Restaurants serving hearty British cuisine have always been rare commodities in Hong Kong but the recently opened, The Pawn, is poised to change that perception in a hurry.
On paper, the Pawn certainly has what it takes. They have assembled an excellent team with a proven track record. Executive chef, Dave Tamlyn, served as an apprentice to Marco Pierre White, who was best known for mentoring the famous Gordon Ramsay and their pastry chef has trained at The Wolseley, which has one of the most difficult tables to get in London.
Another impressive selling points are the location and ambience. The restaurant is centrally located among the busy street of Hennessy Road and is easily accessible by walk from anywhere in Wanchai. And if you like historical architecture, this will definitely be your cup of tea. The restaurant is housed in a nicely restored heritage building which used to be a century old pawn shop. If you are not shy of winds and rains, you can pick a table on the outdoor terrace overlooking the heart of Wanchai.
The interior is tastefully decorated with a colonial twist as well. As we all know, 'space' is somewhat of a luxury when it comes to restaurants in Wanchai. For most restaurants that cannot afford the spacing, tables are often scrambled together making it very difficult for one not to overhear their neighbours' conversation. But you certainly won't see it here at the Pawn. Privacy is almost guaranteed, as the tables are nicely separated with reasonable distance from each other.
We arrived at the restaurant a little bit late for lunch so we were starving the moment we sat down. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a gentleman having fish and chips. Two large pieces of fish fillet, deep fried to golden colour, yet not oily in texture. I was tempted to give it a try but too bad we were having an important meeting in the afternoon and I decided to order something of a lighter variety so I won't be falling asleep during the meeting.
Shrimp soup with dill, 6/10
A carbon copy of your average lobster bisque. Very strong in flavour and it was served with two small pieces of toasts.
Pork loin, 5/10
The pork loin looked a bit rough in texture but it actually tasted better than it looked. The dish was served with a special gravy sauce, potato and purple onion.
Whisky ice cream, 5/10
At first, it tasted like whisky on a rock (probably because it just came straight out of the frigate) but when the ice cream started to melt and soften, it had gotten better. Nevertheless, the taste of whisky was a bit too strong for our liking.
It was a pleasant dining experience. Both my friend and I concurred that the food could use some improvement but the atmosphere probably warranted some extra marks here and there. I would certainly recommend this place without reservation.
On paper, the Pawn certainly has what it takes. They have assembled an excellent team with a proven track record. Executive chef, Dave Tamlyn, served as an apprentice to Marco Pierre White, who was best known for mentoring the famous Gordon Ramsay and their pastry chef has trained at The Wolseley, which has one of the most difficult tables to get in London.
Another impressive selling points are the location and ambience. The restaurant is centrally located among the busy street of Hennessy Road and is easily accessible by walk from anywhere in Wanchai. And if you like historical architecture, this will definitely be your cup of tea. The restaurant is housed in a nicely restored heritage building which used to be a century old pawn shop. If you are not shy of winds and rains, you can pick a table on the outdoor terrace overlooking the heart of Wanchai.
The interior is tastefully decorated with a colonial twist as well. As we all know, 'space' is somewhat of a luxury when it comes to restaurants in Wanchai. For most restaurants that cannot afford the spacing, tables are often scrambled together making it very difficult for one not to overhear their neighbours' conversation. But you certainly won't see it here at the Pawn. Privacy is almost guaranteed, as the tables are nicely separated with reasonable distance from each other.
We arrived at the restaurant a little bit late for lunch so we were starving the moment we sat down. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a gentleman having fish and chips. Two large pieces of fish fillet, deep fried to golden colour, yet not oily in texture. I was tempted to give it a try but too bad we were having an important meeting in the afternoon and I decided to order something of a lighter variety so I won't be falling asleep during the meeting.
Shrimp soup with dill, 6/10
A carbon copy of your average lobster bisque. Very strong in flavour and it was served with two small pieces of toasts.
Pork loin, 5/10
The pork loin looked a bit rough in texture but it actually tasted better than it looked. The dish was served with a special gravy sauce, potato and purple onion.
Whisky ice cream, 5/10
At first, it tasted like whisky on a rock (probably because it just came straight out of the frigate) but when the ice cream started to melt and soften, it had gotten better. Nevertheless, the taste of whisky was a bit too strong for our liking.
It was a pleasant dining experience. Both my friend and I concurred that the food could use some improvement but the atmosphere probably warranted some extra marks here and there. I would certainly recommend this place without reservation.
Food Rating: 4/10
Price: $$$
Address: 2/F, 62 Johnston Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Wanchai
Tel: +852 2866-3444
Website: www.thepawn.com.hk
Price: $$$
Address: 2/F, 62 Johnston Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Wanchai
Tel: +852 2866-3444
Website: www.thepawn.com.hk
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