For three days, Shang Palace at Shangri-La Eros New Delhi brought the Dragon Boat Festival to the capital with a menu inspired by one of China’s oldest celebrations. Rather than simply serving Cantonese classics, the restaurant curated dishes closely associated with the festival, complemented by a traditional lion dance that added to the celebratory atmosphere.
The Offerings At The Celebration
No Dragon Boat Festival is complete without zongzi or Chinese rice dumplings. The traditional preparation is prepared using glutinous rice that is stuffed with a range of fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Fillings can be either sweet, such as red bean paste, or savoury, such as pork belly or Chinese sausage. Shang Palace placed the iconic these delicious rice parcels at the centre of the festival’s experience. Wrapped in bamboo leaves and served with chicken, pork and vegetarian fillings, the dish remains the Dragon festival’s most enduring culinary tradition. Being my first time trying the dish, I opted for the chicken variant which was delicious.
The menu extended far beyond zongzi. It opened with Seafood Crab Meat and Avocado Salad alongside a nourishing Double-Boiled Organic Black Chicken Soup with Chinese herbs. As it transitioned to heartier dishes, I was offered the Six-Hour Braised Duck with Tea Egg, Stir-Fry Chicken with Black Vinegar and Caramelised Walnut, and Stir-Fry Lotus Root with asparagus and morel mushrooms. Each course reflected the balance of flavour and communal dining that defines the festival.
Sometimes the dishes that sound the most familiar are the ones that leave the strongest impression. The Crispy Orange Chicken looked like a crowd-pleaser, but it was the restraint in its flavours that made it memorable. The citrus glaze was bright and fragrant without becoming cloyingly sweet, allowing the crisp coating and tender chicken to shine. Equally impressive was the Stir-Fried Chicken with Black Vinegar, which balanced acidity with caramelised sweetness, creating a dish that felt bold without overpowering the palate.
Saving The Biggest Surprise For Dessert
The dish I was most sceptical about ended up becoming my favourite. Five Spices Ice Cream sounded almost too unconventional for dessert, but the first spoon completely changed my mind. Instead of relying solely on sweetness, it layered warm aromatic notes of Chinese five-spice into a creamy base, creating a dessert that was fragrant, subtly spiced and unlike anything I had tried before. It lingered on the palate long after the meal ended and, together with the Orange Chicken, it became one of the top highlights of the afternoon.
More Than A Special Menu
What stayed with me wasn’t just the food but how thoughtfully the experience came together. From traditional festival dishes to the lion dance performance, every element reflected the Dragon Boat Festival’s emphasis on community, culture and shared meals.
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