The Mandarin Cake Shop (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

I have a very special dinner lined up tonight, one that I have been really looking forward to since I secured the table last month. The only problem now is the fact that I have another hour to kill before the long anticipated meal. So I found myself on a mission to find a place interesting enough near my dinner venue to get me through the hour.

After walking around Central for a good 15-20 minutes without success, I suddenly came across The Mandarin Cake Shop (文華餅店) at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, a place that I haven't visited for a long long time. Bingo.



Opera cake ($48) - This was pretty decent but the contrasting textures from the different layers didn't come through. There're at least half a dozen places that I think offer a better opera cake. Check that, maybe at least a dozen.



1963 Mandarin cheesecake ($48) - A namesake dessert (sort of), oh I love namesake desserts. This was pretty cheesy almost like an American style cheesecake but it was one that was desperately looking for something to spice it up. Blueberry, passion fruit, something.....



I still remember The Mandarin Oriental Cake Shop as one of the top patisseries in the city not too long ago and even now, it's still pretty highly rated by many Hong Kongers (as seen here with customers walking in and out of the shop during my visit). But I thought with the growing number of quality patisseries these days, their stock has dropped significantly to a point where I won't even consider them a top 20 choice in town. The only title I'm willing to give is perhaps "The most overrated cake shop in Hong Kong".

PS. Another 10% was tagged onto my bill for dining in. Fair deal (Service was excellent). 

Food Rating: 5/10
Price: $$$
Address: M/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Central
Tel: +852 2825-4008
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com.hk/hongkong/fine-dining/the-mandarin-cake-shop