Hong Kong - St Betty

The concept was always a good one.  Airy, bright, kitschy.  Ok, maybe kitschy didn't work nor did execution of the old menu.  So execute Betty's Kitschen they did, and made her a saint.  St Betty to be exact.  And the hire of Shane Osborn, who hails from Pied a Terre, has made the food palatably good.  No it's not a wow but it's a great place to hang, have a casual dinner and wait for a movie to start.  Service was professionally warm and friendly and they pretty much leave you alone when you don't need them.  Perfect.

Even the bread has improved.  What used to be airy (not a good thing in my book when it comes to bread) is now more substantial, and has a chew which I like.  And yes, it is served warm.

Pan fried foie gras

A generous portion for a starter and the fat was well balanced with slightly tart balsamic and given crunch by the apple??

Soft shell crab and blue spanner crab

Great play on textures with 2 different crabs done in 2 different ways.  Deep fried soft shell vs. steamed and de-shelled blue spanner bound together by a light avocado based sauce.  Another good starter.

Spaghetti Carbonara

This was richness personified but in a good way.  Pasta done al dente and coated just right with a rich egg yolk and parmesan mix with enough bacon to break the monotony and shaved black truffle for an inobtrusive aroma.

Yabbies and Crispy Pork Belly

This sounded a little better off the menu.  It was good or rather, everything was individually good but the coming together didn't quite work for me.  The sauce was a little overpowering for the yabbies so it was a little waste of the little crustacean, which was fresh and sweet.  Tasty dish otherwise but perhaps not my choice of how to marry the surf and turf on this plate.

Dessert was delightful.  Light and fresh, this is what dessert should be.  For the first time, I couldn't have enough.  Fresh Japanese winter strawberries with broken pieces of meringue, roselle slivers and vanilla ice cream.  Only comment: maybe a slightly bigger portion would have made me a happier camper.

All this food kept me awake through a long Cloud Atlas that lasted past the witching hour.  That says something after a long work week.  St Betty could just be my default pre-movie hangout from now.

Shop 2075 Podium Level 2
IFC Mall
Central 
Tel: +852-29792100