Verdict: Solid contemporary Western dining
Hong Kong heavyweight chef, Harlan Goldstein, has recently opened two new restaurants – Penthouse and Sushi To – at the fine dining hub of the recently opened Soundwill Plaza II–Midtown in Causeway Bay. Penthouse is the fourth restaurant under the chef and boasts a contemporary Western menu with an emphasis on juicy steak and handcrafted pastas.
Situated on the 30th floor (hence the name Penthouse), the impressive 6,800sq ft NYC loft-inspired space, complete with an outdoor terrace, is decorated with industrial lighting fixtures, wooden panel flooring, marble walls and elevated leather booths for communal dining. The restaurant already has an incredible sweeping panoramic view of Victoria Harbour, but it also has access to the 5,000sq ft rooftop for an even better one.
We sit ourselves at a window side table and start our meal off with a refreshing chopped romaine salad ($148) that is mixed with a generous helping of sliced roasted courgettes and bell peppers, chickpeas, sliced salami and olives drizzled with a tangy mustard ponzu dressing. The dish is a harmonious balance of sweet and savoury, and the mixture of textures leads to a satisfying bite. Next up is the meaty devilled crab cake ($188) that’s partially grilled and served with a side of mango and salted black bean salsa, and topped with Italian parsley. The cake is full of delicate, sweet crab flavour, while the curry and salsa give it a punchy aromatic kick. The highlight of the evening is the freshly made pappardelle ($238, shown above) that’s bathed in a Spanish pork ragout and topped with a dollop of herb mascarpone. The pappardelle is cooked to al dente perfection and the ragout gives the dish a wonderfully rounded texture and rich pork flavour. The downside of the evening comes from the highly anticipated rib eye steak ($420) that’s cooked on a special Josper grill at 500 degrees. Our steak is neither juicy nor properly seasoned – we need to ask for salt and pepper.
Overall, the meal is solid, but not exceptional or particularly innovative. The restaurant is more or less a repackaged version of Goldstein’s other restaurant Gold, except it has a better ambience and stunning view that could fare well on a date. A word of friendly advice, though – stick to the pastas for the mains. We wouldn’t come back here for the steaks. Charlie Tamoto
Penthouse 30/F, Soundwill Plaza II–Midtown, 1-29 Tung Lung St, Causeway Bay; 2970 0828; . Dinner for two: $1,200.