In keeping with the W Hotel’s chic, modern demeanour, Cantonese restaurant Sing Yin exudes class and contemporary appeal. Dark marble floors and walls give it a muted, avant-garde look - make no mistake, this is a Chinese restaurant at its most modern. Located on the ground floor of the hotel, the bronze coloured metal and glass dividers separate the interior into smaller segments, breaking up the dining room and helping lower the volume so often associated with Chinese restaurants. Comfortable booths line one side of the restaurant, making for a comfortable and relatively private option.

The menu at Sing Yin covers most of the major regions of China, with a strong focus on Cantonese cuisine. Northern dishes such as hot and sour soup and cold pork belly slices with garlic and soya sauce are delicate, successful dishes, and it’s clear chef Bryan Lee has a good team behind him in the kitchen. The barbecued combination is excellent, with each component being a good representation of Cantonese favourites such as honey-glazed roast pork, crispy suckling pig, roast goose and pork belly. The signature crispy chicken with lychee glaze ensures a wonderfully crisp skin that doesn’t detract from the obvious quality of the meat. The baby bak choi in fish broth is beautifully presented in an simple, artistic manner. It is a simple dish done well and perhaps this is indicative of Sing Yin as a whole: dishes receive a modern twist in both technique and presentation but ultimately rely on the simple quality of the ingredients at the end of the day.

Chardonnay, semillon and rieslings are all available by the glass, and all are matches with Chinese food. The wait staff are keen to point out and suggest different wines to suit a wide range of palates as well, which is useful, considering the extensiveness of the wine list.

Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and keen to suggest favourites and offer opinions. Diners wanting to try numerous dishes are catered to by offers to serve half portions if need be. Constant adjusting, primping and refilling of tea makes for an intimate service, and the staff are careful to explain each course thoroughly as they arrive.

A meal for two with wine and a variety of seasonal and signature dishes is about HK$1,500. That is not cheap, but the standard of food and overall ambiance is high and justifies the price.