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My tie with Metropol long ended with my old job. And in July when I heard the news it was closing due to UST's acquisition, I wanted to taste that lunchbox again, just I could only do the morning tea on Saturdays. After so many years, 2025 was my first time dine-in, hence stepping inside the banquet area. It's gonna be a long read.
The façade of United Centre, viewed right out of Exit D of Admiralty MTR. The lifts (near middle right) were the fastest way for reaching 4/F compared to rounds of escalator.
The 4/F lobby area with the 35th anniversary merchandise for sale, reception and the low-key fountain.
The view from one of the windows, looking northeast to Wanchai.
Once I arrived early (9am), there weren't many, around 1/4 occupied. They gave me a table near the dim sum cart. When I was young, the dim sum trolleys would move around the tables with the lady chanting what food her cart had, but this one is stationed near the middle, silent, and in many dim sum restaurants today, the carts are merely used to deliver dim sums to your table, or maybe no cart at all.
Food ordering record card (L) and teapot (R).
The card is also a rarely seen item now, in a world of QR code ordering - that you can order and check your ordered items with the same link specially generated for your table at a specific time. (What if I don't want to use QR code? Maybe they'd refuse doing my business in the future, idk.)
Pu-erh is not just a good tea, but a good test on the restaurant's quality. I tried numerous shitty pu-erh in cheap restaurants and got scared of ordering in public. They had a moldy taste, not sure how to tell you accurately in words. Here it obviously passed the test, and when I left, I felt bad for wasting 1/4 pot of Pu-erh, that's how good it was.
Not sure if wide lens was a good application here but does feel special I hope.
So many I wanted to try but the fried stuff including turnip cakes were only available after 11 (maybe that's why not so many people at here at 9am) so I went for what's available in the cart - those standard but classic Shrimp dumpling, Siu Mai (both I forgot to photo) and the spinach/leek and prawn dumpling. I forgot what the green was, you just grabbed what looked right in the cart and gave the card to the lady for recording, by stamping a mark on it.
The serving lady (L) and my spinach and prawn dumplings (R) in a bamboo steamer.
The other time I went late, the hall is 60-70% occupied. And here's the frying section, people were already waiting for it 10-20 minutes prior.
The skilled lady at the frying/deep frying section with a queue behind her.
It was indeed without MSG as advertised, would say they were a bit bland but the ingredient was good. I was full after 3 dishes and it costed about $180. The food was not quite the selling point from my last two visits, the venue and the nostalgia were.
The BBQ section
On my way out I walked to the BBQ section, where I used to get my lunch. Still it was early so no one's working there. And, turns out the lunch boxes I used to have was sold in discounted price during lunchtime (original at $80+). Thanks for the memories Metropol. I saw the door next to it was open, that must be for the smoking people ('breathing' we'd call), so I went for a look.
It wasn't too bad I'd say. The smell is noticeable but not powering.
The HKUST students will share the same view in a year's time.
It is my belief that we consumers, no matter how limited our power is, must support the shops, causes, creators etc by means of a purchase to keep them afloat, especially for small businesses. Once they are gone, most are really gone.
For my editorial stock photos of Metropol Restaurant on Alamy: interior | the entrance with closing notice | or on Shutterstock: interior | the entrance with closing notice
Same images but the best quality only on Alamy.
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