Best Dim Sum: Kirin

At Kirin (Gold) traditional dim sum items (such as har gow and siu mai) support more innovative dishes, each prepared with tremendous skill. Standouts include deep-fried salt-and-pepper capelin (smelts) full of luxurious roe, steamed rice-noodle rolls (cheung fan) with scallops and asparagus, deep-fried bean-curd wrap with prawns and pea shoots and lotus-leaf-wrapped sticky rice (nor mai fan). Their famous taro-and-shrimp cakes were our judges’ favourite dim sum item. Gingeri (Silver) gets full marks for strong table service and a very good selection of teas. A large bowl of fish broth poured over rice with preserved vegetables and ground pork was a tremendous, flawless dish. Bronze winner Sun Sui Wah’s menu leans towards traditional dishes, but incorporates luxurious ingredients: try succulent and savoury braised chicken feet, and the fragrantly sweet steamed sponge cake (ma lai goh). Dai Tung (Honourable Mention) is reminiscent of old-school dim sum joints and offers an excellent bargain for inexpensive dishes like the tender crispy-fried squid. Golden Swan (Honourable Mention) saw a rededication to the quality of food that once made it famous, best seen in steamed rice noodle rolls with three kinds of mushrooms and tender steamed beef tripe, napped in a light sauce.

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