Take a trip down memory lane at Manhill Restaurant since the original Hillman Restaurant was opened in 1963 and subsequently in 1973, Manhill Restaurant was born! Filled with nostalgia, the restaurant could be easily recognized especially at night by its huge neon-lighted signboard with an earthen pot, which represents their signature dishes. The interior is occupied by velvet-trimmed chairs, very traditional crockery and cutlery. Even the lady who took our orders on a blank notepad, using fluent Cantonese, made me feel as though it was a travel back in time. No order chits, no menus on iPads.

Since the chicken in paper bag was one of the top recommendations, surely we had to try it out. One convenient point was that it was boneless, hence easy handling. As you unfold the paper wrapping, the first aroma that reaches the nose is the fragrance of Hua Diao wine, one that’s fermented from glutinous rice, wheat and water. The juiciness from the chicken meat had a mixture of umami and savoury, and even though it was a little oily, I didn’t really mind because it was so flavoursome with a hint of ginger. They provided some salt and pepper by the side which i tried dipping, but that would result in a sodium blast. The chicken is good on its own. Wrapped in the grease-proof paper meaning the marinate was well-retained and yes, if you don’t mind, you can taste the paper that had leftover flavours. Doesn’t come with an appealing appearance, but it’s likely a comforting dish for the older folks.