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Sea urchin on big mushroom at Glass Island Sea Urchin BBQ. Photos: Elaine Yau

Restaurant review: Glass Island Sea Urchin BBQ in Jordan, for Hong Kong-bred uni

Prepared using sea urchins from Tap Mun island off Sai Kung, which ensures freshness, restaurant’s dishes have interesting flavour combinations and offer great value for money

Creative sea urchin dishes are all the rage in Hong Kong. Hassun Grill & Bar in Causeway Bay has introduced the sea urchin hamburger, with huge scallops serving as the bun to envelope oodles of sea urchin. EC Kitchen in Yuen Long has rolled out sea urchin cheese fries.

Jumping on the bandwagon is a new restaurant in Jordan, Glass Island Sea Urchin BBQ. But instead of getting sea urchins from Japan, which are often pricey, the restaurant sources local purple sea urchin from Tap Mun (Grass Island) in Mirs Bay.

It’s a special, and easy, set-up for the owner of Glass Island – Tap Mun is where he was raised, and his uncle runs a sea urchin farm. He says none of the sea urchins at his restaurant are stored longer than two days.
Roast zucchini with sea urchin sauce.

Although Japanese sea urchin has a stronger flavour than the local variety, the way the Tap Mun version is prepared and matched with different ingredients more than makes up for it, the owner adds.

We liked the cheese sea urchin sauce roasted mussels (HK$78 for four). Melted cheese is mixed with sea urchin then slathered on top of the mussels, accentuating the briny flavour of the bivalves.

Also enjoyable was the sea urchin sauce roasted zucchini (HK$48). Often, zucchini can be insipid, but the rich, flavourful sauce balanced its blandness.

Sea urchin fried rice, a signature dish for Tap Mun locals.

The Tap Mun sea urchin fried rice (HK$98) had plenty of sea urchin mixed with the rice, and a large dollop was placed on top just before the dish was served.

One of our favourite dishes as the sea urchin on big mushroom (HK$48). Every mouthful gave us the mushroom’s soft, succulent flesh, melting cheese and a taste of sea urchin.

In addition to the sea urchin dishes, the restaurant also serves popular Tap Mun favourites, including sampan noodles with dried shrimp and mushrooms.

Glass Island Sea Urchin BBQ,27-31 Ning Po Street, Jordan, tel: 2505 2013

Open: noon-1am

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