Sum Yi Tai – Lunch Didn’t Impress, Dinner Maybe Better

Conceptualized to pay tribute to the decadent glamour of 1980s Hong Kong, Sum Yi Tai (meaning “Third Wife” in Cantonese) propels traditional Chinese cuisine into the realm of designer bars. This restaurant is spread over 3 storeys of a conservation shophouse in the vicinity of our Central Business District. Upon entering, the wall of delicious-looking ducks will capture your attention immediately.

The first floor offers tapas-style dishes in a crimson-lit gangland bar while the second floor houses the Mona Lounge where the DJ starts playing after 7pm from Wednesday to Saturday nights. At the rooftop, Sum Yi Tai used decorative screens and rattan to create an intimate cove and this Rooftop Bar attracts the after-work crowd in search of good whiskies, wines and cocktails.

We visited on a weekday afternoon for their “Lunch Express” menu which consisted of sides and mains. We had Maple Honey Char Siew ($12) for our side dish to share. Honestly, we found this Maple Honey Char Siew to be the highlight of our meal, comparing this to the mains we had later on. There is a good layering of fats within layers of lean meat, giving the char siew a soft, chewy texture, retaining its juiciness and moisture. Drenched in a honey sweet sauce that was not overwhelming, this char siew was full of flavours. Each bite whets your appetite for more. It’s actually possible for one to finish the entire plate!

The dry version of Zha Jiang La Mian ($8) with spicy minced pork sauce was an average dish. It would have been better if the spicy minced pork sauce was more flavourful. As the sauce was not on the generous serving side, the noodles dried up very quickly and became slightly lumpy. However, there is a very generous portion of vegetables for the health conscious.

The biggest disappointment for us was their Signature Chinese Sausages & Preserved Meat Clay Pot Rice ($26). Personally, we feel that good clay pot rice is supposed to be richly flavoured by the sausages and meat, with a hint of smokiness from the dark soy sauce and a satiny smooth texture from the oil but Sum Yi Tai’s clay pot rice failed to meet our expectations. They were a little stingy on dark soy sauce hence our rice lacked flavours. For the portion we were served, we also felt that it is way too overpriced.

Perhaps, Sum Yi Tai is a good chillax place after work, with their wide offering of alcoholic drinks and delicious Chinese tapas especially when it is conveniently located in the CBD.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.