Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Shang Palace 香宮

This Cantonese restaurant is in Kowloon Shangri-La, and had been awarded Michelin star since 2009, with the last three years getting one star. It is very popular and on this Saturday evening, the restaurant is fully booked. 

Seated at a table at the back end of the restaurant, we have a quiet spot. The décor has a nice Chinese traditional theme, using plenty of red and gold colors, with many paintings and art pieces creating a premium, lavish setting for diners. 

To begin we had Barbecued Pork Loin Glazed with Honey Sauce 極品蜜汁叉燒皇 ($298). The chef had picked a lean cut as requested, but instead of being dried and tough on texture, the pork loin was juicy and soft, showcasing the quality of the meat and the skills in roasting it to perfection. The honey sauce was delicious, with the yellow beans on the side also a nice touch, not often seen nowadays. A nice dish and no wonder also a signature of the restaurant.

Next, we had Deep-fried Frog Legs with Salt and Pepper 椒鹽田雞腿 ($188). The meaty frog legs had a thin layer of coating and deep-fried well without feeling oily. However, the peppery salt was too mild, as one would expect more intense flavors to accompany with the delicate taste of frog legs. 

Each of us ordered our own soup, with me going for Hot and Sour Soup with Assorted Seafood 海皇酸辣羹 ($168), while my wife had Double-boiled Pork Shank Broth with Abalone and Morel Mushrooms 羊肚菌鮑魚燉豬腱 ($288). The hot and sour soup had plenty of assorted seafood including conpoy, shrimp, fish maw and scallop, plus tofu and fungus, and rich in flavors. What lacking was the sour and spiciness. Dialing up that would make this a really nice soup. The other soup was well-received by my wife, with good umami taste. 

Moving to the main dish, the Steamed Spotted Garoupa Fillets with Black Mushrooms, Yunnan Ham and Green Vegetables 金華火腿麒麟蒸東星斑球 ($788) was an innovative way to replace the more commonly seen version of chicken with garoupa fillet. The fish was nicely seasoned, and the delicate taste matched well with the stronger savory flavors from the ham. The sliced shiitake mushroom was thick and fragrant, and I also liked the sauce prepared with Chinese yellow wine, integrating all the elements well together. Even the vegetables on the side were tender and cooked just right. A nice dish. 

The Poached Tianjian Cabbages with Bean Curd Sheets and Gingko in Soy Milk 豆漿銀杏鮮腐竹浸娃娃菜 ($208) was decent, but not impressive. The cabbages had a good texture, well-cooked but not becoming too soft, and the soy milk had helped to provide a mild note which was appealing. The bean curd sheets were good, but the issue for me happened for the gingko, which was too bitter. Not sure it was because of the seasonality or other issue. 

For dessert my wife had Sweetened Red Bean Soup with Aged Mandarin Peel 醇厚陳皮紅豆沙 ($88) while I chose Baked Sago Pudding with Chestnut Paste 栗蓉西米焗布甸 ($88). The red bean soup was just too watery, and while the aged mandarin peel was certainly very fragrant, it was not able to compensate. The sago pudding was decent, though without the aromatic delights I expected. The chestnut paste was appropriate on sweetness which helped to rescue some marks. There was a complimentary Petits Fours featuring some nice dim sum desserts. In fact they were all very good and even if we had to pay, I would prefer them than the other desserts we ordered. 

I had ordered a bottle of Domaine Jacques & Nathalie Saumaize Pouilly-Fuisse Sur la Roche 2012 ($550). The final bill was $2,764 after a 10% credit card discount. The crisp, refreshing palate, delicate nose and flavors was a good match for most of the dishes. The mark-up was also less steep comparatively. Service was good, with the staff attentive and courteous. Overall a nice meal and I could not help myself to compare with Summer Palace, the sister restaurant in Island Shangri-La, and frankly I would prefer Shang Palace to the latter.