I have always been a fan of this Peninsula establishment as well as other restaurants under the parent company. It is a place that exists fondly in my childhood memories. The quaintly lit interior. The lavish, intricately carved wooden panels. The spacious circular wooden tables. That herbal scent of freshly brewed tea. Every time, it is as if I am transported anachronistically back to a pre-war period, a time when tea houses like this do things with understated poshness, a time when people do things the "right" way. Throughout the years, not much has changed. Not the decor, nor the food. And certainly not the magic I get from munching down those tiny morsels prepared by the famous dim sum (點心) master Chef Fong.
As per usual, I always come here with my parental units and relatives for lunch. They are a rather traditional bunch and thus order the same things every time. Despite knowing the items as well as flavors inside out, I still leave the restaurant extremely satisfied each time. And this is why Spring Moon is a must visit every time I am in town.
糖漬核桃 - Candied Walnuts
Ah. The same dish of appetizing bites every time I visit. Always a favorite of mine. Presented in a silver (or is it pewter?) bowl are handfuls upon handfuls of candied walnuts. These morsels are crunchy and have a somewhat muted caramel sweetness to it. The sesame does add a nutty dimension to the buttery shawl. These taste rather light and certainly not greasy or filling despite the sweetness. I have no idea how these are made, but I can eat these all day.
蜜味叉燒 - Sliced Barbecued Pork
Remarkable. What I like best in this dish is the selection of the meat - half fat and half slim (半肥瘦). As such, I get chewy bites of muscle fiber interspersed with pockets of fat and oil. Definitely not one for the weak-hearted. The meat itself is beautifully roasted with specks of crispy char. Surprisingly, for a barbecued dish, I do not detect much smokiness to the meat. Rather, I get a combination of unabashed umami and plenty of honeyed sweetness. This is some of the best cha siu (叉燒) I have had, ever. And definitely one that gives Texan barbecue a run for the money.
娥姐蒸粉果 - Steamed Minced Pork Dumplings with Shrimps, Water Chestnut and Coriander
What is surprising is the detailed English name of the dish, as the Chinese version does not give a list of the ingredients, if not borderline mythical. But I digress. This is a decent fen gwor (粉果) and I especially like this rendition as it does not contain any peanuts. I do get bits of shrimp, bamboo shoots, chives, and perhaps even some carrots? The wrapper is thin enough so that it does not muddle any of the rich, umami flavors. A passable rendition but not really exceptional.
筍尖鮮蝦餃 - Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Bamboo Shoots
Oh, this is stellar. The varying textures in this simple bite are telltale of the mastery of the Chef. The shrimp is steamed beautifully mi cuit with a snappy core. This bouncy texture contrasts well with an ethereally thin wrapper. Counting under the light, I do see a total of ten folds on the dumpling. Flavor-wise, these bites are savory and the shrimps are fresh. Meanwhile, the sesame oil in the marinade and the delicate ricey flavors from the wrapper provide a flavorful counterpoint. An exceptional take on this famous Cantonese staple.
松茸帶子燒賣 - Steamed Pork and Scallops Dumpling with Matsutake Mushroom
Spring Moon's rendition on this other Cantonese staple may not be as successful as its previous cousin. In fact, the biggest gripe I have with this dish is that the gimmicky adornments do not serve any functional purpose at all! Instead of the customary shrimp topping, this siu mai (燒賣) boasts a scallop on top with diced matsutake (松茸) bits. First, the scallop is overdone and is a bit chewy. Second, the skin, although thin, is very sticky, thus making it hard to separate from the bamboo panel. Third, the Japanese mushroom adds nothing at all to the dish besides color and gimmicky goodness. I do not get any of the delicate, earthy flavors as the sesame oil and lard in the marinade dominate. I am not sure why it is in there. But to me, this certainly looks like a waste of an otherwise expensive ingredient.
I have had some pretty good siu mai here before. But where has the consistency gone?
蠔皇叉燒包 - Steamed Barbecued Pork Buns
Yet another classic staple of which Spring Moon creates an unrivaled version. What strikes about this cha siu bao (叉燒包) is the texture of the bun. Appropriately piping hot, the dough is masterfully done without being too dense or sticky. Instead, it is airy in texture with a subtle sweetness, just like a well-whipped meringue. Such a shell contrasts well with the filling inside. The meat is appropriately chosen, with a balanced selection of fat and meat. Flavor-wise, the filling is sweet, savory and rich, without being too cloying, as the distinct flavor of oyster sauce provides a levity to the richness. From flavors to textures, everything is in harmony and nothing is out of proportion. This is as good as it gets.
碧綠韭菜餃 - Steamed Chive Dumplings with Minced Shrimp
I am a sucker for chives, especially Chinese garlic chives. So when I see this dish, I know it is a must order. Unlike its plain cousin, this dim sum comes with a pea-green wrapper. I bet vegetable extract, probably chlorophyll-laden water, is added to the tapioca powder when making the skin. Regrettably, the skin is a bit on the thick side. However, the textures are still on point as the shrimp boasts a snappy, bouncy texture. The chives to provide a certain crunch as well. And of course, that full-on, garlicky flavor. Delicious.
山竹牛肉球 - Steamed Beef Balls with Bean Curd Skin
Definitely a guilty pleasure as this dim sum boasts the highest amount of calories. Nonetheless, these are worth it. Biting into them, the balls are so hot that they let out clouds of steam. It is soft and very tender, a testament to the remarkable fat to meat ratio in the ground. There are chives and water chestnuts in them too, which impart some crunch within the cloud-like balls. To me, the umami is so concentrated that I do not find a need to add any white pepper or Worcester sauce. The bean curd skin is very flavorful too as it soaks up the juices from the steaming process. I also appreciate the fact that the balls do not come sitting on a pile of condensed water, as is the case in a lot of other establishments. Nice attention to detail here.
鮑魚鷄粒芋角 - Golden Mashed Taro with Diced Abalone, Chicken and Black Mushrooms
Perhaps it is difficult to make, let alone perfect. But for one reason or the other, I am finding less and less wu gok (芋角) in dim sum restaurants. Spring Moon's version is and always will be my favorite. And arguably, this is the one of the strongest dishes of the afternoon. Fried to a golden brown, these taro dumplings boast an airy and flaky exterior that gives an ethereal crunch. This contrasts well with the piping hot interior that is thick and creamy, no less because of the molten taro paste within. Hidden within the mash are alternating bites of chicken, bamboo (?), mushrooms and abalone. As one can imagine, this is pure bliss to bite into as the umami is just so rich and there is so much going on with the different textures. What is even more remarkable is that although the dumplings are fried and the taro paste is thick, I do not feel "heavy". And looking at the oil paper on the plate, Ibarely see any oil. Such is perfection.
芹香清湯牛腩 - Braised Beef in Superior Broth and Vermicelli
To be fair, this dish is not a classic dim sum dish, but it is the pièce de résistance for every of my visit to this place. People ask me where the best braised beef brisket in the city is. And I would tell them ten times out of ten it is at Spring Moon. This is because from the selection of meat to the condiments to the broth itself, everything is executed superbly and coherently. The beef brisket selected is 坑腩, the prized boneless meat taken between the short rib and the finger meat. With the extensive marbling, this delicate cut is extremely tender and is packed with tiny pockets of fat that are not rendered off. Meanwhile, the broth, in reality the first "layer" of a double stock (頭湯), is remarkable for its depth and lack of oils. Boiled with copious amounts of bones, ham, dried seafood and other vegetables, the broth is thick in body and has a garlicky, Chinese celery fragrance to it, the astringency of it goes so well with the brisket. It is such a pleasure to take a bite of the meat followed by a spoonful of soup. To finish the dish off, there are even vermicelli noodles at the base that have soaked up all the broth. This dish is packed full of flavor and just screams of comfort and umami, all the while staying light on its feet. Incredible.
As per usual, I always leave this place stuffed and satiated. Today is no exception. There are definitely some failures in today's meal, most notably the siu mai. But in all, this does not detract from the experience. In particular, other dishes such as the beef brisket and fried taro dumpling really hit it out of the park. For such a renowned restaurant in a hotel with that much history and heritage (Peninsula is opened in 1928 and is Hong Kong's oldest hotel), it is unfathomable why Michelin would not give it any stars, while mediocre places (in food quality, attention to detail and service) such as Tim Ho Wan (添好運) gets a macaron. Oh right, the Michelin guide uses scouts in Hong Kong since the reviewers do not live here for the full year, unlike those in Europe. So they need scouts to pre-select places for them to try. I digress, but seriously, selection bias much? (12/13/2015)