Hong Kong, as well as the West, has long had a love affair with Shanghai during the art deco era. Shanghai was at the height of its artistic beauty and it would seem that Sir David Tang, Hong Kong's lifestyle powerhouse, has big plans to spread his vision throughout the world. On top of the highly successful China Club, situated in the old Bank of China Building and the It dining spot for Russian magnates and models, China Tang, in London's Dorchester Hotel, the Tang empire combines style, good food and nostalgia, all eagerly embraced by the world.

And for those who have always lamented the exclusivity of the China Club in Hong Kong, it's now possible to experience the Tang magic at the newly opened Island Tang restaurant. Rumored to be financed by Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lam, Island Tang has only been running for a few weeks, but this dining room already has all the necessary ingredients to make it a long-lasting success.

Location, location, location, is the first winning element of Island Tang. Situated on the second floor of 9 Queen's Road Central, adjacent to the Landmark, Island Tang is perfectly located for business power lunches and private dinner gatherings. Greeted by a friendly member of staff at the unassuming entrance, the dark wood and glass doors open into a small foyer, which already bears the signature look of Shanghai during its heyday.

Stepping through another pair of doors, diners will no doubt feel that they have been transported back in time and have landed onto a movie set of Shanghai during the 1930s. Wood and stained glass windows, ceiling fans and dim lighting bode well. Table setting has all the necessary Shanghai Tang merchandise, silver antique-inspired condiment containers and bone chopsticks. Long curtains drape at the ends of the room, to separate off four private dining rooms that are available for larger parties. The only puzzling design feature at this nostalgic eatery is the font and menu design. Highly reminiscent of a local coffee house menu, the a-bit-too-cute menu seems to be at odds with the sophisticated surroundings.

Without a doubt, Island Tang scores high on the design factor, and what about the food? The menu boasts a good choice of Cantonese dishes, ranging from premium shark's fin and abalone to home style cooking such as congee and simple stir-fried vegetables. Typical home cooked dishes are reworked here at Island Tang and the result is a refined version of well-know classics. Pork with preserved vegetable is made with a quality cut of the pork, while a stir-fried dish of mushrooms and vegetables uses an assortment of tasty and a non-typical assortment of wild mushrooms.

Portions at Island Tang are not large, so lunchtime diners should also order from the range of classic dim sum choices, such as shrimp dumping and char siu bun, on offer during lunch, both on the weekends and also as part of the executive lunch set. More then just a weekend "yum cha" spot, Island Tang caters to the sophisticated dining crowd as well, with an excellent wine cellar and an impressive bar table for some serious cocktail drinking.

On the day of our visit, service was accommodating and attentive. Forget about the snob factor here, diners are unlikely to be intimidated as staff are friendly. Beginning from the staff greeting you at the door, to the wait staff recommending dishes, to attentive service throughout the meal, Island Tang also rates high on service. In addition to attention to detail within the restaurant, Island Tang also has a valet parking service on Ice House Street.

Judging from the international clientele of local bankers, Hong Kong tycoons and the European chi chi jet set, it seems like Island Tang, even in its infancy, has quietly become a hot spot for the it crowd. We await to see this piece of the Tang empire grow in the months to come, and it would be safe to say, expectations are high, and with good reason.

(HK Edition 09/10/2008 page4)