New Year, New Feast at Jade Dynasty

On the heels of its one-year anniversary this month, Jade Dynasty Seafood Restaurant has experienced a bounty of success as the premier restaurant to open in the U.S. as part of Paramount Banquet Halls, which currently operates more than 20 locations throughout Hong Kong. This acclaimed 8,250-square-foot establishment presents patrons with the tastiest morsels of avant-garde Hong Kong-style cuisine, and co-owners Ave Kwok and Alan Ho have taken the art of authentic Chinese dining to a whole new dimension.

“We spent more than $3 million on this restaurant alone,” Ho says. “All of our custom-made decor was fabricated in China by skilled artisans and then shipped to Hawaii. If you look closely, you’ll see all of our furnishings are made from the finest materials, including granite and Italian marble, and even rich teak panels.”

But what’s even more impressive than the exquisite chandeliers that hang from the ceiling and the extravagant horse statues that stand in all their glory as you enter the restaurant, is the decadent Happy New Year/Kung Hee Fat Choy menu available now through Jan. 31 ($398 for a table of 10/$238 for a party of six).

“Chinese New Year falls on Jan. 23, so this menu actually pays tribute to three holidays — Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year,” says general manager Gary Chan. “It’s the second year that we’re offering such a vast menu — and we received such a wonderful response last year.”

The menu features a total of 10 luxurious dishes, resulting in a feast fit for royalty. Imagine a spread that begins with an irresistible Dynasty Style Appetizer Platter and Imitation Shark’s Fin Soup with Chicken. For starters, the Dynasty Style Appetizer Platter includes heaping portions of roast duck, pork chop with lemongrass, beef shank, pork shank and jellyfish.

“There’s five different appetizers to choose from because the Chinese believe that there’s five different kinds of fortune that come together for the new year,” Chan explains.

Once you’ve thoroughly enjoyed the appetizer, cleanse your palate with a hot bowl of steaming Imitation Shark’s Fin Soup with Chicken. The soup will tickle your taste buds with a piping hot chicken broth filled with a symphony of fish molded to look like shark fins, a variety of mushrooms, bamboo shoots, egg and tender pieces of chicken.

Next, patrons must prepare themselves for Steamed Fried Rice with Roasted Garlic, Live Lobsters with Garlic and Butter Sauce, Steamed Whole Fish (uhu), Sauteed Shrimp and Scallop with Honey Glazed Walnuts, and Braised Dried Oysters with Chinese Black Moss.

“We receive a shipment of live lobsters from our local supplier every day,” Chan says. “The oysters also are a signature item for Chinese New Year, along with New Year Good Luck ‘Jai’ that’s on the menu as well.”

Jai, otherwise known as “monk’s food,” is a vegetarian dish that consists of mushroom, long rice, cabbage and more. It’s a rather simple entree that’s believed to bring good luck. Speaking of good luck, Steamed Chicken — Dynasty Style has been nothing but a hit for the restaurant.

“Steamed Chicken — Dynasty Style is one of our top sellers,” Chan states of this savory chicken that’s steamed and marinated with a succulent wine sauce, and seasoned with salt, pepper and other secret spices.

Finally, to complete the meal, enjoy the sweetest ending with Mochi Balls in Sweet Ginger Broth dessert.

“We’re known for hosting the greatest of parties,” Ho says. “The restaurant seats 350 guests and we host at least 20 parties on average every week, and especially with the new year and Chinese New Year approaching, we’re expecting a lot more bookings.

“We just brought in a new karaoke machine from Hong Kong in which our customers can select from 27,000 songs in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and English,” he adds. “In the VIP room, we have a camera that’s facing the stage, so that we can see the performance from the room on the flat-screen TV. We also offer a projector, sound system and more for parties.”

And if all this isn’t enough, Jade Dynasty also is drawing in many diners with its unique dim sum options, available from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Yi Xing Liu serves as the eatery’s own dim sum chef and has traveled to Hong Kong to receive contemporary dim sum training.

“Our most popular dim sum choices include Signature Shrimp Dumplings ($3.50), Pan Seared Seafood Stuffed Tofu ($3.50), Baked Snow Mountain Char Siu Buns ($3.50), Seafood Bean Curd Rolls ($3.50, Pan Fried Seafood and Corn Cake, and Spring Mountain Coconut Buns,” Chan says, adding that Look Fun with Beef Stew ($9.95) is a newer item that has been highly sought after by customers.

On Jan. 22 (Chinese New Year’s Eve) Jade Dynasty will scare away evil spirits with a lion dance, in hope of bringing in only the best of luck this new year.

“In the new year I hope that business keeps improving — we’ve been very fortunate up till now and I hope that fortune continues,” Chan says.

Jade Dynasty Seafood Restaurant

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