Restaurant review: ye shanghai, K11, Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star)

Whimsical new cocktails and Shanghainese cuisine at Ye Shanghai in K11 Musea

I grew up in small town Canada where Chinese food was mostly cheap and cheerful (sweet and sour chicken balls!). So when I moved to Asia after university, I was excited to broaden my palate. Eight years later, I still get excited about trying a new Chinese restaurant and was keen to check out the new yè shanghai in town.

There are various yè shanghai’s all over the world with the first being established over 20 years ago; a few have Michelin stars. In Hong Kong there’s one at Pacific Place, one at the Marco Polo Hotel in TST (1 Michelin star), and now one at K11 Musea.

We arrived early, at 6pm, checked out the deck, and then settled into our booth. While we couldn’t see the view of Victoria Harbour from our spot (book a table downstairs for this), it’d be a great choice for those wanting a private, quiet meal.

The Cocktails

First we tried their new cocktails. Though the restaurant wouldn’t necessarily be the first place I’d think of for cocktails, they were excellent! Unusual, smooth, and, most importantly, delicious. My friend loved the Jasmine Fizz ($120) with jasmine vodka, housemade jasmine syrup, prosecco and clarified lemon juice. I tried the Yamamomo Verry Berry ($115), a twist on the Clover Club, made with a local berry, vanilla syrup, lemon juice, and egg white. Highly recommend this drink.

Next we dove into food, but looking back I wish I’d tried a few more cocktails. The White Rabbit Story ($120), inspired by the popular candy but with rum, cognac, citrus and milk, could have been perfect for dessert.

The Food

We tried a version of the tasting menu (standard menu is $498 per person for dinner).

Our starter plate contained king oyster mushrooms with spring onion sauce (addictive), bean curd skin rolls with avocado (slightly sweet and gooey, also addictive), sweet and sour spare ribs, tea leaf smoked egg, and bean curd gluten with shoots.

The wonton and chicken soup was simple and homestyle.

Loved these stir-fried river shrimps, especially with a touch of vinegar. Fresh and bouncy in texture, elegant in flavour.

Ah sweet and sour fish, an elevated version of the sweet and sour dishes of my childhood. Who knew pine nuts would go so well with this dish?

This baked stuffed freshwater crab ‘shell’ was a tasty bite (wish it had been bigger!) that was also excellent with a touch of vinegar.

The steamed pork belly wrapped with fragrant leaves also felt very home-y. A nice piece of fatty pork marinated in a traditional glaze.

After all these came our xiaolongbao. They might look simple but were my favourite dish of the night. The broth is on the richer, oiler side but it was worth every calorie. Definitely hope to come back again just for these.

Our meal ended with fried meringue filled with banana and red bean paste (kind of like a donut) and an almond soup.

Verdict

We enjoyed our time at yè shanghai. The cocktails were great and the food was classic and elegant, though service could be a bit spotty. Those with large appetites may find the portion sizes a bit small. I was full when I left the restaurant but slightly worried I wouldn’t be all throughout the meal. Perhaps an excuse to order more xialongbao.

702, Level 7, K11 MUSEA, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2376 3322