Jimmy’s Kitchen Central

This is an old traditional British place, a throwback to the colonial days. It has a great atmosphere. The food offering are the old British favourites. The quality of food is respectable.
On this occasion, I ordered the dry vegetable curry, which is like nothing I have ever seen in India or anywhere else.

Jimmy’s was always one of my go to places for first time visitors as it is such an institution. Last night was a disaster: poor service and mediocre food. What happened?

Seemingly nothing has changed here in 30+ years, and that’s OK. It lacks for nothing, particularly in service, food quality and portions. The ambience, as it has been for many years, is tasteful (perhaps bordering on stuffy), and fairly quiet. Good place to go for a business lunch. You can enjoy the great food and actually have a decent conversation without having to yell across the table. Food was very good, both in taste and presentation. Overall, a great place.

Old school. That best describes Jimmy’s.
As I have previously mentioned in other reviews, the former Mrs. E is a native Hongkonger and I have spent many months in the land of the Fragrant Harbor. I have had many exquisite meals there, and whenever I return I make certain to have at least one meal at Jimmy’s Kitchen.
My favorite dish is the wonderful Beef Stroganoff, but I’ve never had a bad meal at Jimmy’s. Other favorites include the Chicken a La King, the Seafood Vol-​au-​Vent (a Friday special), the Coq Au Vin, the Mulligatawny soup, the Sticky Date Pudding, and, of course Jimmy’s Famous Satellite (deep fried vanilla ice cream with flamed Grand Marnier).
The service is top-​notch.

I came here to honor the memory of my parents, who ate here, at this location, over 50 years ago.
The food was good, not great. The service was very sub par. Disappointed in today, but treasuring walking in mom and dad’s shoes so many years later.

Jimmy’s Kitchen, the quintessential Hong Kong restaurant, has been in the city since 1928. The longevity of this restaurant is amazing; it has been churning out international dishes for 86 years! The Kowloon branch has been around since ’69, not quite as long as the Central branch but when you look at the average lifespan of a restaurant in Hong Kong, that’s basically immortal.
It has one of the best interiors of any restaurant in the city — rough stone walls which contrasts with the orange-​painted ceiling and the carpeted floor, which feels like a restaurant in New York City’s Upper West Side. Seriously, if you’ve never been, you’ve never seen. The dining room seats 130 diners and has a colonial atmosphere.
Jimmy’s broiler is their claim to fame — it broils at 650 Celsius, rendering the in-​house steaks full of flavor and tenderness. As I was perusing the menu, I found a lot of food that could be eaten elsewhere until I stumbled to the «Jimmy’s Classics» section. We went for the double-​broiled USDA Prime boneless BBQ beef short ribs, ordered in medium rare with creamy slaw/​spinach as a side. The steak was sweet and juicy, with a hickory-​smoked aroma and taste. I wanted to try the soups but felt that it was a bit overpriced (starts at $ 70).
Another stand-​out dish was their version of the British classic bangers and mash, said to be served since their early days. The onion gravy was definitely bangin’. As for a chicken dish, we went for the chicken Kiev, which was very similar to cordon bleu, a breaded boneless chicken cutlet with garlic butter. So far, so good, it was pleasing to know we didn’t order any dishes that we regret. The food is generally Western with obvious East-​meets-​West influences. I suggest sticking to items that are broiled or selection from the restaurant specials. On my next visit, I can’t wait to try the beef Stroganoff and the steak Diane.
Visiting Jimmy’s is like taking a huge step back through time. I came for the atmosphere but I also stayed for the great food.