It is increasingly common to see organic choices on the menu at many of Hong Kong’s leading restaurants that serve western cuisine. What’s not common is organic options on the menus of Chinese restaurants, until now.

The Loong Yuen Cantonese Restaurant (Holiday Inn Golden Mile) has introduced a range of dishes that use locally-grown organic vegetables. Head Chef Simon Tsang said with their higher nutritional content and better flavour organic vegetables are ideal for stimulating a person’s appetite, which is often lost when the weather is hot.

Organic vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, green beans, bitter squash, and winter melon are delivered every day from local farms, which were chosen by Simon. A fan of organic produce, I recently tried several of Simon’s creations and overall found the food delicious. While the dishes are not 100 per cent organic, kudos for including organic produce where possible - see below for menu highlights.

The organic menu will only be available until the end of the month, after this customers can ask whether there are any organic options available on the day. In my opinion, this is pity and believe that many food lovers would like to see organic dishes as permanent fixtures on the menu of Chinese restaurants.

by Vicki Williams
vicki@womguide.com

Menu Highlights
•    Organic tomato soup with Garoupa Head and Brisket, Celery and Beancurd
•    Poached Organic Spinach with Shredded Conpoy in Chicken Broth
•    Fried Organic Green Bean with Minced Pork and Chilli
•    Braised Organic Eggplant with Sliced Chicken in Hot Pot
•    Braised Organic Bitter Squash Stuffed with Minced Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce
•    Braised Organic Winter Melon with Dried Wood Fungus and Vegetables