dinner at queen's english

British-occupied Hong Kong was a textbook example of imperialist ideology becoming translated into real-world governmental policy. The story of Britain's involvement in the region provides, actually, a ton of insight into the “talents” of the British when it comes to exploitation. The Opium trade which economically devestated China was akin to a nationalized version of the exploitative relationship between a drug company (I'm not naming names, but a company that rhymes with “Burdue Barma” comes to mind) and a consumer who’s been hooked on an addictive substance. Britain exploited the Chinese during the late Qing for the simple reason that it was economically viable, and that, my friends, was just about the only reason the British Empire ever needed to do anything.

Queen's English is a restaurant that serves dishes inspired by the period of the British occupation of Hong Kong. The restaurant is the opposite of colonialism— which is to say, delicious.

The restaurant menu varies between light appetizers and larger, multi-person main courses. We shared all of our dishes. I was truly impressed by my meal at Queen’s English.

Numbing Steak and Egg

This dish consisted of a black and blue Shenendoah hangar steak with sauce gribiche. The steak was chilled, which I wasn't expecting. Once I got over that hump, though, I really appreciated this dish. The sauce tasted excellent. The steak seasoning was minimal, and I thought it might have been better if it had a little more umph involved; however, the texture was phenomenal. This was a fantastic starter dish.

8.9/10

Truffle Dumpling

I'm not used to dumplings being creamy, but I am so glad I had this dish to introduce me. The dumplings were filled with truffle, edemame, and challot. I was impressed by the fact that they managed to maintain the classic “Chinese dumpling” crunch while also foraying into a somewhat European territory. I still prefer good ole fried pork dumplings, but this dish was a treat. I was truly blown away by the flavor.

9/10

Daikon Fritters

This was a very intriguing course. The fritters were very hefty, and had a combination between a spongy upper layer and a crunchy base. I really enjoyed the fresh seafood flavors of the upper layer, but the most important piece of the dish was the drizzled sauce— the sauce was the unifying factor between the seaweed, fritter base, and spongy middle, and did not disappoint.

8.3/10

Drunken Duck Noodle

The duck itself in this dish was not superb. It was solid, but felt under-seasoned; the natural duck taste did emerge slightly, but I think I would just call the meat “a good effort.” The noodles, on the other hand, were excellent. They were somewhat spicy, but generally felt very well-balanced.

7.8/10

Crispy Whole Snapper

This dish was the highlight of the night. The snapper pulled apart like butter— the sauces were incredibly well-absorbed, and every soft bite tasted sweet and full of flavor. The proportion of meat to bone was also excellent—3/4 pound was certainly enough for us. The crab butter was a great touch, as the dish maintained its seafood roots while also experimenting with surprising new flavors.

9.6/10