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2015-03-16
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High Street has lots of new places as Sai Ying Pun is gentrifying in advance of the MTRpocalypse. Gentrifying can be good (for people who are wealthy enough to withstand it)-- a wider variety of restaurants for instance. But it can also mean that good, cheap local places are replaced with overpriced, terrible places. Like Jaspas. So I went to GI, but I went there with an appropriate amount of trepidation.We started with the calamari. They were nicely hot and crisp, and in really big pieces. The
We started with the calamari. They were nicely hot and crisp, and in really big pieces. The squid was very firm but not rubbery. I like a lighter batter for squid, and some tentacles when I can get them. These were OK though: C+.
The menu is pretty focused on meat things, and GI bills itself as a steakhouse, so I guess that makes sense. I decided to play it simple and just go for the burger. When will I ever learn? Here are two rules that I take to be Best Practices when it comes to burgermongering:Rule 1. If you will put a topping or sauce on the burger, say so on the menu.
Rule 2. Don't put toppings or sauces on a burger, if you can serve them on the side.
Both these rules are about choice. If a restaurant follows Rule 1, customers don't have to worry about unwanted and unexpected ingredients showing up in their burgers. If it follows Rule 2, customers have more say in what ingredients in what amounts appear on their burger. These Best Practices are followed by any non-fast-food burger restaurnat in America.
The description of the burger on the menu at GI does not say that it has cheese on it (!). I asked for cheese to be added and they said it already comes with cheese. I think that's something the customer should know. But that's fine, I wanted cheese. The menu also does not say that both buns (top and bottom) are completely slathered in this gross Hong Kong thousand island sauce.
Exhibit A.
Exhibit B.I used every napkin at the table to wipe off as much of the stuff as I could, but so much of it was still soaked in the bun. I ate about half my burger. The patty was pretty tasty and nicely seasoned, and the cheese was bold and not unnecessary like so many tasteless cheeses one encounters on burgers. But I can't say I enjoyed it, and I don't think it was my fault that I didn't enjoy it. This place has not implemented Best Burger Practices. Poor: D.
Fries: the fries were pretty good. I liked the smaller fries (they were cut in highly variable shapes), as the larger ones were less crispy and a little too fluffy inside. Fair: B-.
My other two dining companions each got the rack of lamb. Each of them ate every last scrap of lamb, even though it was a lot of food. "Simply seasoned, nicely cooked" said my wife. She liked the veggies it came with, but for one exception. The mashed potatoes were universally reviled. They were at once gluey and clumpy, which is a hard effect to achieve. Whoever is working in the back probably only knows what mashed potatoes are in theory. My wife gives the meal as a whole a B.My considered opinion of this place is that the food is around B-. But there are a few other things to consider. First, I had a bad experience myself, though were I to go back and order the burger knowing what I know now, it would probably be a lot better. Second, the reason I had a bad experience was not my fault: it was a misleading menu and the restaurant's dubious assumption that everyone wants 1/3 cup thousand island sauce on their burger.
But bigger than that, I thought the service was bad. They were a little pushy about the appetizers (it's not their business to tell me what I want). They never asked how the food was, even though they saw me scraping the sauce off the bun. In fact, they saw everything, because some creepy manager was standing in the middle of the restaurant the whole time staring at everyone. I had a meal I didn't like and I didn't feel comfortable the whole time. I guess I'll go with C-
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