Having made a reservation about two weeks in advance, my family came here for my dad's birthday on July 24 at 19:30 and we were seated comfortably with a good view of the roasting of the ducks. We ordered two cocktails (Joe's Elixir: Gordon's Gin / Chartreuse / Berries / Passion Fruit / Ginseng / Shiso; Anna Wong: Tangerine Peel Infused Gin / Osmanthus Honey / Lemon / Egg White) and a pot of chrysanthemum tea to start with; all three were excellent, subtle and nuanced. Drinks in hand, we took the time to mull over the attractive options on the menu while soaking in the relaxed ambience and admiring the stylish decor, finally settling on our first items, 1) Kurobuta Pork, Crab & Caviar Shanghainese Soup Dumplings 2) Kurobuta Pork, Soft Quail Egg, Black Truffle Siumai 3) Signature Crispy Sugar Coated BBQ Spanish Teruel Pork Bun. We were very pleased with the first two, especially my little brother who has been a fan of both dishes, and appreciated how the tweaks and details of these dishes had added to the good impression they made, particularly the quail eggs with their runny centres and the generous amount of black truffle and caviar. The three Chaxiu Baos however, were a disappointment to say the least. They were served at an awkward temperature of neither stone cold or very hot and were not very crispy at all, with the cooled chaxiu flailing limply in the excess space of the insubstantial bun.
Nevertheless, we chose to dismiss the dish as an unfortunate slip of quality and a flaw we could decidedly overlook when the Apple Wood Roasted Peking Duck arrived, all shiny and newly roasted. It was served on three separate dishes: one for the crispy melt-in-your-mouth skin, one for the tender meat, and one for a carving of both. The pancakes were paper thin and piping hot, a perfect vehicle for the garlic paste, the seafood sauce, the spring onions and the sugar accompanying the duck. The duck was really very impressive and good value - I would definitely come back just for the duck although that is not to say the other dishes paled in comparison. Others claim that Sha Tin 18 may have a better Peking Duck to offer. If that was truly the case, then Sha Tin 18's would be downright heavenly as Mott 32's duck was already phenomenal.
In addition, the traditional 12-hour slow cooked sticky pork belly was swoon-worthy and was unexpectedly large, enough for four people to share given its fat content and tender easily satisfying meat. The "sticky" part lived up to expectations with its rich flavour. The aged black vinegar sweet and sour pork was another winner. The tartness and sharp little kicks the vinegar brought to the popular dish were invaluable, and the pork itself was nice and crunchy. The stir-fried prawns with pumpkin and salted egg were served in, again, unexpectedly large portions, and we were by then struggling to finish the dish. It was also a bit of a confusion as the pumpkin was perhaps TOO subtle and overpowered by the powdery salted egg. Still, the prawns themselves had good bite and freshness. I guess you could say it was very 爽口. Lastly we had the crispy rice with scallop and prawn served in soup that was a very soothing and comforting end to the meal. At this point we knew we could not swallow another bite and desserts would have to be skipped. No regrets though, as the rice with its slight crunch and harmony with the seafood based soup redeemed our inability to have sweets considerably. Having made a reservation days ago, I'm going back this weekend although for lunch this time.