Making a trip to Chek Lap Kok for dinner on a weeknight a few weeks ago reminded me of the days of working at the airport area. Back then the food choices were much limited and quality for most of them meh, but I am glad there are now a few more options available, including a few outlets at Marriott SkyCity which I visited this time - not new anymore by any means but somewhere I haven't been before, somehow.
Turned out the long ride was manageable with the Airport Express train pulling up to the AsiaWorld Expo station followed by a quick 10 minute walk through covered pedestrian bridge - took me only slightly over an hour door to door from downtown. Considered the hotel mainly caters for travelers on layover or conference goers at the nearby Expo hall, it's quite nicely done and definitely a notch above par than any normal business hotel in town.
My dinner was up one floor from the lobby at Man Ho, their Chinese restaurant - and yes, it bore the same name as the Chinese restaurant at the other Marriott (JW Marriott in Admiralty) but it's managed by a separate team. The restaurant was said to be serving "Contemporary Cantonese" but there were dishes from other part of China as well.
We began with a trio of appetizers. Most remarkable was the deep-fried scallop and pear, a traditional Cantonese dish with scallops, shrimp paste and sliced pear was put together in layers, dipped in batter and deep-fried. The slightly crunchy pear worked perfectly with the bouncy scallops and shrimp paste along with the syrup on top for the good savory-sweet flavor. Barbecued pork/Char Siu was next, served theatrically with the glazed honey sauce poured on top of hot rocks placed in the center of the plate for the smoking effect. I love the thick slice of meat with firm texture and the slightly charred crust.
A couple more banquet-style dishes were served, first the classic stuffed crab shell with picked crab meat mixed with a creamy sauce stuffed in the crab shell and baked with bread crumbs on top. Then a piece of abalone with white radish and shrimp paste underneath, served with the Cantonese soy-oyster gravy sauce. Both were decently and made good impression from the presentation to the tastes.
The yellow croaker fish was just the right size to share for the four of us at the table. It’s butterflied, deep-fried in oil and served with a drizzle of dark vinegar sauce. The sauce was milder in both acidity and sweetness than usual, but worked well with the fish flavor came out nicely. We finished with a chicken roll with vegetables and pickles and gravy, this time with a richer sauce. And then it’s the traditional mango and sago dessert – perfect in this hot weather - plus the deep-fried fritters to end our meal with.
Went for a bottle of beer, custom made by a local craft beer brewer for the hotel. A mild one with only little hops for traditional ale, and I love the subtle floral flavor. I probably wouldn't make a big detour to eat here often, but definitely a good choice for pre-concert/pre-flight meal if I happened to be in the area.
(Meal was by invitation)
When? July 18 2019
Where? Man Ho, Hong Kong Skycity Marriott Hotel, 1 Sky City Rd E, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Deep-fried scallop and shrimp paste with pear
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