dolos

“Wanna check out my new restaurant?” My friend Caleb mentioned this latest project of his a few months ago and asked me to come along for a dinner tasting when it’s finally open and ready in early June. The restaurant, called Dolos (representing the concrete blocks placed on the coast for protection), took up the space at a street corner PMQ, and as the name vaguely suggests, served a seafood-themed menu in a casual setting with Chef Sean leading a lean kitchen team. 

Love the cozy space that could comfortably sit around 20 with a small bar on one side and kitchen further in. Only one tasting menu was served based on seasonal ingredients, plus a well curated wine menu, though we were encouraged to bring our own bottle too with free corkage (that’s a huge plus!) I love Chef Sean’s food back in the days when he got a band studio/niche restaurant inside some random industrial building in Kwun Tong, and his casual, no-boundary approach continues with this latest gig. 

A couple bite-sized dishes were served as amuse-bouche of sorts. One couldn’t ask for a more random combination of oyster and banana, but it somehow works with freshly shucked Fine de Claire oysters topped with bananas and almond and a dash of olive oil. The creamy oysters went well with the creamy condiments. Next was the finely cut cuttlefish tossed with taramasalata dressing and wrapped with shiso leaf – got this interesting grassy flavor with the nice bouncy texture from the slightly cured cuttlefish. 

Looking beyond the “rustic” presentation of Shima Aji, all the right flavor was there with the mild umami flavor from the tiny prawns paired with lemongrass, thai basil and fish sauce gastrique. Monkfish liver was served in a quenelle with vegetarian caviar and Japanese fruit tomatoes, with pieces of sourdough served on the side. The liver was delicious but the star of the show was definitely the sourdough with great flavor and texture. 

While the Shima Aji course needs some work in plating, one could easily take the red prawn bisque as something coming from the finest kitchen, with so much colors presented along with the flavors of the bisque sauce, marinated red prawn and piquillo peppers. 

Many of the dishes made use of fresh and seasonal ingredients available from the market nearby, including the next course of hairtail fish fillet with peas, mint and potato puree. Nothing fancy, but I enjoyed the refreshing taste. One couldn’t ask for a better-cooked chicken breast with Three Yellow Chicken slow-cooked and finished underneath the broiler to crisp up the skin, then served with a creamy sauce with clams and butterbur sprouts giving this an interesting, slightly bitter flavor clearly inspired by the Japanese use of Mountain Vegetables. 

There were a choice of main but at the end we decided to get all three and share. The eel, slightly aged to intensify the flavor and firm up the texture, was done Japanese style with the sansho sauce and potato puree underneath. The pigeon was grilled and served with jus, black garlic and tamarillo puree – the meat was on the firm side, but I love the taste and the crispy skin. 

Both desserts looked similar but with slightly different flavor – starting with the jasmine ice-cream with fresh berries coulis, followed by sake kazu ice-cream with grapes. 

BYOB is a good proposition but I am equally impressed by the wine menu with many unusual choices. A slightly bubbly Pet Nat to start, followed by an equally easy-going bottle of organic red. Both very pleasing. 

When? June 6 2023
Where? Dolos, 60 Staunton Street, Central
Menu Highlights? Three Yellow Chicken with Clam and Butternut Sprout Cream Sauce
Drinks?
2020 Bret Brothers Vin Petillant Bret Nat (disgorged May 2021)
2020 La Petite Odyssee Rouge Saillant, Vin de France Languedoc-Roussillon
Web: www.twins-kitchen.com/dolos