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Day Six: Thai food? In Hong Kong?
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January 26, 2007
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We'd decided to treat Stephen and Benny for lunch on Wednesday, since Stephen had paid for several of our previous lunches and dinners. We told them to pick someplace they'd like. To my dismay, they chose a Thai restaurant that Benny liked. (I didn't come all the way to Hong Kong to have Thai food! I thought.)
We walked to a building near Times Square and proceeded to get in line near the elevator. A lot of restaurants are "hidden" on upper floors in Hong Kong. Hidden to us, anyway; when we went out to eat by ourselves, we tended to choose places we could see at street level, but when we went out with people from work, we inevitably wound up at restaurant on the sixteenth floor of some high rise or buried in the middle of a giant mall or office park. And it's not that these restaurants are little hidden gems or anything, either -- they're huge, sprawling venues packed with people. I have no idea how people even know that they're there.
When we got out of the elevator, we discovered a whole restaurant wing with five or six very nice-looking eating establishments. Simply Thai was a hip place with large plants, dark woods, and lush decor.
When we got out of the elevator, we discovered a whole restaurant wing with five or six very nice-looking eating establishments. Simply Thai was a hip place with large plants, dark woods, and lush decor.
This is no country Thai food, but at the same time, you probably wouldn't call this a fusion restaurant. They seemed to remain true to the soul of Thai cuisine (not that I'm qualified to make such a comment) while at the same time preparing dishes in a fresh, refined fashion.
This was another occasion where the best dishes were complete surprises to me. For a starter, I ordered a coconut-milk based soup, because I love Thai soups. Joe ordered a pomelo salad. I thought this might be tasty, but ultimately trivial. Our hosts both ordered a dish of mushrooms on tofu. I thought this would be pretty banal.
The soup was mediocre. I've had many better Stateside. The pomelo salad was elegant and simple: pomelo, studded with hot pepper, lightly drizzled with a lime-based dressing, and with a little garnish on top. It was also very good. I'd order it again in a heartbeat. It's an example of taking a few flavors and balancing them perfectly. You can probably make this with grapefruit if you live in the States and are in an area where Pomelo is unavailable; I may try to do that sometime when I have guests.
But the real find -- the best dish of the meal -- was the mushrooms and tofu. And that's basically all it was: mushrooms sauteed and tossed a light oyster sauce, set atop a bed of tofu, with a few greens strewn over the top for color. And it shocked the hell out of me. Right after I took the first bite, I had a lightning flash of insight: I have never had good tofu.
I think I am not alone in this. I live near Chinatown, I love Asian food, and I eat a fair amount of it. And yet. This tofu was like a custard. Like the creme part of a creme brulee, but not sweet. In my memory it's substantial to the point of being rich, but I know it was light and straightforward. Beguiling. I know it's ridiculous to talk about tofu in these terms. But in a way, it's my first time. And you know what they say about your first time: it's always ridiculous. I mean special.
The duck curry I ordered for my main dish was satisfactory, but not noteworthy. I felt the same about the chicken curry dish that Stephen and Benny ordered. But Joe took a chance on the lamb ribs (rack). And they were stunning. A deep pink throughout, smothered in a creamy sauce and sitting atop a pile of tasty greens, Joe was the clear winner of the entree contest.
I'm really glad that Stephen and Benny keep coming along with us and making recommendations. I would never have gone to a Thai restaurant in Hong Kong and I would never have ordered mushrooms and tofu if I were on my own. I'm always looking for culinary adventure -- an activity that I still think is worthwhile -- but the most significant experiences are never where you expect them to be.
January 26, 2007 in Hong Kong | Permalink
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Comments
You make that tofu sound great! Surely someone knows where to get good tofu stateside?
Posted by: Reca at Feb 2, 2007 8:27:18 PM
You should have tried to go to Kowloon City - this is the mecca of Thai food in HK. They have things like Thai noodle shops, Thai restaurants, grilled specialty restaurants, you name it. It will be far more authentic than anything you have tasted on the Eastern side of the Pacific.
Posted by: Joel at Sep 13, 2007 12:20:23 AM
i really this kind ov shit and wats gonna be morro
Posted by: musabi fred at May 17, 2009 11:02:31 AM
