As a dedicated HongKonger, there is no way that I would be late to try out Howard Smith Wharve's newest Hong Kong inspired restaurant. Named after the small coastal town in Hong Kong Island known for its beaches, which made it a nice addition to the waterfront scene. Trying it out on the first weekend since opening, it was extremely hard for us to get a reservation, we ended up getting a table for 8.30pm, at which point it was still a full house.
Being a two storey restaurant, I was keen for upstairs seating, but we were seated on the ground floor. Views however, were exceptional and I loved the dark tones and subtle HK references in the decor.
The menu was surprisingly broad in variety. It covered yumcha dishes, cantonese style bbq, mains as well as banquet meals for large groups.
One plus from sitting on the ground floor was that we had a fairly good view of the dimsim kitchen and the goodies steaming away.
First up was the Signature Baked and Fried Platter. The baked bbq pork pastry was flakey with a delicious honey basted pork inside. My favourite was the deep fried taro balls with its super crisp coating and meaty mince filling. The pan fried dumpling could have been served warmer and the base could have been crispier. I did however also enjoy the crunchy spring roll.
As a HongKonger, it was hard to grow up without a love for Cantonese Style Roast meats. My favourite of course being roast duck. Although the skin wasn't the crispiest I've had, the meat was marinated impeccably and the textures were on point. I really enjoyed the marinade it was doused in as well as the sweet plum sauce. Definitely one of the best roast ducks I've had in Brisbane.
Sharing a dish of Combination Seafood Chow Mein. The noodles were fried to a crisp, soaked in seafood gravy, topped with prawns, scallops, baby corn and black fungus. The portion was a little smaller than I would have expected for the price in my opinion, however the scallops and prawns were quite fresh and the gravy was homey and comforting.
Not one to leave a HK restaurant without an egg tart if it's on the menu, we got two for dessert. Served lukewarm, the pastry was a little denser and could be fluffier. I found the custard to also have been a little firmer than what I'm used to. Will have to go try the other desserts next time I'm back.
Value: 6/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment