Review | Poem in Lan Kwai Fong, Central: new Indonesian restaurant’s dishes inventive and richly flavoured

Occupying a space in LKF Tower that was formerly Lily & Bloom, Poem has beautiful decor, friendly service and some delicious, inventive Indonesian dishes

The starters appeared more interesting than the main courses, and the tropical fruits salad was a highlight of our meal; smoked duck was a disappointment

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The interior of Poem, a new Indonesian restaurant in Central, Hong Kong with a spa-like atmosphere. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 4:30pm, 13 Dec 2019Updated: 4:30pm, 13 Dec 2019

I would never have recognised the space occupied by a new Indonesian restaurant, Poem, in LKF Tower in Hong Kong’s Central entertainment district, as that which previously housed Lily & Bloom.

The high-ceilinged room has been transformed from a cool and edgy spot to one that’s equally beautiful, but with a tropical, spa-like atmosphere (fortunately, without the annoying new-age spa music).

There were only two other tables on the night we visited. The servers were warm and attentive.

My guest and I agreed that the appetisers at Poem sounded far more interesting than the mains, so we ordered three of the former. Our favourite dish of the night was the tropical fruits salad (HK$78). Made with ripe, juicy wax apples, star fruit and pineapple, it seemed like sort of a cross between rojak and gado gado. The fruits were dressed in a delicious and refreshing sweet-tangy sauce.

Coconut-smoked duck with mixed bean salad. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Wagyu cheek bao (HK$118 for three) was like beef rendang in a steamed bun. The rich, tender meat was complexly spiced, but could have used more of the pickled onions, and perhaps, some fried shallots or toasted coconut, for contrast.