SOHOFAMA @ Urban Mini Farm Modern Chinese Comfort Food

With lesser carbon foot print, a modern Chinese organic comfort food restaurant collaborated by GOD aka Goods of Desire (Quintessential Hong Kong collector store inspired by the vibrant culture & heritage of energetic Hong Kong’s tradition meet cutting-edge technology with humor and creativity by turning everyday subjects into extraordinary objects & fun), SOHOFAMA in PMQ (Police Married Quarter – a local art precinct) tout themselves as health conscious by delivering organic bites and dishes all day to your table with a heart of desire. By mylifestylenews.

The buzz word for restaurants these days is “organic” and the good news is that SOHOFAMAO works with Hong Kong’s local farms to source “clean” fruits and vegetables free of pesticides and chemicals as well as brought the table to the farm from their mini farm right outside of the restaurant garden area by growing their very own vegetables in pots, along walls, on trolleys…whenever they can.

 When they can’t source the right “clean” produce in Hong Kong, they import it to maintain their mission of offering food that is at its nutritional and palatable peak. To ensure that not only the food is loved by all and sundry, they also provide a pretty cool vibe with the whole ambience for the internal dining rooms.

With two large communal tables with high stools, a few booths and regular tables setting in one room as well as an adjacent small room next door, the small bar is the main focus with its industrial design playing with the lighting to create a “feel good” ambience.

The Chinese calligraphy of top of the bar literally translated as “Pick the best from Wine & Dine with the knowhow” contrasting the nostalgic mood with the modern sophistication. There is also a large al fresco terrace for a mood change or some fresh air, the artistic décor is very intimate when you arrive and get seated inside, but they can cater for up to 140 diners at any given time with both spaces, so looks can be deceiving.

The menu is designed with a healthy dose of options for everyone, including vegan, dairy-free, nut-free and carb-free for those following a paleo diet. The menu is extensive and sometimes we wonder if the consistency is in control and somehow also having hard time deciding what to order. There are many delicious full-flavoured bites by just browsing through the menu and it is best to get some recommendation from the wait staff if you have problem deciding. Jeremy, the new Restaurant Manager helped us to narrow down with some of the house’s signature dishes.

Take it from us, the cocktail making and shaking is non-stop the whole night during our recent visit, they must be doing something right. We tried a Loco <Ginger Passion>  cocktail  with fresh lemon mint, organic ginger, passion fruit, organic local ginger infused in triple-distilled rice wine, apple and lemon juice and local honey. The Soho <Natural> cocktail with Hendrick’s Gin, St. Germain Elderflower, apple and lemon juice, organic cucumber and basil. We were impressed with what we tasted and the ingredients used says it all. It is highly recommended to start your evening with a cocktail or two before you hit the Chinese food.

We kicked off proceedings with the seasonal special <Drunken Chicken>, beautiful tender meat was well marinated with the Chinese wine to give the kick. It is a love or hate dish as the strong alcohol content can really put of off if you are not often in contact with intense Chinese intense. We expect a little bit more flavor from the free-range bird for a more well-balance palate instead of tasting just the strong alcohol alone.

 At the opposite end of the spectrum, next we tucked into some <Slow Cooked 48 Hours Natural US Beef Short Rib Pancake Sliders> A Chinese Bao Steam Bun seemingly coming back into hot seller even in many other Western eat-outs. A new version of East-meets-West gastronomy and wins everyone’s heart. A superb texture and so damn yummy and remember, less is more!  Back to ground zero with China we had to test the <Shanghai Xiao Long Bao> with organic US pork and this was one of the best we have had in ages, with plenty clean clear broth inside with not so over steamed juicy meat wrapped with the right thinness paste, it is absolutely blooming lovely!

<Grandma’s Organic Ma Po Tofu> It is hard to find some real good Ma Po Tofu in this city, they just don’t have the know-how to handle this dish well. It can be very simple to get it right but also very easy to turn it into a disaster with the wrong ingredients used. Despites extra chili was requested when placing the order, yet it was quite mild when presented. Tofu selection delivered a silken texture to the last mouthful.

When was the last time you could rave about fried rice? SOHOFAMA’s <Fried Rice With Conpoy> delivers the right texture and flavor in perfect moist that comes with a healthy dose of diced scallop to boot.

We didn’t want to over dose on too much meat that was still to come, so <Stir-Fried Local Green Beans with Organic Minced Pork> gave us that vegetable quotient we needed, with perfectly cooked beans and the pork adding a greater depth to the flavor. A classic Chinese comfort food.

The <Stir-Fried Australian Grass Fed Organic Beef with Leeks and Chilies> is a dish we always want to try and the chef did this one proud. The thinly sliced beef was so juicy and tasty and the chili gave just the right heat to spice up the dish. A must order.

The <Fried Tiger Prawns with Salted Egg Yolk> is a textbook cooking that could not be faulted. The prawns were coated well in egg yolk and deep fried to get the right crispiness but to remain the moist and juicy tender flesh of the prawn but note that this is a very rich dish.

The <Barbecue Spring Chicken with Homemade Sweet Sauce> is what most would call crispy skin chicken, half barbecue chicken and the skin was in crispy perfection. The meat underneath more than meeting our expectations and do not dip too much of the sauce to avoid overpowering this beautifully cooked free range chicken.

For what one would term Chinese comfort food, the food was an absolute joy to eat. The place was packed and yet the food came rather quickly and at the right temperature. The portions are generally very good even with the up market pricing as this makes sense with a more premium and quality produce used. SOHOFAMA would be another place to “show-off” your guests on your list of restaurants/bars recommendation to entertain with a great night out.

Tried & Tested:

Location: 4/5

Design & Decor: 4.5/5

Food & Beverage: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Value For Money: 4/5

Experience: 4.5/5

Highlights:

Shanghai Xiao Long Bao

Slow Cooked 48 Hours Natural US Beef Short Rib Pancake Sliders

Stir-Fried Australian Grass Fed Organic Beef with Leeks and Chilies

SOHOFAMA

Unit SG09-SG14, G/F Block A,

PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street 

Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2697 8500

Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.