18 Ship Street, Wan Chai, 2866 0868
FARE Homestyle seasonal Cantonese dishes created mainly from produce grown on the farm of chef Margaret Xu (above) in Yuen Long. As the restaurant is 80 per cent organic and relies on fresh produce delivered daily, the menu can change at the last minute. And as the kitchen is small, you must select the dishes at least a day before so the kitchen can prepare. AMBIENCE Tucked in a 1930s restored building, this simply decorated three-storey restaurant seats just 24. It's cosy and intimate and you might almost feel like you're in a friend's country kitchen. COST Lunch sets are HK$180 and HK$280, with limited a la carte options ranging from HK$150 to HK$400. Dinner sets are HK$560 or HK$680 each for a minimum of six people. WHO TO BRING Anyone you would feel comfortable with taking home for dinner with mum. TURN-ONS The Yellow Earth Chicken, one of chef Xu's signature dishes, was perfectly cooked. The skin was deliciously salty and crisp and the meat was tender, with barely any oil. The homemade ginger sauce, which was made with a delectably aromatic olive oil and big chunks of ginger, was light, fresh and enticing. The stone-ground dessert (tong yuen) consisted of a small but wonderfully soft dumpling filled with a sweet and silky paste, in a rich sauce with rough wholegrain rice. TURN-OFFS The stone-ground bok chaang was wholesome but bland, although the thick plum sauce added a dose of tangy flavour. DRINKS No alcohol is available here, but you can bring your own bottle and corkage is free.
