Eat & Drink

Hot Tables

Above & Beyond

How about a relaxed and sumptuous Cantonese lunch atop a nice hotel with a commanding view of harbour? That defines dining in Hong Kong as well as is possible. Above & Beyond, a Chinese restaurant on the top floor of Hotel ICON in Tsim Sha Tsui East, in Kowloon, offers just that. The restaurant’s lofty moniker evokes images of awe and wonder, which is pretty spot-on once you are seated with the stunning views of the city skyline below you.

And Hotel ICON is inspirational in its own right. As the only teaching hotel in Hong Kong – part of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management, Hotel ICON is run professionally and commercially, yet offers internship for the school’s students – and it manages both well, judging by the popularity of the hotel and Above & Beyond. We were only too happy to validate the restaurant’s growing reputation.

Under Executive Chef Paul, Above & Beyond offers classic and contemporary dishes that we were eager to try. Our lunch started with a couple of dim sum offerings to whet the appetite: Steamed Mushroom Dumpling with Bamboo Piths (HK$48), and Steamed Pork Dumpling with Porcini (HK$58), both refined steamed starters.

In quick succession came the signature dishes. Crispy Chicken (HK$278/half and HK$518/whole) is clearly a top hit. As one of the defining dishes of the Cantonese cuisine, Crispy Chicken is a musttry for visitors, and we highly recommend this version – it’s hard to beat the crispy chicken skin fried (hang-fried, we were told) just right, with the chicken morsels tasting juicy and tender.

Wok-fried Diced Whole Abalone with Lily Bulbs and Asparagus in XO Sauce (HK$498), another highly touted dish, came next, and tastes as advertised. This is Cantonese food at its best – tender abalone with fresh vegetables carefully layered and stirred fried just enough to retain the freshness and tenderness, and all of it very healthy.

Wok-fried Prawns with Tangerine Peel and Fermented Black Beans (HK$278) is another delicious seafood dish. Perhaps we are prejudiced, but we do think wok-fry is the best way to prepare seafood and retain the meat’s freshness and suppleness. This dish is a textbook example of the beauty of wok-fried cooking.

The next dishes rounded out the lunch: Stirred Kale with Ginger (HK$128), and Fried Rice, Diced ham, Egg White and Minced Ginger (HK$198). Did we also say that wok-fry is also the best way to cook green-leafed vegetables too? Well, it is, as attested by the crunchy texture and freshness of the kale.

Three delicious desserts we managed to find room for rounded out our delightful lunch: Jasmine Tea Crème Brûlée (HK$68), Tea-inspired Puddings (Jasmine Chocolate, Iron Buddha Tea, Green Tea) (HK$98) and Sweetened Ginger Tea with Red Dates and Glutinous Rice Dumplings (HK$68).

A visit to Hong Kong is not complete without a delicious Cantonese meal, whether lunch or dinner. Above & Beyond offers that, plus a view to set your heart pounding. Be sure to give it a try if you can.

Above & Beyond
28/F, Hotel ICON, 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
3400 1318

(Edited on 1 Feb 2018)