Porterhouse by LARIS @ The Enjoyment of Simple Pleasure

Porterhouse by LARIS, as the instagram #MeatMeAtPorterhouseas the names suggests, it is all about meat & steak. Since flinging open its doors in June this year within the acclaimed California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong, this is the new baby for award-winning Chef David Laris that adds a wonderful addition to the Hong Kong dining scene in Central. With Christmas just around the corner, Laris has created an array of menus for the season and mylifestylenews was privy to a selection of dishes off the Christmas menus……

 On arriving at the seventh floor in the tower, you are presented with a small outside deck with one of those raw views of the LKF streets and towers, but once you head toward the main dining room, the understated elegance and refinement strikes the right mix of upscale chic-ness that exudes a warmth and sophistication which you immediately feel very comfortable in.

The devil is in the detail with dark and provocative angular panels, accents of subtle mineral tones and soft copper and blue highlights throughout. So here’s the reason for you to book a table post-haste to grab one of the best locations in Hong Kong while raising a glass or two to celebrate the season.

The steakhouse concept has been redefined and goes beyond expectations, including a bespoke Meat Locker with a line-up of the best grass-fed beef from the USA and Australia and Wagyu cuts from Japan. There is also a Seafood Bar to select and then excite your tastebuds with the sensual seafood in abundance. The menu has some classics and it is all about creating the definitive dining experience by re-inventing the steak and seafood restaurant of yesteryear.

To start off the festive celebration, something quite light is in order to go with that glass of champagne, so the <Curry Devilled Eggs and Prawns> are the go, as the prawns are so succulent and fragrant with that chargrilled taste, plus the cress salad and truffle dressing creates the perfect combination to blend the devilled egg and prawn flavours. Simply a scrumptious beginning that left us with high expectations for all that was to follow.

To cleanse the palate a little before main course, a soup is in order and the Signature <Beef Brodo, Oxtail, Root Vegetables and Black Truffle> arrives at the table sans soup stock, so they pour this over the delicacies in the bowl in front of you and the aroma and flavor of the soup is heavenly. The delicate morsels in the soup are just enough to whet the appetite, but the soup is the star of this dish.

Now not everyone wants steak, so we have the perfect recommendation to order a fish and steak to share, thereby ensuring that you can have a bit of both, without getting that heavy feeling in the stomach. Start with the <Baked Salmon with Herb Crust> that comes with Lobster Butter with capers and dill and this is a sensational dish that will have you salivating for more, with the crispy herb crust just the right thickness to keep in all the moistness and create such tender fish flesh underneath. You could not find a more perfect fish dish to celebrate with, and simply done is better than any fancy cooking style.

Steak is the main event for this restaurant and the <Prime Rib Roast> with mustard, black pepper corn rub and horseradish sauce is not to be surpassed by any steak house in Hong Kong. A thick cut of pink and succulent meat oozing gamey notes was set off by the chargrilling which has sealed in all the fabulous flavor of this superb cut of meat.

A selection of prime and exclusive salts from around the globe ranging from Himalaya Pink, Black Lava, Pink Bolivian and more to enhance your steaks.

Assorted home made mustard sauces are best company to your steak in Porterhouse by LARIS.

Not to be content with just the meat, Laris has put together an impressive selection of salts and mustards from around the world that will allow you to create that special touch just as you like, so the dish can be personalized by you! Plus we ordered two sides of potato – a sweet potato parmesan chip and a potato gratin, pardon the greens, it is a simply meat and carbs night out. We hit the jackpot with both, although the gratin was the biggest hit of the evening, as the thinly layered slices of potato were melting in the mouth.

At this point, our appetites are approaching that sated state, so if dessert is still an option, then you cannot go past the <Sticky Plum Pudding> with brandy caramel sauce and Christmas ice cream, a quintessential Christmas dish that will press all the festive buttons for you and will leave you feeling you ate everything that was “naughty and nice”, so don’t put the brakes on after the mains.

We have to admit that we also got hooked on the bread they brought to the table, so we committed the faux pas of enjoying a little too much bread and truffle butter, but the enjoyment of such simple pleasures is heightened at Laris and that is the key to the success of this restaurant. If whole bottle of wine is too much for you, they have over 30 wines by the glass to offer and there surely will be a glass of wine to compliment the food. 

The whole evening was seamless, attentive yet subtle wait service, we were impressed with what comes out of the kitchen with such experience and refined festive menus accentuating the holiday season with unforgettable adventures for the palate and a feast for the eyes. Some perfectly chosen chic and lounge music playing in the background, resulting in a dining room that never seemed to get too loud and thus created an uplifting atmosphere of relaxation and enjoyment that is the perfect tonic for a Christmas celebration.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 4.5/5

Design & Decor: 4/5

Food & Beverage: 5/5

Service: 4/5

Value For Money: 4/5

Highlights :

Steaks
Sweet Potato
Potato Gratin

Porterhouse by LARIS

 7/F, California Tower,
30-36 D'Aguilar Street
Lan Kwai Fong, Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2522 6366