To be completely honest, when I first arrived at Samsen, I was not very impressed. It is located on the edge of Wan Chai, so not the most convenient place. It was hot and there was no noticeable air-con and the seating was very cramped even for HK standard. Sure, the ambience is completely on point and totally reminds me of those tiny purveyors of street food in Bangkok but when the food arrived, my first impressions were completely shattered and I finally understood why people would literally line up the hill to enjoy the offerings here. We ordered some drinks to start and while the Coconut & Soy Milk (HKD52) was nice, I highly recommend the Mango & Passionfruit Ice Drink (HKD58). It was genuinely fruity without being overly sweet and the mango and passionfruit tastes are perfectly balanced. The Fried Marinated Pork Collar (HKD68) is not your typical Thai styled pork collar. It came with a roasted tomato and chilli dipping sauce and was surprisingly juicy and not oily at all despite being deep-fried. The Chopped Duck Salad with Fresh Thai Herbs (HKD118) was for me, the highlight of the night. The “salad” was impeccably seasoned and the combination of the different herbs and spices totally transported me to Thailand. The tender meat was mixed with crispy pork rinds which, when eaten with the iceberg lettuce gave such a refreshing feeling. And last but not least, the signature dish of Samsen - The Wagyu Beef Soup Noodle (HKD138). The dark aromatic soup is very rich and I can definitely appreciate the many hours of preparation that has gone into it. The noodles are also heaped with 3 styles of meat - Beef Brisket, Beef Ball and Wagyu Beef Slices which were all exquisite. They were all very “beefy” in flavour and each had their own distinct mouthfeel - a wonderful end to a weekday dinner. Despite my initial thoughts, I can now definitely see why this place has been named as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant.
📍Samsen @samsenhk
G/F, 68 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai
灣仔石水渠街68號地下
#foodvibessyWanChai #foodvibessy灣仔
