Yat Tung Heen Wanchai is one of my favourite restaurants on Hong Kong Island side. For 2 reasons, 1 is that they are always innovative. I personally would say I love their A La Carte dishes better than the lunch dim sums. Their Roast items of Charsiu and BBQ Pork are exceptional, and I have covered in a magazine column that their BBQ Pork are still served with sugar dip here, and their Charsiu still served with honeyed beans as per traditional. This coverage is only of my latest review by their Invitation but so many old photos of here are still locked in within my other laptop’s hard drive. It’s sad but true, but during recent years they have not been able to maintain their previous years of Michelin 1 Star status. I find it unfair too with the innovative and well executed dishes here in general..
Cherry Tomatoes in Vinegar -
Not usually a Chinese ingredient, but an appetizing starter. Slightly too sweet personally speaking though.. ~ 6/10
Fried White Bait Fish, Caramelized Walnuts, Cashew Nuts -
Interesting combination of snacks, which pairs well with beers..
Drunken Chicken Wrap -
Totally unexpectable and daring. The crunch from the radish was just right, the wine taste within the sauce was equally so. I really liked this dish for balance. ~ 10/10
BBQ Char Siu Pork -
Previously, this was one of my best recommended in town. As written before on my Foodies Magazine Column, the Roast Pork here is still dipped into sugar as per origins. The Charsiu is still served with the side of honeyed beans. This time around, I found the Charsiu slightly too less charred and they forgot about the honeyed beans, which we had to ask for. ~ 7/10
Coconut, Fish Maw, Conch, Goji, Bamboo Pith and Mountain Yam Soup -
The translation of this from the Chinese menu is slightly ambiguous, but it tasted about right. This is a mixture of a few traditional combinations. Complicated, but I liked it in the end in the combination and richness. ~ 9/10
Abalone sauce of Pig’s Front Feet -
In Chinese cuisine, we actually distinguish between front and back foots. The fronts usually have slightly more meat amongst the gelatin. This was a signature dish here at Yat Tung Heen. It was pretty decent but I have had similar elsewhere. ~ 7/10
Fried Taro Nest with Sautéed Geoduck -
One of the newest additional dishes here. This was fried really well and non-greasy. We did asked about whether this should come with a mushroom gravy sauce as per traditional for a fried taro nest, Chef answered that this will pair even better with a curry sauce he can make for us.. ~ 7/10
Eel and Cod Fish with Two Sauces -
Cod fish is served with Red Fermented Beancurd. The Eel served with Osmanthus Honey. Very yummilicious, although surprisingly tonight, a few dishes were a little sweeter than the norm. ~ 8/10
Fresh Crab Meat with Goji Berry and Braised Winter Melon -
This was such a Summery dish, and actually Crab and Winter melon dishes used to be more prevalent back in the days. Recently I had re-experienced more of this combo again luckily. ~ 7.5/10
Sweet and Sour Pork on Fried Wontons -
A Signature dish here as recommend by a famous Foodie and Travel Writer Chan Chun Wai. It is hard to explain this in details, but nowadays Fried Wontons are usually served with the same sauce as a Sweet and Sour Pork… Hence this genius of a combination by the Chef. *Although back in the days Fried Wontons were served with a 5 pickles sauce with pork innards and octopus, whereas Sweet and Sour Pork was served with a Hawthorn berry sauce. Nowadays they have merged as recipes but you can still find them separately with the sauce part… ~ 8/10
Fried Fish with Five Grains Rice, served with Taiwanese Bottarga Mullet Roe in a Fried Potatoes Nest, and served with Fried Fish Bone on the side -
This is an Award Winning dish which won them the prestigious GOLD Prize in a Competition. This was pretty awesome with the healthier rice grains, and plenty of umami. ~ 8/10
Steamed ‘Ma Lai’ Sponge Cake -
I still haven’t worked out how to type Chinese on my new laptop yet, but this Ma Lai Go is actually sandwiched with Salted Egg Yolks. This is not my 1st time having this but the recipe has definitely improved, it is now aerated and proofed well, and you can distinctly taste the fillings between. Yummy. ~ 8/10
Poached Pear with Snow Fungus -
Done as a whole, good control of the honey sugary level. Loved it. ~ 8/10
Fried Sesame Dumplings with Matcha Green Tea and Almond -
This sounded like a novelty to us diners. Filled with liquid matcha and almond, this tasted more almond like though than the matcha. I personally would have liked it the other way around! Overall in general Yat Tung Heen’s dishes still manage to bring a smile to my face for consistency and innovation ! Their roast items exceptional. It is one of the rare restaurants which is helping to re-define Chinese and Cantonese cuisine in town with their unique recipes these days. The other which I also thought highly of is Yee Tung Heen at Excelsior hotel, which was also exceptional but didn’t received any stars this year. ~ 7/10
Price: $300 – $400 (This meal was by Invitation by the Restaurant Group, but I have been here a few times myself. They have 1 bottle Free Corkage that’s why)
Food: ♕♕♕♕ – ♕♕♕♕♕ 1/2
Ease of Access: 3/5
Address: 灣仔港灣道23號鷹君中心2樓
2nd Floor, 23 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Ph: 2878 1212
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