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Drawing Room, The
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Address:
1/F JIA Boutique Hotel, 1-5 Irving Street, Causeway Bay
銅鑼灣伊榮街1-5號JIA Boutique Hotel - Telephone: 2915-6628
- District: Causeway Bay
- Cuisine: Italian
- Website: View
Restaurant Info
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Credit Cards:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Opening Hours: M-Sa 18:00-00:00
- Nearby Parking: Yes
- Valet Parking: No
- Reservations Accepted: Yes
- Delivery: No
- Takeaway: No
- Corkage Fee: 300
- Can accommodate large group: Yes
- Children Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Private Room Available: No
- Dress Code: Casual
- Post 11pm order: No
- Al Fresco: Yes
Articles
New Opening - The Drawing Room
20.04.2009
Being one of the lucky ones to be invited to try contemporary Italian restaurant, The Drawing Room, on the first night of its trial week, I was, actually, expecting chaos. I was forewarned by one of the owners, Jeffrey, a 2008 Cornell hotel school graduate, whom I have known for many years, that it was truly their first night "together" at this discreet address. Instead of chaos I found calm and confidence.
Editor's Blog December 09
10.12.2009
'Tis the season to be jolly. There are many things for people to celebrate at the end of the year. For us at WOM, aside from feeling rather relieved that WOM guide's latest edition is in print, it is also a time to cherish the fabulous ingredients from all over the world that are available at this time of year. I am recommending three restaurants...
Reviews
Now a favourite
BJ | Feb 10 2011
We celebrated an anniversary at the Drawing Room, and I'd happily celebrate there again .... for all special events! The food was exemplary. The special truffle menu was integrated into the regular menu. The service was attentive, but appropriate - the waiter and sommelier gave great advice. The petit fours (yes, I know that's french) provided a fabulous end to the experience.
2000 including wines
Good
Pricey
Seb | Sep 15 2010
Good food but pricey. Also certain dishes are inconsistent. Service is always good though.
950
OK
Quite average
Freddielovesfood | Aug 25 2010
Had dinner there a couple weeks ago. Compared to when it first opened, it's only average now. Of course it still beats a lot of the Italian restaurants in Causeway Bay but I would not say it's one of the best anymore. I hope it is not due to the fact that Bombana is no longer mingling with the customers now that he has his own business in Central.
1000
OK
Great Steak in an Italian Restaurant
walter | Aug 2 2010
On many occasions I have had unique, delicious, tantalizing and fragrant al dente pasta, rissoto, capaccio of a variety of seafood ,quail, foie gras,and fish in this jewel Italian fine food restaurant that befits her 1 Michelin star honor, so on a recent culinary visit to TDR, I was flabbergasted and thrilled to be served Australian Wagyu beef cooked on oven hot Italian marble stone. The thick cut steak was of good size and cooked to perfection: tender and juicy inside yet cripsy and flavorous outside. What a treat ! Must go back for more of the same as soon as possible!
800 /person
Good
What a night !
Yummy yummy | Dec 1 2009
Heard a lot of raving reviews on The Drawing Room so I was quite excited when my husband took me there to celebrate my birthday.
We arrived a bit early (as we took the late seating of 9:15p.m.) so we sat in the bar to have a drink. The bar was quiet and cozy and we sipped on some champagne and browsed through the menu my husband had requested the restaurant to put together for us.
We had the 4 course menu with one white truffle dish. To start we had the quail with foie gras which must be one of the best foie gras I've ever had. Next we were served the seafood soup - such a generous portion of mixed fresh "fruit de la mer" !!!
Then came my "special treat". Rissoto with white truffle. What can I say except it was "AMAZING" ! The nice aroma simply lingers in my mouth long after I swallowed my last spoonful of the rissoto.
For main course, I was glad to have the fish - a very delicate and tasty dover sole. My husband went for the highly recommended trio of wagyu beef which he complemented to no end.
We did not have dessert as my husband had ordered a small birthday cake.
Almost forgot to mention that the manager recommended a really nice bottle of Italian wine which went so well with our meal.
This must have been one of the best birthday meal I've had. Overall experience was also excellent - service, ambience and even some art pieces to admire during our meal. As such, we have decided have already made reservation to return for our anniversay dinner.
$3,000 - dinner for 2 with bottle of wine
Great Worthy Dining Eeperience
walter | Nov 8 2009
The whole evening was an enjoyable and memorable event with warm and courteous service, exciting and stimulating Italian gourmet food cooked to perfection served on hot plates and relaxing music and beautiful paintings for the ears and eyes to enjoy. Such a wonderful experience certainly saturates our senses and will reflexly bring us back to the worthy and fantastic Drawing Room for another unforgettable eveing of fine dining very soon.
900 /person
More than you bargain for
Natasha L | Oct 23 2009
I had highly anticipated my reservation at the Drawing Room for some time now. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. A lengthy waiting list and a slew of raves from HK foodies had left me antsy to judge for myself. After months of anticipation, it was finally my turn.
We had arranged two different 5 course set menus. All of which were the restaurant's signatures.
Highlights:
Bread basket: one of the best balsamic in town to soak up the soft warm foccoccia, and italian farmer's bread. It was difficult to stay away from the bread basket!
Burrata Cheese: The burrata on my tuna appetizer plate was the best burrata I've had in HK! Just like the ones I've had in Italy, that I cannot find in HK. Even at the mozzerella bars. The flavour was rich in buffalo milk, and creamy like fresh mozzerela. The way it should be. I will definitely have the Caprese Salad my next visit, so I can be brought back to my Italy honeymoon.
Pasta: the Linguine with Canarian Red Prawns (house specialty) was a burst of flavour! The pasta was prepared al dente. The risotto on the other hand, did not share the same flavourful characteristic.
Smoked Pigeon in Coffee Sauce: honestly, this was the dish I had least looked forward to, but this dish turned out to be one of my favorites this evening. The piece of breast (I assume) was completely pink on the inside, but carmelized on the outside. Looks like it had a suntan. But when you bite into it, the meat was buoyant and bouncy. Not like the chewy and flaky texture I had prepared myself for. The texture is indescribable. You have to see for yourself!
Dessert: The fried brioche wasn't at all heavy or filling like we thought it would be. It was enough just to taste. Creamy in the center, crisp on the exterior.
Last but not least, the price. I thought the pricing of TDR is actually underpriced for what you receive. It's difficult to find a restaurant serving this quality of ingredients for this price of less than $900 per head (without drinks) nowadays. Some competitive counterparts are pricing their menus twice the amount for similar dishes! We left fat and happy. Definitely a fine choice.
Service was good, food even better!
$840 for 5 course meal (plus amuse bouche, coffee and petit fours)
Great Food and superb overall
actiger | Oct 14 2009
I had pretty high expectations coming into this restaurant since a lot of my friends have been raving about this restaurant. I managed to sneak in a reservation at short notice as I have a friend who knows one of the owners.
We went for the four course menu but I substituted my pasta for the "Red Prawn Linguine" which I heard was one of their signature dishes.
My first two courses came very promptly although I did have a short wait for my pasta and meat dish. The servers were very friendly although did lack a bit of professionalism, as they didn't explain the dishes very well.
That said the food was honestly fantastic and made up for everything.
I had a fantastic experience at Caprice last week too, but considering I dropped 2G's there and only 800 here, I must give this place the thumbs up! I booked again in December although I think I'll miss the white truffles.
800
Fantastic experience, thumbs up
atys | Oct 14 2009
I visited the restaurant on Mid-Autumn Festival and was pleasantly surprised by the warm greetings at the reception.
The manager Calvin recommended an excellent choice of white wine for me and red for my companion.
My companion ordered the 4-course tasting menu, starting with the lobster medallion and deep fried veal. The lobster was fresh and cooked just right, while the veal literally melted in one's mouth. On the other hand, I had the quail with foie gras which I highly recommend.
My partner then had a vegetable soup while I had the snapper's ravioli in red shrimp sauce. I am a big fan of red shrimp and was quite delighted by the unique combination of snapper ravioli and the sauce.
For main course, both of us had the wagyu beef trio - the tongue tasted good but was too soft (though after informing the manager, he explained that it is due to the high concentration of wagyu fat). The beef tenderloin was excellently done - mine was overcooked but was immediately rectified when I told them so. The short ribs was my favourite.
Lastly for dessert I had the lemon mille fueille followed by the Italian shaved ice which I absolutely adored. it was not too sweet and very refreshing, perfect as the last course.
On the whole, the service was excellent - one of the very bests in town. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable and appropriate. The ambiance was warm and serene whilst the food was of high standards.
Definitely a thumbs up!
$1700 for two
Thoroughly enjoyable
dchenner | Oct 9 2009
Was there for a friend's birthday. Dinner was served in one of the private rooms. The oval shaped table sits 10 well-built men comfortably. Service was impeccable. The knowledgeable staff were there when our glasses and bread baskets were empty, but not ever-present so that we felt like we were being watched.
The meal was simply superb. Everything from the bread basket to the dessert was excellent. Personally, I enjoyed the foie gras with pigeon and the wagyu beef trio most. Nothing fancy was done to the food, allowing their true flavors to come through. Though the serving sizes could be more generous, if one enjoys the meal slowly one would walk away a happy man.
n/a
left much to be desired
Rose | Sep 30 2009
the owners must have gotten a lot of their friends to write reviews because i have nothing good to say about it at all. this restaurant is supremely over-rated. i went with three girlfriends last week and each one of our dishes was disappointing - something as simple as grilled black cod was poorly executed, smelt fishy (ie. was not fresh) and the bed of wilted spinach it sat on was too salty. our bread even took 10 minutes to be served. i understand that it is freshly baked and all but then why was the table next to us, who sat down after us, served first even after we asked twice? the reason we were so famished was because 8:45pm was the only slot they had left and despite arriving early for drinks at 7:30pm and spotting empty tables we were still not invited to sit for dinner until the allocated time. having frequented opia (the restaurant which was in the space before drawing room took over) and also aspasia (the restaurant where the head chef transferred from), i can honestly say this place does not even come close to being a "michelin star-worthy" - with reference to the food, but even more so in terms of the service - and my experience was terrible. at hkd1g per head, there is a lot of choice out there and i will not be returning to the drawing room.
hkd1,000 per head
Remember: don
Princess | Sep 14 2009
I speak for not just myself but a few people I know; we understand the restaurant is popular and is fully booked till next month, but it is just basic courtesey to return a phone call or reply to an e-mail, preferrably within 24 hours. We do want to make a booking, even if it's 2 months away.
Having said that, the food was quite good when we went during the first month of opening. Nothing fancy but solid cooking. Keep it up. Looking forward to truffle season.
1400
Local Italian
Po Sa | Sep 14 2009
Good food, albeit a little pretentious. At least the prices are reasonable compared to other hotel restaurants.
Service a little clumsy, but not expecting much since it's not in hotel so acceptable.
950
Just Ate There and...
Ian | Aug 7 2009
I had to write a review immediately. Every one of the six courses I had was exquisitely prepared and delicious. The Tomato Water w/ Langoustine Soup was especially mind blowing (really creative dish!) The portions were perfectly balanced and I was able to enjoy each dish just enough without ending the meal too full. The wait staff wa professional and knowledgeable, and the vibe was comfortable, elegant and creative (check out the large mirror on your way out with the floating rings illusion).
Without a doubt one of the best Italian places in town! Keep it up! Believe the buzz!
Hands Down The Best New Opening This Year
Rita | Jul 22 2009
Opened by three young men who just graduated from college (surprising eh?), The Drawing Room, along with Cepage, are easily the two best new openings in 2009. Although many consider the food at Cepage slightly more refined (well, afterall it is the most $$$ french restaurant in town), I would still have to give it to The Drawing Room as they serve really really good and consistent food. Furthermore, it is the only restaurant in town that takes weeks to secure a reservation (I went last weekend and had to book 2 months in advanced...)
Anyway back to the food, the restaurant serves two tasting menus every evening, and they change their menus very frequently (3-4 days). Last weekend my friends and I went with the 6-course tasting, every single dish we tasted was amazing and not that many restaurants can "wow" me like that (none in HK other than Petrus). It is impossible for me to pick a favorite dish as they were all perfect. The wait staff are very attentive and friendly, and I can easily say this has to be one of the finest restaurants Hong Kong has to offer. I would be surprised if they do not get at least 2 michelin stars this year (but you never know, as last year's Michelin Guide was quite... ummm different shall I say), but all the best to TDR!
Very impressed
Spencer | Jun 27 2009
The past weekend I took my parents to The Drawing Room for the first time after hearing raving reviews from my friends. We learned that the executive chef used to head the kitchen for Michelin starred Don Alfonso 1890 in Italy so we jumped at the chance to try out this new restaurant.
I ordered the Egg Ravioli with Black Truffles for appetizers - the melting yolk and fresh truffles complimented each other so well. Second course was Quail and Foie Gras, simple yet perfectly executed. For our pasta course we enjoyed the Angle Hair with Sea Urchin. Even the Angle hair was cooked al dante, which really speaks for the quality of chefs in the kitchen. I highly recommend the wagyu trio for the main course which truly melts in your mouth. My father had the butter dover sole and that looked just as amazing.
Moreover, I am very impressed by the decor and service at The Drawing Room. The design was really well done and the staff are friendly and truly caring.
P.S. this place is very hard to book. For this dinner, I had to make the reservation two weeks in advance. But of course, it is full for a reason =)
We'll definitely be back for more.
Decent, but not as good as what others say
Alibaba | Jun 24 2009
The food was decent, but nowhere near amazing for diners who have been to Toscana at the Ritz back in the good old days. Makes me think the people who have said wonderful things about this restaurant to be a little ignorant about Italian food.
Service needs to be better than hotel standard (which it is not even right now) if it is supposed to be an upscale restaurant. Ask the staff to speak Chinese to local diners; they look and sound ridiculous with their accent.
What I love was the interior. Comfortable and unpretentious, but elegant and stylish at the same time. Now that is really something to look forward to.
Overall, admirable effort but has room for improvement.
Amazing!
brian | Jun 24 2009
Just came back from a 2-week trip in Europe. I must say, The Drawing Room is right up there with the top-rated Italian restaurants over there.
The food was exquisite, it has an excellent wine list and the service was impeccable. The atmosphere was intimate and cozy - the perfect venue for a date.
Highlights:
quail and foie gras
langoustine soup with tomato water
Hottest restaurant in town!!
jon | Jun 17 2009
The Drawing Room, a restaurant put together by 3 young socialites, has been the “talk of the town” and one of the “hottest restaurants” since its opening in April. Not only is it the only restaurant that takes “a month to make a reservation” (for weekends), every single dish they put out is “amazing” and the wine list is “very extensive” and at “great value”. Staffs are all “very knowledgeable” and service is “flawless”.
Yumms!
Kar | Jun 16 2009
Had dinner at The Drawing Room last week with a couple of friends. The foie gra and the wagyu trio are definitely highlights of the night. A must try new restaurant for sure. Still waiting to try out their red prawn linguine Hmmmm..
A Must Try!!
Ken | Jun 12 2009
Since it opened, The Drawing Room has been the hottest restaurant in town and deservedly so! It's a class of its own. I've been there a couple times and can't be more satisfied with the outstanding food and service. The warm, rustic but elegant decor also deserves special mention. I've already booked my birthday dinner party there even though its in 2 months time.
Dishes I enjoyed the most:
-Hoikkaido scallop w/ foie gras
-Angel hair with sea urchin
-Linguine with Mazara red prawns (Agree with post below - definately beats Da Domenico on this one)
Apparently they are serving special dishes with black winter truffles from Australia, which I am already planning to try.
Overall - This restaurant realy revitalized the eating scene in HK. Everyone's excited to try. So don't miss it!
a gem indeed.
Jedi | Jun 12 2009
one of the finest italian restaurants in hong kong. the food is superb (the squid ink pasta i had was cooked to perfection) and reasonably priced. service is impeccable; and the wine list is diverse and comprehensive.
the only criticism i have is the serving time is a bit long and the kitchen should time their courses better.
impressive
Jeremy | Jun 12 2009
All I could say is “wow”. Great price, great decor. Service was excellent; the staffs were attentive and more than polite to our party of friends. Most importantly, they serve heavenly food. They have a 4-course tasting menu and 6-course menu to choose from, I only tried the former that’s why I’m heading back next weekend. I started with an appetizing tuna tar tar, followed by a rich, sapid red prawn linguine (probably the best pasta I’ve had in HK thus far). But the main course was definitely the highlight; a succulent, savory bresse pigeon which was super tender and exquisitely flavored. The Drawing Room is a must try, guarantee to top the highest standing Italian restaurants in town.
Finally... Great Italian Restaurant in HK
JJ | Jun 10 2009
Forget about Da Domenico. That place is grotesquely overpriced. The Drawing Room is lightyears better. Fantastic food and impressive wine list (both selection and value). Finally, a great Italian restaurant in HK.
very good food
Peech | Jun 10 2009
The restaurant was very full as I expected, with quite a few large parties. This has the effect of slowing down the service, as the kitchen seemed to have some difficulty handling multiple large parties. The private room that we were in had windows to allow us to peek in and see what's going on in the kitchen. Kind of reminds me of Pierre Gagnaire in Paris.
The amuse bouche was a shot of rock melon soup with a slice of jamon iberico. Good palate cleanser.
Wagyu beef tartare with truffle mayonnaise - the fragrance of the Australian black truffle hits as soon as the plate is served, which was pretty amazing. Did it overpower the beef tartare? A little bit I didn't mind. The truffle mayo had a bit of honey mustard for just the slightest bit of kick.
Roasted langoustine with veal cheek and smoked herring - the langoustine was succulent and tasty, even a bit sweet and creamy inside. The veal cheek was excellent - moist with a slightly chewy texture. As for the smoked herring...why do I not remember anything about this?
Mascarpone ravioli with duck ragut and red wine reduction - an excellent dish. The creamy mascarpone was really nice, working really well with the bit of duck ragout and the nicely pan-fried chanterelles.
Trio of wagyu short rib, wagu beef tenderloin and ox tongue with whipped potato and red wine sauce - the short rib was really nice, as the fat had melted and slightly caramelized and charred, bringing out all the flavor. The ox tongue was not bad, either, as I am a big fan of this. In comparison the tenderloin seemed a bit boring, which is a shame because it was actually pretty juicy and tender.
The chocolate combination consisted of a shot of melted chocolate, a warm chocolate cake and a scoop of very chocolatey ice cream. Nice but a bit of overkill at the end of the meal...
original blogpot: http://chi-he-wan-le.blogspot.com/2009/06/75-horizontal.html
Fantastic New Restaurant
dustbin00 | Jun 3 2009
The Drawing Room joins the ranks of Da Domenico and Sabatini as one of the few HK restaurants that can deliver genuine Italian food. Not only can they execute in terms of culinary technique, the creativity in their dishes is a rarity among HK restaurants.
Went for dinner with my family yesterday, and on top of the wagyu trio, shrimp pasta and quail mentioned below, their Sea Urchin Angel Hair and Roasted Langoustine also deserve mention. The pasta was cooked to perfection: al dente and the Uni was unbelievably fresh and flavorful. According to our waiter, their Uni is flown in daily from Japan. It was "melt in your mouth" good.
As for their service, I find it hard to believe 888foodie's review below. Maybe the poster went during opening week when the restaurant was still working out its kinks? The service we received was attentive, knowledgeable and on par with the best in HK. Can't really see something like "dishes coming out of order" happening at The Drawing Room.
Without a doubt, a MUST try.
Great Food Great Restaurant
Indian in the Summer | Jun 3 2009
This new restaurant came as a surprise to me with its top-quality food and comfortable decor. The food is probably one of the best in town. The service is great and it features some interesting art. My favorite dish is definitely the pasta which is just one of the best I have had. Price is reasonable considering the food that are being served. Highly recommended!
Hidden Gem
alpha | Jun 2 2009
Just had dinner at The Drawing Room tonight. The quail & foie gras was a highlight, and the wagyu trio was skillfully prepared. I'm already looking forward to going back and trying more dishes! (their menu changes frequently) Two thumbs up, great new restaurant.
my new fav restaurant
J | May 22 2009
been hearing all the buzz about this new place since its opening last month and tried 4 dates before i was able to get my name on the reservation book (ended up booking almost 3 weeks in advanced)..
so my gf and i ended up going there on a monday... place was packed, kinda surprising since most restaurants are kinda slow on mondays (even new ones.. but i guess its a diff case here since its now one of the most talked about restaurants in town). so.. onto the decor.. its very diff from opia (the old restaurant).. i found the decor very warm, rustic, with a touch of chicness, just the right combination for a long and comfortable meal..
back to the food.. we ended up going with the 6-course tasting menu.. which consisted of..
amous bouche - beef tartar
quail and foie gras with cherries
artichoke and crab soup
linguine with mazzara red prawns
snapper with seasonal vegetables
wagyu trio (ox tongue, tenderloin and short rib)
chocolate tart with hazelnut ice cream
i loved all the dishes we had that evening, but in particular the quail and foie, linguine and wagyu trio... the quail was extremely tender, but the foie is prolly the best foie gras i have had in hk, the two perfectly complimented each other.. the linguine was cooked perfectly al dente, and the red prawn / (sauce) was literally orgasmic! finally onto the wagyu trio, the braised ox tongue and short rib literally melt in your mouth, the tenderloin was also cooked to perfection..
overall service was great, staff were knowledgeable and very friendly.. and the restaurant also carries a very extensive wine list at great value unlike other upscale restaurants. we asked the sommelier to recommend us a bottle of red and to our surprise he didn't upsell his most expensive wines, and ended up picking a bottle at around $600 which complimented the quail and foie, linguine and the wagyu trio exremely well. this is definitely a star upcoming, and we are already returning to the restaurant next wk!
Excellent new place
Tommy Jr. Zau | May 19 2009
Their 3 way Wagu beef main dish is excellent especially the tongue. Crispy on the outside but still very tender and soft inside. The Italian shrimp pasta was also excellent w the shrimp flavour permeating all over the pasta.
Not Great
888foodie | May 16 2009
Nothing to write home about, average dishes, food OK but nothing exciting...and the service needs help and our courses did not come out in order because the kitchen forgot a course and tried to sneak it in later. Won't be going back.
best italian restaurant in town!
jmui | May 10 2009
hands down the best italian restaurant in town! they serve 2 tasting menus every night (4 courses and 6 courses) and so far ive already been there 4 times since their opening last month and i couldnt find a single dish that disappoints (ps their menu changes like every other day!)!