Copyright theage
Owner-chef Stevenson Su adorns the wall of the entrance with pictures of himself with celebrities and politicians, but it’s the snap of him spooning braised abalone with two gentlemen that grabs my attention: Yeung Koon-yat, famously known as the “King of Abalone” in Hong Kong and his student Guangfan Mai – the “Prince of Abalone” – both of whom Su trained under. Su’s cooking resume includes the three Michelin-starred Forum in Hong Kong plus restaurants in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Singapore. The guy knows a thing or three about cooking live seafood and every table I walk past has ordered some. The cook on the steamed live grouper is right up there with Cantonese powerhouses in the CBD. White flesh flecks off the bone; fattier parts melt on the tongue. The soy-based sauce is delicately balanced between savoury and sweet. Steamed live barramundi is spot-on, and stir-fried live lobster is tender, bouncy and easy to pry from its shell. (Ocean Treasure’s garlic butter sauce is less pronounced in buttery richness though, and has a sweetness that had me craving the usual umami flavour.) It turns out the abalone, braised for two days, requires at least six hours notice if you’re keen to indulge. There’s so much more to the menu, however, that we didn’t feel we were missing out. I couldn’t help but recite “¿Por que no los dos?” (why not both?) when the salt-and-pepper whitebait and squid arrived. Instead of having to choose between one or the other, the combined plate is a game-changer and seasoned with just the right amount of MSG. The squid is springy and retains a firm bite; the whitebait isn’t over-battered so you can actually taste the fish. Definitely have a look at the chef’s specials on the menu. Su’s fish soup has a luxe texture that can only be achieved by long hours of cooking fish bones. Cantonese-style roast duck is restrained on the savoury notes and served as the whole bird, head intact, with its crispy, fatty skin. The Peking duck is excellent too, and the second course consists of the remaining carcass chopped and brought out in its entirety – great value. Poached free-range chicken is properly tender and juicy.
