Located on Level 102 of ICC, inside the luxury The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong in West Kowloon, my last visit to this Michelin two-star restaurant was back in 2021, during COVID, so today it is with high anticipation we return here, to experience again its delicious Cantonese cuisine.
Seated comfortably at a spacious table on the window side, it is a treat to look out to the fantastic view of Victoria Harbour with the skyline of the city in the background, while enjoying the delicious food prepared by Chef Paul Lau and his team. The place has a very high ceiling, having a chic décor showcasing premium oriental ambience.
After ordering a glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs ($368), we are served the Amuse Bouche, Steamed Tofu with Flounder and Lobster Bisque. The tofu is soft and having some small holes inside, absorbing the flavours of the delicious lobster bisque. On top are some pieces of flounder meat, nicely seasoned and rich in umami taste, plus a bit of green onion.
For the starters, we have two dishes. First comes Deep-Fried Frog Legs with Minced Garlic ($196). The staff helpfully arranges to adjust the portion size, so we could enjoy more dishes. The frog legs are meaty, delicious in taste with the deep-fried garlic, minus any MSG where many restaurants would take advantage to use.
The other starter is Deep-Fried Lotus Root Cake with Lobster ($168). A modern twist of the traditional recipe, the minced lobster meat is stuffed between two slices of lotus root, before putting in batter and deep-frying. The crispness of the surface, with the crunchy lotus root, and soft delicious lobster meat is a perfect combination of texture.
With limited availability, we have pre-ordered Barbecued Iberian Pork with Honey ($226 for half). Using the shoulder meat to prepare, the char siu is very tender and soft, but perhaps a bit too much for my preference. The meat has a fantastic taste though, marinated well, with honey glaze on the surface bringing in a nice sweetness to match.
For soup, I have Braised Hot and Sour Soup with Scallop ($288). Amazing in taste, it is quite spicy though so after finishing my head is drenched with sweat. There are plenty of ingredients in the soup, including scallops, fish maw, tofu, bamboo shoot, wood-ear, and shredded fish meat. A must try if you like hot and sour soup.
My wife has Braised Shredded Duck Soup with Conpoy and Fish Maw ($298). While it has a similar presentation, the fish maw for this one is much larger in size and thicker, with conpoy and shredded pork instead of fish, having richer savoury flavours and equally delicious. If you cannot take too spicy this is a good alternative for a nice thick soup.
I have a glass of 2023 Domaine Leflaive Macon Verze ($360) to go with Deep-Fried Crab Shell Stuffed with Crab Meat and Onon ($396). Coated with beautiful golden-brown breadcrumbs, the delicate Vietnam crab meat is a perfect complement with the sweet onion. On the side are deep-fried ginger to balance the ‘coldness’ of crab thoughtfully.
Another dish which I have not eaten for a long time, Pan-Fried Beef Fillet with Pineapple in Sweet and Sour Sauce ($378) features very tender beef fillet that has been marinated well and served together with some fresh pineapple slices in a mouth-watering sweet and sour sauce. Lots of fond memories come back from the taste.
To finish we have Wok-Fried Glutinous Rice with Preserved Meats ($164). The glutinous rice has a good chew on the bite but not tough, very fragrant from the oils of the preserved meat that got mixed during the wok-fry process. Even though we are quite full the rice is so good we finish it all.
To go with desserts, I have a glass of 2023 Domaine Barmes Buecher Rosenberg Grand Cru Gewurztraminer ($180). My Chilled Mango Cream with Sago and Pomelo ($116) has a rich mango note, just right on the sweetness level, with the sago giving a bit of bite while balancing by the freshness of pomelo. A delicious cold dessert.
Ivy has Sweetened Bean Curd Cream with Pigeon Eggs ($110) instead. Again, the sweetness level is spot on, with the bean curd cream having a rich aroma of soybean. Typically, it will be served with sweet dumplings, but here the chef has arranged for pigeon eggs instead, which are seldomly seen nowadays.
A dim sum we shared is Baked Egg Custard Tart ($98). As it is freshly baked this one needs about 20 minutes to prepare. The puffy and flaky butter tart shell is delicious, with the egg custard fillings rich and pleasant. A complete and full dinner that is pleasant and enjoyable.
The Petits Fours include Purple Potato Mochi and Pistachio Cookie. Both delicious and not too sweet. Service is very good, with the staff friendly and attentive. The bill on the night is $4,233. Considering the quality of the food and the overall experience it is reasonable. I would rate this restaurant for an Excellent 83 points. Worth returning.
