Oolaa Petite

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Item: Oolaa Petite
Rating: 3
Author: wander2wonder

3.5

84 Reviews

Taste

Decor

Service

Hygiene

Value

12557

Wan Chai

$201-400

International Pizza All Day Breakfast Coffee Shop

wander2wonder

Level4

319

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Starstreet precinct is an interesting area to explore, no matter for designer goods, clothing or food. Admiralty is deemed as a a 'desert' for gourmets but hope is ignited when you walk from Admiralty to Wanchai, making you pass by this cosy neighbourhood for sure. Having my Entertainer app membership renewed for 2017, Oolaa Petite was my choice for a weekday dinner gathering, though with a second thought of picking Chez Patrick which was just nearby. There are 3 Oolaa-related eateries in Hong Kong, all of which are under the Castelo Group. Having tried Oolaa (I bet the biggest one?) in Sheung Wan and having confidence in its food and vibes, I decided to go the Petite one. It was just opposite to PP3 and next to Giando. Strangely not having its shop name lit up at night, it would be easy missed in plain sight, though the crowd at the entrance enjoying happy hour would truly catch your attention.

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Don't be scared off by the crowd at the entrance, there are in fact plenty of seats further inside. We did book a table by phone beforehand, so we were directly led to our table. Elegantly though minimally decorated, the interior is gathering-friendly in addition to dimly lit interior. It was a bit noisy due to the low ceiling and the drinking crowd at the entrance so it wasn't really couple-friendly despite the candle light setting.

The drinking crowd should be drawn by the happy hour offer which is at 4-8pm. We ordered several glasses of wine by 8pm as well, around $40-50/each.

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The menu is available online in its official website, thumbs up for the transparency of information which saves much hassle. Salad, pizza and mains mostly range from $140-$220. Pricing is acceptable in the area, and of course very attractive given the discount I can enjoy because of the Entertainer app. Comparing to Oolaa in Sheung Wan, this "Petite" version doesn't really offer much less, just that vibe and ambience is less favorable here.

Kick-starting the night is crunchy yet tender garlic bread. So scrumptious that we quickly finished it off, as bread was still warm and cosy when served.

Salad Niçoise $175

Portion of salad was generous which could satiate 4 of us for sharing. Essentials of a nicoise salad were all here, eg. seared tuna, anchovies, egg and potato wedges, cucumber and lettuce. Lemon vinaigrette served as a refreshing and zesty dressing, however could not balance off the oily and excess pepper coating the tuna pieces. Doneness of tuna pieces was appropriate but aroma of pepper was a little overpowering.

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Mediterranean Vegetable Risotto w/ tomato, oregano and parmesan cheese $155

Mediterranean Vegetable Risotto

We didn't expect it to be that tomato-blended, and the word "vegetable" simply hinted that it was vegetarian but not really containing concrete veggies? Texture of risotto went well with the broth, not being excessively creamy, just up to standard. However, parmesan cheese was stronger than tomato in aroma, which made it quite an intense dish to finish.

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Grilled Snapper (w/ cauliflower puree, asparagus and lemon butter sauce, with sundried tomatoes) $220

Portion was good enough to match with the pricing, though I personally think that it just looks like any other fillet. Snapper tasted really nice and was grilled to perfection, keeping moisture and oil to a balance. My focus however was on the cauliflower puree, which in plain sight looked like smashed potato in dim light. I kept munching on the puree which displayed a perfect balance between freshness of cauliflower and decadent buttery flavour.

Slow Braised Lamb Shank (w/ dauphinoise potatoes, steamed vegetables and rich herb gravy) $175

Slow Braised Lamb Shank

The portion surprised us, though we expected it to be more tender given the phrase "slow braised". Herb gravy didn't explicitly tell what herbs were used, so as a default we expected rosemary to give the dominant flavours. Meat didn't totally fall off the bones and required us some effort in cutting and tearing meat off for sharing. Aroma of lamb was superbly blended with the rich broth, just that texture of meat could have done better.

It is a nice place to chill out at night if noise of crowds doesn't really matter. Gatherings should be full of gossips and chit-chats, so a place being too quiet isn't an advantage either. Portion of food is satisfactory, just that details have to be worked on, including taste and texture. May be back for brunch, hopefully at the table near the entrance where sunlight comes in.