The night began with a frosty, pale green cocktail. Decorated with a sprinkling of white chrysanthemum petals, the light and refreshing Cixi martini made with the Chinese spirit Fen Chiew, was the prelude to a good evening out.

Arriving just as the sun was setting, we walked past the "Old Peking Market" at the restaurant entrance, and were struck by the gloriously clear skies provided some spectacular views from the 28th floor location of Hutong in One Peking Road.

We were going to enjoy the "Memories of Old Peking" menu on offer through September with nine dishes inspired by the ancient culinary traditions of China's capital. After taking a few snaps of the view, we sipped our cocktails, and chatted as we waited for the other guests to arrive.

Our meal began with a selection of four cold starters - chilled river shrimps with julienne tangerine peel, "old Peking style" glazed pomfret, roasted shredded chicken and homemade sauce, and vegetarian tofu sheet roll smoked with Chinese tea leaves. During the hot summer days in Hong Kong, chilled or cold dishes are a nice change from the "eat it while it's hot" norm that Cantonese dishes usually follow. The starter plate had a good mix of flavors, a bit of sweetness, a hint of bitterness, but I would have preferred a little less saltiness. The variety of flavors and textures presented was a good way to start the meal.

There are four main courses, each served individually. The first was a Peking duck roll with two pieces served in a bamboo steamer with the rich roast duck, slightly spicy scallion, and sweet plum sauce rolled inside thin, floury pancakes. Next, we ate the "Peking style" tiger prawn fried with chili sauce that was sweet, spicy and garlicky.