Skip to main content
Back to Index
Gourmet

Traditional Chinese Flavors and Modern Taiwanese Delights Trending Right Now

31 Jan, 2023

If you are craving more Chinese dishes, you’re in for a gastronomic journey at Harbour City, where traditional Chinese and Taiwanese food is met by contemporary twists to tantalize your taste buds.

New kids on the block

Among the endless options for scrumptious food are four new establishments that you wouldn’t want to miss.

Spearheaded by executive chef Francis Chong, 818 THE SEAFOOD greets its diners with a show-stopping aquarium at the entrance to make a clear statement that the restaurant is all about fresh seafood. In fact, over 30 types of seafood as well as daily catches are on offer and it’s up to the diners to decide on the preferred cooking methods. The Baked Crab with Black Pepper and Lobster with Butter and Cream are recommended for those who don’t want to fuss with customization.

For those who find excitement in a melange of flavors, Art of Canton serves up Cantonese cuisine with a hint of Japanese-oriental styles that turn comforting classics into the exquisite oriental fare. The Homemade Pan-fried Turnip Cake here is served in the house-secret mala flavor to take things up a notch.

Another establishment for modern Cantonese dim sum and dishes is Prince Restaurant – from Baked Barbecued Pork Bun and Braised Bird’s Nest to Hand-Shredded Chicken with Black Truffle and Roasted Peking Duck, the menu is curated to please the entire family.

Before you hop on a plane to once again visit Taiwan’s bustling night markets in person, Check In Taipei is probably the closest bet to satisfy your yearning for modern Taiwanese food, including Fish Maw Lu Rou Fan, Satay Beef Noodles, and desserts like Salted Egg Taro Egg Crepe and Matcha Milk Mochi.

YAOYAO Chinese Sauerkraut Fish is where you can savor the sour and spicy dish in its full glory. The thinly sliced fish is poached in a broth loaded with dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and pickled vegetables. The pungent taste is then balanced by the menu’s cooling desserts like Cold Jelly with Red Beans and Nuts and YAOYAO Coconut Pudding.

Soulful delights

Hearty dim sum and a piping hot bowl of noodle soup are some of the simplest yet comforting food.

Originating from tearooms along the Silk Road, dim sum was traditionally enjoyed by traders as snacks as they took breaks during their journeys. Nowadays, it’s shared among families and friends. HEXA offers inventive dim sum like Steamed Dumplings with Truffle and Wild Mushrooms and Steamed Bamboo Charcoal Buns with Custard Cream that you’ll yearn for long beyond tea breaks.

Mak’s Noodle impresses local patrons with the seemingly humble full egg noodles and a calming tea cup. From the signature wonton noodles, or those topped with beef tendon and braised pork knuckles to stirred noodles with dace fish ball or abalone and dried shrimp roe – the menu is sure to impress.

Local noodle soup restaurant TamJai Yunnan Mixian is known for its reasonably priced noodle soup of five different soup bases with 10 levels of spiciness and an array of toppings. Signature sides like Hunan Chicken Wings and Pig’s Ears & Century Eggs in Sichuan Style are some of the firm favorites among diners too.

Sichuan cuisine’s fiery hot and spicy flavor profile is also spotted at Ricky’s Spicy Kitchen. The addictive chili oil graces such dishes as Sichuan Boiled Fish Filets and Red Swamp Crayfish. Wash down the tongue-numbing sensation with Lemon & Coix Seed Water.  

Originated in Tainan and widely known throughout Taiwan, the DU HSIAO YUEH Dan Tzai noodles is one of the traditional Taiwanese signature cuisines. Hong Kong foodies no longer need to travel to Taiwan and will be able to enjoy the original taste of the brand’s Dan Tzai noodles.  

Classic feasts

Time-honored Chinese dishes often take hours to prepare and years of training to master. Savor the dishes and appreciate the arduous process that goes into them.

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is where succulent xiaolongbao takes center stage. The minced pork and soup-filled buns are steamed to perfection. When enjoyed with ginger julienne and vinegar, the tartness perfectly balances the rich flavors.

Gold Garden Shanghai Cuisine elevates authentic Huaiyang and Shanghai recipes and presents them in such specialty dishes as Stewed Dongpo’s Pork Belly in Brown Sauce and Steamed Pork Dumplings with Crab Roe.

The renowned Barbecued Peking Duck at Duck Victoria is known for its tender meat and minimal fat that contributes to the perfectly crispy skin. Half-bird option is also available to stand out in small gatherings of two or three.

Xihe Ya Yuan, meanwhile, serves up its signature 40-day-old Xihe Peking Duck three ways. Weighing between 5.8 and 6 kg, each duck is skillfully roasted in a brick-made hung oven heated to over 1,200 degrees before it’s presented in three different ways that best showcase the delicacy.  

Another not-to-miss classic meal is the hot pot at Quan Alley, classic hot pot items like pork slices are poetically transferred into Pork Rose while the fish paste is served in the form of popsicle sticks – all artfully plated to please the palates as well as the eyes.

Feast your way through classic dishes filled with wok hei and delicately plated specialties that are almost too pretty to dig into, all housed under one roof at Harbour City.

Taste Here