Harlan's — Restaurant in Kowloon

This new year's was horrible! Outside seating is walk in only, they opened 6pm. I arrived 5pm to wait for a table. The reception lady told me that she can't guarantee space for outside. I said how is that possible because outside is walk in only, no way to reserve, and I'm an hour yearly. She pulled her face, walked away as it's I'm causing her a lot of trouble. 6pm comes and we get a table, however there is reserved signs on the other tables? We know it's minimum spend 500 per head, however we arrived 6pm, planning to sit there till past midnight for the count down, as such we will easily make up the 500 per head.

(Before reading the rest, please know that our waiter was very nice, every time we ask for something he went inside to find out, as such it was not him being rude to us, but whoever was on the inside).

Asked the waiter if we could order beer and cocktails, he said no only outside menu, however the beer is on tap on the outside. The staff felt very unsure about what we allowed outside and what not. Then he came back and said "sorry we can't serve beer because minimum spend is 500". I replied and said that we can order 10 beers, we are going to be here till the countdown? My mom's birthday was 1 Jan. I brought candles and then asked if we could order dessert, and put the candles on. The waiter said sorry no desserts outside. 30 minutes later the reserved table next to us showed up. Then they get desserts. I asked the staff how does this work? With a reply, they are VIP guests. Don't get me wrong, we ended up making friends with that table and yes, Terry and his wife Apple are VIPs there, lovely people. But the restaurant staff made the whole night unpleasant as we felt unwelcome. My parents came to visit all the way from South Africa with my mom's birthday being 1 Jan, I really thought it would be a fun night at Harlan's as we have spent the previous 2 years there and it was amazing. Unfortunately, this year, management and staff treated us unwell....

Located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Harlan's is a fine-dining restaurant with elegant setting overlooking Victoria Harbour. It has been enjoyable to dine here thanks to well-trained servers - thoroughly introducing the menu and dishes, helping selection that demonstrates the chef’s talents.

✧ 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙥𝙟𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙏𝙪𝙣𝙖 (7/10) The tuna was fatty and melt-in-your-mouth, paired beautifully with the onion confit, ginger and creamy uni. A light yet rich start to the meal.

✧ 𝙅𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙙 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙗 𝙀𝙜𝙜 𝙁𝙤𝙖𝙢 (7.5/10) The foam was light as air yet packed with flavor. The foam had hints of seafood while the comte cheese flakes and uni added briny pops of flavor in each bite. An innovative dish that was as pleasing to the eyes as it was to the palate.

✧ 𝙎𝙢𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙍𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙣 𝙬/ 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 & 𝙍𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙢é & 𝘾𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙖𝙧 (6.5/10) The consomme was refreshingly light, though balancing the fruits and seafood proved tricky - the strawberry dominated, overpowering the subtle prawn flavor. An innovative one that may please some more than others depending on preferences.

✧ 𝙇𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙞𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙚 (7.5/10) It was decadent and velvety. The rich broth coated the mouth, while chunks of lobster meat could be savored.

✧ 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝘽𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙬/ 𝙇𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙞 (7/10) The broth was aromatic and earthy. Within swam plump, pillowy lobster ravioli stuffed with lobster. A nice take on the classic that combined luxurious seafood and woodsy mushroom flavors.

✧ 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙑𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 (6.5/10) The chicken came with a morel and Comte sauce that, while rich, did little to truly elevate the dish; it was decent rather than impressive compared to other offerings.

✧ 𝘼𝟰 𝙒𝙖𝙜𝙮𝙪 𝙎𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙤𝙞𝙣 (7/10) The beef was perfectly prepared, tender and fatty in all the right ways. It paired beautifully with the oyster and potato cake alongside a dollop of...

Perched with a stunning view of Tsim Sha Tsui, Harlan’s offers exceptional value with its three-course set meals, priced at $788 per head, which two of us enjoyed sharing.

Starter: The Brittany Blue Lobster Tartare with Crispy Foie Gras Chicken Skin, Salt Cured Egg, and Oyster Leaves delivers a delicate lobster sweetness balanced by the rich, buttery foie gras crunch. The Japanese Red King Crab Egg Foam with 24 Months Comte Cheese Flakes and Uni combines the crab’s subtle brininess with the nutty, aged cheese and creamy uni depth. The Chilled Lychee & Cherry Tomatoes Consommé with Carabinero, Sweet and Sour Watermelon Rind offers a refreshing lychee tartness paired with the carabinero’s robust prawn flavor.

Main: The Dry-Aged Local Chicken Breast with Lobster Sauce, Crispy Foie Gras, and Jerusalem Artichoke Purée features tender chicken enhanced by the luxurious lobster sauce and earthy artichoke notes. The White Cod Fillet with Parma Ham Salt, Mixed Melon, Mint Pesto, and Tangerine Foam presents a flaky cod with savory ham salt, bright melon sweetness, and a zesty mint-tangerine finish.

Dessert: The Yuba Mille-Feuille with Tofu Cream Cheese & Osmanthus Tea impresses with its silky tofu cream balanced by the floral, aromatic osmanthus tea infusion.

This dining experience at Harlan’s is a culinary highlight...