Restaurant review: Dynasty - Cantonese classics served with style

Dynasty's Chinese name translates to "an establishment filled with luck and good fortune", which is why Billy Lau, the restaurant's manager who's worked there for more than two decades, thinks people keep coming back, especially those doing business. Even during the Sars outbreak, "Dynasty was the only restaurant in the hotel that was almost fully booked every day. We had to ask colleagues from other outlets to come assist us," he says.

The Chinese restaurant at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wan Chai opened at the same time as the hotel, in the summer of 1989, and quickly attracted a loyal following for its classic Cantonese dishes such as barbecued pork (char siu). "We use pork collar-butt — it is very tender and the honey glaze enhances the aroma and flavours," says Lau.

"Our chefs adjust the flavours according to the guests' tastes, like the pan-fried scallops stuffed with minced shrimp. The original recipe comes with sauce, but the chefs took it out as guests told us they like a crispy texture." That said, Lau adds that staying true to classic Cantonese recipes is central to the restaurant. "Dynasty's time-honoured recipes are simply not possible for us to get rid of," he says.

"To attract young families and adults into our customer mix, apart from offering delicious dishes, having a stylish image is important," Lau says. Recently, Dynasty was renovated for the first time in its 25-year life, and the once slightly kitsch decor has been replaced with elegant wooden floorboards, stained-glass window partitions and grey marble slabs. Lau says the restaurant "will keep carrying on the spirit of Cantonese cuisine, just like the succession of an empire".