Eat Drink Hong Kong

Shop B-C G/F The Hennessy
256 Hennessy Road
Wanchai
Hong Kong
Tel 2574 3248

4/F Winfield Commercial Building
6-8a Prat Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2367 0555

3/F Coda Plaza
5 Garden Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2525 0552

10/F World Trade Center
280 Gloucester Road
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Tel 2890 3127

8/F Goldmark
502 Hennessy Road
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Tel 2808 1386

Nan Lian Garden
Diamond Hill
Kowloon
Tel 3658 9388

The waves were lapping the shore, birds were chirruping in the trees. My colleague and I made our way along a table of delicious yet healthy looking morsels choosing whatever took our fancy. Which in my case was a bit of pretty well everything.

It was hard to believe that we were really in a restaurant on small road at the back of Western Market.

I don’t know how long Harvester has been open, it is still quite new looking so I would guess its less than a year. Having said that, it is already very popular, we were there around 7pm and it was already quite busy. I’m told that it gets very busy at lunchtimes.

It is not difficult to understand why it is so popular, it combines two of my favourite elements. Good food and great value.

The system is simple. Once you have found a table you collect a plate and choose the items you want from the buffet. Once you have decided, the cashier weighs the food and charges accordingly, $12 per 100 grams of food. Mine came to $48. It’s a system the the owners believe encourages people to take only as much as they need.

The food was a blend of western and Chinese style vegetarian dishes. There were potatoes, tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, vegetable dumplings, fake prawns on tofu, mushroom and pumpkin dishes. All of which were very tasty indeed. I can’t really single one out above the others, nor can I think of one that I would rather not have had.

In addition there is congee, green bean soup and brown rice all included in the cost.

Harvester also stocks a wide range of other organic products such as wine and herbal teas. They can cater for private parties and corporate events and even offer a health consultation service.

Harmony Cafe is tucked away on a little side road called Tang Lung Street that runs from Hennessy Road to Canal Road on that stretch right in front of Times Square. Though finding the road is the easy part. The restaurant is on the first floor at number 21 and is marked only by a small sign on a grey gate.

Upstairs, it’s a friendly little place with seating for probably no more than 15 or 16 people. The decor is simple, just some book shelves and magazines and a few ornaments. The atmosphere is relaxed and the strains of Bob Marley drift through the air.

I’m not quite sure why but Bob Marley seems to be very popular in vegetarian restaurants. Still I’ve no complaint with that, I like Bob marley. So with head gently bobbing to the music I perused the menu. There is a fairly wide choice of dishes ranging from vegetarian pizza, noodles rice and salads. A couple that caught my eye were the steamed veggies and mushrooms with organic brown rice and the bean sprouts and and tofu soup. But in the end I opted for the baked Italian salad. ($30)

This consisted of tomatoes and basil with mozzarella cheese melted over the top. It was a simple but pleasing dish. I also ordered a glass of organic red wine ($50) which was produced by a small vineyard in France. They didn’t have any more information than that but it was quite drinkable.

For those who don’t want wine there is a mouthwatering range of fruit smoothies and healing juice combos. Apple and beetroot, for example, would boost my circulation whilst apple and lime would calm my nerves.

My main course was grilled eggplant and noodles with homemade organic soy sauce and garnished with alfalfa ($45). This didn’t look like such a large dish at first but it was certainly very filling and very tasty too. Like the starter, the key to its success was the simplicity.

For dessert I ordered a Fresh Fruit and Tofu Parfait. This consisted of mango, strawberry, banana, cinnamon, flax seed and raw honey ($35). Again this was a very pleasant dish, it could have been even better had it been chilled just a little more. But it is a small complaint in what was otherwise a very pleasant meal.

Despite being small and difficult to find, the restaurant had a steady stream of customers.

They are open six days a week, Tuesday-Sunday. On Mondays they give demonstrations where you can learn to cook your own organic food. For both reservations for the restaurant and demo call 3109 3152.

1/F Kiu Fai Mansion
413-421 King’s Road
North Point
Hong Kong
Tel 2561 8123

10 Shelley Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2810 9777

1/F 9 Lock Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2366 8171

1/F 21 Tang Lung Street
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Tel 3109 3152

7/F One Peking Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2312 7800

241 Hennessy Road
Wanchai
Hong Kong
Tel 2519 9148

G/F 79 Main Street
Yung Shue Wan
Lamma Island
New Territories
Tel 2982 4838
Fax 2982 0627

1/F Shop A Hanley House
68-80 Canton Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 3113 6989
Fax 3113 6991

Mingle Place
8 Observatory Court
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2155 8777

G/F Shop A-B Yardley Commercial Building
New Market Street
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong
Tel 2542 4788

1/F Dannies House
1 Luard Road
Wanchai
Hong Kong
Tel 2520 5308
Fax 2520 5508

Lantau
New Territories
Tel 2985 5248

Food Forum, 12/F, Times Square
Matheson Street
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Tel 2506 3377

105-107 Thomson Road
Wanchai
Hong Kong
Tel 2838 3608