Christmas Eve Dinner at Harbourside, Intercon Hong Kong

Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Valentine’s everyone!!!

This is a very special post for me. Why? As a policy Intercon Hong Kong doesn’t allow anybody to take pictures of their food. I explained it was for my blog and the manager said he will forward my request to the PR department. I quickly scribbled my blog’s address on a scrap of paper and waited. I thought there was no chance anymore. A few days later a really friendly lady from their PR department called me up to say I can take pictures. Yehey!

The hotel’s PR department was kind enough to allow me to take pictures before the guests arrive. It was a special dinner and to accommodate all the guests they had two seatings for dinner – 6:00 and 8:00 pm. I went there at 5:15 to take pictures. The timing was on my side. The bright sunlight streaming through the restaurant’s huge glass wall lighted up the food beautifully and naturally. I really love how these pictures came out. I never had so many successful ‘depth of field’ pictures before. It took me half an hour to take all these shots. You can bet my arm was sore after that. It was a joy to take pictures without people getting food and ruining the presentation. It also helped that there wasn’t anyone behind me glaring  and wishing I would hurry up.

Harbourside is the hotel’s coffee shop. They serve international buffet from breakfast to dinner.

From their site:
Perched directly at the harbour’s edge, Harbourside at InterContinental Hong Kong offers all-day dining in a casual alfresco setting. The accent is on innovative selections of international dishes and traditional favourites, ranging from salads, soups, pizza and pastas to Asian specialties. In addition, there is a special “ihealth” menu with delicious and nutritious preventative health dishes. Harbourside also showcases Hong Kong’s most elaborate buffets, with chefs presenting a tempting array of Western and Asian dishes, a roast carving station with prime cuts of beef, action stations and decadent home-made desserts. It is definitely one of Hong Kong’s most popular venues from morning till late at night.

The tables were decorated with festive hats, noisemakers and Bristish Christmas crackers.

I took so many pictures I decided to split this post into 3 parts. I want everyone to see all the glorious food Harbourside had to offer. This post is all about the appetizers. Main course and dessert to follow.

salad greens

You can also call this a seafood lovers buffet. The choices for fresh seafood was endless.

3 kinds of lobsters: Boston lobster, Australian yabbies and slipper lobster

scallops & shrimp

I forgot to eat this!

chocolate chip foie gras

salmon roe w/ asparagus

veal vitelo tonato

mussels

yabbies in cucumber jelly w/ mango salsa

mixed grilled vegetables

baked miso cod fish w/ Japanese tofu

red crab

Boston lobster

roasted venison fillet w/ cranberry sauce

cheese selection

I ate so much of this delicious cheese.

truffle brie

walnut camembert

Thai lobster salad w/ star fruit & peanuts

Greek salad w/ seared herb tuna

smoked salmon & mackarel

condiments

fuji apple & celery w/ honey yogurt

prosciutto

assorted breads

caesar salad

sesame lavash & grissini

soba noodle

soba condiments

scallop & ark shell

kani

salmon & tuna

sweet shrimp

wasabi

So what did I eat from the appetizer section? I was overwhelmed by the selections so I just ate what I really liked. I didn’t have space in my tummy to try a little of each. I ate the lobsters and lots of brie w/ truffles. The lobster was so tender and fresh. The brie with truffles was to die for. It was the closest to eating truffles I have ever experienced. I ate it with lavash and grissini. I really regret not trying the chocolate chip foie gras.

It’s a good thing I took pictures before the guests arrived. Let me tell you the food at the second seating didn’t look half as good as these. It was mostly a mess and not as appetizing. I don’t blame the chefs. They barely have the space or time to replenish a dish before the impatient crowd descends on the food.

Even those who are not fond of buffets will be amazed with the selection of super fresh seafood, extraordinary main course dishes and delectable desserts. The lunch buffet is more affordable and equally good. But it lacks all the lobsters and other fresh seafood.

Come back tomorrow I will show you the main course. Drooling to be continued.

Harbourside links:
Main Course
Dessert

Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet HK$888

Sunday Champagne Brunch
Every Sunday 11:30 am to 3:00 pm
HK$638.00 per adult (with free-flowing champagne, wine & beer, etc.)
HK$538.00 per adult (with non-alcoholic beverages only)
HK$318.00 per child under 12 years old

Daily Dinner Buffet
6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
HK$588.00 per adult
HK$388.00 per child under 12 years old

Lunch Buffet
Monday – Friday Lunch Buffet
12:00 noon – 2:30pm
HK$268.00 per adult
HK$178.00 per child under 12 years old

Saturday Lunch Buffet
12:00 noon – 2:30pm
HK$288.00 per adult
HK$188.00 per child under 12 years old

18 Salisbury Road
Kowloon Hong Kong
telephone: +852 2721 1211