Prime Bar & Grill, June 4, '13

Do you believe in karma? Running this community website, I do daily little free favours for almost anybody asking, from replying to the numerous enquiries to promoting local activities, without expecting anything in return. Occasionally, I get a major, very pleasant surprise when somebody actually returns a favour, sometimes years later.

Some of the advertising in the Lamma-zine runs on barter deals. Some of the goods I received I passed on to people contributing major content to the site. For example advertising barter lunches in Life Cafe in Soho, inviting a few friends to join me, years ago. One of them was one of the founders of the future Prime Bar & Grill rest., Julia.

To my big surprise, I got an invitation to a complimentary dinner for two. Lamma-Por and I hadn't visited Prime yet, even though numerous friends had tried and loved it already. We were waiting for a worthy, celebratory event, like a birthday, to check out this 4-star eatery (according to Time Out HK magazine).

Prime Bar & Grill is located in a beautiful covered outdoor terrace setting, harbourside in Yung Shue Wan, in the location of one of our former favourites, Lamcombe Seafood Rest. Best time to visit is definitely before and after sunset over the YSW harbour, when you might catch fishermen returning or youngsters frolicking on the old jetty or the Lamma Dragons practicing their fierce strokes.

Shortly after sitting down and choosing from the comprehensive, well-designed menu, an impressive thunderstorm started up, driving us away from our cozy harbourside table. Master chef Richard rushed out and rolled down the transparent blinds personally, supporting his staff. Then he rushed back into the kitchen to prepare a special yummy surprise appetiser of sliced pork.

As Lamma-Por preferred mash instead of my French fries, they pro-actively offered to slice our one big steak in half and serve it on two plates with different sides and sauces! That's a level of service and customer friendliness we didn't expect! Warranting special praise is the refreshingly friendly, cheerful, even pro-active style of waitressing, not something you can expect in most of our local eateries.

Our shared New Zealand steak was perfectly grilled to specification, the sides yummy and the crunchy, not-too-sweet apple crumble was huge enough to share and take the leftovers home, as a very tasty cold lunch for me the next day.

Their competitively priced house wines by the glass are well-chosen, complementing the grilled dishes very well. The menu ranges pretty widely, including vegetarian and seafood dishes. There are lower-priced lunch and dinner specials of the day.

This shared meal would have added up to over $500. But you could just order a daily special or a single dish - for example my favourite of the evening, the creative riot of colours and flavours of the roast duck & blue cheese salad, for just below $100. I'd be very happy with just that single dish and a glass of white house wine for a light lunch. In fact, I'll return soon, at my own expense, and check out those daily specials.

Yung Shue Wan having such a top-quality steakhouse - impossible 10 years ago, I think - tells you about the changes in population, with enough affluent people living here now to support such a classy venue, being open even at lunchtime now and possibly expanding to indoors upstairs soon.

As you can't expect me to be totally impartial after such a delicious and all-round satisfying but free dinner - Burp! Sorry! - go check out some recent, more professional reviews:

HK Magazine, May 16, '13 -- Time Out magazine, May 7, '13

For more info, including their news, specials and photos:
http://www.facebook.com/PrimeBarGrill

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Nice review, LG. As a (an almost non meat eater) I last enjoyed a lovely salad with my family (who do and did eat meat). The ambiance and obviously the location are great. Hope to eat again there soon. My comment on the service is that it was really ....vibrant, lots of energy from the young servers, who knew what they were serving and could answer questions about the food. Keep up the good work everyone.

XXX

Really, affluent people and such a classy venue? Man Fung and Sampan have been here for years, and they are much more expensive, with smaller portions, not to mention that the food is scheisse.

Man Fung and Sampan primarily target Lamma visitors and Chinese customers and are not "classy" but have decent food for local Chinese tastes, quite similar to most of the restaurants in Sok Kwu Wan. We've just enjoyed a big tasty dinner with a table of friends in Sampan, $135/person.

Sampan and Man Fung are obviously both very different from Prime which doesn't rely on one-time visitors, but has to be very attractive to local repeat customers (many of whom are not Chinese). Positive local word of mouth is crucial for Prime, but doesn't matter as much to touristy restaurants as so many of their guests are one-time-only visitors.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

I agree with LG that for the average person the pricing of a full meal makes this a 'special occasion' restaurant.

For a lunch of 2 mains and a shared starter + 2 drinks (lime sodas) which cost around $400, I enjoyed the food, large portions and upbeat service. The barbecue ribs were a stand-out for me.

The let-down: before ordering the bill, we asked for two glasses of water. They never came. Part of the no-free-water mentality found elsewhere in HK (all other items arrived, no problem)?

Like you LG, I might return for a lighter more reasonably priced casual visit, though.

Ngau Kee rest. might be reopening on July 1st.
New owner, chef and waiters; a new beginning, hopefully.
Might be well worth checking out this relaunched Cha Chaan Teng.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Is that the one with the large outdoor space just off main street?

Yes, vis-a-vis Pizza Milano;
where they just concreted the floor and replaced the fence along Main Street with another one of these low bare-concrete walls proliferating all over Yung Shue Wan, surrounding many of the newer village houses now.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Many congratulations to the Lamma Grill up in Tai Yuen on their first anniversary!

They had a great party on Friday night for their legions of loyal customers and even ran out of Sangria. Anybody got photos of the party to show here, please?

All the best wishes for many more anniversaries and even bigger success! Check them out on Facebook and their new website, http://www.LammaGrill.com with their entire menu, takeaways and daily specials.<HR>
Lamma institution Man Kee Rest. has been taken over by our Sha Po neighbour and Beer Garden owner, Chow Hung Kee.
He seemed to spend so much time in Man Kee and liking it so much that he took it over after the retirement of the longtime owner who has now more time to go spearfishing, see below...

Their homely, very moderately priced food will probably stay the same - why mess with such longtime success, mostly the same cooks and staff . We might continue to be regular customers.
Try their HK-style breakfasts or their complete steak set meal (incl. soup, salad and drink) on a sizzling plate, big enough for two people, for $98.

Still waiting for the re-opening of the former Ngau Kee Cha Chaan Teng vis-a-vis Pizza Milano, delayed from July 1 to probably sometime before end of this month, July. The new waiters and cooks seem to be in training these days....

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Congratulations to the Lamma Grill! HIgh Quality delicious food! Missed the party. Have no pictures.

As for the Man Kee.. hope it stays the same! It's always been a cheap and cheerful 'lunchbox/dai pai dong' style of place for me, and I think it could be the only restaurant in YSW that has been consistent for over 20 years.

It was my hangout of choice during the early 90's. Hope it doesn't disappear like many HK 'institutions' for locals. Hope it stays the same under new management.

Our first breakfast in Mr. Ma & Restaurant, vis-a-vis Pizza Milano. The Chinese name remains the same, Ngau Kee. It reopened last Sat, July 13.

$25 for a HK-style breakfast, very similar to Man Kee's traditional fare.
We'll be back for their "Tea Sets" and a regular meal soon.

We felt 'safe' as this venue is approved for police officer's meals, see below.
It's quite an experience to sit out there during a massive tropical downpour, like this morning's Yellow Thunderstorm Warning.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Prime Bar & Grill are hosting a charity dinner for Child Welfare Scheme, the charity organising the Lamma Fun Day (Sat, Nov 23 this year):

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

We got an very pleasant surprise at lunchtime in The Waterfront Bar & Rest. today, see below.

This was the very best Indian food we've enjoyed on Lamma in a long time. Everything was so tasty, even the simple dal, all dishes so well-balanced and exploding with a wealth of spices and many flavours, without being too hot.

Even Lamma-Por who's usually not a big fan of Indian or Vegetarian food at all tucked in and grabbed morsels from my $75 Vegetarian set as well as finishing most of her own set. Each huge set looks like a mini Indian buffet, see below. Our compliments to their Indian Master Chef!

For some reason, we've underestimated the Indian food in The Waterfront in the past, usually ordering their Western set meals, or choosing from their wide variety of fine Western dishes, or ordering just 1-2 Indian dishes a la carte. Their good-bargain lunch sets are often something tasty and satisfying but basic, like curry chicken rice with soup or salad, available today as well for $68.

But these new Indian sets are something completely different and way above and beyond in quality and taste of what you'd usually get in Indian places in Wanchai, Causeway Bay or Central for a lot more money.

As these new plates are so big and such great value - see prices on their daily changing blackboard below - we'd recommend to share one Indian set and maybe add a desert like their fantastic chocolate volcano. Or order a set each and have enough takeaway for a big dinner at home, like I did.

We'll return very soon or order from their extensive and comprehensive Takeaway Menu.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Have to say the fare under the new management is extremely disappointing. I have tried three times - breakfast and lunch. I ordered standard dishes that can be used to compare restaurants. The fried lunchmeat and egg sandwich was totally uninspiring and relatively bland. while eating it, the back legs of my chair buckled and I nearly fell while holding my baby daughter. Fat jokes aside, they seem to have purchased the cheapest thinnest gauge plastic chairs they could find.
Today I ordered dry fried beef noodles - a real Hong Kong standard. I've had this dish hundreds of times all over Hong Kong and this was perhaps the worst I've ever had. I sure hope they pick it up a little bit in future because it would be great to have another reasonable priced local option.

_________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
----- Margaret Mead

Thank you for your frank review, Tavis.

You might have noticed that in my little restaurant story above I did NOT talk about the quality of the food at all, but the interesting venue, the rain, the friendly cat....
Better to remain quiet as not to talk badly about somebody or some place, that's my usual motto....

But the word of mouth around the local Chinese community has been pretty devastating so far, not a single thumbs up from the Chinese guests that Lamma-Por has spoken to, even though this new Cha Chaan Teng is the talk of the village right now and many locals were eager to try it right after reopening.

We'll reserve our own judgment till we've had a proper meal there and had a talk with the managers as well. Maybe the usual start-up and staffing problems, but let's give them some time to sort out the food and then give them another chance to get it right.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Noted LG.
(I don't mind doing the dirty work)
I really tried to be fair - like I said - I have eaten there 3 times now.
If things improve in the future, I'll make a point of re-posting.

_________________
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
----- Margaret Mead

I visited there the first day it opened. I had fish fillet with corn and rice (one of my favourite rice boxes) and it was delicious!

The service was great. And 'Emily' who has taken over the business from her family, sat and had a chat. Lovely lady.

Not sure if it was because it was the first day of operation, but I had a lovely time. Will give an update next time I visit

A little review of Prime's new Sunday Roasts:
Lamma-zine, Sun 21, 2013

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

Jing Jing is open for dinner now! No more closing at 5pm, just in time for Diesel's opening on weekdays. Jing Jing will continue to serve their great breakfasts and lunch specials, of course. Open every day, except Tuesdays.

They organised a little free tasting of new chef Marlon's dishes the other night and the feedback seemed to be all-round very positive. They even invited people from some of the other Western-style YSW restaurants, like Prime and Lamma Grill.
As occasional guests of all these establishments, we're looking forward to some friendly competition between these places. We'll try to figure out which one does the best versions of some of our favourite dishes.

One advantage of Jing Jing we could see right away is something I've been missing in most other YSW restaurants:
a full page of dessert selections in their brand-new menu!

Pictures to follow....

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

A few pictures of Chef Marlon's new dishes in Jing Jing, now open for dinner except Tue, plus the menu! All pictures by Lovely Sam who titled her Facebook album Food from my restaurant ♥.

Yes, these dishes taste as great as they look like. They've had a food tasting last week and we got to sample most of the dishes. We've already picked our favourites to order next time. A new favourite spot for their full-page Dessert Menu, a rarity in YSW.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.