View this post on Instagram
Vividly situated within Santa Clara’s Westfield Valley Fair mall is the new iChina, a palatial emerald gem of a restaurant serving inventive reimaginings of Chinese delicacies.
Recently unveiled last August, the lavish restaurant has become exclusively popular due to the overall opulent experience they carefully provide, from their luxurious 6-course tasting dinner, all the way down to the art-deco filigrees of their aesthetic.
View this post on Instagram
Upon entering either of their two floors, the entire atmosphere is bathed in a rich velvety jade green, accented by massive golden chandeliers, authentic marble tables, and glass wall patternings that pay studied homage to traditional Chinese paintings.
iChina executes a beautifully balanced marriage between the vintage opulence of 1920’s China and cutting-edge contemporary design, and it is also flawlessly demonstrated through the cuisine.
View this post on Instagram
Generated by visionary and Executive Chef Eddie Lam, the menu is distinctly curated around China’s eight culinary regions, modernized through the preparation methods and gastronomical approach.
As originally a Hong Kong native, Chef Lam has been able to gain international culinary experiences, now showcasing his skills and refined techniques through elevating the flavors of his cultural roots.
The Wagyu Ribeye with Tangerine Curd and Bone Marrow.
The tasting menu is an exclusive and seasonal delight, offering six exceptional dishes each with their own complex flavor profile and personal culinary story. For $118, their new spring menu features a range of fresh seafood, vegetables, and protein deconstructed and reimagined to fully uplift their tastes and compliment one another’s. Delicious highlights include the Truffle Iberico Pork Dumpling with Hawthorn Berry Leather, Maine Lobster Bisque with Kabocha, Puffed Brown Rice and Caviar, and Wagyu Ribeye with Tangerine Curd and Bone Marrow.
View this post on Instagram
The truffle ibérico pork dumpling with red vinegar essence and hawthorn berry leather.
Another area Chef Lam cleverly incorporates and highlights traditional Chinese aspects is through his signature cocktails and teas. iChina’s ground floor features the grand JiuBa Cocktail Lounge, an airy and elegant high-ceiling bar space effulgent with shimmery jade-colored glass.
The atmosphere is perfect for lounging with one of their new spring cocktails, such as their popular “Oolong Milk Punch” with aloe liquer, oolong tea, and blue agave, or their “Ming Treasure'' with ming river baijiu, coco lychee milk, and more. Pair with light bites like their Wagyu Beef Tartare or Pork Belly Bao for a deluxe and refreshing experience.
View this post on Instagram
The highly-esteemed tradition of tea is also honored and modernized at iChina, as the private dining areas also host a daily luxurious tea ceremony from 2-4 p.m. Only by reservations, this flavorful and educational ritual introduces guests to the seven principles of tea ceremonies as well as etiquette, how to properly brew tea, and how to taste the nuance notes.
View this post on Instagram
While iChina already boasts an endless amount of uniquely fanciful amenities, their new extravagant virtual reality room definitely tops the list. Called the “VR Realm,” iChina will soon debut a complete sensory immersion tasting menu akin to those already implemented in the most upscale international restaurants of Shanghai, Ibiza, and Serpong in Indonesia. iChina will be the first in the U.S. to host such a novel and extraordinary dining experience, for $4,500 for 10 people.
View this post on Instagram
Located near Shake Shack and Cheesecake Factory in Santa Clara’s Westfield Valley Fair, experience how the past flavors the present within all the features and definitely wave hello to Chef Lam if you see him in the giant observation kitchen window.
Photography by:
