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2014-07-10
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MAMA SAN is now open for business in Hong Kong! No, it's not the mama san you'd find in an Asian gentlemen's club, but rather the sister extension of Chef Will Meyrick's popular Southeast Asian restaurant in Bali. As the chef has traveled extensively in Asia, you'd find that the menu is a fusion of Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Chinese inspired cuisine. The decor is elegant and vintage with dark wooden furniture, hanging lamps, and a large mural of Mama San herself splashed across a wall.Mang
MAMA SAN is now open for business in Hong Kong! No, it's not the mama san you'd find in an Asian gentlemen's club, but rather the sister extension of Chef Will Meyrick's popular Southeast Asian restaurant in Bali. As the chef has traveled extensively in Asia, you'd find that the menu is a fusion of Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Chinese inspired cuisine. The decor is elegant and vintage with dark wooden furniture, hanging lamps, and a large mural of Mama San herself splashed across a wall.
Mango & Pomegranate Mojito ($78) - I started the night off with a mango and pomegranate mojito at the recommendation of our waitress as I had wanted something sweet. The cocktail was indeed fruity (almost too fruity) with no apparent trace of rum or minty freshness. It was a nice surprise though to see a stick of sugarcane in the drink so I chewed a bit on it to extract the juice - just like the good old days in HK. [3.5/5]
Oyster Nahm Jihm ($28/pcs) - the oysters were a great deal at $28 a piece! Sprinkled with coriander and crispy shallots, the raw oyster was an exciting combination with the spicy and sour sauces but it was also apparent that the oyster was not that fresh. [3.5/5]
Crispy Whole Snapper with 3-Flavor Sauce ($228) - the portion of this snapper dish was pretty sizable and perfect for sharing! The snapper was nicely fried to a perfectly crispy state while the tamarind-based sweet and sour sauce could have been more flavorful. [3.5/5]
Dendeng Balado Caramelized Short Rib Beef ($198) - the short rib beef was finger-licking delicious! Served with pounded chili kaffir lime and lemon basil, the beef was crispy on the outside while soft on the inside. The texture was very interesting as the beef had been dried through a frying process so it was almost like eating jerky. Highly recommend this dish! [5/5]
Thai Som Tum ($68) - we also ordered a side of green papaya salad as a substitute for rice to go along with our food. The som tum was quite appetizing with its spicy and tangy flavors while the papaya was crisp and firm to eat. [4/5]
Lemongrass Panna Cotta ($78) - the highlight of our meal was definitely the lemongrass panna cotta dessert! Topped with layers of cucumber lime jelly and citrus lemon basil sorbet, the dessert was simply divine as the rich and creamy panna cotta was balanced perfectly by the tart and refreshing jelly and sorbet. I would go back just to eat this! [5/5]
Verdict - while not all of the dishes were a hit, some were thoroughly impressive like the short rib beef and lemongrass panna cotta. Our tab came to ~$900 for 2 which is on par with neighborhood restaurants in the area, and we were honestly quite full from our meal. The dishes are perfect for family-style sharing so best to come with a group of friends to feast while imagining yourself miles away in exotic Balinese decor!
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