THE story of Tai Pan Grill begins some 10,000 kilometres away from the Hong Kong Omni Hotel, in the middle of Paris, in the Boursault Farm Cheese Shop. It is stocked high with French cheeses. And it is there, each month, that packages of cheeses are wrapped, placed in special bags, and shipped to Hong Kong.
A few days later, cheeses bearing names like Dauphin, Pavin and of course Boursault, are displayed on platters in Hong Kong, along with your everyday Brie and Camembert. One would like to say that these cheeses constitute the elegant finale to a faultless dinner.
The reality is not quite so lofty. But in its old-fashioned way, new-fangled recipes and service which cares, Tai Pan Grill has become the secret favourite of many people.
On first glance, Tai Pan Grill is not terribly impressive. The new aquarium is clear and quite beautiful. The open kitchen is agreeable. But the place could only be called homely. Homely and comfortable. The nice view of the harbour, a pretty good piano-player at night (not too loud, always harmonically right), tables widely spaced out, subdued lights, colours, some candles.
It can make the most stressed-out executive feel at home. If his home happened to be a five-star hotel.
The waiters go along with the decor. Nothing fussy or notably colourful. They do make mistakes. (Three times our martinis were brought with lemon instead of requested olives.) But their long formal jackets and unfailingly pleasant manner make you feel like you're in a hotel that cares.
