Typhoon shelter cuisine originated in Hong Kong, where the Chinese ‘boat people’ – fishermen and their families – formed their own community and culture in bays or coves sheltered from lashing typhoons. From such adversity is delicious cuisine born – and spread. Executive Chinese Chef Sunny Kong will be introducing distinctive typhoon shelter seafood dishes from 3 to 16 April at Mandarin Court, available in a la carte and set menus.

We previewed part of the set menu ($788 for six diners), starting with a platter of chilled mantis prawn – the meaty, succulent shelled meat resembled lobster in texture, and was matched with a mild chili dip. A traditional fish head broth followed, its gluey texture rich with mushrooms, egg and tofu. Scottish bamboo clams, steamed simply with garlic and vermicelli in soy, were somewhat tough, but its flavours comforting and familiar. The highlight of the menu has to be the famed typhoon shelter crab, lauded far and wide by the likes of celebrity chef such as Anthony Bourdain. The version by Chef Kong uses sweet flower crab wok-fried with plentiful garlic, dried chilli, curry leaves and almond flakes, resulting in a fragrant potpourri that had the right level of piquancy and heat. The meaty black bean clams that followed barely had a chance to register on our taste buds. All too soon, we finished with dessert of humble sweet potato soup in ginger, given a gourmet twist with two types of sweet potato, and a traditional cashew nut pastry. Items from the set also include crispy salt pepper squid and Bombay Duck, and a wok-baked lobster in fragrant cheese sauce. This Cantonese repast reaches deep into the ingenuity and psyche of Hong Kong’s hardscrabble fishermen, and results in a cuisine fit for fine linens and silver cutlery. 

333 Orchard Road, 35/F Mandarin Orchard, 6831 6288 or email dine.orchard@meritushotels.com

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