Lunch at Forty-Five

I was glad to visit The Merchants, the new Shanghainese restaurant in Landmark, on a clear day. This new dining venue, called Forty Five and as part of the complex on top of Gloucester Tower some 45 levels high, offers the sweeping view of Central, harbor and the Kowloon skyline, either through the window in the dining area, or at the rooftop bar (to be called Cardinal Point) that will soon open. Even just for the view is a legitimate reason to pop by for a visit. 

I have my go-to Shanghainese restaurant in town but are equally happy to check out something different for a change. Chef Chen at The Merchants spent time in the kitchens of Shanghai Fraternity and Jardin de Jade so no surprise the a la carte menu was somewhat similar but he did include some new dishes. The lunch menu has been arranged for us this time with some of his signatures. 

We began with four appetizer dishes. The Drunken Crab was my clear favorite, with the raw crab cured in 25-year Hua Diao rice wine with the bright-red roes on top and plenty of umami flavor. Traditionally Shanghainese "Smoked Fish" was not really smoked but deep-fried and finished with a syrup-like soy and wine glaze. I did like the version here, using pomfret which has less bones and with a firmer texture. 

A question popped up at our table of whether "Hot and Sour Soup" is considered Shanghainese food while the course was served. Well, guess this is what was commonly known as the "adopted Shanghainese cuisine" which included a few dishes originated from other provinces (or even countries) and brought and modified by migrants to Shanghai (and subsequently brought to Hong Kong post-war). This Shanghainese version of Hot and Sour soup was packed with seafood and balanced with a touch of Zhejiang dark vinegar for acidity. I found it a bit too spicy for my liking but it was tasty. 

We continued with a few more traditional dishes. The braised meatballs (Lion's Head) was super tender and full of flavor, with a higher fat-to-meat ratio and slow-braised in a sweet soy gravy sauce with bokchoy underneath served in a mini casserole. The four of us were served a "mini version" of the shredded mandarin fish, with the meat carefully deboned, julienned and sauteed in oil, and tossed with julienned pickles to serve. The meat was on the soft side but worked well with the crunchy shreds of pickles for a hint of acidity. The tea-smoked duck was juicy and tender, and the dish came with the mini buns served hot in a steam basket. 

We ended with the claypot rice with crab meat, roes and fish maw. This is definitely catered to the local crowd who demand the "wow" factor and something IG-worthy. I thought it tasted okay, definitely with a generous portion of crab meat and roes to show forth (they should have served that with Zhejiang vinegar which will definitely augment the umami flavor). The xiaolongbao (steamed pork dumplings), deep-fried tongyuan (sweet sesame dumplings) and Osmanthus sweet soup with rice wine lees were all lovely.

(Lunch was by invitation)

When? April 13 2023
Where? The Merchants at Forty Five, Level 44 Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, Central, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Drunken Crab with 25-year Hua Diao Wine
Web: themerchantshk.com