T'ang Court (Langham Hotel)

Okay, so far we've had 2 Dim Sum meals at one Michelin-Star rated establishments.  I'm not sure if that means a whole lot because the food was pretty decent, but not something I'd be dying to go back to.  However, let's see what a 3 Michelin-Star restaurant might yield.  That would be T'ang Court in the Langham Hotel located in Tsim Sha Tsui.  We met up with Science Guy and his wife (coincidence that he was in HK at the same time) for lunch.  Even from our initial interaction with the reception, it was pretty clear why they earned 3 Michelin-Stars - the service was impeccable.

After we were seated in the upscale, yet understated dining room, the hyper-attentive and unpretentious service began and didn't end until we left.  We decided to all order the Set Lunch which included 6 courses and a choice of fresh fruit juice.  Honestly, for $330HKD per person, this was not expensive with all things considered.  We began with one steamer each of the Ha Gau and Siu Mai.  Featuring a thin and chewy dumpling skin that was slightly elastic, the ha gau was definitely carefully constructed.  Inside, there was just enough pork fat to create a buttery texture while keeping things moist.  The snap from the sweet shrimp was delicate and the bamboo shoots didn't interfere with any pungency.  Their take on siu mai included some dried minced sole in addition to the usual pork, shrimp and shiitake.  I felt the texture of the dumpling was spot on with a buttery bounciness.  Flavours were subtle and not reliant on salt.

Our last Dim Sum item included in the set lunch was the Golden Fried Shrimp, Preserved Egg and Young Ginger Rolls.  These were lightly crispy with a firm sesame crunch on the one side.  Inside, the shrimp were sweet and moist with a meaty snap.  The pungency of the preserved egg was subtle while the pickled ginger definitely dominated the flavour profile.  I would've preferred less of it despite the fact I'm a huge fan of pickled ginger by itself.  Arriving on individual plates, we were served the Poached Sliced Conch atop celery and bean sprouts finished off with chili soy sauce.  Emulating the texture of geoduck, the conch was firm, yet tender with an appealing bounce texture.  It was naturally sweet and lightly accented by the soy.  I enjoyed the veggies underneath as they were barely kissed by the hot wok which meant they were crisp and vibrant.

With our next course, we were presented with the Double-Boiled Japanese Cepe Mushrooms with bamboo pith and mixed fungus soup.  The clean and clear consomme was sweet, woodsy and full-of-depth while still being light and warming.  It was obvious that they extracted as much flavour from the mushrooms as possible.  The mushrooms themselves were buttery and tender while the bamboo pith added a light crunch.  Impressively large, the Sauteed Prawns with gai lan were akin to mini-lobster tails as their texture was firm, meaty and robust.  There was still a sweet snap to be had as well as the usual shrimp aroma.  It wasn't aggressively seasoned, so the natural flavours were not obscured.

Ending with some carbs, we were served the Braised E-Fu Noodles with conpoy.  Delicate and buttery with a light rebound, the noodles were as perfect as one could expect.  There was some complex flavours here other than the usual dark soy and sesame oil.  The dried scallops added an intense briny sweetness as well as a chewiness to the dish.  I particularly enjoyed how the noodles were moist without being wet or overly greasy.  For dessert, we had the Egg Whites and Almond Milk Soup which was a light way of finishing up.  It was only lightly sweet with little nuggets of tender egg white.

For the kiddies, we ordered a la carte Dim Sum including the Stir-Fried Rice Flour Rolls with sliced pork and soy sauce.  This featured soft rice noodle rolls that were still slightly elastic and completely coated with a sweet soy.  The flavours were caramelized including the tender slices of pork.  Once again, they were able to barely cook through the bean sprouts which meant there was a vibrant crunch to the dish.  As per usual, they also had the Steamed BBQ Pork Buns which were fluffy and light.  Inside, the filling was lean and meaty with a good balance between sweet and savoury.

Even though it wasn't very traditional, the Golden Fried Spring Rolls with shrimp, sea whelk, cheese and Portuguese Sauce was to my son's liking.  They were served hot, crunchy and not oily at all.  Inside, the shrimp exhibited a meaty snap while the cheese was definitely there with a gooey texture.  We found the Portuguese sauce to be creamy yet mild, which was worked for him.  Lastly, they also had the Golden-Fried Taro Puffs with diced duck, pork and black mushrooms.  These were lightly crispy and airy with only a thin layer of taro.  Inside, the meat was tender and lightly seasoned.  In the end, the food was really good and the service was even better.  If you are willing to spend the money, T'ang Court does live up to its 3-star rating.

The Good:
- Outstanding service
- Delicately and carefully prepared food
- Understated class

The Bad:
- As with any high-class restaurant, you could spend a lot here