Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Address: 3/F, Pacific Mansion, 172-174 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀彌敦道172-174號太平洋大廈3樓

Telephone: 2191 5445

https://www.facebook.com/pages/RB-Besearch-Bakery/439260016208180

(Original post on Time Out Hong Kong)

R&B, which stands for “research and bakery”, is a pioneering concept venue in Tsim Sha Tsui which serves a selection of innovative, playful dishes and freshly baked goods. Opened by the guys behind Applegreen, a casual restaurant serving down-to-earth Californian cuisine, R&B is a hip, vibrant eatery with a bright, lively décor and attentive service.

(1) Once we start digging into the food, however, it becomes apparent that the brilliant ideas behind the creative menu have not been translated into inspiring flavours. We start off with the clams dynamite ($72), which are deliciously juicy yet not properly de-gritted.

(2) The fisherman’s chips ($78), a platter of shoestring fries, calamari and shrimps, is a symphony of crunchy, delightful textures but is in want of a dash of lemon juice.

(3) The roasted beet salad ($58), with quinoa and mozzarella in a yuzu honey sauce, is a playful and refreshing combination but seems a tad watery.

(4) The lemon beef salad ($88) has a refreshing tartness, but there are too many shallots in the serving.

(5) The hamburger potstickers ($52) are outright disappointing, with the beef tasting bland and the gazpacho dipping sauce strangely bitter.

(6) The stars of the night are the buttermilk fried chicken benedict ($92), where gorgeously deep fried chicken is sandwiched between poached eggs and half a scone, and completely satisfy us.

(7) For desserts, the cheezy peanut butter pie ($58) is decadently rich and flavourful, but is cloyingly sweet.

(8) The caramel parfait ($44) is beautifully presented and deliciously cold, and the nuts and berries add extra flavours and textures, but I wish the restaurant sticks with edible flowers and does not put a piece of lettuce leaf on my dessert!

Overall, R&B is a fun-filled and enjoyable experience and the prices are doubtlessly wallet-friendly. However, a lot more research, experimentation and fine-tuning is needed from the kitchen before we and our palates can be won over.