Every year, as autumn and winter set in, I’m sure to come here several times to enjoy snake dishes and claypot rice. Whilst Snake King Fan’s ‘Grand Historian’s Five-Snake Soup’ is certainly famous, their nostalgic small dishes and stewed soups are also outstanding. Consequently, the restaurant is often bustling even outside the snake-eating season, attracting many celebrities and food connoisseurs such as Tsai Lan. Every time I dine here, I leave with a full stomach and a sense of satisfaction. Tonight, a group of food connoisseurs gathered here, and the selection of dishes we ordered was particularly extensive.
‘Stewed Water Duck with Coconut, Sea Bamboo, Yuzhu and Fish Maw’
The fish maw soup, generously portioned and cooked to perfection, nourishes the body and enhances the complexion, making it another highlight of the menu. The water duck is not greasy; simmered briefly with slices of ginger, it is free of any gamey odour. The fish maw is sourced from high-quality male croaker, rich in collagen and with a subtle hint of coconut.
*Jade Sash and Pear Blossom*
We usually order the Crispy Taro and Duck as a starter, but we’ve had it so often that it’s become a bit monotonous, and we’d also ordered another dish, ‘Braised Pork Belly with Taro in a Clay Pot’, so this time we opted for ‘Jade Belt with Pear Fragrance’—made with scallops, prawn paste and pear—instead. Although it is a common, time-honoured dish, not everyone can achieve the high standard set by ‘She Wang Fen’. Furthermore, to enhance the fruity aroma, a slice of Hami melon was added, introducing a subtle twist to the traditional recipe.
‘Braised Pork Belly with Taro in a Clay Pot’
This is a traditional Hakka dish that requires a lot of time and effort, involving marinating, braising and steaming. The braised pork is tender and melt-in-the-mouth, whilst the taro is braised until soft and tender, absorbing the fat from the pork and blending seamlessly with the seasoned sauce – it makes for a delicious yet indulgent accompaniment to rice!
‘Qiaotouzi Ginger-Braised Lemon Pigeon’
This dish isn’t very common, and it was my first time trying it. Judging by its appearance alone, you might think it’s just an ordinary plate of lemon chicken, but it’s actually braised pigeon cooked with diced young ginger, enhanced with a touch of salted lemon and fresh lemon for flavour. with a sweet-and-sour flavour and a hint of savoury saltiness that is both appetising and tantalising; the pigeon meat is also wonderfully tender and succulent. In fact, She Wangfen often uses young ginger in her dishes, and she always executes them to perfection.
‘Steamed Grouper with Sichuan Pepper and Fermented Bean Paste Sauce’
Another rare dish: the knuckle of the grouper is particularly meaty and is rarely used in steamed or boiled dishes. This dish fully demonstrates the chef’s superb mastery of heat control; the fish is cooked to perfection, with a fresh, sweet and tender texture, completely free of any fishy odour. The thick grouper skin is slightly fatty; its texture is soft yet firm, and when enjoyed with a dash of Sichuan pepper and fermented black bean sauce, it is fragrant, spicy and full of flavour.
‘The Mischievous Old Man’s Steamed Crab Pot’
‘Mianweng’ is a relatively traditional cooking technique in Cantonese cuisine. A mianweng sauce—made from minced meat, salted egg yolks, eggs, and, in this version, pieces of deep-fried dough—is poured over pieces of flower crab and then steamed in a clay pot. The umami of the crab meat blends perfectly with the egg-based Mianweng sauce; not only is the crab meat delicious, but the savoury egg sauce is simply superb served with rice! It’s a dish that really took me by surprise.
‘Clay Pot Rice with Preserved Meats’
Aside from snake soup, the cured meat claypot rice is another must-try dish at ‘She Wang Fen’ in winter. The highlight is their homemade pork intestine, which is rich, fragrant and succulent; they’ve also mastered the art of cooking the claypot rice to perfection, so you can enjoy the crispy, caramelised rice crust at the bottom – it’s truly delicious.
‘Tea-Smoked Chicken’
I seem to recall having the most delicious tea-smoked chicken at a Chinese restaurant in a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui; the one here is also very good. It has a rich tea flavour and is a generous portion, making it ideal for sharing amongst a group. The only slight drawback is that some of the chicken pieces are cut a little too finely; the knife skills could do with some improvement.
‘Spicy Stir-fried Clams’
The clams were fresh, plump and had a lovely wok-fried flavour, but compared to the other dishes, they weren’t particularly impressive.
‘Vanilla-Infused Mung Bean Paste’
Don’t assume this is just a standard complimentary dessert served after a meal; the mung bean purée here is prepared with great care. As well as being soft, velvety and smooth, its true essence lies in the rich, fruity aroma of aged tangerine peel. Even if you’re not a fan of mung bean purée, I’d recommend trying the red bean purée at your own expense, as it’s also very popular—it’s best to book in advance.
She Wang Fen does not take bookings. It tends to be busier on Thursday and Friday evenings and on public holidays, and is particularly popular in the autumn and winter months. We recommend visiting after 8 pm on weekdays, when it is less crowded.
Address: Ground Floor, 30 Gok Lin Street, Central
Transport: MTR Sheung Wan Station, Exit E1; approximately an 8-minute walk
Telephone number: 852-25431032
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00 – 22:30
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