Mama San: an explosion of pan asian flavours

MTR pitch

“You go expecting only Balinese cuisine but the menu is teeming with exotic spice blends from Malaysian and Indian curries to Thai and Vietnamese fish dishes. Mama San cooks up an explosion of pan asian flavours to satisfy the palate. There is something for everyone.”

Rating 4/5

Price point Premium price for premium spice

Break it down now

Mama San is tucked away from busy Wyndham Street in Central, on the first floor of Winning Centre. Take the stairs and enter a large, chic dining area with the most welcoming waiters and bar stewards. It’s a great vibe – especially during happy hour (Monday to Thursday, 6-8pm).

The Balinese decor of the restaurant might have you believe that the menu will offer Balinese cuisine only. Oh, you’d be so wrong. It was a pleasant surprise to see an array of pan asian food listed on the menu. Alongside the mouth-watering Indonesian dishes, you will find curry snapper from Malaysia, red prawn curry from Thailand, okra and saag from India and tuna tataki from Japan (to name a few!). A feast for the soul. A journey for the tastebuds.

To make things even better, the restaurant has its own separate Vegetarian menu. It can be hard to find so many options in Hong Kong for a veggie but Mama San outdoes itself. Not only is the Vegetarian menu sizeable (covering starters, mains, sides and dessert), the main menu includes some absolutely divine “impossible” meat dishes in and amongst its regular meat options. I urge all diners, veggie or not, to try an “impossible” dish. My personal favourite is the crispy impossible meat, paired with a cold, refreshing coconut mojito.

N.B. The cocktails are delish! One hour of free flow sparkling wine is also available for $128 HKD, making Mama San a great place for drinks too.

My only criticism is that dinner can get pricey. Every dish adds up and it’s not cheap! Worth it? Yes, but one quick look at the prices may deter some. Only once I’d done my research and found out that Mama San was a Will Meyrick restaurant did I appreciate that every dollar spent is for a very special menu created by a world top chef. Hopefully, this nugget of knowledge may in fact encourage you to pay Mama San a visit!

Asian Pan likes…

  • Crispy impossible meat
  • Ayam Merah
  • Lamb Saag

Kailash Parbat: authentic Indian street food

MTR pitch

“Sensational, mouth-watering, street food favourites from the streets of Bombay and Delhi in Hong Kong. If you want genuine flavours of India, visit asap! The decoration is V CUTE too – imagine samosa chaat served on the back of mini rickshaw cycles… YAASS!!”

Rating 5/5

Price point Reasonable

Break it down now

Highly recommend this great food joint. The dishes are super tasty and come with a plethora of dips. Happiness can be bought with sweet, sticky tamarind sauce. The menu offers lip-smacking street food dishes, curries with the rich flavours of Punjab and traditional drinks and desserts. Basically everything you could want when you fancy an Indian.

The dishes are served in unique ways and make the experience a memorable one. Chaats arrive at the table in mini rickshaw cycles and pav bhaji is served like a fondue. GENIUS.

The restaurant is modern and fresh. In the middle of the room, you will find a wall of vibrantly coloured tiffin boxes and rolling pins. Great for the old ‘gram. The cherry on top of the cake? A lovely team of helpful and polite staff. Kailash Parbat really does India proud with its “guest is God” hospitality.

Asian Pan likes…

  • Bombay Bhel Puri
  • Papdi Chaat
  • Aamchi Mumbai Sandwich