Savoring South China yum cha in five-star style

Photo provided to China Daily

Har gau, which is available either in a traditional bamboo basket or in orchid soup, was wrapped in a paper-thin pastry to protect the firm and succulent shrimp within. The seafood dumpling was topped with slices of crisp asparagus and a dollop of orange roe for interesting textural contrasts. The deliciously gooey sauce with chicken feet was worth slurping down on its own.

Yet the hands-down show stopper was the goose and radish puff. Meticulously crafted to resemble miniature swans, each was covered in sesame seeds. It seemed a shame to ruin them, but they didn't exactly fit into my mouth with a single bite. The pastry was flaky, the radish was a perfect balance between sweet and savory, and the overall taste was pure satisfaction.

IF YOU GO

Jiang by Chef Fei

Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou, 389 Tianhe Lu (Road), Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3808-8888.

Average cost per person for lunch: 300 yuan ($48).

Recommended: Royal Kung Fu Soup with Wild Chicken, Cordyceps and Abalone, Seafood Dumplings with Asparagus, Pan-fried Goose and Radish Puffs.