A Peek at Pearl on the Peak - Hong Kong Food

I did manage some free days in Hong Kong to play tourist and fortuitously, the last happened to fall on the first bright and sunny day following two dreary windless weeks of grey smog and misty drizzle. Of course one of my first destinations on the day was to catch the funicular tram up Victoria Peak to take in the famous views of Hong Kong Island and its city skyscrapers and across Victoria Harbour to Kowloon and beyond. Not being in my conciousness at the time, I was taken by surprise when I bumped into a familiar logo whilst wandering around the dominating anvil-shaped architecture of the Peak Tower terminus at the summit (has been described as wok-shaped). Among the expected tourist trap gift shops, themed attractions, cafes, and takeaway-food fronts, were several restaurants including the very upmarket Pearl on the Peak, chef Geoff Lindsay's collaborative project in Hong Kong.

Dramatic Peak Tower that is home to iconic Pearl (on the Peak) in Hong Kong

The look and feel of the restaurant projected the same cool sophistication as Lindsay's flagship Pearl Restaurant in Richmond Melbourne. A quick browse of the menu also sparked much recognition with only minor differences reflecting alternative sources of produce and perhaps catering to regional expectations of a Western fine dining restaurant. The menu of centrepiece offerings however, screams out at a substantive accumulation of food miles. Signatures like the wok-seared pearl meat was there, as was the one-side only seared yellowfin tuna. But what stands Pearl on the Peak apart would be the breathtaking views out its floor-to-ceiling glass windows. In the absence of a low level cloud cover or a high smog alert, I can only imagine the awesome glittering spectacle that a twilight or evening booking would offer to accompany your dinner and wine. Certainly leaves the dark vista across to the apartment carpark at the corner of Chapel and Howard Streets well and truly for dead!
Pearl on the Peak, 1/F Peak Tower, 128 Peak Road, The Peak, Hong Kong.

Views you'd expect to enjoy when dining at Pearl on the Peak may be worth the price of admission alone

With some regret I had neither the time, company, nor willingness of pocket to dine at Pearl that morning. Instead with stomach growling, I ducked into one of the tourist trap cafes and resigned myself to a comparatively humble breakfast of Tonkatsu Ramen, unremarkable reconstituted instant noodles in a salty dishwater broth though with passable panko crusted pork. Meanwhile, will be hoping that there'll be an opportunity to revisit Pearl on the Peak in a proper manner in the not too distant future.

Alas no dining in style for me on this occasion - very ordinary cafe-shop ramen instead