Are you looking for a good and relaxing gastropub in Hong Kong with plenty of beer selections? Well then, you should definitely try out Second Draft. This gastropub offers plenty of beers, food that are good paired with the beers.
This blog contains information about the restaurant, the food, the beer, the service and ambiance.
ABOUT SECOND DRAFT
Second Draft is a gastropub located in Little Tai Hang in Causeway Bay. This place has been open since 2016. Yes! It's pretty new and Second Draft has already received a lot of positive feedback and has been awarded "Best New Restaurant" by Hong Kong Tatler in 2017.
Second Draft offers the best taste of beers and good food pairing with beers. They serve premium local craft beers on tap. The place looks retro and with a high ceiling and a hall of beers for drinkers to chose from.
LOCATION
Second Draft is located in Little Tai Hang in Causeway Bay. Tai Hang area is starting to raise more attraction and more and more new aspiring restaurants are opening in this area. This could be the next it place to be.
ADDRESS: 98 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang, Hong Kong
HOW TO GET THERE
The most convenient way to go to Second Draft is by taking the MTR and drop off at Tin Hau Station - Exit B. It takes about 7 minutes walk from the train station to Second Draft.
Why Tin Hau though? Although Second Draft is in Causeway Bay but getting off at Tin Hau Station would be much closer than dropping off from Causeway Bay Station.
Left -Second Draft signage
Right - Little Tai Hang signage. Apologise for the tree.
AMBIENCE
Second Draft looks modern with a high ceiling inside the gastropub located in the luxurious Little Tai Hang. This gastropub certainly make customers feel like home and will most likely leave the place happy. The place looks peaceful, not very crowded and I guess it's another good thing that Second Draft is not situated in a busy and very commercial area such as Central or Tsim Sha Tsui. The place itself make me feel like I want to stay there for a long time. The place looks quite spacious and the bar looks great, with all the tap craft beers and beer signage menu on the top of the bar area.
Beer menu on the wall
BEER
In Second Draft, there are a lot of beer selections starting from 3.0% up to 9.0%, being the highest alcohol percentage. There are around 7 types of beers in Second Draft - Ale (Pale, India Red, Oaked Rye, Session and Scotch Ales), Stout (Imperial and Sweet Stouts), IPA (Imperial, Red, Black and Session IPA), Gose (Salted Lime), Saison (Dry and Brett Saisons), Mead and Wheat (American and Blueberry Wheats). Most of the craft beers are local from Young Master Brewery and HEROES brewery.
Beer lovers can also pick their beer sizes ranging in 3 sizes (200ml, 330ml, and 450 ml). Second Draft also allows customers to have a taste of their craft beers in a shot glass before ordering a whole glass.I got to say, where can you really find this in Hong Kong as there are not many places that offer this kind of hospitality.
BEER RECOMMENDATIONS
In Second Draft, there is a list of beer favourites. I have personally tried these beers and I came up with my top 5 picks.
- Rye On Wood by Young Master - Oaked Rye Ale containing 6.0% alcohol
This is probably every gentlemen's top pick. It has caramel taste and it is very mouthful.
- Hangry Donut by HEROES - American Wheat containing 5.1% alcohol
Hangry stands for Hungry + Angry. This beer is definitely something that would fill you up a bit when you enter the place "hangry".
- Cha Cha Teng Gose by Young Master - Salted Lime Gose containing 4.5% alcohol
Also known as CCT, it is a light beer with sour taste. I like this beer simply because of its simplicity and it doesn't make me feel full after having more than 2 glasses of it.
- Hygges Bro by HEROES - Session IPA containing 5% alcohol
This beer tastes a little bit bitter but just the type of bitter that every ladies would enjoy and wouldn't mind having another round of Hygges Bro beer.
- Vanilla Stout by Sankt Gallen - Sweet Stout with Vanilla containing 6.4% alcohol
This beer is very refreshing and not too heavy in the belly. However, the alcohol percentage is a bit high. It kind of taste like coffee too because of the vanilla flavours.
OTHER BEVERAGES
Aside from beers, there are other beverage options that Second Draft serves. The bartenders can make a pretty good cup of coffee, some cocktails and fruit juices for people who don't drink alcoholic drinks or if you are detoxifying.
COFFEE
There are 5 different types of coffees that Second Draft serves. Espresso would be the basic ones, followed by Hand Craft Coffee, Ice Drip Coffee, Nitro Cold Brew and Coffee Mocktail.
SODA
There are some sodas and non-alcoholic drinks are available in Second Draft, such as CoAqua coconut water, tonic, ginger beer, ginger ale, lemonade and Cuban iced tea.
WINES & COCKTAILS
Wines are also available in Second Draft. They serve Sparkling wines, Red & White wines, Rose and Orange wines. There are a few cocktails for drinkers to try out. The 2 famous cocktails are Chen Pei Negroni and Siu Yeh Sour.
FOOD
The food menu looks pretty appetizing and the taste is just perfect to pair with the beers. It is a mix of Hong Kong culture with some international touch, hence it is a fusion cuisine. The food is carefully selected with vegetarians and meat options included. Second Draft caters to both healthy and big eaters as they offer plenty of dietary and satisfying food choices.
BAR SNACKS & BITES
There is a good selection of bar snacks and bites for hungry eaters to try. Here are some recommendations for bar snacks and bites.
- Edamole made and mixed with Edamame and Guacamole to be dipped with some crispy chips.
- Ink Croquettes - fried Oysters with Squid Ink.
- Hong Kong style French Toast with Foie Gras butter and syrup on top of the toast.
- There are 2 delicious chicken dishes that are to die for, Jer Jer Buffalo Wings - yellow Chicken wings with Buffalo sauce and Blue Cheese and Fried Chicken cooked with roasted garlic.
- Beetroot & Avocado serves with vinegar and candied sesame walnut.
- One of Second Draft's signature dish - Tai Hang Fries with cumin and dried chili.
MAINS AND MEATS
The main dishes are something what hungry eaters would want to have along with beers. The main dishes are good for sharing and here are my recommendations.
- Coffee Risotto with sesame seed and coffee powder. This is a unique dish and something I have not tried before.
- Mushroom & Asparagus with assorted Mushrooms, grilled Asparagus serves with sweet soy sauce and Onsen Egg on top.
- Fried Chicken Sandwich - yellow Chicken, mayo, pickled ginger and coleslaw all mixed together in the bun.
- Hanger Steak with black pepper oil and it is always serves as rare.
- Second Draft's signature main dish - Flower Crab Pasta serves with butter sauce, thick Shanghainese noodles and egg yolk.
- The biggest dish in the menu - Chiella (serves in Pork Leg or Lobster, depends on availability). There is only 2 portions serves per day and it takes about 45 minutes to prepare the delicious dish. The Chiella dish also comes with crispy Shanghainese vegetable rice.
SERVICE
The service in Second Draft is nice and the staffs are very friendly. They would also provide a good recommendation from the menu, in case customers are unsure of what to order. It is very casual, which is less intimidating and more relaxing. The orders come pretty fast and I really appreciate it when the staffs explain the dishes well. I hear that most of the regular customers who come to this place are there not only for the food and beer but also because of the hospitality that the staffs have provided.
Overall my experience at Second Draft has been great. I would recommend this place to people and for those who are seeking for a nice gastropub in Hong Kong. I have been coming back to this place from time to time and I will continue to do so. The venue makes me feel at home and it is definitely a place to unwind with some nice food and beers.
Yours Truly,
Michelle Chan
