dbHK eats: T’ang Court at the Langham

Inspired by the Tang Dynasty, the Langham Hotel’s T’ang Court serves up kingly fare in sumptuous – if graciously faded – surroundings. db HK went off to discover one of Hong Kong’s best crab dishes.

The Langham’s T’ang Court is currently basking in the glory of scooping three Michelin stars for this year; joining Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons and Alvin Leung’s Bo Innovation as another of Hong Kong’s Chinese restaurants that bears the crown.

This latest recognition is a big step up from 2009 when it was awarded its first star, yet I’m told big renovations are due for next year in terms of the décor, layout and furnishing. It’s true that upon entering the dining room, that just like the former Imperial Tang Dynasty (which inspired the name), the restaurant has lost its once ostentatious glamour.

But I preferred the faded glory look that it had. The Tang Dynasty was heralded as China’s ‘Golden Age’ where the country made huge advancements in art, literature and poetry and even though it was lunchtime on a blazingly hot day in late autumn, the lights were low, and here and there were splashes of gold and Burgundy and velvet drapes all adding to the luxurious feel. Any minute you felt you might be summoned to meet the Emperor.

T’ang Court has been at the Langham for 20 years which is practically forever in Hong Kong terms, where the turnover for restaurants is high and hotel managers are looking for ways to cut costs amid escalating rental prices.

However, it has evolved from being a staid Chinese restaurant where diners would book for Chinese New Year or por-por’s birthday (a much beloved grandmother), with a new extensive wine list and an adventurous biodynamic wine and six-course dinner using wines from Slovenia’s Movia winery – looked after by food and beverage director, Shane Wilkins and created by chef Kwong Wai Keung.

The à la carte menu is still Chinese fine dining to the core with platters of dim sum, the ubiquitous braised Garoupa head which is much prized in Hong Kong and a plethora of lobster, shrimp and crab creations with so many options that it needed a minute just to absorb it all.

Sauteed prawns and crab roe with golden-fried pork and crabmeat puffs

Chinese food is above all, for sharing so we started with a series of small plates commencing with pan-fried rice rolls with chef Kwong’s signature XO sauce, served with chilli sauce and bean curd. This may not sound much but the crunchy texture and hit of umami was comforting and satisfying without being greasy. Next up was one of my ultimate favourites of shrimp dumplings which arrived with a heft of zingy fresh chili sauce and filled with plump, soft prawns encased in a light wrapping.

A selection of light and crispy samosas followed and packed with seafood curry which made an interesting diversion from the staunchly traditional Chinese fare. The flaky pastry and smoky cumin filling was a comfort-food combination I’d happily keep eating, were it not for the promise of further dishes to come. What arrived swiftly after were the fat, sauteed prawns with crab roe and golden fried pork which offered an array of palate-pleasing textures from the sweet succulent prawns and tender pork to the crispy crab roe and crabmeat puffs that were enveloped in a light batter.

Everything was washed down with aromatic Jasmine tea and I was about to comment on how it was very possible to eat small plates only and feel full when the waiter reappeared and with a flourish, set down a large silver platter with the most exquisitely presented crab I had ever seen.

A hollowed out crab shell set in ornamental gold claws (Tintin would be so jealous) and filled with fried rice, shrimp, crabmeat in a cream sauce was such a kingly amalgamation of decadent ingredients that it needed a moment or two just to contemplate it.

The crab with the golden claws: Baked seafood rice with cream sauce in crab shell

Then we dived in. The most important dish is always served at the end of a Chinese meal but I felt that this deserved more attention and more of my appetite. I managed half before having to bow out but the rich, creamy sauce with smoky fresh seafood and flavourful fried rice remains to be outdone.

So we were full, too full really but somehow there’s always room for dessert after a march of savoury dishes. To my delight, T’ang Court creates its own deliciously flaky mini egg custard tarts, served in threes which challenged you to either scoff the lot, or at least take one away – which I did.

The service was unhurried and relaxed and the restaurant was only half full which added to the quiet, rather courtly atmosphere so it would be interesting to reappear in the evening to witness the lavish wine tasting dinners T’ang Court is is known for.

T’ang Court may still be reserved for special occasions but the quality and presentation of ingredients sets it apart from the overabundance of other high quality Cantonese restaurants in the city. Once the renovations are completed next year, T’ang Court will surely return to the Emperor’s Palace.