It’s easy to miss Mrs Pound, with its convincing faux stamp shop front that blends in seamlessly with the neighbourhood, and an entrance that is only revealed after a secret switch is activated. Once inside, the walls are adorned with curios that extend the restaurant’s trendy vibe, from cosmetic compacts lining the walls to retro gymnasium-style hoops hanging from the ceiling above the bar. Seating is available in small booths, although limited bar seating reminiscent of 50’s style American diners is available for waiting guests.

The one-page menu separates items into skewers, ‘smaller’, ‘bigger’, salads, bar bites and sides. We start with the Xinjiang spiced lamb skewer (which requires a minimum of two skewers to be ordered at a time) – pieces of lamb shoulder are seasoned with cumin and a spice blend, and served with a garlic-chive pesto sauce. While we enjoyed the texture and seasoning of the meat, we found the flavour of the lamb meat itself to be lacking. The tuna larp, on the other hand, packed a punch with minced tuna mixed with Thai basil, chilli, onion, fried garlic, cucumber, mint, and coriander. Served with cabbage leaves, this is a dish that offsets its spiciness with the cool, crisp vegetation, leaving you satisfied. The rendang poutine was a modern rendition of a Canadian classic, with French fries topped with beef rendang, mozzarella and spring onion, best consumed immediately when arriving at the table to ensure all ingredients are at their best. The laksa bibimbap with fried rice, laksa leaves, chicken, vegetables and egg is a terrific marriage of Malaysian and Korean cuisine. Served in a stone pot, the harmonious combination of flavours gave just enough heat, and the layer of rice crisped by the heat of the bowl added a welcome texture to the dish. The Hainan chicken rice was also a winner, with tender succulent meat served on top of light ginger rice. An accompaniment of three sauces – dark soy sauce, chilli sauce, and ginger sauce – are presented separately, allowing diners to dip according to their preferences. Unfortunately for those with a sweet tooth, Mrs Pound is not offering desserts at this time.

There is an eclectic selection of liquor, beer and wines at Mrs Pound, although we were particularly drawn to the signature cocktails available. The Tom Yum Cooler, with Tanqueray gin, kaffir lime leaves, chilli, lime and coconut water, was just spicy enough to be a believable cocktail rendition of the hot and sour Thai soup, tempered by the coconut water.

Overall, service was polite and efficient on the evening of our visit. Servers are eager to provide food suggestions, although at times we were left wondering what had just arrived at the table as a few times, no introductions were given.

At just over HK$500 for two including a drink each for dinner, we found this to be great value for money, particularly when taking into account the tantalising and enjoyable dishes on offer.