Landau's is a sophisticated addition to Queen's Road East. Carolynne Dear dropped in for dinner with friends
Enjoy a cocktail and modern European menu at Landau's on Queens Road East
After a lengthy break in the UK dining casually in pubs in sub-zero temperatures it was lovely to shrug off the sweaters and smarten up for an evening at Landau’s Dining Room, one of the latest restaurants to open in town.
This sophisticated dining spot launched earlier this month on Wan Chai’s Queen’s Road East and its spacious interior, dominated by a stunning stained glass ceiling-mounted cupola over neatly naped and draped tables, sets the scene for a smart evening.
We were meeting friends we hadn’t caught up with for many months and the conversation flowed as drinks were attentively kept topped up and menu queries answered by our well-informed waiter. Discreet background music means you’re not shouting to be heard and it was lovely to have wait staff hovering discreetly nearby rather than having to wave madly for another round of drinks.
Landau’s is named after Hong Kong’s famous Landau family who originally opened Jimmy’s Kitchen nearly a century ago. Leo Landau, son of the founder of Jimmy’s, opened ‘Atmosphere’ restaurant in 1976 which ran until 1990 and it is he who is the inspiration for Landau’s today.
The menu is billed as a blend of modern European cuisine. To kick-off we enjoyed the pate campagne which came with a winter fruit compote and sliver of toasted baguette, a deliciously refreshing and pretty-as-a-picture tomato and labne salad and a plate of succulent scallops with roasted corn and brown butter.
Our mains options included melt-in-the-mouth slow-cooked veal blanquette with root vegetables and white wine cream, prosciutto wrapped monkfish with a port wine jus and truffle foam and Landau’s ‘Charcroute Garnie’, which comprised perfectly portioned pork belly, duck leg and white sausage with a tangy sauerkraut that perfectly bit through the richness of the meat.
For pud we ordered the entire menu as sharing dishes. The three options included a pistachio creme brulee which for me was a little heavy, an incredibly rich chocolate fondant with dulce caramel ice cream, and, my favourite, a white nut and fruit tart with chestnut and chantilly cream.
Landau’s Dining Room manages to achieve that delicate balance of being smart but not stuffy and with efficient but not overbearing service. It’s a high-end addition to an area of town that’s been somewhat in the spotlight recently with the opening of the Hopewell Mall and Hopewell Hotel, both of which are adjacent to the restaurant.
If you’re looking for something quick and easy, Landau’s Bar & Grill fills the space next door to Landau’s Dining Room with a casual menu of burgers, chops, steaks and ribs and happy hour bites.
And from this week, Landau’s Dining Room will be serving a set lunch menu.
Landau’s Dining Room, 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6 to 11pm, Tuesday to Sunday; Landau’s Bar & Grill 11.30am to 11.30pm with happy hour from 4 to 7pm; 2/F Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai; 2808 0882.
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