Coconut and Spices

It was one of those days where I succumbed to my cravings for something spicy, in particular the Tom Yum Goong soup. Undergoing a brief Google search of the Thai restaurants in Hong Kong, I settled for Mango Tree. Located conveniently at Elements (above the Kowloon MTR station), it offers a spectacular view of Hong Kong Island.  Feeling rather unadventurous I decided to order some traditional dishes. In my opinion, this is the easiest way to evaluate the authenticity of a restaurant.  Starting off with the green papaya salad, I was satisfied at first on how well the dressing had saturated the vegetables. However, as I was mid-way through the salad, my taste buds could not detect anything but fish sauce, undermining the refreshing lightness of the green papaya.

The essence of Thai cuisine was truly shown in the green curry chicken. It was of perfect consistency, not too thick and not too runny, leaving you with a strong aftertaste of coconut milk. I was pleasantly surprised at the tenderness of the chicken. Most restaurants only pay attention to the main star of the dish (the curry) and neglect the important supporting actors (the meat) that essentially make it a hit or miss.

 

The Tom Yung Goong soup did not disappoint either. The spiciness was complemented by the rich aroma of the king prawns. Though I must note that it is a touch more fiery than the regular Tom Yung Goongs on the spicy scale.

 

 

The fried fish cake was a huge let down. Its outside was greasy with a spongy texture and the inside was too chewy, a common mistake in restaurants that pre-fry their food. As you can see in the photos, the fish cake is bloated with air bubbles as a consequence of re-frying.

 

No review is complete without trying the desserts. The first thing that caught my attention was the coconut ice cream. Made using fresh coconuts, I have to say it was one of the highlights of the lunch. Its subtle saltiness brought out the sweetness of the coconut perfectly, leaving a beautiful sensation between savouriness and sweetness.

Overall the food was decent but in my opinion not a must try. The interior design of the restaurant however is very interesting. The exotic atmosphere of Thailand is combined with modernistic touches like the orbs of light that hang from the branches of the 'wooden tree'. A perfect example of the East meeting the West. Unfortunately it was a typical hazy day in Hong Kong, so the notorious skyscrapers of Hong Kong was not visible from its large window pane.