Like most of the reviewers, I was rather surprised to see the disappointing reviews on HGW. The menu and pictures looked delicious... so we decided to give the place a try.

We ordered a few HK classics:
- Shrimp wonton noodle soup
- BBQ Roast Pork and Roast duck platter
- Pork and Thousand Year Egg Porridge
- A few dishes standard dim sum dishes (ie. fried cruellers in steamed rice sheets, steamed rice in lotus leaf).

Overall, the food was decently cooked but not out of this world... the best dish we ordered was the porridge (very smooth and silky). But the rest were rather unremarkable (it wasn't bad, it was decent) considering that our 8 tiny pieces of BBQ roast pork and 6 fingerfood cut size of roast duck cost us $20!

Our soya sauce plate sized appetizer of sesame seed walnuts cost us $3.50! Tea is $3.00 per person.

Given that all of the dishes offered are available at similar quality and taste at other established restaurants around the area, we figured the price premium was for exceptional cooking and, of course, the sky high ION rent. Unfortunately, premium cooking was not there and neither was the service. We constantly had to flag down the servers and waitresses for teapot refills, extra bowls, chopsticks, etc. And it wasn't too pleasant or conducive to see their waiters literally run across the restaurant to serve tables because they are so understaffed. We had to wait to get a table because no one was at the front to greet us and we had to wait a while for a very impatient and grumpy waiter to come calculate our bill at the front of restaurant. To give them the benefit of the doubt... maybe they were just understaffed the day we dined there.

For the price, selection, service... next time we'll head over to Taste Paradise... if we can get a table, that is. =) But if value and service aren't major criterias for your dining pleasure and you are looking for a nicely decorated place to sit down and eat decent HK food at ION... Canton's not a terrible place to go.