Are you ready to be taken on a culinary ride that reflects Asia’s cross-cultural traditions?
The city gets a lot of well-deserved credits for its street food galore title. From Cantonese desserts to classic Hong Kong breakfasts and Hong Kong snacks, it never ceases to impress. In the meantime, Hong Kongers love stumbling upon a secret bar or restaurant, especially when it serves excellent Asian street food with a contemporary twist. Located in Sheung Wan, Mrs Pound is found behind the facade of a traditional stamp shop, yet once you step inside, you are transported to a different modern era.
Unique mind, unique concept: Mrs Pound
Hong Kong restaurateur Jonathan Bui has a unique vision behind every establishment he opens. Mrs Pound is the fictional inspiration behind this trendy restaurant, a charismatic burlesque dancer who is said to have travelled the world on the arm of a number of wealthy suitors. This secret speakeasy reflects her character perfectly, and we especially enjoy the fuschia walls that are adorned with memorabilia and tokens of her extravagant life which truly adds a vintage touch to the eclectic atmosphere in this intimate setting.
Signature dishes
Who doesn’t love snacking, right? To start, you’ve got to try the irresistibly awesome avocado fries. Just imagine avocado battered in honey, sesame and panko crust, which you can dip in sriracha kewpie-mayo. We were floored by the right amount of lime zest in the dip. Afterwhich, we sank our teeth into the duck tsukune skewers, which were so soft and tender. It was truly a melt-in-the mouth delight – almost comparable to an authentic Japanese izakaya restaurant.
Next up, we tucked into the refreshing pomelo seafood salad which made us feel as though we were in Thailand. The luscious bites of Thai pomelo and the lobster chunks, fried egg, coconut shavings and ginger-lime dressing made it simply unforgettable.
If you’re craving street-style corn cob, don’t miss out on Mrs Pound’s recreation of it. The best part about their Sriracha street corn is that it’s part of a trend that blends multiple flavours, in fact the Thai-style corn cobs are brushed in the Mexican Sriracha kewpie-mayo and generously dusted with pecorino cheese.
Served in a piping hot pot, the Laksa Bibimbap had all the flavours on-point with a really exciting twist. It is created with rice (yes, you heard me right!) instead of noodles, but the Korean/Malaysian hybrid works incredibly well.
Cocktail creations
A great joint to hang out with friends, Mrs Pound also makes some damn fine cocktails that taste as good as they look . We particularly liked the Open Sesame which combines Le Tribute gin, Thai basil, pineapple juice, lime juice and sesame oil and is presented in a masu, the square wooden vessels normally used for serving sake.
Mrs Pound, 6 Pound Ln, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, p. 3426 3949, 上環磅巷6號地舖
