Hong Kong restaurant group Maximal Concepts is back at it with its new Thai-inspired concept, Sip Song. While the food is good, the location may be a little off-putting for most Hongkongers.
Easy, Breezy, Beachy
Sip Song occupies a ground-floor spot at The Pulse in Repulse Bay, giving it a rare position in Hong Kong – a beachfront location. But even though it’s just a 20-minute cab ride from Central, it’s easy to imagine that most people wouldn’t think to come here for a meal unless they were already going to be in the area.
However, if you do make it out, you’ll find a fun, casual eatery where staff are attentive and friendly; nothing is taken too seriously here, so it’s a great place to just kick back and relax.
The facade features floor-to-ceiling glass doors that are (usually) kept open with simple table-and-chairs setups that bleed into the bar area and make the perfect spot for sundowners; inside, the surprisingly large space has been cleverly broken up with walls and furniture to create smaller spaces, and tropical vibes are created by woven rattan, floral motifs, and bright splashes of orange, yellow and green.
Not Your Average Thai
The menu at Sip Song – which means 12 in Thai – is certainly rooted in the traditions and flavours of Thai cuisine, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a little fun with it. By his own admission, head chef Nuch Srichantranon isn’t particularly concerned with authenticity.
Which is not to say you won’t find tried and true classics here – the menu does have green curry and
We start with the “Don’t Tell Mum” roti, a dish where a crispy roti pancake is topped with a thick layer of chilli jam and pieces of barbecued pork neck. The flavours are great, but the jam is actually more sweet than spicy and there’s rather too much of it; we scrape half of it off to get the balance right.
Twisted Classics
For a heavier dish, we opt for the Kao Phad Tom Yum on the advice of our server, who says this is more unique than the
Unexpectedly, the standout dish of the night was dessert. I was sceptical of our choice of I-Tim Munmuang – scoops of coconut and
Beachfront Buzz
Maximal Concepts’ restaurants usually pay as much attention to their drinks as their food, and Sip Song is no different. The drinks list stays very on-brand with several cocktails spiked with appropriately Thai ingredients, like Tom Yum (kaffir gin, lemongrass, coconut, lime and bird’s eye chilli), boozy shaved ice tipples, plum, lavender, and coconut sodas. There is also Thai-style coffee and tea. There are wines too, if you’re of that persuasion – we stuck to Prosecco, which is the same served in all Maximal Concepts outlets.
Good to Know
Reservations are only available for groups of six or more – if you make one, ask for the semi-private dining room tucked into one corner of the restaurant.
Verdict
Maximal Concepts can be relied on to put together good restaurants with solid menus and drinks, and to that extent, Sip Song is par for the course. It’s also nice that the restaurant doesn’t try too hard to be authentic – all the flavours you’d expect of Thai cuisine can be found in these dishes, but because you know they’re not going for a classical Thai experience, you won’t be surprised when the food isn’t quite what you’d expect on the streets of Bangkok.
Location is the main drawback here as Repulse Bay probably wouldn’t be your first choice for a casual weekday dinner; but then again, this is Maximal Concepts so they’ll probably do just fine.
Check out Alpha Men’s Wining & Dining page for dining inspiration in Asia.