I spent $62 on a multicourse Michelin-star meal. I had to wait 40 minutes to be seated, but it was more than worth it.

Mon, 09/09/2024 - 13:12

A brown table filled with a platter of roast goose with golden-brown skin, a white bowl of soup with chives on top, and a white plate of noodles with pieces of bok choy on the sides of the plate — I tried Kam's Roast Goose for the first time.
Tiffany Leigh

I spent $62 at Kam's Roast Goose, a Michelin-star restaurant in Hong Kong.
I loved the restaurant's signature roast goose, as it was juicy and full of flavor.
I thought the Prince Kinsen noodle dish was just OK, but I still thought my meal was worth it.

When I recently returned to my ancestral home of Hong Kong, I was excited to enjoy a classic Cantonese food: roast goose. I grew up having this meal on special occasions, so the dish has always felt nostalgic to me.

While searching for something close to my hotel, I stumbled upon Kam's Roast Goose, sometimes referred to as one of the best Michelin-star restaurants in Hong Kong. I figured it had to be good since the restaurant was awarded one Michelin star a year from 2015 to 2021.

I was keen to try this place out and see if it lived up to the hype. Here's what my experience was like.

There was a wait to get in, but it wasn't too bad.

Exterior of Kam's Roast Goode restaurant with a line of people waiting outside. The restaurant has metal and gray brick details and a red wall with windows displaying roast goose. — I waited in to enter Kam's Roast Goose.
Tiffany Leigh

When I arrived at 7 p.m. on a Sunday, a line had already formed outside the restaurant. Kam's Roast Goose doesn't take reservations, so this wasn't too shocking.

While waiting in line, the hostess came over and asked me to preorder any goose-specific dishes. I knew I was going to order the roast goose, so I asked for this item, and she handed me a slip of paper documenting this request.

After 40 minutes, I was called to one of the restaurant's narrow banquette seats.

It was a small space but had a lot of personality.

Cooks in white shirts and black aprons prepare food in a kitchen in a restaurant as several bottles and containers of sauce sit in front of them. A white plate of bok choy and a roast goose sits on the counter. — I watched chefs prepare the meals in the kitchen.
Tiffany Leigh

The restaurant was very busy, but the lively energy was intoxicating. The waitstaff darted among the tables, and Michelin plaques and paraphernalia lined the wall.

There was a small area adjacent to the dining room where customers could watch chefs butcher the goose and other meats. The seating was cramped but charming, and I could see how happy everyone looked, feasting upon Kam's signature goose.

My goose dish came out very quickly.

A white plate holding a roast goose with crispy-looking, almost reflective, golden-brown skin. The goose sits in an orange sauce, and a green garnish is visible on the plate in the background. — The roast goose had a golden-brown exterior.
Tiffany Leigh

Before I even settled into my seat, my half order of goose, which cost 330 Hong Kong dollars, or about $42, arrived. This dish featured two primary cuts: the upper quarter (breast, upper back, and drumette) and the lower quarter (belly, lower back, thigh).

I enjoyed both cuts. The upper cut was leaner but meatier, and the lower cut was juicy but fatty. The meat was dense but tender, inherently sweet with delicate herbaceous notes.

I've devoured a lot of goose dishes in my life, but this one truly felt like Michelin-quality food. The goose's mahogany-colored, crispy skin shattered like crème brûlée when I sunk my teeth into it.

I wanted to try more food, so I went with the goose pudding with chives.

A white bowl holding a goose-blood pudding with pieces of chives on top. A white soup spoon sits in the bowl alongside brown pieces of meat. — The goose pudding with chives was savory and herbaceous.
Tiffany Leigh

I had a go-big-or-go-home mentality, so I added the goose-blood pudding with chives (HK$70).

The goose-blood pudding was sitting in a broth that was likely made with chicken stock. It tasted like the pudding, which had long strands of chives on top, had notes of garlic, Chinese wine, and sesame oil.

The real stars were the pudding cubes, which had a voluptuous texture akin to firm yet silky tofu and a mildly gamey taste. The chives also added an herbaceous note to the pudding.

I loved this dish, and it reminded me of a pig-blood-curd dish I enjoy eating for dim sum.

I also ordered the Prince Kinsen noodle dish but was a little disappointed.

A white plate of yellow noodles with a white garnish on top. Pieces of bok choy sit on the plate next to the noodles. — I wanted more flavor from the Prince Kinsen noodle dish.
Tiffany Leigh

This noodle dish (HK$40) is named in honor of the owner's father, Kinsen Kam. It came with a vegetable garnish, which offered a pleasant and refreshing crunch, and thin noodles coated in goose drippings. However, I thought these components offered more texture than taste.

The noodles had a neutral taste but were very slick from the goose fat, which had a bit of an umami flavor. The noodles weren't necessarily a dud, but I didn't think they paired well with the roast goose.

I regretted not ordering steamed white rice instead, which probably would've been better for mopping up the juices on the goose platter. I attempted to sop up the drippings with the noodles, but this was a bit too messy, and I was left with a greasy film in my mouth.

I found the wait staff quirky and endearing.

A restaurant filled with people sitting at tables and talking as decor and several awards plaques sit on the wall in the background. A staff member in a red uniform walks through the crowded restaurant. — It seemed like everyone in the restaurant was having a good time, including the wait staff.
Tiffany Leigh

The staff members reminded me of my Chinese aunties, who (despite my broken Cantonese) chatted with me, calling me "liàng nǚ" — Chinese slang for "pretty girl" — and asked where I was from and how I was enjoying the goose.

They were amused to see me tucking into the goose with reckless abandon and thoughtfully handed me a stack of napkins without my asking. They were so personable that I didn't feel rushed.

The wait and $62 bill were worth it, as this was a phenomenal place to eat.

Selfie of the writer sitting in a purple booth holding a goose leg up. She wearing a white tank top and silver hoop earrings. — I thoroughly enjoyed my food at Kam's Roast Goose.
Tiffany Leigh

My total bill with tax (and before the tip) was HK$484, or about $62 USD. To date, this is one of the cheapest Michelin-star restaurants I've ever dined at. All in all, the meal was 100% worth it.

Everything about my experience was wholesome and delicious. I'd return to this stellar Michelin-star spot in a heartbeat, and next time, I'd be just as happy with a half-goose order and a bowl of steamed rice.

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Food, Food, restaurant, hong-kong, cantonese-food, michelin-star, michelin-restaurants, Freelancer, freelancer-le, evergreen-story

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I spent $62 on a multicourse Michelin-star meal. I had to wait 40 minutes to be…