Brick Lane – a taste of London in Hong Kong!

With life in Hong Kong constantly so hectic, sometimes all you need is a vacation! My favourite place to holiday is London – so if you’re a Londonite like me, your “vacation” might be merely a short walk away, at the newest branch of Brick Lane in Admiralty.

Having been open for just a few weeks, this place has yet to be overwhelmed by the crowds. Located a five minute walk away from Pacific Place across from the Central Government Offices, you’ll be blown away by the unbelievable space that Brick Lane calls home. Its prime location right next to the harbour-front, paired with a huge outdoor patio with a killer view (perfect for happy hour drinks!), is worth a visit alone!

Brick Lane is the creation of three bankers who collectively have roots in London’s eclectic Brick Lane area. Having opened the first Brick Lane in Tsim Sha Tsui (which quickly become a runaway Openrice favourite), they set about creating a second branch boasting similarly good vibes and good food Island-side! I definitely felt those good vibes as soon as I sat down, surrounded by the cool white brick walls, quirky decor and a dazzling view of the Hong Kong night harbour.

Now I’m not normally one to be sipping on cocktails on a work-night (yeah, goody-two-shoes, I know!), but this time I couldn’t resist! My Dragon Ball cocktail (with a name like that, how could I say no?!) was wonderfully light, with just a hint of dragon fruit sweetness to get my appetite started.

 With hunger pangs calling, we started off with the quintessential British treat – fish and chips! The batter was neither too thick nor oily and brought me back to childhood memories of a seaside holiday eating this classic double act with tartar sauce smeared all over.

For breakfast lovers out there, I may have found you a new brunch spot! For me, Eggs Benedict is the ultimate comfort food – giving you that blast of protein and carbs in the most indulgent way possible. The Scottish smoked salmon Eggs Benedict at Brick Lane did not disappoint, with hollandaise covered lox and spinach sitting on top of a fluffy English muffin – it was just heavenly. The only thing I can say that was missing from this dish was an extra portion… wishful thinking!

If you’re looking for a little bit of everything, Brick Lane’s all-day breakfast should satisfy your cravings. The sheer size of this entrée, which was literally overflowing with corned beef, Portobello mushroom, black pudding, sausages, tomatoes, two sunny-side-up eggs and more, makes it an obvious hangover cure for anyone who’s still recovering from the night before!

Of course, any trip to Brick Lane couldn’t not sneak in a curry! My favourite entrée of the night was the Kerala chicken curry; it smelled divine and was beautifully presented, with colourful veggies and crispy poppadoms. The curry had just slightest but most effective kick of heat that just kept me coming for more.

However, the highlight of my trip to Brick Lane fell to their selection of desserts. We were lucky enough to have a chat with Kit, one of Brick Lane’s Directors and Cake Decorator, whose wonderfully adventurous attitude towards baking left us with some incredible puddings! The first was a toffee banana crumble – this mix of ooey-gooey banana, walnut oat crumble-goodness and melting vanilla ice cream is the go-to item on any cold, chilly day.

Finally, cupcake maniacs will be sure to flock to Brick Lane’s sweets department for a fusion of Asian and Western influenced cakes! We first tried the buttered popcorn cupcake; it sounds weird, but the buttery frosting and dollop of caramel in the middle was simply irresistible. Our second was the shiso green tea cupcake; whilst the shiso leaf’s flavour might not be everyone’s cup of tea (or shall I say, cup of cake?!), I personally loved its grassy taste and thought this was the standout of our desserts.

I absolutely loved my experience at Brick Lane. Entrées range from $100-300 each, but be sure to save lots of room for dessert! Although the cupcakes are quite an indulgence at $65 a pop, I really enjoyed the creative thought and interesting flavours behind each one and would most definitely buy more to munch on… or just to show off! With its amazing outdoor patio, stunning harbour views, yummy comfort food and simply irresistible desserts, Brick Lane make for one awesome meal.

Brick Lane locations in Hong Kong:

Brick Lane Shop 404, 4/F, Citic Tower, 1 Tim Mei Avenue, Admiralty
2363 2500 www.bricklane.com.hk

Brick Lane G/F, 2 Blenheim Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui
2736 8893 www.bricklane.com.hk