CELESTIAL COURT

This Kowloon institution is decidedly old school, from the corridor of generic Chinese antiques to the chairs and the carpet which has seen better days, but locals flock here for the food. Classical Cantonese cuisine is all about subtraction, and the ethereal dishes served here are on the subtle side, seasoned with restraint. The selection of double-boiled soups is sumptuous, from fish maw with conpoy and black mushrooms to sea whelk with porcini mushroom and pigeon. Their signature roasted suckling pig stuffed with black truffle and Chinese pearl barley is out of this world, packs a glorious crunch, and requires pre-ordering two days in advance and well worth the wait. There are a few dim sum items heretically available during dinner for tourists, but, as expected, dim sum is decidedly much more delicious during lunchtime. The steamed Celestial Court shrimp dumpling features giant bouncy prawns wrapped in a chewy, snow-white skin, seasoned with restraint. Service is courteous, but might be a bit slow on busy days—and it’s usually busy most days of the week—so a firm hand and voice is sometimes needed to get the staff’s attention.