Delicious Cantonese food at Piin in Central, but pricier than you might think
- We enjoyed the light, golden king mushrooms and whimsical cigar duck roll, while the double-boiled lobster broth with bird’s nest really excelled
- But unlike other Chinese restaurants, the dishes aren’t meant to be shared between a group; most of them are priced per person, or serve two at most
We weren’t sure if we were going to like the food at Piin. The website calls it a “wine restaurant” and talks about specialising in “large formats, older vintages, rare and affordable gems”. Sounds expensive. And it was.
Unfortunately for them – but good for the expense account – they weren’t going to make money from us on wine mark-ups: two of us were unable to drink because we were just getting over colds, while the third person in our group is a teetotaller.
At first glance, the menu prices seem reasonable. But the staff member who explained the menu did not tell us that, unlike other Chinese restaurants, the dishes aren’t meant to be shared between a group; most of them are priced per person, or serve two at most.
There are a few chef’s recommendations that serve two to six, and most of them need to be ordered in advance. They offer several set menus ranging from HK$880 to HK$1,180 plus 10 per cent per person, for food only; wine pairings for all set menus cost HK$680 for four glasses, or HK$1,800 for a premium pairing.
We thoroughly enjoyed the golden king mushrooms (HK$88), which had a light, delicate coating of salted egg yolk.