Good Eating Edit: Sumptuous Chinese cuisine at Lai Ching Heen in Hong Kong – the two-Michelin-starred restaurant formerly known as Yan Toh Heen still delivers the finest fare after nearly 40 years

With the InterContinental Hong Kong now rebranded back to its original name, The Regent, it makes sense that the hotel’s beloved Chinese restaurant returns to its original title, too. Thus Yan Toh Heen is once again Lai Ching Heen as it was in 1984, the very appropriate name meaning “Regent scenic pavilion” in Cantonese.

Although its name may have changed back and forth over the years, one thing that has been consistent at Lai Ching Heen is the exceptional quality of its food. Upon its opening nearly 40 years ago, one Post writer enthused, “If there’s a better Chinese restaurant in the East, I want to know about it.” Its quality has not diminished – evidenced by the two Michelin stars Lai Ching Heen was awarded last month in the 2023 edition of the Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau.

One of the reasons for Lai Ching Heen’s esteemed reputation is executive chef Lau Yiu-fai. A man with more than 40 years of experience at The Regent, a veteran of the restaurant’s original opening in 1984, chef Lau pours his passion and soul into every dish. Working alongside him for almost 30 years is head chef Cheng Man-sang. Together the pair craft an exquisite array of Cantonese culinary treasures.

With their vast knowledge of Cantonese cuisine, Lau, Cheng and their team are continuously refining the menu at Lai Ching Heen, crafting original new dishes and elevating traditional favourites to delectable new heights.

Lauded as one of the best Chinese restaurants in the world, a visit to Lai Ching Heen is a delectable journey that starts at the very entrance, where the decor is reminiscent of a jade jewellery box, one which opens to reveal the stunningly rich heritage of Cantonese cuisine.

Since day one, Lai Ching Heen has been renowned for the quality of its dim sum. Current highlights include the baked air-dried duck meat with taro buns and the unmissable Lai Ching Heen Superior Dumplings – a trifecta of a steamed lobster dumpling with home-made XO chilli sauce, a steamed French obsiblue prawn dumpling with duck liver, and a steamed Hokkaido scallop dumpling topped with black caviar.

All dishes are made with traditional cooking methods, and top-quality and seasonal ingredients – deliberately presented with an eye for detail and contemporary finesse. All these elements are present in the remarkable Lai Ching Heen Combination, a serving of cold black caviar with Hokkaido scallop, barbecued pork with honey, and braised Japanese oyster in rice wine spicy sauce.

Don’t miss the steamed lobster with tofu and crabmeat roe for an unforgettable experience that shows why the cooking at Lai Ching Heen has remained unparalleled for nearly four decades.