Hidden in a less frequented part of the Convention and Exhibition Centre, Golden Bauhinia has a relaxed atmosphere with a pleasant view of the harbour. But having spent a long time looking for the restaurant, we began to wonder if it would do better to have a more convenient location. This could have explained for the few diners on our visit one Saturday evening, yet more disappointing was that the service was still slow and sometimes lacking in attentiveness.
We ordered the soup of the day ($33 per person) which, according to our waiter, was a clear broth made from apples, Chinese leaves and pork knuckle. But what eventually came to our table did not fit the description.
It was only when we inquired that the waiter revealed the apple broth was sold out and had had been replaced by a herbal alternative. The herbal soup was delicious so we didn't complain, but we should have been informed.
Chicken wings stuffed with glutinous rice ($40 per piece), one of the restaurant's specialties, were worth recommending. Stuffed with glutinous rice, dried shrimps and shredded pork, the boneless chicken wings were roasted to produce a crispy skin and a subtle aroma.
Boiled fish head with mushrooms and vermicelli in soup ($78) left us puzzled because three of the promised ingredients were missing. For some unknown reason it turned out to be stir-fried fish head and egg whites, with such an overwhelming taste of butter that the flavour of the fish was eclipsed.
Roasted chicken in port sauce ($120 for half, $240 for whole) was another disappointment: the meat was tough and the fragrance of port was nowhere to be found.