Dining at BRUT! Innovative dishes and exceptional quality!
The Best Places to Drink & Dine in Hong Kong: 2020 Edition
Located in Sai Ying Pun, Brut! is an intimate restaurant and wine bar that has become a neighbourhood favourite.
Tucked away on second street, the restaurant features a casual setting with high stools and communal tables on one side, and bar seats on the other. The interior has a very homey feel to it and the staff are all very friendly, creating relationships with each guests. The owner, Camille Glass is very involved with the guests as she is usually seen going around the space serving and talking to each guest, while George Kwok, her business partner and co-executive chef also mingles and is in and out of the kitchen.
The menu is a simple one-pager that features a collection of sharing plates to start. I have never looked at a menu and wanted to try everything on there! All the dishes had a twist on them which made them especially intriguing to taste.
The staff were very helpful in recommending dishes for us to try. There was also the option for a chef tasting menu (380 HKD pp) which was a sharing menu of all their favourite dishes.
*Requires the participation of the whole party (min 2 pax)
To start we opted for some baby buns of the day, pork belly with slow cooked egg, and beef tartare with smoked oyster paired with beef tendon puffs. The restaurant has a keen sense for contrasting textures which can be seen in all their dishes. Not only were the flavours impeccable but the presentation of each dish was a sure stand out.
We were then recommended to try the pumpkin ravioli and the miso eggplant. The pumpkin ravioli came in mini gyozas, which was such a unique concept. The ratio of filling to dough was also perfect as neither overpowered the taste of the other.
The miso eggplant was one of my favourite dishes of the night. It was eggplant complimented with a miso reduction, fresh goats cheese, pomegranate and some balsamic sprinkled on top. The flavours paired beautifully together and the different textures of each ingredient made it mouth-watering.
For mains we opted for the crowd favourite prawn toast, miso cod with pickled radish and lamb ribs. The prawn toast was served very creatively, cut into 4 small open circles that were stuffed with prawn with sauce on the side. The miso cod was very light and melted in your mouth. The picked radish also gave it a nice tang and heightened the taste. The lamb ribs were also very flavourful and were served on a bed of long green beans and a yoghurt-like sauce with lemon and pomegranate.
Brut does not have a formal wine menu, as the wine selections are written on the wall and on the wine fridge. The selection is modest but by-the-glass options are adequate for every palate, especially great for pairing with dishes from the menu. Ask the staff to recommend the wine based on what you eat - you won’t be disappointed!
Overall, we really enjoyed our experience. The food was innovative and amazing - taste and presentation wise and the staff were very friendly and accomodating. The quality of all the ingredients were very impressive and it is the perfect place for all dietary requirements and all people! We’ll surely be back!
Shop C, G/F, 1 Second Street,
Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
