September 2019 edit: Chifa is now closed
by Aude
My fav restaurants group, Pirata Group, just opened its latest baby on Peel Street and of course I had to give it a go!
Italian cuisine – covered w/ Pici (love, love, love) and Pirata
Spanish cuisine – covered w/ The Optimist
Nikkei cuisine (Peruvian-Japanese fusion) – covered w/ TokyoLima (love, love, love)
Meat – check w/ (very accurately named) MEATS (love, love, love)
by Aude
My fav restaurants group, Pirata Group, just opened its latest baby on Peel Street and of course I had to give it a go!
Italian cuisine – covered w/ Pici (love, love, love) and Pirata
Spanish cuisine – covered w/ The Optimist
Nikkei cuisine (Peruvian-Japanese fusion) – covered w/ TokyoLima (love, love, love)
Meat – check w/ (very accurately named) MEATS (love, love, love)
But if you think they would be running out of idea you definitely don’t know them at all (which means you haven’t read this article … your naughty guys). And Chifa was quite an intriguing concept to me: combination (and not fusion, yes it’s different) of Peruvian and Chinese cuisine (chifa is actually the name given to this particular type of cuisine). I knew that Japanese immigration in Peru has been quite a thing but didn’t know that there was also a long story of Chinese migration which has created a cross-cultural cuisine. Well, you know me, love it whenever I get to try something new.
The place is packed: with people and with good vibes. As usual with Pirata’s venues the service is on point, friendly kind of funky but never too much. On the menu? A combination of Chinese and Peruvian dishes. Combination and not fusion. Which means you won’t find like I don’t know Peruvian chicken dumplings but you will find both very traditional Chinese dishes and very traditional Peruvian dishes (well, all served w/ a Pirata twist of course). The menu is long enough to have you salivate and hesitate but short enough so that you can quickly go through it and even maybe manage to order pretty much all of it if you come with a group of 10 (hungry) friends.
But shall we eat now? Starring at this menu for more than 2 min will have you crave for food, I’m telling you.
Well you know me guys, I’ve done my best to try as much dishes as possible but couldn’t have it all (unlike Adele … sorry bad joke) so had to make so (life changing) choices. Upon recommendation of Manuel, co-founder of Pirata Group, we went for:
The place is packed: with people and with good vibes. As usual with Pirata’s venues the service is on point, friendly kind of funky but never too much. On the menu? A combination of Chinese and Peruvian dishes. Combination and not fusion. Which means you won’t find like I don’t know Peruvian chicken dumplings but you will find both very traditional Chinese dishes and very traditional Peruvian dishes (well, all served w/ a Pirata twist of course). The menu is long enough to have you salivate and hesitate but short enough so that you can quickly go through it and even maybe manage to order pretty much all of it if you come with a group of 10 (hungry) friends.
But shall we eat now? Starring at this menu for more than 2 min will have you crave for food, I’m telling you.
Well you know me guys, I’ve done my best to try as much dishes as possible but couldn’t have it all (unlike Adele … sorry bad joke) so had to make so (life changing) choices. Upon recommendation of Manuel, co-founder of Pirata Group, we went for:
- 2 small dishes
- 3 dumplings
- 1 meat
- 1 rice
(Ok, our super cute waitress also tricked us in ordering dessert which was the best idea ever as I’m telling you that cheesecake is dope).
Starting the journey in Peru with a killer Tuna Tiradito (HKD 130) – raw tuna served in yellow chili and tiger milk – probably one of my fav dish of the night. But must confess those little fried chicken(chicken being marinated in Shaoxing wine) bites (HKD 95) are super yummy to snack on. Then moving on to the dumplings and having 3 signature ones:
Starting the journey in Peru with a killer Tuna Tiradito (HKD 130) – raw tuna served in yellow chili and tiger milk – probably one of my fav dish of the night. But must confess those little fried chicken(chicken being marinated in Shaoxing wine) bites (HKD 95) are super yummy to snack on. Then moving on to the dumplings and having 3 signature ones:
- Green Dumpling (HKD 70): prawn, shiitake mushroom and chive dough … yummy
- Chifa Spicy Dumpling (HKD 85): pork dumpling served in the most delicious and intriguing Sichuan pepper sauce. Loved it
- Truffle potsticker (HKD 95) which I felt were a little bit disappointing. Didn’t really like the truffle paste and felt it was on the menu just to please some local people who like to see truffle on the menu.
The seafood chaufa rice (HKD 130) was a total hit. OMG this thing is just so yummy! Was supposed to share the plate w/ my +1 but can tell you I def had more than my share. Oupsie.
Ending up this feast with a suckling pig (HKD 180) which unfortunately I can’t tell you much about as I am not a huge fan of suckling pig. Will instead share +1 thoughts: “they must have a special way of cooking this one because the meat is super tender and unlike many other ones it’s not that fat and that crispy skin on top … a killer”.
My only regret? Haven’t had a chance to try one of the fluffy baos – open buns. Well guess I’ll have to be back. But don’t know yet if that’s gonna be before or after I go to their other new baby: Madame Ching, in Wan Chai.
Editor’s note: as of today (June 8) they do not yet have the alcohol license so it’s BYOB. But I’ll heard they have some pretty smashing cocktails ready for you for when the license comes.
Chifa
G/F, 26 Peel Street, Central