The Shang Palace is in the Shangri La Hotel in Kowloon, and has an up-market hotel dining room feel to the room. Tables are well spaced, there is a red patterned carpet and there are some lovely Chinese silk prints on the walls. A shrimp and spinach dumpling (HK$ 45) had good, light dough and tasty filling, as did a shrimp dumpling (14/20). Pan fried onion cakes with herbs were rather heavy in texture (12/20) but a steamed mix vegetable dumpling was of the same high standard as the other steamed dumplings (14/20).
Sautéed fresh lobster was extracted from its shell (which was used for decoration) and was served with green beans and pickles. The lobster was cooked lightly enough so was not chewy, but lacked much flavour for some reason, while the beans it was served on were good (13/20). However this was an expensive dish at HK$ 500 for not very much lobster meat at all. Gai lan was pleasant, lightly steamed but not as not as tender as it can be (13/20) while Singapore noodles were also perfectly OK though unexceptional, with good texture (13/20).
Service was very attentive, but if you set aside the décor and service the level of cooking was no better than at, say, Royal China in London. Two Michelin stars? I think not.
K
I disagree with the comment that there might be a separate menu for Chinese-Chinese as well as for Foreigners-Chinese, especially in a Chinese restaurant located in a hotel. Same goes with Lung King Heen. As a Hong Kong foodie myself, I know that most of the well known, top restaurants have already showed-hands with their best dishes printed on the menu and don't forget, HK has around 20000-30000 foreigners or more living there. This rule might still apply to some very local restaurants or in Chinese restaurant overseas - but in general, its a myth that does not exist in HK. Anyway, its hard to crack the code in Chinese food in Hong Kong - biggest problem being that there're only around 2-3 signature dishes in each restaurant - all the other items are not anywhere near the quality of these top dishes. Its because Chinese menus have too many items, unlike French ones. On a side note, I think I should point out that I did not enjoy Caprice that much, nor did I enjoy Lung King Heen or here much. I don't see the big difference between them to be honest, as they were all slightly disappointing in a way. There's better 'dishes' or restaurants in HK for sure, be them French or Cantonese or other Chinese, Japanese, etc.
Teddy
Please do never trust Michelin Guide as a Chinese food guide. 1. Go to the restaurant, forget about the menu, and ask servers give you the best food, that some Chinese sitting at the next table eat as well. Otherwise, you will be highly disappointed. 2. If you happen go to some not-so-visitors-famous restaurants, they may not have an English menu (which means they might be better Chinese restaurants sometimes). Then request the suggestions for you. 3. Remember this: there are two kinds of Chinese foods: a. Chinese food for non-Chinese; b. Chinese food for authentic Chinese. Try the latter one always.
Paul Salmon
My wife and a I were in HK over New Year. We ate first at Shang Palace and were shocked how bad it was - food and service. We put it down to not understanding Chinese food! 2 stars and Nobu did not even get one and was outstanding. We then had a similar experience to you at Lung King Heen and gave up on Chinese food at that point. Went back to Nobu again and it was equally good the second time. Wish we had tried Caprice - next time. Glad to know we are not going mad - what are Michelin up to?