Before restaurants located on the pinnacle of towering skyscrapers were the norm, there was the Oyster & Wine Bar on top of the Sheraton in Tsim Sha Tsui, the prime choice for a perfect evening of gazing upon the Hong Kong skyline while sampling seafood in an intimate and an romantic setting. Today, despite the stiff competition from restaurants perched atop neighbouring buildings such as iSquare and The One, the ambience still makes Oyster & Wine Bar one of our favourite seafood restaurants with a view. The one flaw is that perhaps due to the low ceilings, conversations from adjacent tables can sometimes intrude into an otherwise tranquil dinner. Expect dim lighting, unhurried service and make sure to book earlier for the sought-after window seats.

As the name suggests, Oyster & Wine Bar is perfect for mollusc-lovers. A seafood bar greets you upon entry, where you can expect to find 15 to 20 varieties of oysters from around the world resting atop the ice. If you prefer a bit of excitement, take a seat at the bar to watch the experts shuck the jet-fresh oysters you ordered at mind-dazzling speed. For mains, the French duckling is a house specialty yet unremarkably executed – foie gras that accompanies the bird arrives cold and the duck itself overly salty and overpowers the natural aromas of the duckling. Moving onto dessert, the souffle and warm chocolate pudding are classic choices, but both need to be pre-ordered 30 minutes in advance. If you are unaware of this and as in our case, not reminded by our servers, there can be a long wait between courses. We found both the desserts to be on the sweet side. All in all, we found our experience at Oyster & Wine Bar to be less impressive than in previous years past but if oysters are all you’re looking for; that, at least should satisfy.

Oyster & Wine Bar has jumped onto the wine list on iPad bandwagon and we enjoyed playing around with it, which is thoughtfully categorised into grape varieties, regions and prices and accompanied by tasting notes. The list is extensive with a great selection of of wines from the old and new World, as well as some unusual vintages, and there are many reasonably priced options if you want sampling by the glass. The sommelier is attentive if you need advice, though oddly, expects you to pick a wine before we had even looked at the food menu.

Service is attentive although a bit slack in between courses. The only surprise was when a server’s cell-phone rang during a serving, and the ensuring conversation was conducted in plain view of all the diners seated in the restaurant.

For a three-course dinner including drinks, the resulting HK$1,000 per head is justifiable taking into account the breathtaking views and quality of the seafood.