Tiny Urban Kitchen

Exploring Food from Boston to Hong Kong and Beyond

  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • Michelin
    • Subscribe
    • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong
      Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong
    • Wakaran Hong Kong
      Wakaran Wan Chai
    • Godenya Hong Kong
      Godenya Hong Kong (revisited)
    • The Chairman Hong Kong
      The Chairman Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star)
    • Hanu Wan Chai Hong Kong
      Hanu (Korean Beef) Wan Chai
    • Always Joy Hong Kong
      Always Joy Hong Kong
    • Michael Chiarelli Ottimo Yountville California
      Bottega + Ottimo Yountville
    • Ciccio Yountville California
      Ciccio Yountville
    • Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California
      Charter Oak St. Helena Napa Valley California
    • Cole’s Chop House Napa California
      Cole's Chop House Napa California
    • Compline Restaurant Napa California
      Compline Restaurant + Wine Shop Napa
    • Napa, California
      Thomas Keller's La Calenda: A Tribute {Now Closed}
    Home » Restaurant

    The Chairman Hong Kong - 大班樓

    Published: Feb 10, 2018 · Modified: Oct 22, 2018 by Jennifer Che

    The Chairman Hong Kong

    The Chairman Hong Kong

    This is post #20, part of my #50PostsIn50Days personal challenge to document my first 100 days in Hong Kong. Other posts in this series may be found at the bottom of the original post. 

    Traditional high end Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong typically offer dishes made with expensive, exotic ingredients such as shark's fin, abalone, and bird's nest. They tend to make excellent roasted meats, like charsiu pork made with Iberian pigs or roast pork with perfect crispy skin. There are flavorful double boiled soups and oftentimes excellent Peking duck. There's usually exquisite dim sum, only offered on weekends.

    After visiting several of these types of restaurants, they started to meld together in my mind because they were so similar.

    This is why The Chairman was so refreshing and felt like a breath of fresh air.

    The Chairman immediately struck me as different. The food was lighter, yet just as flavorful. Each dish was made with precision, focus, and care. The ingredients were top notch an the flavors outstanding. To top that off, the service was extremely warm and attentive. I fell in love with the place.

    The Chairman Hong Kong

    The Chairman Hong Kong

    The Chairman Hong Kong

    I later found out that The Chairman cares A LOT about ingredients. They actually source their chickens and pigs locally from The New Territories in Hong Kong. They have their own little farm in Sheung Shui, where they cure their meat, pickle their vegetables, and grow some organic produce. They work with local fishermen who bring them fresh fish and shrimp (caught that morning!) straight from the South China Sea.

    The restaurant says that it serves no shark's fin, sea cucumber, or bird's nest on its menu, partly because it finds them less interesting, but also because it's less sustainable or "eco-friendly."

    We visited The Chairman one Sunday during lunch. We had wanted to eat dinner there, but the place books out so far ahead (I'm talking weeks!), the only spot that was open was lunch. Thankfully, the dinner menu is also available (more or less) during lunchtime.

    The Chairman Hong Kong: Wild Clams Stir Fried with Chilli Jam and Basil
    We decided to order the classic tasting menu in order to enjoy some of The Chairman's most well-known dishes. For parties of two and three, they only offer one tasting menu. If you come with a group of four or larger, you can order from some of the larger tasting menus. I definitely hope to come back some time to try one of those! This review will only cover the 2-3 person tasting menu.

    Our first course was stir fried wild clams with a chili jam and basil. The sauce was spicy, probably using some sort of house made fermented bean paste, yet had a bit of sweetness. It was very nice.
    The Chairman Hong Kong: Deep Fried Crab Meat and Mushrooms Dumplings
    Our next course was a deep fried crab meat and mushroom dumplings. The frying technique was almost like tempura, sort of, which meant it was lighter than a typical deep fried dumpling.
    The Chairman Hong Kong
    Soooo good. I love how there's a nice mix of crab and vegetables to balance everything out. Notice how thin and crispy the skin is!

    The Chairman Hong Kong The Chairman Kong

    Sadly for us, the signature dish that is usually the second course, the crispy taro cake with smoked duck, was not yet available during lunchtime. I was definitely a bit bummed. The server told us to pick another item from the menu. We chose the pan fried minced pork cakes with salted fish, which were pleasant and quite flavorful, but I kept wondering about the duck. I have a feeling I would have liked that better.

    Update! We came back and did the same tasting again with three people and got to try the duck - woo hoo! It was AWESOME.
    The Chairman Hong Kong - Taro puff with duck
    We absolutely loved the crispy taro puff with smoked duck, and it is definitely better than the minced pork cakes.
    The Chairman Hong Kong
    I can safely say this is the best taro puff I have ever had. The exterior was crispy yet light (not at all greasy). The inside was filled with smoked duck, celery, and scallions. I loved how the scallions lightened things up. Overall, it was fantastic.
    The Chairman Hong Kong: Steamed Fresh Flowery Crab with Aged ShaoXing Wine, Fragrant Chicken Oil & Flat Rice Noodles
    It cost extra to upgrade to the Steamed Fresh Flowery Crab, but YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO IT. THIS is what makes this restaurant special. A whole flowery crab is gently cooked with aged Shaoxing rice wine and fragrant chicken oil, and then served over a bed of flat rice noodles. This dish is AMAZING . . . It seems like a simple dish, and the ingredients list is small, but something about the way they execute this dish puts in above any other Shaoxing wine crab dish I've had in Hong Kong.

    It is simply phenomenal.
    The Chairman Hong Kong
    Bryan really appreciated how they even crack the shells for you to make it easier and neater to eat (he absolutely hates getting his hands dirty). They even gave us some small utensils to pick out the meat from the claws.

    The flavors of the sauce is incredible, and I was so thankful for the ribbon-like noodles to use as a vehicle to sop it more sauce.

    Definitely get this!
    The Chairman Hong Kong: Szechuan Spicy New Zealand Crispy Lamb Belly
    The next course consisted of Szechuan spicy New Zealand crispy lamb belly stir fried with fresh zucchini, celery, and cilantro. It had a nice kick and wasn't too oily at all. All in all, it was done quite well.
    The Chairman Hong Kong: Layered Beancurd and Bean Sprout in Fish Broth
    Next, we enjoyed a rich and flavorful fish broth served with layered bean curd sheets, deep fried crullers, Chinese greens (I think it was choy sum but I'm not positive), and ginkgo nuts. The broth reminded me of soy milk, and the overall flavors were light and balanced. I felt healthy finishing up my meal with this virtually meat-less course.
    The Chairman Hong Kong
    On our second visit, instead of ending with the soup, we ended with stir fried Chinese broccoli (gailan) topped with flavorful "mei-gan cai" or preserved mustard greens. I loved the attention to detail that they placed on the gailan stems, chopping them all down to the same uniform length and shaving the ends down so that the entire piece would be tender.

    The pieces were cooked perfectly and the dish was delicious.
    The Chairman Hong Kong: Fried Rice with Prawns Trio -Fresh Prawns, Sun-dried Prawns & Shrimp Paste
    We ended with rice, more specifically fried rice with fresh prawns, sun-dried prawns, and shrimp paste (a "trio" of prawns) plus gailan stems (ha ha, THAT's where the stems went!). It was light and simple. We were pretty full at this point, so we just tasted a bit and took the rest home.

    The Chairman Hong Kong The Chairman Hong Kong

    Osmanthus & goji (or wolfberry) ice cream was interesting and fun. It was nice and light, and we enjoyed this with a small shot of almond cream soup, which was lovely.
    The Chairman Hong Kong
    We had a lovely time at the restaurant and have since returned at least once more. We aren't the only ones who love this place. It's HARD to book. Definitely call ahead, maybe up to three weeks in advance, if you want to book a table for dinner (especially on weekends). This restaurant is currently number 27 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list, and is recommended by the Michelin Guide (it previously had a star but lost it - not sure why).

    They do offer alcohol, but you can also bring your own wine for a nominal corkage fee.

    Highly, highly recommended!

    The Chairman Hong Kong
    18 Kau U Fong
    Central HONG KONG

    More Restaurant

    • Forbidden Duck Causeway Bay
      Forbidden Duck Causeway Bay
    • Kunming China
      Kardia Cafe Kunming China 從心開始
    • 凹糟管 Aozao Restaurant
      Aozao Guan 凹糟館 - Modern Yunnan Cuisine in Kunming, China
    • chocolate
      La Dame de Pic - Paris France

    Recent Posts

    • Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong Kong June 17, 2025
    • Wakaran Wan Chai June 15, 2025
    • Godenya Hong Kong (revisited) June 12, 2025
    • The Chairman Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star) June 6, 2025
    • Hanu (Korean Beef) Wan Chai June 2, 2025
    • Always Joy Hong Kong May 29, 2025
    • Bottega + Ottimo Yountville May 14, 2025
    • Ciccio Yountville May 11, 2025

    Trackbacks

    1. 100 Days in Hong Kong - Reflections + a New Challenge! - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      February 20, 2018 at 10:44 am

      […] Peking duck (TST) Akrame – Michelin starred French (Wan Chai) Sushi Ta-Ke (Causeway Bay) The Chairman (Central) La Locanda by Giancarlo Perbellini (TST) Ham & Sherry – Spanish (Wan Chai) Crystal Jade […]

      Log in to Reply
    2. Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors! - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      March 18, 2018 at 11:10 am

      […] The Chairman is one of my favorite Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong. It focuses on local and sustainable “eco-friendly” ingredients, sourcing certain items from its own farm in Hong Kong (not an easy feat!). Definitely splurge for their signature steamed fresh flowery crab – it’s worth it! […]

      Log in to Reply
    3. The Chairman Four Person Set Menu {大班樓} Hong Kong - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      November 10, 2018 at 11:36 am

      […] six months of moving to Hong Kong, The Chairman quickly became one of my favorite places to enjoy a lighter, healthier, and more sustainable […]

      Log in to Reply
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

    More about me →

    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    Explore

    • Recipe
    • Restaurant
    • US Travel
    • World Travel

    Popular Posts

    • Ad Hoc Thomas Keller Brunch Yountville California
      Thomas Keller Ad Hoc + Addendum + Bouchon Bakery
    • Mandalay San Francisco
      Mandalay San Francisco (Burmese Food)
    • Boulettes Larder Ferry Building San Francisco
      Boulette Larder (Ferry Building) San Francisco
    • Bodega SF California (Vietnamese)
      Bodega SF (Modern Vietnamese)

    Recipes

    • Appetizer
    • Snacks
    • Meat
    • Vegetables
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Noodles

    Recently Traveled

    • Hong Kong
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Boston
    • California
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • Spain

    Support Us

    Support Tiny Urban Kitchen by making purchases on Amazon through our affiliate link:

    Recognition


    Featured on the front page
    of the FOOD Section: 2015

    Best Food Blog Awards:
    Restaurant & Dining 2012

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Equipment
    • In the Press
    • Project Food Blog
    • Privacy Policy

    Eating Guides!

    Eating & Travel Guides
    Trip Reports
    "Kawaii" (Cute Foods)
    Around the World

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • RSS Feed

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shop at Amazon

    Copyright © 2024 Tiny Urban Kitchen