Nestled on top of the two-storey Armory Building inside the walls of Tai Kwun, Thai restaurant Aaharn has arguably one of the finest locations inside the cultural district.
Opened by Australian Chef David Thompson, formerly of London’s Michelin-star restaurant Nahm, Thompson has led the crusade in bringing Hong Kong its very first Thai fine-dining establishment. As the story goes, the Aussie culinary artist fell in love with Thai cuisine on a visit to the country and has never looked back, opening branches of his restaurant Long Chim in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth and publishing two Thai cookbooks.
However, no longer enough for Thompson he has brought his talents here to Hong Kong much to the delight of Honkies. Upstairs inside Aaharn’s dining area, it’s not hard to feel at immediate ease with the walls carefully decorated with colourful artwork and dimly lit lights.
Mindful to our dietary restrictions, Aaharn’s staff was able to combine dishes from both the regular and vegetarian menu, giving us the best of both world’s.
Eager to begin we started with the Ginger, peanuts, toasted coconut and lime on betel leaves. A dish that proved to be refreshing as the mixture of flavours blended to create a memorable start.
Grilled silken eggplant salad with mint and long leaf coriander continued the trend of the night of providing us with refreshing plates that fused spicy with sweet.
Next to come was the heavier dish of Mussaman curry of duck with sweet potato and shallots which proved to be a heavenly serving for meat lovers, and a curry that would be appropriate for even the most novice of spice-goers.
The final dish to appear was the Lychee in perfumed syrup and shaved ice, a perfect dessert for any Hong Konger looking to chill-out during the hot summer months, and a real treat for anyone with an unashamed sweet tooth.
Indeed, long overdue in a city with such a rich palette as Hong Kong, Aaharn certainly delights as it masterfully fuses rich ingredients with each dish leaving you with a craving for just one more bite.
Aaharn 1/F Armoury Building, 02 Tai Kwun Centre, 10 Hollywood Rd, Central