I think this deserved a seperate entry from my other Hong Kong write-ups. Gourmet guide Michelin came to Hong Kong last year and 龙景轩 was the only restaurant to be awarded the prestigious 3 star grading. On the night before I left, I had the pleasure of dining there with a family friend!
龙景轩 is a Cantonese restaurant located within four seasons, arguably the best hotel in HK now. (Its even more expensive than the famed Peninsular Hotel..) Located on the 4th storey, the contemporary posh decor, splendid view of Victoria Harbour and professional service contributed a great deal to the overall experience.
Complimentary Starter, 牛腱拼黄瓜
From what I know, Michelin awarded stars according to food presentation and style etc, regardless of the surrounding and ambience. So its a lot more focused on what really matters! The petite size beef shin and cucumber were great to kick start the meal.
脆皮乳猪(Top), 猪脚仔(Bottom)
Roasted suckling pig is one of my favourite starter at cantonese restaurants, and the variant here was done to perfection with crispy warm skin and almost oil-free. (yes I know its gleaming, but seriously) They added a layer of pancake-like skin underneath which reminded me of eating peking roasted duck.
Baby trotters are not commonly seen in Singapore and I still wonder why. It could be a perfect fit for Kway Chap with its tender texture and chewy skin. Nevertheless, its done teochew-style here, marinated simply in light soy sauce and serving only the tenderest boneless part.
桂花炒鱼翅
We ordered this out of curiousity because while we had heard plenty, we never knew how fried shark fin tasted like. Well, to put it frankly, we all agreed that its an overrated dish and shark fin was better tasting in double-boiled soup.
古法焖牛腩
Now this dish really sparkled. I have been eating beef brisket almost every other day in HK, but the way they done it showed me how a humble meat can outshine with exceptional culinary skills. "Old-style" actually meant adding of traditional chinese seasonings to give it a herbal flavour, while the brisket easily melts in your mouth. Impressive!
炸子鸡(Top), 黑豚面饼(Bottom)
Both were recommended for chicken and pork dish respectively. The chicken had crispy skin that tasted lightly of soy sauce, while the flavour was not only restrained in the skin but continued to immerse through the white meat as well. It was served with sweet sesame balls that balanced the taste.
The kurobuta pork fillet was more of a fusion dish using top-graded japanese black hog and fried with flour coating. Served between pancake, its a nice difference from the usual stewed fatty pork.
生炒糯米饭
A staple of the cantonese to really fill you up in a meal. The rice was not in a sticky lump and skillfully fried into individual grains. Fragrance of chinese sausage and preserved meat could be found in every mouthful.
Complimentary Dessert Platter, 莲蓉酥 and 椰汁糕
We saw this on every other table and wondered why was it so popular, only to realise its served after the main courses. The quantity was picked porportionlly to the number of diners so everyone could have one of each. The smooth lotus paste and rich coconut cream were a great change for the taste bud.
合桃酥 (Top), 杨枝甘露(Bottom)
The walnut pastry originated from Shanghai and was skillfully handmade to look like one. One bite of it and the flaky surface gave way to a chokeful of walnut bits.
This varient of 杨枝甘露 was a pleasent surprise as it was one that actually had a layer of mango pudding at the bottom, topped with watery mango and bits of pomelo. Satisfied two cravings in one!
I think this is the longest write-up I have done so far, and I think its only worthy of the excellent dinner I had. (Minus the Shark Fin, which was more to satisfy curiousity) The Michelin Guide to HK has been hotly debated and criticised for its content, but in my opinion, it is no doubt that 龙景轩 is one of the best Cantonese Restaurant that Hong Kong had to offer, showcasing the art of chinese fine dining to the rest of the world.
Now I just wonder, when will the french people bother to make a trip down to Singapore?
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