Soft Aroma in Causeway Bay, one of the very few 'real coffee' places in this unfortunate town, has shuttered. It's a couple of doors away from the new and unremarkable Brunch Club - why has BC even survived? What is wrong with Hong Kongers?
The rent spike is definitely an issue for many businesses in Hong Kong, but I can't help but think that this marks the beginning of more coffee closures. When will Hong Kong wake up to the smell of freshly pulled espresso and stop spending their hard-earned cash on freaking Starfucks and Pussific Coffee?
I swear I'm losing faith in this city. Fast.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Coffee in Hong Kong - the neverending quest
Good coffee is hard to come by in the SAR (sorry *bucks just doesn't cut it for this ex-Melburnian), so whenever I hear or come across a place that offers the prospect of decent coffee, I'm there in a flash. I was in Mong Kok over the weekend - MK? Coffee? Hmm... I gave it a shot anyway, 'cause (I'm desperate and) I already love this place for its cool selection of magazines (French Archi Digest, Monocle, Jalouse etc.), so I thought maybe the gods of caffeine will pity this deprived soul.
They did not. Maybe they're punishing me for not praying more?
The cakes were fugly too, but I guess I'll give the gelati a try next time...
Lucky I have that primitive Vietnamese coffee dripper thingy at home and Nespresso at work (yes, that is how low I have stooped - actually, Nespresso pods aren't that bad all).
Slowly by Da Dolce
B2/F Langham Place
Mong Kok
They did not. Maybe they're punishing me for not praying more?
The cakes were fugly too, but I guess I'll give the gelati a try next time...
Lucky I have that primitive Vietnamese coffee dripper thingy at home and Nespresso at work (yes, that is how low I have stooped - actually, Nespresso pods aren't that bad all).
Slowly by Da Dolce
B2/F Langham Place
Mong Kok
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
A false start - Caprice
Caprice and Pierre - both signature restaurants in HK's top hotels that I hadn't tried, until recently. I'd heard more good things about the former, so I chose it when the opportunity to go haute came along. I don't know what I was expecting - too much, as usual, perhaps - but I didn't come away too satisfied. My first course was amazing - a crab leg salad kinda thing served just a little below room temp. Fresh, yes, but it had a bit more done to it to enhance, heighten, meld (whatever) all the flavours into one lyrical whole. Maybe it was this perfect entree that made me expect too much from my main - a dory bouillabaise. I was expecting a hearty, clay-coloured dish with chunks of fish among some ratatouille-like veg, but it turned out to be a boring hunk of fillet in a fishy consomme. To its credit, the consomme actually tasted quite similar to that clay-coloured thing I'd imagined, but the fish was relatively taste and texture-less and frankly it was just visually boring. Apparently the cheese platter is a must, but unfortunately we had other commitments (in the form of puff pastry, cream and strawberries) so I guess I'll come back next time for an entree and the cheese, if at all.
I also thought the sommelier was a bit pretentious and the chandeliers a bit much... Views are rad though.
Caprice
Four Seasons Hotel
Central
Hong Kong
+852 3196-8860
I also thought the sommelier was a bit pretentious and the chandeliers a bit much... Views are rad though.
Caprice
Four Seasons Hotel
Central
Hong Kong
+852 3196-8860
Monday, August 18, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Lawry's The Prime Rib - Steak a Break
'American' food to had always meant everything on the menu at Dan Ryan's or Ruby Tuesdays - ribs, huge sundays, and burger-heights reminiscent of the Empire State Building. ('New American' is a different matter entirely). So when Lawry's opened in the SAR, I wasn't exactly in a rush to get there, if at all.
A phone call comes from mother in the middle of a rainy week (we've had a couple of those recently), declaring she was in no mood to be home for dinner, and that we should go to Lawry's. Both were weird requests coming from my mother, who finds every opportunity to frown whenever I tell her I won't be home for dinner and has made 'almost vegetarian' a lifestyle choice. Regardless, who was I not to submit to her majesty's demand?
I wasn't exactly expecting much (Dan Ryan's being the only portrayal of American 'cuisine' I grew up with), but was very pleasantly surprised. Everything we had - lobster bisque, crab shell, 'spinning' salad, beef (Cali cuts) - bar one - apple pie - was genuinely delicious. I don't think it's 'fine' food in anyone's books, but it was mad tasty.
Probably the best 'traditional' American (as opposed to 'New American') restaurant export around. A big thumbs up for the crab shell - which was filled with chunky strands of crab meat, as well as the uber crisp lettuce in the spinning salad - especially in this town where we've sadly become accustomed to limp mesculun with browning edges.
You'll be licking the plates clean and full to the brim by the time you're done with the steak and yorkshire pud, so rest assured that skipping dessert here is no biggie (rather, that would be my suggestion).
(Apologies about the low quality photos - I took them on my phone - though I must say, my phone seemed to have done a pretty good job despite the low lights)
Lawry's The Prime Rib
4/F Lee Gardens
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
+852 2907 2218
View e_ting in Hong Kong in a larger map
A phone call comes from mother in the middle of a rainy week (we've had a couple of those recently), declaring she was in no mood to be home for dinner, and that we should go to Lawry's. Both were weird requests coming from my mother, who finds every opportunity to frown whenever I tell her I won't be home for dinner and has made 'almost vegetarian' a lifestyle choice. Regardless, who was I not to submit to her majesty's demand?
I wasn't exactly expecting much (Dan Ryan's being the only portrayal of American 'cuisine' I grew up with), but was very pleasantly surprised. Everything we had - lobster bisque, crab shell, 'spinning' salad, beef (Cali cuts) - bar one - apple pie - was genuinely delicious. I don't think it's 'fine' food in anyone's books, but it was mad tasty.
Probably the best 'traditional' American (as opposed to 'New American') restaurant export around. A big thumbs up for the crab shell - which was filled with chunky strands of crab meat, as well as the uber crisp lettuce in the spinning salad - especially in this town where we've sadly become accustomed to limp mesculun with browning edges.
You'll be licking the plates clean and full to the brim by the time you're done with the steak and yorkshire pud, so rest assured that skipping dessert here is no biggie (rather, that would be my suggestion).
lobster bisque; crab shell; spinning salad; cali cut with mash and yorkshire pudding; yorkshire pudding; apple pie
(Apologies about the low quality photos - I took them on my phone - though I must say, my phone seemed to have done a pretty good job despite the low lights)
Lawry's The Prime Rib
4/F Lee Gardens
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
+852 2907 2218
View e_ting in Hong Kong in a larger map
Friday, March 28, 2008
Melbourne - Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons
Sad to inform y'all that it's been more than a week after I've left Melbourne (in which I stayed for a whirlwind 7 days). One of the highlights of my trip (apart form my cousin's wedding, of course) was an excellent dinner at GAS, the new Terzini place at Crown.
Firstly, they don't take reservations, so my advice would be to go earlier or later (dinner service begins at 6pm) - we went at 9pm.
Location: where one of the Warner Bros. stores were - the space is hence pretty big, and the decor is quite industrial meets retro, with 50s-style tiling all round. Not exactly to my liking, but the salumi glass case just behind the bar area is an ace gawping opportunity.
Menu: large, very reasonably priced (mains come in approx. under $30), split into various sections - antipasti, zuppe, pasta, meats, crudo (raw), seafood, offal (yes, offal is a category), dolci etc. The style of food is casual, hearty Italian - think ragu, braised meats, veal, simple steamed fish etc.
We started with veal polpotte (pls excuse any spelling mistakes) from the antipasti cat., and "hand dive" hervy bay scallops plus sardines from the crudo section. The scallops were mind-blowingly fresh and was perfectly paired with its slightly tangy dressing + lemon juice. veal meatballs were good too, deep golden brown and piping hot from the deep fryer, v. tasty.
Mains - two of us had pastas, which were very well done, but the highlight was the stuffed pig's trotter from the offal section of the menu. It was stuffed with lamb sausage, celery, majoram etc. and cooked till the pork skin was translucent and jelly-like. It was delicious, if not a bit too salty - though it does come on a bed of veg (watercress? silverbeet?)
Dessert - portions were pretty big, so we could only fit one dessert in - it was a fresh raspberry, mascapone and vanilla tart. Perfect tart base (like a tuile - crisp, yet cookie-substantial), runny mascarpone mixed with grappa for a slight twang, and juicy berries. Simple yet totally yum!
So all in all I was very impressed (not so much by the sparse/capricious decor, but anyway, I'm not here to eat tiles), esp. for the price. Dinner for 3, incl. a glass of vino each came to A$150, which is a bargain at Crown, and for food and service of that calibre. (Service by the way was swift, though not always perfect, but never annoying).
Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons
Crown Promenade
+613 9694 7400
Firstly, they don't take reservations, so my advice would be to go earlier or later (dinner service begins at 6pm) - we went at 9pm.
Location: where one of the Warner Bros. stores were - the space is hence pretty big, and the decor is quite industrial meets retro, with 50s-style tiling all round. Not exactly to my liking, but the salumi glass case just behind the bar area is an ace gawping opportunity.
Menu: large, very reasonably priced (mains come in approx. under $30), split into various sections - antipasti, zuppe, pasta, meats, crudo (raw), seafood, offal (yes, offal is a category), dolci etc. The style of food is casual, hearty Italian - think ragu, braised meats, veal, simple steamed fish etc.
We started with veal polpotte (pls excuse any spelling mistakes) from the antipasti cat., and "hand dive" hervy bay scallops plus sardines from the crudo section. The scallops were mind-blowingly fresh and was perfectly paired with its slightly tangy dressing + lemon juice. veal meatballs were good too, deep golden brown and piping hot from the deep fryer, v. tasty.
pig's trotter, scrumalicious scallops, sardines
Mains - two of us had pastas, which were very well done, but the highlight was the stuffed pig's trotter from the offal section of the menu. It was stuffed with lamb sausage, celery, majoram etc. and cooked till the pork skin was translucent and jelly-like. It was delicious, if not a bit too salty - though it does come on a bed of veg (watercress? silverbeet?)
Dessert - portions were pretty big, so we could only fit one dessert in - it was a fresh raspberry, mascapone and vanilla tart. Perfect tart base (like a tuile - crisp, yet cookie-substantial), runny mascarpone mixed with grappa for a slight twang, and juicy berries. Simple yet totally yum!
So all in all I was very impressed (not so much by the sparse/capricious decor, but anyway, I'm not here to eat tiles), esp. for the price. Dinner for 3, incl. a glass of vino each came to A$150, which is a bargain at Crown, and for food and service of that calibre. (Service by the way was swift, though not always perfect, but never annoying).
Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons
Crown Promenade
+613 9694 7400
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Landmark Mandarin is NOT owned by the Mandarin Oriental Group. (Thank goodness)
Coz it sucked.
And I love the 'original' Mandarin Oriental.
A scone wannabee that turned out to be more like a tasteless, springy muffin with too much fat rubbed in. Um, they definitely don't share the same cake shop...
Like most 'traditional' afternoon teas in Hong Kong, this came in three-tiers. Except this stand stood on the ground rather than the table. Pretty cool, but unfortunately being cool doesn't make your food taste any nicer. Speaking of cool, the hard surfaces in the 'hip' interior didn't do noise levels any favours either.
The pannacotta on the right, however, was right on the money. Tart berry coulis, light jelly at the bottom and vanilla bean-packed cream in the middle. The only thing worth eating again.
Service was sloppy and uninspiring and coffee was weak. I don't need to spell it out right? Ok fine, B.A.D. (but it was packed! Another HK phenomenon I will never fathom).
MO Bar
Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Hong Kong
+852 2132 0188
And I love the 'original' Mandarin Oriental.
A scone wannabee that turned out to be more like a tasteless, springy muffin with too much fat rubbed in. Um, they definitely don't share the same cake shop...
Like most 'traditional' afternoon teas in Hong Kong, this came in three-tiers. Except this stand stood on the ground rather than the table. Pretty cool, but unfortunately being cool doesn't make your food taste any nicer. Speaking of cool, the hard surfaces in the 'hip' interior didn't do noise levels any favours either.
The pannacotta on the right, however, was right on the money. Tart berry coulis, light jelly at the bottom and vanilla bean-packed cream in the middle. The only thing worth eating again.
Service was sloppy and uninspiring and coffee was weak. I don't need to spell it out right? Ok fine, B.A.D. (but it was packed! Another HK phenomenon I will never fathom).
MO Bar
Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Hong Kong
+852 2132 0188
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