Though Hong Kong’s dining scene is a vibrant melting pot of cuisines, renowned architect and Vogue Living Guest Editor William Lim invites us to rediscover regional Chinese flavours at three of his favourite restaurants in the city. From the nostalgic ‘Chinese Ravioli’ dumplings at Shop B, to Yung Kee Restaurant’s luxurious take on a Cantonese classic and the vibrant Chongqing-style noodles at Xia, these storied specialities showcase the flavourful diversity in Chinese gastronomy alone.
Xia下江南
Located within the majestic confines of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Xia is a gastronomic time machine to the Qing dynasty disguised as a modern Chinese teahouse. With elegant interiors inspired by Pinghu Qiuyue (the moon watching site on the West Lake famous for Emperor Kangxi’s visit in 1699) and a menu brimming with royal court delights, it is an extension of the imperial narrative told by the museum’s galleries. “Our restaurant is a sanctuary where the lines between art and gastronomy blur, where each dish is a canvas and the flavours tell the history,” says Hugo Wong, Operations Manager at Curator Dining.
The Chongqing-style noodles at Xia has all the markers of a true signature. “It’s an ode to the culinary curiosity of the emperors, who, despite their imperial palates, were captivated by the simplicity and flavour of the food enjoyed by their people.” Texturally loaded with crunchy peanuts, yellow peas, minced pork, and delightfully chewy noodles, this dish strikes a perfect balance between comfort and complexity. What truly completes it however, is a unique chilli oil that is rich in both aroma and flavour. “The fennel adds a subtle sweetness and herbal brightness that contrasts beautifully with the Sichuan peppercorn’s zesty ma-la sensation— a tingling spice that enlivens the palate with its numbing kiss.”
G/F, Hong Kong Palace Museum, 8 Museum Drive West Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui; @xia.curator
Shop B
“I think it’s important for people to know that Shop B is not—and we’re not trying to be—a fusion spot,” says co-founder Natalie Ngan. Situated next door to sister restaurant Pondi, Shop B takes from shared memories and classic Cantonese recipes, eternalising the spirit of Hong Kong’s dai pai dongs in a way that is modern yet wholly familiar.
Inspired by the distinctive flavours of the classic Chinese pig stomach soup with white peppercorns, the restaurant’s ‘Chinese Ravioli’ is a crowd-favourite signature that never fails to warm the soul. Flavoured with a generous mixture of black and white peppercorns, the chicken broth is rich and savoury with a slight kick, while a dash of sesame oil and fried leeks bring a deeply aromatic complexity. The dumplings are a cosy blend of minced chicken, water chestnut, chinese chives, and pickled kohlrabi. “It’s not a very intense pickle, just something to really pull everything together so it’s not so flat and to introduce new layers of flavour. We wanted this to be a very warm dish.”
Shop B, 10-14 Fuk Sau Lane, Sai Ying Pun; @shopb.hk
Yung Kee Restaurant
Believed to have its earliest origins in the city of Guangzhou, prawn toast is an undeniable staple in Hong Kong’s dim sum cuisine. Addictively crunchy and appealing in its simplicity, the savoury fusion dish has taken the world by storm, gaining popularity both within and beyond Asia. Whilst there continues to be numerous adaptations and reimaginations of prawn toast, who better to recreate the Cantonese classic than Yung Kee?
With a rich legacy that dates back to 1936, third-generation owner Yvonne Kam says that the restaurant “aims to establish a connection between the present and a bygone era, while also inspiring the next generation to uphold and cherish Hong Kong’s dining culture.” Yung Kee’s luxurious rendition of prawn toast combines a whole lobster tail and minced shrimp with fresh Chinese yam paste to balance out the grease. A generous sprinkling of sakura shrimps is added before deep-frying it all to golden-brown perfection. “The combination of lobster, prawn and sakura shrimps are a call back to the different generations of diners joining together for a family meal at Yung Kee.”
Yung Kee Building, 32-40 Wellington Street, Central; yungkee.com.hk
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Alyanna Raissa J. PayosCredit
Lead image: Samantha Sin and Ella Wong for Vogue Hong Kong's March 2024 issue
