Filipinos, no matter where they are in the world, always yearn for a sense of adventure – whether that’s while travelling on road, traversing the seas, or even having a taste of the world on their plates.
This is why many Filipinos love discerning that authentic taste of food and in the case of West Lake Spring Restaurant, it’s the essence of decades of Chinese flavors that diners will experience when they enjoy a meal for less than Dh 20, with unlimited rice too! Here’s our review of their restaurant located at the Ground Floor of China Tower, at Baniyas Road in Deira.
The Ambiance
West Lake Spring Restaurant offers wide spaces for diners to breathe, relax and enjoy each bite of their meals. Upon entering the premises, you’ll be greeted by their courteous wait staff, ready to assist to guide you through the ordering process as it is a self-service restaurant. “At West Lake Spring Restaurant, people get to see and choose for themselves what kind of unique Chinese dish they want to enjoy for the day,” said Li Pengpeng, owner of the restaurant who has been in the culinary business for more than 10 years.
Apart from their maximum seating capacity of around 120 people, the restaurant also has special VIP rooms with karaoke that can host a maximum of 20-25 that may be booked and reserved for special occasions too!
The Food
The team got served with an assortment of starters and main dishes for us to get a kick of what authentic Chinese food really is. “What makes our dishes stand out from commercial Chinese restaurants is the fact that our ingredients and most especially, our secret recipes, all hail from China – which is why those who eat here will dine as if they were inside a restaurant in China,” said Pengpeng.
With each dish costing only around Dh 12-15 plus only Dh 3 for unlimited rice options including their special 8-rice and wet rice, here are our top selections from West Lake Spring Restaurant’s offers:
Chicken Feet / Chicken Fingers. Filipinos are very much familiar with the sight of their favorite ‘Adidas’. Served as one of their starters and cold dishes, West Lake Spring Restaurant’s specially cooked Chicken Feet give a tinge of spice coupled with that tasty sauce.
Century Egg. You don’t have to spend a lot of dirhams to enjoy the classic Chinese century egg right off the bat! Each bite of the century egg coupled with their roasted nuts gives that premium taste that will get your palate geared up for the main course.
Steamed Duck. Marinated in their special sauce and steamed to tender goodness, each bite of the delicious juicy duck meat brings in the flavors of their special sauce that complements the natural taste of the duck skin and meat.
Steamed Egg with Beef Bits. Succulent pieces of beef bits with a unique sauce is topped with two steamed eggs giving that special fusion of taste that makes your mouth want to have another immediate bite of the dish!
Chinese Eggplant in Yellow Bean Sauce. Each slice of eggplant is slowly cooked with the Chinese special Yellow Bean sauce, giving each bite that saltiness and tinge of spiciness that would easily pair well with another viand option or even on its own with rice.
Special Chinese Soup. One exciting dish to order is soup that’s cooked on the spot with three options available: Beef Soup, Beef Noodle, and Seafood Soup. “Our live-cooking style of meal preparation for the soup is very transparent: It shows exactly what ingredients are being used for the soup that will warm your hearts and fill your stomachs,” said Pengpeng. We ordered the seafood soup that brought in the flavors of the seas coupled and complemented with a tasty spicy sour broth.
Chinese Sweet Soup. After enjoying your delectable dishes, there’s always room for dessert – West Lake Spring Restaurant’s special Chinese Sweet Soup provides that sweet ending with the freshness of their sweet fruit soup dish with sweet pumpkins!
The Verdict
With the variety of Chinese dishes available at West Lake Spring Restaurant, Filipinos and other diners can easily enjoy a different kind of delicious Chinese dish every day. “If you want to experience a purely authentic Chinese experience here in the Middle East, West Lake Spring Restaurant will take you to China’s kitchens at your dinner table,” said Pengpeng.
Breakfast is served from 7:00 am to 10:30 am, while Lunch is from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm. Customers coming home from work can enjoy their dinner selections from 6:30 pm to 12:00 midnight.
West Lake Spring Restaurant is located at the Ground Floor of China Tower, at Baniyas Road in Deira, every day from 7:00 am to 12:00 midnight with dine-in and takeaway options available to them.
