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2013-04-10
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It pains me to say I came to Stone Nullah Tavern with high expectations, as I know that this “New American” bar & restaurant is also owned by the same people who own “Posto Pubblico”, “Linguini Fini” and “Pizzeria Pubblico” only to be met with extreme extreme disappointment.I entered the establishment gleaming with joy as I noticed that the dim-lit bar bore a striking resemblance to bars I had long ventured in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood - wooden panels, low-lit ambiance, slightly rustic
I entered the establishment gleaming with joy as I noticed that the dim-lit bar bore a striking resemblance to bars I had long ventured in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood - wooden panels, low-lit ambiance, slightly rustic, no frill feel filled with microbrew beers – a kind of neighborhood bar you hoped to kick back with your friends and have a few drinks. I also really liked the idea of a corner bar, especially in the Hong Kong summer heat, with its open full length windows, though, this bar situates in an area where not much is happening unless you count 711 and subway and “Tai Lung Fung” just around the corner of the Blue Heritage House.
I previously passed by the bar walking my dog and promptly made a reservation for the first night of Easter vacation for my friends.
I arrived early and sat down with my friend and ordered a cocktail I longed to try, as I am sure the testament of a bar is their cocktails and beers. Though the name escapes me now, I remember that the cocktail was nothing to write home about as it was a bit watered down with not much taste. As we heard this place boasts its “New American fare”, we were eager to try a few things on the menu. One of the servers was extremely nice telling us about the specials, ingredients, a few dishes. Too bad I could not say the same for the dish– tater tots and mac & cheese. Boy was I disappointed. Fair enough, he had already warned us that this is a small portion meant for sharing. That sounded like an oxymoron – small portion meant for sharing? I thought dishes like these would have a bit of a twist on it. I am not kidding you on the minuscule size of an $80 HKD dish/$10.39 USD. We received about 8 pint, wait, thumb sized tater tots that is kind of reminiscent of tater tots you would eat in elementary school cafeteria served with ketchup. OMG. I guess the “costly” part in this dish is not the tater tots itself but the “special ingredients” served on the side, which I have to say is more than the tater tots itself, mayonnaise and some Asian spicy sauce. Hooray, I was jumping in the air with glee. I was jubilant. I was beside myself. How is this “New American”? If I wanted this kind of food, I would just ask a couple of my friends’ kids to make me a few dishes with their own interpretation.
Second dish for redemption - mac & cheese. It was horrid. My friend ate more of it than me and he said it was basically pasta shells with not enough cheese. The kicker? Nothing. Again, small portion.
My other friends arrived thirsty from their hike. As beer aficionados, they were excited to try their microbrew beers - the Rogue beer. Mind you, I went to Hop & Leaf beer and wine tasting at the 7th Estate Winery and some of the beers they served besides Rogue were very nice. Just very unfortunate that the one that tasted most like piss ended up here at this bar. My other friend and I ordered the Dead Man Ale. Though it tasted ok in the beginning, it began to taste like soy sauce. It was also not pleasant that the beers came in half pints for $80 HKD/$10.39 USD. And I am not sure what one of the bartenders were sniffing, but they double charged us on all our orders at the end.
Racking up more than couple of hundred dollars for what seems to be like school cafeteria food attempting to be edgy, modern, we knew it was our cue to leave. As a neighborhood corner bar, I can do with hardy American food and nice few beers, but not a neighborhood bar pretending to be more than it is. I thought this bar & restaurant would really have a lot of potential and given its location, I was more than happy to come here just like my regulars, “Tai Lung Fung” or “Ted’s Lookout”. But sadly, even the food and drinks were not even savory enough to draw me here to this prime location again.
This kind of restaurant really belongs in touristy areas like Soho, Wellington or Wydham, only to meet their fate of being closed down within a month or two of opening. Or maybe not. Sorely disappointed I so was.
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