FIRST IMPRESSIONS Located on the fifth floor of Harbour Grand Hong Kong, a luxury hotel in the eastern district of North Point on Hong Kong Island, this restaurant is one of the latest additions to the ever-growing dining scene in the city. Finding this hotel for the first time, though, can be a slight challenge, as it’s in what used to be a harbour-front warehouse area, a few blocks away from Fortress Hill MTR station. But this location also means that many of the restaurants here enjoy a great harbour view, and once you have set foot in the elegant interior reminiscent of an ancient Chinese house, you will forgive the slight hassle of finding this place and be ready for a gastronomic journey.
THE FOOD Cantonese cuisine highlights freshness, with a lot of steaming and stir-frying. Sauces tend to be light. Steamed lobster with egg white and Hua Diew yellow wine was one of the dishes we had: the crustacean’s sweetness was emphasised by the astringency of the wine, and the bed of steamed egg white boosted the texture of the dish. The baked garoupa in soy sauce was smooth and layered in flavour and the fried minced duck meat and air-fried meat with pine nuts served with sesame buns were also expertly made.
DRINKS A wide selection of wines is available here, including Rieslings and pinot noirs that are hailed as perfect matches for Cantonese food. There are premium Chinese teas as well.
SERVICE Attentive, as you’d expect from a five-star hotel. For travellers, exploring the local cuisine at a hotel also means that the language barrier is less of an issue.
VERDICT Very authentic Cantonese fare, with the delicate flavours of every ingredient expertly highlighted. The tastefully decorated interior and the view complement the food perfectly. The location is slightly off the beaten track but the experience makes it worth the trip.
Reggie Ho
PRICES You are paying hotel prices, so expect to spend at least HK$300 (US$39) per head when ordering a-la-carte
LOCATION 5/F Harbour Grand, North Point, Hong Kong; for reservations, call +852 2121 2691
OPENING HOURS Lunch is from 1230 to 1445 and dinner is 1930 to 2345.
