Video
Read full review
2024-12-31
2033 views
This restaurant under famous chef Vicky Cheng is located on Wellington Street in Central, with its name meaning mother’s gifts, offering casual Western cuisine in a relaxed yet chic environment. Opened just recently, we come on this Tue evening to try its dinner menu.At the entrance there is the ice-cream parlour Liz & Tori, named after Vicky’s two daughters. The staff greets us warmly and leads us to the L-shaped dining area, at a corner table looking out to the busy Queen’s Road Central below.
This restaurant under famous chef Vicky Cheng is located on Wellington Street in Central, with its name meaning mother’s gifts, offering casual Western cuisine in a relaxed yet chic environment. Opened just recently, we come on this Tue evening to try its dinner menu.
At the entrance there is the ice-cream parlour Liz & Tori, named after Vicky’s two daughters. The staff greets us warmly and leads us to the L-shaped dining area, at a corner table looking out to the busy Queen’s Road Central below.
The décor is neat and using plenty of beige colour. The mirrors on the wall help to make the space larger. The plants both inside and outside on the windowsill give a touch of vibrancy. I order a glass of Barrel Aged Manhattan ($150) as aperitif to start our meal.
The starter is USDA Prime Tenderloin Beef Tartare ($248), with the minced raw beef tender and seasoned well. On top the chef has added some vegetables, along with a bit of gherkins and a smoked pickled quail egg, with the runny yolk mixing with the tartare to make it even smoother and creamier in texture. Very delicious.
We both order a soup, with my wife going for French Onion Soup ($148). The traditional soup is made with a rich beef broth, with the shredded onion stir-fried sufficiently to caramelize and bring forth its sweetness while not burning to cause bitterness. The chef has added a piece of beef tendon to add to the bite but skipping the Gruyere cheese per my wife’s request. Nice and tasty.
I have Baby Oyster Chowder ($158), with the soup served in a sourdough bread bowl. The chowder is thick and delicious, with the baby oysters fresh and great in taste. The finely chopped chives add fragrance to the soup, and I applaud that the chef is served very hot, warming my stomach comfortably. The sourdough is not bad but is probably too much to finish it all.
For pasta we have Spicy Scallop Spaghetti ($228). The texture of the spaghetti is very good, al dente, and the chef has stir-fried together with Thai basil, chardonnay vinegar and some chilies, giving a nice kick of spiciness but not excessive. The scallops are sweet in taste, caramelized on the surface, while keeping raw in the middle to maintain its tenderness. Simple yet delicious.
For the main course we have Grilled Boston Lobster ($688). The whole lobster is beautifully grilled with garlic escargot butter, with the chef removing the claw meat from the shell to facilitate eating. Served on some silky-smooth mashed potato, the pesto butter adds flavours to the delicate taste of the lobster meat perfectly. A signature combination of ingredients and cooking techniques the chef wants to showcase, it is very nice.
For the side dish we have Grilled Broccolini ($98). Broccolini is like broccoli but with long and thin stem, also much more tender. After blanching, the chef has stir-fried with plenty of crispy garlic, reminding me of the HK-style typhoon shelter crab. Surprisingly good.
For dessert, we decide to order the gelato from Liz & Tori. There is a dine-in menu, but with a higher price. My wife has Hazelnut Crunch ($88), which features feuilletine crunch and candied hazelnuts. The crunch is made from thin, crispy sweetened crepes with a nice texture. The hazelnut gelato has rich flavours which are appealing and not too sweet.
I decide to try Forever Young Coconut ($88). The gelato is made from young coconut, infused with young coconut meat so that there is a chewy bite, with also some toasted coconut scattered on top. The more delicate flavours of the coconut is ideal if you do not like so much indulgence in the dessert.
Service is good, but the environment is quite noisy. It is important to bear in mind the restaurant is meant to be more casual dining than intimate occasion. The bill on the night is $2,172 which is quite reasonable. A nice spot to enjoy familiar Western cuisine in a decent, relaxing atmosphere in Central.
Post
