Cuisine Cuisine, Mira Hotel, Kowloon - Hong Kong
Dim Sum is traditionally served at breakfast or lunch. Dimsum dishes are meant to be shared too. It is also an outing which usually comprises of families going out to eat together or perhaps larger groups of friends/colleagues. However, it is rarely a solo dining experience. I've never dined at a Michelin rated restaurant alone and I wanted to get an idea of what a lunch might be like for a solo diner at the popular Cuisine Cuisine restaurant housed in the Mira Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.
When I entered the restaurant at about 1:45 pm, I signalled to the hostess that I'd be only one person dining for lunch. She didn't flinch and I was promptly seated. I did draw some attention from the manager and head waiters for some reason. All of them were friendly but I kept getting asked what was the reason of my visit to the restaurant. That seems rather strange when they work in a 'restaurant'. It seemed to me at the time that they probably thought I was a critic.
Dim Sum is traditionally served at breakfast or lunch. Dimsum dishes are meant to be shared too. It is also an outing which usually comprises of families going out to eat together or perhaps larger groups of friends/colleagues. However, it is rarely a solo dining experience. I've never dined at a Michelin rated restaurant alone and I wanted to get an idea of what a lunch might be like for a solo diner at the popular Cuisine Cuisine restaurant housed in the Mira Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.
When I entered the restaurant at about 1:45 pm, I signalled to the hostess that I'd be only one person dining for lunch. She didn't flinch and I was promptly seated. I did draw some attention from the manager and head waiters for some reason. All of them were friendly but I kept getting asked what was the reason of my visit to the restaurant. That seems rather strange when they work in a 'restaurant'. It seemed to me at the time that they probably thought I was a critic.
(A stylish dining room for a modern approach to Chinese dim sum)
Amuse Bouche: Double Boiled Fungus and Bitter Winter Melon
For an amouse bouche, this must have been one of the worst ones I'd ever had. The fungus was passable even for a bland dish. The Winter Melon on the other hand I gathered was an acquired taste but I hardly stomach the pickled taste of this odd vegetable.
FIRST DISH: Steamed Carrot Rice Flour Rolls Stuffed With Barbecued Pork 48 HKD
True, it was ''orange'' like in nature however I found the rice roll to be nice in texture but lacking in any subtle carrot flavors. The mix of barbecued pork with chives was a welcome addition to the overall taste.
SECOND DISH: Crispy Mini Gultinous Rice Balls With Green Tea And Red Bean 38 HKD
I wish someone had told me to order this last instead of my second dim sum choice. It was almost too sweet and I would have rather preferred to eat it as a dessert. Pretty good though.
THIRD DISH: Pan Fried Pork Bun With Chives and Chilli 75 HKD
If you slice this pork bun open, it would have revealed it's grey and unappealing contents. The grayish mixture of pork and spices was better in taste than in sight. No heights, no lows. Just an ordinary pan fried pork bun with some serious heat from the chillies.
4TH & 5TH DISH: Steamed Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Dumpling 38 HKD / Steamed Sweet Potato with Shrimp and Vegetables 48 HKD
The instant this dim sum basket was served to me, one of the head waiters eyed it extremely carefully.He looked at me, he looked at the food and then thrust his hand out to reclaim the dim sum basket and return it to the kitchen. ''Woah, whats happening'' I asked? He made no eye contact with. A mellow voice now repiled, ''Sir, I can't serve it to you like this''. Just as soon as he was going to make a bee-line for the kitchen, I saw the problem. Both of the casings housing the indiviual pieces of dim sum had been left too long to steam and were starting to crack.
The steamed wild mushroom and black truffle dumplings were sublime. A very pleasant and welcomed mixture of mushroom and truffles were full of flavor and a delight to eat.
The sweet potato and shrimp dumplings were equally as good however I was more impressed by the presentation and look of the dumpling. The purple color really made it appealing and had a certain wow factor that was missing in so many other dim sum restaurants. Just a personal observation.
The last word:
I don't think I'd do the dim sum experience solo again. Everyone working at the restaurant recognized that I was the only person eating by myself so a few people came and tried to help in their own ways. One brought a newspaper so I could pass the time away, two waitresses made friendly conversation and the manager repeatedly came over to see if I was ok and needed anything else. If you notice the portions of the food, they are in smaller versions that normally served. What they gave me was the single portion amount for less money and thankfully the bill reflected this.
Is it worthy of all the hype in the guide books? That's a hard question to answer. Cuisine Cuisine, with or without its coveted michelin star, does a wonderful creative version of Chinese dim sum classics for the 21st century. As of recently, I don't think I have been to any Chinese place yet which is worthy of a Michelin status for dim sum. It's going to have to take more than just modernized dim sum to get an accolade such as as a Michelin star.
My Score: 15/20
Food: 3.5
Presentation: 3.5
Ambiance: 4
Staff: 4
Cuisine Cuisine at the Mira Hotel
http://www.themirahotel.com/en/dining/cuisine-cuisine.aspx
I don't think I'd do the dim sum experience solo again. Everyone working at the restaurant recognized that I was the only person eating by myself so a few people came and tried to help in their own ways. One brought a newspaper so I could pass the time away, two waitresses made friendly conversation and the manager repeatedly came over to see if I was ok and needed anything else. If you notice the portions of the food, they are in smaller versions that normally served. What they gave me was the single portion amount for less money and thankfully the bill reflected this.
Is it worthy of all the hype in the guide books? That's a hard question to answer. Cuisine Cuisine, with or without its coveted michelin star, does a wonderful creative version of Chinese dim sum classics for the 21st century. As of recently, I don't think I have been to any Chinese place yet which is worthy of a Michelin status for dim sum. It's going to have to take more than just modernized dim sum to get an accolade such as as a Michelin star.
My Score: 15/20
Food: 3.5
Presentation: 3.5
Ambiance: 4
Staff: 4
Cuisine Cuisine at the Mira Hotel
http://www.themirahotel.com/en/dining/cuisine-cuisine.aspx
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