Delish Eats The Farmhouse X 28 Hubin Road “Journey to Hangzhou”
Restaurant Story
The Farmhouse at Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong is a firm favorite among Hong Kong buffet lovers who rave about the consistent quality of food, stunning harbor views, spacious interiors, and relaxed outdoor patio.
This month, in a special collaboration with 28 HuBin Road, The Farmhouse is serving up a special menu of classic Hangzhou dishes which are guaranteed to please any Hong Kong foodie's palate. Titled "Journey to Hangzhou," the lunch and dinner buffet menus are available from 12 September until 30 November 2024.
Chef Story
"Journey to Hangzhou" is the creation of Chef Colin Cheng, a veteran of the business who is widely hailed as the father of modern Hangzhou cuisine. Cheng has achieved worldwide acclaim for his ability to refine traditional recipes bringing modern Hangzhou cuisine to a wider audience.
Cheng’s culinary reputation was cemented at the multi award winning 28 HuBin Road, the flagship restaurant of the Hangzhou Grand Hyatt. The restaurant has gathered an impressive collection of accolades since its opening in 2005 and under Chef Cheng's tenure, including the Black Pearl One Diamond title for four consecutive years and is recognized by ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants,’ the ‘Hangzhou Michelin Guide,’ and ‘Ctrip Platinum Restaurant.’
What's the Vibe and Venue Like
Conveniently located in lively North Point, The Farmhouse at Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong offers a charming, farm-to-table experience. From the moment we arrived, the welcoming team, including the chef himself, made us feel right at home.
The first impression is of light and space! The indoor restaurant and dog-friendly outdoor patio have a relaxed vibe which encourages long lunches, relaxed sundowners and family gatherings. Parents will be delighted by the kids' playroom, complete with toys and books, where children can hang out allowing parents to sit back and enjoy their meal.
With a focus on fresh, high-quality gourmet ingredients, the Farmhouse menu can be relied on to provide a choice of sustainably sourced seafood and high-welfare meats. Some dishes are prepared in situ at the open kitchen, and it was a real treat to watch the talented chefs at work.
Whether you visit for lunch or dinner, the views of Victoria Harbor are simply stunning and provide a great backdrop for the culinary experience.
How Much Does It Cost
The Farmhouse offers practical pricing, especially for families, with a thoughtful policy that allows one child aged 5 or under to dine for free when accompanied by a paying adult—a perk many other Hong Kong hotels overlook.
In September and October, diners can enjoy special discounts on the lunch and dinner buffets, depending on the booking selection.
From Monday to Friday, the adult lunch buffet costs HKD$398, HKD$288 for seniors, and children dine for HKD$199. On weekends and public holidays, the prices are HKD$508 for adults, HKD$358 for seniors, and HKD$254 for children.
For the dinner buffet, prices range from HKD$748 for adults, HKD$488 for seniors, and HKD$374 for children from Monday to Thursday. Friday to Sunday and on Public Holidays, the dinner costs HKD$798 for adults, HKD$538 for seniors, and HKD$399 for children.
What is the Menu About
The buffet selection is thoughtfully curated, guiding you on a gastronomic journey from cold appetizers to hot mains, moving from surf to turf.
Hangzhou cuisine takes center stage at the buffet as Chef Cheng elevates simple traditional Hangzhou dishes in taste and presentation.
Signature dishes include Braised “Dongpo” Pork, Hangzhou-Style Wok-Fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea Leaves. If you are crazy for crabs, take your pick from the basket-load of fresh hairy crabs marinated in Ten-Year Yellow Rice Wine.
If you’re craving local comfort food, there is a live noodle station where they prepare freshly boiled wontons, bok choy, and wonton noodles where you can choose from a range of seasonings.
Service is impeccable and we were delighted to see the chefs preparing the food right before our eyes, ensuring the freshest high-quality seafood and meat.
Don’t worry if crabs aren’t your thing as the traditional selection of western buffet favourites will make sure you don’t go hungry.
The hot food buffet features a stellar lineup of international cuisines, including Indian and Spanish dishes. Enjoy hearty options like Indian curry, samosas, naan bread, and Paella Style Orzo Pasta with clams and mussels. There’s also a variety of meats, such as the mouthwatering Roasted Iberico Pork Belly, Roast Duck, Hainan chicken and more.
What Did We Try
We kicked things off at the cold buffet, diving into assorted sushi maki rolls, soba, and a variety of Sashimi like octopus, hamachi, salmon, and tuna at the buzzing sushi bar.
The chilled seafood counter was loaded with fresh mussels, clams, jade whelks, prawns, a Boston lobster, and snow crab legs. The crab legs were enormous and juicy fresh - as if they had just been pulled straight from the ocean.
Other standout dishes include the tender braised beef with preserved vegetables, fragrant crab soup with Water Shield (an aquatic vegetable that is added to soups for nutrition) and a tasty platter of appetizer-sized bites.
These included signatures like the Poached Lotus Roots with Glutinous Rice and Osmanthus, Marinated Chicken in Wine Sauce, and Marinated Pork Belly.
These delicious and authentic nibbles were also available at the cold buffet, alongside a selection of cured meats such as Pastrami and Mortadella. From the hot food buffet, we couldn’t resist the Hangzhou-style wok-fried shrimps with Longjing tea leaves—small but packed with flavor.
What We Liked
Buffets can be hit or miss, but this one dispelled the myth that buffets are all about quantity over quality.
Every dish we sampled was bursting with flavor, yet delicate enough to keep our palate refreshed.
The real shining stars, in our opinion, were the Steamed Flower Crabs in 20-Year Yellow Rice Wine. The succulent crab meat was rich, juicy, and perfectly balanced with the delicate wine flavor, which enhanced the natural sweetness of the crab without overpowering it. We’re still dreaming about those crabs!
The “Drunken” Hairy Crab Marinated in 10-Year Yellow Rice Wine was another standout. Each sliver of meat was tender and full of flavor, while the orange roe had a subtle, earthy richness. And the best part? You can help yourself to a basketful of them in the buffet’s hot food section.
Beyond the crabs, the chilled seafood selection was equally impressive. This was a fabulous selection of yummy seafood, from fresh mussels and clams to snow crab legs. It was all so delicious and satisfying, we couldn’t resist going back for seconds.
The Zhejiang-Style Marinated Pork Belly was melt-in-your-mouth tender, offering the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
We were already pretty full, but of course, had to leave room for dessert. The petite but satisfying sweet treats did not disappoint. The Melon Cream Cake with Shine Muscat Grapes was light and refreshing, while the Mango Sago Pomelo Pudding hit the right notes without being overly sweet.
As for the more traditional Chinese desserts, The Almond Pudding with Bird Nest was rich and creamy, and the Ube Mochi Mooncakes offered a lovely, nutty texture with the perfect amount of chewiness that wrapped up the meal on a high note.
As per Hong Kong tradition, we finished off the entire meal with their fruit station which provided a delightful range of fresh seasonal produce, including melon, watermelon, oranges and rose apples.
What We Didn’t Like
While the "Journey to Hangzhou" experience was exceptional, there were a couple of small details that could’ve made it even better.
We appreciated the fridge stocked with chilled beverages like lemon and peach teas, along with a tea and coffee station. However, a refreshing watermelon juice would have been a great way to balance the richness of the buffet. We started our meal with some light lemon tea on tap. While it was flavored well, it could have been served cooler or with more ice.
The seafood was delightful, but we missed the classic Hangzhou delicacy, West Lake fish. Although challenging to present at a buffet, we wish it could have been included or incorporated into the appetizers somehow.
What You Should Order
Since it’s crab season, indulge in the “Drunken” Hairy Crab marinated in 10-Year Yellow Rice Wine and Steamed Flower Crabs in 20-Year Yellow Rice Wine for a delightful Autumn dinner. The umami-rich boiled crab meat soup is a fantastic alternative to the traditional crab feast, saving you from messy fingers.
The Japanese station offers a personalized sushi showdown where you choose from the range of fresh fish on offer which is this is hand cut on the spot by the resident sushi chef. can select fresh slabs of produce and enjoy them with a delicious bowl of soba.
For dessert, we recommend The Farmhouse’s iconic Ice Cream Carousel which currently features special flavors developed by the team at 28 HuBin Road. Look out for limited-edition flavors like Honeycomb, Osmanthus, Pistachio, and Red Bean, and go ham at the sweet topping station, consisting of sprinkles, lychee, mango, and crunchy crushed Oreos.
Reserve your table now here.
Location: 2/F (West Tower), 1 North Point Estate Lane, North Point, Hong Kong
Contact Details:+852 3762 1234
This food review is based on a complimentary media tasting provided by The Farmhouse in exchange for a truthful review and no compensation. The opinions expressed within represent the views of the author.
Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Delish Eats reviews here.
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