Spanish sensations

The Spanish Salmorejo soup with avocado cream and Japanese sea urchin looks like a beautiful orange sunset. Photo provided to China Daily

The Spanish Salmorejo soup with avocado cream and Japanese sea urchin reminded me of a beautiful orange sunset. Served cold like gazpacho, the avocado cream and sea urchin gave this soup a delicious richness and sweetness.

The char-grilled US Angus sirloin steak is served with a traditional Catalan Romesco sauce made of nuts and red peppers and tasted as good as it looked. Presentation of the food is important at Zurriola, as it should be, and the steak and vegetables were arranged like artwork on the plate.

Another specialty at Zurriola is the pan-fried tiger prawns broth rice made with Bomba rice. Bomba rice absorbs 30 percent more moisture than regular rice yet maintains a firm texture. It is similar to Italian Arborio rice but does not cook to a creamy consistency. The Bomba rice in this dish is slowly cooked in a broth made with prawn shells and heads giving this saffron-scented dish its sweet seafood flavor. It's a good choice for seafood lovers.

For a light dessert, the mojito granita is icy cold, minty fresh, served with peach sorbet and not too sweet. It hits the spot.

The other incentive to eat at Zurriola is star-spotting. It is owned by Hong Kong celebrity actress Carina Lau, and you may just see her equally illustrious friends from the industry eating here.

If you go

Zurriola

L18, The One,

100 Nathan Road,

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

852-2253 7111

www.zurriola.com.hk

Average Cost per head: Lunch – under HK$300; Dinner – HK$800-1,000 (plus 10% service charge)

Recommended:

62C Mackerel Confit, Spanish Salmorejo soup, Pan-fried Tiger Prawn's Broth Rice, Char-grilled Beef Fillet, Mojito Granita.