The Gourmet’s Must-Try List: 4 Must-Order Dishes at Eaton HK’s Eaton Yat Heen

▲ Can you tell? Someone’s impersonating wild mushrooms. (Dish name: Green Calyx and Red Plum – Dual Mushroom Delight)


Reported and photographed by Wong Sai-yuen, Hong Kong

The “Culinary Grand Prix” has been a highlight of Hong Kong’s culinary calendar for 15 years since its inception in 2001. Each year, the event centers around a specific theme. This year’s categories were “Dim Sum: Chiu Chow Fun Guo,” “Meat Patties,” “Vegetables and Mushrooms,” and “Claypot Chicken.” Winning dishes and their respective restaurants often become top choices for food enthusiasts. Eaton Hotel’s Eaton Yat Heen took home gold awards in both 2014 and 2015, with “Green Calyx and Red Plum – Dual Mushroom Delight” claiming the Supreme Gold Award in the Vegetables and Mushrooms category.

This year, Eaton Yat Heen’s award-winning dishes were “Green Calyx and Red Plum – Dual Mushroom Delight” (Supreme Gold Award) and “Three Variations of Chiu Chow Dumplings” (Gold Award). Last year, two other dishes also won gold: “Scallion Crabmeat Risotto” and “Coral Jade Balls.” The “Green Calyx and Red Plum – Dual Mushroom Delight” may appear to feature two types of mushrooms, but it actually only uses Japanese shiitake—de-stemmed and coated with shrimp paste. The other seemingly wild mushroom is actually a dumpling filled with matsutake and boletus mushrooms, sprinkled with cocoa powder for disguise. The fried item in the center is sautéed cordyceps.


▲ Three Variations of Chiu Chow Dumplings.


▲ Three Variations of Chiu Chow Dumplings served with three different sauces.

As for the gold-winning “Three Variations of Chiu Chow Dumplings,” Chef Wong Wing-keung said he aimed to create something different from conventional dumplings. Most are served with chili sauce, but he wanted to use special ingredients that still fit the Chiu Chow dumpling theme. He ended up using fermented soybean paste and kumquat sauce. The dish pairs Chiu Chow Ah Ngor Fun Guo (sister’s dumplings), spinach vegetarian dumplings, and carrot lean-meat dumplings with the soybean, kumquat, and chili sauces respectively, adding diverse flavors.

The “Scallion Crabmeat Risotto” exudes a subtle aroma of scallions upon serving. Chef Wong explained that the dish is made by first blending green onions into a paste, then mixing them into cooked white rice and stir-frying over high heat until the scallions fully coat each grain. The result is fluffy, neither soggy nor sticky, with just the right texture. The surrounding sauce contains especially silky egg whites, achieved by briefly deep-frying them in low-temperature oil before removing them.


▲ Scallion Crabmeat Risotto.

As for the “Coral Jade Balls,” winter melon is crafted to resemble white jade and cooked in a rich crab soup. The crab roe in the soup is actually imitation made from carrots and ginger—ordinary ingredients transformed into something extraordinary by the chef’s skill.


▲ Coral Jade Balls.

The “Culinary Grand Prix” is organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, aiming to inspire culinary creativity among chefs while promoting restaurants and attracting both domestic and international diners. Winning dishes and restaurants often serve as the best guides for food lovers seeking authentic Cantonese cuisine in Hong Kong. The 2015 Culinary Grand Prix featured four categories: “Dim Sum: Chiu Chow Fun Guo,” “Meat Patties,” “Vegetables and Mushrooms,” and “Claypot Chicken.” A total of 9 Supreme Gold Awards, 11 Gold Awards, and 20 Silver Awards were presented.

EATON HK’s EATON YAT HEEN
Address: 281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2894 8888