The Pawn (Closed)

Item: The Pawn
Rating: 4
Author: deuxtamanoirs

3.5

245 Reviews

Taste

Decor

Service

Hygiene

Value

15863

Wan Chai

$401-800

Western Bar Theme Restaurant

127

deuxtamanoirs

Level2

I have been wanting to try The Pawn for a while now, but could never justify spending the prices they charge when there are a plethora of more economical choices in Wanchai. But fortunately, I have a very sweet boyfriend who took me there last week.We had a tough time deciding on a starter, because so many of them looked very appetizing. The Tuna Tartare, Foie Gras, and Razor Clams were equally tempting, but we settled on the Duck Liver Parfait upon the recommendations we read on Openrice. The P

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Duck liver parfait, rillettes, five spice seasoning, crispy skin, long toast

We had a tough time deciding on a starter, because so many of them looked very appetizing. The Tuna Tartare, Foie Gras, and Razor Clams were equally tempting, but we settled on the Duck Liver Parfait upon the recommendations we read on Openrice. The Parfait was absolutely delicious. And the manager very kindly offered us extra bread (which was priced at HKD $50), even though the dish came with thin slices of toast. The duck liver was creamy, well-seasoned, with a playful crunch in every bite that came from the deep fried duck skin. I thought the dish might be too rich after the first couple of mouthfuls, but that wasn’t the case at all. While waiting for our extra bread, my boyfriend suggested we not help ourselves to any more of the parfait. But neither of us could stop sneaking tiny spoonfuls when the other was not looking. This dish was irresistible.

And a side note on the complimentary bread, it was delicious as well. I would not mind paying the HKD $50 if I just came for drinks. The bread was buttery and fluffy, and came with creamy butter and onion jam!

Suckling piglet belly, poached pineapple, confit squid

For my main, I had the Suckling Piglet Belly with Poached Pineapple and Confit Squid. Though not perfect, some parts of the meat were a little dry, it was otherwise quite delicious. The roast on the skin and meat was well executed, giving it a slightly smokey and sweet flavor, and of course the perfect crackling of skin you would expect when biting into suckling pig meat. The sweetness and tartness of the pineapple complemented the meat quite well , and the squid was a surprising but appreciated addition.

Beef burger ‘extraordinaire’, smoked cheddar, double onion, plum jam

My boyfriend had the Beef Burger ‘Extraordinaire’, which was indeed quite extraordinary, in terms or both taste and portion. It was huge. I am not big on burgers, but I enjoyed stealing a few bites of his dish. The beef patty was well seasoned and cooked to perfection, and made for delightful mouthfuls with the crispy fried onions and melted cheese. Our only complaint would be the fries, which tasted a little like it had been cooked in oil that had been left in the fryer a tad too long.

Even though we were positively stuffed by the end of our mains, my boyfriend insisted on ordering dessert. He justified it by saying it will be a while before he takes me to The Pawn again, given how it is a little on the pricey side… No matter, I am delighted to be just dining here once!

Lime leaf and basil panna cotta, macerated strawberry, black olive

So we got the Lime Leaf and Basil Panna Cotta, as well as the Brined and Compressed Watermelon. Unfortunately, the desserts did not live up to our expectations… perhaps because the bar was set so high by the starters and entrees. But it could also be because; the desserts were a little too progressive and contemporary for our very traditional tastes. We like our desserts simple, sweet and satisfying… no need for surprises and twists, which was very much our impression of the desserts at The Pawn. The panna cotta was decent, a very interesting and refreshing twist with the infused lime and basil. However, I would pick a traditional interpretation of panna cotta any day, just sweet, silky smooth, and creamy. Furthermore, I didn’t really like the addition of olives to the dish. It was strange and stuck out like a sore thumb.

The Brined and Compressed Watermelon with Chili and Vanilla was plain weird. We’ll take part of the blame for ordering such an unusual dish, knowing our preference for the old and traditional, but honestly, this dish left us confused. It was mostly sour, apart from the coconut ice-cream, which was the dish’s only saving grace. Our server assured us the chili would not be spicy, but would merely add flavor... But it was actually very spicy! There were too many flavors that did not complement each other. If they say a good dish is one that is able to invoke emotion, this dish gets 5 stars for making me the most confused since my college quantum physics class.

Some people complain about the service, but I honestly had a very good experience at The Pawn. The servers were professional, friendly and for the most part, attentive. But it could be that we were having a late dinner, so they were not as occupied as they would be during more conventional dining times.

All in all, apart from dessert, it was an enjoyable dining experience at The Pawn, and I can only hope that I have the chance to come back soon!

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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DETAILED RATING

Taste

Decor

Service

Hygiene

Value

Date of Visit

2015-04-26

Dining Method

Dine In

Spending Per Head

$500 (Dinner)

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