Tycoon Tann has been around for a little while now, but they have recently added new Chinese/Western fusion dishes to their menu, so I figured it was about time I paid a visit. You’ve likely walked past Tycoon Tann multiple times thanks to its convenient location on Wellington Street in Central. Though it may look like a small bar at first glance, Tycoon Tann actually has three floors. Each floor is its own cozy, modern, and intimate dining space, which could be a great spot to go for a date or for a celebration since your dinner will be far from cheap.
Starters
Charcoal-grilled Hungarian Mangalica Hogs (HK$328)
Baked Crab Shell Stuffed with fresh crab meat, onion, and cheese
We began with the signature Charcoal-grilled Hungarian Mangalica Hogs (HK$328) in a light honey sauce. Each piece of char siu was tender, slightly sweet, and had the perfect fat-to-meat ratio. Despite enjoying the dish, I couldn’t help but gawk at the price for only ten pieces of meat. The Baked Crab Shell Stuffed with fresh crab meat, onion, and cheese (can’t remember the price and there are no prices on Tycoon Tann’s website [one of my biggest pet peeves about online menus]) looked promising and I couldn’t wait to tuck in. The crab shell was packed with crab meat and had a thick layer of melted cheese covering it, but I found the onions to be a bit overpowering.
Mains
Pan-fried Beef Cubes (HK$268)
Fried Beetroot Fragrant Rice (HK$218)
The Pan-fried Beef Cubes (HK$268) with foie gras and Thai basil were, thankfully, less “foie gras-y” than I thought. Each tender beef cube was coated in a rich sauce and you could truly taste the quality in every bite. The Fried Beetroot Fragrant Rice (HK$218) with conpoy, yannan ham, and egg white was one of Tycoon Tann’s new dishes and came with rave reviews. In order to achieve the deep purple color, the rice is soaked in fresh beetroot juice, however, I really couldn’t taste any beetroot. Admittedly a beautiful dish, I found the overall flavor too subtle.
Dessert
Pearl of the Dragon (HK$248) – as presented
Pearl of the Dragon (HK$248)
The “Oooh” moment at dinner came when dessert arrived in the form of this massive glowing ball. The Pearl of the Dragon (HK$248) is a giant made-to-order Chinese sesame ball. The hollow sesame ball was brought out to the table for photo purposes only and was then taken away to be cut up and dished out (though everyone at the table would have preferred ripping apart this dessert ourselves for both the entertainment value and for the fact that when it was served to us later, it was a bit cold). There were some complaints that this dish was oily, but I actually really enjoyed it and believed the cooking method was in line with the traditional sesame balls you’d find at a local shop.
Verdict
On one hand, I could taste the high quality of ingredients in most dishes, I enjoyed the cozy and intimate atmosphere, and I have no complaints about the general service. On the other hand, the food came out painfully slow and I felt the dishes were priced far too high. If money or time isn’t an issue, I’d definitely say give it a go. Otherwise, you might be better off staying down at the bar to enjoy a delicious cocktail (their version of a negroni is fantastic).
Tycoon Tann
74 Wellington Street
Central
Tel: 3125 3228
