaurant. Bannered by its Imperial Peking Duck and wide assortment of dim sum specialties, Jasmine remains the top dining destination for refined and traditional Chinese cuisine with its contemporary approach to culinary innovation in the Makati CBD. And Executive Chinese Chef Chee Kin Ng adds exciting new a la carte creations to the menu, that means even more reasons to visit Jasmine...
Jasmine at New World Makati Hotel introduces its new and refreshed A La Carte Menu showcasing tradition with exquisite presentation and contemporary techniques using thoughtfully selected ingredients. The new A La Carte Menu reflects a delicate balance between long established and time-honored Chinese traditions and techniques as well as evolving dining preferences curated by Master Chef Chee Kin Ng. Read on for a tasty peek at what's on the table at Jasmine...
The new A La Carte Menu is designed and built around the freshest seasonal ingredients, emerging modern Chinese dining trends and the growing appreciation for authentic yet innovative flavor experiences. Helmed by Master Chef Chee Kin Ng, also known as Chef Brandon, Jasmine presents another page in its storied 32-year culinary journey that began way back in 1994. It's also a testament to Jasmine's continuing commitment to culinary excellence and innovation.
I first met Chef Brandon back in 2024 when he introduced Jasmine's new menu. With over 28 years of experience working with prestigious properties around the world, Chef Brandon constantly pushes the envelope with his creative culinary style and this is reflected once more in this year's new A La Carte selections (for more on Chef Brandon at Jasmine, see my previous posts New World Makati Welcomes The Year Of The Wood Dragon With Its Auspicious Chinese New Year Set Menus At Jasmine from two years ago, Delight Your Palate With Both New And Familiar Flavors At Jasmine In New World Makati Hotel from late 2024 and New Year New World: Welcome The Lunar New Year With Auspicious Flavors At Jasmine In New World Makati Hotel from early this year).
Chef Brandon began our feast at Jasmine with warm Oven-Baked Curry Chicken Puffs, buttery and flaky pouches filled with the savory and deep flavors of curry. While curry isn't top of mind when it comes to traditional Chinese cuisine, Chef Brandon makes it work combining the distinctive curry notes with the buttery crust for a delectable start to a feast at Jasmine. Food, after all has no borders. And Chef Brandon continues to explore a world of flavors with his new A La Carte Menu.
Chef Brandon then served a tasty quartet of fresh-steamed dumplings starting with the Golden Harbor Salmon and Asparagus Dumplings. And this is where Chef Brandon boldly explores flavors with his inventive dim sum renditions. I'm sure you won't find salmon dumplings in your typical dim sum joint, and that's what makes the new A La Carte Menu at Jasmine so pleasantly unexpected. The buttery richness of the salmon just melts on the palate for a refreshingly new take on dim sum you'll only find at Jasmine.
The Assorted Mushroom and Truffle Dumpling brings the familiar deep, earthy and nutty hints of mushrooms in a delicately soft steamed pocket...
...while the Moringa, Spinach and Shrimp Dumpling delivers delicate and fresh flavors to your feast at Jasmine.
Probably one of the most creative and decadent dim sum expressions yet, the Seafood Lobster Dumpling filled with succulent chunks of lobster and other seafood and topped with tobiko brings a flavorful burst of fresh, clean briny sweetness with each bite lingering long on the palate. All these flavors from a bite-sized pouch of pure indulgence, and one more piece is soon on its way for another tasty bite.
Then, Chef Brandon served his Crispy Tofu with Salt and Pepper with its contrasting flavors and textures. Lightly crisp on the outside and soft, moist and juicy inside, the subtle nutty hints of tofu are perfectly enhanced by the sharpness of the salt and pepper for that balanced finish.
One of many flavorful surprises served that day, the Chinese-Style Scrambled Egg with Scallops and Tomatoes brings the soft, fluffy and creamy textures of eggs with a pronounced and flavorful punch from the tartness of the tomatoes and succulent briny sweetness of the scallops in a vibrant medley of savory notes. Chef Brandon takes the usual scrambled eggs next level with the addition of tomatoes and scallops for another must-try dish from the new A la Carte Menu at Jasmine.
The Chinese-Style Beef Tenderloin with Onion and Mandarin Sauce with fork-tender slabs of beef draped in a mildly sweet and savory glaze teases the palate with bold, full on flavors with every bite...
...while the Honey Orange Chicken brings familiar notes with a comforting citrusy sweetness with a delectable crunch. These dishes demand extra rice...
...and Chef Brandon responds with the new Pork Belly, Liver Sausage Fried Rice with XO Sauce perfectly pairing with the savory dishes like the Chinese-Style Beef Tenderloin with Onion and Mandarin Sauce and the Honey Orange Chicken. The pork belly and liver sausage along with the XO sauce adds a flavorful depth to the fried rice with more pronounced notes for a serious meal.
The Fried French Beans with Minced Pork and Dried Shrimp is always a welcome addition to the table at Jasmine. That subtle fresh snap after each bite from the French beans and rich savory notes from the pork and shrimps will have you going for another serving.
No feast at Jasmine is complete without their popular Imperial Peking Duck served two ways, and the presentation of the dish leads to a masterful tableside performance adding even more layers to a memorable dining experience.
The Imperial Peking Duck at Jasmine is a show in itself, meticulously carved starting with the delicately crisp skin...
...and served wrapped in thin pancakes with a dab of sweet bean sauce, fresh julienned cucumber and scallions...
...and stir-fried shredded and minced duck meat paired with fresh and crisp lettuce and a generous dab of hoisin sauce. At Jasmine, the delicate balance of both tradition and innovation is meticulously orchestrated by Chef Brandon with his blend of popular and signature bestsellers alongside new dishes on the A La Carte Menu.
And for dessert, indulge while having fun with the Steamed Creamy Cheese Piggy Bun for that perfect sweet ending at Jasmine. But Chef Brandon has one more surprise...
The Chilled Milk Pudding with Salted Egg Ice Cream is Chef Brandon's innovative spin on indulgence with both sweet and mildly salty hints coming together in a perfectly seamless blend with each spoonful. And Chef Brandon never seems to run out of flavorful surprises at Jasmine. This is your sign to visit Jasmine at New World Makati Hotel, soon.
Jasmine is located at Level 2 of New World Makati Hotel, Esperanza Street corner Makati Avenue, Makati City. You can also visit their FB Page and IG Feed at https://www.facebook.com/NewWorldMakatiHotel and https://www.instagram.com/newworldmakati for more information and updates. For table reservations, guests can call +632 8811 6888 ext. 3679, send a message on Viber at +63 917 888 4194 or email fbreservations.manila@newworldhotels.com.
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