Spring Moon 嘉麟樓 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Spring Moon (嘉麟樓) had developed a knack for surprising us with expertly crafted creations from time to time. This time around, their dim sum chef Henry Fong Lee Hing decides to breathe some fresh air into the classic Shanghainese dish xiao long bao by adding an Italian twist to the mix. 

This refined xiao long bao features fresh red shrimps from Sicily giving this timeless classic a totally different look.



Perched on the first floor of the legendary Peninsula Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, Spring Moon not only has the best char siu (barbecued pork) and mooncake, they also possess a long list of signature dim sums such as steamed crystal shrimp dumplings with spider crab legs, crispy buns with minced Wagyu beef, onions and black pepper and siu mai with scallops and wild mushrooms just to name a few.



Steamed pork dumpling with Sicilian red shrimps ($88), 7/10
But the story of the day has to be the steamed pork dumpling with Sicilian red shrimps which was being carefully prepared at the special counter near the entrance area.


 
The combination of minced pork and Sicilian red shrimps gave the xiao long bao a very unique texture and taste. Even the broth had a strong red shrimp flavor. Very nice.



Baked barbecued pork puff pastry ($57), 8.5/10
Crispy on the outside, warm and moist inside; that's the way we always liked our baked BBQ pork puff pastry to be but it's easier to be said than done. This was so mouthwatering.



Golden mashed taro with diced abalone, chicken & black mushrooms ($63), 8/10
Under this flaky crust was a layer of mashed taro with diced abalone, chicken and black mushrooms all wrapped around in the middle. This was another masterpiece.  



Steamed scallops and pea sprouts dumplings ($63), 6.5/10
Onto our dumplings now, we first got a taste of their steamed scallops and pea sprouts dumplings. 

The ultra-thin skin was very nice to go with the diced scallops and pea sprouts. My only complaint was that the portion between scallops and pea sprouts seemed to be a little tilted towards the sprouts.



Steamed crab meat and pumpkin dumplings ($63), 5/10
The steamed pumpkin and crab meat were a lovely combination but unlike the previous dumpling, the skin here was a little too sticky for my liking.



Fried vermicelli with crab meat and egg ($270), 7/10
Between noodles and fried rice, we opted for one of their signature dishes - fried vermicelli with crab meat and egg and it was a good one. The fried vermicelli provided quite an interesting bite along with the dried scallops, fresh crab meat and sprouts.


 
Steamed red date cake flavored with coconut ($54), 8/10
Another house specialty. Very strong red date flavor complemented by the sweetness of coconut without being overly sweet.




Dining at the Peninsula Hotel is always an experience unparalleled anywhere. It's definitely worth the splurge.


Food Rating: 7.5/10
Price: $$$$
Address: 1/F, The Peninsula Hong Kong, 19-21 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852 2696-6760
Website: http://hongkong.peninsula.com/en/fine-dining/spring-moon-chinese-restaurant