{"id":3183,"date":"2025-10-22T14:28:55","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T14:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/a-taste-of-the-sea-at-grand-hyatt-dalian\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T06:03:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T06:03:14","slug":"a-taste-of-the-sea-at-grand-hyatt-dalian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/a-taste-of-the-sea-at-grand-hyatt-dalian\/","title":{"rendered":"A Taste of the Sea at Grand Hyatt Dalian"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Dalian
Dalian Dalian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

When a city is blessed with even a single coastline, its cuisine often takes on a character all its own. Dalian (\u5927\u8fde), however, is not defined by one sea, but by two\u2014the Bohai Sea of China\u2019s northeast and Korea\u2019s West Sea\u2014meeting at its shores. Perhaps that is why the seafood here feels more alive than the word fresh could ever convey.<\/p>\n\n

At dawn, the harbor brims with newly caught abalone, sea urchin, and scallops. By nightfall, the same catch reappears as countless dishes\u2014grilled, steamed, or simmered\u2014filling the city\u2019s restaurants and night markets with the fragrance of the sea. Recently, Dalian has become known as a culinary destination where travelers can indulge in such abundance at a fraction of the price they might pay elsewhere. Many Korean visitors now slip away for a short weekend escape, drawn by the promise of this seaside paradise and its treasure trove of seafood. <\/p>\n\n

Search for \u201cDalian food\u201d online, and one dish always rises to the top of the list: sea urchin dumplings. Their fame is no accident. Dalian\u2019s unique geography\u2014where the Bohai and West Seas converge\u2014creates the perfect habitat for sea urchins: shallow, cold waters rich with seaweed. For these creatures, it is more than a home; it is a cradle that nurtures their golden roe to fullness. <\/p>\n\n

Because of that, in Dalian, fresh sea urchin is not considered a delicacy but a daily pleasure. And among the dishes that embody the sea\u2019s freshness, the urchin dumpling stands apart. Each bite captures both the ocean breeze and the warmth of this harbor city, a taste that explains why Dalian has quietly become a pilgrimage site for true gourmands. <\/p>\n\n

The most famous spot for urchin dumplings is a place called Xiding, though for many discerning palates it fails to deliver. Its reputation rests largely on history rather than craft\u2014because the dumplings there are filled not with live sea urchin, but with urchin from a can. Those with a keen sense of taste will recognize that telltale preserved flavor immediately. <\/p>\n\n

So if you\u2019ve come all the way to Dalian, a city celebrated for seafood so fresh it practically moves, don\u2019t fall into the trap of following blog hype to a plate of canned urchin dumplings. There are restaurants here that make them properly\u2014with live sea urchins, opened just before the dough is folded. And if you\u2019ve come this far, you owe it to yourself to taste dumplings filled with the sea, alive and unspoiled. <\/p>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n

Travel to Dalian, China, and savor the finest sea urchin dumplings at Grand Hyatt Dalian<\/h2>\n\n
<\/div>\n\n

Located right in front of Xinghai Square, famous for its laser shows, the Grand Hyatt Dalian boasts ocean views from every room. On the 46th floor\u2014the hotel\u2019s topmost level\u2014there\u2019s a Chinese restaurant called Dalian Dalian, where the freshest sea urchin dumplings are made by stuffing live sea urchins right into the filling. <\/p>\n\n

\"Best
Fresh Sea Urchin Dumpling[\u00a9Magazine Voyage]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Chef Cha Jae-yong(Allen), newly appointed executive chef at the Grand Hyatt Dalian, shares his thoughts on these dumplings: \u201cUsing flavor enhancers makes it easy to please everyone\u2019s palate. But in a luxury hotel, we don\u2019t use those shortcuts. To create truly delicious food without them, you must spare no expense on high-quality ingredients. And look\u2014Dalian overflows with fresh sea urchins to the point it could be called the city of sea urchins. By filling dumplings generously with freshly harvested sea urchins delivered daily, there\u2019s simply no need to add flavor enhancers. The rich natural umami that comes straight from the fresh urchins awakens all your senses. You don\u2019t even need to dive into the sea outside the window\u2014inside your mouth, you\u2019re already tasting Dalian\u2019s ocean.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

\"Cha
Cha Jae-yong(Allen), Executive Chef of Grand Hyatt Dalian[<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Meeting Chef Allen Cha again in Dalian was unexpected. A Korean chef once the executive chef at Maldives\u2019 Cheval Blanc and beloved by LVMH, he is now driven purely by passion for food. As he spoke about Dalian\u2019s fresh ingredients and introduced the sea urchin dumplings at Dalian Dalian, it became clear why he was here.<\/p>\n\n

True to his word, the dumplings are filled with live sea urchins caught fresh. At the delicate tip of each dumpling, you\u2019ll find a pinch of sea urchin roe carefully scooped out and placed on top as a finishing touch. These dumplings are as special as their ingredients. Take a cautious bite and the ocean aroma floods your mouth, opening up an entirely new dimension of what a dumpling can be\u2014one unlike any you\u2019ve ever tasted. <\/p>\n\n

\"fresh
Fresh Sea Urchin Dumpling[\u00a9Magazine Voyage]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Unlike the vague off-note experienced at Xiding, Dalian Dalian\u2019s sea urchin dumplings evoke the fresh sea itself, growing more and more addictive with every bite. Indeed, food reveals its true brilliance only when made with ingredients in their purest form and without reserve. <\/p>\n\n

Curious about what other sea urchin dishes Dalian Dalian might offer, I asked Chef Allen Cha if he had any other creations using fresh sea urchins. He mentioned a new dish he had been developing, but it required time to prepare, and invited me to return that evening. That night, I came back to Dalian Dalian to savor Chef Cha\u2019s latest masterpiece\u2014the culinary pinnacle he called \u201cthe best under heaven.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

\"Fresh
Fresh sea urchins supplied daily to Dalian Dalian[\u00a9Magazine Voyage]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The other dish made with fresh live sea urchin at Dalian Dalian is Lao Ji Tang (\u8001\u9e21\u6c64), a nourishing soup made by slowly simmering native Chinese chicken in the Cantonese style until thick and rich. <\/p>\n\n

\"Lao
Lao Ji Tang, Dalian Dalian\u2019s signature dish featuring fresh sea urchin[\u00a9Magazine Voyage]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

To this, they add black rice from Northeast China where Dalian is located, wild matsutake mushrooms from Baekdu Mountain, and the live sea urchins from the nearby sea\u2014bringing the best of land and sea from the Northeast into a single bowl.<\/p>\n\n

Chef Allen Cha personally scoops the live sea urchin roe into the soup to complete the dish.The moment captures the full attention of all the local Chinese diners visiting the Grand Hyatt Dalian\u2019s Chinese restaurant. <\/p>\n\n

\"Lao
Lao Ji Tang, Dalian Dalian\u2019s signature dish featuring fresh sea urchin[\u00a9Magazine Voyage]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Although the finest local ingredients are gathered here, I couldn\u2019t quite predict how the flavors would come together before tasting. I knew Lao Ji Tang was a famous restorative dish in China but had never tried it, and now it came paired with live sea urchin and Baekdu Mountain\u2019s wild matsutake mushrooms? Yet this was Dalian Dalian\u2014the restaurant renowned for the best sea urchin dumplings, nowhere else could offer this. <\/p>\n\n

\"Lao
Lao Ji Tang, Dalian Dalian\u2019s signature dish featuring fresh sea urchin[\u00a9Magazine Voyage]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Taking a generous spoonful of the soup, the subtle but deep sweetness and savory richness flooded my palate instantly. The long-simmered native chicken broth felt more like a velvety soup than a mere stock, packed with the intense umami unique to old chicken. Neither greasy nor overpowering, the broth soothed every part of me like a gentle rain. The matsutake\u2019s delicate fragrance brushed my tongue quietly but unmistakably. The mild, natural sweetness of the sea urchin harmonized beautifully with the earthy matsutake aroma, making it clear why Chef Cha had urged a return visit to taste this soup. <\/p>\n\n

The Northeast black rice, roasted over high heat, resembled crunchy rice puffs with every bite, adding a nutty and mild savoriness that anchored the soup\u2019s flavor, Creating a harmony as if mountain, sea, and earth were all contained in one bowl\u2014a surprising, unimaginable depth. This was more than food\u2014it was a quiet, earnest bowl capturing the spirit and time shaped by Dalian\u2019s land and sea. <\/p>\n\n

\"Lao
Lao Ji Tang, Dalian Dalian\u2019s signature dish featuring fresh sea urchin[\u00a9Magazine Voyage]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Chef Allen Cha says, \u201cGood ingredients don\u2019t lie. When you asked why I came to Dalian, after years in the Maldives, what I missed most as a chef was these ingredients\u2014fresh and honest, grown straight from land and sea. Sea urchins, chicken, matsutake mushrooms, black rice… They all have a complete flavor on their own, so chefs step back. I only listen quietly to what nature tells and guide those true flavors straight to our plates.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

As he said, Dalian is a city where the \u201ctaste of nature\u201d shines brighter than the \u201cskill of the chef.\u201d Sea urchins freshly harvested from the sea become the dumplings of the day; matsutake mushrooms gathered from deep forests become today\u2019s soup\u2014this table, layered with time and honesty, Is not a mere meal to fill hunger, but a true journey experienced through taste. If you\u2019re planning a culinary trip to Dalian, start this genuine journey at the Grand Hyatt Dalian\u2019s Chinese restaurant, Dalian Dalian. The vast ocean stretching beyond the window and a bowl capturing that sea will convey this city\u2019s flavors most purely and most uniquely. <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When a city is blessed with even a single coastline, its cuisine often takes on a character all its own. Dalian (\u5927\u8fde), however, is not defined by one sea, but by two\u2014the Bohai Sea of China\u2019s northeast and Korea\u2019s West Sea\u2014meeting at its shores. Perhaps that is why the seafood here feels more alive than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[202,203,201,204],"class_list":["post-3183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-taste","tag-travel-to-dalian","tag-travel-to-dalian-en","tag-travel-to-dalian-china","tag-travel-to-dalian-china-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3183"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3752,"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3183\/revisions\/3752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazinevoyage.co.kr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}