Although I can hardly swim, swimming pool can always, for reasons yet to be known to the point of writing, attract me in summer… Having lunch at a poolside bar or something might be a good idea to satisfy my desire. This drive for swimming pool landed me to Fishbar, a poolside restaurant in JW Marriot.
My first impression to Fishbar was like going to a resort; the wooden furniture and the waiters’ tropical outfits enhanced this feeling.
It was not difficult for us to order as the menu did not offer too many choices. We had the lobster and crab cake as appetizer, with battered sole and pan-fried barramundi as main dishes. We were prevented from ordering too much by the thoughtful waiter who advised that it would be too much for us if we were to order mussels as well…. I am glad that he had done so!
Without wasting much stomach space on the baguette, which was mediocre at best, we focused instead on the outstanding lobster and crab cake. The crabmeat and lobster were fresh and generously portioned. The pan-fried sides were crunchy without being too oily and the inside was as creamy. The homemade tartar sauce was the highlight of the dish, as its refreshing lemon and vinegar taste lightened the heaviness. Perhaps it is just me, but I think it would be better to share the dish as it was still a bit too heavy to finish them off alone.
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| good to share |
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| generous portion of crabmeat~ |
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| can't eat without it~ |
When I was waiting for my main dish, the brats in the pool splashed some water on me. Accident? Who knows? One could hardly avoid it as there were only a few bushes separating the bar and the pool.
The main courses came with 3 side dishes: mixed greens with vinaigrette, corn and creamed spinach. I love spinach, especially served with cream, but the spinach was tasteless this time.
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| it would be better with some cheese |
CM’s main dish was battered sole with chips. Thick-cut chips are my favourite! They are firmer and less oily. Chips here were not bad. As for the fish, it was a bit of a disappointment. The batter did not separate from the fish; good, but we thought it could be a little bit thinner. Sole is good to be served battered; it has a mild and buttery flavour which does not need much seasoning, and the batter helps preserve its taste. The fillet was buttery and flaky as expected. CM found it satisfactory at the first few bites; however, parts of the fish were undercooked. The margin between halfway decent and perfect is slim indeed.
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| look like the one I had in London |
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| some parts were undercooked |
My main dish was pan-fried barramundi with potato mash. I was more impressed by the mash. It was smooth and augmented with the small potato pieces inside (my favourite style~) that provided a healthy dose of twist to its texture. The fish skin was crispy but too salty. While CM’s fish suffered from undercooking, mine was overcooked. I understand that barramundi is not as tender as sole or cod, but it should not be that coarse-textured! Even the snapper I had in W52 was tenderer than it.
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| mine is overcooked |
Beside the unsatisfactory fish dishes, the environment was less than desirable, particularly in summer (a good reminder to the stark contrast between fantasy and reality). The few overhead fans worked hard to drive away the terrible heat of the place, which was not air-conditioned. It would not be a problem if the ventilation system of the kitchen worked. It did not; the bar was soaked with the oily smell from the kitchen…
Even with 15% off DXX visa card discount, I still have to pay 400 HKD per head for this; it was far off the mark of “reasonable price”. After all, it was just a poolside bar!
Fish Bar
金鐘金鐘道88號太古廣場香港JW萬豪酒店7樓平台
