THERE is little that City Plaza in Taikoo Shing doesn't have - except charm.
The number of shops and restaurants in the complex is mind-boggling. But for hungry shoppers who need a respite from mall-culture, a palatable option is Thai Pepper, just a few steps away from City Plaza II.
Thai Pepper is the sister restaurant of the ever-popular Chili Club in Wan Chai, and has a menu that is nearly identical.
It attracts just as big a crowd as its sibling, but with fewer foreigners.
Like the Chili Club, Thai Pepper does not offer much in the way of ambience. Its decor is even less appealing, with an abundance of imitation Thai silk in bright purples and pinks and rattan-type furniture.
But these shortcomings are more than compensated for by food that is consistently good, and by prices that are a bargain by Hong Kong standards.
While none of the dishes overwhelm and the menu is hardly inspired, it is difficult to have a bad meal here. The cuttlefish salad was a delicious starter. The seafood was poached to perfection and was lightly coated with fish sauce, lime juice, chillies, scallions, onions and coriander.
