With the super typhoon Saola leaving HK and knowing that the restaurant we have booked has opened for dinner, we come to the Michelin-starred The Demon Celebrity. Located at Central Wyndham Street, it is the brainchild of Chef Cheng Kam-fu and Alvin Leung, two celebrity chefs in Hong Kong.
It is a quiet evening with most customers decided to cancel their booking, so there are only two tables. The décor is nice, inspired by the Shang Dynasty. We are seated at the back in a semi-private space with four tables, with some interesting murals on the walls displaying mythical ancient Chinese characters and arts.
We have ordered the Executive Dinner Tasting Menu ($1,880). The starters are the signatures of Chef Cheng, Stuffed Chicken Wing with Bird's Nest, with Iberico Ham and Fish Meat Tofu 燕窩釀鳳翼 拼 饕餮琵琶豆腐. The chicken wing has its bone removed and deep-fried perfectly, with crispy skin and tender meat, and stuffed with abundance of bird’s nest. The five-spice salt provides good seasoning as the bird’s nest does not have flavour on its own. The tofu is in fact the better of the two in my opinion, with a slightly crunchy surface and right proportion of fish meat and tofu in the mix. The small piece of Iberico ham adds wonders with its savoury note. Definitely need to try this.
Next comes Stir-fried Pork's Tripe-tip with Black Beans and Chili Sauce 豉椒炒肚尖. Another of Chef Cheng’s signature, the tripe-tip has great crunchy texture, with the different bell peppers, onion, spring onion adding their fragrance. We can also taste the ‘wok hei’ from the intense heat the chef used to cook these, which really bring forward the black beans and chili flavours. There is also not a single drop of sauce remaining after we finish the dish. It might look simple, but getting to this level is no easy feat.
The third course is Double-Boiled Superior Shark's Fin Soup with Yunnan Ham 菜膽雲腿燉鮑翅. The soup is served very hot to my satisfaction, and the clear soup has rich umami and flavours, no doubt prepared using many ingredients for many hours. The Yunnan ham adds a savoury aroma to the soup, while the Chinese cabbage is tender and delicate. The amount of shark’s fin in my serving is very generous but my wife has much less, so I believe there is a slight mistake in portioning. A very nice soup.
Then comes Braised Dried Japan Yoshihama Abalone 35(PPC) with Goose's Web 35頭日本吉品鮑魚拼鵝掌. The staff reheats the abalone and goose’s web in front of the table, making sure it is steaming hot when served. The sauce is very delicious, full of umami and not overly salty. The goose’s web is braised perfectly with the skin easily detached from the bone. The abalone is apparently the highlight, very tender and intense in flavours, with a ‘sugary’ interior when cutting in.
The fifth course is Home Style Steamed Giant Grouper 家鄉蒸龍躉腩. With a thick skin that is full of collagen, the giant grouper is cut into thin slices and then steamed with pickled kohlrabi in the traditional style, which adds a bit of saltiness and texture. I also like the specially prepared soy sauce for the fish, as it helps to bring forward umami but do not mask its original flavours. Again, a dish that looks simple but is a showcase of the prowess of the chef.
The sixth course is Master Fu's Signature Fried Rice 富哥招牌炒飯, with Seasonal Vegetables 時菜. Served in a clay pot, the fried rice scores high marks, having each grain of rice distinct and separate, and not oily. With some fresh shrimps, egg, plenty of chopped spring onion, I also add a bit of the homemade XO sauce to add a touch of spiciness, it is so good we each finish two bowls. The Kale has been cooked in supreme broth, tender and without any fiber.
Daily Sweet Soup 是日糖水 is a cold soup made with peach gum, snow fungus, and wolfberries. Appropriate in sweetness, the chef has chilled the soup to make it less gluey in texture, with a more refreshing palate and taste.
The last course is Chinese Red Date Cake 養顏棗皇糕. Just finished steaming, the red date cake has a nice q texture, with good red date flavours and just a touch of sweetness, which brings a healthy and wholesome conclusion to our dinner.
Service is good, but I would like the staff to introduce the dishes in more details, and given the restaurant is very quiet on the night, there is no reason why they do not take the opportunity to have more interactions with the customers. The bill on the night is $4,272 and with the quality of the food, its prime location and environment, I would say it is reasonable. I did not try any of Chef Alvin’s cuisine however, and perhaps worth another visit to explore those in future.
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