The Monogamous Chinese

The latest upscale restaurant to grace Hong Kong’s SoHo district exudes the spices and flavours of China’s Sichuan province and of the country’s capital Beijing. The Monogamous Chinese (唯一軒) specialises in authentic Sichuan and Peking recipes made from genuine imported ingredients from the provinces.

Owners, Chefs Shizh Hoi Ping and restaurateur Jamie Higgins, have come together to combine their cooking and restaurant service experience to develop contemporary and sophisticated Chinese fine-dining set in a tastefully modern restaurant environment.

The name of the restaurant was chosen to convey the fidelity of the elements that are brought together to create outstanding cuisine and ambience. There is also a reference to the first perpetually monogamous Chinese Emperor, Ming Dynasty Emperor Hongzhi (弘治) that imparts his sense of romance and marital devotion to his Empress.

This translates into the kitchen with the chefs staying true to the fidelity of the ingredients and traditions of the dishes marrying this with their own experiences in preparing excellent contemporary cuisine for modern diners. All sauces and spices are prepared in-house from the best seasonal produce under the direction of Chef Shizh Hoi Ping.

Some of the Sichuan dishes are indeed spicy, lavished with the ubiquitous chillies and spices that the province is famous for, though there are many milder offerings on the menu too. The Peking menu offers authentic and reworked fare that elevates the taste and experience of each serving.

The décor is dominated by the commissioned modern Chinese art. The back wall is dominated by a portrait of the late Chairman Mao made from mixed media which includes the many business cards of the restaurants’ patrons and pages from Mao’s famous ‘Little Red Book’, other notable art pieces include a mixed-media portrait of a Chinese Opera singer and a pop-art styled portrait of the late Teresa Teng. Place settings are simple to juxtapose with the decoration and art pieces as well as to highlight the colour and vibrancy of the dishes.