The Principal  

As a self-confessed foodie, I got to give it to the Press Room Group for always bringinging in new concepts and dining experiences to Hong Kong food enthusiasts*!

Apart from the Press Room, the Classified chain, The Pawn , SML and The News Room, the Press Room Group has now added a new member to their restaurant family - The Principal.

Tucked away in a spacious corner of Star street and right below Star Crest, The Principal welcomes you with a very comfy looking sofa and a doorman at the entrance. ** Do be careful when you sit on the sofa as it is actually a sculpture and NOT a real sofa! The same goes for the "arm chair" in the washroom* I have been to The Principal several times now and have gotten used to this type of Modern European cuisine. Not only is the Principal's Spanish chef a real sight for sore eyes, his dishes are meticulously arranged and his play on flavour combinations is fantastic! Apart from the a la carte menu, diners can also choose from a 5 or 8 course tasting meal which is excellently balanced.

Instead of the usual bread basket, The Principal welcomes its guests with a tray of goodies: Caramel pepper popcorn, almonds and little Rosemary puffs which I especially enjoy eating (had to request for more!). These puffs go very nicely with a glass of champagne. If they had some finely diced creamy mushrooms inside, I could imagine it being the perfect canapé for a cocktail*!

Bread lovers don't despair! Throughout the meal, servers would offer you a wonderful selection of bread. I like their potato olive bread and brioche buns.If you like eel, I would highly recommend the dish EEL which is actually Smoked Dutch Eel * (something I get EVERYTIME I visit the Principal) This dish really reflects the chefs creativity and style. Don't feel put off by the pineapple icecream, tomato textures and herring roe. The trick is to combine all the components of the dish and eat everything TOGETHER. IT WORKS.I also really enjoy having OCEAN TROUT, which consists of tartare, trout caviar, pickled cucumbers and a tomato consumme. It is a very light and flavourful dish. Visually stunning as well! Egg lovers would enjoy the 63°C EGG which is basically a free-range 63°C egg with ceps, artichoke and Summer truffles.
Taking a new spin on crab cakes, the CRAB would not disappoint as an appetizer!Moving on to main courses, I would recommend one of the Principal's signature dishes - SUCKLING PIG. This dish comes with a generous chunk of suckling pig, accompanied by some lemon purée and sautéed red endives, finished with a dash of pomegranate jus. I think the dish is great although I do miss the gravy (which is available upon request). The pork itself is extremely succulent and the lemon purée complements it well.My favourite main course at the Principal would be KOBE - Grilled kobe sirloin with foie royal, black garlic, sautéed baby carrots and turnips. This dish is beautifully plated and the kobe sirloin is absolutely DELICIOUS.Vegetarians and light eaters would enjoy the healthy yet flavourful and substantial ARROZ CALDOSO, which is a basically like a risotto made out of bomba rice, artichokes and super fresh baby vegetables - basically a DREAM vegetarian dish.For dessert, I really enjoy the dish YUZU. I love the Dark and Milk chocolate aeros which I find similar to chocolate truffles, as well as the matcha chocolate twigs with hints of Yuzu. Very yummy and fun to eat! I would have liked to see more chocolate areros on the plate as I did not care for the bits of coffee cakes too much.All in all, my appreciation for good quality, healthy, light food and great service is what keeps me coming back to the Principal.

** NOTE TO BRUNCH LOVERS ** The Principal's brunch is something you should definitely check out if you would like to try something other than the usual eggs benedicts and waffles. It is the perfect place to laze and drink free-flowing champagne on Sunday afternoons with many delightful surprises!