Lawry’s is a division of the eponymous group founded in the US in 1938 and the decor seems aimed to match. The main dining room, although there are several private rooms as well, is large with lots of dark wood and leather banquettes round the outside and more normal tables inside. Lighting and fixtures reflect the prevailing art deco motif as does the piped jazz music.

The menu is short and focuses heavily on slabs of beef. The three house specialities are listed as the Lawry cut of prime rib, Atlantic lobster Tails and the spinning salad. The latter is created table-side in a large aluminium kitchen bowl seated on crushed ice which the waiter spins while pouring the house dressing from up high. This is fun but the contents are pretty average consisting of romaine lettuce, shredded beet, chopped egg and croutons. The Atlantic lobster tails come perfectly presented lying on top of their shell making it easy to eat; dipped in the accompanying clarified butter, they are succulent and delicious. The beef is brought to the table on a carving trolley the size of a small car. The beef came rare as requested, looked fantastic and tasted even better. There is no doubting its quality and this is the only thing you should come for. It is served with mashed potatoes and a properly cooked fresh Yorkshire pudding. The mash tastes a bit floury and both sides are covered in a rather thin and uninteresting gravy which would have been better served on the side. As a side, the baked Idaho potato tasted good not entirely fresh while the creamed spinach verged on overcooked.

There is a “wide list” of wines from around the world and an additional “thin list” which is comprised mainly of fine French wine. Prices look reasonable but customers are more than welcome to bring their own and pay the HK$500 corkage charge. There are also two red and one white wine bottled under their own Lawry label, made by Round Hill wines in California.

Attentive and professional.

Dinner for two is about HK$1,000 without wine, a reasonable price for the quality of meat they serve.