Hutong’s serene setting is made for romance and fine dining

Hutong serves contemporary northern Chinese in a serene setting for some of the best views of bustling Victoria Harbour. The antique Chinese furniture and décor, featuring lanterns and birdcages, hint at a scene from a bygone Hong Kong.

COST HK$120 to HK$150 per dim sum dish.

WHO TO BRING View lovers and romantics.

TURN-ONS Intent on sampling their dim sum menu, we tried each of Hutong’s dinner-time dumpling dishes. Our favourite was the lamb and leek dumplings (HK$118). With each broth-filled bite, we further lamented that the dish had not been adopted by more dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong. We also tried the poached wonton served with garlic and chilli sauce (HK$118), and pork and fennel dumplings with plum dipping sauce (HK$118). The fennel seeds added an aromatic edge to the latter. Tucking into Hutong’s steamed buns, we tried the ginger lobster bao with spring onion (HK$148 for three pieces) and the traditional Beijing-style steamed pork buns (HK$128 for four). Like the pork and fennel dumplings, the pork buns were subtly flavoured with herbs.

TURN-OFFS The crispy glutinous rice dumplings with chocolate (HK$98) were a feast for the eyes, but otherwise lacked flavour.

DRINKS Apart from a selection of Champagne cocktails, Hutong also serves “home-made cocktails”. The lychee wine (HK$148) combines Tanqueray gin-soaked lychees with lychee liqueur and soda water in a traditional clay pot. This is less sweet than it sounds, and paired well with dim sum after dark. The so-called “tequila spicy” (HK$128) blends Don Julio Blanco with lychee liqueur passion-fruit syrup, lemon juice and fresh chillies. It’s a strong dose with bold flavours, which stood up to the spice of northern Chinese cuisine. Hutong also has an extensive list of Western and Chinese wines, plus a selection of sakes and other spirits.