Located inside Four Seasons Hotel, this Michelin 3-star restaurant is one of the most famous Chinese restaurant in town, specializing in Cantonese cuisine. In fact, it was so popular that I had to book close to two months in advance for today's visit. Seated at a table facing the window, before the meal we already had a wonderful feast of the gorgeous harbour view. The decor is contemporary, comfortable and warm, and the setting certainly wins us over from the beginning.
We ordered the menu 'A Taste of Traditional Canton' ($2,980 each), with a total of eight courses, and the first serving was Crispy Suckling Pig with Chinese Pancake. As an appetizer, it is of bite size, with the suckling pig amazingly crispy, and underneath was the pancake with the Chinese BBQ sauce and the meat on the bottom. The overall impression was freshly out of the roasting oven, with a nice plating to give a new look to this traditional dish. It was so good that I could easily have a few more immediately.
The second course was Deep-Fried Crab Shell Stuffed with Onions and Fresh Crab Meat. The crust was a beautiful golden brown in colour, with a generous filling. The crab meat was seasoned perfectly with the delicate taste highlighted, supplemented by the thinly shredded onion. On the side was a piece of parsley with some edible flowers and gold flake. Another combining an authentic Cantonese dish with a modern twist, it is one of my favorites for this dinner.
The third course was Superior Pottage with Shredded Chicken and Fish Maw. The thick soup was highly fragrant, reminding me of my family's signature chicken pottage. Swallowing one would feel the syrupy body, full of flavors. There were also plenty of shredded chicken meat, fish maw, shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoot, wood-ear and hotbed chives, providing an interesting array of textures. The aftertaste had a special glutinous sensation. Somehow my wife thought the pottage was oily but I did not think so.
The fourth course was Sauteed Superior Australian Wagyu Beef with Fresh Lily Bulbs and Lotus Seeds. Upon the first bite I could detect the vegetables were cooked under the traditional high-heat stir-frying technique, well-cooked while retaining the moisture inside. The beef cubes were seared before mixing with the vegetable, having a crisp surface and juicy interior. However I found the seasoning of the beef was a bit salty and because the veggie were all light in flavors it was even more pronounced.
The fifth course was Braised Whole Oma Abalone (30-heads) with Chinese Mushrooms and Sea Cucumber in Supreme Oyster Sauce. The sea cucumber was fully soaked with supreme stock and infuse with flavors, but for sure the spotlight was on the abalone, which was perfectly braised and could be cut easily with the knife. And putting it in the mouth it created an explosion of intense flavors. Honestly it was a while since I had tasted such nice abalone and it was a testament to the quality of the ingredient here.
The sixth course was Braised Seasonal Vegetables with Bamboo Piths and Maitake Mushrooms. It was again nicely done, with the mushroom and bamboo piths braised with the supreme stock to infuse with great flavors. The Australian baby spinach was tender and bright green in colour, cooked just right and performing a seamless transition for the dishes to the final two courses.
The seventh course was Lung King Heen Fried Rice with Assorted Seafood. Already quite full by now, the fried rice must be good for me to finish all, and in the end there was nothing left behind. There was lobster, prawn, crab meat, scallops in the fried rice, and I also added a bit of the XO sauce which provided a spicy kick to the fried rice, making it even more delicious.
The last course was Sweetened Almond Cream with Glutinous Rice Dumplings. The almond cream was delicate, not too sweet. But I also think it was a bit weak and I also preferred the dessert to be served hot instead of lukewarm. The rice dumplings were very soft but the amount of fillings were just inadequate. There was also a Fermented Red Bean Curd Pastry as well as a Custard Pastry to accompany, and they were equally good and tasty.
The service was good, with the staff friendly and showing a lot of warm smiles, though I would like them to do a deeper introduction on the dishes instead of just saying what was written on the menu. At the end of the meal they came to ask for our feedback but honestly it should be done earlier and throughout the meal. Nevertheless the services did live up to the high reputation.
Yes, it is pricey but the food is good. But when I thought about it did this create the excitement and positive surprises for a Michelin 3-star? Maybe not.
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