Coast epitomizes all that is right and wrong with the wave of Australian cuisine that has swept through Hong Kong. It offers attractive value-fresh ingredients, imaginative cooking and large portions at reasonable prices. Add a sophisticated bar that overlooks SoHo and a 1000 bottle wine cellar that completes the 4,800 square foot eaterie and what else could you desire? In a strange paradox, as a restaurant becomes more competent and ambitious, it reveals more of its vulnerabilities. For Coast, that vulnerability isn't in the kitchen or atmosphere, it's in the cuisine's very foundation. Each dish is tasty, but as a whole, the menu doesn't advance the state of the art of Australian cuisine. And relative to other Australian eateries in Hong Kong, like Wooloomooloo Steakhouse, it doesn't set a new standard. But Coast is a very handsome venue especially the 70-seating bar that literally overlooks the concrete coast of Soho providing a panoramic drinking spot. And after too many cocktails, the restaurant will provide enough gourmet level comfort food to sustain the drinks.

What is Australian cuisine? Executive Chef, Aaron Kearney even admitted that, "Australian cuisine wasn't as culturally distinctive as French, Italian or Chinese cuisines with hundreds of years of history. Australian cuisine was more about the creative cooking with the freshest ingredients, based on all the fresh seafood, game, beef and vegetables available in Australia." Except for kangaroo meat, there's nothing unique about the use of fresh ingredients. Decades of immigration from Europe and Asia has stirred and invigorated the Australian dining scene with European and Asian influences, but besides that modern Australian cuisine is highly derivative. But, since we're not in Australia, it seems that all of Hong Kong's Australian restaurants source from the same group of local importers. The problem is that Hong Kong has become a frontier for too many Australian restaurants and chefs at the same time. It has resulted in a sameness, almost a homogeneity in the ingredients. Australian chefs have certainly added zest, verve and some new techniques to the dining scene, but nothing that is truly groundbreaking or experimental. The Huntsman pie Aussie style (HK$160) is a uniquely marinated and slow cooked mix of kangaroo and pork chunks that are flavourful, but not too gamey. Coast sources its kangaroo meat from specialty farms. Another pie is their specialty lamb shank pie- a whole lamb shank baked with chestnuts and a trio of mushrooms served in puff pastry (HK$160). Most of the specialty mains are attractive and filling and cost less than HK$200. Organic chicken schnitzel, Angus steak sandwich are made from fresh meats. Vegetarians are well served with the no animal burger, a zucchini and corn fritter with arugula, roasted cherry tomatoes, caramelised onion and tzatziki. The roasted vegetable stack comprised layered seasonal vegetables with creamy sweet potato mash.

Though cheerful and eager to please, the waiters aren't competent or knowledgeable of the menu.