Interestingly, Pak Loh Group has just branched out a new concept known as Chateh (百樂小館) which serves up pretty much the same Chiu Chow dishes but in a more chic and modern vibe and that's where we would be having our pre-Chinese new year dinner gathering.
Chateh is situated in the newly renovated FoodLoft on Level 4 of the Miramar Shopping Centre. We were no stranger to Pak Loh's menu so of course, we knew exactly what would be ordered.
Marinated sliced goose meat with tofu ($88), 6.5/10
This was always THE way to start any meal at a Chiu Chow restaurant. The sliced goose meat was very juicy and the flavors coming from the soy was absolutely irresistible.
Hand shredded chicken with sesame sauce ($88), 3.5/10
I had high hopes for this one but it flat out failed to impress me. The shredded chicken was definitely not as flavorful as we would like and even with the sesame sauce on top, it didn't manage to make any headway.
Salted cabbage and pig's tripe soup ($98), 5/10
We were having trouble deciding between the salted cabbage and pig's tripe soup AND the pig's lung soup with almond juice. Thankfully a wise guy came to our rescue declaring that we should order both. What a great move that was!
First up was the salted cabbage and pig's tripe soup. The tripe was real delicious but I thought I won't mind a little more white pepper and salted cabbage flavors there.
Pig's lung soup with almond juice ($128), 7/10
This was very nice. No, it's incredibly delicious. Very thick and milky. And I actually got a big slice of pig's lung in my bowl which was always a bonus.
Golden deep fried shrimp with crispy taro ($?), 8.5/10
The star of the night. From what I've seen from our body language, everyone was dying for an extra piece but too shy to voice out. Yes it was that good. The king shrimp was deep fried to golden brown color and it was melt-in-your-mouth sensational. The crispy potato with taro on top provided a superb bite.
Grilled dried squid in Chiu Chow style ($68), 5/10
Didn't we use to see these in front of the traditional theatres in Hong Kong when we were kids? I think I am giving out my age here but anyways, this is reasonably good. Slightly smoked and not too chewy.
Steamed crab with glutinous rice ($488), 8/10
Probably the second best dish of the night. The glutinous rice was excellent with all the flavors soaked through nicely. I wasn't crazy about crabs but still managed to try one piece and it was very meaty and sweet. Lovely dish.
Pan fried bean curd roll stuffed with radish ($38), 5.5/10
I was having this for the first time and it was pretty darn good. Supposed to be a famous chiu chow snack but a lot of places in Hong Kong don't bother doing this dish probably due to the amount of work involved. Very soft and strong radish flavors, although couldn't really tell whether there's bean curd there.
Stir fried beef and kale in satay sauce ($88), 7/10
The portion was pretty small but the kale was crisp the way I liked them. The beef was tender and satay sauce not too overpowering. Very nice.
Chiu Chow fried noodles with sugar and vinegar ($88), 6/10
I always like to sprinkle a little more sugar but less vinegar on this. It was pretty good.
Green bean sweet soup with pearl dumplings ($38), 6/10
Looks like we have all enjoyed a fairly delicious meal and we are all looking forward to dessert. For those of us who didn't have much stomach room left, the green bean sweet soup with pearl dumplings was an excellent choice.
Mashed taro with sweetened ginkgo ($38), 6.5/10
But for guys like me who had a little more wiggle room, we've opted for the mashed taro with sweetened ginkgo. Silky smooth texture with super rich taro flavors. This is always on top of my list.
From time to time, I do visit some of the traditional Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurants but often walk out feeling a little boring. So Chateh felt like a breath of fresh air. Even the same dish tasted a little better and the chair felt a little more comfy.
Food Rating: 6.5/10
Price: $$$
Address: Shop 4A1, L4, FoodLoft, Miramar Shopping Centre, 132 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Tsim Sha Tsui Tel: +852 2157-9949
Post a Comment
Please tell us what you think