As a more experienced dinner in Chinese food than my friends, I decided that I should make the selections for them. Although the a la carte selection covered quite a few genres of cuisines, I decided there would be no need to look in it, as the most common Snake soup set ($78) ($50 for a bowl if ordered separately), available the whole day would just do the job. This set consists of a Snake soup, a bowl of rice, a dish of Siu Mei and a dish of seasonal vegetables.
It wasn’t easy to get the waiters attention, especially as we were tucked away in the back of the restaurant. After mere of hand waves, the waiter finally arrived to scribble down our orders. Despite their lack of responsiveness, the waiters are dexterous and skillful. They can manage to multitask but still get their job done efficiently. The waiter who took my order was already welcoming someone else into the restaurant, whilst carrying dishes back to the kitchen, all done with a smile on his face.
The décor does not do justice to the food served. However the traditional snake sculptures reinforced Se Wong Yee’s “King of Snake” status. Whilst the maroon marbled chairs added on to the ambiance of this unique dining experience. The imperial atmosphere did not fail to amuse my western friend’s interest.
The sets came, all presented appealingly. The waiters serve the food flawlessly and quickly, filling the table with a large variety of the food, giving us a fulfilling sense of satisfaction. I added chrysanthemum leaves and sautéed crackers to their soups, ensuring the best flavor for my western friend’s first sip. These mouthwatering soups prepared to divine standards, did not fail to disappoint anyone. Before long, everyone’s bowls were empty! Then followed the succulent Siu Mei. We decided to share the various types of roasted meat amongst us, which is part of the super value experience! All of the delicately cut Siu Mie is honeyed and dulcet in BBQ sauce, which brings out the au jus - the meat’s natural juices making it extravagantly flavorsome. The varieties of Siu Mei include (barbecued pork), (roasted goose), siu app (roasted duck), white cut chicken (marinated steamed chicken), siu yook (roasted pork with crispy skin) as well as orange cuttlefish! Siu Mei can also be ordered separately for only $20 per dish. However, disappointingly, the so called “seasonal” vegetables did not mean the freshest are served.
So, here we are after a fulfilling snake soup meal – ready for something cool and refreshing before going home? What’s up for les dessert? Unfortunately, Se Wong Yee does not serve desserts; so we had to go to another well established local restaurant – Hui Lau Shan. Just a few steps away (Percival Street No. 26) this popular dessert restaurant, famous for serving its unique and nouvelle cuisine, still preserves the genuine taste of the traditional Chinese desserts.
Don’t underestimate the popularity of Hui Lau Shan! It is constantly packed with consumers. After a wait of 5 minutes outside, one of the staff called us in. Soon we sat down and studied the arty menu. It ranges from new creations to traditional desserts. We ordered a Bird nest on mixed fruits and sago in mango juice ($33), a Mango combo ($40), and Kwai Ling Guo, which is a traditional Chinese Herbal Jelly of turtle shell (Ice/ Hot - $38). One of my western friends surprises me by ordering a Herb Tea ($8), while I choose to enjoy the new aloe jelly in Honey dew juice ($18). As seen above, the deserts are quite affordable.
The desserts finally came after a long wait. We all fancy the Mango combo. Just the presentation of it gets us satisfy. My friends told me how they liked the melted la mangue mango fondue, and the puree coconut slices, served with vanilla and la noix de coco coconut ice-cream with colorful fruits all around the platter. This is a massage for our taste buds. The other dishes are great too; the Bird nest is succulent with flavorsome sago again served in jus de la mangue, the mix fruits are fantastic too. The aloe jelly in Honey dew juice I order was a bit disappointing due to the ungenerous amount of aloe jelly added to the honey dew juice.
Tonight, we can congratulate ourselves on a fabulous dining experience tonight!
Se Wong Yee is opened daily Mon – Sun from 11:30 – 00:00. Only cash is accepted. Reservations are not available.
Hui Lau Shan is opened daily Mon- Sun from 11:30 – 00:00. Cash as well as octopus cards are accepted. Reservations are not available.