I'll admit I was pretty crushed to hear that my favourite childhood hangout - the late Dan Ryan's in Pacific Place - had closed. Thankfully, the Chicago grill-inspired American diner is a chain with a few other outlets dotted around Hong Kong, the latest of which opened in Cityplaza shopping mall in Tai Koo. I noticed a few changes in the overall look and feel of the restaurant including brighter lighting, more art pieces and a more refined decor (people in suits were sipping on wine with their ribs!), but the comforting food was what ultimately tugged at my heartstrings. Mainly, Dan Ryan's was somewhere I used to go for the potato skins, free-flowing iced tea, and hours-long conversations with friends, but after trying a few other things on their new and upgraded menu last night, I'm convinced I'll be coming back for the food.
What the restaurant looks like from outside, located next to Passion by Gerard Dubois on the 3/F of Cityplaza shopping mall.
Hello, bread basket perfection. Does anyone know what that muffin in the back is actually made of? I've been loving it for years but for some reason never really bothered to ask about it!
This was the Super Green Salad, which featured a delicious vinaigrette dressing over spinach, arugula, avocado, super sweet pears, pine nuts and large blueberries. So as I stared at this unfamiliar plate in front of me, it was then that I realised I had never once ordered a salad (or anything remotely healthy) at Dan Ryan's before. I ended up loving every component of this salad, and would definitely recommend it to cut up the rest of what will probably be a very heavy meal here!
Here they are - the classic Dan Ryan's Potato Skins that I'm thankful weren't tossed from the new menu! Laden with gooey melted cheese, bacon and generous amounts of sour cream and chives, there's truly no comfort like this dish.
Sorry if I sound totally ignorant, but what exactly is chili? Is it like bolognese with beans and a kick? I tried the Chili Burger, and it was ridiculously delicious. Basically, a ton of hearty chili slapped onto a medium burger patty with melted cheddar to complete the spectacle. It comes with a side of addictive cajun-seasoned fries and a massive pickle - just the way I like it!
Finally, we wrapped up the heavy meal with this equally indulgent Carrot Cake. I find it a little unacceptable that I've never tried this American classic before. While I have no other carrot cake experience to compare this one to, the nutty cake resembled the bread basket muffin that I love- so it automatically tasted great in my books! Icing was a little too sweet for my liking, but I just scraped some off.
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Restaurant Details - Dan Ryan's Cityplaza
Tel - 2845 4600
Address - Shop 311, 3/F, Phase 1, Cityplaza, 18 Taikoo Shing Road, Tai Koo (2 min walk from MTR exit D1)
Opening Hours - 11:30 - 22:00
Instagram - @danryans.hk