Word: Danielle Spencer

If you’re looking for something a little different, then have we got a treat for you! Al Petra is Hong Kong’s only Jordanian restaurant and it delivered some of the best food I have tasted in a long time.

Jordanian food is similar to Middle Eastern food and it has influences from Turkey and Greece – with hummus and other familiar dishes on the menu.

WHERE

Hidden away on Wellington Street near the escalators – the ground floor bar is welcoming and well stocked. Take a closer look and venture downstairs to the restaurant and you will be greeted with an Aladdin’s Cave of Persian delights.

STYLE

You will feel like you have been transported to Jordan – with ornate swords, flags and artefacts surrounding you on the walls. The tables are covered in a beautiful traditional fabric and the lighting is kept low. The cave-like basement provides a very intimate dining experience that suits the Jordanian style. The only thing missing are belly dancers!

AMBIENCE

This is a place that I would bring a date in order to impress them and not break the bank balance. Dress nicely, but don’t over do it.

CUISINE

The menu is typically Jordanian and filled with delicious meat dishes. The chef has also included some Mediterranean influenced pasta dishes to offer veggies and the less adventurous diner an alternative. However, I would recommend diving head first into this menu. We had the hummus and a crispy pita bread salad to start. Al Petra’s version of this famous chickpea/tahini dip, was much smoother than I have tried before – with a slightly sweet taste. Presented beautifully and served with warm flat bread, this was a lovely way to start the meal, garnished with fragrant dried Persian spices.

Their specialty – Mensaf – that includes lamb, goats’ cheese and yoghurt (shipped from Jordan) gives it a distinctly tangy flavour. This is a traditional Bedouin dish (usually served on special occasions) whose main ingredient, lamb, is marinated in the yoghurt, served with a spicy Jameed sauce atop a bed of rice and flatbreads. Another dish of note is their Mixed Kebab – five different types of meat served with accompanying sauces. The beef was especially good with the smooth tahini sauce and chilli flatbread.

A sweet, mint tea finished the meal nicely.

BOOZE

Although Jordan is a Muslim country, the bar is well stocked and they have a good selection of wines.

SERVICE

I’m not going to lie here – the service was great. However, this may have been affected by the fact that the waiters are exceptionally HOT! The chef is very accommodating and extremely proud of his country’s food. Having been a chef at the Sheraton in Jordan before coming to Hong Kong 4 years ago – it is easy to see why this food is so exceptional.

PRICE

The dishes are so large that sharing is probably the best way to go at dinner. The menu is a tad on the pricey side – but with ingredients shipped from Jordan to create such authentic flavours, this can be forgiven.

Lunch: Sets start from $55 and include soup and mint tea.

Appetisers: They have a range of mezze for around $1OO each.

Mains: The main dishes come in two sizes – small and large. The large dishes can be shared – a little over $1OO for small dishes and $2OO-£25O for the large version

Dessert: Desserts are around $1OO.

Address: 97 Wellington St., Central
Tel: 2736 6041
Opening Hours: Daily noon-2:30pm, 5pm-midnight