Escaping Typhoon at 2* Tin Lung Heen, The Ritz Carlton

Our trip to Hong Kong was not devoid of adventures and a typhoon hitting the city was definitely one of them. Since there was no possibility of sightseeing that day, J and I decided to let go, relax and concentrate on exploring the food scene instead. Savoring the delights of local cuisine was certainly a priority and I made sure to book lunch at the two Michelin-starred Tin Lung Heen in The Ritz Carlton helmed by highly acclaimed Chef Paul Lau Ping Lui. Literally translating to “dragon in the sky”, Tin Lung Heen continuously came up as one of the top restaurants for dim sum. Luxurious experience begins from the second you set foot inside the hotel. The restaurant itself is located on the 102^nd floor and is famous for its sweeping views of Victoria Harbor through the massive floor to ceiling glass windows. Even though I made sure to book a table by the window, unfortunately we didn’t get much of a view. In fact, it felt like we were floating in the clouds which admittedly created somewhat cozy environment. Although, the view didn’t matter much because as soon as we arrived the level of attention and hospitality that was provided by the staff made us feel at home and relaxed. The interior is incredibly elegant, featuring oriental décor, beautiful chandeliers, velvety armchairs and two beautiful floor to ceiling glass cabinets on either side of the room. Knowledgeable and courteous waiters went out and beyond to provide us with ultimate dining experience. The menu is an expansive offering of refined authentic Cantonese cuisine. Our waiter confirmed that the highlight of the lunch menu is undoubtedly dim sum, although there were a few enticing and fanciful lunch sets that caught our eye. Since we announced the day to be all about food indulgences we decided to opt for Chef’s premium selection of appetizers as well as ordered four types of dim sum to try a little bit of everything. Nothing says luxurious meal quite like a combination of champagne and caviar, don’t you think? Indeed, cheering to our getaway with a glass of Dom Perignon 2006, we went on to savor the first set of starters – a can of Prunier caviar paired with delicate shrimp dim sum topped with golden leaf. The dumplings were certainly worth all the reviews I had read about them. The shell was thin and perfectly al dente (if I dare say so) while the shrimp filling packed tons of flavor. Addition of the caviar gave the bite more depth of flavor and further enhanced the taste. We went on to sample a duo of siu mai – steamed pork and scallop dumpling with coriander and steamed pork and prawn dumpling with caviar. Both were perfectly steamed, although the one with coriander had more vibrant taste in my opinion. The waiter promptly served us yet another set: chilled sliced conch with green vegetable, beautifully pan-fried Australian scallop, and heavenly roasted crispy suckling pig served with Chinese puff. There was so much to this small bite of the suckling pig – that wonderfully crispy skin and melt-in-your mouth lean meat, nicely complimented with a thin layer of puff in-between. Perfection! For our final savory course the waiter recommended the baked BBQ pork and pineapple bun as well as the baked abalone puff with roasted goose and dried bonito. I loved the combination of savory and sweet filling of the former, and the bun itself was perfectly crispy. Being one of the local specialties I was also happy to sample abalone. It had very nice texture and flavor while the puff pastry was finely made – flaky and light. We finished off with couple of complimentary sweet treats from the chef and a delightful serving of tea. Let me tell you, the premium tea selection at Tin Lung Heen must not be underestimated or ignored. We ordered Jasmine and Earl Grey teas which were both incredibly aromatic and set the bar very high for my future tea experiences. The waiter also recommended Chinese green tea, but after finishing two pots, I just had no more room left. As we were finishing our last cup the heavy rain kept on to hit the windows. I never felt so secure, content and comfortable in a rainy day during vacation as that afternoon spent at Tin Lung Heen thanks to their outstanding food and impeccable service. Couldn’t recommend it enough.

xoxo, nano

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