Luxurious Nourishment You Can Drink: Chef with 50 Years of Experience Crafts New Winter Soups

“Braised Duck with Fish Maw and Deer Antler.” (Provided by Mandarin Oriental Taipei)

“Pure Slow-Braised Black-Bone Chicken Soup.” (Provided by Mandarin Oriental Taipei)

“Braised Black Goat Belly with Double Mushrooms.” (Provided by Mandarin Oriental Taipei)

Executive Chef Tse Man of Arcadia Chinese Restaurant boasts nearly 50 years of remarkable culinary experience and exceptional skill. (Provided by Mandarin Oriental Taipei)

The new winter menu at Arcadia Chinese Restaurant in Mandarin Oriental Taipei is here. Executive Chef Tse Man, with nearly 50 years of outstanding culinary experience and expertise, has pulled out all the stops this time by combining seasonal ingredients with premium traditional Chinese medicinal herbs known for their gentle nourishing properties—such as deer antler, ginseng, and snow frog—to create a series of nourishing soups and warming new dishes that warm both the stomach and the body.

Chef Tse said that Hong Kong people love to drink soup for health, and there is a local saying: “Better to eat no meat than no soup.” However, traditional Hong Kong-style soups are profound and complex, with different types suitable for different seasons. For instance, cold winter months call for chicken or duck paired with various ingredients, simmered with warming Chinese herbs to create nourishing broths. Moreover, each soup is prepared differently based on its intended efficacy.

Take the winter new dish “Braised Duck with Fish Maw and Deer Antler” for example—it’s a classic traditional winter soup. Chef Tse used an entire pound of duck along with pork and Jinhua ham, mixed with water, and steamed in a steamer cabinet for two hours before straining and cooling. Finally, deer antler and fish maw were added and steamed for another 1.5 hours to complete the dish. The chef specifically noted that the deer antler must only be added after the duck broth has cooled to prevent its nutrients from being damaged by sudden high heat. What may seem like a simple soup actually involves a great deal of painstaking effort.

Meanwhile, the “Pure Slow-Braised Black-Bone Chicken Soup” was inspired by Chef Tse’s observation during his nearly one year working in Taiwan that Taiwanese people especially love chicken soup, consuming it year-round for health. Drawing inspiration from the concept of “chicken essence,” he selected premium black-bone chickens from Taiwan, using a 1:1 ratio of chicken to water, with no added seasonings, and slow-steaming it for at least 24 hours. The result is a soup with a mild, rich, and mellow flavor—and it’s a must-try soup this season.

In addition to winter-warming tonic soups, Chef Tse also showcases his exceptional culinary skills with a variety of delicious winter dishes and new creations such as “Braised Black Goat Belly with Double Mushrooms,” “Steamed Lobster with Goji Berries and Codonopsis,” “Ginseng-Infused Drunken Chicken Rolls,” “Spicy-Sweet Grilled Prawns,” and “Red Lotus Soup with Snow Frog.” Options are available both as set meals and à la carte; among them, “Braised Black Goat Belly with Double Mushrooms” is Chef Tse’s signature masterpiece. The goat belly is tender, not gamey, rich in collagen, and bursting with flavor. This dish once achieved an astonishing monthly turnover of over 2 million HKD at Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen. Food lovers shouldn’t miss it.

In addition to launching its new winter nourishing menu, Arcadia Chinese Restaurant has also partnered specially with the spa center to offer guests internal and external nourishment and wellness this winter. The “Winter Pampering – Ultimate Oriental Journey,” available now until February 8, allows guests to enjoy a 75-minute exclusive customized Quintessence essential oil massage treatment, as well as Chef Tse’s thoughtfully designed winter tonic set meal. Each set is priced at NT$7,500 + 10%. Additionally, guests will receive a lovely gift from Aromatherapy Associates.