Restaurants

Soho Spice

Thai   |   $ $ $ $   |   Central

When craving cheap Thai that has something of a vibe, Soho Spice is a good first option.

 

The well placed location of this restaurant, just off the Mid-Level Escalators, is one of the better cards the restaurant plays. The setting is a little Hong Kong circa 1997, when Thai restaurants were plentiful but cramped in an attempt to profit on high turnovers. It’s not unpleasant, and makes for a buzzing dining room, though don’t come here if sedated harmony is what is sought.

Fresh Thai flavours and uncomplicated dishes are becoming increasingly challenging to come by in an era of concept driven restaurants, which is why the menu (both on paper and in execution) is somewhat refreshing. The back of house team can customise to you depending on what you can/cannot eat which is generous.

 

Classics to order are the pad thai (though the squid rings taste like they're coming off the boat many days prior to serving), a creamy coconut green curry and a zesty, green papaya and mango salad. One of the more enjoyable and unique dishes was the vegetable dumplings with smoked eggplant, chili, coconut and coriander, which were five hefty pockets of dominantly carrot and onion atop a boat of charred whole eggplant, sat in a creamy coconut curry sauce. Extremely pleasing was the eggplant in particular which comes recommend highly.

 

It was disappointing to hear the the staff, front and back of house, were unsure of what kind of tuna was being used in the wok fried tuna salad with spinach and lemongrass sauce (a shame for the sake of ethical tuna supply and also because the dish sounded wildly appealing). The balanced pomelo with crispy shallots ended up being quite the course in its place, however, and so no hard feelings. Pomelo that’s just the right temperature contrasted with nuts and crunchy onion works exceedingly well.  

A bright Spanish rosé (Torres de Casta Rosé, 2013) accompanied the meal which wasn’t terrible but not one to order by the case. There is a good selection of wines by the glass though, and many sit around the 60-70 HKD mark which makes it a very affordable wine list.

Attentive and professional, the staff at Soho House are willing to execute most requests with a smile, a kind and unusual trait in HK staff.

Service, like the food, is gentle and friendly, and the options on both drinks and food menu is varied enough to keep things interesting. It’s a little too long, and might benefit from being a less lengthy, but overall it’s the type of spot you wouldn’t be concerned about spending a few hundred on a mid-week meal for.

Must Try


  • Deep-fried soft shell crab with coconut tempura
  • Grilled king prawns cooked in Vietnamese spices and herbs
  • Mango with purple sticky rice, sesame and coconut milk

General Information


Cuisine

Thai, Vietnamese

Price

$ $ $ $

Phone number

+852 25211600