Rare Regional Dishes: There’s nothing more disheartening than a subpar meal at one of Hong Kong’s countless mid-range Cantonese chain restaurants, and that’s why we’re thrilled to hear about the opening of Moon Palace at Festival Walk. Find elements of southern regional varieties (Chiu Chow, Shunde) on the menu; expect painstakingly created dim sum dishes, soups that take hours to put together, and signature plates that go above and beyond your standard roast goose or white cut chicken. 

Look & Feel: Reds and golds are to be expected, but here the design is one of understated elegance – dim lighting, spacious seating, pristine dark beige tablecloths. 

On the Menu: We’re incredibly excited to see that baked fish intestine with eggs (HK$188) is one of the restaurant’s signatures. This iconic dish originates from Shunde cuisine, which is characterized by its emphasis on freshness of ingredients and rich umami flavors. The dish is incredibly hard to come by these days in Hong Kong, and with Moon Palace billing it as one that deserves special mention, it’ll be a must for devoted fans of old-school Cantonese.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a noteworthy Cantonese spread without poultry prepared with finesse: deep-fried chicken with mashed shrimp ($1,188), another signature, is also rarely found in the city today because of the intricacies involved in creating the dish (the skin and flesh of the chicken are separated, yet both must be kept intact). Meanwhile, the double-boiled chicken soup with black garlic and polygonatum root (HK$488) features a plant that frequently makes appearances in Chinese herbal medicine and is believed to relieve dry throats. On the dim sum front, aside from the classics, try chef’s own creations like stuffed crab claws with minced shrimp (HK$58/piece), or regional Cantonese favorites like Chiu Chow-style turnip cake (HK$58).

Meet the Chefs: The two executive chefs have spent a combined seven decades (!) in Cantonese kitchens. Executive chef Lee Chi-kwong worked at Fook Lam Moon (one Michelin star in 2021), a Hong Kong institution that needs no introduction, and Golden Valley at the Emperor Hotel (one Michelin star in 2019). Executive dim sum chef Chan Sai-fai has a long history of working in Macau, namely Jade Dragon (three Michelin stars in 2021) and Wing Lei Palace (one Michelin star in 2021). 

Great For: Finely exquisite dim sum and regional Cantonese favorites. 

Check out Hong Kong’s newest restaurants and bars here.

This writeup is a news piece and was not based on a restaurant visit. The Loop HK will update this post once we’ve visited in person.