GOLDEN LEAF

For Cantonese cooking done with sophistication and restraint, the Conrad’s signature Chinese restaurant remains a stalwart among families and business types. The dining room is not overtly opulent but feels refined; lunch is a livelier affair with groups enjoying dim sum (the gold leaf-topped har gao is a perennial favourite despite the price tag) but come for dinner if you prefer a more hushed—but not uncomfortable—vibe to impress a guest. Clarity of flavour is highly prized in Cantonese cooking, and you’ll find it here in dishes such as chicken lightly poached and served in a glistening golden layer of chicken essence—a dish that appears austere but is deceivingly indulgent in flavour. Others, such as braised aubergine with minced prawn and chilli sauce are less attractive in presentation but dance on the palate. Some may balk at handing over the dollars for dishes that are seemingly less inventive than those at more contemporary restaurants, but we applaud Golden Leaf’s confident rendition of traditional recipes with elegant refrain.