Ambergate Restaurant Re-Launches In Style
Published On Thursday 6 Mar 2014 by Sticky Beak
See Recent News Articles
The Oriental Palce in Ambergate Closed In June 2019
Last night saw the re-launch party for The Oriental Palace on Matlock Road in Ambergate. Those of you who have lived in the area a while may remember when Ailee and Peter Dang first opened a Chinese restaurant on the site of the Little Chef back in 2003. A lot has happened in this family’s life since then, they moved away to pursue other projects and the business changed hands and became the Memories of China establishment. 2014 is the year that Ailee, Peter and their daughter, Elaine, have chosen to come back to Ambergate and reopen The Oriental Palace.
The moment you walk through the front door you can see that a lot of thought, care and attention has been given to the new layout and decor of the restaurant. The toilet facilities have been moved to the front of the building, and where they used to be is now more spacious seating and also a fantastic karaoke machine and funky ceiling light feature. The bar is fully stocked and offers cocktails as well as beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks.
On arrival at the re-launch guests were offered a choice of Champagne, white or red wine or fresh orange juice. The first thing you notice is how inviting the restaurant is, there is a lovely traditional mural on the wall near the bar and understated yet modern wall lights. The tables themselves are beautiful, stylish black glitter hi gloss affairs which lend a very modern vibe to the area, and these are thoughtfully complemented by the monochrome wall art around the main dining space. As I said before, there has obviously been a lot of consideration given to the decor as the fusion of modern and traditional influences has been balanced perfectly to create just the right ambience.
The re-launch party provided the perfect opportunity for the family to showcase some of their signature dishes and also to introduce some of the new Japanese dishes that feature on the menu. There were a multitude of dishes on offer, so apologies to Ailee, Peter and Elaine if I have omitted any : first up was a cold starter of seaweed salad that was served in little spoons. It had a lovely crisp texture with a fresh taste that made the palate tingle. Sesame seeds added a lovely delicate nutty taste to the dish. Then came huge platters of Prawn toast, Prawn wanton and spring rolls that were all delicious. One of the things I dislike is food that is greasy, and I have to say that these were not greasy at all, not even in the slightest. The pastry was crisp, the fillings were ample and beautifully seasoned, so top marks from me on these starters. There were also Vegetable Satay Skewers to sample, and these were delicious, not too peanutty as some can be.
There was a short interlude and then came platters of Calamari, Crispy shredded Chilli Beef and Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls. Whilst these were being served another member of the waiting team placed bowls of dipping sauce on the tables. The batter on the Calamari and Chicken balls was again superb; light and crispy, not greasy at all. My husband is a huge fan of Crispy Shredded beef and tends to have it wherever we go, and he was very impressed with this particular dish. From my viewpoint it was lovely and crispy, you could actually taste beef in the dish and the sauce was slightly different to others that I have tasted in the past. Instead of being overtly chill tasting, you also got a richer flavour almost sticky barbeque in character, which then let the chilli subtly make its presence known to your taste buds. The Teriyaki Pork was sublime; the pork was very flavoursome and juicy and the sauce was wonderfully sticky with a rich, warm flavour to it.
To accompany these later dishes there was egg fried rice and a Japanese Udon noodle dish. Both of these , predictably, were of outstanding quality - although by now it was blindingly obvious that the Oriental Palace only do one standard of food. Exceptional.
Even the entertainment had been meticulously thought out, from subtle background music and live acoustic performances whilst the food was being presented ,to a Lion Dance by the Ma Bo Lion Dance Troupe. Wherever you looked in the restaurant there were happy faces, animated conversations and people having a really pleasurable evening. And that I think, is the forte of The Oriental Palace; namely that whether you go to eat as a couple, with a family group or for a celebration the setting and food will ensure you’ll always have a great time.
Ailee, Peter and Elaine, I would just like to say thank you for inviting us to share such a special night with you, and we wish you every success for the future.
The restaurant is open to public from tonight, Thursday 6th March and we have an offer code you can use at the restaurant during March
Just quote the code RELAUNCH A and mention Amber Valley Info and this gives you a celebratory offer of: Fixed Price Banquet for only £9.90 per person OR 10% off a la carte menu (offers available on midweek days only) - these offers are available during March 2014. Please be sure to mention the discount code WHEN YOU BOOK THE TABLE.
You can book by phone on 01773 853888 or via their website
| The Peak District's Best Last-Minute Festive Dining at The Red Lion Restaurant, Peak Edge Hotel With Christmas fast approaching, diners looking for last-minute seasonal celebrations in the Peak District will find one of the region's most Read The Article | |
| Derby's Cathedral Quarter Hotel welcomes award-winning chef to growing team He was just five years old when he started cooking with his mother and creating the tastiest food in their family kitchen. Now, chef Buddhika Dayananda Read The Article | |
| Cubana turns 25 with a true night to remember Leopold Square was left with a hangover to savour as Cubana marked its 25th anniversary. Hundreds of people that have all played their own unique role in the success story were Read The Article | |
| Derby restaurant offers the chance to win a year's worth of free food in three clicks An award-winning Derby restaurant is celebrating the launch of its new menu with what could be the biggest ever restaurant giveaway Read The Article | |
| A Taste of England At The Cavendish Hotel - Celebratory Dining Event On January 22nd The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow invites you to an exclusive dining event on the evening of Thursday, 22nd January, celebrating the best Read The Article | |
| Palm’s VIP launch brings a taste of the tropics to Kelham Island Sheffield’s first Caribbean Garden Bar opened to a full house last week with a packed VIP launch that drew a roll-call of sporting, media and business names. Read The Article | |
| Complimentary alcohol-free pints for designated drivers at Casa and Peak Edge This Christmas Casa Hotel and Peak Edge Hotel have partnered with award-winning alcohol-free brewer Athletic Brewing to reward guests who choose Read The Article | |
| New scone of the month set to bring seasonal flavour to Derbyshire A Derbyshire bakery with over 100 years of family heritage is kicking off a new monthly tradition with the launch of its Maple & Walnut Scone. Stacey’s Bakery, which has Read The Article | |
| The Maynard Becomes The Only Peak District Hotel And Restaurant With Coeliac UK Accreditation Believed to be the Peak District's only hotel and restaurant with this status, the Hope Valley venue doubles down on inclusive Read The Article | |
| BEAR's Festive Menu Has Landed With All the Best Bits of Christmas Dinner, with a Twist BEAR is flipping the traditional Christmas dinner on its head with a brand-new festive Small Plates menu that lets you ditch the boring bits Read The Article | |