Lunch at Nanhai No. 1

I’ve featured several restaurants in iSquare since we often eat there if we’re too lazy to walk. It’s just a few minutes walk from our place in Tsim Sha Tsui. I never knew there was a Michelin One Star Chinese restaurant, Nanhai No. 1, in the building until I read the reviews on OpenRice.

The more casual restaurants are located in the mall levels of iSquare while the fine dining restaurants are on the 25th to 31st floors.

The interiors of the two-level high ceiling restaurant were modern and beautiful. It could have been inside any 5 star hotel.

The best part was the view of the harbour and you can see the skyline of Hong Kong side if not for the fog. I read on OpenRice that if you wanted to sit on the tables by the window you will be charged a minimum consumption of HK$500 plus service charge. They didn’t tell us that but we sat one table away from the window and had an unblocked view too.

I loved the tiles they used. The uniform of the wait staff looked too casual for the restaurant.

We were given a basket of addictive shrimp crackers to whet our appetites.

The oolong flower tea was very good.

They had some unique dim sum dishes that I’ve never seen anywhere else.

✔ ✔ ✔  crispy cod fish pastry HK$45

✔ ✔ ✔  crispy chicken liver pastry HK$45

My favorites were the crispy cod fish pastry with it’s flaky crust and delicate fish filling and the crispy chicken liver pastry that like creamy paté.
(taken w/ iPhone 4S and edited with Camera+)

The black truffle and crab dumpling was just satisfactory. I couldn’t really taste or smell the teeny bit of truffle.

✔ ✔  black truffle & crab dumpling HK$50

I loved the mild chili sauce on the table and I asked if they sold it. Yes they did!

chili sauce

My favorite dish of all was the oyster cake which was unlike any I’ve tried. In Manila the oyster cake is usually made with eggs and tapioca flour which makes for a sticky interior and slightly crisp exterior. This version was very crispy like it was dipped in a batter.

✔ ✔ ✔  pan-fried oyster cake HK$168

While the outside was crispy the inside was soft and pillowy, the perfect bed for the plump fresh oysters. You have to eat this quick while it’s hot and crisp. It deflated when it became cold.

The next two dishes were quite disappointing. I’ve had much better elsewhere.

✔  crispy beancurd skin roll HK$65

✖  pan-fried radish cake HK$40

My dad just had to have his soup.

✔✔ superior sfin soup HK$318 per bowl

The super sticky sweet dumpling filled with red bean paste was a delight.

✔✔ glutinous red bean paste dumpling HK$48

My bottle of chili sauce came in a yé shanghai bag since it’s also owned by the same group.

lunch menu (click to enlarge)

special set menu (click to enlarge)

Nanhai No. 1 is a very nice place to eat if you have guests and want to impress them with the ambiance, view and food. I still have to try their other non-dim sum dishes. I shall return.

✖ skip it
✔ not bad
✔ ✔ do try
✔ ✔ ✔ MUST order

Nanhai No. 1
30/F, iSQUARE
63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
telephone: (852) 2487 3688
menu
website