Days Hotel by Wyndham Guangzhou Hantian

A must-try for spicy food lovers. Named after famous statesman Zeng Guofan of Qing Dynasty, the room pays tribute to him with his literary and calligraphic works. The menu also focusses on dishes and seasonal ingredients from Hunan province, where Zeng hailed from. The signature softshell turtle is either braised in sauces or blanched in stock, best ordered ahead of time. Also try the braised pork belly, a recipe from Shuangfeng County.

TV may well have changed the life of the Hong Kong chef who helms Chōwa – after honing his skills in Western cooking, Louis Tam was inspired to explore Franco-Japanese fusion food by a Japanese TV drama. The seasonal six- and eight-course tasting menus embody his vision, and everything is made from scratch: the sauces, pickles, even the plum wine. The piping hot brioche has a springy texture thanks to the yudane recipe. Ask about wine and sake pairings.

The decor mimics quaint mansions in the Xiguan district, with prints depicting Cantonese opera stories on the walls. The menu focuses on healthy cooking with seasonal, organic ingredients. Signature dishes include braised Doumen mud crab with hairy squash, which imparts robust seafood flavour, and juicy roast lemongrass-scented squab. To avoid disappointment, pre-order signature dishes and seasonal specials when booking your table.

Chao Yue means jumping waves, echoing the sculptural wave form on the ceiling of the spacious dining room. Three fixed price menus put the fun back into fine dining and globally sourced produce is used in impeccably presented, playful and pleasantly surprising dishes, such as eel maw disguised as sticky lychee rice balls. Chaozhou traditions and innovative techniques are melded seamlessly in dishes like boneless crispy skinned pigeon in bean sauce.

The collaborative effort of two local restaurant brands focuses on local flavours and myriad techniques to make Cantonese food even better. Many diners come for the soups, which are double-boiled for at least four hours – expect deep umami but little grease. The steamed fish jaw with pickled young ginger and sweet soybean paste, and deep-fried chitterlings are also popular. Most seafood dishes are not on the menu – ask the server what is available.

A wall map and backlit illustrations lend the rustic interior an artistic flair. The owner and the staff, who all hail from the Chaoshan area, pay homage to the kaleidoscopic food culture of this region using mainly ingredients and seafood from their homelands. ‘Floating’ on dry ice fog, marinated raw crab boasts gelatinous roe loaded with umami and winey aromas. It even comes with hot ginger tea to balance the crab’s ‘coldness’.

Slat wood panels, exquisite bonsai, a soundtrack of a flowing river – it all imparts a Zen-like ambiance. The young chef has extensive experience in plant-based cooking and the single tasting menu features the season's best produce. The course water bamboo three ways, in particular, showcases the chef's vision and meticulous skills. The plant is grilled, basted in sauce, oven baked and made into a roll, for varied textures and flavours.