Islam Food 清真牛肉館 - Adventure to Kowloon City

Rating: ❤❤❤❤

Kowloon City - famous for the Kowloon Walled City, cheap eats, and...Islam Food? Yes this shop is pretty much synonymous with Kowloon City as everyone knows and raves about their veal goulash/beef cakes! Last time I came here in early September, this shop was still under renovation so we ended up going to their other branch just 2 streets over. We came here again recently with a friend who has not tried this place yet and saw that it has reopened! After the renovation, this shop was brighter and more modern than their other branch. It's smaller though and you basically have to share a table with other people as they only have big round tables that can seat ~8 people. 

There was a bit of a line when we got here around 12:30pm on a Sunday. Luckily the lines moved pretty quickly as the turnover was quite fast. It's really not a place where you can chill and talk if you know what I mean. They won't seat you until all of your party is present so make sure everyone is there or risk waiting for the next round. 

Besides the veal goulash, they are famous for their curry as well. Their menu also had a vast selection of meat, seafood, noodles and rice. Basically they are just like any other Chinese restaurant but doesn't serve pork.

Veal Goulash ($30/2) - I had the veal goulash before and while it was good, the skin broke easily and all of the sauce spilled out. The one I had this time had thicker skin so the sauce was contained the entire time I was eating it. The beef inside was soft and juicy, and the sauce was rich and flavorful.The outside was not as crispy however. Overall, still good but could be better! Makes me wonder if they had tweaked their formula somehow. 

Curry Mutton Chop ($66) - The appetizing aroma of the curry wafted to our noses before it was set down in front of us. The lamb was tender and succulent while the curry sauce was spicy and flavorful. The curry was just right as it did not overpower the natural gamey taste of the lamb. Scrumptious!

Shredded Beef, Tripe & Chicken with Bean Vermicelli ($69) - a cold dish with peanut butter sauce on top and a tangy sauce on the bottom of the vermicelli. Unfortunately, there was too much peanut butter sauce and it overwhelmed and coated everything from the vermicelli to the meat. Even the vinegar-like sauce on the bottom could not balance out the peanut sauce as it stuck to everything in sight.

Beef Brisket Noodle ($33) - the beef brisket noodle was a nice dish to balance out all the meat and curry we had as the broth was light and simple. The beef brisket was lean yet tender while the noodles were chewy and filling. The sour preserved vegetables were also a nice touch to enhance the natural taste of the noodle. An unpretentious yet fulfilling dish. 

Sesame Oil Chicken ($70 for 1/4) - initially we weren't planning on ordering this but when we saw many people ordering this, we decided to order one to go as we were already full. It was at bit pricey at $70 for a quarter of a chicken but since it was a free range chicken, it was worth it as the meat was so much softer and flavorful. The sesame oil sauce enhanced the already wonderful taste of the chicken as it was light and aromatic. Thumbs up for this!

Verdict - while the dining environment may be cramped, the quality and taste of the food were great given the reasonable prices. The service was also much better at this branch than the other one. The waitresses were mostly courteous, responsive and polite which can be rare at a local joint in Kowloon City. You know you don't come here for the service but it's like getting an unexpected present when you do get it. 

Islam Food
1 Lung Kong Road, Kowloon City 
2382 2822