Club dining, a nice surprise at the airport

Deep-fried chicken skin stuffed shrimp paste with interlude asparagus and honey ham stick chicken wing. (Photo: China Daily)

When deciding where to go for a good Chinese meal, an airport might not be your first idea. Recently, however, I had a chance to check out The Terrace restaurant at the Airport World Trade Centre Club, which is managed by Plaza Premium Lounge Management Ltd.

I've eaten many times at the Hong Kong International Airport. It is usually a quick bite from one of the many fast food outlets, or a family meal before a relative departs on a flight home.

It was my first visit to the World Trade Centre Club located above Terminal 2 and it would be for a meal prepared by chef Sum Wai Kwong and his team. I learned on my visit that they have a number of signature dishes, which have received culinary awards.

Though you do need to be a member of the club to dine at The Terrace, there is a one-day membership that can be processed once a simple application form is completed. However, call first to check if this is possible before your visit.

We began our meal with the seafood and bamboo pith broth, which was really more of a chowder. It was thick and full-flavored, but not at all heavy on the palate. The chowder highlighted the fresh seafood flavors and was a wonderful way to begin a meal on a sunny winter day.

We were then served the sauteed spotted grouper with fresh ginseng. The fish was served filleted, easy to eat with the bones removed. The meat was firm, flaky and moist. The hint of ginseng added a touch of bitterness that did not overpower the fish.

The next dish won the gold award in Hong Kong's 2010 Best of the Best Culinary Awards. The "deep-fried chicken skin stuffed shrimp paste with interlude asparagus and honey ham stick chicken wing" has a very long and descriptive name, but in simple terms, it could be called stuffed boneless chicken wings.

Whatever you call it, this dish was tasty. Crispy chicken skin is a favorite of mine, so I am biased. But the stuffing of pureed shrimp, ham and asparagus has a slight crunch and contrasted well with the rich and crispy outer shell.

Though I am no longer a big consumer of preserved meat, I rarely go without eating some during the cooler season in Hong Kong. The Chinese kale we were served was sauteed with preserved meats and ginger juice that is a classic combination that has the flavors of the crunchy green kale, salty meats, and spicy and fragrant ginger blended together. For vegetarians, this dish is also delicious without the preserved meats.

To finish the main part of the meal, we were served fried rice with crab roe and crab meat. Dry without being dried out, the rice hit the spot. The Terrace is known for its abalone rice, but it would have been a bit too rich to have that with this meal. Something for another visit.

The meal was served with small dishes of the signature XO sauce on the table. One of my fellow diners put this on everything he ate.

The sauce is in fact so popular that the restaurant charges for the small dishes of sauce. Sum adds dried shrimp roe to this signature sauce and there is even a YouTube video showing how the sauce is made. Needless to say, a lot of chopping is involved in the process. Worth picking up a bottle to take with you. At home, I put it on fried rice and noodles, and stir-fry vegetables with it.

Dessert was a homemade walnut cream that was creamy and not overly sweet. A very soothing dessert that I'm told will nourish the brain.

IF YOU GO

The Terrace: 7/F Airport World Trade Centre, 1 Sky Plaza Road, Terminal 2, Hong Kong International Airport. 852-3960-1320.

Cost per head: HK $350-600 ($45-77), (plus 10 percent service charge) for set menus; XO sauce: HK $20/dish

Recommended: Seafood and Bamboo Pith Broth, Deep-Fried Chicken Skin Stuffed Shrimp Paste with Interlude Asparagus and Honey Ham Stick Chicken Wing, Walnut Cream, XO Sauce.