Located in the basement of Prince’s Building in Central, Dot Cod remains one of Hong Kong’s preferred destinations for power lunches and lingering post-trading drinks at the open bar. A vibrant and somewhat overly noisy cavern with tables set too close for privacy does not make this a place for romance; brightly lit to offset the windowless and plain walls the fish tanks become a point of focus with brightly coloured tropical creations swimming happily around, safe in the knowledge they are not on the menu at this seafood-focused restaurant.

Dot Cod is a fish restaurant and whilst a limited selection of meat dishes are offered this is not a restaurant to take your carnivore friends to. We especially commend Dot Cod for their support of sustainable fishing practices and a wide selection of international fish dishes are offered, from line-caught catches of the day and freshly shucked oysters to crustaceans and bouillabaisse. A starter of seared diver scallops served on a celery root mousse was enjoyable but not exhilarating, lacking the delicate slightly sweet aroma freshly shelled scallops have. The baked fillet of lemon sole served with crab, prawns and lobster with a champagne sauce was over-complicated and stole the attention away from the perfectly cooked sole. An Australian salt water barramundi fillet served on a Vietnamese cabbage and pomelo salad was delicious, but yet again the complexity of the salad detracted from the wonderfully fresh Barramundi that should be the star of the dish. Desserts are pleasant but not thrilling, offering well-known choices from soufflé to chocolate mousse.

An excellent collection of wines from the new world and the old with an especially pleasing selection of lighter reds to pair with the fish menu. A wide variety available by the glass allows one to choose freely.

Not being greeted at the entrance and having to walk into the restaurant to find a staff member is never a good start; being told to wait because they are busy is an even poorer option. Then to be shown to your table with no glimmer of a smile sets the tone for an unpleasant evening as you wait over fifteen minutes for an ordered aperitif. Luckily, the evening was rescued only by our charming waiter who soon restored our mood and offered attentive service which whilst appreciated should simply be the standard expected.

A meal for two with wine will cost around HK$1,800, Dot Cod is not cheapest fish in town and service and attention to detail should improve to reflect this level of expense.