Word: Richard Smith

Sh!ok certainly has some shock value as it’s bright interior and exterior boldy stand out. Opened by Head Chef David (from Singapore) and serving homemade authentic Singapore cuisine “like mum’s cooking with the addition of unique ingredients…” This is the place to come with friends and enjoy a lively chat over comfort food.

WHERE

Tucked away on the upper half of Peel street (up the hill from Elgin Street, on your left).

STYLE

This venue certainly stands out on Peel street – shocking pink and lime green are the main colours here – so bring your shades if you have a hangover! The restaurant and bar is split level. The bar and casual bar height seating is on the lover lever, the upper level there’s bunkette seating in the main area and a cozy booth (good for 4-6 guests). There’s the hidden gem of a back terrace for those needing a nicotine fix or for those prefer to dine Al Fresco. It leans a little on the kitsch side but hey, you can bring your Barbie doll fag hag with you and she wont feel out of place!

AMBIENCE

This is the sort of place to bring groups of friends for that regular catch up. The bright interiors give the place a fun feel and the ample seating on the upper level is perfect for social groups (the upper level can seat around 20 guests). It’s a fun carefree vibe. Also on the walls they display works from local artists which they change every 2-3 months.

CUISINE

Singaporean home style cuisine. Chef David comes from a publishing background but allowed his passion for food and cooking to take centre stage in Hong Kong. The menu is MSG free and all the sauces are made from scratch. We tried the Chai Tow Kuay (fried white or black radish cake) – a little oily but very flavoursome followed by one of Sh!ok’s ‘one-dish meals’, the Bark Chor Mee (Singapore mince pork tossed noodles) a great mixture of textures and flavours with a kick of spice. The Ngoh Hiang, which was simply a dee-lish alternative to a spring roll, it consisted of a light crisp and crunchy wrapping of beancurd complemented by the aromatic minced pork and herb filling with a sticky sweet dipping sauce. For dessert we enjoyed the Kaya Roti, a toasted sandwich filled with devilishly sweet coconut custard. There are numerous dishes on the menu to try from so it does make it worthwhile to come with company.

BOOZE

Sh!ok has a small selection of wines (they are still new and trying out what’s on offer in Hong Kong that will fare well with the menu). Additional to this they import coffee from Singapore called Kopi Susu – a lovely rich brew. They also serve all the standard cocktails as well as some of their own wittily named concoctions.

SERVICE

Service is friendly and personable.

PRICE

This little gem of a restaurant caters to all budgets from a quick meal to a blow-out feast!
One-dish meals: $38-60
Appetisers/snacks: $25-45
Mains: $98-$380+ (many of the dishes are meant for sharing)
Dessert: $28

BEST DISH

Ngoh Hiang (or for a treat try the Asam Stingray or Chilli Crab!)

BEST TIPPLE

Damn Sh!ok – one of Sh!ok’s signature cocktails.traits than the quality of your hair. Now only if I could imagine a bald Taylor Lautner…

Address : 66 Peel Street, SoHo, Central
Tel: 2899 2001
Opening Hours : Mon-Fri Lunch noon-3pm / Mon-Thurs Dinner 6-10pm / Fri Dinner 6-11pm / Sat & Sun All Day noon-11pm