Source:
https://scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/2109977/restaurant-review-kams-causeway-bay-sizzling-sichuan-stone-pot
Lifestyle/ Food & Drink

Restaurant review: The Kam’s in Causeway Bay – sizzling Sichuan stone pot and signature dishes

Skipping the tempting hotpot selection, we sampled the Sichuan specials, and were rewarded with intense flavours, and of course, plenty of fiery heat

Susan Jung
Susan Jung

Updated: 8:06pm, 7 Sep, 2017

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The array of ingredients for the hot pot at Kam’s. Photo: Susan Jung

When my friends and I arrived at The Kam’s, an attractively decorated restaurant in Causeway Bay, we were very tempted by the hotpot, primarily because they offer such an extensive selection of ingredients for the mix-your-own dipping sauce. But the menu of cooked dishes – grouped by cooking styles and flavours, including stir-fried, Sichuan hot stone pot and Sichuan spicy – was just as tempting, and in the end, we went for that, choosing all signature dishes.

Sauté green chillies with vinegar (HK$58) was the first dish served, and it was the best of the night. They were just fantastic, striped and blistered from being pressed against a hot metal pan, before being dressed with an oily, delicious sauce that included black vinegar, fermented black beans, chilli oil and garlic.

Sauté freshwater swan mussels with pickled green chilli in hot stone pot. Photo: Susan Jung
Sauté freshwater swan mussels with pickled green chilli in hot stone pot. Photo: Susan Jung
Sauté anodonta (freshwater swan mussels) with pickled chilli in hot stone pot (HK$168) seemed bland at first, until we stirred the ingredients together and the flavours concentrated in the heat of the pot. The tender mussels were cooked with pickled chillies, garlic and green Sichuan peppercorns.
Sichuan-style stewed shredded eel. Photo: Susan Jung
Sichuan-style stewed shredded eel. Photo: Susan Jung
The waitress asked what heat level we wanted for the stewed sliced eel in Sichuan spicy style (HK$168). We asked for medium and it proved just right for our palates. The boneless eel pieces were simmered with sweet potato noodles, bean sprouts and celtuce, and served in a deep bowl with a broth flavoured with dried chillies.
Sauté shredded Sichuan celtuce with green chillies. Photo: Susan Jung
Sauté shredded Sichuan celtuce with green chillies. Photo: Susan Jung
Shredded celtuce (also known as asparagus lettuce) cooked with green chillies and shimeji mushrooms (HK$68) was a good, mild dish to eat with the spicier dishes.

We were disappointed by the steamed spare ribs with pumpkin, which looked great (a guest at a nearby table liked the look of it so much she came over and photographed our food) but was bland and watery. Sichuan-style tea-smoked duck (HK$138 for half, HK$268 for whole) had tender meat, but the smoky flavour was only on the outside and hadn’t penetrated the flesh.

The Kam’s three-legged tea cups. Photo: Susan Jung
The Kam’s three-legged tea cups. Photo: Susan Jung
A word on the tea cups: the were really annoying. They were attractive – a three-legged cup in a pretty celadon – but they were awkward to hold, and the narrow mouth made them difficult to drink out of.

Dandenong Mansion, 379-389 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2528 6189. About HK$225 without drinks or the service charge

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