If it may not be the stellar Hong Kong Island skyline view that makes this new steakhouse worthy of your patronage, it is their menu.
Forget Argentina, America, or England, The Orient has a steakhouse in Tsim Sha Tsui that brings Southeast Asian flavours to meat, sides, accoutrements, and fishy pairings, a cuisine that relies on tried Western steakhouse recipes.
Those in the know may recognise chef Saruulgerel “Eggi” Enkh-Amgalan and his meaty feats performed at TANGO. The meat maestro is now manning the pass here with Balinese chef Gede Budiana who knows how to bring his portion of Asia to the table. His CV includes a gig working at the former Mamasan in Central.
The chefs are confident with their menu, trading flavours across the general swathe of Southeast Asia mainly comprising Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The hamachi crudo (HKD168), our first dish of the night, takes on a culture-clashing blend of flavours.
The soft fish is sliced into five portions and served in a bed of Thai fish sauce ponzu with dollops of sambal matah and galangal on each slice. The combination of these Southeast Asia flavours is vibrant and alive. Sour and spice are central to The Orient’s menu with the hamachi a nice introduction to what follows next.
Next up, the green mango salad (HKD98) finds its way to our table, but made tableside for our fun. Whilst I don’t think the tableside theatrics are required for the flavours to pop, it is nice to see how fresh each addition of the salad combines for a snappy bite.
Guava, rose apple, pineapple, and nuts all join together with a sticky, sweet rojak sauce that binds the sweet-sour flavour. The crunch from each salad ingredient is equally addictive.
For the main action, we tried all three house specials grilled under the Josper grill, which imparts an essential smokiness to the steak, namely the Szechaun crusted striploin (HKD368, 12oz), rujak glazed ribeye (HKD388, 12oz), and Thai crispy tenderloin (HKD348, 8oz).
If you are preferential to sweet and garlicky flavours, the Thai steak is your pick, served soft to bite and paired up with a nam jim jaew sauce.
The first steak is grilled with a Sichuanese peppercorn coating which generates heat and numbness on the tongue. It is a playful steak that is paired up with mala chilli oil for a greater numbing punch and pickled onions to soothe the spice.
The final steak, my favourite, with the rujak glazed ribeye carries a consistency on par with brisket, fatty and disintegrating when touched. As the steak is marinated in a pickled rujak sauce, the meat is tender and evokes a vinegary aftertaste.
The black garlic, tamarind, shrimp paste sauce paired up with this steak is perfect for amping up the sour tones.
The turmeric grilled chicken (HKD258) arrived next with the okra, sambal ulek (HKD78) and garlic & chilli bok choy (HKD78) for much-needed vegetable balance after our vinegar-spiked starters and meaty mains.
The chicken meat was plump but deserved more salt and acid to amplify the turmeric spice mix. The okra used the same sambal sauce served with the chicken, which is equal parts sugary, aromatic, and peppery. It is delicious. The bok choy was made simple and came packed with garlic.
Our verdict of The Orient
Yes, the skyline view may help any southern-facing Harbour City restaurant score points with diners, but The Orient’s Southeast Asian-powered menu should earn the steakhouse its merit.
Many steakhouses in Hong Kong are not brave with their experimentation. The same steaks and sides and seafood are to be expected. The Orient stands out in the pack with something novel.
The Orient, Shop OTE401, Level 4, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2619 9100, book here
| Order this: Thai crispy tenderloin, rujak glazed ribeye, hamachi crudo, green mango salad Menu: à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD450-HKD600 | Atmosphere: grand with a lustful skyline view sitting right in front of your table Perfect for: steak that transcends your typical steakhouse flavours |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
