Jimmy's Kitchen, the quintessential Hong Kong restaurant, has been in the city since 1928. The longevity of this restaurant is amazing; it has been churning out international dishes for 86 years! The Kowloon branch has been around since '69, not quite as long as the Central branch but when you look at the average lifespan of a restaurant in Hong Kong, that's basically immortal.
It has one of the best interiors of any restaurant in the city - rough stone walls which contrasts with the orange-painted ceiling and the carpeted floor, which feels like a restaurant in New York City's Upper West Side. Seriously, if you've never been, you've never seen. The dining room seats 130 diners and has a colonial atmosphere.
Jimmy's broiler is their claim to fame - it broils at 650 Celsius, rendering the in-house steaks full of flavor and tenderness. As I was perusing the menu, I found a lot of food that could be eaten elsewhere until I stumbled to the "Jimmy's Classics" section. We went for the double-broiled USDA Prime boneless BBQ beef short ribs, ordered in medium rare with creamy slaw/spinach as a side. The steak was sweet and juicy, with a hickory-smoked aroma and taste. I wanted to try the soups but felt that it was a bit overpriced (starts at $70).
Another stand-out dish was their version of the British classic bangers and mash, said to be served since their early days. The onion gravy was definitely bangin'. As for a chicken dish, we went for the chicken Kiev, which was very similar to cordon bleu, a breaded boneless chicken cutlet with garlic butter. So far, so good, it was pleasing to know we didn't order any dishes that we regret. The food is generally Western with obvious East-meets-West influences. I suggest sticking to items that are broiled or selection from the restaurant specials. On my next visit, I can't wait to try the beef Stroganoff and the steak Diane.
Visiting Jimmy's is like taking a huge step back through time. I came for the atmosphere but I also stayed for the great food. read more