What do you get when you cross a classic French pastry and barbecue from a local roaster in Hong Kong? A char siu and egg croissant of course! Well, that is the case at least for Dang Wen Li, a French bakery created by celebrated chef and cruffin mastermind, Dominique Ansel.
The bakery aims to use local culinary traditions to create new and innovative pastries and this season, Dang Wen Li is collaborating with one of the city's top roast meat shops Sun Kwai Heung (新桂香燒臘) to create a char siu and egg croissant ($68). The local roaster, best known for its Cantonese-style barbecue items including their beautifully charred and caramelised char siu that people still make trips to Chai Wan for, will be sending the French bakery some of their best roast pork cuts to create the new savoury pastry.
Sandwiched within a freshly baked, crisp yet airy croissant are tender pieces of char siu layered with soft French-style omelette and homemade honey mayonnaise. The char siu and egg combo will only be available at Dang Wen Li's flagship store in H Queen's and at Harbour City with limited servings on a daily basis. For those not into char siu, an OmniPork Luncheon and egg croissant ($58) version is also available with plant-based luncheon meat and homemade vegetarian char siu sauce.
Dang Wen Li is also launching other savoury dishes for autumn which are inspired by classic Hong Kong flavours. The lobster bisque ($98) is a hearty soup that takes notes from cha chaan tengs and their macaroni soup, which always brings a little comfort and nostalgia during the cooler months. The lobster bisque version can be enjoyed with macaroni, or with fragrant garlic brioche toast. There's also a Hong Kong-style borscht ($78), which is an upgraded version of the classic lor song tong (羅宋湯) and can be eaten with alphabet pasta or the same garlic toasts on the side.
The four new savoury items will be available from Wednesday, October 20 onwards and are all made-to-order. You can order them at any time of the day from their a la carte menu or combine it with a drink (+$20) for dine-in or takeaway.
Want to hear about the latest restaurant openings, pop-ups, and events in the city? Subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to get the news.