[Hong Kong] In Hong Kong, it’s not uncommon to see traditional Chinese dessert shops like Cong Sao, Kai Kai Dessert where they serve up these nourishing sweet soups made from Chinese ingredients.
Unlike the Western-style desserts like cakes, mousse and pastries, Chinese desserts are steamed or boiled and the sweet soups (tong sui) are usually lighter and are said to have some nourishing properties.
Is it possible to have traditional desserts deconstructed and presented in a totally unconventional way?
Eat Darling Eat 親愛吃 attempts to do just that.
From the business owners that created a few other modern-fusion restaurants, Eat Darling Eat is their newest addition, but with a focus on desserts.
Their concept is to bring diners back to the nostalgia of enjoying local treats and traditional Chinese desserts but with a quirky, modern twist.
The interior is casual and playful, with bright coloured seats in their double storey loft-like dining space.
Led by their executive chef Jason Luk, who perfected his skills from his time at Zuma Bangkok, Eat Darling Eat is located in the younger-crowd area of Causeway Bay.
The menu was descriptive and without any pictures, I found it hard to imagine what I was ordering. Or perhaps that’s an attempt to try to “surprise” us.
I decided to try the Tong Sui Papaya (HKD68, SGD12), which was a deconstructed papaya soup with snow fungus, papaya chips and mascarpone.
When item was served, it looked nothing like what you expect. The surprise element was certainly there.
The mascarpone pudding was plated beautifully with snow fungus, papaya cubes and dehydrated papaya slices for decoration.
So the papaya soup was served separately, and you can have some fun of pouring it into the dish.
Overall, this was very light on the palate, in fact not sweet or heavy – pretty much like the traditional version.
The Lava Cake (HKD78, SGD14) was Valrhona chocolate cake with walnut soup, served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. I particularly enjoyed this one.
The lava cake surprised us with the walnut soup oozing out (and don’t worry if you don’t enjoy the bitter flavours of walnut soup because you will barely taste too much of it).
The chocolate cake with the crunchy toffee crisp on the top is the star in this dish.
Other very interesting items on their menu include, Sichuan pepper ice cream with candied bacon, pineapple bun with pineapple sorbet, and sweet potato soup with chocolate cake and taro ice cream.
They also serve main meals, in case you are looking for more than just desserts.
Price point for the desserts was pretty affordable, as you would typically pay a higher price tag for desserts served in this fine-dining fashion.
Do not come expecting conventional taste but come with an open mind to experience traditional desserts interpreted in a different but fun way.
Eat Darling Eat 親愛吃
Fashion Walk, Shop 17, G/F, Great George Street Hong Kong (Causeway Bay Exit E)
銅鑼灣百德新街27-47號及記利佐治街11-19號 Fashion Walk地下17號舖
Tel: +852 3188 8949
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 12:00am (Mon – Sun)
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* Written by DFD’s Hong Kong Correspondent @kara_the_explorer, who is the Singaporean “tai tai” living the foodie dream in Hong Kong. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
