Crafty Cow - Gastropub Serving Crazy Organ Dish!

Price: $$

Cravingness: ★★★☆☆1/2

Upper Station Street has become the new intimate dining neighbourhood filled with new and interesting restaurants and pubs. The latest opening is a gastropub called Crafty Cow serving a great selection of crafts beers and features "Third Culture" food. Crafty Cow serves western dishes with a touch of Chinese by using Chinese ingredients and sauces. They do not emphasize on nose-to-tail dining, but they serve the craziest organ that I have not ever imagine myself eating. Read on to see what I had!

With a beige colour bricked wall, large window and yellow lighting, the gastropub looks very cosy and welcoming. The interior furnishing is rustic with a touch of vintage, I really like the gas lamp alike lamp with exposed light bulb at the bar table. The rustic stone wall and worn out leather stools and chairs contrast with the modern open kitchen slash bar, creating a fun vibe for the gastropub.

The open kitchen with bar stools are perfect for happy hour and bar bites. Several tables are available for sit down dining.

The wall of craft beers by the entrance is my favourite. All the craft beers displayed here can be ordered to try. Collect or extend your craft beer collection here.

I went for a media preview dinner during their soft opening, but I also include below their one page easy to read menu for you reference. Please be noted that some items will be changed after the soft opening.

The three craft beers I tried tonight was Yona Yona Ale, Tuatara Double Trouble and the crazily delicious Brothers Toffee Apple Cider. The Brothers Toffee Apple Cider is a UK cider with 4%ABV. The cider has a golden caramel-brown colour, in light body, has a lovely vanilla and toffee aroma and tasted very sweet with bold toffee note. The Tuatara Double Trouble is dark amber coloured beer with 9%ABV, the strongest of tonight. Carries a medium body with fruity citrusy aroma and piney flavour and a dry bitterness. The Yona Yona Ale is an American Pale Ale with 5.50% ABV. The ale is copper coloured, in medium body, carrying a lovely caramel notes and aroma with lots of carbonation.

The Cherry Tree Cola is lovely non-alcoholic drink which carries a strong cherry aroma but not taste wise, which is good as I dislike cherry.

I started off with the CC Fries - HKD58, sweet potato fries. The fries were awesomely fried with crispy outer and soft, hot inner. Yet the best was actually the sambal infused mayo dipping sauce which was freaking amazing! Spicy and utterly addicting! I am making my mayo this way onwards!

Next comes the Numbing Bone Marrow - HKD108 which was one heavenly goodie. The bone marrow carried bold flavour with a smooth, oily, melt in your mouth texture. The Sichuan pepper infused butter seasoning was rather interesting to match with the the bone marrow.

The Duck and Foie Gras Gyoza - HKD88 was one of the items on the menu that I held high hope on. The foie gras flavour was excellent but it totally overpowered the duck confit inside. The duck flavour was so weak that we even wondered if the kitchen put any duck confit in there. The pastry skin was also made a tad too thick.

The extraordinary Duck “Poutine” - HKD98 carries not fries but Spätzle. The cheesy bowl with rich duck gravy sauce and seared foie gras tasted nice, but I did not like Spätzle and so I would prefer fries in my bowl instead.

BYOB in Crafty Cow does not mean the typical "Bring Your Own Beer" but "Built Your Own Bao ". We tried the Pork Belly Bao - HKD128 which sandwiched pork belly, sweet and sour cabbage, and grandma’s XO sauce. The pork belly was a tad too rough for me but I love the grandma's XO sauce. Some however commented the sauce too salty.

When this plate of Rocky Mountain Oysters - HKD128 arrives, it did not come to my senses that these tiny deep fried things ain't oysters at all, they are DEEP FRIED COW TESTES!!!! OH MY GOD, I could not in my life imagine myself eating any animal's testes! But here I was, ate this cow testes without really knowing it. The cow testes, although sounding horrible, actually tasted pretty nice in taste with a creamy, silky texture. The housemade chimichurri was excellently made and paired very nicely with the Rocky Mountain oysters.

Next we had the Oxtail Chili - HKD138 which the oxtail was said slow cooked but rather rough in texture. The beans and sweetcorn chilli was delicious though, delivering lots of flavours. The scallion biscuits looked like scones but were very floury in texture.

The 3oz Beef Cut was the highlighted dish tonight. The perfectly cooked beef carries a nice charred rim with pinkish inner. The six condiments were excellently paired, namely Merlot salt, charred salt, Himalaya salt, Korean BBQ sauce, Yuzu sauce, and something with melted butter. Can't really recall, but tasted yum.

The vibe here at Crafty Cow was amazing and the gastropub got crazier the later the night went. Staff were all very nice and knowledgable about their dishes and craft beers. Crafty Cow carries interesting thoughts and ways of cooking on their dishes, but still has room for improvement flavour wise. Overall a great place for hang out, and definitely for a nice bottle of craft beer!

Rating
Food - ★★★☆☆
Service - ★★★☆☆
Ambience - ★★★☆☆
Overall - ★★★☆☆1/2

Crafty Cow

Address (E) G/F, 3-3A Upper Station Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Address (C) 香港上環差館上街3-3A號地舖
☏ 2915 8988
Opening Hours: Tue - Sat: 6pm - 12aam | Sun: 11am - 7pm | Close of Mon
Reservation Available? Yes
Walk In Possible? Yes
Bill Per Person (Dinner inc. Beverages) - $$
Website: http://www.craftycow.hk/

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