This famous Michelin 1-star Cantonese restaurant is located in Wanchai. Established in 1948, it has the nickname 'Canteen for the Rich and Famous'. This branch in Wanchai is the flagship, with four levels in total. Coming on the Valentine's Day, we were greeted warmly by the staff when approaching the restaurant, and after checking our reservation, courteously took us to the private elevator to the third floor main dining hall.
The setting is decent, but not extravagant, with ample space between tables, allowing private conversations. Even with the coronavirus going on most of the tables are occupied, showing the popularity of the place. We also saw a famous old-time singer at another table.
The first dish that came was a signature here, Baked Stuffed Crab Shell with Onions and Fresh Crab Meat ($200 each). The beautiful golden brown crust on the outside is nicely done, and personally I like to add a few drops of Worchestershire sauce on top which makes it even more appealing with the acidity. The stuffing is very delicious, with abundant of fresh crab meat, delicate and sweet. The onion further added the flavors while not dominating the taste. A really good dish and one of the best stuffed crab shell I have tasted in town.
The next dish originally was frog's leg but unfortunately the restaurant did not have that on the night, so we changed to Honey Roasted Fresh Eel ($260) instead. The eel is fat and meaty, with the chef grilling it to perfection, having a crunchy skin while the meat is moist. The honey sauce added the sweetness and fragrance to the eel, which is seasoned well. Again a very good dish and did not disappoint us even though we could not have the frog's legs we want.
Upon ordering we were told the big garoupa was not available on the night for the wok-fried fillet we would like, so they recommended us to try the Stir-Fried Fresh Lobster with Black Beans and Chili ($1200). The staff also suggested us to have about 4 tael of lobster for the two of us. Honestly the presentation might not be the best but the taste was amazing. The lobster was was cooked just right, not a bit of overcooked or rawness, maintaining the best texture and sweetness of the ingredients. The black beans and chili added the savory and slight spiciness to enhance the overall complexity, and it was really good. The portion also was appropriate. If you like lobster but don't want to bother with the shell I strongly suggest trying this dish.
Next was a dish recommended to us: Crystal Noodles in Soup Flavored with Dried Flounder and Choi Sum ($230). Seems simple when it was served, but I like this dish very much. The choi sum was very young and tender, and fully absorbed the flavors from the supreme broth, very delicious and tasty indeed. The glass noodles on top are sprinkled with some dried flounder powder, and that alone was another wonder, fantastic in taste as well. The broth was so good I had the urge to drink it. Highly recommended.
The last dish we ordered was Stewed Chicken with Huadiao Wine ($360). The staff alerted us beforehand that it would take a 40-50 minutes before serving, and so we waited patiently, with the other dishes already finished. But it was worth the wait. Served in a clay pot, it was heated again beside the table. When first opened, the intense fragrance of the huadiao wine came to the nostrils. The chicken was tender and the unique flavors from the huadiao had penetrated to the meat. The sauce was really good and I could finish a bowl of rice just with the sauce alone.
For dessert we had the Steamed Leaf Wrapped Glutinous Dumpling with Red Bean Paste ($55). A signature dessert for the restaurant, the dumpling was chewy with the red bean paste appropriate in sweetness. A traditional dessert but the restaurant managed to add elegance to it in my opinion.
Last I had the Sweetened Almond Soup with Egg White ($60) while my wife opted for the Sweetened Red Bean Soup ($55). The dessert was good, with concentrated almond flavors but in my opinion a bit too sweet.
The service throughout the meal was excellent, and despite we are not frequent customers we were not 'left out', but you could see how the staff interacted with the others who are definitely familiar patrons.
The bill on the night was $3003, a bit expensive but that is mainly from the lobster. The other dishes I would say is fair for a high-end restaurant. Overall a good place to enjoy nice Cantonese cuisine.
The setting is decent, but not extravagant, with ample space between tables, allowing private conversations. Even with the coronavirus going on most of the tables are occupied, showing the popularity of the place. We also saw a famous old-time singer at another table.
The service throughout the meal was excellent, and despite we are not frequent customers we were not 'left out', but you could see how the staff interacted with the others who are definitely familiar patrons.
The bill on the night was $3003, a bit expensive but that is mainly from the lobster. The other dishes I would say is fair for a high-end restaurant. Overall a good place to enjoy nice Cantonese cuisine.
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