Chung's Cuisine

10/f, Times Square, Causeway Bay
Visited 29th March 2009

The Hong Kong 7s is hard work and after the festivities our group of strangely connected friends tumbled into Causeway Bay looking for nourishment. I tend to avoid the Food Forum at Times Square; spread over four floors it's a strange, surreal place that's all a bit too fake and abstract for me. Part of the Tao Hung group, the Chung's Cuisine at Times Square is, of course, one of three branches in Hong Kong. The restaurant is well laid out and spacious, while an open kitchen and wood panelling help to the give the place a sprinkle of class.

One of my friends ordered for the table from a menu that includes plenty of Cantonese favourites. We started with some delicate slices of beef and a serve of crisp roast pork; both were good though the pork could have maybe been a tad tenderer. The whole roast chook that came next was a highlight. Served with slithers of apple and guava and a pureed sauce made from the fruit I loved the contrast between the salty roast meat, crisp fruit and smooth sauce. Next was egg whites with crab roe and this magnificently presented dish was a matter subtle textures and flavours. Then it was onto tasty water spinach with whole roast garlic cloves and salt and pepper fried tofu that was ruined by a plastering of thick batter. We finished with sweet and sour pork and the fatty pork came with a well balanced sauce and cucumber slithers that added a refreshing texture. After the weekend we'd all had it was pretty easy to stick to drinking tea.

There's a lot to like about Chung's Cuisine. The menu states clearly that there's no MSG, no artificial colouring, no powdered chicken stock, no charge for tea and no service charge; that's a lot of positive nos. The staff were professional and polite, though a couple of times it did take a while to get their attention. The pleasant ambiance was complimented by well presented, tasty food and a bill that only came to $98 a head; something of a bargain I think. Causeway Bay is swamped with restaurants, but if you can handle a visit to the Food Forum then Chung's is certainly worth a visit.

Visit restaurant website.