Inspired by the ancient kingdoms of the Indian Sub-continent, Prince and the Peacock has opened at The Magistracy in central Hong Kong.
It doesn’t get much more exotic than the all-powerful empires, dynasties, and kingdoms of modern day India. A vital weigh station on the Silk Road as well as a strategic gateway between east and west, the region was conquered and fought over by alliances, coalitions and war lords for hundreds of years before the British arrived to raise their flag across the land. And its these ancient times, filled with fearless deeds, leaders great and terrible, and riot and ruin, that has whispered musings into the ears of Black Sheep founder Syed Asim Hussain and chef Palash Mitra.
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Drawing on the culinary legacy of the region and its complex cultural tapestry, Prince and the Peacock, nestled away in Tai Kwun, continues the success of the hospitality group’s other Indian restaurants, which include Rajasthan Rifles and New Punjab Club and taps into the Subcontinent’s infusion of cultural cues, from Persian and Turkish to Mughlai, to create an elevated and insightful take on your one of the world’s most popular cuisines.
Make no mistake, this is unlikely to be the spot to make for after a prolonged happy hour in search of a kebab and a precocious vindaloo. Instead, expect dishes that each tell a story of tradition, culture and the land, the fragrant Awadh biryanis to the spice-laden curries of Rajasthan and the saffron-infused delights of Kashmir, offering beautiful, elevated expressions of Indian dishes.
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You’ll be able to start your meal with a tipple amidst the greenery of the Botanical Garden, home to an extensive gin and tonic menu, before ascending to the 60-seat dining room, the creation of designer Joyce Wang, an elegant and intimate space dressed in teak wood, subtle jewel tones with Indian fabrics and staff adorned in custom shalwar kameez uniforms.
If the ice in your libations has melted, the curved, tiled bar, with its timber panels emulating the ornamental eyespots on the trains of male peacocks, is ready to provide renewed refreshments, best served on the marble floored terrace (we suggest the marriage of calvados and masala, or the Mango, a blend of Goa Dry Gin and mango infused with saffron and anchor), and for more intimate affairs, the ten-guest private dining room features regal Indian furniture with just the right amount of bone inlay so as not to be flashy.
Wherever you decide to partake, you’ll be spoiled with the promise of royal dining experience that ranges from Pushtun-styled chapli kebabs with lamb mince and mint chutney; Murgh Makhanwala, braised chicken in a rich tomato gravy; Machli Angeethi, a whole white pomfret lovingly crusted with shallots, green chillies and curry leaves and chargrilled in lotus leaves; and Gosht Rogan Josh, a Kashmiri dish of lamb shank slow cooked in a symphony of spices, a homage to a time when spices were the equivalent of blue chip crypto tokens.
If you have a sweet tooth, and whom among us doesn’t, you might opt for the Rose Kulfi, a frozen delicacy of reduced milk infused with saffron, pistachio and rose petals that has been delighting royalty (ice was a little hard to come by back then) for more than 500 years.
It’s good to be the king.
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