Sunday, January 2, 2011

Gold by Harlan Goldstein (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Lan Kwai Fong has not been the same ever since the renovation of the iconic California Tower more than 2 years ago. The shifting demographic had restaurant and bar patrons looking elsewhere in the Soho and Noho area.

An area now desperately looking for a spark, this once vibrant nightlife centre may have found one from celebrity chef Harlan Goldstein and his latest venture - Gold by Harlan Goldstein at the LKF Tower.



As the name "Gold" has already implied, gold is the theme in this new restaurant and bar that sports a dazzling decor predominantly in glittering gold color.

Located right off the reception area is a small bar decorated in (guess what) golden tone. It provides just the perfect place to grab a few drinks before dinner starts.




The menu had an exciting mix of modern European dishes. We first began with one of the signature dishes, Hokkaido sea scallop carpaccio served with slow-cooked egg and white truffle dressing and that was indeed mouthwatering. The contrasting flavors and textures were absolutely stunning (9/10).



The lobster bisque with cognac, though not as impressive as the scallop carpaccio, was another lovely starter (7/10).




Our starters had set the bar fairly high. Let's hope that the main courses were equally successfully.

Our first main course was a wagyu beef cheek ravioli, another house specialty here. The 12-hour slow braised wagyu beef cheek was a perfect match for the ravioli but the foie gras and black truffle sauce played the role of villain spoiling a pretty decent dish.
For whatever reason, the sauce came with a very distinct taste of vinegar or something relatively sour that was all too overpowering (3/10).
 



The Melting in your mouth Scottish salmon was true to its name, melting right in our mouth!

That was a wonderful slice of slow-cooked salmon. Soft, smooth and fulfilling (7/10). 



The Berry Berry fantasic cheesecake was not your typical New York style cheesecake. Instead, it was a mixture of a cheesecake, chocolate truffle crust, mango foam and black currant gelato.


Not too sweet, not too cheesy and not too heavy (7/10).

 

Gold by Harlan Goldstein was an instant hit since its debut in late 2010. We thought the food was of fairly high standard but the service could use a bit more training and the spacing between tables could definitely be extended a bit more to allow greater privacy.


Food Rating: 7/10
Price: $$$
Address: 2/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Central
Website: www.gold-dining.com

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