A well-known figure in Hong Kong’s F&B scene, Singaporean chef Edward Voon has started a new chapter at VOON in Kennedy Town.
VOON is more approachable and relaxed than chef Edward’s former fine-dining stints at Auor and Le Pan (both now closed), though he still maintains his unique tri-cultural culinary approach of honouring his own Singaporean roots, Hong Kong’s Cantonese heritage, and classic French cooking techniques in an even balance.
Chef Edward’s creativity is in full force at the new restaurant, serving up laksa and chicken rice renditions that are heads and shoulders above others in the city. His à-la-carte menu is driven by the seasons and is regularly updated.
For us, there are two definite must-orders at VOON: the satay chicken rice (HKD248) and any one of several rotating varieties of laksa (HKD318).
The satay chicken rice is a sensational rendition of Singapore’s unofficial national dish. The grilled bird itself is packed with juicy, fragrant flavour, eclipsed only by that of the chicken-oil rice – combine the two and you have the pinnacle of chicken rice in Hong Kong.
The chicken rice is served with a tangy, fiery homemade Thai chilli sauce and spicy pickled cucumber for balance. This plate is big enough to serve two to three diners, but trust us that you’ll be fighting over the last grains of glistening rice.
Then there’s chef Edward’s signature laksa. We were presented with the tiger prawn version, which is only available on the set lunch menu (from HKD188 pp), though the dinnertime lobster laksa sounds even more indulgent.
The chef’s laksa tastes unlike others we’ve tried in Hong Kong, and that’s a good thing; it’s less coconutty than most, but offers a natural sweetness from the shellfish and an intense depth of flavour that rival the best laksa we’ve sampled in Malaysia and Singapore. The heat level is mild, allowing the aromatics to shine.
We also enjoyed the two types of noodles utilised in the laksa – thicker yellow noodles with a great chewy texture and thinner rice noodles for absorbing the flavours of the broth – and fried tofu puffs, another vehicle to soak up all that soupy goodness.
A third main course of note is the black pepper mud crab macaroni (HKD158), which was served to us in the smaller portion available as part of the tasting menu (HKD580 pp). The abundance of potent black pepper contrasts well with the light cheesiness of the pasta, making for a delicious East-meets-West mac & cheese.
In our opinion, these mains overshadow VOON’s starter offerings. The har cheong chicken (HKD98), or deep-fried chicken wings coated in fermented shrimp paste, lacks the bold funkiness we associate with this staple Southeast Asian condiment.
In a different vein, the hamachi salad (HKD128), whilst refreshing with its ginger vinaigrette, seems out of place on a menu inspired by the vibrant flavours of Malaysia and Singapore.
As anticipated, pandan is the star ingredient in chef Edward’s desserts. We lapped up the pandan panna cotta (HKD98), not only for its luscious texture and marked pandan flavour, but also for the palm sugar syrup component, deeply rich and caramel-like.
Our verdict of VOON
When we first heard that chef Edward had opened a new spot in Kennedy Town, we were perplexed by the offbeat location choice for such a prominent chef – yet now that we’re tried VOON, we can understand the appeal of the neighbourhood as it mirrors the laid-back, unpretentious approach of the restaurant. The chef’s chicken rice and laksa are destination-worthy!
VOON, Shop G8 & G9, G/F, Sincere Western House, 44–46 Forbes Street, Kennedy Town, 9330 2230, book here
| Order this: black pepper mud crab macaroni, satay chicken rice, prawn/lobster laksa, pandan panna cotta Menu: VOON à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD800–1,000 | Atmosphere: clean and minimalistic in tones of grey and white; the main dining area is quite small (there’s a big private room at the back), so the space fills up fast, getting noisier with each cover Perfect for: an elevated yet fairly priced dining experience exploring the flavours of Singapore and Malaysia |
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.
