Town

The reviews looked good for a restaurant that is not overly pretentious (which I don’t like), so we chose it for a special night out. The décor is modern, but not cold. It’s very chic but also inviting. Our window table looked out toward beautiful buildings and lights. The service is fantastic. None of your «we could care less» attitude so often prevalent in Hong Kong. The menu was carefully explained, after we were asked if it was our first time at Town. The wine steward offered to bring us tastes of wine before we ordered (by the glass), which is as it should be. We took advantage of the 20% discount for drinks ordered before 8:30 pm. I had a delicious Negroni and my husband had a White Lady: subtle but good. He ordered an appetizer of Tempura rock shrimps in spicy aioli, which he pronounced the best appetizer he’s ever had. I had a vegetarian French onion soup with cheese, which was great. His main course was black cod with wasabi gnocchi that was excellent, and a side of brussels sprouts. I had exotic mushroom risotto that was good, though perhaps not as good as the one in Buddy’s Kitchen in Tai Wai. Chef Bryan Nagao recommended the grape dessert, which was just meh. We could have foregone that. But as a delightful place to have a special dinner when you’re in Hong Kong, it’s wonderful.

Replacing the Alba restaurant on the 10^th floor of Cubus is Town, a bistro serving multi-​cultural cuisine with focus on lighter and healthier ingredients.
The dining area is modern and clean, with hints of industrial touches. The windows overlook the buildings on the Lee Gardens side, and I imagine would be quite scenic when all lit up during the evening.
Town offered a 3-​course set lunch (ranging from $ 178 — $ 220): starter, main and dessert. For the starter, it was a choice between Anti-​Pasti Buffet and Broccoli, Smoked Salmon and Yoghurt. We all opted for the former. The buffet table offered standard salad items ranging from leafy vegetables, cous cous, cold cuts and so on. Quite refreshing and definitely more controlled than a free-​flow all-​you-​can-​eat/​order brunch.
The bread basket was a warm and most breads used heavier dough, giving them the qualities of comfort food. Simple old goodness! We also ordered a bottle of Panna still water ($ 68), which is not pictured here.
Next up were the mains. Iberico Pork Loin, Corn, Pancetta, Celery Root, Peas, Quince ($ 220/​set) was a safe fail-​proof choice; the cut was meaty and with a bit of bite, while the sides matched the sweetness from the pork loin.
Our other main was Wagyu Beef Burger, Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion Jam, Fries ($ 198/​set). Like the Iberico Pork, also a staple dish, but with a twist of red onion jam which complemented the heaviness of the patty quite well. Other than that, it can be described as a no-​frills classic American burger.
Another main that we ordered was Beef and Pork Bolognaise, Spagettini, Porcini Mushrooms ($ 188/​set). Again like the burger, was a classic entry to the American diet. The twist was the use of Porcini mushrooms instead of the usual button mushrooms, giving the dish a bit more bite and character.
The desserts were a choice between Strawberries with Mascarpone Cheese OR Upside-​Down Pineapple Cake. The strawberries and mascarpone, I believe are a healthier option to the usual strawberries and cream. Those looking for a healthier fresh fruit option would appreciate this.
The Upside-​Down Pineapple Cake, in my opinion, tasted exactly like the classic Cantonese bakery favorite Coconut Tart (椰撻)! The pineapple added a layer of acidity to the tart, and elevated it above your local bakery tart.
All in all, I appreciate the use of quality ingredients as I do the reinvention of classic dishes. I see a small step in the right direction, and do look forward to a bigger more adventurous leap for the menu. But then again, I have yet to sample the dinner menu, which may offer more interesting flavours and options versus the dependable (and rather unimaginative) lunch menu. Town is still a good choice for a straightforward meal with friends in a casual relaxed environment.