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Hainan Shaoye
-
Address:
3/F World Trade Centre, Causeway Bay
銅鑼灣世貿中心3/F - Telephone: 2111-3166
- District: Causeway Bay
- Cuisine: Southeast Asian
Restaurant Info
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Credit Cards:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Opening Hours: 11:30-14:30, 15:00-17:00, 18:00-23:00
- Nearby Parking: Yes
- Valet Parking: No
- Reservations Accepted: Yes
- Delivery: No
- Takeaway: Yes
- Corkage Fee: 150
- Can accommodate large group: Yes
- Children Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Private Room Available: Yes
- Dress Code: Casual
- Post 11pm order: No
- Al Fresco: No
Signature Dishes
Grilled Sting Ray with Sambal sauce; Lobster Laksa; Singaporean Turnip Cake (Chai Tow Kway); Bak Kut Teh
Articles
8 June 2010
08.06.2010
Late Night Sushi and Bubbles, 50% Off Tokoro, Bostonian's Brunch, Sea Cucumber Menu, New Opening
Eddie Huang
17.11.2010
Eddie Huang is our Member's Choice interviewee for November. He tells us about which cuisine he would choose if he could only eat one, and where he would take visiting foodies.
Reviews
Mediocre Chicken at Hainan Shaoye
honeycaramels | Aug 14 2011
"Have you heard? The quality has gone down!"
That's the one-liner advice/warning from some of my friends when I decided to go to Hainan Shaoye. It sounds wrong, but can you blame them? Having visited 3 times in 6 months, I have once again set myself up for disappointment. Is it that bad? It isn't. But the first impression was too good compared to latter experiences. So no, it's not the end of the Hainanese Chicken nightmare, but it sure isn't paradise that I can guarantee you.
The Hainanese Chicken Rice Set arrives in a tray. They have taken the concept of holding chicken soup in the teapot away. It was such a great idea -- gimmicky but at least the soup can be kept warm until needed. The chicken, for the amount of money they charge, is truly too little for consumption. The breast meat is tough and bland. The other pieces are somehow missing in the skin (what happened to it?) Part of the charm of the Hainanese chicken is its skin being "crisp" and translucent. Both cannot be judged because the skin is missing in action. The chicken tasted fine, but I wouldn't count on the consistency here. My friend ordered the exact same thing and his chicken was tougher than mine, more like, cardboard shreds.
The satay skewers looked ok, but the peanut sauce was so sweet we could feel caster sugar brushing against our tongues. The meat were skewered right, but not cooked till doneness, but more like "overly done". It was tough and the meat just wouldn't give it to a human's bite and wouldn't leave the skewer either. It's truly horrendous of an experience, despite being seated by the window overlooking the perfect harbour. Somehow we wished we could've had something else, just about anything else instead.
$120
Bad
Reserved vs "Chok"
Mr & Mrs | Aug 1 2011
Mr & Mrs 在這開業初期來過, 有很多人排隊等候的同時, 不少等候者都發現, 餐廳內其實有不少空位. 究竟是有人留座, 還是要”造就”出人龍, 就不得而知了. 既然想試新餐廳, 我們還是有耐性的.
由於是下午茶, 我們只叫了一份海南雞飯. 雞是很嫰滑的, 至於海南雞飯的另一精髓: 油飯, 卻是強差人意. 伴碟有四碟, 相對地很”大”碟, 但有點浪費.
Below $100
Bad
油飯最好味
Jo | Jul 27 2011
上星期五同友人來此店試下, 點知8時來到見到一大條長龍, 都無計大家一起等啦...大約等左30-40分鐘終於有位坐.2個人叫左個海南雞飯, 肉骨菜, 同埋一個黑蘿白糕share食.
估唔到一客海南雞飯都幾多野食, 當中有油飯, 一碟菜, 一小碟既蒸蛋(這個好特別味道都唔錯), 一碟雞,
另外蘿蔔糕都唔錯, 不過嫌佢切到太細粒: 一般
最差係個肉骨茶...味道就似d豉油撈水咁唔好味...差
來此店最好都係叫海南雞飯, 不過要等咁耐就唔算值.
300
OK
Quality Food
Natasha L | Jan 8 2011
I’m a little thrown back by the negative reviews, for my 3 experiences at this joint have been fantastic. The quality of the food is very high.
Each visit were scattered within months and I’ve noticed a huge advancement each time (it being already very good the first time).
The lunch sets are a bargin, and the portions are generous. Never have I found the food greasy, unfresh and just out there. The chicken, either roasted or original was flavourful, juicy and tender. The rice was rich in flavour, and never shiny. Btw, the chicken soup that comes with the rice set is very concentrated. Me, being very sensitive to MSG, did not pick up any reactions. Nice! Veggies are fresh and hot, not pre-blanched.
The Laksa is tasty. The rich stock of dried shrimp and other crustaceans were prevalent.
The black or white stir-fry radish cake is sweet and fragrant, not oily.
The Bak Ku Teh is also very good. I like this one more than the very famous joint in SG. The flavours are perfectly balanced.
Loved the new additions to the menu, especially the fried prawns with lemongrass and lime leaves. The lime leaves were fragrant. I ate them just like that!
Presentation is always appealing, service is fine. The place is clean, and roomy.
$150
Good
a little disappointing?
Yvonne | Oct 26 2010
i decided to give this a go after reading the great reviews below; I reckon i wouldn't be as disappointed if i hadn't read them.The rice's nowhere near authentic,and to wait an hour during lunchtime for that is just not worth it.don't even get me started on the service.
140
OK
Why?
Freddielovesfood | Sep 2 2010
Read the great reviews on this place below so came here 3 times in total. The 3 meals were disappointing, not bad, below average, respectively. Service at the entrance is great but the staff inside are a let-down.
The chicken rice would be great if the kitchen would use better grade chicken and make the so-called soup taste more like, well, soup. A bit more training with the staff would be good too.
130
OK
Unimpressive food, tbh.
gastronomerr | Aug 15 2010
I made reservations about a week prior to our visit, and was utterly disappointed with the service over the phone. This restaurant is no cha chaan teng (local tea restaurant) or dai pai dong (outdoor Chinese food stalls), and so I expected a little more I guess. When I spoke to the lady over the phone, I asked if I could make a reservation. She then replied with me a \'when? because if it\'s for dinner we are fully booked till next month\'. So I told her I wanted to come for lunch, Thursday, at 11.45. She then said they were full too, and so I asked what time they open? \"11.30 in the morning\". I then hesitated, but asked \"how about 11.30 then, can I have a table for two then?\" She said \"yes, we can do 11.30\". With a reminder that they have a 10 minute wait policy before giving our table away, I thought to myself that was rather b.s., since it was technically 5 minutes apart from my original time plan, plus it was not like the restaurant was prepared to kick us out if we stayed passed 12 or 1pm...or at all! A table free is a table free, if they weren\'t going to do two rounds at lunch hour they should\'ve given me the table regardless of time. \r\n\r\nOkay, phone conversation aside, our service at the restaurant was acceptable. We actually arrived on the dot and were turned away because their kitchen was \"not ready yet\" and give them 5 or so minutes. Say whatt???? \r\n\r\nNow, food! \r\nWe decided we would forgo the signature Hainan and Roast Chicken Rice set, and went for a Bak Kut Teh ($88) (for me) and a Seafood Laksa ($88) (for E). These lunch time \'sets\' come with a drink too - coffee or tea. \r\n\r\nOur sets arrived together, and we tried each other\'s, to see what we liked/disliked. My Bak Kut Teh was most disappointing, since I was expecting something more herbal and peppery with tender ribs... that it not what I got.\r\n\r\nIn my dark red soup there were plenty of wolfberries and dates (and even dried lychees) in this soup to make it way too sweet for Bak Kut Teh and resemble the Chinese herbal soup (for the ladies - \"bo huet\"/help produce more blood). I\'m not saying the soup was bad, I just wasn\'t expecting it to taste so sweet and mask any signs of spices and pepper (if any was added...). Other components included dried tofu puffs (tofu-pok), coriander for garnish and pork ribs that were so dry, tough and chewy I struggled to eat them... \r\n\r\nThe other parts of my lunch set included a dish of chopped deep-fried dough sticks (\"yao-tiu\"), a bowl of white rice and some chilli-infused dark sweet soy sauce and a few pieces of bak choy. While the dough sticks didn\'t not impress, being soggy and nothing like the ones at good local restaurants serving congee, I loved the rice! Each grain doesn\'t stick to one another, and was cooked perfectly - not soft but not undercooked either...pure comfort with the dark soy sauce. Ahhhh I must make a mental note to ask what brand of rice they use when I return! \r\n\r\nE\'s Laksa was also not what we were expecting, but not bad. Hainan Shaoye\'s version is spicier than the laksas I\'ve had locally, but same spice-level as they do it in Singapore. The soup however, is very watered-down to a thin broth with a mild taste of coconut only. Now a little mention of other restaurants serving Sing/Malay cuisine - Good Satay in TST East offers a good bowl of laksa that has a very rich broth - too rich to drink but delicious nonetheless. Meanwhile, Sabah Malaysian Restaurant in Wanchai has a hearty curry broth that is right in between Hainan Shaoye\'s and Good Satay which we thought took first place between the three. \r\n\r\nHainan Shaoye\'s big bowl of seafood laksa came with toppings of tofu puffs, sliced fish cakes, two large shrimps and some fishballs. These all fared very well, and the two shrimps which E gave to me were fresh and bouncy. \r\n\r\nWe vowed to return, not for a repeat of the food we had ordered this day, but for the highly controversial Chicken rice meals!
For original post: http://gastronomerr.blogspot.com/2010/08/early-lunching-at-cwb.html
$95pp for lunch
OK
over-hyped
Tim | Aug 12 2010
It is nothing special, the chicken is only so-so. The sauce is just plain Singapore supermarket soya sauce, and the rice is OK.
Why did all the press say great things about this place?!
Granted the laksa is pretty good, but definitely not the best chicken rice in HK.
100
OK
Great Lobster Laksa
walter | Aug 2 2010
While the lines can be long, the wait is certainly worthwhile for an evening of causal dining in down to earth Singaporean food at very reasonable price. The Satay is appetizing and well grilled. The Hainan chicken is very tasty and well presented in a tray with chicken rice , chicken soup, a vegetable, 3 kind of sauces and an egg mousse. Specially worth mentioning is a sumptious bowl of lobster laksa which you can order at a hard to believe price. The whole lobster meat and the prawn meat are fresh and springy and the Laksa soup is deliciously flavored with coconut and other spices (the chili sauce is served separately to suit all levels of taste buds for spicy hot food). A few tables are available for early reservation in case lining up is not your cup of soup.
$128 for lobster Laksa, $88 for Hainan chicken
Good
Best chicken rice in town !
Yummy yummy | Jul 22 2010
I’ve always been a fan of the Chatterbox in Singapore. Recently I heard from my friends there that the food at Chatterbox has deteriorated. Then I found out that their chefs have left and have moved to work for Hainan ShaoYe.
I was so excited and went with very high expectation. As soon as we walked into the restaurant , we already smelled the aroma of chicken rice – so so fragrant ! We were really hungry so we ordered quite a few dishes to share. First came one of my favorites – satays (mix of beef, pork & chicken). A bite of the satay already reminded me of the meals I had in Singapore. Then came the friend black turnip cake which was nice but a bit on the salty side. My friends also tried the bak kut the which they complimented to no end.
Then came my long awaited “chicken rice” !!!!! As I am quite health conscious and have been staying away from the chicken rice as most places use excessive chicken oil. As soon as I tasted their rice, I told myself I can finally enjoy a complete chicken rice meal. The rice was so good – full of fragrant and not oily at all. Apparently, they cook them in chicken stocks (and other essential herbs / seasoning). The chicken was nice and tender, even the white meat was good. We also had one order of the roasted chicken which was also very tasty. I loved the black soy sauce and red chili and next to the condiments that was a small bowl of “steamed egg & thousand year old egg mouse”. What a brave attempt and it did not look that tempting. Since it came with the rice, we decided to just take a taste and guess what ? Surprise surprise !!!!! It was actually very good and so rich in flavor that we ended up finishing the whole thing.
Then came the seafood laksa but I was so full (as I finished every single grain of my rice) so I only managed to take a sip of the soup. It was very rich and my friends thorough enjoyed it and even repeated their order.
All in all, it was such a satisfying meal. I will definitely recommend to my friends, especially the ones who are into quality and healthy eating !
Thank you Hainan ShaoYe – I shall return (& real soon) !!!
150 per person
Good
Chatterbox Standard
Princess | Jul 19 2010
Let me first declare that I would not go to Chatter box for chicken rice in Singapore; the chicken rice is not terrible, just not good value for money and I can get better ones elsewhere for a fraction of the price. The chicken rice at Hainan Shaoye is on par with Chatterbox in terms of quality and price. The chicken was not cooked through (as is the case with most hainan chicken) but it still lacked the silky quality. Very important factor that the chef should look into. Use better quality chilli sauce and change the soup and I might actually go back. On the other hand, my dining companions who grew up in Singapore, thought it was a joke.
However, I will go back for the laksa. Again, would be good if they serve the right noodles but can't expect authenticity when you are not in Singapore.
230
OK
not great
po sir | Jul 8 2010
i succumbed to the hype within my social circle/the press and made a visit last week.all i can say is that while the food's not bad,it did not live up to my expectations.being a chicken-lover,i found the signature dish's only so-so,and the lobster laksa mediocore.
there's no such thing as bad press.but in this instance,the bar was set a tad too high i'm afraid.
200
OK
Excelleeent Chicken Rice - Best in HK!!
Rita | Jun 24 2010
I'm originally from Singapore and have been eating chicken rice week in, week out back home. Have been working in Hong Kong for over a year and have not tried a chicken rice in Hong Kong that is up to par with Singaporean standards yet. Heard about the opening of Hainan Shaoye in WTC from my local friends and thought i'd give it a try.
It's my first time writing a review on womguide and I'm doing so because I want to make a statement. I personally believe that Hainan Shaoye's Chicken Rice is simply the BEST I've had in Hong Kong. Kudos to the restaurant's effort and kudos to the kitchen staff who I was told were the main chefs behind Chatterbox which serves the best Chicken Rice in Singapore.
My thoughts on the food:
The Chicken Rice was made with just the right combination and amount of spices. It is NOT greasy at all but still wonderfully FRAGRANT. That is true Chatterbox style and that's what I have been eating since a baby in Singapore.
The Chicken Soup is filled with rich Chicken aroma and has evidently been boiled and reboiled for a long time. I asked whether they use msg and the answer is NO MSG USED, which means all the flavors are real and tangible, making the soup all the more impressive.
The three Chicken Rice Sauses - Really GOod!. The crown jewel. Almost always overlooked by people. The sauses at Hainan Shaoye are truly amazingly good. Black sause, served JUST with chicken rice, is just like how it is in Singapore. The ginger and chilli sauses are homemade and have been blended to create a silky texture to enhance the taste and experience. Extremely well done.
I will certainly be back for more and I will spread the word to my Singaporean friends here. Finally a LEGIT chicken rice restaurant in HK!
130
Good
Authentic Singaporean Food-In Chatterbox Style
J | Jun 23 2010
We are glad that we can enjoy authentic Singapore food in Hong Kong at the newly opened Hainan Shaoye in World Trade Centre without the need of flying to Singapore. We learn that the Consultant Chef and the Chief Chef at Hainan Shaoye are specially recruited from the renowned Chatterbox of Mandarin Hotel in Singapore. They aim to bring down to earth authentic Singaporean food to Hong Kong.
We had both the white (yellow skin) and the golden (roasted skin) Hainan Chicken. The chicken meat is soft and tender and when taken together with the provided compliments ( three kinds of sauces -chili, ginger and dark soy , hot chicken soup, fresh vegetable and chicken rice ), they round up a delicious and satisfying meal. The chicken rice is one of the best we have come across: the rice is fragrant and appetizing without being oily or greasy. Indeed, this place serves the healthiest and most delicious Hainan chicken rice.
We also had refreshing Bak Kut Teh which is tender pork ribs cooked in herbs and spices as well as the spicy Fish Head Curry (go best with white rice) and the coconut flavored Seafood Laksa served with fresh pawns,scallop and vermicelli. They are authentic and delicious!
130
Good
Best Chicken Rice in Town!!
jmui | Jun 23 2010
Being Singaporeans living in HK, my family and I couldn't wait to try this new restaurant after hearing so much about it (as it is the sister restaurant of the hottest restaurant of the year - The Drawing Room, and we heard the head chef here has been in charge at the renowned Chatterbox in Singapore for over a decade!). So we ended up going there last night to celebrate the my sister's birthday.
Amongst the 4 of us, we ordered the following: Singaporean Rojak, chicken and beef satay, black turnip cake, Bak Kut Teh, laksa and chicken rice.
And our comments are as follows:
- Rojak - First time I have ever had Rojak in Hong Kong, it is definitely one of the best rojaks I have ever had as there is just so much flavor in the dish and is very very appetizing.
- Chicken and Beef Satay - Unlike most places, the satay here is actually very tender (most places tend to serve very tough satay, esp beef satay). It is also very traditional as the skewers have been marinated for quite some time so they are very flavorful already, hence the sauce is really optional.
- Black Turnip Cake - For this dish, I must disagree with the poster below, as this is a very authentic Singaporean dish, it is NOT supposed to taste like HK / Chinese style turnip cake. It isn't supposed to have a lot of turnip flavor. And we personally think it resembles what we have back home a lot, as the sauce isn't overpowering but has good flavors.
- Bak Kut Teh - This dish is also very well done, as u can taste all the Chinese herbs used in the soup base, and unlike most other Bak Kut Tehs, the ribs are extremely tender and quite lean (not too much fat and has good flavors), definitely one of my favorite dishes of the night!
- Laksa - Loved the seafood laksa, favorite part was definitely the soup base, it is very very flavorful yet it isn't too spicy (hence the spiciness isn't overpowering). The seafood was pretty decent as well.
- Chicken Rice - Now THIS is definitely the highlight of our meal. Not only does this dish remind me of home, in our opinion it is EVEN BETTER than what we have had at Chatterbox. Chicken was extremely tender and flavorful (even the white meat!!), and the sauces (which we were told were all home-made) complimented the chicken extremely well. One of my favorite is the Chicken Rice that came with it, unlike most places where they cook the rice with tons of chicken oil, I was told by the Head Chef they cook it with mainly chicken stock and other herbs (with very little chicken oil). Most important of all, is that the rice came out STEAMING HOT (which i think is EXTREMELY important to serve HOT chicken rice). Normally I'm not a huge fan of chicken rice as it is usually super filling and unhealthy, I couldn't stop myself from eating the rice here, as it is light yet very flavorful. This single one dish definitely reminds me of home and I would give it a 9.5 / 10!!
Some people might think the chicken rice here is not as "oily" as its supposed to be, or the turnip cake doesnt have "as much sauce" as its supposed to have, but I personally disagree with them. Coming from a Singaporean family of foodies, unlike a lot of people who eat to live, I live to eat, and all I'm saying is this restaurant serves food that is as authentic as it gets (hey not many places serve singaporean food that could remind of so much of home). I am already planning to go back for my birthday in 2 weeks. Anyway this restaurant has only opened for a week and is already pretty damn good, give it 2-3 months and i'm sure it would become one of the best new restaurants in town, just like its sister restaurant - The Drawing Room.
$700 for 4 (dinner)
Good
Excellent Hainan Chicken rice
Tommy Jr. Zau | Jun 13 2010
Went for lunch. The Chicken rice was excellent. Satay was also very good. The dark soy can be a bit thicker. Laksa was also excellent. The cucumber of the Satay is a bit dry (I think it was prepared too early and dried out). In general, an excellent place for so good old Singaporian food.
HK$ 800 for 5 persons
Good