[Hong Kong Cuisine] ‘Ah Yat Seafood & Abalone Restaurant’ in Causeway Bay: Enjoy a mini ‘Fo Tiao Qiang’ whilst taking in the sea views

‘Ah Yi Seaview Abalone Restaurant’ has two branches: one in Tsim Sha Tsui and one in Causeway Bay. Both are situated in prime locations in Hong Kong, offering enchanting views of both sides of Victoria Harbour. On this occasion, I visited the Causeway Bay branch, where, amidst the beautiful scenery on a fine, sunny day, I enjoyed a delicious ‘Mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Set Menu’. I’d like to introduce a few of the dishes included in the set menu.

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‘Mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’

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First and foremost, I must introduce the star of the show: ‘Mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’. One of its key features is that the ingredients and broth are adapted to suit the season. The winter version features a thicker broth, designed to promote the flow of qi and blood, nourish yin and tonify the kidneys, and help ward off the cold and keep you warm. The summer version I tried, however, has a lighter, more refreshing broth, primarily intended to relieve summer heat and quench thirst.


A single small bowl of mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall contains abalone (with a choice of South African abalone or Japanese 34-head premium abalone depending on the price), sea cucumber, shark’s fin, fish maw, matsutake mushrooms, dried scallops, conch and other precious seafood – it is generously packed with ingredients. Ah Yi’s mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is actually very popular; many tourists from mainland China and Japan enjoy ordering just one bowl, served with a bowl of plain rice, which is already a truly delicious meal.

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‘Big Brother’s Signature Clay Pot Fried Rice’

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The ‘Signature Clay Pot Fried Rice’ is a signature dish that has been recommended by Michelin inspectors on numerous occasions, and as such, many diners make a special trip just to try it. The fried rice is generously loaded with ingredients such as char siu, fresh prawns and whole egg yolks. Cooked in a clay pot—which retains heat exceptionally well and conducts it efficiently—the heat is easy to control and there is no need to keep adding oil. As a result, each grain of rice is plump and distinct, with a dry texture and a hint of toasty flavour, without being overly greasy. The savoury abalone sauce permeates the rice evenly, adding depth to the flavour – it’s so delicious I could eat bowl after bowl!

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*The Spirit of Ryoma*

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This dish, with its intriguing name and exquisite presentation, turns out to be ‘Lobster Balls Stir-fried with Water Chestnuts in Black Bean Sauce’. The lobster balls are meaty, springy and full of flavour, whilst the addition of sweet, crisp water chestnuts adds further texture to the dish. Stir-fried in black bean sauce, the whole dish is exceptionally fragrant and appetising – a real pick-me-up!

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‘Glazed Char Siu and Chewy Prawn Dumplings’

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In fact, the lunch menu here also features other dim sum and roast meats; for example, the prawn dumplings and the char siu made from half-lean, half-fatty pork are also rather good. The char siu is tender and flaky, with a rich honey flavour—it’s of a high standard. The prawn dumplings, in particular, are wonderfully springy.

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‘Baked Lotus Seed and Sago Pudding’

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As for desserts, the set menu originally only included egg white and almond tea, but the very kind restaurant manager kindly substituted it with a nostalgic Chinese dessert that is rarely found these days: ‘baked lotus seed paste and sago pudding’. The piping-hot pudding contained smooth lotus seed paste and soft, chewy sago pearls; it was perfectly sweetened and didn’t feel cloying even when eaten in large quantities – it was very well made.

The ‘Mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Set Menu’ is available to only ten guests per day, so we recommend booking a table and reserving the set menu at least one day in advance.

In addition to this ‘Mini Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Set Menu’, there are other lunch set menus featuring at least one abalone dish; if there are four or more of you, you can enjoy them at a discounted price. For example, the set menu, originally priced at $345, is available for just $276 per person (plus a 10 per cent service charge), and includes ‘Honey-glazed Char Siu’, ‘flavoured dried pufferfish’, ‘crab meat and shark’s fin rolls in superior broth’, and the renowned ‘No. 1 Abalone’, amongst more than ten other speciality dishes. I think it’s incredibly good value for money and well worth recommending.

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Address: 25th Floor, Tower 535, 535 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
Telephone number: 852-9100 6111
Opening hours: 11:00–15:00, 18:00–23:00