Aaharn is David Thompson’s latest restaurant adventure after he left his well-known Thai restaurant in Bangkok. Its located at the Tai Kwun - Centre for Heritage and Arts in Central, Hong Kong, formerly known as the Victoria Prison. It opened late last year. Thompson now traveled here from his Bangkok home a few times a year.
Amuse-bouche: Minced pork chicken and shrimp, caramelized palm sugar on pineapple. At once spicy, sweet, nuanced and funky.
Banana blossom salad with prawns, shallot, chili jam. Perfectly balanced with the right amount of heat. A bit of sweetness with some bold heat from the chili jam. Savoriness and slight smokiness from the sautéed shallot.
Mellowness from ballnana nlossom
Mussamum curry with green jackfruit, grilled shallots and peanuts. The curry was nuanced, balanced with good heat. Jackfruit imparted a mellow fruity flavor. The whole onion though, wasn’t doing much for me. Got some head of banana blossom in the mix. Came with jasmine rice.
Coconut dumpling with palm sugar and grated coconut. Mochi type dumpling with palm sugar in the middle with shaved coconut. Nuanced palm sugar. Very filling. Nice for coconut lovers.
Got a mocktail with some passion fruit taste. Nice.
Overall, a very good 3-course Thai lunch that is very reasonably priced ($228 for 3 courses + complementary amuse-bouche. Drinks extra.) in a nice space. Flavors were at once bold, and restrained. Spicing were just right. The lunch course choices are eseentially a subset of what’s available at dinner and the ala carte menu. A nice opportunity to sample the menu at a lower price point compared to dinner.
Happy to go back and try out more dishes.
Lunch menu:
Dinner menu:
Ala carte menu:
Wine list:
The interior:
The restaurant is upstairs in the Armoury Building.
Tai Kwun. Part of the group of buildings formerly known as the Victoria Prison. Renovated and reopened as a preserved historical complex with some galleries and exhibition spaces. Excellent and relaxing space to spend an afternoon in.