First impressions of Ying Jee Club – uber-posh Cantonese with echoes of nearby Duddell’s fare
Newly opened high-end Central restaurant with a chef from Duddell’s and similar decor served dishes that were well presented but hit and miss; HK$60 surcharge for non-bottled water a sting in the tail
Restaurant group ZS Hospitality has gone through some rocky partnerships since it was established in 2014. It terminated operations at chef Peter Cuong Franklin’s Viet Kitchen, seemingly without warning; abruptly parted ways with self-declared celebrity chef Harlan Goldstein, who ambitiously tried to open four restaurants in the span of a few months; and, more recently, closed chef Christian Mongendre’s Home Eat To Live, leaving many loyal vegetarian patrons wondering where to get their healthy meal fix.
Restaurant review: The Chin’s in Central – elegant, high-end Chinese food at a price
But ZS Hospitality is pressing ahead, turning Ee Da Le and My Tai Tai in Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, into Japanese restaurants, and has recently opened the high-end Ying Jee Club where mid-priced Heichinrou used to be in Connaught Road, Central.
The menu also has a few similar classic dishes, though some are more expensive, such as sautéed sliced garoupa with asparagus and morel mushrooms (HK$680 compared to HK$480 at Duddell’s, which omits the asparagus), making it uber-posh Cantonese dining.
Perusing the menu, we were quite surprised to find a section devoted to shark’s fin, considering ZS Hospitality’s chairwoman, Elizabeth Chu Yuet-han, says she is concerned about the environment.
Meet the 20-something women who are shaking up Hong Kong’s bar and restaurant scene
The evening we went was quiet, with three tables occupied in the main dining area and a party in one of the private rooms; as a result, many staff were milling around, constantly changing plates and refilling tea cups. Surprisingly, there was a lengthy wait between dishes.