Restaurants

Watermark

Continental   |   $ $ $ $   |   Central

A prime waterfront position right on Victoria Harbour makes Watermark a good spot for a romantic dinner or celebration with friends

 

Located above the Central Star Ferry pier, a dark, catwalk like entrance adds drama to your arrival. On entering the main dining room, your eyes are drawn to the views of Victoria Harbour and the Kowloon skyline through wraparound glass walls, making the tables along the main wall the top picks. It’s a shame however, that the outdoor deck cannot be used, more a reflection of Hong Kong’s absurd dining regulations. Giant wheels of light are suspended from the glass roof, though the minimalist décor can leave the space a little soulless. It was a quiet night when we visited and every table was for two, the lights turned down low, making it difficult to read the menu. A mix of indie and pop music seemed slightly incongruous in this setting.

Seafood is the way to go here and taking pride of place at the top of the menu are shellfish and crustaceans, or a mixed seafood platter for the indecisive. That’s us, so we opt for it, piled with the ocean’s bounty, simply prepared, allowing the flavours of the sea to come through. A half-dozen Australian oysters are shucked to order, boiled tiger prawns, blue mussels, clams, whelks and Boston lobster are sweet and slightly chewy, and scallops have a hint of citrus. The crab gave little in terms of flesh, making it a lot of effort for not much reward. A selection of vinaigrettes and sauces accompanied the platter, though a squeeze of lemon juice and some freshly ground black pepper is often enough. A drawback of ordering the platter, however, is the need to eat in haste, since the seafood sits atop crushed ice, which turns into a slurry that slowly drowned our meal. Meat main courses run to beef, lamb or the signature roasted duck with lavender honey, pomme soufflé, confit peach, braised lettuce and brandy duck jus, which we order. The duck, while pink, was fatty and sinewy, with a cloying sweetness lacking an acidic foil. A dessert of chocolate textures with five flavours also failed to rock our boat, the ganache overly firm and the mousse almost jelly-like.

A small, reasonably priced wine list spanning New and Old World, with many in the $300-$400 range and none over $900, excluding champagne. Several wines are available by the glass and we were able to sample a Grant Burge Moscato Rosa from Australia before ordering. Too sweet for us on its own as an aperitif, we went instead for a medium-dry and easy-to-drink French Lorgeril Domaine de Pennautier rose, which paired well with the seafood.

Service was decent, though it was a quiet night and the staff looked bored at times. That said, they were accommodating of requests and were happy to let us sample wines before ordering by the glass.

Satisfactory for the location and view, with most starters hovering around $170 and mains around $300. The presence of many relatively affordable wines helps keep costs down.

Must Try


  • Salmon tartare with smoked shrimp parfait
  • Roasted duck with lavender honey and pomme soufflé
  • Poached hamachi with salsify salad and yuzu vinegar

General Information


Cuisine

Continental

Price

$ $ $ $

Phone number

+852 21677251