Six minutes east of Mong Kok’s MTR station and the characteristic hustle of the shopping district, the air feels different on Hak Po Street, occupied by a number of independent restaurants, bars, and daring concepts.
TAP: The Ale Project has called this sub-neighbourhood home for 11 years, opening as one of Kowloon’s first taprooms. Founded by Young Master Brewery, the craft beer aficionados behind Causeway Bay’s Second Draft, this spot’s beer line is exclusively stocked with the brand’s fashionable stouts, sours, pale ales, IPAs, and pilsners.
Made for the beer drinker with the correct amount of salt and balanced by the hoppy flavours of your drink, you will be craving The Ale Project’s snacks as soon as you take your first sip of beer. I began with the Young Master Classic (HKD76) and golden fries (HKD88).
Deep-fried and dusted with salted duck egg yolk, the sodium levels are amped up with these fries, but at a good level to balance with the sweet acidity of the beer. This tingled my brain and satisfied a craving I didn’t know I had until I chomped on the first fry. If there is a snack to pick at whilst you visit The Ale Project for a pint, it is this one.
The fried corn (HKD62) follows the deep-fried theme with cobs of corn rubbed with a lightly spiced Cajun seasoning. This is a fun snack that gets your fingers dirty, offering a palatable level of spice. As opposed to the HK-inspired fries, this fried corn starter beckons to the American history of taprooms. The Ale Project straddles both cultures very well.
The first of the three main courses I tried at The Ale Project, arguably the highlight of the powerful food menu at the taproom, was the Yim Po pasta (HKD128). Priced fairly, the portion of this pasta makes for sharing. The flavours are amped up too.
Every starter and main course at The Ale Project possesses a funky touch, and this pasta is no different. The mix of smoked salmon, garlic, creamy tomato sauce, and dried chilli trades between pickled-salty and umami-spicy flavours. Each bite is different and lights up the palate with a unique touch.
Where fermented, sour, and salty flavours come hitting hard on the plate is with the siu yuk Cubano (HKD118), a new menu dish to The Ale Project inspired by a ham and cheese toastie.
With house-roasted crispy pork belly, sweet ham, chicharrones, Cheddar, and a devilishly tasty hoisin-mustard sauce, each bite reveals a tangy sensation, followed by a salty hit from the three types of pork included in the sandwich.
A whole review can be put towards covering the sensation that is the Corianger (HKD158). Sandwiched in between a sesame bun is a plump beef patty cooked medium rare, shacha mayonnaise, beef cartilage, and a copious amount of deep-fried coriander. For a person who is tolerant (and sometimes even enjoys) the sharpness of the herb, I fell in love with this burger!
The salty touch of the beef patty and mayonnaise marries perfectly with the crisp texture of the coriander with its faint sharp bite. Deep-fried, it brings about a more mellow flavour that’s akin to salty fried broccoli, naturally tasty in its own right. Perfect for a shot on Instagram, this burger scores highly in my book.
Our verdict of TAP: The Ale Project
Whilst The Ale Project’s snack menu has long been favoured by regulars of the taproom, it is their salty and funky main dishes that deserve attention. The mix of neo-American and Cantonese flavours relates well to Hong Kong’s food scene, whilst staying true to the spirit of any US-style taproom.
TAP: The Ale Project, G/F, 19 Hak Po Street, Mong Kok, 2468 2010, book here
| Order this: golden fries, Corianger, Yim Po pasta Menu: The Ale Project à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD400–600 | Atmosphere: that sweet spot between rowdy and jovial Perfect for: foodies in search of fusion American-Cantonese food and craft beer lovers who want a funky menu to go with their funky beer |
This feature is brought to Foodie in partnership with TAP: The Ale Project.
