Hong Kong restaurant China Tang returns – and its new menu is inspired

South China Morning Post

3 days ago

When China Tang originally opened in Hong Kong in 2013, it came in the wake of two other restaurants by celebrated bon vivant
Sir David Tang . Despite its late arrival, China Tang has survived both Island Tang and Kowloon Tang, proving to be the most enduring of its late founder's concepts here (if one excludes the members-only China Club). The restaurant even survived the HK$3.1 billion makeover at The Landmark that has claimed both MO Bar and Please Don't Tell.
Having closed for a brief renovation of its own during this period of transformation at The Landmark, China Tang is once again welcoming guests. The revamped restaurant features new mirrored signage, refurbished carpeting, and an enlarged private dining room that has taken over the former bar area. A facelift has been applied to the vintage vibes across the restaurant's interior design, while maintaining the ornate Asian touches beloved by regular guests.
The refurbished dining room at China Tang in Hong Kong: details have been tweaked but the original spirit remains. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
One thing that hasn't changed is the man in charge of the kitchens – executive
chef Menex Cheung , now in his seventh year at the establishment. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Cheung spent two decades perfecting his craft, including tenures in Beijing, Shanghai and Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.
His travels across China and Mongolia allowed Cheung opportunities to polish the flavour profiles that differentiate each region – the numbing and spicy notes of Sichuan cooking, the delicate and refreshing aspects of Cantonese cuisine, the hearty, punchy flavours popular in Beijing and Shandong.
'When you travel, you get to understand the region and its inhabitants – their culture, their food and eating habits,' Cheung explains. 'You learn a lot about a culture through its food. Locally, I often get inspired in unfamiliar places outside of the restaurants. Touring [Hong Kong] and its edible landscape, I get to visit smaller independent vendors, or speak with the fishmongers and butchers. It's not only food that inspires me – everything from floral arrangements to art and crockery can benefit my reasoning and creativity.'
Tang's Sweet and Sour Pork with Bell Peppers and Seasonal Fruits, at Hong Kong restaurant China Tang. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
And Cheung's creativity is formidable. If the interior decorations have only received slight adjustments, the same cannot be said for the menu at China Tang, which is overflowing with new dishes. Cheung estimates that two thirds of the menu is new, and is unafraid of any criticism that might come his way for the tweaks he has made to popular recipes. Rather than indulging in change for the sake of change, however, Cheung says he has only introduced 'changes that are meaningful to the outcome of the dish'.