IVY (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, all we were supposed to be having at Ivy was their dessert buffet (at $228 per head) but after sampling what was available at the dessert bar, I simply decided not to waste any room in our stomach there.



And just when I was still pondering on what to do next, I suddenly realized that Ivy was supposed to bring a taste of the French Riviera to Hong Kong. Perhaps I should take a detour to the dessert table and switch my attention to the all-day a la carte menu which is drawing inspiration from the coastal towns of France?



They're still keeping most of the decor and furniture from St Betty's so the touch of modern chic remains intact. Very nice.



Boston lobster linguini ($298) - I went straight for my lobster linguini which was perfectly al dente. The whole thing including a mix of Boston lobster and fresh prawns was tossed in a light lobster bisque sauce with honey peas and celery. A touch of chili oil added a flavorful kick to the pasta. I thought it was very nicely done. 



Scampi risotto ($298) - Equally successful was the scampi risotto. The grilled scampi added a wonderful smoky flavor to the fragrance of the carnaroli rice.



The texture of the carnaroli rice was a little firmer than usual. That was almost perfect!



I was so glad that we passed up the dessert buffet for some tasty dishes from Southern France. Apart from the service which was a little cold, I have nothing but good things to say about Ivy on this very first visit.

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 2075, Level 2, IFC Mall, Central, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Hong Kong Station
Tel: +852 2383-4028
Website: www.gaiagroup.com.hk/ivy