Ivan The Kozak

Came here with a Groupon for 4 people.
Groupon cost us 548. Now, with Groupons, you just need to be careful and not expect so much. Sadly, this isn’t the case, If they want me to come back, I always expect to be treated as a regular customer without a Groupon.
Now on to it. the food is Ukrainian food but I feel like the food just lacks any type of ethnic taste. Mind you, I don’t consider myself a Ukrainian food expert, but it really just tastes like Hong Kong style pork, Hong Kong style Ox tongue and Hong Kong style fish. I should have just gone to a Chinese restaurant if I wanted Hong Kong food. Anyway… Lastly, the desert was awful.
I don’t even want to describe it.
They charge an automatic $ 160 service charge. So the Groupon of 548+ 160= too much for my experience.
For my fellow Groupon-​ers: just forget about this place.
Probably not coming back. See yah Ivan.

This place is worth the journey that you take to get here — not that it’s hard to, considering that the restaurant is located in Central HK. Make your trip here and get transported to a different place. The menu here is reflective of the journey you took to get here, considering that each menu is bound in soft leather, immediately giving you the feeling you’ve just taken the path of an adventurer and are about to tuck into some ethnic cuisine. And yes, this award-​winning restaurant serves up delicious fare that is worth coming back for.
Ask the owner for recommendations and be prepared for a sumptuous meal. Be sure to check out their ice room where you can take photos and mimic your travel to a faraway land!
The beers, wine and liquor here are imported and worth a taste as well.
I make a point to come here and eat whenever I am in Hong Kong. It’s THAT good.
Drop by, you won’t regret it!

4 of us came here for dinner on a friday night. I had Russian food many times in US, but never had Ukranian food, so I felt it’s an interesting experience. I don’t know if it’s due to the location in HK, or Ukranian different from Russia, I found the food here is less sour cream and lighter compared to the Russian food i had in US.
We ordered
#17 — not a fan of it, very bland and no flavor, my friend said it’s very fish
#31 — eggplant, it’s quite good but too salty
#40 — the pancake is quite good with shrimp and veggie inside the deep-​friend rolls.
#58 — spicy beef stew — flavorful and i enjoyed it
#59 — lamb shoulder stew — it’s quite like the morroccan lamb stew but quite interesting with sizzling soup in it. there are also a lot of eggplants.

Can you imagine there is an icehouse in a Russian restaurant? A house to store all different bottles of vodka, and maybe some gins, allows you to walk in with fur, pick one, pour in and take a shot? There is one in Central.
The story between me and the owner of icehouse began few years ago. In one day late afternoon, I was walking with my friend and saw a reddish European style restaurant in the corner under the bridge. We took a peep inside, and just caught the eyes of Ivan who was writing the menu of dinner, and he is one of the most generous persons I ever met.
Don’t forget that was a closing period and all the staff was either lying in sofa or resting with drinks, but this gentleman invited us to his kitchen, told us the cooking style of his food, the stories with his stunning Ukrainian wife and the designs of those chairs and tables.
Then he brought us to the fabulous icehouse, asking us to say a number. «Let’s say seven!» I was almost yelled out due to the excitement. First time ever to enter an icehouse and also be attracted by the snowy Ukraine background! Ivan took the 7^th bottle from left and poured into a small glass, «only one rule, you two gonna drink all once!» Oh, too easy! One shot, strong and warm, from mouth to tongue, throat and whole body, you realized the fur was no longer useful. «That’s why Ukrainians and Russians never feel cold, we drink! Let’s do another roundddddd!»
Big smile from Ivan, red faces from us, shown in the picture we took together. Then I left Hong Kong and not sure if the owner still remembers this little story.