The Peak Lookout has always been one of my favourite spots in Hong Kong. There is something cosy and wonderful about the timeless, homely setting that keeps drawing people in, whether they are tourists, locals or expats.
Once a resting place for sedan chair carriers, this Grade II historic building has served as a restaurant since 1947, then known as the Peak Café, before re-emerging under its current name in 2001. I have been eating there for as long as I can remember, lured in by the quaint traditional building, the beautiful views over the south side and of course the incredible tandoori dishes, amongst others.
As both the venue and the menu have recently undergone a revamp, I was invited to try some of the new dishes, as well as a few classics. No matter what you’re in the mood for, it’s likely it will be on the menu – from incredibly fresh seafood, to pasta, to burgers, to curry. Whilst some eclectic menus can be a little overwhelming and not offer much in the way of quality, this is not at all true of The Peak Lookout; the attention to detail and quality of each section of the menu is spot on.
Our tasting menu* began with a Peak Lookout maki roll, starting the meal on a high. The soft shell crab was perfectly crispy and fresh, paired with buttery avocado and crab roe.
The classic beef carpaccio, served with rocket and shaved Parmesan, all drizzled in honey mustard dressing, was divine, each morsel melting like butter in the mouth.
When a huge slab of pan-seared foie gras arrived before me, I was in heaven. Slightly crisp on the outside and silky smooth on the inside, this foie gras was utterly faultless, served with homemade apple chutney and sweet Madeira sauce to cut through the fat. Although I sometimes feel a slight pang of guilt when eating foie gras (admittedly for the calories as opposed to the animal’s suffering), this dish was totally worth the guilt.
I’m not always enamoured with Tom Yum Goong, as the sweet versus sour combination doesn’t really work for me. Therefore, although this was not my favourite dish of the evening, it was definitely one of the better tom yum goongs I have tasted, full of fresh seafood with a significant fiery kick.
As I’ve already mentioned, a trip to The Peak Lookout for me is not complete without some tandoori. I usually opt for chicken, but the tandoori sea bass may just be my new favourite choice. The fleshy chunks of fish were perfectly flaky and bursting with flavour. My only regret was not being able to finish my serving after all the other dishes!
Just like magic, however, there was of course space for dessert. The tiramisu is apparently the restaurant’s best-selling dessert, and I can completely see why; it is light and fluffy, without an overpowering taste of coffee.
The bread and butter pudding was also divine, although slightly heavier and definitely one for sharing. I would normally expect buckets of custard to be served with my pudding, yet this one was moist enough on its own to not require it.
Service at The Peak Lookout reflects the elegance and charm of the setting; it is excellent. Prices aren’t pretty, with a three-course meal likely to cost you at the very least $500. Yet take a moment to reflect on your surroundings and the rich history behind the building, and you’ll soon realise that this is a pretty special place.
* Note, the dishes I have photographed were designed for a multiple-course tasting menu and do not necessarily reflect the true sizes of the dishes from the a la carte menu.
The Peak Lookout
121 Peak Road
The Peak
Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2849 1000
It seems like an unusual combination of dishes/cuisines, switching from Japanese to Thai, even including Indian and European dishes – did it all work okay together?!
That was only for my tasting menu, as they wanted me to try a range of dishes. So you could stick to just one type of cuisine if you wanted! As you can tell, I love food, so a little bit of everything worked perfectly for me! If I had to recommend just one thing though, I would go for the tandoori for sure.