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2014-11-06
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Domani closed in May 2014 upon the expiry of its lease, ending the Italian restaurant's 6 year tenure at the free-standing structure designed by Heatherwick Studio. Replacing Domani, we have The Continental, another addition to Swire Hotel's growing portfolio of stand-alone restaurants since it's first one (Plat du Jour in Quarry Bay) opened in November 2013.While the structure retains its iconic exterior with the elegant fluid/wavy roof and glass walls, the interior is re-vamped by David Collin
While the structure retains its iconic exterior with the elegant fluid/wavy roof and glass walls, the interior is re-vamped by David Collins Studio (that designed a number of Michelin restaurants), who retains the organic wood and bronze of its predecessor while injecting "Continentality" with warm accents of emerald green.
While the drinks list is commendable, I wasn't able to find the Italian favorites I used to order at Domani; hence I turned to Scotch, and was delighted to see that they had around 20 quality names to choose from. I picked the love-it-or-hate-it Laphroiag 10-Year ($180) since smokiness has been my recent craze. A note of caution to fellow whisky-lovers: order your drink neat or ice on the side since they do not have proper ice.
Given the restaurant's focus on fresh locally-sourced organic ingredients, it was natural to start with some fresh seafood. Cherrystone Clams on the Half Shell ($120) were quite succulent and the stringy texture allowed you to better detect the sweetness while chewing. The sauce, which contained diced shallots, peppers and vinegar also paired well with the clams. I would recommend this dish if not for the sand that wasn't thoroughly washed from the shells.
Moving on to the mains, the Hanger Steak with Chips and Shallot & Red Wine Sauce ($235) was a no-brainer for me, the meat was tender and cooked to medium-rare to my preference. The fries were shoe-string, which I much prefer over wedges. It was a delicious dish and a little moment of victory for me. The steak also came with Shallot & Red Wine Sauce, which resembled concentrated French Onion Soup without the Cheese, actually not bad; but I was happy with mustard, where the restaurant offered a choice between French Dijon, English and whole-grain.
The Snapper with Citrus Fruits and Olive Oil ($225) was well paired, where the acidity of the fruits were pleasant against the mild flavor and texture of the fillet. However, I found the snapper a bit too thickly-cut, and hence bland and lacking of flavor.
On the side, we ordered a Creamed Spinach ($45), which was different from the others you would commonly get at other steak houses. It was milky instead of creamy, giving it a lighter healthier substance. I really loved that it was baked under an overhead grill like a gratin to give it a bit of a golden crust of cheese.All in all, Swire seems to have the F&B business down to a formula. The Continental serves well-executed fail-proof dishes in an ambient setting; making it a versatile outlet for many occassions. They also have an al fresco area, perfect for the breezy autumn weather as of late.
::||Good For||::
a variety of occasions; be it business lunches, brunch, family & friends' gatherings, birthdays, romantic dinners and so on.
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