Tomahawk Time at Grand Hyatt Steakhouse, Hong Kong

It was G's birthday and there are few things my personal anti-foodist loves to eat more than steak. The Grand Hyatt Steakhouse has been on my to-try list forever, but like the many other lists in my life, I don't often refer to them (cue self-help guru).

It's notoriously popular, but it being a Sunday night, I decided to give them a call and try my luck. After I gave them my contact phone number, it appeared that they had me on the system (freaky, but cool) and I was told that there are normally two sittings but I could get a 7.30pm booking bang in the middle of them. I guess I'm on the special pain-in-the-backside or those-idiots-they-call-bloggers list. It was awfully nice of them, and I think they have me on the system because I've been a Hyatt Gold Passport member for a while and stayed at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong recently (a junket), but to be honest I'd be just as happy either way.

Disclaimers done, let's get onto the food.

Strip House - More than Steak, Hong Kong

Porterhouse for two

My review for Harlan's steakhouse came out in Time Out. The photos I'm putting up are actually from two meals. The first one I had there was for the review, and the second was an invitation from the big man himself. One thing to note that, like I said in my old blog post of the now-closed Tuscany by H, Harlan is the man (or should we say da man!) when it comes to consistency. When I went in for the review, I'm 100% sure he didn't notice me (he walked right past me a number of times) and needless to say I didn't make myself known. I noted my experience and then went back for the invited dinner the next week, and we had a few of the same dishes - guess what - they were exactly the same.

Edo & Bibo - Mediocrity at its best

Oysters!

I heard recently that the owners of the Sai Kung private kitchen One Thirty-One* had opened this new place, Edo & Bibo in Causeway Bay. I've never been to One Thirty-One, because every time I tried to book they were full (it would always be on a weekend, because what other time would I be in Sai Kung?) So when I heard about the new Causeway location I couldn't wait to try it.

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA - Push the gondola out

Rib (for two)

Just look at that. Geezus. Tender, juicy, with the right amount of fat, good bite, excellent beefy flavour. Oh, if I could just eat that off the day-m screen now. It might seem weird that I crave steak from an Italian restaurant (that's not a steak Florentine), but this one from 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana is better than any I've had at steakhouses in Hong Kong. (Though I'm yet to go to talk of the steak-town, Steakhouse at Grand Hyatt, which I've heard very good things about).

Lawry's The Prime Rib - Steak a Break

'American' food to had always meant everything on the menu at Dan Ryan's or Ruby Tuesdays - ribs, huge sundays, and burger-heights reminiscent of the Empire State Building. ('New American' is a different matter entirely). So when Lawry's opened in the SAR, I wasn't exactly in a rush to get there, if at all.

A phone call comes from mother in the middle of a rainy week (we've had a couple of those recently), declaring she was in no mood to be home for dinner, and that we should go to Lawry's. Both were weird requests coming from my mother, who finds every opportunity to frown whenever I tell her I won't be home for dinner and has made 'almost vegetarian' a lifestyle choice. Regardless, who was I not to submit to her majesty's demand?

I wasn't exactly expecting much (Dan Ryan's being the only portrayal of American 'cuisine' I grew up with), but was very pleasantly surprised. Everything we had - lobster bisque, crab shell, 'spinning' salad, beef (Cali cuts) - bar one - apple pie - was genuinely delicious. I don't think it's 'fine' food in anyone's books, but it was mad tasty.

Probably the best 'traditional' American (as opposed to 'New American') restaurant export around. A big thumbs up for the crab shell - which was filled with chunky strands of crab meat, as well as the uber crisp lettuce in the spinning salad - especially in this town where we've sadly become accustomed to limp mesculun with browning edges.

You'll be licking the plates clean and full to the brim by the time you're done with the steak and yorkshire pud, so rest assured that skipping dessert here is no biggie (rather, that would be my suggestion).

lobster bisque; crab shell; spinning salad; cali cut with mash and yorkshire pudding; yorkshire pudding; apple pie

(Apologies about the low quality photos - I took them on my phone - though I must say, my phone seemed to have done a pretty good job despite the low lights)

Lawry's The Prime Rib 
4/F Lee Gardens
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
+852 2907 2218

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