“Everything you are having are not going to be in the menu” Chef David assured us as we began to look at the menu figuring out what we are getting at our lunch at Neighborhood one Friday afternoon. While the statement was not entirely accurate, it’s true that we did end up with most of the dishes that I haven’t tried before at this restaurant or anywhere else.
The private room at the back of the restaurant was fitting for our group (with multiple tables separated by partition). We started with the beef tartare and artichokes with chicken liver pate – the pate was especially great with plenty of black truffles on top and worked well with the artichoke heart which was tender and flavorful. The next course was described to us as Flounder Sashimi. Flounder, or Hirame in Japanese, was sliced thin, has a refreshing mild flavor and good bouncy texture, and I love the salad served underneath, with the punchy herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro and kaffir lime leaves), aged mandarin peel and crispy fried dough reminded me both of the Cantonese snake soup garnishes and Thai-style salad.
Raclette was a perfectly appropriate winter dish and it’s served with a twist too, with an assortment of root vegetables - purple and yellow sweet potatoes and the tiniest fingerling potatoes – plus air-fried sausages and braised mustard sprouts (aka 芥菜膽) for the slightly bitter taste which did remind me of spring season. My only complaint was the dish has too much starch and too little cheese. The cauliflower dish which came next was my favorite of the afternoon. To be exact, it’s caulini (similar to cauliflower but with longer stems and smaller florets baked in a shallow casserole dish with sea urchin sauce plus Jamon Iberico and caviar on top. Loaded with flavors plus I love the creamy sauce incorporating well with the mild and crunchy vegetables.
The egg with shirako (cod milt) and ankimo (monkfish liver) was something we requested, and instead of serving with the scrambled egg as in their normal version on the menu, this time Chef David presented the dish as Spanish Tortilla. I like the contrast of textures with the thick and fluffy baked omelette stuffed with creamy cod milts in overflowing portion and the firm bits of monkfish liver. The next course was perhaps the most interesting one this afternoon. When it’s presented in a large oval casserole, we didn’t know what it was inside until David told us they were the head of giant mottled eel (花錦鱔) and air-dried pig’s head. The head of giant mottled eel was known to be the best part of this seasonal and local catch and the one we had was particularly huge. In traditional Cantonese cuisine it’s often prepared as stew or double-boiled soup but this time David baked it with the whole air-dried pig’s head with the distinctive taste in the tender meat laden with fat. The sauerkraut underneath was an interesting touch, taking in the pork’s flavor and cutting down on the fattiness with the acidity.
The bouillabaisse was long the signature dish at the restaurant, and the one we had this time was served in particularly large portion, with the rich fish broth served with chunks of scorpion fish (aka Hokkaido kinki) on top and rice underneath for the hearty bites. We finished with two desserts – love the creamy white chocolate pistachio filling in the cannoli, and the sourdough French toast topped with black truffles, sour cream and smothered with plenty of syrup. The savory, mineral-rich bottle of Bordeaux blanc worked just well with the richer seafood dishes that we had.
When? January 29 2021
Where? Neighborhood, Man Hing Lane near Hollywood Road/Peel Street junction, Central, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Cauliflower Casserole with Sea Urchin, Jamon and Caviar
Drinks? 2016 Chateau Baret Blanc, Pessac Leognan AOC
Web: www.facebook.com/neighborhoodhk
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