City of Dreams: Stunning, spectacular, extraordinary

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known” are the words of Carl Sagan emblazoned on a scruffy wall under the eerie glow of neon lights.

I pondered them momentarily in my head while taking in my surreal surroundings. Graffiti-covered walls, flickering street lamps and dark alleys, a mish-mash of Chinese characters and comic book characters, like a scene from Gotham City. Was I awake or was I dreaming? It all felt like a scene from my subconscious, the kind of dreams that ensue from a heavy dinner topped with lots of wine and cognac. If it weren’t for my watch I couldn’t tell what time of day it was and quite frankly where I was because in a span of 24 hours I had gone from Africa to Europe in the hopes of saving a drowning princess from some evil sadistic queen while passing through a Mad Max-like portal with acrobatic motorcycles. Furthermore, in just a few moments I was told that I would meet the dragon kings and watch the show of secret fantasies. Welcome to the City of Dreams. Please check your sense of logic and time at the door and indulge yourself.

I may have been in Macau but quite frankly I was elsewhere, floating in time and space with no point of reference for reality save for the wondrous invention called the Internet. It was through it that I kept my lifeline to the real world, if not I would joyously let myself be swallowed alive by the beautiful food, endless spa treatments, over-the-top performances and sheer luxury. Yes, it is a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Early this week we were invited to visit the City of Dreams Macau in hopes to have a glimpse of what City of Dreams Manila will have to offer when it opens early next year. To be quite frank, I have always been aloof towards these gaming resorts. I am not a gambler, and although I find the James Bond-esque allure of casinos exciting, I have a terrible poker face and would mostly likely lose all my chips in a matter of seconds. 

Spending a few days at the City of Dreams Macau has changed my perspective. Imagine spending close to 72 hours in a gaming complex and, well, not seeing the casino at all?

Opulent yet tasteful

The first thing I noticed was the stunning luxurious interiors of the establishments. From the warm contemporary chic of the Grand Hyatt to the glamorous interiors of Crown Tower. The table settings in each restaurant were all spectacular with a meticulous attention to detail. French porcelain, Baccarat crystal, Christophe cutlery, hand-carved solid jade dragons and sterling silver steam basket holders, and water was served in Schott Zwiesel glasses. 

There was a clear nod to the Chinese heritage and auspicious design without being so literal. Gold was everywhere and yet it never once felt too gaudy. It came in muted forms like a soft golden hue on the walls of the Grand Hyatt Chairman’s Suite or in the gold and black lacquer details at Jade Dragon. A definite feast for the eyes, it set the mood for the true feast on the plate.

Feast fit for an emperor

Over dinner, a friend asked me what I was doing in Macau to which I replied, “I was a cow in Macau.” Each meal more spectacular than the last, from their SoHo-themed dining complex to Grand Hyatt’s Mezza 9 “around the world in tapas” concept and their beautiful Beijing Kitchen with the crispiest roast duck I have ever had, to housing two Michelin-starred establishments, City of Dreams prides itself in being a destination to indulge your gastronomic dreams.

Jade Dragon was such a remarkable experience. Each dish was artfully presented, crafted with care to give the cleanest, most sophisticated Chinese cuisine I’ve had. We were in fact in agreement that in comparison to another famous Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong that had three Michelin stars, Jade Dragon was far superior and deserved being awarded two more.

Their Jade Dragon dumpling was the plumpest prawn and juiciest lobster encased in a paper-thin wrapper, full of flavor and there was no need for dipping sauce. A succulent Iberico roast pork is caramelized with fresh honeycomb and slow-roasted to melt-in-your mouth perfection with dark bittersweet charred crispy bits. Hot and sour soup that was far from your usual slop of mystery ingredients. Here, each julienned vegetable is suspended in a rich, spicy, tangy broth like glorious celebratory confetti. And who knew fried rice could be so elegant? Greaseless fluffy grains of rice happily danced together with a symphony of conpoy, roast goose and vegetables topped with lush scallops.

And because that wasn’t enough in the evening we were treated to a special wine pairing menu at the Michelin-starred Tasting Room by chef Galliot. French innovation using the best ingredients available, like sevruga caviar, tuna belly and quail. I loved his new take on the classic bistro French onion soup with a seriously savory mushroom velouté that I could have happily drank on its own. However, the real piece de resistance was the jaw-dropping delicious chocolate and banana millefeuille. Sweet, salty, bitter, crunchy, velvety, creamy, crisp… It was chocolate in all forms and textures. Pleasure on a plate.

The people’s pleasure

Charisse Chuidian, City of Dreams Manila vice president for public relations, says:  “With the luxury dining experiences offered in our three hotels – Crown Towers, Nobu and Hyatt, plus three entertainment venues including the innovative live and digital play space with DreamWorks which will be the first in the world, and two world-renowned nightclub brands Pangaea and Chaos,  City of Dreams Manila will raise the bar in leisure and entertainment offerings. It will not be long before we offer a sneak peak in December, before a grand opening prior to Chinese New Year in 2015.”

From one of the most incredible spa treatments I’ve ever had at the Crown Spa to a sexy, acrobatic cabaret with amazing performers from around the world to diamond-studded tourbillon collector watches, City of Dreams has something for everyone. And excitingly, it is what we can expect in City of Dreams Manila.

As the trip came to a close, we were chuckling about how we were running out of superlatives to describe the entire experience. Stunning. Spectacular. Awe-inspiring. Extraordinary. Extravaganzaaaaa…. (cue drumroll and jazz hands, please.)  Whatever it may be, I’m just glad that pretty soon I won’t have to travel far to get lost in my dreams.