What's New Restaurants: Man Ho in JW Marriott

It is a truth universally accepted that no self-respecting hotel in China is complete without a high-end  restaurant serving Cantonese food to a warren of increasingly lavish private rooms. So it is with the newly-opened JW Marriott in Xuanwumen. Nevertheless, the JW Marriott’s Cantonese restaurant Man Ho manages to avoid the plush over-decoration favored by so many restaurants, instead sticking to clean lines and a rich red color palette, complemented by some eye-catching modern art pieces.

Like the restaurant décor, the presentation of the dishes in simple and homey, without the orchids and artistry that usually adorn plates in high-end Cantonese restaurants. In a way this is rather comforting, as it implies the chef has spent time actually cooking the food rather than carving flowers out of carrots. In practice, this simplicity translates better to some dishes than others.

We start with a mixed Cantonese BBQ platter of roast goose, char siu and marinated jellyfish (RMB 168), which is unexpectedly distinguished by the excellent chili oil dressing on the jellyfish, while the meats themselves are a tad greasy. On the other hand, a steamed whole flounder (market price) is a model of lightness, the tender, soy-bathed flesh slipping off the bone effortlessly. End the meal on a high note with a glass of unctuous pomelo and mango juice pudding (RMB 58), more than a match for any of the Hong Kong dessert cafés around town. 

Man Ho
Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-10pm JW Marriott Beijing Central, 18 Xuanwumen Waidajie, Xicheng District. (6391 6666)
西城区宣武门外大街18号北京珠三角JW万豪酒店
 

Photos: Mitchell Pe Masilun