Many thanks to Jennifer who got us our table during the first few weeks in the soft opening period. Unfortunately, we barely missed meeting Adrià Ferran who was here in the first week to give his support.
Like Catalunya Singapore, Catalunya Hong Kong features a contemporary Spanish cuisine that draws inspiration from its traditional catalan roots. The kitchen is headed by Alain Tolosa who has worked alongside his mentor Ferran Adrià at el Bulli for 10 years. Like most restaurants linked with Ferran Adrià, Catalunya Hong Kong also embraces the philosophy behind the el Bulli spirit of modern gastronomy.
The interior design of Catalunya has very strong North African inspired flavors. I particularly liked the elegantly designed dining room which is predominantly red.
The "Stairway to Heaven" is a must before dinner. This signature cocktail made with Pampero Blanco, pineapple puree, lime juice, vanilla syrup, celery, egg white, coriander leaves etc. was a little bitter to start but it got more and more refreshing with every sip.
They even had the "Stairway to Heaven" aroma from their special dry ice to enhance the effects and stimulate our senses.
Catalunya tartare, 5/10
What looked like a steak tartare was actually made with tomato puree. The dish was served with a tomato-flavored foam and a bowl of crispy and ultra thin toast.
Jamon iberico croquette, 4/10
The croquettes here are not stuffed with mashed potatoes. They were instead full of velouté and flour with bits of Iberian ham.
"Patatas bravas" with "all I Oli", 3/10
Patatas bravas is a very popular Spanish dish often served as a tapa. A lot of times, what separates a great patatas bravas with an average one has to do with the sauce.
And this sauce was nothing to write home about. I actually thought the version served at
Vi Cool tasted much better.
Bikini, 9.5/10
Bikini is a luxurious sandwich combining Iberian ham, thin layer of mozzarella cheese and slivers of truffle all between two slices of toasted bread. That was undisputedly the best sandwich I have ever had!
Suckling pig tapa, 6/10
Instead of the entire suckling pig, we had it in tapa size and that unfortunately translated into two very small cubes.
While the two suckling pig cubes were tender and full of flavors, the portion could have been a lot more generous in my opinion.
Lobster rice, 5/10
To wrap things up, we had the lobster rice and it was a simple paella with two slices of grilled lobster served in a steaming hot pot.
Food Rating: 5/10
Price: $$$$$
Address: Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Hong Kong
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