CHINESE WHISPERS

Ever since longstanding favourite Zen disappeared, The Star regulars have been wondering how newcomer Imperial will stack up. Emily Macdonald confirms the rumours are true – it is even tastier and more authentic than its predecessor

THEY’RE the dishes on the lips of the world’s richest men, so if sea cucumber and spicy pork intestines are sought after by Chinese billionaires, it’s time the rest of us sampled what success tastes like.

Reading through the 120 dishes on the menu at Imperial is like walking into a room crammed with old friends and then realising there are some tantalising strangers in their midst. There are still the wasabi prawns and Peking duck beloved by Zen patrons, but look a little closer and you’ll see tea leaf eggs and jellyfish salad taking their places at the table too.

With sections dedicated to food native to Hong Kong, Sichuan, Hunan, Shanghai and Beijing it’s no wonder the menu has doubled in size.

New chef Song Yao Su and his team will officially open the doors to Imperial on September 20 with the expectation it will be popular with everyone from locals to the high-end Chinese business visitors the regionspecific menu is targeting.

The hand-pulled Hunan chicken salad, steamed scallops with pumpkin and miso sauce, crispy fried prawns with five spice salt and the baked lobster in Thai-style chilli sauce are tipped to be crowd favourites.

The Star Gold Coast’s executive chef Dustin Osuch says, like at Zen, the food at Imperial is designed to be shared.

“Our new chef comes with 30 years’ expertise across both Mandarin and Cantonese products – he has invaluable knowledge,” Dustin says.

“He brings with him a number of talents including in traditional barbecue, dim sum and pastry. What we really want to do is take guests on a journey that really challenges their thinking when it comes to Chinese cuisine.”

Dustin says, rather than turn their noses up at some of the less familiar menu items, he recommends locals order dishes that are outside their comfort zone.

“I think people would be very surprised actually,” Dustin says. “They’re very delicious and it’s still very much those familiar Chinese flavours people love and are used to but with different ingredients like the intestines.”

If exotic ingredients aren’t your thing there are other ways to emulate the opulence of a well-off Chinese guest at Imperial. The restaurant has expanded its live seafood offering, which will now include both salt and freshwater species.

Seating capacity, however, will remain the same with 120 chairs plus a private dining area, expected to be booked solidly, for VIP groups of more than 20.

Guests visiting Imperial on opening weekend will be treated to a lion dance at 7pm on September 22 and September 23.

Imperial wll be the first of five recently announced new venues to open between now and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Construction is in progress on a sports bar, a cafeteria-style eatery branded as Food Quarter and two new bars.