Disappointing Private Kitchens
Went to Le Mieux Bistro, a private kitchen (unlicensed restaurants) on the 4th floor of an industrial building in Chai Wan (the opposite end of town, a 30-45 minute drive from Central). I had heard a few positive reviews about the place and decided to check it out. The 6-course, HK$700 (not including Champagne and wine which we brought) per head dinner was a disappointment. The dinner left me thinking about all the other places where HK$700 would have gotten me a much more satisfying meal! The 6-course set menu, while not bad, was nothing out of the ordinary. While the ingredients were fresh, the dishes (Tian of lobster, scallop and salmon; tomato consomme; grilled king prawn; pasta with spicy minced pork; mustard seed coated rack of lamb; baked turbot and totally unmemorable desserts) were uninspiring. Definitely not worth the trek all the way out to Chai Wan to dine in an industrial building where the ambiance is also very ordinary (white table cloths, simple place settings), very unimaginative. At HK$300/head, the dinner would have been acceptable, but not at HK$700/head. I could have had an excellent meal at Cipriani with great ambiance in a central location!
A couple weeks ago, I had dinner at Bonheur (same owners of non-defunct Plats), a private kitchen in Sheung Wan. While I was not bowled over by the meal, it is much better value in comparison to Le Mieux Bistro. What I find worrying is that the whole private kitchen concept has evolved into a much more commercialized venture, no different than a normal restaurant, but charging unjustifiably high prices by riding on the "private kitchen" concept. It seems private kitchens have gone the way of boutique/designer hotels. Gone is the passion and soul that differentiated these small ventures and allowed them to create surprising culinary experiences. These new private kitchens deliver stale, hollow dining concepts in low-rent locations.
Fortunately, there's still Xi Yan, Tribute (which is now a proper restaurant) and 131.
A couple weeks ago, I had dinner at Bonheur (same owners of non-defunct Plats), a private kitchen in Sheung Wan. While I was not bowled over by the meal, it is much better value in comparison to Le Mieux Bistro. What I find worrying is that the whole private kitchen concept has evolved into a much more commercialized venture, no different than a normal restaurant, but charging unjustifiably high prices by riding on the "private kitchen" concept. It seems private kitchens have gone the way of boutique/designer hotels. Gone is the passion and soul that differentiated these small ventures and allowed them to create surprising culinary experiences. These new private kitchens deliver stale, hollow dining concepts in low-rent locations.
Fortunately, there's still Xi Yan, Tribute (which is now a proper restaurant) and 131.
Labels: Hongkong, restaurants
posted by 10000miles at 10:07
4 Comments:
Good to know you also like to eat out.
where is 131? Is that the one in SaiKung? I thoguht they fold after their chef was gone...
Still, I too have a dinner at le Mieux late April. It wasn't that bad and it was a 5-course set at $500.
Good to know you also like to eat out.
where is 131? Is that the one in SaiKung? I thoguht they fold after their chef was gone...
Still, I too have a dinner at le Mieux late April. It wasn't that bad and it was a 5-course set at $500.
hi chaxiubao! yes, 131 is the one in sai kung. they are still open as far as i know. i was there early this year. maybe le mieux was a case of high expectations, because i had heard people rave about it...like i said, it wasn't bad, but i didn't think it was worth HK$700 for food only either.
Moreover, the restaurant's name is ungrammatical:
"mieux" is an adverb, not an adjective
"bistro" is a noun, so it takes an adjective
correct name should be "le meilleur bistro"
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