Atour Hotel Taiguhui of Tianhe River Guangzhou

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.

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The Singapore-based chain opened its first outpost here in 2019. The head chef from Hong Kong ensures that Chaozhou traditions are respected in the kitchen, while adding a refined touch to his repertoire. The fried tofu skin roll in sweet and sour sauce is filled with ground pork, water chestnuts, shiitake and dried shrimps, delivering a variety of textures. The pork tripe soup with salted mustard greens and peppercorns warms the heart and soul.

As in other branches of this Singapore-based chain, the kitchen team never fails to deliver quality dishes thanks to inspired insights and honed skills. The must-try black pepper mud crab exudes an intoxicating aroma and seafood flavour, while double-boiled fish maw soup with shark bones warms the heart and soul. Their dim sum lunch is to die for – deftly crafted translucent rice noodle rolls and tofu skin rolls stuffed with shrimps and chives.

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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’.

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.