A taste of Southeast Asia at OPEN

Starting Aug. 1, the Hilton Shenzhen Shekou Nanhai will launch its third Southeast Asian Food Festival at the OPEN all-day dining restaurant. The event coincides with Hilton’s fifth “chef season,” which showcases culinary culture and skills across Hilton hotels in China.

Situated on the first floor of the hotel’s Wanghai Wing, OPEN specializes in Southeast Asian and international buffet cuisine. The restaurant’s design blends natural and resort-style garden elements, offering diners panoramic views of the sea and an outdoor swimming pool. High ceilings and starry sky art installations add a whimsical touch to the dining experience. OPEN provides a refined all-day dining experience featuring international breakfast buffets, specialty lunches, seafood dinners, and a midnight à la carte menu.

The upcoming food festival is curated by Chef Lens Lim, who, hailing from a culinary lineage in Malaysia, brings over two decades of expertise to the table. Chef Lim’s cooking style emphasizes seasonal ingredients and innovative techniques blending Eastern and Western culinary traditions. Known for his meticulous approach to freshness and nutrition, Chef Lim infuses each dish with creativity and passion to ensure optimal flavors and textures.

Guests visiting OPEN this summer can indulge in Chef Lim’s signature Southeast Asian dishes, including vibrant street food delicacies and popular dishes like Thai Tom Yum soup.

Highlighting the buffet is the must-try 28-day aged tomahawk steak with Bali Bumbu spice, marinated in a secret blend of Balinese spices including coconut, galangal, turmeric, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. Slow-cooked at 110 degrees Celsius for 6 hours and seared at 280 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, it boasts a crispy exterior and aromatic flavors.

Another recommendation is the charcoal-grilled pomfret fish in Nyonya style. Pomfret, known for its tender texture and scaleless body, is marinated for 12 hours in a blend of galangal, nutmeg, lemongrass, cardamom, and Chef Lim’s secret spices, then wrapped in banana leaves for grilling, infusing the fish with aromatic flavors and a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Don’t miss the Klang-style Bak Kut Teh, originating from Port Klang in Malaysia. This renowned dish features pork ribs, pork belly, mushrooms, and Chinese herbs simmered for 12 hours in a broth infused with garlic and white pepper, delivering a rich and flavorful soup beloved throughout the region.