TBLS

Private kitchens with inventive and exciting tasting menus have been all the rage in Hong Kong. I'm sure you all remember my review where I raved about how Liberty Private Works blew my mind. TBLS got a ton of buzz when it first opened 2 years ago, and getting reservations is still very difficult and people have to book months in advanced. I was really excited when my friend told me she had a reservation for dinner one night but a number of people told me it really was not too impressive and to not have my expectations too high. The reviews on openrice as also very mediocre but I was not going to make up my mind until I get a taste myself. The space was very small and we were seated outdoors. Although there were big fans it was still a bit hot. The servers were polite and knowledgable of the dishes.

Soup & Sandwich
Cauliflower and Parmesan Vichyssoise with Truffle Oil 
Crab Cake Sandwich with Garlic Aioli and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes 
The first course was a great start to the meal. The crab cake had generous chunks of fresh crab meat and had a crispy coating. The roasted tomatoes had a lovely smokey flavor and provided a perfect tangy kick in contrast with the cream fragrant garlic aioli. The bun was lightly toasted and was buttery and soft. I thought it would be better if it was slightly more crusty. The soap was cold and very refreshing. The flavors were very fresh and the truffle flavor was quite light. The soup went very well with the sandwich and this course all came together very well. 

Goat Cheese Panna Cotta 
Roasted Beet Root, Fried Fennel, Balsamic Gastric, Mizuna, Pancetta, and Lychee 
This dish in concept was ok, but it turned out to be very confused. The goat cheese panna cotta had a nice creamy texture and the flavor of the goat cheese was nice. But all the other components of the dish just seemed a bit random. I felt that chef wanted to make a dish that combined a rich array of textures but the result was a bit of a mess. The dish didn't taste terrible, but the fried fennel, along with the creamy panna cotta, the crunchy pearl onions, and the beet room just didn't seem to work together to create a satisfying united bite. 

Hamachi Tartare
Cucumber Jelly, Smoked Pineapple, Tatsoi, Salmon Roe, Avocado, Yuzu-tamari Soy Vinaigrette
The first thing I did was scoop off all that parsley. Yuck. The hamachi was flavored well and had a nice firm texture. The fleshy chunks of fish went very well with the creamy avocado underneath and the salmon roe provided little bursts of savory goodness. It was a decent dish and had a spicy kick to it (although it was a tad too spicy). I enjoy spicy food a lot but it just was a bit too peppery for this type of dish because I felt it should be more refreshing. This was done well, but nothing to celebrate over. 

Spice Rubbed Chicken and Fried Chicken
Deviled Egg, Baby Spinach, Sesame and Maple Vinaigrette
The spice rubbed chicken was flavored well and the meat was tender. The skin had a nice char to it but it was not very crispy either. The fried chicken had a thick crispy outer shell and was very mediocre. The deviled egg, pepper, and onion mixture under the egg provided a nice crunchy accompaniment to the heavier chicken component but overall I did not enjoy this as it was a bit like a strange fruit salad of sorts. This dish was fine but not particularly memorable. 

Jasmine Tea Milk Chocolate Bar
Rice Crispy Treat, Chocolate Pearls, Shaved Chocolate, Strawberry Anglaise 
This dessert was a slight redemption to the dishes that failed to impress. The chocolate was rich and creamy and the rich crispy was crunchy and sinfully sweet. The chocolate pearls added an extra bite of crunch and the strawberry and orange components went very well with the chocolate and rice crispy. 

Creamsicle Macaroon Sandwich
Vanilla Ice Cream, Calamansi Marmalade, Macaroons
This dish was a disappointment. The macaroon was very tough and chewy. The ice cream was normal and where was the Calamansi Marmalade? The chocolate drawing on the plate was cute, but nothing compared to the art created at LPW. 

All in all, it is concluded that although some dishes were good, TBLS has been overhyped and I would not pay the price for this type of food. TBLS's concept is to reinvent classic comfort foods and I think that is a interesting concept, yet for the price paid I don't think it is worth it. The reinvention is not inspired enough and is merely a slight modification that did not allow the diners to experience the dish in a exciting and innovative way. Some dishes were enjoyable, yet if LPW is only $100 more, I would most definitely sprint over to LPW over TBLS any day.

TBLS 

7th Floor

31 Hollywood Road

Central

Hong Kong