Brunch at The Pawn isn't for the faint of heart, literally. The delicious fare at this wonderfully cozy, modern British gastropub is a cardiologist's nightmare: heavy on fatty meats, butter and other saturated fats. But don't let that keep you away, because you'd be missing out on some of the best brunch fare in Hong Kong. On a recent visit, I had an absolutely delicious (and artery-clogging) plate consisting of a crumpet topped with a thick slice of black pudding, bacon, ham, fried duck egg - and if that weren't enough, it came with a generous piece of seared foie gras on the side. The execution of the dish was perfect - every element was cooked to perfection and came together wonderfully. The eggs benedict was also solidly executed, although the hollandaise was just a tiny bit too rich. The Pawn's version of a Bloody Mary is made with freshly blended tomatoes, so thick that it was more like a big glass of gazpacho - it could use some spicing up with tabasco and worcestershire sauce.
The best thing about the Pawn though isn't the food, it's the atmosphere. In most cases, I absolutely don't believe in "paying for atmosphere," but I might make an exception for The Pawn - it's laid back yet slightly pretentious, cozy yet modern, shabby yet chic - contradictory but in a way that works. Definitely one of my favorite brunch finds in Hong Kong so far, and also a great place for drinks.
English crumpet topped with black pudding, bacon, ham, foie gras, sweet onion marmalade and fried duck egg - a delicious heart attack on a plate
Eggs Benedict with perfectly poached eggs and buttery hollandaise
Food rating: ****
Bang for buck rating: 3.5
The essentials:
www.thepawn.com.hk/Location: 62 Johnston Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Average price of brunch for two: HKD$350
