Hong Kong’s killer cuisine
Fabulously inventive tapas in a world-class Asian destination
HONG KONG— At the mention of tapas, I think of gentle Mediterranean breezes, starry skies and plates of sizzling garlic prawns, spicy chorizo, stuffed peppers and a Spanish omelet washed down with plenty of vino tinto.
Three new Spanish restaurants, 22 Ships, Boqueria and Vi Cool, forced me to completely rethink my idea of tapas in a city as dense and vertical as Hong Kong.
I abandoned thoughts of open-air eating as we rode the elevator to the seventh floor of LKF Tower and got off at Boqueria, the Hong Kong franchise of the New York-based chain.
We were the first to arrive at 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday. The soft overhead lighting, candles and high stools and open kitchen created a cozy ambiance. The sangria was just right.
We started with txipirones, a delicious dish of tender baby squid served in a romesco vinaigrette, tomato confit and crispy scallions. We wouldn’t let the waiter remove the plate until we’d mopped up every drop of the sauce with bread.
Next we devoured a plate of Gambas, piping hot shrimp in a garlic sauce. Calls for more bread and more mopping. The bombas, a potato croquet filled with minced wagyu beef with a hint of herbs was exemplary. The tortilla, however, was wanting.
The pina inopia, slices of fresh pineapple served with molasses and fresh limes was simple yet sublime. The bill, including tip, came to $161.
Two days later we arrived at 22 Ships around 8:15 p.m. Our excellent appetizer of peas, broad beans, goats curd and tender Iberico ham reminded me of the green pea risotto I ate at Gordon Ramsay’s nowclosed Maze restaurant in Prague.
No coincidence there. Jason Atherton, the culinary director and part-owner of 22 Ships, created Maze for Ramsay before leaving to open London’s Pollen Street Social, a restaurant that scored him a Michelin star.
22 Ships seats only 35 people, most of them squeezed around the bar, creating just the right amount of buzz. We got coveted spots at a counter opening onto the street, which is surprisingly quiet for the neighbourhood.
Our first dish was fried egg with black pudding, capers and anchovy whose description belied the dish’s lightness. But then again, I’m a sucker for anything with anchovies.
Next came scallop ceviche with yuzu dressing, soy, cucumber and apple. My friend moaned in appreciation.
They’d run out of the signature dish, char-broiled Iberico pork and foie gras burgers, so we opted for roasted lamb cutlets.
The meat was thick and tender and perfectly cooked.
The goat’s cheese sorbet was delicious, though my date said the peanut ice cream with mixed berries tasted even better during a previous visit. The bill, without the standard 10 percent service charge in Hong Kong, came to $134.
The third leg of our tapas trifecta took us to Vi Cool, requiring us to navigate the endless corridors of Harbour City mall in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Apart from the good service and one truly excellent dish of sea bass, mango and avocado ceviche, our meal was just so-so.
The king prawns fried with garlic were too oily and the Catalan sausage pizza with ratatouille, grilled leaks, endive leaves and buffalo mozzarella was disappointing.
Total cost with service came to $119.