Firstly, to be fair - this place is still in its "Soft Opening", so I was only able to sample from a set lunch menu.
That being said, I'm not sure if the concept ("Hong Kong meets Russian") will work. I gather that this chain originated from a cafe and restaurant in an old Hong Kong Hotel, which I'm sure is steeped in tradition and colonial charm. However when transferred to the futuristic confines of The Village, this kind of ambiance (dark wood floors, ornate chandlier, retro ceiling fans etc.) seems out of place - neither here nor there.
The same can be said for the food that I was served. The menu offers what appears to be Russian food with a Hong Kong twist (shashlik, steaks, borscht etc.). I selected a lamb shashlik set meal for RMB 70. It came with a roll and a soup (pumpkin or borscht, I opted for the latter). The soup was well prepared (not too watery, as with many restaurants) and the roll was reasonably fresh.
Unfortunately the main course that followed did not live up to the starter - the shashlik I had was jerky dry and I'm quite sure they served me pork instead of lamb (although I didn't bother to point this out). The meat portions were sizable, but the small bed of plain rice and the meager portions of bland carrot and cauliflower it came with were entirely unsatisfying.
For dessert, I selected a coffee and was served a small blueberry/lemon tartlette and a slice of brownie, along with some complimentary samples of their handmade candy (HK-style sweets served in rice paper). Dessert was decent and the coffee was fresh, but I left still feeling hungry.
Service was perfunctory and courteous, so no real complaints in this department.
Perhaps the regular menu items will prove to be winners once this place is in full swing (the steaks and shashlik will ultimately make or break this place), but with so many other popular dining options in the area, I think it will be a challenge for them to attract business.
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