Stonecutters Valley (Shek Kip Mei) institution, Colorful Palace Restaurant (“多彩皇宮酒樓”), is celebrating the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Horse by reviving traditional Cantonese culinary techniques, launching a special limited-edition dim sum menu and offering substantial catering discounts. Rooted in the community for nearly three decades, the restaurant’s festive offerings, available from February 15 to February 23, 2026, blend auspicious ingredients with time-honored craftsmanship, highlighted by meticulously handmade pastries and premium banquet options for family gatherings.
Preserving the Craft: The Art of Handmade Dim Sum
Colorful Palace, which first opened its doors in 1998 near the Shek Kip Mei MTR station, remains a vital hub for authentic “Old Hong Kong” dim sum. The continued popularity of the venue is attributed directly to its unwavering commitment to manual preparation.
At the heart of this dedication is Dim Sum Master Fai, a seasoned chef who began his career in 1989. For over thirty years, Fai has adhered to a strict, early morning ritual, beginning work at 3:00 am to ensure every item is prepared à la minute. This “zero pre-cooked food” philosophy means specialized techniques, such as the traditional ‘beating the dough’ method for translucent shrimp dumpling (har gow) skins, are executed entirely by hand.
“Even with the prevalence of modern machinery, the sensitivity of a master’s touch cannot be replicated, especially for delicate items like the har gow wrapper,” explains Fai, whose team produces over a thousand shrimp dumplings daily, each folded with precisely 13 pleats to maintain textural integrity and maximize the crunchiness of the five fresh shrimps sealed inside. Signature classics like the velvety Steamed Shrimp Dumplings and the Flaky Baked BBQ Pork Buns serve as perennial testaments to this artisanal dedication.
Auspicious Flavours for the Year of the Horse
The limited-time New Year menu features items inspired by auspicious symbolism and the zodiac calendar. The centerpiece is the Layered Steamed Horse Cake (Thousand-Layer Ma Lai Gao), which incorporates a rich custard filling and is stamped with a ‘horse’ motif, signifying a leap forward in the new year. Other thematic items include the savoury Jinhua Ham and Horse Cake and the refreshing Water Chestnut Cake.
Traditional ingredients symbolizing prosperity are showcased in the savoury collection:
- Sea Moss and Golden Oyster Siu Mai: Combining fa cai (sea moss) and dried oysters for a Cantonese pun on ‘great fortune.’
- Prosperity Pig Head Buns: These adorably shaped buns are filled with sweet, molten custard, symbolizing blessings and good luck.
- Golden Fried Sesame Balls and Golden Shrimp Toast: Both deep-fried items promise wealth and abundance for the consumer.
Luncheon and Banquet Savings for Family Reunions
For larger gatherings, the restaurant has rolled out comprehensive catering packages. The Abalone Poon Choi (Fortune Gathering Pot), a communal dish essential for celebratory dinners, includes 19 premium ingredients such as whole abalones, Japanese dried oysters, roast duck, and Hakka braised pork belly, all simmered in a rich abalone sauce. The 6-person portion is affordably priced at HK$888.
For a full celebratory meal, the Celebrity Banquet Package offers a luxurious spread, featuring staples like Whole Roast Suckling Pig, Lobster E-fu Noodles, and Steamed Garoupa. Early bird reservations for these banquets receive significant savings, with a HK$300 reduction per full table (originally HK$4,288 per table) simply by booking one day in advance.
Additionally, the venue is offering a promotion on its traditional New Year puddings (nian gao, turnip cake, taro cake, and water chestnut cake). Customers purchasing two boxes for HK$178 will receive HK$100 in dining vouchers, encouraging future visits.
Colorful Palace continues to uphold Hong Kong’s cherished culinary heritage by ensuring that every dish preserves both the flavour and the intricate handiwork of traditional Cantonese dining, ensuring that the local community can celebrate the Lunar New Year with both taste and value.
Colorful Palace Restaurant, Shek Kip Mei
- Festive Dim Sum Period: February 15 – 23, 2026
- Location: G/F Mei Choi Building, Nam Cheong Street, Shek Kip Mei (near Exit A of MTR Station)
- Reservations: 2778 0278