Porterhouse by LARIS is a newly opened contemporary steakhouse offering lunch, weekend brunch, dinner or drinks at the heart of Lan Kwai Fong. As a meat lover, we have targeted to try their signature Porterhouse steak. The restaurant has taken the whole 7/F of the new Central hub, California Tower. Once you step inside the restaurant, you will be greeted very well and you are guaranteed to be treated nicely with their delicious food, chilled drinks, nice environment and heartwarming service. The Environment The interior design of the steakhouse is a mix of modern chic and classy. We particularly liked the lightings, bar area, seafood counter and the the bespoke Meat Locker. The lightings are sometimes in irregular pyramid shapes, 3D cubes shapes, and sometimes in long black tubes, while all the furniture is tailored made and well fit to show the most out of the space. The reflective material used in the restaurant provides a brighter environment for diners to enjoy the sunlight before dawn. The warm colours from the tables and chairs give us a more welcoming vibe. The steakhouse can accommodate up to 76 diners in the main dining area, with another 26 seats in the semi-private dining room. Just for drinks? Porterhouse has both indoor and outdoor bar tables next to the reception area, providing you more room and privacy to have a chit chat before dinner. The Meat Locker was one of the most attractive spots to us. It displays up to eight prime cuts of meat for you to choose. One of the cuts is called Kansas City Striploin, which we have never heard or seen before. Can you believe how much we have learned about beef in one meal? The restaurant also offers a wide range of salt for your meat. (Actually a wide range of sauce/toppings as well). Why not try out all of them and find out which one is your favourite? Life is too short not to explore more about the food we eat. The Chef David Laris, chef-restaurateur-entrepreneur, has five restaurants in Shanghai, said "Porterhouse by Laris is inspired by the Golden Age of the Steakhouse, with added refreshing, contemporary elements. There’s something beautiful and simple about protein perfectly cooked in a charcoal grilled oven and served with a wonderful side. It’s all about authenticity and great natural flavours." While Mr. Laris is not in the house, Todd Williams, executive chef, will be handling the kitchen. Mr. Williams is a patient gentleman, he spent a lot time with us introducing us how different dishes were created and the concept behind it. He even told us an interesting story when he was cooking for a private event. Remember to have a chat with this nice guy if you are lucky enough to see him. The Starter Trio of Oysters The three different oysters are chef selected and whimsically flavoured. The type of oyster they use differs every time as it depends on the season. The one in season right now is Coffin Bay from New Zealand. Left: Spicy Ponzu Flavoured with Lecithin Lecithin is a substance you can find in egg yolk or soy beans, this is also our favourite among three of them as the saltiness from the Ponzu sauce interestingly goes well with another originally salted oyster. Middle: Compressed Watermelon Marinated with Vinegar and Black Pepper Watermelon is mostly air and water, by sucking the air out, the watermelon is actually compressed in size by 20%, which makes it crispier and more flavourful after absorbing all the sauces. Right: Seaweed Dashi Agar Agar A seaweed broth that is cooked for 30-40mins, then made into agar agar jelly form. The Salad Heart of Romaine It is a breakdown version of any other normal romaine salad, making it more acceptable for those who don't like blue cheese that much. Instead of using blue cheese dressing, they use blue cheese crumbles with creamy herb ranch dressing. It also has rye bread croutons, soft-boiled quail eggs, cheery tomatoes and crispy thin bacon on top. The Steak Heritage Linz USDA Prime Beef on the Bone - Porterhouse (~26 oz) All aged meats come naked from the grill or Josper oven. Toppings, sources and sides are up to all up to you! We have skipped the toppings and have chosen truffle butter as the sauce which really brings out a stronger flavour of the meat. Porterhouse is only called porterhouse when the length from the edge of the meat to the centre bone is longer than 1.25 inch. The closer side of the steak is actually a fillet, while the further side is actually sirloin. The fat ratio of the fillet side is definitely higher, which means it is more tender, more flavourful and more juicy! Do let the butter melt a little bit before you dig in. Try out the differences between two sides of meat, you won't believe they can be so distinctive! What an enjoyment to have two kinds of meat in one single dish! p.s. Secret from the chef: The steak at Porterhouse is always heavier than what you have ordered because the restaurant would like to guarantee they are serving the enough size of your order rather than ripping you off with less meat. The Sides Mac and Cheese Baked with Japanese Panko bread crumb on top and creamy cheesy sauce, one of the best mac and cheese we have ever had in Hong Kong. Can we please have it again on the 17 July, the National Mac and Cheese day please? Maple-Glazed Cardamon Carrots Not only it was sweet and full of fragrance from the cardamon seed, we also felt so much healthier with better eyesight after having some good old Vitamin-A! Whole Slow-Roasted Sweet Onion with Olive Oil Powder Olive oil powder is something we have never tried before. The powder is actually non fat soluble therefore it can never be combined with olive oil even though it is olive oil powder itself! However, the taste is actually quite subtle and it only gives you a hint of fresh oil flavour on your tongue. The Dessert Pavlova Mess The name is self-explanatory that it is a crossover version of Pavlova and the British Eton Mess. Eton Mess is a traditional English dessert which is basically soft meringue and cream, while Pavlova is sort of like the hard version of it. The Eton Mess side is slightly sweeter than the broken pavlova pieces, which I think they have reduced the sugar in it. The combination is very smart and exciting for diners. The crunchy and soft-like-air texture keeps us digging in more and more. The passion fruit, mango, and mint leaves won't be too overpowering, instead, it actually enhances the whole dessert with a more refreshing taste. Without a doubt, it is a must try restaurant in Central. It is not the easiest thing to find a good piece of porterhouse in Hong Kong, it is also not easy to find a good steakhouse in Hong Kong too! Do not miss the chance to try it when it is just around the corner! The price of Porterhouse by LARIS is very affordable, with some sides are only priced at $68 + 10% each! Finding another good eat in the heart of LKF is a mission for us. We would definitely drop by again for a drink, or three, or why not another piece of fine steak? Taste: 9/10 Price: 10/10 Environment: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Porterhouse by LARIS (Central) Enquiry: +852 2522 6366 7/F California Tower, 30-36 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong
