• When I was in Hong Kong, my friend and I spent $390 at Mott 32, a high-end Chinese restaurant chain.
• Dishes like the barbecue pluma Iberico pork and lobster fried rice disappointed me a little bit.
• I liked most dishes I got, but I'd only return to the restaurant with a larger group of people.

On a recent trip to Hong Kong, I decided to splurge on a meal at Mott 32, a high-end Asian restaurant chain.

Mott 32 is one of the most-awarded Chinese restaurant brands in the world, with recognition from outlets like Forbes Travel Guide and Wine Spectator.

The fine-dining restaurant is known for its chic interior design, innovative cocktails, and dishes inspired by food from Canton, Shanghai, and Beijing.

Although it's based in Hong Kong, the chain has nearly 10 locations worldwide, including ones in Las Vegas, Vancouver, and Dubai. Its newest location is in my hometown Toronto, and it's set to open a second US location in the Ritz-Carlton's Paradise Valley community this year.

I figured the brand's recent expansion had to be a good sign, so I was curious if my own experience would match the chain's high-end image.

Here's what my experience at the luxe Chinese restaurant with a friend was like.

I was excited to dine at Mott 32 for the first time.

We visited the restaurant in the Standard Chartered Bank Building, the only location in Hong Kong.

When I walked in, I thought the restaurant's interior, which featured Asian decor, looked a bit industrial.

It was dark and moody — akin to being in a speakeasy. The space had a primary dining spot, a bar, and small plush banquette seating in the back room, where we were situated.

The creative cocktails lived up to their reputation.

I started the meal with one of Mott 32's signature cocktails, the Hanami.

The drink, which cost $150 Hong Kong dollars, or $19, featured Michter's bourbon, Widges gin, umeshu (a plum wine), yuzu (a citrus fruit), shisho (a minty herb), ginger beer, and chrysanthemum.

The refreshing drink reminded me of a Moscow mule, though it had prominent Asian flavors — I especially adored the flower's herbaceousness and the citrusy fruit. 

We ordered the lettuce cup duck instead of the signature Peking duck dish.

We wanted to order the restaurant's signature 42-day apple-wood roasted Peking duck, but the staff advised us not to because at least three to four people should be present to enjoy the large portion size.

Instead, we got a small taste of the duck via the restaurant's lettuce cup dish (HK$160). The cubed meat mixed with preserved duck-liver sausage was welcomingly hearty and a bit gamy.

The crisp, watery lettuce balanced its richness.

The barbecue pluma Iberico pork was good but a little too sweet for me.

Throughout my meal, I found some of the food to be quite saucy and a touch too sweet.

For instance, the barbecue pluma Iberico pork with yellow-mountain honey (HK$350) had pleasant layers of unctuous fat and meat.

However, I felt the honey glaze on the exterior was overkill, and I didn't love the way it left a sugary film on my tongue.

I also wished the signature smoked black cod was more savory.

I also thought the signature smoked black cod (HK$290) was a bit too sweet.

Though the flesh was yielding and tender, the exterior glaze, which also had notes of smoke and salt, was too saccharine for me.

The signature lobster fried rice with salmon roe, king-oyster mushrooms, and edamame was just OK.

The signature lobster fried rice with salmon roe, king-oyster mushrooms, and edamame (HK$490) was a showstopper at the table.

Unfortunately, I thought the rice was too soggy. However, the dish's saving grace was the lobster flesh — it was the most tender lobster I'd ever eaten.

Other creations, like the crispy abalone, offered flavorful redemption.

When I bit into the crispy abalone (HK$290), I was hit with a prominent white-pepper flavor. I adored the spiciness, which was offset by the chewy, mildly sweet seafood.  

I loved the crispy rice-coated free-range chicken with chile and cumin.

My favorite dish of the evening was the crispy rice-coated free-range chicken with chile and cumin (HK$390).

Both the dark and white meats were tender. The relatively plain meat was the ideal contrast for the ultra-bubbly, crispy skin teeming with spices. 

The sautéed asparagus, celery, and lily bulb dish was underwhelming.

These greens, labeled as sautéed asparagus, celery, and lily bulb (HK$210), were cooked well and pleasantly crunchy, with a light savory glaze on top.

However, I thought the dish was slightly bland, and I wished there was a sauce on top to liven it up.

The Chinese dessert platter impressed me.

The Chinese dessert platter (HK$240) was beautifully presented in colorful ceramic containers. It included fresh mango glutinous rice rolls, Chinese red-date pudding, and matcha-red-bean jelly.

I appreciated that none of these desserts were too sweet. Each had a gelatinous texture and an overarching tropical flavor.

The almond-and-chocolate oolong-tea "xiao long bao" dessert was so cute and dainty.

This dessert (HK$175) looked like xiao long bao — savory soup dumplings — but it was actually an ice-cream treat.

It was so whimsical to look at and eat. I felt like a kid munching on a fancy dessert.

Overall, I'd return to the restaurant on two conditions.

Our total bill, including the tip, came to about HK$3,040, or $390 USD.

Though I enjoyed several dishes, like the dessert platter and the crispy rice-coated chicken, a lot of the food was a bit too sweet for me.

Considering the menu's range of hits and misses, I'd only return if I was in a party of four and at least one person was knowledgeable about the best items on the menu.

Better yet, a bigger group would ensure we could fully enjoy the whole Peking duck we were advised against ordering this time.

I'd still be interested to try more dishes on this menu, but for now, I won't return unless I have a larger party and a dining partner who knows what to order.

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