Tonight I returned to Coda Plaza for only the second time in my three years in Hong Kong. It's a rather upscale set of restaurants. That means dishes at Pure Veggie House were a tad bit more pricey than they could be elsewhere. But for three people to enjoy two portions of dim sum, two mains, and two desserts plus tea for $445 total was a better deal than I had expected, having read earlier yelp reviews of this establishment.
We ordered:
-mushroom spring roll: four spring rolls fried as crisp as a cold winter morning, flaky as a bowl of cornflakes. Excellent stuffing of minced mushrooms. Served with a translucent, sweet, and mildly tangy sauce. Definitely try.
-sichuan wantons: eight feather-light wantons with a small dollop of unidentified stuffing served in a decidedly un-spicy sauce. More like a light mix of sweet soya and a bit of chili oil. Good.
-ma po tofu ($88): silky tofu swimming in bright red chili oil, heralding its ma la tongue dance. I'm highly inured so it was just barely spicy to me, but it had one of my dining companions sweating. Order a bowl of white rice to go with ($14). Try, if you like spice.
-seasonal fried flat noodle with house special sauce ($98): these noodles were well-imbued with wok hei, the smoky flavor or "breath" of the wok, and studded with delightful black beans, fried beansprouts and celery, and another green veggie. It was the dish that seemed the most overpriced, but what it lacked in value it made up for in taste. Good, but perhaps try other things.
-goji berry and osmanthus pudding ($34): this see-through concoction came studded with bright red, biteably soft goji, diced lychee, and a carpet of osmanthus flowers embedded in its top layer. It was on the small side, yet satisfying and deliciously light with a very firm, springy jelly. If you already know you like this dessert, try it here.
-red date pudding ($38): diamond-shaped pieces of mochi-chewy layers of red and white pudding served in a steamer basket. Not too sweet and not too heavy - just the way I like my Chinese desserts. Try.
-rose and lychee tea: subtly perfumed and not too pungent. An understated beauty of a tea that matched each course quite well.
Three more things that recommend this restaurant to diners and help to make up for its higher price point are the smooth service, ease of English language, and wide selection of teas. We enjoyed these, as well as admiring the ambience of a set of low dining tables on a raised platform against the wall near the door. We did not have a chance to sit (on the floor on mats) at one of them, but they looked like they would make for a fun dining experience. We even saw a monk enjoying a vegetarian dinner. This only confirmed what we'd already agreed halfway through dinner - the place is good! read more