Tag Archives: curry

The Great Indian Kebab Factory

5 Apr

the dim sum diaries hong kong

the great indian kebab factory hong kong

When I was asked if I wanted to go for dinner at The Great Indian Kebab Factory, I knew I simply had to try it; I thought it could either be truly awful, or it could be pleasantly surprising. Thankfully it was the latter.

the great indian kebab factory hong kong

I, quite wrongly, associate the word ‘kebab’ mainly with Ebeneezer’s, which, perhaps again quite wrongly(?), is somewhere I would never set foot in, no matter how many jelly shots I’d consumed at Al’s Diner (OK, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration – maybe after a few). The Great Indian Kebab Factory (hereby referred to as TGIKF), however, is incomparable to that god-awful place; it is sophisticated and charming, with rich purple velvet chairs and elegant chandeliers. It is spacious and inviting, setting the scene for an enjoyable, leisurely meal.

TGIKF’s food is contemporary Indian, with a strong focus on kebabs, of course. There is an a la carte menu, but I strongly recommend trying the 11-course set menu, which changes every fortnight.

Our feast began rather unusually, with a salad consisting of cucumber, lettuce, watermelon and pineapple, served with an interesting strawberry and mustard dressing – a curious yet refreshing start to the meal.

the great indian kebab factory hong kong

Following this came three test tube shots of lassi – strawberry, mango and original. Without being overly filling and heavy, as I sometimes find lassis to be, these were wonderfully creamy, cleansing the palate in preparation for the myriad of kebabs to follow.

the great indian kebab factory hong kong

the great indian kebab factory hong kong

These kebabs, which are technically only a starter, are served individually to each diner, with the promise of unlimited further helpings should you be particularly fond of any (or all) of them.  On this occasion, having chosen the non-vegetarian menu, they consisted of red bean and mint kebab (amazing, light and very delicate in flavour), Peshwari chicken tikka (just as it should be, with an unexpected fiery kick), peri-peri fish (wonderfully flaky, and again satisfyingly spicy), garlic and bell pepper prawns (fresh and heavily loaded with spicy ginger), paneer tikka (light, delicate and moreishly smooth), and last but not least a minced lamb seekh kebab (so good I had to have two of these).

the great indian kebab factory hong kong

Try, if you can, not to get too excited and over-order on the kebabs; after all this, there is curry! Butter chicken curry to be precise – creamy, delicious butter chicken curry that explodes with the rich flavours of cinnamon and cardamom. Served alongside this is a gloriously warming dhal, fluffy vegetable rice and a selection of freshly baked naan bread. Again, these are served directly on your plate by the timid yet friendly waitresses, who are ready to serve you second helpings to your heart’s content.

the great indian kebab factory hong kong

I warn you again not to get too excited, as the masala chai gelato is not something you want to miss out on. The other dessert of TGIKF Bengali garam rosoguilla (a cottage cheese dumpling soaked in saffron syrup) was not for me, given it’s slightly rubbery consistency, but I could certainly have had two (or three) helpings of the creamy, intensely flavoured gelato.

The 11-course set menu costs a mere $268. Add on wine and/or one of TGIKF’s exciting cocktails (try the ‘Slumdog M’ or the tamarind margarita), and expect to pay around the $400 mark. Service wasn’t remarkable, but neither was it bad. The only thing we found bizarre was how a place that served such delicious food for an affordable price was so empty. Perhaps people don’t know about it yet, or perhaps people aren’t sure about the name, but seriously, please don’t be put off by the name; this is definitely no Ebeneezer’s!

The Great Indian Kebab Factory

19/F, Wellington Place – M88
2-8 Wellington Street
Central
Hong Kong

(Also at Shop 202, Miramar Shopping Centre, 102 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong)

Tel: +852 2810 7000 (Central)
Tel: +852 2317 7008 (Kowloon)

www.thegreatindiankebabfactory.com

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Tamarind

12 Nov

 

 

tamarind hong kong

I was always a little bit confused by the concept behind Italian and Indian restaurant Duetto. Take away the Italian chef, replace him with Thai chef Amoo and you now have Tamarind, serving Thai, Vietnamese and Indian cuisine.

The same great space in the Sun Hung Kai Centre has been revamped to provide an elegant, minimalist design with neutral, earthy colours. The main highlight, however, is Tamarind’s sprawling terrace with a gorgeous view of Kowloon. Now that evenings are cooler so that it is actually possible to sit outside without getting disgustingly sweaty, this terrace is clearly the place to be; there was barely an empty table on the night we went.

Still leading the Indian kitchen is Chef Ravilal Bhandari, who has been working in the same kitchen for 15 years. You can take the chef out of India, but you can certainly not take India out of Chef Bhandari; both he and his food are so authentic that, despite having lived here for so long, he can barely speak a word of English, let alone Cantonese, and gets by mostly in his native language.

tamarind hong kong

Our meal began in the streets of India with a Pani Poori Trio: little crispy puffs with a spiced potato filling, served beautifully atop shot glasses with three flavours of water – beetroot, tamarind and mint. The water is poured into its respective puff, completely altering the flavour of each one and making a really delightful treat; I can understand why this is such a popular street food in India.

tamarind hong kong

The grilled pork neck was wonderfully tender and had a lovely smoky flavour. It was tasty on its own, yet the spicy tamarind sauce it was served with made it even better. This sauce is Chef Amoo’s family recipe and consists of a blend of ground toasted rice, chilli and tamarind, amongst other things, creating an incredible medley of sweet, spicy and sour flavours.

tamarind hong kong

Chef Bhandari executed his salmon tandoori perfectly, making it beautifully tender and light. Marinated in a blend of yoghurt, dill, fennel, honey and mustard, it had a lovely delicate sweet glaze that enhanced the fresh flavours of the fish.

tamarind hong kong

Looking at the menu, the Tamarind fish is perhaps not something I would normally order. Having now tried it, however, I would order it every time. The black cod is marinated overnight in tamarind sauce, coconut sugar and fish sauce, allowing the sweet and sour flavours to fully infuse into the fish. It had a lovely crispy outer layer that gave way to super tender and delicious flesh beneath, served alongside fluffy, aromatic garlic rice.

tamarind hong kong

Apparently one of the must-try dishes was the stir-fried tiger prawn in egg cream curry sauce, and I wholeheartedly concur. When raw, the prawn measures the length of two hands. When cooked it was about the size of my fist – probably the biggest prawn I have ever seen. It was amazingly tender and fresh, bathed in a delicious and flavoursome curry sauce, made with beaten eggs to make it smoother. I could have eaten this sauce on its own with a spoon.

tamarind hong kong

The beef brisket with lemongrass yellow curry, a Vietnamese take on the regular beef brisket curry, was a very interesting combination of flavours and textures. Each component of the curry was served separately: curry sauce, chunks of lightly battered beef and baguette for dipping. While the texture of the beef was spot on, combined with the sauce it was a little too salty for my liking.

tamarind hong kong

To end on a (very) sweet note, we were served a plate of Jalebi. These traditional Indian treats are not actually on the menu, and need to be pre-ordered. Fortunately for us, another table had put in an order so they had all the ingredients ready for us. They pretty much consist of thin coils of deep-fried batter soaked in sugar syrup and sprinkled with saffron strands, yet even something so simple was hard to resist.

Prices are very reasonable, with starters from $48 and mains between $68 and $200. Apart from slightly confused service, Tamarind has all the right tools in place to be a success, and in fact it appears to already have a very loyal following of Indian clientele, further supporting the fact that the food is as authentic as it gets. If you’re craving tandoori, Thai green curry and beef pho all in one night then definitely look no further than Tamarind.

Tamarind

2/F, Sun Hung Kai Centre
30 Harbour Road
Wan Chai
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2827 7777

 

 

 

 

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Lucy’s

24 Sep Lucy's stanley hong kong

 

 

Lucy's stanley hong kong

The last time I went to Lucy’s was for a friend’s ‘tarts and vicars’ themed 18th birthday party all of ten years ago. I had no idea if it still existed, nor any recollection of what the food was like (or indeed if I had even eaten any food!), so I was very intrigued to go back to see if the praises I had since heard were deserved. I don’t mean to spoil the surprise for the rest of this review, but I can certainly tell you now that it deserves every single praise…and more!

Lucy herself hails from England, and decided to open Lucy’s in Stanley in 1994. Rather than being on the touristy waterfront, Lucy’s is hidden away in the very heart of Stanley Market – not that Stanley Market isn’t touristy of course, but you know what I mean; no tourist ventures there at night after the lights go out!

The brightly painted restaurant, concealed behind lovely potted plants, is reminiscent of a casual European café; the kind you would perhaps expect to find down a back alley of a historic Italian town. (As you can imagine, this fitted in tremendously well with the holiday feeling we were already experiencing from our ‘staycation’ at The Stanley Oriental Hotel, as mentioned in my review of The Boathouse.) It’s a very cute, tiny space that’s packed full most nights. We foolishly thought we could arrive without a reservation and were almost turned away, but thankfully the stars were looking out for us as a couple was just paying.

Our initial plan for the evening was to do a sort of restaurant-crawl, tasting one or two dishes from several restaurants along the waterfront. However, the intrigue of dining at Lucy’s beckoned, so we cut the crawl short after only one restaurant. Unfortunately this meant we had already experienced some sincerely average tapas at Mijas, which is why you might wonder why my meal at Lucy’s was smaller than my usual meals!

Lucy's hong kong

It began with a gorgeous plate of char-grilled squid, spicy chickpeas, chorizo and rocket. The flavours were so fresh, drizzled in a lovely and light lemony dressing, and the squid was cooked to utter perfection, without the slightest hint of chewiness. I loved the contrast of the subtly spicy chorizo, which completed this delicious Mediterranean-style dish.

lucy's stanley hong kong

Next up were some beautiful char-grilled sardines with beetroot, dill and horseradish. Aside from having one too many fiddly little bones that became a touch annoying, the sardines had a wonderful flavour, brought out by the fresh beetroot salad and a generous dollop of horseradish.

lucy's stanley hong kong

It seems we were on a char-grilled frenzy, as for main-course we chose the char-grilled lamb fillets, crispy basmati rice cake, red curry and green beans. Perhaps it was because we had advised our waiter that we were sharing everything, but the lamb arrived when we had only just begun our starters, meaning it was cold by the time we got round to trying it. However, this didn’t make it any less enjoyable, as the lamb was perfectly tender, and the slightly spicy red curry sauce was delicious. The crispy basmati rice cake was unusual but it definitely worked, without detracting too much attention from the meat.

lucy's stanley hong kong

Unsurprisingly, there was no char-grilled dessert option, but we did have an incredible pecan pudding with toffee cream sauce. Think of a sticky toffee pudding; now add crunchy, delicious pecan nuts…and there you have the ultimate indulgence.

Service at Lucy’s is very good, and it made me happy to know that Lucy has not just set up the restaurant and left them to it; she was in the kitchen herself that very night! Prices for food aren’t unreasonable, but add on wine and you’ll probably be paying over $700 a head for a three-course meal; trust me, though, it is 100% worth it – it must be if it’s being going strong for 18 years, something only a handful of restaurants in Hong Kong can admit to…

Lucy’s

64 Stanley Main Street
Stanley
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2813 9055

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Kau Kee

20 Aug

 

 

Kau Kee Hong Kong

Kau Kee has been serving beef brisket noodles on Gough Street for over 90 years. I’d be lying if I said I’ve been meaning to go for that long, as that wouldn’t even be possible, but I was long overdue a visit that had been put off for one reason or another for a good 12 months.

After another near-cancelation due to a nasty chest infection, I realised there could be no better cure than a hearty bowl of soup noodles (other than Mummy’s chicken soup of course).

Despite the hour-long queues at lunchtime that stretch the length of Gough Street, we were seated for dinner almost immediately.

As in most of Hong Kong’s noodle shops, at Kau Kee diners are seated alongside other diners, where they slurp their noodles up (literally) within 15 minutes to make room for the next batch of people. With plastic tables and chairs and a floor you wouldn’t dream of putting your bag down on, there is nothing fancy in the slightest about this place.

Although the menu looks long, really it is broken down into three options: beef brisket noodles in soup, curry beef tendon noodles in soup, or dry noodles with oyster sauce, each with the choice of vermicelli, e-fu, flat or rice noodles and of course the option of adding a side dish of Chinese veggies to inject a little goodness to the meal.

Kau Kee Hong Kong

We first shared the curry beef tendon with e-fu noodles in soup and I was instantly blown away. Beef tendon on paper may sound a little difficult to digest, but having been braised for hours, it was incredibly tender so that even the gelatinous bits of gristle melted beautifully in the mouth. The soup base had a comforting spicy kick that definitely tried its best to chase my chest infection away.

Kau Kee Hong Kong

The beef brisket noodles (with flat noodles after our initial choice of rice noodles were sold out) were different to those of other noodle shops in that the broth was clear as opposed to a rich brown colour. Don’t take the colour to mean that it isn’t potently beefy however; the broth, laden with beef brisket, is left to simmer for hours, leaving a complex, aromatic soup base permeated by the rich flavours of the beef. The noodles added a definite egg-like flavour similar to what you get from wanton noodle soup.

Kau Kee Hong Kong

The very simple vegetables were nothing particularly special, but they needed to be ordered to make us feel slightly less unhealthy.

The total bill for two bowls of noodles, two drinks and some veggies came to $117; expensive Hong Kong restaurants need to take a leaf out of Kau Kee’s book! I wouldn’t argue against Kau Kee serving some of the best beef brisket noodles in town, yet I think I would still choose the curry beef tendon noodles; never before have I enjoyed eating tendon quite so much…

Kau Kee

G/F, 21 Gough Street
Central
Hong Kong

 

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Dishoom, London

19 Jul

 

 

Dishoom London

In English films, when a punch is landed, the sound effect is said to be ‘kapow!’ In Bollywood films, the same act is accompanied by the onomatopoeic word ‘dishoom!’ As soon as I knew that this was how Dishoom in Covent Garden got its name, it was even more of a reason to go there.

Dishoom London

Dishoom is based on the Bombay cafés of the 1960s, a trend of all day cafés made popular by Persian immigrants in what was then Bombay. These elegant, airy spaces used to line the streets, but now they number less than 30. The owners of Dishoom therefore wanted to pay homage to these places that appealed to businessmen, students and workers alike, and bring a different side of India to London’s already Indian-saturated culinary scene.

The décor is as you would expect it to be in a Bombay café; high ceilings adorned with wooden fans, ceramic floor tiles, wooden panelling on the walls contrasted with painted bricks and dotted with framed posters and photographs of Bollywood film stars or Indian families. The retro-modern feel is self-proclaimed as ‘faded elegance’. It is inviting, but I must say that even more inviting are the beautiful aromas that emanate from the open kitchen on the first floor; the smell hit me as soon as I entered and immediately excited my taste buds.

Unfortunately, as we were only five, we were unable to book a table (evening bookings require a minimum of six people), although it was hardly a chore to endure a fairly short wait at the downstairs bar drinking Chaijitos (a mojito made with chai-infused rum) and Chilli Martinis while our table became available.

We were advised by our friendly waiter that it would be wise to share four to five small plates (the beauty of Dishoom is that all plates are designed for sharing, keeping evil Food Envy at bay), followed by five mains and four to five breads and sides. What our friendly waiter didn’t warn us, was that despite thinking we were ordering starters followed by mains, everything came all at once, which was a little overwhelming to say the least, especially given the obvious requirement to take photos for all my dear readers.

Dishoom London

Dishoom’s answer to poppadoms came in the form of Far Far, tube-like colourful fried snacks that tasted lovely, yet would have been better as a pre-dinner snack to go with our cocktails, as the other more exciting dishes left the poor Far Far far behind.

Dishoom London

The vegetable samosas were just as they should be: crispy on the outside, soft, crumbly and comforting on the inside, with a solid fiery kick.

Dishoom London

The Pau Bhaji was beautiful: a bowl of gorgeously comforting mashed vegetables in a rich curry sauce, served with fluffy buttered bread. I think I could definitely live off buckets of this.

Dishoom London

Vada Pau is apparently a ‘Bombay obsession’ and I can totally see why. It is a delicious soft potato patty, topped with chutney and encased in a fluffy bun. Although it was difficult to share between five, we managed, and only wished there had been more.

Dishoom London

From the ‘grills’ section of the menu, we tried Mahi Tikka: incredibly succulent chunks of North Atlantic cod that simply melted in the mouth. The coriander and lime marinade brought out the delicate flavour of the fish.

As the rest of us needed meat in our lives, our token veggie friend (everyone has to have one) chose her own main of Mattar Paneer under ‘Ruby Murray’ on the menu: fluffy chunks of paneer cheese bathed in Dishoom’s lovely and comforting curry sauce.

Dishoom London

The Dhaba Chicken, also from the ‘Ruby Murray’ section was delicious, made with amazingly tender chunks of chicken cooked in a thick and gently spiced curry sauce that also served as an incredible dipping sauce for the beautiful garlic naan (complete with large chunks of pungent garlic) and the paper thin Roomali roti.

Dishoom London

A Lamb Biriyani, sealed with pastry in its hot clay pot, was prised open before us to reveal a wonderfully aromatic dish that made even the veggie utter an audible ‘aaaah’. The taste was just as good too, with succulent pieces of lamb and a punchy level of spiciness.

Dishoom London

The Chole Frankie Roll consisted of a lovely and soft home-baked naan bread, stuffed with spiced chickpeas, coriander and chutney to create an exciting and fiery wrap.

Dishoom London

Aside from the naan, roti and the obligatory rice, we also shared a bowl of crispy fried okra, tossed in ‘magic masala’. It was definitely magic.

For cocktails, a bottle of wine and plenty of food, we paid only £26 each (around HKD300). Maybe I’ve got used to Hong Kong prices, but this to me seemed like an absolute bargain. My one complaint is the absurd speediness of the food, but as soon as they uttered the phrase “it’s not fast; it’s dishoom!” I quickly forgave them and realised it was all part of the experience, an experience that I would definitely like to relive on my next trip back to Blighty. Next time I’m going for breakfast, as that Bacon Naan Roll with homemade chilli jam is calling out to me.

Dishoom

12 Upper St Martin’s Lane
Covent Garden
London WC2H 9FB
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)20 7420 9320

www.dishoom.com

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Seema’s Private Kitchen – From Africa to Asia

3 Apr

There are private kitchens and there are private kitchens. There are the kind that call themselves ‘private’ when really you’re sharing the space with a bunch of people you have never seen before and never wish to see again, and there are the kind where the word ‘private’ actually means private. Seema’s Private Kitchen is of the latter variety, where usually she cooks her meal in her own private home in Mid-Levels. On this occasion, however, as her home was unavailable, Seema brought her incredible private kitchen to us.

Some very good friends of mine have the most amazing flat in the whole of Hong Kong. Perhaps this is a slight exaggeration as I haven’t seen every flat in Hong Kong, but they at least have the most amazing flat out of any of my friends, and it is the perfect place for a dinner party. We have had our share of dinner parties there, but this one managed to blow all the others away (sorry birthday girl, you are a wonderful cook, but I think Seema might be a tad better! Only a tad though, promise!)

Seema’s meal tells the story of her journey ‘From Africa to Asia.’ Born and raised in Nairobi by her Indian parents, Seema then moved to Mumbai after marriage and subsequently settled in Hong Kong. Her mother ran her own cooking school in Nairobi and wrote cookbooks, so the love of food was always embedded within Seema, and she too ran her own cooking classes everywhere she went. In Hong Kong, she holds cooking classes at her home, as well hosting amazing private dinners in which she gives her diners a taste of her travels and experiences.

Pumpkin Soup

To begin, we were presented with pumpkin soup. I love pumpkin soup under any circumstances and this one did not let me down. It was everything a pumpkin soup should be and more: creamy, comforting, and hearty, with an added Seema-style kick that left us scraping our bowls clean and wanting more.

Piri piri shrimps

The Piri-piri shrimps from the Portuguese region of Africa had an eye-watering, peppery kick to them that was balanced by the sweet and fruity chunks of mango. A crunchy salad also complemented the freshness of the prawns.

Goan fish curry

The Goan fish curry, made with meaty chunks of New Zealand sole, was beautifully rich and creamy, spiced with turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and of course red chilli, and balanced with creamy coconut milk. In one word: delicious.

Dry lamb curry

The dry lamb curry, also I believe from Goa, was even more delicious, if that’s even possible. Marinated in rum and mint, the lamb was so succulent and full of flavour that it had us all fighting for the last piece!

Garlic pilau rice

To bring out the flavour of both the curries, a dish of cardamom-spiced garlic pilau rice was served, with flavours so tasty that it could have served as a dish all on its own.

Pea-stuffed aubergine

A vegetarian side dish of pea-stuffed aubergine was incredible. I heard comments around the table from people saying they normally didn’t like aubergine but adored this one.

Dhal

The dhal was certainly the blandest of all the dishes. This is not to say that we didn’t enjoy it, as actually it was perhaps a blessing to have a more neutral, calming dish to bring our taste buds back to earth after all the other dishes had them dancing like crazy!

Rum and raisin cake

Dessert was a delicious rum and raisin cake with rum butter sauce. Normally this sort of cake doesn’t particularly thrill me, but wonder-chef Seema converted me. It was somehow light at the same time as being rich, and the vanilla-infused sponge was wonderfully soft and moist, even without adding the rum butter sauce. But, trust me, you want that rum butter sauce. I forced myself to finish my slice despite the protests my already-full stomach was giving me.

Seema’s meal at her house costs $500 a head (we paid $450 to host it elsewhere). Agreed it’s not the cheapest meal, but you will walk away full to the brim of delicious food that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere in Hong Kong. The lovely Seema spends two full days sourcing and preparing the food to ensure that every dish is utter perfection and every mouthful clearly represents the passion she so lovingly puts into it.

Contact Seema to enquire about bookings: vsafarispices@gmail.com

Or call +852 9548 5280

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The Chinnery

20 Mar

The Chinnery

Dating back to 1963, The Mandarin Oriental hotel is one of the city’s most prominent landmarks, clearly not due to its size but due to its charm, its status, and its pure unyielding elegance. After undergoing inevitable renovations over time, The Chinnery has remained largely unchanged, exuding sophistication that is reminiscent of a private British members’ bar in a long-forgotten era, with comfy leather armchairs, dark wood and glass panelling. The beer is served in tankards, the butter in pewter dishes – it’s touches like this that give a restaurant that extra charm that will relentlessly win my heart.

The Chinnery serves wholesome (very wholesome!) British food such as Bangers and mash, Shepherd’s pie, Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and so on. What really stands out, however, and what everyone constantly insists I try there, are the curries. The menu isn’t enormous, and the curry menu in particular is limited to three or four varieties, the aim being to serve the kind of curries that are now in fact considered ‘British’.

Scotch eggs

We started with some starters to share from the ‘snacks’ section of the menu. The Scotch eggs set the standard high. These adorable bite-sized beauties, made with quail’s eggs rather than chicken’s, put my ever-so-slight fear of Scotch eggs to bed; there was no grease present, the egg yolk was still wonderfully soft and the meat was not of the kind where you’d rather not know its origins.

Onion bhaji

The Onion bhaji were utter perfection. Where onion bhaji can sometimes be dripping in oil and it is difficult to discern any flavour other than the oil, these were light and delicate; I would almost say I considered them healthy, but perhaps not quite! I also loved how they were served on a sheet of newspaper, old school style.

Lamb samosas

A wise friend of mine once said that the very best samosas are the kind that can stand up on their own, the 3D kind. The Lamb samosas at The Chinnery fit this description to the letter, and even more importantly, taste divine. The minced lamb is of the highest quality and melts wonderfully in the mouth; the pastry is thin and flaky (again, almost healthy!); and the mint dip that goes with it has a definite awakening kick.

Tandoori chicken

After hearing nothing but positive comments about the curry at The Chinnery, we all opted for this. The Tandoori chicken was succulent and full of flavour. There is always the fear that as tandoori is not bathed in a rich sauce, the chicken can dry out and leave you dissatisfied, but this was far from the truth in this case.

Chicken Tikka Makhani

The Chicken Tikka Makhani had a delicious smoky taste to it amidst the rich creamy sauce and the chicken was tender throughout. I’m not sure of the difference between this and a regular chicken tikka massala, though perhaps it has something to do with this one being a touch spicier.

Lamb Rogan Josh

The Lamb Rogan Josh contained beautifully tender chunks of lamb coated in a rich, aromatic sauce. Rogan Josh is always one of my favourite curries, and this one did not disappoint.

Mini-desserts

Dessert simply was not an option after all this food, although the dessert menu certainly did look appealing. Thankfully the waiters must have sensed my desperate need for something sweet that materialises after every meal and brought us a cute little plate of bite-sized apple crumbles and brownies – a courtesy that I think all restaurants should learn from.

If you hadn’t already registered from my comment above, service at The Chinnery is first-class, and I particularly enjoyed being served by waiters in black tie! Evidently the prices reflect firstly the elegance and sophistication of the restaurant, and secondly its location inside one of the most well known hotel brands in the world, so don’t expect to pay much less than $300 a head without drinks. Another wise friend (I have a few) once told me that The Chinnery is her go-to place for when she’s feeling a little blue and in need of some good quality, pick-me-up food. I can now completely understand this.

The Chinnery

1/F Mandarin Oriental Hotel
5 Connaught Road
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2825 4009

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Mango Tree

25 Nov

 

Having been to Mango Tree in Bangkok and absolutely loved it, upon hearing that it was adding to its repertoire of cities including London and Dubai by opening another branch in Hong Kong, I was desperate to try it. For me, I’m not sure it completely lives up to the high standards that its Thai forefather has set, however.

Whereas the Bangkok restaurant exudes a warm, casual feel, set in a beautiful old Thai house and courtyard, adorned with lanterns hanging from the namesake mango tree, the Hong Kong counterpart speaks of contemporary elegance, decorated in teak wood, ceramics and glass, which I suppose is fitting, given it is housed in the modern Cubus building in Causeway Bay.

Don’t get me wrong, the set-up is beautiful; candles line the entrance as you step out of the lift, and elegant lights hang from the ceiling, but it was certainly not what I was expecting.

The food, however, was exactly as I was expecting it to be. For nearly 20 years, the Mango Tree brand has held an excellent reputation for serving authentic and delicious Thai food, and thankfully this reputation stands strong at its new Hong Kong venture.

Thai fish cakes

Our meal kicked off with some delicious Thai fish cakes served alongside an amazing sweet chilli, peanut and cucumber dipping sauce. I could have eaten a whole pot of this sauce.

Lamb shank massaman curry

To follow, a lamb shank massaman curry was served, beautifully presented and divinely fragrant. However, whilst the first bite was heavenly, full of incredible spices, it was just far too rich and too sweet and became almost impossible to eat. 

Chilli and basil rice noodles

The basil and chilli rice noodles with assorted seafood were almost perfect; deliciously fresh hot basil and a punchy chilli kick, however there were only three measly prawns.

Morning glory

A side dish of garlic and chilli morning glory, however, was utter perfection on a plate. This is one of my favourite vegetables and Mango Tree knows exactly how to execute it.

Mango cheesecake

Although nearly bursting at the seams, we shared a mango cheesecake served with incredibly mouth-watering fresh mango imported from Thailand. Whilst the cheesecake was lovely and light, the portion was enormous, particularly if anyone were to order it for themselves.

Service on the whole was far below average, meaning we often had to prompt the waiters and wait too long between courses. However, when they were tending to us, the waiters, who were are mostly all Thai, were exceptionally friendly and smiley, giving the place a much more authentic feel than many Thai restaurants in Hong Kong.

The price, to put it simply, outraged me. For one starter, two mains and one dessert, without even touching the wine list, we paid nearly $800! Mango Tree in Bangkok is a relatively inexpensive restaurant, but I had to keep reminding myself that the move to Hong Kong was always going to mean a move to Hong Kong prices. Would I go back? If I found myself in Causeway Bay, craving authentic Thai food, then yes; otherwise I would probably hold on to my cash and look no further than Koh Thai.

Mango Tree

5/F, Cubus
1 Hoi Ping Road
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2577 0828

Date visited: Monday 21st November 2011

 

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