Modern China Restaurant — Restaurant in Kowloon

NO STAR IF POSSIBLE!

Absolute Worst experience with the reception staff and a warning to others!!

The restaurant now requires the LeaveHomeSafe App to QR scan and record your entry - which is acceptable. However, shortly after my wife scanned the QR code, the battery on her phone had died. The very rude reception lady refused to believe my wife had actually scanned the QR code and continuously verbally harrassed us while we were seated at our table over 8 times within 20 minutes repeatedly checking whether the iphone was recharged; each time she insisted on immediately seeing the App and retorting its a government policy!

We understand it is a government policy and did comply, but we also explained that an iphone takes time to recharge (which she refused to understand). We were simply trying to enjoy our dinner in peace while the battery was recharging. However, this obviously uneducated hostile front receptionist continued interrupting our dinner with loud outbursts of bitter and condescending remarks until the battery finally recharged and we showed her that we DID in fact scan the QR code!!! 🤦🏻‍♂️

Modern China needs to remove or discipline such unruly and arrogant staff who needlessly harrasses their loyal customers (especially during their meal). Staff is a reflection of the restaurant’s service and professionalism (or in this case “a lack of”). Especially the employees who are posted at the store front receiving dinner patrons.

While the food was decent, it is quite expensive and overrated for the quality we received and certainly for the overall TERRIBLE experience!!

WILL NEVER...

Classic Chinese food par excellence, with their style being to enhance their dishes with just a touch more sweetness than you might expect.

砂鍋雲吞雞 (1/4隻 for 92): The chicken soup with the 大白菜 brings me back to childhood, just like my mom used to make. Well, a little sweeter, but pretty close. And with wontons. The presentation is quite good, they bring a whole pot and set it up near your table, and scoop the soup for you before taking the chicken and deboning it in the kitchen and bringing it back out. The chicken after making the soup is a bit dry, but their homemade spicy sauce (with a touch of sweetness) makes it still taste pretty great.

擔擔麵 (36): Rich and flavorful.

一口小籠包 (52): Very, very good soup dumplings. Not as good as a specialist like 鼎泰豐, but as good as any non-specialist. The skin is thin, yet strong, like at 鼎泰豐, though maybe not as visually perfect. The broth is a little sweeter than you might expect, but it works.

流金歲月 (36): Sweet buns with a filling reminiscent of 鹹蛋.

雲白肉: Thin-sliced fatty pork. It's well-executed but not my thing really. The best part was the sauce it was dipped in, but this is the same sauce they use for the chicken, and I like the chicken better.

松子魚: I found this overly tangy. Very nicely deboned like this dish always is, but just not the greatest rendition.

Mandatory dish (15): But at least they are consistently fairly good, for what they are.

Mandatory tea charge (11 per person).

There's also a 10% service charge. The service is...

Mediocre food quality and service.

Food Quality: 3/5

Overall, not bad. However, all dishes lacked salt – not sure whether it was the result of the chef's style, or so-called healthy style. Without adequate salt, even the most fresh ingredients will taste bland.

Portion size is quite large, even excessively large such as the 紅燒元蹄 (Braised Pork Hock).

Service: 3/5

We ordered Set Dinner B2. Usually, dishes are served one after the other starting with the cold dishes so that each dish can be enjoyed while they are fresh and hot. Instead, the Braised Pork Hock came first. When we inquired about the cold dishes, EVERY single dish in the Set Dinner came all at once. :O

You can tell the servers do not serve with heart – either poor training, or they are unhappy with management, or a mix of both. For example, 花膠雲吞雞 (Wonton Chicken Soup) was served last after we've been eating for at least 30 minutes. Yet, they still managed to miscount the number of bowls for our party of 6. Instead of serving each bowl to each patron, they only left the bowls on one edge...