Saturday, July 19, 2014

The Chairman (大班樓)

Instagram is dangerous.  When you see fellow foodies posting pictures of delicious food, you immediately want to pick up the phone and call the restaurants for reservations and IM your friends all at the same time. 

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Braised Spare Ribs with Preserved Plums in Caramelized Black Vinegar
話梅肉桂糖醋排骨

Such is the back story for our visit at the Chairman (大班樓), which is known for using fresh and local ingredients.  What I appreciate the most though is the fact that they sell no shark's fin, sea cucumber, bird's nest on the menu.  The restaurant is located in Sheung Wan and hidden in a cul-de-sac in a small alley, it is easy to miss if you are not looking carefully.  If you want to try their signature dishes, make sure you tell the host when you are making your reservation.  (Don't make the mistake that we made!)  

Even though we did not order their claim of famed Steamed Fresh Flowery Crab with Aged ShaoXing Wine, Fragrant Chicken Oil & Flat Rice Noodles (雞油花雕蒸大花蟹配陳村粉) (my tongue got tied right there...) and BBQ Chicken Liver with Chinese Bun (古法金錢雞配饅頭) (advance order), we pretty much tried everything else. 

I have to say the Braised Spare Ribs with Preserved Plums in Caramelized Black Vinegar (話梅肉桂糖醋排骨) and The Chairman's Soy Sauce Chicken (十八味豉油雞) are both excellent and I would return again and again just for the spare ribs (Note:  I loved anything soaked in vinegar).

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Pickled Mid-summer Ginger Root served with Century Egg
大班樓子薑皮蛋
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Crispy Enoki Mushrooms
酥炸金針菇
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Smoked Baby Pigeon with Longjing Tea & Chrysanthemum
龍井菊花煙燻乳鴿
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Soup of the day (老火靚湯)
pumpkin / pork / clams

very sweet, very tasty!
definitely no MSG
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The Chairman's Soy Sauce Chicken
十八味豉油雞

It's fresh chicken for sure!  The sauce is excellent
and the chicken is very tender and flavorful.
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Wild Clams Stir Fried with Chilli Jam and Basil
九層塔辣椒膏炒蜆

The sauce again is very tasty and the clams are fresh
Yet, it would be even better if the dish is hotter (temperature wise).
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Braised Spare Ribs with Preserved Plums in Caramelized Black Vinegar
話梅肉桂糖醋排骨

Absolutely my favorite dish of the day
The ribs is tender and fall of the bone
The sauce is tangy and the consistency just right
Perfect balance of sweet and sour and fraqrant
Even the ginger is very yummy
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Steamed Kai Lan with Pickled Chinese Vegetables
梅菜蒸芥蘭


I like how the peeled the Kai Lan to ensure there is no residue
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Fried Rice with Prawns Trio -Fresh Prawns, Sun-dried Prawns & Shrimp Paste
三蝦炒飯: 鮮蝦, 蝦乾, 蝦膏


This fried rice is good but pales in comparison to the rest of the dishes.

Remember to save room for desserts as their Osmanthus & Wolfberry Ice-cream (桂花杞子雪糕) is to die for.  If you are into Almond Milk (生磨杏仁茶), they have a very good one here as well.  Slightly on the bitter side but it's rich and creamy!
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Homemade Almond Sweet Soup
生磨杏仁茶

Very creamy but slight bitter
at least it's the real deal (真材實料)!
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Osmanthus & Wolfberry Ice-cream
桂花杞子雪糕


A very special combination yet worked so well.
Who would have thought?  Like really!

Overall, the dishes are very high quality but the portion was small and a bit pricey. The restaurant recently undergone renovations so it looks modern and clean.  It could get noisy as the tables are close to each other.  Either way, I think it's worth a visit and I certainly will return for a special occassion :)

No.18 Kau U Fong, Central, HK  
Tel: +852 2555 2202 
Email: reservations@thechairmangroup.com 
Reserve Table via WhatsApp: +852 5501 5102 
1. Not applicable to same day booking 
2. Subject to The Chairman's confirmation 
Hours: (Mon - Sunday) (Lunch) 12:00 - 15:00 (Dinner) 18:00 - 23:00

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