SLC's Hong Kong Tea House & Restaurant

Published: August 10, 2009Topics: Dining, Food, Utah

By Jake Trumbo
For Now Utah

Wing Yeung looks too young to be a master chef — that is, until you learn this thirty-something, dim sum master has been training since age 12 to create his oriental delicacies in the bustling restaurant kitchens of Hong Kong. For the last six years, Yeung has brought his authentic and savory dishes to Salt Lake City as owner and chef of the Hong Kong Tea House and Restaurant, just two blocks west of the Gateway.

Local afficionados already know that the Hong Kong Tea House is the place for dim sum with over 50 varieties available on the menu that have garnered numerous awards from local publications like Salt Lake magazine and the City Weekly. After enjoying a meal in a historic setting blending Asian décor, like a hand-carved wooden tea table, with natural brick walls, it’s easy to see why Hong Kong Tea House and Restaurant was named the city’s best Chinese for three years straight.

According to server Jen Chen, what really sets her dining establishment apart is Chef Yeung’s commitment to being “the only Cantonese restaurant in town” adding that many of the other Chinese restaurants specialize instead in Mandarin or Chinese-American options. Its menu is limited to traditional Cantonese offerings like Peking duck and snow pea leaves with garlic, a tasty and exotic option for a vegetable side-dish. Hand-made steamed dim sum is available until late afternoon and as a deep-fried appetizer anytime. The steamed BBQ pork bun and deep fried shrimp balls are two favorites.

While you wait to be served, soothe the senses by sipping one of over two dozen varieties of tea prepared traditionally without tea bags. There’s a reason “tea house” is included in the name: originally half of the restaurant was devoted to an authentic Chinese tearoom, and the focus on China’s tea drinking heritage is still evident. Rare and expensive teas imported directly from China are available to purchase, as well as intricate porcelain tea sets and services.

A trip to the Hong Kong Tea Room and Restaurant provides a complete Chinese dining experience coupled with friendly, attentive service. For a taste of the East, head west and find out what Yeung’s dedicated diners already know, a meal from his kitchen will leave your appetite sated and your mind and body relaxed.