The Hong Kong chef who helms The Royal Pavilion at The Reverie Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City reveals the Hong Kong restaurants he goes to for refined Chinese fare, Chaozhou cuisine and food with a view
Hong Kong chef Lau Yam Chuen has been soaking up the sights and sounds of his new home of Ho Chi Minh City, not to mention slurping up the nation’s signature noodles. “I have been loving pho!” says the new chef de cuisine of The Royal Pavilion at The Reverie Saigon. “I am deeply impressed by the soup. The broth is very rich in flavour but light in texture, very tasty and smells amazing.”
It’s not a far cry from the soups that form an important part of his native Cantonese cuisine, which is on the menu at The Royal Pavilion. Double-boiled fish maw soup with chicken broth, and double-boiled abalone with black chicken and sea conch are just two of the authentic soups he offers alongside other classic Cantonese dishes.
“I love Cantonese cuisine because it offers a vast variety of food choices. It consists of many sub-categories, from dim sum to cooked dishes, as well as many techniques, including stir-frying, pan-frying, deep-frying, steaming, braising and roasting. From comfort food to banquet dishes, we combine different cooking methods and elevate the food into a fine art form.”
Chef Lau has decades of experience with the cuisine, beginning his culinary career at the tender age of 16 and working his way through various restaurants in Hong Kong, including the acclaimed Ying Jee Club.
“I love using seasonal and local ingredients to create the unique flavourful and authentic tastes of Cantonese dishes, incorporating innovative cooking ideas to offer the most satisfying dining experience,” he says. At The Royal Pavilion, his specialities include salt-crusted roast chicken, stewed rice with deluxe abalone, and pan-fried crab claw with shrimp paste, crispy conpoy and caviar.
While he recreates a wide range of Cantonese dishes, there are still a number of Hong Kong specialities and establishments that he yearns for and looks forward to enjoying on his next trip home.
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