My friend and I spent $390 at one of the most-awarded Chinese restaurant chains. I'd only return on 2 conditions.

We visited the restaurant in the Standard Chartered Bank Building, the only location in Hong Kong.

When I walked in, I thought the restaurant's interior, which featured Asian decor, looked a bit industrial.

It was dark and moody — akin to being in a speakeasy. The space had a primary dining spot, a bar, and small plush banquette seating in the back room, where we were situated.

I started the meal with one of Mott 32's signature cocktails, the Hanami.

The drink, which cost $150 Hong Kong dollars, or $19, featured Michter's bourbon, Widges gin, umeshu (a plum wine), yuzu (a citrus fruit), shisho (a minty herb), ginger beer, and chrysanthemum.

The refreshing drink reminded me of a Moscow mule, though it had prominent Asian flavors — I especially adored the flower's herbaceousness and the citrusy fruit. 

We wanted to order the restaurant's signature 42-day apple-wood roasted Peking duck, but the staff advised us not to because at least three to four people should be present to enjoy the large portion size.

Instead, we got a small taste of the duck via the restaurant's lettuce cup dish (HK$160). The cubed meat mixed with preserved duck-liver sausage was welcomingly hearty and a bit gamy.

The crisp, watery lettuce balanced its richness.

Throughout my meal, I found some of the food to be quite saucy and a touch too sweet.

For instance, the barbecue pluma Iberico pork with yellow-mountain honey (HK$350) had pleasant layers of unctuous fat and meat.

However, I felt the honey glaze on the exterior was overkill, and I didn't love the way it left a sugary film on my tongue.

I also thought the signature smoked black cod (HK$290) was a bit too sweet.

Though the flesh was yielding and tender, the exterior glaze, which also had notes of smoke and salt, was too saccharine for me.

The signature lobster fried rice with salmon roe, king-oyster mushrooms, and edamame (HK$490) was a showstopper at the table.

Unfortunately, I thought the rice was too soggy. However, the dish's saving grace was the lobster flesh — it was the most tender lobster I'd ever eaten.

When I bit into the crispy abalone (HK$290), I was hit with a prominent white-pepper flavor. I adored the spiciness, which was offset by the chewy, mildly sweet seafood.  

My favorite dish of the evening was the crispy rice-coated free-range chicken with chile and cumin (HK$390).

Both the dark and white meats were tender. The relatively plain meat was the ideal contrast for the ultra-bubbly, crispy skin teeming with spices. 

These greens, labeled as sautéed asparagus, celery, and lily bulb (HK$210), were cooked well and pleasantly crunchy, with a light savory glaze on top.

However, I thought the dish was slightly bland, and I wished there was a sauce on top to liven it up.

The Chinese dessert platter (HK$240) was beautifully presented in colorful ceramic containers. It included fresh mango glutinous rice rolls, Chinese red-date pudding, and matcha-red-bean jelly.

I appreciated that none of these desserts were too sweet. Each had a gelatinous texture and an overarching tropical flavor.

This dessert (HK$175) looked like xiao long bao — savory soup dumplings — but it was actually an ice-cream treat.

It was so whimsical to look at and eat. I felt like a kid munching on a fancy dessert.

Our total bill, including the tip, came to about HK$3,040, or $390 USD.

Though I enjoyed several dishes, like the dessert platter and the crispy rice-coated chicken, a lot of the food was a bit too sweet for me.

Considering the menu's range of hits and misses, I'd only return if I was in a party of four and at least one person was knowledgeable about the best items on the menu.

Better yet, a bigger group would ensure we could fully enjoy the whole Peking duck we were advised against ordering this time.

I'd still be interested to try more dishes on this menu, but for now, I won't return unless I have a larger party and a dining partner who knows what to order.