Every year on hubby’s birthday, I go all out and I take him somewhere special for dinner. When he wanted to try molecular dining, I took him to Bo Innovation.  When he wanted to do French, I took him to Joël Robuchon.  This year he requested a Chinese dinner with braised abalone and after some research, I settled on the 2 Michelin star, Tin Lung Heen (天龍軒) [I do spoil him, don’t I?].

Tin Lung Heen is located on the 102nd floor of Ritz Carlton, giving its diners stunning harbor views.  I wasn’t able to secure a window seat, but the weather was muggy and rainy on the day, so I guess we didn’t miss out.  Instead I spent my time admiring the grand decor with high ceilings that was modern with Chinese touches.

For those who want a taste of their signatures dishes, an Award Winning Michelin Tasting menu is offered at $1688 per person (+500-1000 for wine pairing).  The tasting didn’t offer braised abalone, so we decided to order a-la-carte.

The complimentary appetizer was a Silver Needle Fish with Black Bean, Okra and Pickled Red Capsicum.  I found this a bit too salty for an appetizer, the black bean was overpowering.

Without a doubt, we had to try their famous Barbecued Iberian Pork With Honey.   The char siu was succulent and melted in my mouth, a perfect balance of saltiness and sweetness. However, be aware that this dish is very filling, having to split 8 pieces between the 2 of us was a bit too much.

Braised Whole Yoshihama Abalone in Supreme Oyster Sauce (28 head) was the best abalone I’ve ever tried in my life.  When I cut into it, I noticed a slightly translucent center and I realized it was  “sugar center” abalone (糖心鲍魚), at least I think it was because I’ve never had it before.  This was truly luxurious Chinese cuisine at its best.  The richness of the sauce used to braise the abalone was out of this world.  YUMMMM!!!!  I am salivating as I re-live the moments of devouring this culinary delicacy.

Up next was the Pan-fried Scallops with Pumpkin and Caviar.  The perfectly seared scallop pair with the saltiness of the caviar was divine (anything with caviar tastes better!).  The pumpkin provided the texture in the dish, but I think it was missing something creamy, maybe a pumpkin puree would’ve suited better.  I thought the slightly crunchy salty fingers (also a first for me) would’ve been enough for an interesting texture element.

Now another of Tin Lung Heen’s signature dishes, the Stewed Chicken with Preserved Vegetables.  The chicken was moist and tender and complimented with a savory mui choy  / 梅菜  sauce (preserved Chinese mustard greens).  Underneath the chicken wa a generous serving of the salty mui choy that I couldn’t stop eating.

The Fried Rice with Diced Abalone, Duck and Shrimp Wrapped in Lotus Leaf was the perfect ending to this fulfilling dinner.  With chewy bits of abalone and dried scallops, this fried rice was awesome.

The complimentary dessert was a cashew biscuit and a coffee jelly (I preferred the crispy biscuit more).

The service was impeccable and the staff were friendly and always smiling.  However, one thing that I was annoyed with was when the reception called me when we were 8 minutes late and asking if we were going to come (despite her calling earlier in the afternoon to confirm the reservation and reminding me that they would give the table away if we were 15 minutes late)….But, I noticed many empty tables all the way through our meal, wonder who was she planning to give our windowless seat to?

One of the reasons I decided to start this blog was  to capture these memorable food experiences.  Opportunities to dine at these exceptional restaurants only happens to us once, maybe twice a year (not that we don’t want to, it’s just we might go broke), and this blog will help me savor these moments.

 

Total: ~$4800* (2 persons)
Address: 102/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, ICC, 1 Austin Road / Tel: 2263 2270
Website: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/

*Note that we did go all out with the abalone, if you check out the breakdown of the bill the other items aren’t as outrageous.

The Damage

Barbecued Iberian Pork With Honey ….$298
Braised Whole Yoshihama Abalone (28 head) ….$1580 x 2
Pan-fried Scallops ….$118 x 2
Stewed Chicken ….$238
Fried Rice with Diced Abalone in Lotus Leaf ….$196
San Pellegrino ….$110 x 2