Everytime I go out to a restaurant, I always ask for a allergen menu. Sometimes they have it and sometimes they don't. But then there are times when luck strikes and they give me a menu that is dedicated to being dairy-free or gluten-free. So when I was invited to a Gluten Free Dinner at Henry Wong in Harbourne, I felt incredibly lucky.
I have been to the restaurant once before and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is only because the location is out of my way that I haven't been able to revisit. I arrived to a bunch of bloggers, some of whom were new faces, some of whom are digital friends and some of whom were familiar. We all arrived in anticipation of what the meal would be like and I for one, was not disappointed.
I went to the event to see what the vegan and pescatarian options were. There was 2 starters on the menu, 6 mains and 3 desserts. Whilst everyone else enjoyed Chicken & Shiitake Mushroom Yuk Sung with Pine Nuts, I had a version without chicken and it was served with lettuce. It was tasty, flavoursome and went well wrapped within the lettuce. It was also a nice portion, as more filling is needed when gluten in not included. A great start to the meal!
The next starter on the menu was the Asparagus and Soft Shell Crab with Garlic and Chilli (shown below) and it was served with a spinach that has been seasoned with sesame seeds and maybe oyster sauce. The vegan alternative was without the crab. Still a nice starter but felt like I was having two sides, quite common with some vegan options. However, the asparagus was perfect. Not hard or soggy and it just melted in your mouth. Then the spinach was just lovely, I had never thought of making spinach in this way.
Ok, so that crab. It was delicious! The batter was delicate and again, full of flavour and with the crab, it was just stunning. All the mains were served with Egg-Fried Rice, obviously not vegan but really nice.
One of the vegan alternatives for the the Sizzling Beef Fillet in Black Pepper Sauce was one of the dishes that was served the last time I visited, the Water Chestnuts. They tasted just as good as the last time, they seemed to have improved somewhat too. I really like the texture of the water chestnuts, especially with the black pepper sauce. I just couldn't get enough!
One of the mains that was served was Sweet and Sour Chicken, the vegan alternative was a veggie medley with the sweet and sour sauce. I can't say I am a big fan of sweet and sour sauce, as it just tastes of additives to me but I did enjoy this alternative, especially as it contained pineapple and aubergine.
The Pak Choy in Garlic Sauce were also done really well. The chef really knows how to do vegetables perfectly! Al dente and seasoned with flavours that work well with it.
My favourites of the meal were the Honey Pepper King Prawn and Steamed Sea Bass with Ginger and Spring Onion. The king prawns were huge, the batter was stunning and just kept going back for more. I would happily have plate after plate of these.
The sea bass was beautiful too. It tasted fresh because it was steamed and the ginger and spring onion was so good with it. I wish there was such a thing as taste-o-vision because you need to taste this!
Then to finish the meal was Strawberry Cheesecake, Alabama Fudge Cake and the Fresh Fruit Platter. I obviously only had the platter because the others contained dairy. The platter contained strawberries, raspberries, papaya, mango, black grapes and blackberries. As the title mentions, the fruit is fruit and was presented beautifully. A perfect end to the meal and event.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my second visit to Henry Wong in Harbourne. The food was presented well, the flavours were stunning and the portions were perfect, maybe even a little generous. The only thing that bugged me about the place is the lighting, as the dining area I was in was very dark. Next time I visit, I have to sit next to the window, the food is presented too beautifully to miss out!
Would I go back? Yes
Why? Enjoyed the ambience and food, the location is the only thing from going back everyday.
How did they cope with the dairy-free dietary requirement? As it is made fresh, it is easy to omit things and offer alternatives. They also cater to other dietary requirements such as gluten-free and vegan.
What are the prices like? A tad pricey but the portions and quality reflect this well.
More information - http://henrywongharborne.co.uk/
Have you been? What did you think?
*Many thanks to the HW team for the invite and for the great complimentary meal*
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