This Mott 32 Hong Kong Review is for a dim sum lunch. Hong Kong has amazing dim sum, and we've been fortunate enough to have enjoyed dim sum at Michelin star restaurants such as Tin Lung Heen at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, Yan Toh Heen at the InterContinental Hong Kong, and Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hong Kong. How does Mott 32 compare to these favorites?
Mott 32 Location and Hours
Mott 32 is located in the Standard Chartered Bank Building at 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central, about a 20 minute walk from the Four Seasons Hong Kong, where we were staying. The closest MTR station is Central, which is just a 4 minute walk away.
Mott 32 currently has Hong Kong and Vancouver locations, although Bangkok and Las Vegas outposts are planned. The Hong Kong location is open for lunch 12-2:30pm and for dinner 6-11pm daily. I recommend making an advance reservation, as the restaurant is popular, especially for dim sum lunch.
The Scene
The Mott 32 space, designed by Joyce Wang, is a bit like entering a film set. A staircase leads down to a warren of rooms, each themed slightly differently. The bar area recalls a Chinese apothecary, while artificial skylights that be brightened or dimmed set the mood for the main space. The room we were in featured comfortable sofas and Chinese calligraphy brushes. Many of the clientele appeared to be well-heeled 20 and 30-somethings, dining as couples, groups of friends, or with their parents.
Mott 32 Menu and Food
I highly recommend visiting Mott 32 for lunch, when there are more dim sum choices, as dim sum is traditionally a brunch or lunch meal, although there is a modest evening dim sum menu that supplements the other a la carte dinner dishes. The other thing to know is that it's wise to pre-order Mott 32 barbecue specialties such as the Iberico pork, Peking Duck and Suckling Pig, as there are limited quantities each day. Here are excerpts from the menu:
It was a warm day, so I ordered my son a “Mottail” mock tail called Mango Paradise, although we decided to skip the dill. The mango, guava and yuzu combination was refreshing.
We pre-ordered the Iberico pork, glazed with yellow mountain honey, which was fantastic. I'd go back for this dish alone.
The Soft Quail Egg with Iberico Pork and Black Truffle Siu Mai was easily the best siu mai I've tasted, though I don't normally care for siu mai at all.
We both really liked the flavor and textural contrast of the Cheung Fun soft rice noodle with prawns, asparagus, and crispy rice paper inside. Needless to say, this needs to be enjoyed quite quickly so that the crispy rice paper doesn't become soggy.
The Kale and Shredded Peking Duck spring roll was solid, but perhaps the least memorable of the dim sum we tried.
If you'd like to finish with the excellent egg custard tarts, don't forget to order them as you're getting your dim sum, since they're made to order and take 20 minutes to bake.
The Verdict
Mott 32 is in some ways the opposite of what you think of for a high end dim sum place in Hong Kong. There's no stunning harbor view as at some of the tables at Lung King Heen or at Yan Toh Heen, nor a panoramic city skyline view as at Tin Lung Heen. But if you can forego views for swanky subterranean dining, Mott 32 offers some excellent, if pricey dim sum. Our favorites were the Iberico barbecued pork (must be reserved in advance) and the Cheung Fun with prawn, crispy rice paper and asparagus.
If you've dined at Mott 32, what were your favorite dishes?
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