Brunch at a Corner Beer Joint

Hong Kong summer is not the perfect place nor perfect time to enjoy eating in the outdoors, but Blue Supreme at a quiet street corner in Sheung Wan (near Noho area) did make it somewhat more comfortable with its window-side table opening up to the street with plenty cool air blowing from the a/c unit behind. It’s a restaurant I heard good things about and always wanted to try, so we dropped by a few Sunday ago just when they began serving brunch menu on weekends.

Their food menu was said to be of contemporary American style, and I would say it’s a bit more than that with many fun and unique dishes featured using an interesting combination of ingredients and bold flavors by Chef Leonard. The Greek yogurt with macerated berries and granola certainly made great picture for Instagram with so many rich colors in one dish, and I love that little spicy kick of cayenne peppers from the granola balancing well with the sweet berries. The Brussel sprouts were done two ways – charred and sliced raw – giving it a good mix of smoky and nutty flavor – and worked well with crushed hazelnuts, green apples and bits of bacon for a “salad” dish for sharing.

The Shakshuka with dill and feta was my favorite dish of the afternoon – with a tomato-based stew with exotic spices baked with the rich Taiyouran eggs in a cast-iron pan, then mixed in with dill and feta. It’s a perfect brunch dish and a clear upgrade from the usual suspects of English breakfast. The slight Middle-eastern touch was seen in its Duck Confit Burger too, with fennel, pomegranate and horseradish served on the side. Sounds like a random combination, but the Elvis Presley French Toast was spot-on, with generous smear of peanut butter and caramelized banana paired with spoonful of summer berries glaze on top of the well sautéed French toast, with tribute to The King for which the dish was named after and a touch of Southern influence.

The restaurant specializes in artisan beers, “live beers” to be exact for which beers underwent continuous fermentation in barrels or bottles giving them a totally different flavor profile (and higher alcohol content in most cases). The bottle of IPA I had was unlike the usual one I tasted, with less of the typical hoppy taste but more malty and a bit of cocoa taste, and refreshing. Before that, I did also enjoy the glass of skin-macerated pinot gris from Stellenbosch (aka orange wine) – again, not the usual choice in terms of grape varietals nor production method, but something fun to have.

We had the pleasure of sharing the meal with our friends D and J, plus their two lovely whippets which made our meal and weekend even more enjoyable. People are right about this place – menu was interesting with solid execution and the place seems like a perfect neighborhood joint to hang out either after work or on weekends with a drink or two. A little bit out of the way for us perhaps being "east-siders", but for a good meal and good times, not that we would mind a slight detour.

(Meal was by invitation)

When? June 17 2018
Where? Blue Supreme, 21 Tung Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Shakshuka, Taiyouran Eggs, Dill and Feta
Web: https://www.bluesupreme.live/