My last large meal in Hong Kong, we went to Tycoon Tann at the behest of other people that paid for the meal. Smack dab around Central, Tycoon Tann has a rather beautiful interior. Unfortunately when we started our order, they had actually run out of their somewhat famous char siu (Hungarian Mangalica Hogs) so uh… there goes that idea haha.
Anywho, they still have their Peking duck so we decided to order that:
The peking duck was quite well done, with very crispy skin and very thin amounts of fat.
The platter that came with the duck was cucumber, scallions, pineapple, and brown sugar with hoisin sauce. They used the more traditional thin paper pancakes but I personally love the soft buns more.
Next up, we had the baked crab shell stuffed with fresh crab meat, onions, and cheese. Very nicely done actually though I think I like the stuffed crab shells that have a crispy exterior on the outside (like those seen in Fook Lam Moon or Yan Toh Heen). I’m not that big on eating cheese, but crab meat inside was distinct yet well mixed together.
Next up we basically got the king prawns with soft eggs. The prawns were huge and not overcooked. The eggs still soft and a little runny. Quite well done, just something I usually order with rice noodles.
Pretty simple veggies with garlic. Not overcooked and pretty much defibered the outside of the veggies.
Next up were these pan fried (soy sauce supreme’d) tiger garoupa filets. Good execution though, I think I’d prefer a nice whole steamed version instead.
For our second vegetable dish was something that I actually can’t recall seeing in California. These veggies are called ice plants (ficoïde glaciale in French) and supposedly they’re also grown within the state of California and Oregon.
I thought they were pretty neat. The outside of the stems have these little bubbles that provide a different taste texture. Cooked just right with a good crisp, the ice plant was given a nice savory taste due to the addition of the superior broth and the Jinhua ham. The yuba skins were a nice addition to the dish.
Lastly, the Tycoon Tann fried rice was ordered. Excellent wok hei, with a few sakura shrimps and regular shrimp thrown in. Mixed with bits of eggs and green onions, this fried rice was actually quite well done. Unfortunately, I had pretty much the same fried rice yesterday at Tasting Court so it wasn’t too special for me.
Ending our meal, I wanted to try their gigantic glutinous rice ball but unfortunately their leavening of the day wasn’t quite up to snuff. Got the almond tea this time and it was a smooth bowl but seemed a little thin. I liked the version I had at Yum’s Bistro more actually (go figure).
Overall, a very nice meal but on the pricier end (good thing I didn’t pay… ha). Would I go back? Mmm… everything seemed quite well executed. Service was great, food was well done. Just I might step out and try other places for the price.
