Located in a quiet corner of Tsim Sha Tsui, Pierside at The Royal Pacific Hotel is a good location for an intimate dinner for two. While the interior is kept simple and decorated with neutral tones, there is an unshakeable hotel vibe to the restaurant space. Seating is comfortably spaced, allowing guests to enjoy conversation without accidentally eavesdropping on nearby tables. If you’re looking for dinner with a view, request a table by the window for partial harbour views.

The one-page menu offers no-frills fare, comprising Australian and other Western dishes. To start, the classic Caesar salad offers exactly what is advertised, and is topped with a generous sprinkle of bacon bits; however, we could have used with less of the salad dressing, or even requested it on the side, as the quantity of the sauce made the dish slightly overpowering. For mains, the Hervey Bay seafood pot delivers with its fresh selection of seafood, including lobster, clams, fish, scallops, squid, and more, which is cooked in a rich, flavourful broth. The menu states that the seafood pot is perfect for sharing, and while we can’t argue with that, it should be noted that the pot can easily fill four diners if other dishes are also being shared. For dessert, the menu is kept short and sweet, with many items recommended for sharing. The banana and chocolate ganache is prepared as a strudel and served with vanilla gelato, which offers just the right amount of sweetness to balance out a heavy meal.

There is a limited wine list here, with most bottles bottles hailing from Australia and ranging between HK$400-$700 each. Boutique varieties can reach up to HK$3,400 per bottle. By-the-glass options are also limited, with a handful of “sommelier’s choice” wines available for approximately HK$70 each.

Service could use a major rehaul here. During our visit, servers were inattentive and unknowledgeable of the menu’s offerings. Despite being seated in an open area with a direct view of the server’s station, it was extremely difficult to get the attention of the servers.

A filling meal for two including a drink each comes to approximately HK$1,000. While we feel that this is good value for the Hervey Bay seafood pot alone, we may wait until they brush up on service before a return visit.