Reviews: The Merchants, Elevated Modern Shanghainese Restaurant With A Killer View

The Merchants is the first of four new concepts to open on the 43rd to 45th floors of Gloucester Tower in Central.

By Winnie Chung Published on Apr 27, 2023, 01:00 PM

Reviews: The Merchants, Elevated Modern Shanghainese Restaurant With A Killer View

The Merchants is the first of four new concepts to open on the 43^rd to 45^th floors of Gloucester Tower in Central.

Headed by award-winning Chef Chen Tian Long, formerly of the one-star Michelin Jade de Jardin, the restaurant will serve contemporary Shanghainese in modern settings.

A review of The Merchants

One of the hallmarks of Shanghainese cuisine is the richness of its flavours, with perhaps more of an emphasis on sweetness. With more health-conscious diners these days, it’s not a cuisine that allows for frequent indulgence.

This is perhaps what makes me appreciate the choices at The Merchants more: Chef Chen has been able to keep the authenticity of the tastes without the usual cloying sweetness. One of the first things that the restaurant has done is to swear off MSG, which will be good news for those with allergies.

With a group of eight, we started off with four appetisers: crispy eel with sweet vinegar (HKD 168), tossed sea cucumber with Sichuan peppercorn and sesame oil (HKD 238), drunken crab with 25-year hua diao wine (market price), and the traditional deep-fried pomfret in sweet soy sauce (HKD 158).

Both the eel and the pomfret were only lightly sweetened, allowing for the natural tastes of the seafood to come through. I loved the tossed sea cucumber with the peppercorn giving it a pleasant piquancy. The raw crabs were wonderfully packed with roe, with the hua diao wine infusing it with a subtle and mellow sweetness.

The hot and sour soup (HKD 148 per head) is one of the best I have had in recent memory. Brimming with julienned fungus, bamboo shoots and seafood, every mouthful was a burst of flavours on the taste buds, equally hot and sour at the same time.

For comparison, we had the mandarin fish cooked in two ways: shredded and stir-fried (HKD 788) and the other deep-fried with sweet and sour sauce (HKD 688). It was an interesting juxtaposition of tastes. The stir-fried allowed the juicy tenderness of the meat to shine through and, while the sweet and sour sauce was the hero of the other, they hit a good balance with the moistness of the fish.

The braised meatball (HKD 228), more popularly known as the “lion’s head”, is another example of how sweetness can be tempered well with the natural flavours of the pork. The jasmine tea-smoked duck (HKD 628) was wonderfully fragrant, however, I felt they could have hit a better balance with the size of the cuts, which were too big for the tiny steamed buns, or vice versa.

The highlight of the meal was the clay pot rice with crab meat and fish maw (HKD 988 for a four-person serving). The rice may not have had the smokiness associated with clay pot, but it served well to soak up the rich umami of fish maw, crab meat and roe. It probably did a disservice to the xiao long bao, which felt a little lacklustre after.

The glutinous pearls in osmanthus sweet soup with rice wine (HKD 58 per person) and the deep-fried lava sesame rice balls (HKD 88) rounded up the meal nicely. Even though, it felt like we had had a lot of food, portion sizes were good, and we ended the meal comfortably.

The restaurant also has a set lunch menu for HKD 598 per person with a choice of appetiser, soup, main course, vegetables, rice/noodles or dim sum, and dessert: a great choice if you don’t want to go through the a la carte menu of over 100 items to choose from!

Cuisine

Modern Shanghainese

We Recommend

Appetiser

Drunken crab with 25-year hua diao wine (market price)

Tossed sea cucumber with Sichuan peppercorn and sesame oil (HKD 238)

Main Course

Deep-fried mandarin fish with sweet and sour sauce (HKD 688)

Claypot rice with crab meat and fish maw (HKD 988)

Dessert

Glutinous pearls in osmanthus sweet soup with rice wine (HKD 58 per person)

The Vibe

The Merchants is part of the FORTY-FIVE concept, which has taken the space previously held by the Bankers’ Club. With its Belle Epoque vibes and plush interiors, it’s easy to see it becoming the go-to place for Central suits. The place offers panoramic views of Victoria Harbour, giving different vibes on a clear day and at night. Ahead of the official opening of The Cardinal Point later in May, The Merchants diners can also enjoy post-meal drinks at the rooftop bar.