Social media users have complained that their mooncakes from Peninsula Hotel, known for their Mid-Autumn Festival pastries, have gone moldy.
On Facebook, users posted pictures of their unappetizing custard mooncakes from the five-star hotel’s famed Cantonese restaurant Spring Moon.
Photos show tiny black spots and fuzz on the egg custard filling inside the mooncakes. One person noted that the box of mooncakes expires on Sept. 16, which is before Mid-Autumn Festival, suggesting it could be from last year’s batch.
Peninsula Hotel said in response to media queries that it is “highly concerned” about the reports and that production of every box of Spring Moon’s mooncakes is strictly monitored.
It added that customers are welcome to exchange the mooncakes if the desserts do not meet quality standards.
The luxury hotel’s mooncakes have long had a loyal following, and are frequently sold out in the lead up to Mid-Autumn Festival.
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The desserts—which have been featured in the Michelin guide—are so sought after that they’ve even inspired knock-offs. In 2017, customs officials uncovered over 200 boxes of counterfeit Peninsula mooncakes with an estimated market value of HK$66,000 (US$8,488).
Coconuts has reached out to the hotel for comment.
According to Peninsula Hotel’s website, a box of eight pieces of Spring Moon Mini Egg Custard Mooncakes costs HK$580 (US$75).
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