Acme (已結業)

Item: Acme
Rating: 5
Author: eatwai

51 食評

味道

環境

服務

衛生

抵食

5391

中環

$401-800

中東菜

eatwai

等級4

188

[ Acme | 中環 ]

I know I’m a self proclaimed hummus AND sourdough enthusiast but I’ve never actually been to Acme. Until now. I was so excited to finally try their sourdough flatbread (spoiler: I got 2) with the starter from Baked. I asked the chef how old it was and he said 40 years 😳

Chef Praveen has been at Acme since the opening and this Indian chef has certainly assimilated to this restaurant. Naturally, I booked a table at the bar to get a a front row seat to Chef Praveen working his magic and I have to say he moves like a chef. Even though it was Wednesday night so not very busy, every dish he put out required precision and proper time management. For example, he was dicing parsley and stuffing tomatoes whilst simultaneously managing the grill and producing perfectly cooked meats every time.

The vibe of the restaurant is very cozy and bright. Even though it was quite empty, the music were lively and the staff were enthusiastic and friendly. I also really loved the interior design with spacious counter seats and a massive window looking out the street.

Anyway, that’s enough of the restaurant. Let’s get into the food 😋

—— ——

Pickled eggplant

A nice starter and appetizer. They used baby eggplants which is small and bite-sized instead of the regular sized ones, thus, they didn’t have to cut it and maintain its shape.

The brine is tangy and sour but not tart. It’s spiced but not spicy. I could have eaten more but this was complimentary from the chef because he saw he gushing over it.

—— ——

Hummus $85

The presentation is spot on, we always eat with our eyes first so it’s very important that food looks appealing to us as we start producing saliva in response. A generous portion of hummus with smoked paprika, drizzled with extra virgin olive and garnished with more chickpeas.

The texture is thicker and coarser than I’m used to (less tahini used) but taste is amazing. This hummus is perfect for people who like a strong chickpea taste and less of the overwhelming tahini. It’s also quite textured and grainy which some may enjoy (I like all). But not to fret, simply incorporate the olive oil on top to have a more luscious, silky smooth hummus. The ratio of hummus to olive oil is perfect as the thick dip absorbs some of the oil and becomes looser and easier to spread. Doesn’t become too oily or greasy.

Moreover, thanks to the paprika, the olive oil has a smokiness to it which is quite strong.

The chickpeas add too are crunchy and a tad bit hard. Texture contrasts with the dip and not by themselves either. I think they hydrate their own beans instead of using canned because the size is bigger than regular canned chickpeas and harder than them too, suggesting they were recently just in their dried form)

—— ——

Baba ghanoush $80

My favorite dip not including hummus!

Acme has done right by it. Theirs is super smooth and ridiculously light and loose. It spreads heavenly onto the flatbread and the extra pomegranates on top bursts to add sweetness and brightness. The pomegranate I usually see on top is quite flavorless and merely water but Acme’s is very sweet and fresh.

The one thing I will say is that the ratio of olive oil to dip is not quite balanced. The chef says he adds the same amount of oil to the hummus and baba ghanoush but due to the natural thickness of the hummus and the looseness of the baba ghanoush, the amount of oil for both should be different. Therefore, this dip may get too greasy and overtly loose.

I do want to say someone about their extra virgin olive oil. It’s very authentic and flavorful. I know Chinese people don’t care about oil and only uses canola or vegetable oils when sautéing, but Middle-Eastern people (especially Egyptians) love oil (especially EVOO) and they use it as garnish for everything.

True olive oil will taste peppery and tart whereas mass produced olive oil tastes greasy and bland. Acme’s is anything but. I even ate some bread alone with the oil to try and it’s really good. The bread soaks up the oil nice and well, making it tender and moisturizes it for the esophagus as well.

I asked what brand they’re used but it was classified 😶‍🌫️

—— ——

Muhammara $90

I had extra flatbread so I ordered another dip as I wanted to try their muhammara too!

The texture is in between the hummus and baba ghanoush: thick and viscous but also light and pliable. The additional walnuts, pomegranates and olive oil on top added a plethora of textures. From the crunchy walnuts to the juicy pomegranates, all encapsulated in the luscious olive oil. Wow.

The taste is fruitier and sweeter than others I’ve had. Perhaps they used more pomegranate molasses in it. This sweetness worked well with the spiced red peppers that were roasted for maximum taste and a hint of char. Because it is so fruity, it is quite appetizing.

I do want to say something about the walnuts. A lot more walnuts than I’m used too and some might say it’s too much walnuts 🤷‍♀️ because you will often find a piece stuck in your teeth but the crunch and body it provides is uncanny. Unlike other nuts, walnuts also has a tartness and slight bitterness which is great with the fruity molasses and charred red pepper.

This dip is more filling than the others as it also has breadcrumbs in it as a thickener. But like the hummus, the olive oil loosens it significantly.

—— ——

Flatbread $45/1

Wow!! The star of the show. This flatbread is baked to each order and served piping hot. The outside is firm and inside is unbelievably fluffy. I recommend letting ur cool for a few seconds before your attempt to rip it as a cloud of steam would escape and effectively burn your face and fingers.

As the ‘flatbread’ has a distinct hole in the middle and because it is leavened by the starter, it should be called pita 😅 but names are just names.

First off: the aroma. Very strong smell of fermented yeast which is natural from the starter. As it is freshly baked, the smell is even more intense.

Next: the texture. Like the said, the outside is firm and a bit crunchy, the inside is really fluffy and soft. You can also see the gluten networks in the bread and how it stretches, indicating it has risen well and the starter is quite old.

Some people said that it becomes hard and stale after completely cooled down, but I disagree. Yes it gets harder and denser but still quite fluffy and not at all stale.

Lastly: the taste. There is a faint taste of tang due to the nature of the sourdough but the taste of yeast overpowers it. As it only tastes of yeast, it acts as an ideal vessel for the explosions of flavors the mezze has to offer. It also soaks up olive oil very well (as I’ve mentioned) without becoming soggy or greasy.

The portion is quite big and enough for 1 dip as the pocket in the middle effectively separates it into 2 pieces. This is also quite dense and filling so I recommend getting 1 between 2 and only ordering more if needed.

For my second piece of flatbread, I asked chef to grill it for me and it’s so much better. The char adds smokiness. The burnt adds crispness and the steam is only enhanced. I recommend getting the mixed grill too as the flatbread would be grilled in the meat juices.

—— ——

推介 🙆🏻‍♀️

💬 Overall, first time coming to Acme and definitely not the last. Loved everything and hope to try their tagines next as I’ve conquered most of their dips. The service is also excellent so feel free to ask about the foods and talk to them.

The price range is quite expensive but still reasonable to the limited amount of middle eastern cuisine in HK and the money it takes to import from overseas. But not a bad place for gatherings (no more than 4 as their counter can’t seat too many!) and you can try their grilled dishes that are meant for many people too.

🗓 Revisit? ✅ ⭕️/ ❎