Weekend Alfresco Brunch at Quayside Harbour Front Restaurant and Bar
Quayside Harbour Front Restaurant and Bar in Fenwick Pier, Wan Chai is a modern French bistro, which offers a large, welcoming, and relaxed space both inside and out. I reviewed the Quayside lunch recently here, but they have recently added a Sunday brunch to their offerings so we headed down to try it out.
The cooler weather means that the outdoor terrace is the ideal spot for dining. The view across the harbour is unfortunately blighted by yet another dredging project, but the terrace is still a delightful spot to sit and enjoy a casual brunch.
So what’s on the menu? The brunch is not a gorge-yourself-till-you-can-no-longer-move affair, but rather offers a chef’s soup or simple buffet starter table of various salads and cold-cuts followed by a selection of main courses.
The buffet salads were good, but hopefully the selection and variety will improve over the coming weeks and months as the buffet becomes a more established part of the Quayside repertoire.
The main course menu is pretty extensive including eggs ($158) and pizzas, pasta or risotto (all $168). There are also charcuterie or cheese platters for those who want to try something a little different ($268-$298 for two).
However the highlight is definitely the wood barbecue with the choices including beef fillet, pork tenderloin, Norweigian salmon, French sausages, US strip loin and more. This is the only wood fired barbecue in Hong Kong and is honed out of a huge half barrel. The wood gives all the meat and fish a deliciously smoky flavour reminiscent of cook outs at summer camping trips.
We tried the US strip loin and the Norwegian salmon. Both dishes were served with a fresh crunchy salad and some thin and crispy fries – it’s possible to have a baked potato instead of fries for a healthier option. It’s been a while since I’ve had a steak hot off the barbecue and the strip loin was deliciously juicy and succulent with the added smokiness from the chargrill.
The salmon was very tender and soft and the flavour was lifted by the chargrill from the barbecue. Both dishes represented good value at only $258 (including the starter).
The kids really enjoyed their spaghetti bolognese and the chef was kind enough to cook the gluten free pasta that we had brought for them both from home which made things really easy for us – it’s not always easy eating out with two gluten free children! The sauce had a great depth of flavour and was so good that we took home the leftovers for lunch the following day. At only $88 for kids under 12 to have buffet and pasta, it’s also pretty good value.
Desserts are priced as additional items to the brunch, but with choices including Belgian Waffles and Brittany Crepes ($58), we couldn’t leave without trying at least one. We settled on the Belgian Waffles, which arrived topped with cream, chocolate and surrounded by chocolate sauce. The portion was huge and actually too much for the two of us to finish. Not exactly a light ending to the meal, but then again, brunches are not exactly low calorie experiences!
Overall we were impressed with the Quayside brunch. There’s a wide selection on the menu, which makes it ideal for larger groups and the prices represent good value for money. Hopefully they will extend the buffet table in coming weeks and add a bit more variety.
The large outdoor seating area makes it a really appealing option for the cooler days, and inside offers a relaxed bistro-style setting with high ceilings and huge windows. It was a refreshing change from the typical all you can eat hotel-style buffet that is typically dominant in Hong Kong.
Prices range from $158-$298 for brunch, with desserts extra ($58-$78). Free flow is available and for $220/2 hours includes prosecco, red/white/rose, soft drinks, draught beers, house spirits and juices.
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