Video
Read full review
2014-03-04
5303 views
It was only 5pm, but I was hungry. Since it was a Sunday, normal rules didn't apply - 5pm was dinnertime if I say so!I had been to the Sheung Wan location before so was familiar with the food. The Wanchai location was on the 1st floor of a small building, which was barely noticeable, luckily I caught the poster at the building entrance and decided this would be my early dinner spot.As expected, the place was quite empty: there was just a table of four sharing some snacks over wine and coffee. Th
I had been to the Sheung Wan location before so was familiar with the food. The Wanchai location was on the 1st floor of a small building, which was barely noticeable, luckily I caught the poster at the building entrance and decided this would be my early dinner spot.
As expected, the place was quite empty: there was just a table of four sharing some snacks over wine and coffee. The decor was simple and cosy, with a harbor theme. This is actually a perfect alternative to cramped coffee shops that are so busy and loud nowadays, you actually think you are in a dim sum restaurant yelling orders.
Service was prompt and polite; more surprisingly, the servers seemed genuinely cheerful! I do not mean the over-the-top exuberance that sales people fake when trying to sell you something, it was an at-ease grin that told you they were glad to see your smile as well. No way I'm in a restaurant in Hong Kong, I thought, or maybe it's just this one girl...
I was still feeling amazed as they laid down my first dish - Fish Soup ($62). More amazement. I had ordered just one bowl but the server had thoughtfully asked and separated it into two bowls for sharing. The soup came with shredded cheese and some large croûtons on the side. The soup was clear and broth-like with an unmistakable fishiness. For some reason, I was reminded of the intensity amd warmth of a french oinion soup, and decided it was time to dump cheese in. Disappointingly, the cheese was the rubbery type, and did not melt. The croûtons on the other hand were very crunchy and great to soak up the soup in.
The Chicken Rolls ($58) came within seconds of the soup, and was arranged neatly on a long, narrow plate. The rolls were essentially well, a rolled up-version of a crepe. The flavor of the rolls were delicate and not strong enough to overcome the powerful flavor of the soup, so dulled in comparison. However, I still enjoyed the texture of the roll, which was bite sized and easy to chew on while talking. This would be a great accompaniment to drinks during happy hour.
We decided to eat light and share an entrée, which ended up being the La Roquefort ($120). I loved cheese, so looked forward to trying this one. It came fairly quickly after the appetizers, and was stuffed with minced pork, tomatoes and of course, Roquefort cheese. I stuffed my mouth immediately. The flavor was stronger than the chicken rolls, but still on the mild side. The skin of the crepe was light and crisp with a satisfying crunch to each bite and some chew afterwards. The flavor was soft and floury as I liked it, too. The meat was plenty and filled me up quite quickly, but the cheese was a letdown. I was skeptical that this was not Roquefort as I could not taste much of the usual pungent, intense flavor of the cheese, or there was very little used. Overall, the crepe wasn't bad but I would have expected more given the namesake cheese.Since this was an early dinner, we planned to eat another one later and deemed it best to go light now. Dessert was a Cappuccino ($38) and a Hot Chocolate ($38). Not much to say on the coffee, it was nothing spectacular but it did its job. The hot chocolate tasted like a usual powder-based drink, heavy on the milk. There was a small twist in the form of crème brûlée flavors - there were shards of carmelized sugar in the beverage! This was a sweet surprise and just as well, to finish the meal on a sweet note.
As a note, during the meal, a different server came up to changed our plates, and he too, had the same cheerfulness as the first server. Nearing the end, a person I presumed was the manager, as he was not in uniform, came up and asked us how we found the food. There was already a 10% service charge on the bill, but in the end I could not resist adding an additional 10% on top in recognition of the charming service I received. As the manager held the door open for us and invited us to come again, I recall nodding and thinking, hmm I actually will come back again.
Sometimes, people go to a restaurant not for the food but for the atmosphere and the comfort. This place definitely belonged in that category.
::||Good For||::
Lounging around with friends, avoiding cafe crowds, chatting over light eats.
Other Info. :
My extra tip was not included in calculations ($174 each was after the obligatory 10% service charge, but before my additional tip)
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
Post
