I love the idea of tapas, all those small dishes of delectable delights allowing the diner to try lots of different dishes and flavours. I was therefore excited about having dinner at El Pomposo.

The restaurant is owned by the 97 Group, which had a tapas restaurant, also called El Pomposo, on Hong Kong Island in the early 90’s. This made me even more excited to be trying the Elements restaurant as the Hong Kong Island eatery served (for me) the best tapas in Hong Kong.

El Pomposo offers a large selection of hot and cold tapas, a range of cured meat options and a handful of specialty dishes. The manager recommended around six dishes for two people, being hungry we ordered eight.

Our Selection
From the cold tapas selection we choose a bowl of Green Olives in White Wine and Sherry; two signature dishes – Fig Carpaccio with Serrano Ham; and Artichoke, Cantaloupe, Serrano Ham, Sherry Vinaigrette and Manchego Cheese; plus an order of Skewers of Olives, Anchovy and Yellow Pepper.



Mixed Wild Mushroom, Prawns and Red Pimientos (a signature dish); deep-fried Mixed Seafood with Aioli; and Cod and Potato Fritters were picked from the hot selection; and finally from the specialties options Mussels in White Wine, Cream, Garlic, Olive Oil and Parsley.

The two cold signature tapas dishes were a disappointment. The fig carpaccio was topped with melted cheese, which was not mentioned on the menu, and although the flavours worked well it was not the light, fresh dish I had hoped for. The presentation of the second dish was lovely, with all the ingredients served in a melon, however flavours were lacking, and there was only a sprinkle of ham and cheese and an overwhelming amount of melon in comparison.

Also with a delightful presentation but a taste let down was the mixed wild mushroom dish. It was largely made up of Chinese Black mushrooms that have such an intense flavour that no other mushroom in the mix stood a chance, and the prawns were slightly over cooked. 



My dining partner and I are both seafood fans yet were unable to finish the mixed seafood, which contained squid, fish and prawns. It was a big serve for tapas yet nothing tasted as fresh as was expected and everything tasted similar with no standouts. The sauces served with the fish were unappealing in both taste and appearance.

Our Favourites
Dishes that we did like included the anchovy skewers, the combination of fresh fishy anchovy, the salty olives and the sweet pepper resulted in an exciting, long-lasting journey for the tastebuds. The skewers were deliciously drowned in olive oil and served with lemon. A very simple dish bursting with flavour.

The mussels were also good – juicy, fat, fresh and full of flavour served in a finger-licking sauce. The dish contained lots of mussels and could easily satisfy more than two people.

Dessert and Sherry
Surprisingly there are only two desserts, Catalan Crème Brulee, and Quince Paste with Manchego Cheese and Honey Drizzle. We choose the latter, which we could not finish. The slabs of paste were sliced so thickly it was overwhelming and the dish was more a cheese plate than a dessert. The plating of this dish was haphazard.

One of the best things about El Pomposo is its selection of Spanish sherry, which are often listed on the menu as being the perfect pairing for a particular dish. This allows the diner to learn more about sherry and I can highly recommend trying this option. Particularly good was the Fig Carpaccio match and the recommendation for the Mushroom dish.



Décor and Service
Maybe it was the cold evening but the staff seemed in need of some product education and tastings. The manager, while friendly, did not seem to have much knowledge of the Spanish wines on the list and was unable to answer simple questions, instead recommending an Australian house red. The wait staff seemed new and unfamiliar with many of the dishes we ordered. It was also hard to get their attention despite it being a quite Tuesday night.

The décor is casual yet elegant and very much in the style of a 97 Group restaurant. We particularly liked the merging of the colourful wall paintings and the mirrors, giving it a Dali-esque feel. The furnishings of high stools and banquettes made it feel more like an American diner than a Spanish bar and restaurant. The tables for two are a little small with only room for two or three tapas at any one time.



The Finale
I had gone to El Pomposo with expectations because of the Group’s foray in tapas previously and because of this automatic comparison found many of the selections to be disappointing and not value for money. Perhaps without such heavy expectations I would have enjoyed the food more but the dishes seemed to have been heavily localised, almost suburbanised, instead of retaining their authenticity.

The restaurant will no doubt be a hit with shoppers at Elements wanting a quick bite of something a little different after maxing out their credit cards. However unless the dishes are tweaked or changed I don’t feel that it will attract the discerning dinner crowd, especially those from Hong Kong Island, renowned for only venturing off the island if the food is outstanding.

Fun Fact
The word “tapas” comes from the Spanish verb “Tapar” or “To cover”. In days past a bartender would cover the pilgrim’s wineglass with a slice of bread to keep flies or dust away. They would add a piece of “something” on the bread for the pilgrims to eat, which eventually led to the gastronomic dishes we enjoy today.

El Pomposo, R009, Roof Garden, Elements, Kowloon. Tel 2196 8123

by Vicki Williams
March 2008