Dim sum is one of Hong Kong's time-honoured dining experiences, plugging into an older generation's defining food memories, deeply rooted in a sense of family and tradition. Yet, in keeping with the broad trends of new wave Asian cuisine, a younger generation with a more international perspective yearns to define the dim sum experience afresh. Subsequently, modern dim sum restaurants have appeared, catering to these more contemporary, more adventurous tastes. It's a fine line, of course, innovating and pushing the boundaries while remaining anchored in tradition - abandoning authenticity completely is a recipe for a fusion mess. But that's what makes it so challenging and exciting, as the rules are slowly revised and Hong Kong's appetite for dim sum with a difference expands.

Tycoon Tann

The Western world has fallen in love with dumplings - explore the foodie hubs of New York, London or Melbourne and you're guaranteed to find some hipster enclave offering its take on this Asian comfort food. That's all well and good - Western dining has been enriched by the embrace of Asian flavours, while the Asian market benefits as interest deepens overseas and diners become more knowledgeable. But it's hard to imagine any of these well-meaning establishments taking their dumplings as seriously as the operators at Tycoon Tann.

The offerings here are innovative - for example, the combination of wagyu beef with pear, encased in a crispy shell. It doesn't sound like it should work, but the way the hint of fruitiness lightens and offsets the richness of the beef is a revelation. It's certainly not traditional dim sum but the complexity of flavours is superbly judged. The Iberico pork dumpling with scallop and caviar is also exceptional; the soft-centred scallop and caviar finish are guaranteed to send your umami sensors into overdrive.

To follow, there's a Shanghainese pork dumpling with crab roe - at once delicate and deeply satisfying - and a shrimp dumpling with pork and elm fungus, further evidence of the excellent work done here with unique ingredients.

The baked barbecued pork bun swaps the lightly textured skin for a crustier, bread-like casing, while the crab meat spring rolls stuffed with mozzarella cheese offer yet another deliciously surprising combination. Hipsters from overseas should prepare to have their minds blown. 

74 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 3125 3228, tycoontann.com

The Sky Boss

For a heightened - in both senses of the word - dim sum experience, dining at The Sky Boss, 400 metres above Victoria Harbour atop the ICC, takes some beating. It's a high-end setting and the premium ingredients are selected accordingly. When a shrimp dumpling arrives with a foie gras filling, it's clear this is dim sum with broadened horizons, adapted for an international set of food references. Some purists might balk at the fusion element, but it passes the taste test with flying colours - and that's all that matters.

Similarly, the steamed mixed mushroom and black truffle dumplings make delicious use of non-traditional ingredients, as do the pork dumplings with caviar, while upholding a very traditional commitment to technique and delicate presentation. This challenge of balancing authenticity and innovation is again illustrated in the approach to abalone, a "difficult" ingredient that is not easily blended with many of the flavours associated with old-school dim sum. Here, the intriguing solution is to serve the shellfish laid lovingly atop pastry in a kind of open pie.

The deep-fried sesame balls with egg yolk are a marvellous end to the meal: a savoury shell splitting to release the yolky goodness inside.

101/F International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon West, tel: 3955 1755, thebossholdings.com

Dim Sum Icon

Innovation within dim sum can take different forms - in some instances, it may be the use of new ingredients, unexpected flavours or distinctive techniques. There are elements of these different approaches at Dim Sum Icon, but it is the flair for presentation that truly stands out.