Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Bushra

Middle Eastern cuisine is still relatively unfamiliar for most HK people. Having visited Bedu and Francis many years back, we both love the food very much, and I think it is only because of unfamiliarity many are hesitant in trying. When I heard about Bushra, located in TST East, has received some nice reviews, we decided to try it out.

Occupying two floors in Tsim Sha Tsui Centre plus outdoor seating, the restaurant has access to the fantastic view of Victoria Harbour. We have opted to sit indoor because of the hot weather, the restaurant has comfortable banquette seats, trendy décor with a pinkish hue and plenty of Middle Eastern memento decoration the space.

After checking with the staff, who made some recommendations for us, we decided to start with Bushra Mezze Platter ($198), which include Classic Hummus, made from mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice and garlic; Muhammara, a blend of roasted red capsicums, pomegranate molasses, crushed walnuts and cashew nuts; and Baba Ghanoush, made with smoky charcoal grilled eggplant mixed with tahini. All of them are very flavourful and delicious, and I am more a fan of the Baba Ghanoush because of its fragrant smoky note. It comes with Pita Bread, and they are so good we ordered extra ones ($58) to finish all the dips. A must try.

We also had Bushra Kofta ($248), with the ground lamb mixed with different spices before grilling to perfection. It is tender, juicy and moist, and served with flat bread and Arabic salad, together with tahini sauce. Another wonderful dish not to be missed if you like lamb meat.

Finally, we have Chicken Kapsa ($248), which includes marinated roasted chicken (half) served with mixed nuts and Kapsa. In fact, the mixed rice dish is regarded as the national dish in all the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The chicken is nicely done, but the rice is the true highlight, very flavourful, with raisins, pine nuts and almond slices supplementing some sweetness and additional texture.

Service is good, with the staff friendly and able to make some great recommendations for someone like us who have very limited knowledge about the Middle East. Together with two beverages, the bill on the night is $1,063 which is also very reasonable. A great place to enjoy and experience what Middle Eastern cuisine can offer.