The Xi Yan empire is growing, growing and still growing. With such an auspicious name, a celebratory banquet, it comes as no surprise that Xi Yan has made its mark on the Hong Kong food scene and has rewritten the rules of what contemporary Chinese cuisine is all about.

It all started out as a humble experiment in 2000, a private kitchen dining establishment, where chef and owner Jacky Yu created contemporary Chinese dishes for Hong Kong foodies in the know.

First you had to get your hands on the private phone number, then the next task is to try and get on the three month long waiting list. Diners were impressed and kept coming back for more of Yu's innovative creations.

Private kitchens were all the rage a few years ago, and only the truly good ones survived, and Xi Yan has proved that they not only survived, but have become a powerful culinary movement.

Yu's contemporary Chinese cuisine can be defined as a fusion of east meets east.

Coffee jelly with ice cream at Xi Yan.

Drawing inspiration from Thai and South East Asian cooking techniques and flavors, Xi Yan serves up multi-provincial Chinese food infused with other Asian influences.

Southeast Asian influences include the use of exotic fruits guava and pomelo, infused into traditional Sichuan and Shanghainese dishes.

Since then, the public just could get enough of Xi Yan's dishes.

Jacky Yu has since become a celebrity chef, spinning out talk shows and three very successful cookbooks.

Initially impossible to score a table at the Wan Chai private dining kitchen, Xi Yan Private Dining Restaurant, Hong Kong foodies can now enjoy a light meal or desserts at the other Xi Yan establishments that have opened since then.

Xi Yan Sweets, a charming small restaurant near Pacific Place Three, has the vibe of a contemporary art gallery.

Don't be fooled by the name, this intimate restaurant is more then a dessert joint.

It serves up excellent Dan Dan noodles, and numerous signature dishes, such as the Greenhouse Tomatoes with Sesame Sauce and the now famous Sichuan Spicy Chicken.

Most importantly, forget about traditional soupy Chinese dessert offerings, at Xi Yan, expect creative Asian desserts ranging from Durian crepes to innovative ice cream flavors, such as Lychee Ice Cream with Osmanthus Wine.

Xi Yan Tastes in Causeway Bay dishes up the same menu as Xi Yan Sweets, in a more spacious environment.

Surrounded by the signature Xi Yan red color walls, this sleek restaurant is perfect for an afternoon snack, of which the tea set menu offers up a choice of noodles, Singapore Style Stir Fried Turnip Cake, or Cheese cake paired with traditional Chinese drinks, such as Chrysanthemum Tea or Longan Tea.

Fun Asian drinks include the Ice Pomelo drink, refreshing and tangy!

And what of the original private dining kitchen eight years on? Having moved from its original location, reservations are still highly recommended for a night out at this now famous dining joint.

Surprisingly, Chef Yu has not let the fame detract from what he does best, and that is to create great food, as he can still be seen greeting his dinner guests at this private dining establishment. Diners get to choose from a choice of set menus and one can expect the signature dishes, along with new creations.

A quick read through the Xi Yan menu should give you an idea of what constitutes Yu's contemporary Chinese cuisine. Chrysanthemum Mandarin Fish with Lemongrass Calamansi Sauce, Osmanthus Smoked Duck's Eggs Topped with Truffle, Soybean Sheet and Gingko Sorbet or Crispy Spareribs with Preserved Tangerine Peel, a palate surprising eclectic mix of Asian ingredients and flavors.

Definitely not your usual Chinese cuisine, but judging by its popularity, it's worth coming back for more.

There's no stopping Jacky Yu. The Xi Yan empire has expanded lately with an additional restaurant at the new Elements Mall, Xi Yan Flavors, as well as outposts in Singapore, and more in the works. Seems like there's no stopping this banquet from going on and on and on.

Xi Yan

3/F, 83 Wan Chai Road

Tel: 2575 6966

Xi Yan Tastes

2/F, inside G.O.D, Leighton Centre

Sharp Street East

Causeway Bay

Tel: 2881 6693

(HK Edition 08/20/2008 page3)