Casual French lunch @ Brasserie de L'ile, Hong Kong

On Saturday we had a little family outing. It wasn't anywhere fun, but it was our first time going to the dentist together as a family. Usually I would book the boy and myself for our half-yearly dental check-up on a weekday, and make an appointment for hubby for a Saturday (which is usually a more difficult day to book as it is a weekend). However the boy was rather difficult (to put it nicely) for both his dental check-ups last year, and I thought that he may cooperate if he could see one of us get our teeth checked and cleaned. Most people must still be on holidays as it wasn't difficult to book the three of us in on a Saturday morning. And the plan worked beautifully - the 4-year-old was intrigued as he watched the dentist do his thing on my teeth, and when it was his turn in the chair, he opened wide and was the perfect dentist's patient. We headed to a brasserie for lunch afterwards, and enjoyed a delicious French meal. Brasserie de L'ile is the first authentic Northern French brasserie to open in Hong Kong, and I can personally vouch that the owner and chef is a French native hailing from Brittany (well-known to us as the region where galettes originated from).

The restaurant was cozy and comfortable, with a bar and some 'al fresco' dining out the front facing the road. Our waiter was amicable, and when we advised staff of our son's food allergies, the French owner was helpful in offering safe alternatives that allowed our son to keep his order. Between the Brunch Menu and the A-La-Carte Menu, there was a good variety of dishes to please most tastebuds. There is no service charge in this restaurant, so patrons are free to tip accordingly.

Complimentary bread basket and butter. Hubby also ordered a cappuccino (HK$40)(background), which was not the best, but decent enough:

The boy wanted the Eggs Benedict with Mushrooms (HK$98), and his was served with toasted sliced baguettes instead of the English muffin (which contained ingredients not safe for him). He didn't need our encouragement to eat his lunch:

Hubby's Chicken and Mushroom Savoury Crepe (HK$98), which had a delicious creamy sauce but I thought that the chicken breast were a bit tough and dry to chew. Perhaps using the thigh meat would be a better option. Hubby was happy with the chicken as it was:

I ordered a small portion (350g) of Mussels Ibérique (HK$148), served with chorizo, saffron, garlic, onion, white wine. It was delicious, and we used the bread to mop up the delicious gravy:

We saw Irish Coffee (HK$78) on the dessert menu, and decided to get one to try since we've never had it. It sure packed a punch - the coffee was strong and bitter, and the whiskey gave a boozy flavour which I don't think complemented the coffee at all. Let's just say I am not a fan of Irish coffee:

Hubby ordered Crepe Suzette (HK$68), served with orange and Grand-Marnier sauce. It was quite plain, but I could appreciate the delicacy of the dish:

The food was delicious, and we had little complaints about our meal. Brasserie de L'ile is nice casual French restaurant that is easier to access than our favourite for casual French.

[Prices quoted above does not include tips.]

Brasserie de L'ile
4 Arbuthnot Road,
Central, Hong Kong
Tel. +85 2 2147 2389