2023-04-28

TIN LUNG HEEN - The Height of Cantonese Dining Refinement

It is almost like an experience to experience the dream by having the opportunity to savour one of the world's best and refined Cantonese cuisines with realistic excitement and a blissful world class gastronomy adventure. The dining experience at the two-star Michelin Tin Lung Heen in  The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong is the height of Cantonese dining refinement. mylifestylenews writes.
 

Located on the 102nd floor of the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, Tin Lung Heen sits atop of Kowloon’s International Commerce Centre and probably takes the prize for the highest Chinese restaurant dining in the world. The dining room is located one level below the main hotel lobby and occupies one side of the building with dramatic Victoria Harbour views out to the close lying islands just out of Central and parts of Kowloon.


Apart from the view, the interior design has some “WOW” elements as you are cosseted in a fine dining setting that has a sense of grandeur, due to the cathedral ceiling height with gigantic lantern lighting. The huge ‘library wall’ of decorative objet d’artlarge comfortable dining chairs and the elegant table tops setting goes well with the floor to ceiling wall of windows with bright and spacious seatings that create a seamless flow throughout the entire dining space, contrasting with the contemporary oriental interior design that gives a sense of formality and to enjoy the views of the surrounding scenery in daylight. Of course that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to relax and enjoy your experience, as the service is not overpowering and they give you space to enjoy your food without hurrying you along. As this is located in a 5-star luxury hotel, naturally you will have certain expectations and we can assure you that you will not be disappointed. Things are calm and orderly, neatly stacked and tidy, Tin Lung Heen creates a relaxed and classy ambiance to savor the lavish local and regional specialties at its best, including one of the best traditional Dim Sum in town.


Helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Paul Lau Ping Lui alongside with his dedicated culinary team,  Chef Lau has one of the most unusual and intriguing CV’s in Hong Kong food scene that has won him uncountable awards in culinary fields through his vast experience over three decades. Having worked in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dubai, United Kingdom and now Hong Kong, Chef Lau is highly regarded as one of the top Cantonese chefs in Hong Kong for being an expert in Chinese culinary arts. Inspired by anything around him, Chef Lau keeps abreast of the emerging trends and development in Cantonese Cuisine by delivering the most classic nostalgic Canton flavours that you want to remember. Chinese cuisine is no doubt one of the most diverse cuisines on earth. There are scores of regional Chinese cuisines all around mainland China, but even within the colourful and diversified regions there are ethnic and cultural groups who will eat entirely different cuisines of their own. Such individual dynamic gastronomy not only wins so many foodies’ hearts over the years and also has inspired numerous renown master chefs to follow the food steps and better transform the heritage cuisines with their contemporary skills to refine many other old and delicious recipes to continue the legacy and transform into nouvelle Chinese cuisines and dishes. Chef Lau brings his refined and exceptional Cantonese culinary style of cooking to tantalize your taste buds with many relishing local mastering dishes.


The menu is pretty much straight forward, classic contemporary Cantonese food that is best to delight your palate. There is none of that funny business by doing this mix-and-match kind of Asian fusion for only paying esteemed homage to its tradition and flavours and this won’t happen here. Paying attention to the true taste with prestige ingredients sourced is the only goal Chef Lau would like to  present to his diners. The a-la-carte menu is extensive, but you can also opt for traditional Cantonese Dim Sum or a classic six-course tasting set menu among other well designed mixes of variety, no matter what the occasion – and this is a great place for celebrating occasions. It is just a joy to be so high up and looking out to the beyond while enjoying a casual lunch in such an esteemed Michelin restaurant and so to the food.


<
Barbecued Iberian Pork with Osmanthus Flower Honey> 
+ 
<Steamed Spotted Garoupa Dumpling with Coriander>
This is the first part of the Chef’s premium selection of a Dim Sum dish served alongside with osmanthus flower honey glazed barbequed Iberian pork. A yin and yang effect in terms of colours and palate! Get crackling on these flavour packed Char Siu (Barbecued pork) which came in two portions – 1 portion with two lean pieces of meat and another portion with meat that was half lean and half fat. Traditionally, Char Siu is oven barbequed in low and slow heat until they are tender and juicy inside, a lightly desired charred effect on the crust and with the ultimate melt in your mouth effect that makes this juicy piece of meat pork Char Siu so heavenly. Piece after piece and bite after bite, every morsel is utterly a guilty pleasure and you just do not want it to end. Sinful yet with a complete satisfaction. Despite the osmanthus flower honey being a little too sweet, but a minor quibble, the Char Siu was delicious and with two different portions, it gave a chance for comparison and the fifty fifty lean and fat meat was our preferred choice. The steamed garoupa was executed in the style of Siu Mai, chunky, juicy and tender meat topped with the garnish of ginger and spring onion creating a fresh and pungent flavour. Absolutely refined and delicious!


<
Pan-Fried Turnip Cake & Preserved Meat Topped with X.O. Chili Sauce> 
<Steamed Shrimp Dumpling with Bamboo Shoot>
The turnip cake texture was just right, being soft and sticky and lightly pan-fried to a golden brown colour. However, we felt the taste was too flat and bland. With the addition of a touch of X.O. chili sauce, this did add some life on the savoury palate whereas the Har Gau (steamed shrimp dumpling) was large and juicy, perfectly steamed with a crunch to the bite and the bamboo shoots adds that little extra touch by offering a hint of sweetness and crunchiness texture on the palate. Overall a wonderful cross section of Dim Sum delights and it really showed the excellence in cooking skills and palate taste which is to be savoured by everyone.


<
Steamed Crab Claw with Egg White in Hua Diao Wine>
This house signature dish takes years to master to be perfect, not only on its presentation but most importantly by focusing on the taste. Never too overpowering by each ingredient used to savour the taste of the produce in its own organic way. Chef Lau perfectly executed this classic dish for his diner to enjoy every morsel on the round plump crab meat with the generosity overflow of silky egg whites and enhanced by the premium Chinese Hua Diao wine. The presentation is spot on and the harmony of flavours is simply heavenly!


<
Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Fish Maw in Baby Coconut>
Another signature dish not to be missed! This delicate and tasty clear broth will definitely warm your heart from is double-boiled culinary methods to retain the essence of all the contents to be executed entirely and remain inside the young baby coconut that gives a pandanous aroma flavour that enhances the entire palate.


<Wok-Fried 
Wagyu Beef with Asparagus & Black Peppers>
What a simply divine rendition with perfectly cooked juicy and tender beef that is not overpowered by the piquant black pepper sauce. Kudos to the culinary skill. Nothing is best to end with a most satisfying fried rice a-la-Tin Lung Heen topped with roasted pine nuts and deep-fried crunchy micro white-baits to go with this flavoursome beef that is utterly enjoyable.


<Chilled Milk Pudding with Sea Coconut> 
<Steamed Glutinous Rice Dumplings with Green Bean Paste and Common Rue>
This milk pudding was like a panna cotta and it was a little bland in taste, but the sea coconut had a nice crunchy texture in sweetness, which livened things up a bit. Not our cup of tea, but enjoyable nonetheless. The mouthful size steamed mochi-like glutinous rice dumplings was a delight made with common rue - an ornamental plant and herb that gives the refreshing palate, fully dusted with shredded coconut alongside with a raspberry cookie were simply divine and a wonderful last taste to end the lunch.


We enjoyed the lunch experience. The views are fabulous and the space has that sense of occasion but is not overwhelming. It seems they cannot put a foot wrong and make you feel so welcome and special. Our server Francis who was so product oriented, knowledgeable and polite which we valued his attention to detail. While it is the passion that keeps Chef Lau on the go and motivated to maximize his talent by creating exquisite food for his diners with his exceptional culinary skill and know-how combining traditional and contemporary skills to create his very own cooking style, Tin Lung Heen has certainly set a high bar and you should not miss out on a chance to soak up the atmosphere and culinary talents for a truly quintessential Cantonese dining refinement.

Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 4.5/5
Food & Beverage: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Experience: 4.5/5

Level 102, International Commerce Centre
1 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2263 2270

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated. 

1 comment: