One of Wan Chai’s most iconic venues reopens with a new lease on life as Woo Cheong Tea House opens at Woo Cheong Pawn Shop.
It’s not every day that an icon is born. It takes timing and consensus, a touch of innovation, and often a sack load of luck. However, The Pawn, which originally opened as a modern British eatery housed within Wan Chai’s equally recognisable Woo Cheong Pawn Shop, was what you might call a modern-day icon. Love it or hate it, if you were partial to a cheeky drink now and then, you knew of The Pawn and more than likely spent time on its balconies and rooftop watching the world pass by below.
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However, change is a relentless force and after saying goodbye to The Pawn back in September, the historic building now welcomes the Woo Cheong Tea House, the Classified Group’s first fine-dining Cantonese restaurant.
Split across two levels and with an urban garden theme that’s conveyed through floral decor and vivid colours, Woo Cheong Tea House consists of a lounge that serves premium teas as well as tea-infused signature cocktails and made-to-order dim sum; as well as a second floor main dining room that’s home to traditional Cantonese cuisine.
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Helming the kitchen is Head Chef Edmond Ip, who adds innovative touches to traditional Cantonese cuisine while paying close attention to the colour, aroma, flavour, shape, and servingware of every dish. Premium ingredients are put in the spotlight, from wild kuruma shrimp through to pork shoulder char siu and three yellow chicken smoked with Hong Kong soya sauce, jasmine flower tea, and osmanthus, ensuring dishes that are inventive while also paying homage to tradition.
Other dishes to look out for include stir-fried pork spareribs with Xinhui dried tangerine peel and black vinegar; deep-fried crispy baby pigeon with tea-smoked pigeon egg; and nutritious options like pan-fried salmon with homemade tofu and goji berries; and bean curd rolls with avocado and black truffle that offer a distinctive gastronomic departure from timeless Cantonese fare.
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In addition, dim sum created by dedicated Dim Sum Head Chef Eric Sun include pan-seared Tom Yum-style seafood buns; barbecue pork and lemon puffs made with Western-style pastry; and steamed fish dumplings with jasmine, all of which can be paired with a selection of almost 20 teas, including rare agarwood and famously fragrant ganpu brews.
Perhaps we’re seeing the birth of a new icon?
Look out for our first-person review of Woo Cheong tea House in the coming weeks
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