To many people, Snow Garden probably needs no introduction. Since it opened its first outlet in North Point many years ago, the Shanghainese restaurant has won rave reviews and now has branches in four prime locations.
We put the Causeway Bay branch to the test on a recent weekday evening. It was much busier than we had expected and we ended up with a table near the entrance. The dining room had a cosy ambience, but the decibel levels were too high.
An excellent selection of mouthwatering Shanghainese appetisers was available either separately or as part of a platter. We opted for a combination of smoked fish and drunken chicken ($120). The smoked fish was enjoyable, but contained long and sharp bones. The chicken was deliciously tender, though it would have tasted better with more rice wine.
Served simmering in a clay pot, braised meatballs with vegetables ($80) was a sumptuous choice. The fresh pork was well complemented by a generous serving of pak choi, which absorbed all the flavour of the rich gravy.
Tientsin cabbage with chicken and Yunnan ham ($80) was infused with the flavour of Yunnan ham and a chicken broth sauce. Shanghainese hairy crab xiao long bao ($20 each), however, were disappointing. Though the crab meat and roe filling was sinfully delicious, the wrapping was so poor the rich juices spilled out.
We rounded off the meal with mashed red bean pancake ($60). The pancake was light and fluffy and generously filled. Service was sporadic, but waiters were generally friendly and eager to help. Dinner for three came to $557.