Page 88 - Hong_Kong_&_Macau's_Best_Restaurants_English_edition

HONG KONG RESTAURANTS
CA N TO NE SE

PRINCE RESTAURANT THE ROYAL GARDEN CHINESE RESTAURANT
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Shop 1028C, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong B2/F, The Royal Garden Hotel, 69 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
TEL: +852 2577 4888 TEL: +852 2724 2666
www.princerestaurant.com.hk www.rghk.com.hk
Prince Restaurant is celebrated for upholding the traditions of braising Although located in the basement, the restaurant feels like a Southern
abalone and other dried seafood dishes, a flagship technique in the Chinese water garden in gorgeous calming greys, especially if you take the
Cantonese repertoire. Yet the restaurant has expanded its range, table right by the circular moon window. Seats are usually comfortably
covering a spread of fresh seafood as well as comfort dishes that have spaced but on a crowded evening, extra tables may be placed around the
since become popular. Guests are welcomed with a simple plate of sliced man-made pond or even across the “stream” at Dong Lai Shun, which serves
guava with preserved plum, a snack rarely seen in other restaurants in northern Chinese with regular detours into Huaiyang and Sichuan. Over
the same genre. Chinese barbecued items are of a jolly standard, and on this side of the pond, dishes are paeans to Cantonese minimalism, with
guests are welcome to pair two varieties into a combination platter on the gentle seasonings accentuating the fresh catch. Highlights include fragrant
servers’ recommendation. Seafood continues to reign supreme at Prince steamed crab with Huadiao wine and stir-fried garoupa rolls. We love their
Restaurant, with abalone sharing the spotlight with other premium items double-boiled almond pig lung soup, a labour intensive Guangdong classic
such as fish maw, sea cucumbers and conpoy. If you want fresh seafood that usually requires pre-order—but their deep, savoury, collagen-rich
for your meal, we recommend enquiring and reserving in advance to rendition is available any time of the day. Service is swift and eager but not
ensure they are available. The restaurant also offers a selection of claypot too intrusive. While the wine selection is heavy on recognisable Bordeaux,
rice dishes all year-round, but the carb selections are generally better the short tea list is top notch and pairs better with the clean flavours
in quality. of Cantonese.

CREATIVE CHINESE

THE CHAIRMAN DIM SUM LIBRARY
Happy Paradise’s scallop roll
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18 Kau U Fong , Central, 124/Level 1, Pacific Place, Admiralty,
Hong Kong Hong Kong
TEL: +852 2555 2202 TEL: +852 36430088
www.thechairmangroup.com www.dimsumlibrary.com.hk
A popular spot for contemporary Offering contemporary twists
Cantonese, The Chairman on traditional dim sum feels like
celebrates fine ingredients with something of a cliché these days,
unique takes on the classics, with but Dim Sum Library has just about
some techniques and borrowed enough innovations up its sleeve
from the Western world—but to keep us interested. The stylish
without losing that traditional 1920s Art Deco and chinoiserie
touch. While the food is excellent, influenced design does its best
the décor lacks the finesse of a to transport you away from the
fine-dining restaurant; seating brightly lit mall, with black and gold
may seem tight and wine service accents and large peacock murals.
could be improved upon. But The menu is understandably HAPPY PARADISE
we still love The Chairman for dim sum focused, with premium
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its personable service, and food ingredients and unusual items 8
quality remains top-notch and catching the eye, but our meal
consistent. Menu offerings may proves a bit of a mixed bag. Whilst UG/F, 52-56 Staunton Street, Hong Kong
seem complex but the staff are highlights of wagyu beef puffs, TEL: +852 2816 2118
equipped with sound knowledge dan dan xiao long bao and truffle www.facebook.com/happyparadisehk
on each dish and can advise har gau demonstrate technical
on portions and combinations. skill, with gorgeously flaky pastry A single dish can occasionally be enough to make it worthwhile to go to
Appetisers such as smoked and delicate dumpling wrappers a restaurant. In the case of Happy Paradise, a contemporary Hong Kong-
baby pigeons with longjing tea alongside full-bodied flavours, style diner by award-winning chef May Chow and Aussie transplant John
and chrysanthemum, and deep- other items (Iberico pork cheung Javier, it is the deboned slow-cooked chicken, swimming in a luxurious
fried crabmeat and mushroom fan, crispy aubergine with salted broth of shitake mushroom, glutinous rice wine and Shaoxing wine, topped
dumplings are restaurant staples. fish and pork, mushroom and with a scattering of chrysanthemum flower petals. It’s a desert island
Some larger mains, such as the beetroot dumplings) are distinctly dish, and an example of how Chow and Javier have mined classic and
steamed flower crab with chicken underpowered and lack seasoning. forgotten Cantonese recipes and given it a twist of their own, putting them
fat and aged Shaoxing wine is the The wine menu is short, at the forefront of modern Chinese cooking in Hong Kong. The drinks list
perennial must-have, as are the although more creativity is also different, with wines secondary to the exotic cocktail list, which
goji berry ice cream and sweet lies in the restaurant’s includes easy options like the Bison Lemon Tea made with vodka, and more
almond cream, two distinctive extensive cocktail challenging Durian Painkiller, made with, for some, the gag-inducing fruit.
desserts that the restaurant selection, which The retro-inspired interiors, with its mosaic tiles and surround neon lighting,
excels in for a sweet ending to boasts intriguing may not be to everyone’s taste either, but the place, like the music and
a satisfying meal. Asian accents. flamboyant crowd, is upbeat and fun.

86 | T .DINING 2018