The Taste of Napa Lake

  Tibetan Ingredients

 World Gastronomy

Chinese Fusion

 Freshly Made

——LINDEN CENTRE · NAADA

On the shores of Napa Lake, next to the Great White Pagoda, there is a native Tibetan village called Napa. As you walk along the renovated village road, two white Tibetan-style buildings will greet you: the hotel and restaurant. Located on the second floor of the first building, Linden Centre • Naada Restaurant blends Tibetan ingredients, world gastronomy, and Chinese taste, presenting delicious, fresh, handmade fusion dishes. 

"Painting Window" of Naada Restaurant

01

Tibetan Ingredients

Different environments create different flavors, and the plateau breeds unique highland barley, Tibetan pig, Nixi chicken, and yak. Locals eat highland barley and dairy products as their staple foods, creating delectables such as Tsampa, barley cakes, and butter tea.

Yaks at alpine pasture in Napa Village

Highland Barley

During the harvest season, barley stands are scattered throughout the fields. The occasional rainstorm doesn't matter; the skies will always turn clear, bright, and sunny. Tsampa is roasted highland barley flour, and when combined with butter tea, you have the makings of daily meals. Sweet or salty Tsampa makes a delicious filling; we wrap it in a cake to make a Tsampa pancake or a Tsampa mooncake.

Barley stand in warm sun and breeze

Tibetan Pig

In Napa village, Tibetan black pigs roam in the fields after the barley harvest. We make succulent, simmered Tibetan pork ribs served with a secret sauce. Another way to make ribs is by combining them with thick cheese and applesauce into a small iron pot. It mixes the fragrant, fruity, and earthy flavors into a pleasurable taste. 

Tibetan pigs at alpine pastures in Napa village

Highland Potato

In addition to highland barley, Napa villagers also grow highland potatoes. Throughout Yunnan, potatoes are loved by all. Although the highland potato is small, it is rich in antioxidants and starches with a texture that is more delicate and sweeter than other potatoes. Dali has a local speciality known as Grandma’s Mashed Potatoes, which are soft and glutinous and suitable for the elders to eat. Our Granny Potato Salad borrows the recipe of Grandma’s Mashed Potatoes and uses highland potatoes with pickles and peppers, resulting in a burst of delicate, umami-laden fries.

02

World Gastronomy

Warm dishes are suitable for the cold days and nights of the high plateau. The food in our community of Napa Village is fresh and healthy. Inspired by the rustic and homey cooking of the region, we select local ingredients to create enjoyable fusion dishes.

Food is a good reason to meet friends

Mexican Taco + Tibetan Yak = Yak Meat Taco

The taco is a famous and beloved Mexican dish with corn shells filled with beef tenderloin, shredded onions, and bell peppers, making it crunchy and delicious. Following the Mexican taco recipe, we created the Yak Meat Taco. Tender yak meat is wrapped in a warm taco shell and then dipped in a spicy sauce. 

 Yak Meat Taco

Pasta + Tibetan Yak = Spicy Beef Pasta

Pasta is probably the most familiar Western dish for Chinese people. We use spaghetti and lasagna noodles, served with black truffle sauce and Tibetan yak meat. Our sauce starts with select lean yak meat and a little fat, which is simmered unhurriedly with choice spices and served over noodles.  

Food is the common language of different cultures

Caprese salad + Yunnan Cheese 

=Caprese Salad of Yunnan 

The Caprese salad, hailing from the Italian island of Capri, has the same color as the flag of Italy - tomatoes are red, cheese is white, and basil is green. The buffalo cheese in the Caprese salad is reminiscent of Yunnan cheese (rǔbǐng), inspiring our Caprese Yunnan Salad. Combining fresh vegetables and Yunnan milk cheese, we are sure this is one of the best ways to enjoy a fresh salad on the plateau. 

Caprese Salad of Yunnan

03

Chinese Fusion

Many people with "Chinese stomachs" love rich and harmonious flavors, such as sour and spicy or sweet with a fruity base which denotes freshness. At Naada, we cook fusion dishes suitable for Chinese tastes and some are reminiscent of hometown dishes.

Northeast China: 

Chicken Stew with Morel, Mushroom and White Wine 

Our chicken stew with morel mushrooms and white wine has notes of Dongbei Chicken Stew. 

The Nixi chicken combines with the aroma of the morels to create an umami-rich soup that pairs well with a bowl of fluffy rice.

Chicken Stew with Morel, Mushroom and White Wine

South China: 

Yak Meat Stew with  Red  Wine

People in South China will be pleasantly surprised to eat yak meat stew with red wine, as it is similar to the popular clay pot cooking. We choose balanced cuts of beef brisket with the right mix of lean meat to fat and combine it with spicy red peppers and red wine to create a hearty stew.

The tender meat dissolves in your mouth with no trace of toughness or oiliness. You can't stop after one bite.

Yak Meat Stew with  Red  Wine, Mashed Potato

Southwest China: 

Spiced Yak Meat and Mint Salad

People from Southwest China will probably like spiced yak meat and mint salad. We select tendon yak meat, marinate it in a spicy brine, and top it with a special salad dressing that evokes flavors of the mountains and the sea. Sweet, sour, spicy, and fragrant - various textures and flavors dance together on your plate. This dish is a special recommendation from the chef.

04

Freshly Made

In the era of the increasing popularity of fast food, we insist on starting with fresh ingredients and cooking from scratch. Fresh and delicious dishes are always worth the wait.

Handmade Ice Cream Time: 1 hour

Combine fresh egg whites with honey and mix them to make a meringue. Add some light cream to the meringue. This French technique adds lightness to the ice cream, resulting in an airier taste than gelato. Our ice cream is made without any white sugar and combines the flavor of local cheese and rice wine, resulting in a healthy delicacy.

Icecream with local Cheese and Rice Wine

Handmade Bread Time: 1 Day

Many of our rich soup dishes are paired especially well with bread. The challenge is how to craft delicious bread using local ingredients. We use local wheat and highland barley flour, hand kneading the dough and fermenting it with local yeasts. The high altitude environment and slow fermentation process create a unique, local taste.

Low-temperature Fermented Bread

Handmade Kimchi Time: 7 Days

To guarantee the freshness and deliciousness of our kimchi, we make it every 7 days (the usual fermentation time is only 3 days). Using locally grown Chinese cabbage, we brush the leaves with a special sauce, press the layers of cabbage leaves, and allow fermentation to do the rest. Kimchi leaves wrapped around Tibetan pork ribs stewed in a clay pot make a robust and spicy soup. 

Dining next to beautiful scenery is a great pleasure

Our exploration of Tibetan Fusion Dishes is ongoing: Milk Pomace Sandwiches, Nixi Chicken Soup with Ginseng, Yak Meatball Soup, Moroccan Grilled Lamb Chops, Yak Beef Stew with White Beans and Sausage, and more. Welcome to Naada, the taste of Napa Lake!

Scan the Code to Book

Contact Us 

Tel: [phone]

 Email: [e-mail]

Text | Jing, Iris

Edit | Jing, Shirley

 Photography |  Iris, 梁小龙

在小地方，做大事情

欢迎订阅©喜林苑LindenCentre