Chef to the tycoons brings life at the top to quiet of the mall

American chef Harlan Goldstein was something of a culinary darling to members of the Aberdeen Marina Club (AMC), in which he served for nine years - mostly at its kitchen's helm. His loyal following has since has taken a keen interest in his new culinary venture, a sprawling 5,030-square-foot restaurant in IFC Mall known as Harlan's.

'Tycoons can afford to eat the best food Hong Kong has to offer, and it's a great compliment when they select me to cook for them,' he says.

'In the new restaurant I wanted to reflect my own apartment's dining areas.' He hired interior designer Elaine Jamieson to help create commercial versions of his own cosy, crimson red dining room, plus an extravagant banquet room featuring a gothic wooden table under a chandelier.

The interior budget, including high-quality kitchen fittings. was $16.8 million. Defined cigar lounge, oyster bar, cocktail bar, glass-walled wine cellar and open stone-oven area offer plenty of visual interest.

There were doubters among his friends and acquaintances when Mr Goldstein announced he had chosen this venue for his restaurant. 'IFC is a dead area in the evening, some warned me. But I know I'd drive for two hours in the states to go to a good restaurant - for most people in Hong Kong, it's going to take less than half an hour,' he says.

Despite catering to a large slice of Hong Kong's rich and famous, Mr Goldstein cites value as a chief concern in his operation. 'There are set lunches that start at $250 and dinners at $400,' he says. 'Of course prices get higher with some of the a la carte dishes, fine wines, cognacs and cigars. But I believe the dining experience we offer is worth the price.

'The chef's table starts at $1,200 for food only, but many of my diners want to go over the top with ingredients - to impress their guests and the price often ends up 2,500 per head, without wine.