After a frantic search for restaurants to meet up with an old friend who had recently moved to Hong Kong, I finally settled on The Blue Butcher. The reviews were all stellar and the setting and atmosphere appeared to be perfect for catching up with a girlfriend, plus, the cocktail list looked inviting.
As we approached, I was instantly drawn to the intimate and well thought out interior; dark, rustic, with some splashes of neon. A modern tribute to the prohibition days. There is a large communal table and several wooden tables. Due to lack of reservation, window seating wasn't available, but a sure sign that the restaurant is of high quality is that it was relatively full on a week night.
After pouring over the menu, we (2 lone diners) settled on the salmon tartar, meatballs (a special for the night) and pig belly (half portion) with The Moonshine and Herbs Harvest, all in preparation for a girly catch up session.
As the food was served, the tantalizing smell of the wagyu meatballs were intoxicating. The presentation looked a bit messy, but the bit of greens, mushrooms and meat was amazing. The meat was tender and almost like a hamburger patty. The seasoning was a little heavy, however the mushrooms and green was able to bring a lighter taste to the whole dish, balancing out the flavors. The salmon tartar was a good mixture of finely chopped salmon , a good size to retain the flavor and fresh avocados. The texture wasn't overly mushy and there was no overwhelming fish taste. A great palate refresher after the heavy meat course, and it's light acidity was not overbearing. The final course was the pig belly sitting in a bed of beans. This was the least favored dish of the night - good flavors and hearty, however, it seemed almost too ordinary in comparison to the other two.
All in all, Blue Butcher is fast becoming one of my favorite restaurants in the Hong Kong dining scene. The food was spectacular, and the atmosphere was well thought out and little touches such as serving the drinks in brown paper bags demonstrates creativity and thoughtfulness.