I’ve been a bit conflicted with my verdict of the newly opened restaurant in IFC, the Glasshouse.  I absolutely loved the space that the Gaia Group has created for the Glasshouse, the presentation of food was stunning, there were a few hits and misses with the dishes but in particular I wasn’t particularly impressed with the service.

I was struggling a bit to describe the Glasshouse’s menu in my own words, so taken from their website:

An array of old times favorites prepared with fresh herbs, wholewheat pasta, wild fish, natural grown meats and organic fruit and vegetables. Asian cooking technique with a Western twist … The à la carte menu is composed of finger foods, salads and other light mains constructed for a premium, colorful and relaxed dining experience for sharing amongst friends and family.

The first thing we had for lunch were The Crispy Fries with Black Truffle Mayo, and they were definitely a hit with me.  The fries were hot, crispy and dangerously addictive and were kicked up a notch with the intense aroma of the exquisite black truffle dip.

I had the Seared Pepper Crusted Ahi Tuna Steak with Calamansi Dressing, which looked absolutely gorgeous.  The tuna was a bit on the dry side, but the flavors of this dish made up for this small mishap.  I was intrigued with distinct smokiness of the tuna, combined with the micro herbs and salts on the dish cut through with the acidity of the calamansi dressing.

Hubby had the Wagyu beef burger with black truffle mayonnaise and homemade pickles.  The patty was thick but was overwhelmed by the size of the bun.  You couldn’t really taste the black truffle mayo, but overall the burger was decent.

On this warm day, we had some refreshing drinks:  Guava & Ginger Lover and Lychee & Rose Twiste.

Located on IFC rooftop the Glasshouse has stunning harbour views and a terrace for those who love dining alfresco.  The name of the restaurant is named appropriately with floor to ceiling glass windows and is inspired by rustic country house garden décor.  The atmosphere is casual and is a great space for weekend lunches.

It did, however, feel like they tried to cram in more tables than they should have.  And despite having made reservations, they seated us at a table that felt like was an add-on table in an aisle.   And during our entire lunch, I noticed there were more comfortable (and empty) tables next to us.

Earlier I mentioned the service being one of biggest flaws of the Glasshouse, and I don’t want to bore you with the specifics.  Overall, I just felt they don’t have a system worked out with the front of house yet.  I would give them some time to work out the kinks and I have faith they will up their game.  I do see myself coming back and I hope to see some improvements with their service.

Glasshouse offers a 10% discount if you are a Lane Crawford VIP, so if you are, remember to bring your card with you.

Lunch Total = $515 (2 ppl)
Address: Shop No. 4009, Level Four, IFC Mall, Central / Tel: (852) 2383 4008
Website: http://www.gaiagroup.com.hk/glasshouse

The Bill
Lychee & Rose Twiste …$52
Guava & Ginger Lover …$52
Crispy Fries …$68
Beef Burger …$138
Seared Tuna …$158