Kam’s Roast Goose 甘牌燒鵝 – Long wait but still a hearty dinner!

Kam’s Roast Goose 甘牌燒鵝

226 Hennessy Rd, Hong Kong; Wan Chai MTR exit A4

I was warned by the HK buddy already that Kam’s Roast Goose 甘牌燒鵝 better be good if not my head will roll. Alleviated by the cooler winter weather then, I couldn’t imagine how arduous the 1hr wait would be if we had come by during the summer and I bet I would opt for a takeaway then.

Most are perhaps already familiar with Kam’s Roast Goose 甘牌燒鵝 pretty interesting history, whose boss has affiliations with those from the opulent looking 1 Michelin Star Yung Kee at Central MTR that is set to close by this year due to a family inheritance dispute –  definitely reminiscent of the two mega blockbuster TVB serial dramas 家好月圆 and 溏心风暴! Then again, at least such a recipe has been preserved or even improved at this no frills eatery, earning its 1 Michelin star within a year of opening only.

Just like every other table, what else besides getting half a roast goose! Beautifully roasted to yield a juicy tender slab that is perfumed throughout with and glazed by the melted fats, the peanut infused sauce underneath it gave it an extra nutty body which resulted in an even fuller flavour! HKD $270. So delicious indeed! Quipped the HK buddy in Cantonese: 呢個比鏞記好食啲! This is actually better than Yung Kee’s!

Some of the dishes were starting to run out already by 7.30pm and feeling a little disappointed at not being able to get the char siew, we settled for half a soya chicken. Perfectly poached and marinated, this tender plate was another spot on dish for us. HKD $100.

Marinated tofu. HKD $14. This is indeed quite a proteinaceous dinner!

Making use of the dap toi concept over here (yes we were sharing the table with two Taiwanese ladies who ate faster than us), I just had to take a picture with all our food combined!

Bang for the buck, felt so satisfied after the meal with J!

And if what has been said is true, this will be the first roast goose restaurant in Singapore this year (Though I still could not understand what is taking so long for Cantonese restaurants to launch these definitely popular roast goose over here!)!

Verdict: An excellent restaurant.

Yan Toh Heen 欣圖軒 – An absolutely delectable Dim sum affair

Yan Toh Heen 欣圖軒

Intercontinental Hotel near Tsim Sha Tsui station

The moment we were seated, not exactly the harbour view but actually the impressive cutlery set was the most captivating item at Yan Toh Heen 欣圖軒. Largely made from or embellished with the classy Jade, it seems to have set the standard already for this refined Cantonese restaurant, not mentioning its recent upgrade from a star to two.

Yan Toh Heen Superior Dumplings
Steamed Scallop with Black Truffles and Vegetables Dumpling
Steamed Lobster Dumpling with Bird’s Nest and Gold Leaf
Steamed King Crab Leg Dumpling with Green vegetables
Lets just start off with what that impressed us the most first – this dim sum platter trio that is overflowing with so many congruent elements. And my favourites go to the steamed scallop and lobster dumplings that are both prepared to the perfect bouncy consistency, exuding a lasting natural sweetness from within, all complemented beautifully by the clever use of the lightly scented black truffles and bird’s nest! HKD $168.

Steamed seafood dumpling in Soup with King Crab Leg and Bamboo Piths. This bowl was ordered to quell the penchant for Cantonese double boiled soup and indeed it was a memorable one. Lightly herbal initially with a gentle umami aftertaste, the soup was simply impeccable while the plump decadent seafood dumpling is strongly packed with a crustacean aroma. HKD $138.

Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒 – 2nd Visit to this Opulent restaurant!

TIN LUNG HEEN 天龍軒

Ritz Carlton Hong Kong @ International Commerce Centre above Kowloon MTR

My second time to the lavish Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒 (that is literally a dragon soaring above the clouds on the 102nd storey) and dim sum was so memorable that we repeated all the dishes from the first visit! So, click here if you would like to have a more detailed review. In the meantime, just enjoy the salivating photos taken by the better camera!

 The new dim sum ordered was the tasty mushroom bacon pastry that has white creamy paste with porky fragrance encapsulated in the flaky pastry!

Sun Tung Lok 新同樂 – Very hearty 2 Star Michelin Dim sum

Sun Tung Lok 新同樂

Shop 4D, Miramar Shopping Centre, 132 Nathan Road near Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Having been recognised as a three Michelin starred restaurant few years back alongside Lung King Heen 龍景軒, Sun Tung Lok is literally one of the two Cantonese restaurants that has ever been awarded such a prestigious accolade. Despite only retaining two of the stars now, in my opinion this restaurant is unique in its mega serving portions that do not have its quality compromised.

As we had 4 meals a day, this was really just our teabreak and so we didn’t binge at this restaurant. The interesting Zha Leung was ordered that is stuffed tightly with lots of fragrantly stir fried radish while the fried dough still has its super addictive crispiness retained! I highly recommend this seemingly common dim sum as it’s apparently prepared differently over here already with the radish! And be prepared to be in for a surprise as every piece is half the size of your fist (That is almost like for every other dim sum)!

And the Scallop dumpling and Har Gao were spot on as well as they were filled with substantial amount of mashed prawns and meat.

As it is an afternoon tea, a ‘three tier’ hearty dessert platter definitely befits the meal. Some delicious items are the Pineapple tart, Mango glutinous roll, mango pudding. My favourite of all is the Lao Sa Manju or the runny salted egg yolk bun that is redolent of the consistency of a chewy mochi which is well encapsulated in a well-fried crispy batter. This dessert platter is really highly recommended if you are hoping for a good variety yet spot on desserts after the heavy mains.

Although I have already forgotten the prices of these dim sum or dessert, it was registered as an affordable Michelin restaurant that comes in hearty portions without the skyrocketing prices. Thus, it would be a Michelin place that is still worth taking your time and tummy out of the precious few days in HK (that is if you are going for a weekend trip). But I would reckon that it still isn’t as comparable to the exceptional culinary finesse at Lung King Heen.

Verdict: A good restaurant.

Zhan Zai Ji 沾仔記 – One of the biggest wanton balls I have seen!

Zhan Zai Ji 沾仔記

98 Wellington Street Hong Kong (Central MTR)

Located in the vicinity of 一樂燒鵝* (that is literally just down the road), 沾仔記 is a wanton noodle specialty restaurant that has been continuously in the bibik gourmand section of the Michelin guide for many years! There are of course many other wanton noodle restaurants with *** all around HK such as Ho Hung Kee or Mak’s noodles, but we specially chose Zhan Zai Ji as it’s the preferred choice among the local friends, especially over Mak’s which is known as a tourist trap as it only serves a meager bowl for about HKD $40.

Well, just to deviate slightly, if you have remembered my post on the inconsistencies in Ho Hung Kee, they indeed lost their only star for a while before regaining it back this year again.

And naturally at such affordable restaurants that got into the Michelin guide, you will expect a perpetual queue every day and night. Packed with so many people in a restaurant like battery hens, we were not spared from space crunch as the 3 of us had to share a small table with 2 others!