Chef Jayson Tang, the Executive Chinese Chef of the Michelin-starred Man Ho Chinese Restaurant at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, is inviting discerning diners to a Nostalgic Cantonese Culinary Journey to re-discover some rare authentic Cantonese recipes, some of which stretch back half a century and were thought forgotten.
Man Ho Chinese Restaurant’s exquisitely designed 8-course menu has been designed to showcase the historical significance of Cantonese cuisine and will feature legendary handcrafted dishes that require intricate techniques and complex cooking. The mastermind behind the new menu is Chef Jayson Tang, who is passionate about preserving and celebrating the Chinese culinary heritage and bringing long-lost flavours back into the world of gastronomy.
Chef Jayson Tang (above) has sourced exceptionally precious and rare ingredients along with rare seasonal products from around the world to create nostalgic flavours needed for the long-lost recipes, which come with a contemporary take.
On the historical menu is “Kun Lun Bao Yu”, a sophisticated dish served to the dignitaries at the grand Manchu–Han Imperial Feast. It is made up of Braised Dried Giant Garoupa Skin and Braised Whole Dried South African Abalone. Concocting this dish requires dried giant Garoupa skin weighing at least five kilograms, which often comes from a giant Garoupa weighing over sixty kilograms and is rare to find.
After steaming, immersing it in ice water, and presoaking, the dried giant Garoupa skin is soaked in a rich broth made of dace fish soup and abalone sauce for two hours. Before serving, Chef Tang cooks the braised skin and abalone in abalone sauce to lock in the luscious and umami flavours.
The collagen-rich dried giant Garoupa skin is crispy and chewy after meticulous cooking. Pairing with lavish South African abalone takes this unparalleled delicacy to the next level.
Sautéed Shredded Venison and Softshell Turtle were another of the notable delicacies served in the Manchu–Han Imperial Feast. Softshell turtle is a precious ingredient that is rich in collagen with a soft texture, while French venison is smooth and gamey; they make a perfect pair and become a nutritious dish. The flavour is elevated after stir-frying with a medley of shredded ingredients, including lemon leaves, mandarin peels, bamboo shoots, carrots, shitake mushrooms and celery.
Served with chrysanthemum petals, kaffir lime leaves and fried crackers, Shredded Duck Meat Soup is a twist on the traditional winter warmer, snake soup. Showcasing Chef’s top-notch knife skills, this rich, fragrant and hearty soup is brimmed with delicate shreds of duck meat, chicken, fish maw, mushrooms, ginger, bamboo piths and fungus. Its yin nourishing and other medicinal benefits make it an indulgent enjoyment for all ages.
Siu Mei, a staple of Cantonese cuisine, is well-loved by local diners. An unusual Siu Mei invented by Chef Tang, Flying Roast Chicken, surprises diners with unique roast goose flavour, succulent chicken meat and crispy skin. To infuse the chicken meat from the hormone-free and locally raised Ping Yuen Cockerel with goose flavours, Chefs prepare the dish based on a modified recipe of a classic roast goose, and the whole cooking process takes two days.
Other dishes from the menu include Marinated Sliced Razor Clam, an intriguing recreation of the classic “Lou Mei” delicacy, and Sautéed Crystal Prawn, which is simply delicious with umami flavour in every bite.
Diners will complete the feast on a sweet note with Deep-Fried Purple Sweet Potato Pastry Stuffed with Vanilla Milk Pudding, combining the essences of two traditional Cantonese desserts: fried taro dumplings and crispy fried milk.
The 8-course menu at Man Ho Chinese Restaurant is available from now until 30 November 2022 and priced at HK$ 1,980 per guest (inclusive of service charge). Any online reservation must be made four days in advance. Selected dishes will be available in the à la carte menu from 1 to 31 December 2022 and require advance reservation. Please check with the restaurant for details.
Ingredients and menu items may be subject to change according to seasonality and availability without prior notice.
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