Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - T’ang Court 唐閣

I have this practice of going counter intuitive during festivals, say in CNY I will go to non-Chinese restaurants while in Christmas I will do the opposite. In this holiday I have picked T’ang Court in The Langham Hong Kong, arriving on the day after Christmas, to revisit this Michelin 3-star restaurant I last came two years ago, to see whether they continue to keep to their high quality.

We are seated on the upper floor, and the décor has not changed, with good distance between tables to offer space and privacy. The plush carpet and golden walls offer a luxurious vibe, with some new modern photographic art pieces on the walls providing a nice and interesting contrast.

After we finish ordering, the staff provides us with a complimentary amuse bouche. The Spicy Salt Abalone 椒鹽鮮鮑魚 is very tasty, with the abalone tender and not rubbery in texture, seasoned by the appetizing spicy salt which has a slight kick of chili but not excessively hot. Very good.

I have a bottle of Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon 2014 ($1,050) from Australia Hunter Valley to go with the food on the night. It has a nice lemony nose, honey with lanolin, exhibiting classic varietal characters. On the palate, the fruity and mineral acidity is pleasant and versatile, matching with most of the food.

To start, we have Crispy-fried Intestine 脆皮炸大腸 ($200). An evil yet very delicious dish, the intestine has a crispy surface, easy to chew and not tough. Already nicely marinated, the flavours are further enhanced by the sweet and sour sauce on the side, highly appetizing. It is also big in portion so probably a bit too much for two person. Very good.

Next, we have Baked Stuffed Crab Shell 釀焗鮮蟹蓋 ($360 each). A signature of the restaurant, this is probably the most expensive baked crab shell in town but equally in my opinion the best in taste. With a golden crust, the crab shell is stuffed with plenty of crab meat with a small amount of onion and cream sauce to add sweetness and texture, but still predominantly crab meat. I like the original taste without any Worcestershire sauce. Excellent.

For the soup, I have Braised Mixed Seafood with Bean Curd in Hot and Sour Soup 陳醋酸辣海皇羹 ($280). The hot and sour soup is my favourite order, with this one having a great balance of sourness and spiciness from the aged vinegar and chili. There are plenty of premium seafood, including scallop, prawn, crab meat, and lobster, adding umami and texture. However, the broth is a bit too thick for me. Good.

For my wife she has Shredded Duck, Fish Maw with Mushroom and Chinese Chive Soup 花膠鴨絲羹 ($280). The soup has plenty of shredded duck, fish maw, and mushroom, fragrant also from the chopped Chinese chives scattered on top. The roasted duck is good in seasoning, with taste of the soup deliciously rich but not feeling heavy in MSG. Very good.

Then comes Stir-fried Sliced Lamb with Garlic, Scallion and Bean Paste Sauce 京蔥獨蒜羊仔柳 ($480). The sliced lamb meat is tender, with a nice taste from the bean paste sauce. The chef has cleverly used solo garlic which is less overpowering on the smell or taste. And together with scallion, it is simply fantastic. The ingredients and cooking techniques might not be very fancy, but able to appreciate the quality of each component and combining to the best effect is testimony to the chef’s prowess. Very good.

The last dish we have is Braised Grouper Head and Brisket 生炆斑頭腩 ($500). Served in a sizzling hot claypot, the grouper is meaty and nice, with the flesh tender while the surface is caramelized beautifully. The mushroom, tofu and roasted pork are equally delicious. After finishing we did not see a big puddle of oil remaining in the claypot, another indication of the chef’s mastery in cooking. Excellent.

For dessert I have Baked Sago Pudding 蓮蓉西米焗布甸 ($70). My childhood memories, the pudding is freshly baked, very hot with caramelized surface. The sago pudding is appropriate in sweetness, with the lotus seed paste rich in flavours and also not too sweet. It did bring back a lot of happiness, helping me to recall the time when I have this dessert almost weekly when going out with my parents for dim sum. Excellent.

My wife has Double-boiled Papaya with Dried Peach Gum 冰糖桃膠燉木瓜 ($70). The soup is perfect on the sweetness, with the papaya ripe and also delicious. The healthy peach gum adds a gelatinous bite to the soft papaya to create an interesting mouthfeel. Very good.

We also order Sesame Rolls 濃香芝麻卷 ($60) to share. Not many restaurants will make this dim sum as it takes a lot of effort while not able to charge much. And here the sesame rolls are rich in flavours, and also having a good gelatinous texture. Very good.

Apart from our ordered dessert, the restaurant has a complimentary Petits Fours, including Pineapple Tart which is made in the shape of a pear, with the pineapple paste having chunks of the fruit and not too sweet. The Osmanthus Cake has wolfberries and sweetened osmanthus, also not too sweet. A premium treat. Very good.

Service is good, with the staff attentive, professional, and courteous. Like most Chinese restaurants, I would hope they can spend some time explaining each dish as that would help to connect the diners even better with the food. The bill on the night is $3,553 after a 15% discount from my hotel membership. Best baked stuffed crab shell in town.