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2023-02-15
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At this Valentine’s Day, unlike most people who would go for cuisine more tailored to individual servings, I have picked a Chiu Chow restaurant to celebrate, going to Chiu Tang 潮廳, located on 2/F The Galleria, one of the quiet small shopping arcades in Central, just adjacent to the Landmark with a connecting bridge.The décor is trying to recreate the vibe of the 60s, with a high ceiling and hanging fans, glass cabinets displaying bottles of spirits, stained glass murals and old photos, plus carp
At this Valentine’s Day, unlike most people who would go for cuisine more tailored to individual servings, I have picked a Chiu Chow restaurant to celebrate, going to Chiu Tang 潮廳, located on 2/F The Galleria, one of the quiet small shopping arcades in Central, just adjacent to the Landmark with a connecting bridge.
The décor is trying to recreate the vibe of the 60s, with a high ceiling and hanging fans, glass cabinets displaying bottles of spirits, stained glass murals and old photos, plus carpet floors with traditional tile patterns. The main dining room has the normal round tables and banquette seating, plus a number of private rooms.
We decide to order the Degustation Menu ($1,388 each) to try more dishes, which start with Combination of Signature Marinated Delicacies 滷水拼盤. The marinated goose fillet is very tender, not overly salty, and the complex flavours of the marinade do not overpower the goose meat. There are also the pork belly, intestine, plus tofu, and all of them are good in taste too. This marinated delicacies certainly deliver high marks.
The second course is Classic “Chiu Chow” Shark’s Fin Soup 傳統潮州翅. Shark’s fin is becoming a rarity nowadays as many restaurants has taken it off the menu, and perhaps we should not continue consuming them as there can be other substitutes. The thick broth, however, has rich flavours and is delicious. Personally, I also like to add some Zhejiang vinegar and plenty of coriander as well. A suggestion is to have a tealight to keep the soup hot, as I found the temperature has a big impact to the flavours and texture.
There is a choice of sea cucumber, fish maw or abalone for the next course, and we have chosen Braised Yoshihama Abalone with Premium Oyster Sauce 三十二頭皇冠日本吉品乾鮑魚 ($180 additional each). The abalone has been cooked beautifully, easily cut open with the knife with a good bite. The intense flavours from the abalone, supplemented with the wonderful taste of the special oyster sauce, is irresistible. I found the shiitake mushroom equally good, and the two Shanghai pak choi also flavourful because of the amazing sauce.
For the main dishes, there are ten options, and we need to pick two among those. We selected Deep-fried Homemade Shrimp and Crab Meat Balls 自家製蝦蟹棗, and I did not regret that decision. Both the shrimp and crab meatballs are bouncy in texture, seasoned very well and the pairing with the sweet thick soy sauce is the touch of genius to bring forward the umami taste. Perhaps the only issue for me is that there are only four pieces in total, and not enough to satisfy our appetite.
For the other dish we have chosen Sauteed Eel Fillet with Plum Sauce 梅羔醬爆鱔球, as recommended by the staff. The meaty eel fillet has been coated with starch before deep-frying, and then sauteed with the plum sauce, having nice fragrance with good balance of a pleasant sweet and sourness. The deep-fried chili leaves not only help to decorate, but they are also nicely done and not oily. The eel skin is a bit tough to chew through though, I guess this is expected naturally and not a big concern.
For the choice of congee or noodle, we picked Fried Noodles with Preserved Pork and Bean Sprout 潮州炒麵線. The noodle is nicely done, dry in texture and not dripping with oil, seasoned also appropriately. The addition of shredded preserved vegetable and the sesames enhances the overall enjoyment. I am a bit worried that we would feel hungry initially but finishing the noodle we are full even for big eaters like me.
The dessert is Steamed Imperial Bird’s Nest and Mashed Taro 芋泥燕窩. I found the mashed taro very creamy and velvety, apparently adding in lard to create the wonderful palate, as well as providing a nice fragrance to the taro. The addition of bird’s nest is more to enhance the premium of the dish, and while it did give a bit of contrast in texture, it also diluted the taste in my opinion. I am not sure for others but to me it will be better to skip the bird’s nest and just offer the mashed taro.
The service is good, and like many Chinese restaurants there are not many interactions with the servers about details like the ingredients and how the dishes are prepared. But overall, the staff is friendly and attentive. The bill on the night is $3,615 and while the menu allows us to sample more different dishes, I would suggest coming with a bigger group and order a la carte instead, for an even better experience.
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