COCONUTS CRITIC’S TABLE – Fish School, the latest fresh catch in Sai Ying Pun, was recently opened by Yenn Wong and Chef David Lai. The partnership is interesting because Wong is the power entrepreneur behind high-buzz establishments like 22 Ships, Duddell’s and Aberdeen Street Social; while Lai, despite being a very popular chef, prefers a low-key presence with his former spots On Lot 10 and Bistronomique, and current base, Neighborhood.
It’s not obvious their sensibilities would align, but it’s an intriguing pairing. She’s somewhat corporate-minded, he’s a bit of a hermit; she runs a brilliant A-list marketing machine, and he likes to hand-pick the catches at Mong Kok fish stalls.
Interior
The resulting Fish School, off a tiny lane on Third Street, is a promising work in progress. Lai is actually not cooking on site since he still runs his bistro Neighborhood. Former NUR staffer Chris Ma is the chef executing the menu in a stylish Japanese-minimalist 50-seat room.
With a promise to source sustainably and locally, Fish School constantly changes the fish and crustaceans available for mains, but there’s a fairly set list of starters. Since I was dining with a large group, I had the opportunity to try a lot from the menu.
Marinated Raw Crab with Sea Urchin Rice
Already a signature at Fish School is the Marinated Raw Crab with Sea Urchin Rice (HKD185). The crab is presented in the shell, marinated with a pungent fish sauce with a nice dose of fresh coriander. Before eating, the crab is mixed with precious pearls of Japanese rice. The result delivers an appetising smack of Southeast Asian with an ever-so-delicate kick of Korean.
This was followed by a bisque-style Fish Soup with Local Pike Eel Quenelle (HKD95). The soup was quite intense with crustacean flavours, which sadly made the eel quenelle dumplings completely bland.
Fish Soup with Local Pike Eel Quenelle
The Monkfish Liver Foie Gras Pressé with Aged Tangerine Peel and Roselle (HKD165, see header photo) divided opinions. People who enjoy foie found it divine, with the sweetness of the tangerine and roselle very complimentary. I, however, expected the dish to be much more challenging and, frankly, for it to be a much fishier pâté comparable to the raw fish liver sometimes served at sushi restaurants.
A more universal crowd pleaser was the Mantis Shrimp Popcorn with Cured Duck Yolk (HKD175), featuring big, crunchy balls of prawn, tapping into everyone’s love of fried things with soft warm centres.
Mantis Shrimp Popcorn with Cured Duck Yolk
To appease those with aversions to some types of shellfish, side dishes included the Heirloom Vegetables and Herb Garden “Gargouillou” (HKD145), a great looking plate of seasonal greens and root vegetables. Part of the fun was figuring out what the colourful starchy mounds underneath were. We tasted taro, potato, yam and even bamboo.
Heirloom Vegetables and Herb Garden “Gargouillou”
So far, the dishes were interesting and clever with a versatile and creative use of ingredients, but there had been no “wow” moments to speak of. That came with the Sea Cucumber, Oxtail and Porcini Mijote (HKD225).
Sea Cucumber, Oxtail and Porcini Mijote
Braised in red wine until soft, the succulent sea cucumber – rarely well-integrated into Western cuisine – achieved a comforting beefy flavour profile, like a soft tendon in brisket stews. The other dishes were interesting, but this one had me wanting to devour the whole plate.
The sea cucumber even outshone the Australian Wagyu Bavette (HKD330). Wagyu is always nice – seared for a bit of texture with the inside still tender and red – but it’s something you can find in a lot of places these days, and I feel it’s only on Fish School’s menu in case some red meat addict accidentally wanders in.
Australian Wagyu Bavette
A local farm-raised Garoupa (seasonal price) – oven roasted with lots of oil, butter, basil, thyme, fennel, accompanied with potatoes stuffed with Chinese sausage – served as the showstopper. However, there were a lot of flavours happening all at once, and as a showcase for fish, Hongkongers tend to like simple Cantonese style steaming. This method probably would’ve sufficed here, too.
Local Farm-Raised Garoupa
This sense of ostentation seemed evident in many of Fish School’s dishes. They work very hard, yet seafood with the lightest touch and the simplest preparation is often the best.
Desserts included a Roselle Pumpkin Ice Cream with Persimmon and Melon (HKD75), as well as a delightful Burnt Coconut Ice Cream with Mango and Coffee (HKD75), which had great depth, resembling a tropical butterscotch.
Burnt Coconut Ice Cream with Mango and Coffee
There’s a lot to like about Fish School. Chef Lai brings a lot of heart and classical technique to locally sourced produce. The issue is that sometimes the attempts to elevate ends up masking or diluting the dishes’ own star.
It’s a difficult challenge to keep seafood simple, but a step up from an outdoor Lamma Island restaurant. Negotiating that premium niche between refined gastronomy and serving ingredients in their natural essence will be this school’s major dissertation.
Fish School, 100 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, (+852) 2361-2966.
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