This is 為食貓QQ living in Sha Tin.I am a 食家, work in Chai Wan. Sichuan, Japanese, Italian, 韓國菜 are my favorite cuisines. I also love and Teppanyaki, Ramen.
Hello, I am a student studying in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and I am conducting a survey about online restaurant review posting behaviour. I need your precious opinions so much and please help to fill a questionnaire. Thank you!
Hi,2010-10-15 00:26203.218.x.xI am not sure about SOHO or Central shops which are Dog friendly, although I remember Classified the Cheese Room sometimes has dogs outside !
Someone just said the EAST SOHO in Sai Wan Ho is ok, I think he or she is right from memory! I am not sure if some of the outdoor restos in say CWB 食街 or Knutsford are ok.
If you go past or I go past, I'll ask them and remember to tell u. Actually u know, I wanted to buy a cat b4 just this month, but it got sold after I wanted to check it more first (as it is a life time commitment for her and me). So regret it... it walked in a really elegant way, like cat walk and raises it feet up for every step it takes! ARRRGHHH.... might never find a cat like that before. I like dogs too, but think my house too small to keep one comfortably !
Hi!2010-10-09 00:17203.218.x.xHow are you doing late? Everything is fine and better and better I hope!
With the Dog friendly cafe, do you know APPLE in Northpoint? They have a dog Ar bee inside all the time, that's why I go there to visit her She's really friendly....
Anyway may be if you go past there, u can ask them. I didn't review their shop, in case I get them into trouble with some authority if they see it!
Thank you ! I am fine, how are you? The place sound interesting, maybe I'll give it a try later
The reason I am asking is that I am planning to have a hiking trip with my friends and they would like to bring along their dogs (which I don't mind at all), but there is just this minor issue of finding a suitable place for all to have dinner afterwards. We have been to Sai Kung before and so we would like to try something else; and unfortunatelty Stanley is not that dod freindly anymore. I am thinking of hiking at Lantau Island where I know many restaurants should welcome dogs. How about in Central / Soho area, do you know any dog-freindly restaurants there? Do you keep a dog yourself ?
Anyway, thanks for your reply, take care and bon appetit !!
HI again.2009-06-29 03:17219.78.x.xSorry about the late reply, as the other night afte submitting reviews it was so late and sometimes I only log on when I get home super-late!
Anyway, in reality, I'm not so familar with cookbooks. I only own 1 believe it or not and that's because it was given to me for free after accumulating enough purchase points on a card! PERHAPS, you will be better off asking people who are really into food or cookbooks like SCY or Foodiewil, both seem to know a lot more about culinary books than I do. I've browsed a few chefbooks in the bookshop but never purchased them, I memorise the 'concept' rather than the 'recipes' just as I do the same in school, because recipes are made by others, creativity is what really counts? In fact I only started paying more attention to food around 2.5 years ago as I became conscious of the fact that I really do eat at least 2-3 times a day and I simply longed for better and evolving food, also somehow I made friends who are top chefs! There's still a lot to be learned on food by me, but I always pay attention to the smaller details nowadays compared to the past but you know what? - from your numerous reviews, I think you're way too humble...... you certainly know a lot about food already and sometimes you know things that I didn't know or observes, and its obvious you guys know how to review the finer details accurately! ^o^'
If I have to give a personal suggestion that might not even suit you but lets give it a try, I think it depends on how serious you want to be cooking at home! Will you or your wife both be cooking together? Because sometimes I find that certain foods need 2+ people to cook together and all steps be synchronised, also obviously u'll need a minimum of equipment (even if compromised), otherwise the end result might not be as good as the chefbook's....!
I can't know obviously how much you already know or don't know about certain food and also different cuisines, but I know you're definitely way beyond the beginner level from your reviews, which is surprising considering you never had culinary training! I could probably suggest 2 types of chefbooks and do tell me if it helps in the end!
1 - A simple but not so simple book which outlines the basic sauces and recipes required in cooking, mainly French cooking. There is simply no substitution for Auguste Escoffier's. This covers the 'base'. However, you could similary find a 'SAUCES' book which teach a lot about the basics - such as mother sauces, how to work beter with butter, etc. There are many overlaps in Europe and their sauces, but similarly, this theory applies to Asian food. The basic sauces of that particular cuisine, gives u the biggest clue on how the food are made. 2 - As an Intermediate to Expert step, may be you can look at a books by Jean Georges Vongerichten, of Lafayette, Vong and Jean Georges fame? I name him out of the blue perhaps because although he isn't considered the top of the Top World Chef, he does actually own a 3 Star Michelin restaurant. Not only that, but he is French so knows French stuff but knows so much about other European and also Asian food from his stint in Asia, also he is half-way between classical and modern cooking and he knows scientific methods as well as very traditional stuff.
From my observation, his food and knowledge is very broad yet very expertised somewhat in many fields. He seems to have written a couple of books but 'From Simple to Spectacular' might be useful? I'm not sure, please take a read first and tell me back! ^o^
As an alternative, I think Alain Ducasse's books seems equally interesting. He is another person who is an expert on both traditional and modern cooking techniques, a man with many styles.... I guess Thomas Keller is another option but may be his stuff needs better equipment. I think Ducasse's advantage is that his cooking style means some of his stuff could be replicated at home with home kitchen equipment. In fact that's only my interpretation, so don't take it as Gospel and think I'm definitely right - my personality is always changing and so does what I think I know, I'm the type who always ask more questions rather than know the definitive answers. Afterall, to me, everything changes in due time anyway. (Not sure if you understand what I mean, as I find many people different from myself... haha!)
Anyway, good luck with it all, don't forget to ask other's opinions!
Thanks for message.2009-06-18 01:18219.77.x.xSometimes perhaps certain groups of people on Openrice (even some I communicate with on a personal basis) do not commonly share my sometimes relatively 'harsher' but HONEST reviews on here. I guess each person has their own agenda in life.
A fair few overseas friends come past Hong Kong for trips regularly, mainly from Australia and Japan, some from Taiwan and also business people from China regularly. If we look at the bigger picture as a whole, Hong Kong is already fast losing out economically to other Asian neighbours. in terms of GDP, designs, exports, etc. A lot of Chinese businessmen we deal with openly insinuated that our little city is now still only thriving because we've been gifted or become dependant on the central Chinese government's support in multiple ways - such as issuing them visa to visit Hong Kong and making purchases which stimulate our economy/retail/hotels/restaurants/jewellery shops, still valuing us as a seaport for importing/exporting purposes, or artificially popping up our 'financial centre' status to this day instead of relocating everything to Shanghai/Beijing instantly, etc. I have heard of such comments personally, on numerous occasions.
On reflection and looking at the future bigger picture, for me, the FOOD QUALITY in Hong Kong must be maintained and even ascent to higher International levels to match places such as Japan and Singapore or Shanghai or Macao. As I see it now, we've already been falling behind since a few years ago and I've seen others in Openrice suggesting the same. Whilst seemingly irrelevant on the surface and outlandish to suggest, 'Our Food Culture' will give impressions to foreigners/chinese mainlanders that we're still on top of the game and therefore worthy of keeping our treasured Financial/Culinary City status attained since the British days. It will affect the future lives of everyone in Hong Kong.
So in case you were curious, yes I do love food but no I don't study it nor practise it like others in the field (btw, I replied you in Jun as well), I just equally think its our responsibility to keep our city alive in the long run.
BTW, couldn't help notice your conversation with SCY. I would suggest to go with 'Process Orientated' cookbooks 1stly to learn some proper techniques so as to understand the reasonings behind the philosophies and science that has taken the chefs years to discover. Get the basics right 1st I personally don't think there's such things as 'Results Orientated' cookbooks though. All cookbooks are 'results orientated' in a way, otherwise why go into all the smaller details in the 1st place to achieve the best? There's definitely Home-kitchen scale orientated cookbooks however, since circumstances won't allow us to replicate the qualities churned out by a professional kitchen and its staff and equipment, etc. Even Celebrity Chefs sometimes write recipes for home-scale kitchens in 1 volume then write more difficult ones in other series that might apply more to modern professional kitchens, etc. (Exception being Jamie Oliver haha, but he's not wrong either - more traditional, rustic fare has its place in the culinary world and holds a nolstagic value. Think Tapas vs El Bulli, both Spanish but on extreme spectrums. Not everything is Haute Cuisine!) ^_^'
hmm2009-05-30 12:34203.218.x.xfor results orientated cookbooks, any of those written by celebrity chefs with huge pictures should do. the 'problem' with "amateur" books is: a) often they tell you to use "housewife techniques" e.g. roast beef for x minutes for every y weight; instead of measuring the maximum distance the heat has to travel (aka depth) b) they tell you to use less butter and salt than the dish needs c) ingredients are oversimplified; white balsamic vinegar -> white vinegar etc.
btw most meat dishes require an oven...problematic no?
hi2009-05-29 19:32203.218.x.xwah sorry for late reply!!
re: cheung chau
Katie's dessert has "standard" quality; she does have passion but lacks "perspective" aka "hk taste".
I couldn't try the dorayaki at hometown as they were closed the day I went...
允升甜品 is pretty good
新照記茶餐小食店's snacks are alright, nothing special, but there's a grandma opposite of them who makes pretty good chinese style "stick" snacks
Didn't try 興樂菜館 (because I go to Po Toi Island for seafood) and Morocco's (because it's weird to travel all the way for curry).
長洲甘永泰 fish balls are good!
郭錦記餅店's festive buns are nice
洲啤工房's chip-twist is superb
~
cookbooks
depends if you want the "results orientated" or "process orientated" approach; results orientated is if you simply want to cook the most popular western dishes, don't necessarily want it to be perfect just good tasting. process orientated is if you want to understand both the science and history behind each dish, which particular ingredient to use and why that 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar is that important etc
Moroccan2009-05-15 15:07203.218.x.xThere's La Boheme in Central but I have not tried it...the only time when I've eaten an authentic Moroccan meal is at a Slowfood gathering http://slowfoodhk.com/main.php?p=events.moroccan ; here are my pictures http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/sherm.cy/SlowFoodMoroccan#
Otherwise, as you can read from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_morocco , Moroccan cuisine is a melting pot of the cuisines of Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa...so the "nearest alternatives" would be "Olive, Greek & Middle Eastern", "El Greco", "Beirut", "Habibi", "Bazaar", "Assaf".
"Makumba Africa Bar" 's food is crap so don't go there.
luk yu2009-05-12 10:10203.218.x.xpretty good for dim sum, for dinner the glutentous rice stuffed chicken, almond pig lung soup, grouper toast and s&s pork are pretty good, lunch will be ~200, dinner ~400
thanks!2009-05-11 17:48203.218.x.xthe "chef's tasting" at 精品sounds more interesting...always trust the chef eh?
Ning Po was good, but I think the kitchen couldn't handle serving 12 tables simultaneously, but dishes that require less "last minute execution" (like the fermented tofu) were excellent.
..2008-12-30 15:38218.103.x.xBonnie of Chez les Copain is my "師母": Before I cooked professionally I was a decent but over confident home-cook, "power of words > power of work" etc, during summer she let me "play" in her kitchen and start "turning the tables", as well as giving me advice on whether to pursue a career in cuisine etc... now I'm cooking at a 2 Michelin star restaurant!!
The French (as do the Chinese and the Japanese) believes for fine dining there is a "law of diminishing returns", where the marginal utility of a dish falls with the quantity eaten. Thus we have our "menu degustation" or "tasting menus" which typically consists of around 10 courses, but "cutting edge" restaurants (not in HK) serve 50 "bites" instead of "plates".
I'm in garde-manger, but I was in meat section at Robuchon.
We've not been to any OR gatherings, a few ones was tempting but we "chickened" out as we weren't sure whether we'd "fit" into the "crowd". We (us, you two and foodiewil) English writers should go to one together...
btw you write your reviews in English because it's easier for you or?...
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yanyansmile
Hello, I am a student studying in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and I am conducting a survey about online restaurant review posting behaviour. I need your precious opinions so much and please help to fill a questionnaire. Thank you!
Questionnnaire Link:
http://www.my3q.com/go.php?url=iamyan/42947
p.s. your cat is so lovely!!!!!
Yan
HK Epicurus
Someone just said the EAST SOHO in Sai Wan Ho is ok, I think he or she is right from memory! I am not sure if some of the outdoor restos in say CWB 食街 or Knutsford are ok.
If you go past or I go past, I'll ask them and remember to tell u. Actually u know, I wanted to buy a cat b4 just this month, but it got sold after I wanted to check it more first (as it is a life time commitment for her and me). So regret it... it walked in a really elegant way, like cat walk and raises it feet up for every step it takes! ARRRGHHH.... might never find a cat like that before. I like dogs too, but think my house too small to keep one comfortably !
from K.
HK Epicurus
With the Dog friendly cafe, do you know APPLE in Northpoint?
They have a dog Ar bee inside all the time, that's why I go there to visit her
Anyway may be if you go past there, u can ask them. I didn't review their shop, in case I get them into trouble with some authority if they see it!
Let me know how it goes la..
Kind regards,
K.
為食貓QQ
Thank you ! I am fine, how are you? The place sound interesting, maybe I'll give it a try later
The reason I am asking is that I am planning to have a hiking trip with my friends and they would like to bring along their dogs (which I don't mind at all), but there is just this minor issue of finding a suitable place for all to have dinner afterwards. We have been to Sai Kung before and so we would like to try something else; and unfortunatelty Stanley is not that dod freindly anymore. I am thinking of hiking at Lantau Island where I know many restaurants should welcome dogs. How about in Central / Soho area, do you know any dog-freindly restaurants there? Do you keep a dog yourself ?
Anyway, thanks for your reply, take care and bon appetit !!
HK Epicurus
Anyway, in reality, I'm not so familar with cookbooks. I only own 1 believe it or not and that's because it was given to me for free after accumulating enough purchase points on a card! PERHAPS, you will be better off asking people who are really into food or cookbooks like SCY or Foodiewil, both seem to know a lot more about culinary books than I do. I've browsed a few chefbooks in the bookshop but never purchased them, I memorise the 'concept' rather than the 'recipes' just as I do the same in school, because recipes are made by others, creativity is what really counts? In fact I only started paying more attention to food around 2.5 years ago as I became conscious of the fact that I really do eat at least 2-3 times a day and I simply longed for better and evolving food, also somehow I made friends who are top chefs! There's still a lot to be learned on food by me, but I always pay attention to the smaller details nowadays compared to the past but you know what? - from your numerous reviews, I think you're way too humble...... you certainly know a lot about food already and sometimes you know things that I didn't know or observes, and its obvious you guys know how to review the finer details accurately! ^o^'
If I have to give a personal suggestion that might not even suit you but lets give it a try, I think it depends on how serious you want to be cooking at home!
I can't know obviously how much you already know or don't know about certain food and also different cuisines, but I know you're definitely way beyond the beginner level from your reviews, which is surprising considering you never had culinary training! I could probably suggest 2 types of chefbooks and do tell me if it helps in the end!
1 - A simple but not so simple book which outlines the basic sauces and recipes required in cooking, mainly French cooking. There is simply no substitution for Auguste Escoffier's. This covers the 'base'. However, you could similary find a 'SAUCES' book which teach a lot about the basics - such as mother sauces, how to work beter with butter, etc. There are many overlaps in Europe and their sauces, but similarly, this theory applies to Asian food. The basic sauces of that particular cuisine, gives u the biggest clue on how the food are made.
2 - As an Intermediate to Expert step, may be you can look at a books by Jean Georges Vongerichten, of Lafayette, Vong and Jean Georges fame? I name him out of the blue perhaps because although he isn't considered the top of the Top World Chef, he does actually own a 3 Star Michelin restaurant. Not only that, but he is French so knows French stuff but knows so much about other European and also Asian food from his stint in Asia, also he is half-way between classical and modern cooking and he knows scientific methods as well as very traditional stuff.
From my observation, his food and knowledge is very broad yet very expertised somewhat in many fields. He seems to have written a couple of books but 'From Simple to Spectacular' might be useful? I'm not sure, please take a read first and tell me back! ^o^
As an alternative, I think Alain Ducasse's books seems equally interesting. He is another person who is an expert on both traditional and modern cooking techniques, a man with many styles.... I guess Thomas Keller is another option but may be his stuff needs better equipment. I think Ducasse's advantage is that his cooking style means some of his stuff could be replicated at home with home kitchen equipment. In fact that's only my interpretation, so don't take it as Gospel and think I'm definitely right - my personality is always changing and so does what I think I know, I'm the type who always ask more questions rather than know the definitive answers. Afterall, to me, everything changes in due time anyway. (Not sure if you understand what I mean, as I find many people different from myself... haha!)
Anyway, good luck with it all, don't forget to ask other's opinions!
Kind regards,
Babedolphin (KELVIN)
HK Epicurus
A fair few overseas friends come past Hong Kong for trips regularly, mainly from Australia and Japan, some from Taiwan and also business people from China regularly. If we look at the bigger picture as a whole, Hong Kong is already fast losing out economically to other Asian neighbours. in terms of GDP, designs, exports, etc. A lot of Chinese businessmen we deal with openly insinuated that our little city is now still only thriving because we've been gifted or become dependant on the central Chinese government's support in multiple ways - such as issuing them visa to visit Hong Kong and making purchases which stimulate our economy/retail/hotels/restaurants/jewellery shops, still valuing us as a seaport for importing/exporting purposes, or artificially popping up our 'financial centre' status to this day instead of relocating everything to Shanghai/Beijing instantly, etc. I have heard of such comments personally, on numerous occasions.
On reflection and looking at the future bigger picture, for me, the FOOD QUALITY in Hong Kong must be maintained and even ascent to higher International levels to match places such as Japan and Singapore or Shanghai or Macao. As I see it now, we've already been falling behind since a few years ago and I've seen others in Openrice suggesting the same. Whilst seemingly irrelevant on the surface and outlandish to suggest, 'Our Food Culture' will give impressions to foreigners/chinese mainlanders that we're still on top of the game and therefore worthy of keeping our treasured Financial/Culinary City status attained since the British days. It will affect the future lives of everyone in Hong Kong.
So in case you were curious, yes I do love food but no I don't study it nor practise it like others in the field (btw, I replied you in Jun as well), I just equally think its our responsibility to keep our city alive in the long run.
BTW, couldn't help notice your conversation with SCY.
I would suggest to go with 'Process Orientated' cookbooks 1stly to learn some proper techniques so as to understand the reasonings behind the philosophies and science that has taken the chefs years to discover. Get the basics right 1st
Good Luck!
XX
SCY
a) often they tell you to use "housewife techniques" e.g. roast beef for x minutes for every y weight; instead of measuring the maximum distance the heat has to travel (aka depth)
b) they tell you to use less butter and salt than the dish needs
c) ingredients are oversimplified; white balsamic vinegar -> white vinegar etc.
btw most meat dishes require an oven...problematic no?
SCY
re: cheung chau
Katie's dessert has "standard" quality; she does have passion but lacks "perspective" aka "hk taste".
I couldn't try the dorayaki at hometown as they were closed the day I went...
允升甜品 is pretty good
新照記茶餐小食店's snacks are alright, nothing special, but there's a grandma opposite of them who makes pretty good chinese style "stick" snacks
Didn't try 興樂菜館 (because I go to Po Toi Island for seafood) and Morocco's (because it's weird to travel all the way for curry).
長洲甘永泰 fish balls are good!
郭錦記餅店's festive buns are nice
洲啤工房's chip-twist is superb
~
cookbooks
depends if you want the "results orientated" or "process orientated" approach; results orientated is if you simply want to cook the most popular western dishes, don't necessarily want it to be perfect just good tasting. process orientated is if you want to understand both the science and history behind each dish, which particular ingredient to use and why that 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar is that important etc
=)
SCY
btw what caused your the Moroccan craving?
have/will you try the new Italians: Pala, Osteria Peccato (new owner)
=)
SCY
Otherwise, as you can read from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_morocco , Moroccan cuisine is a melting pot of the cuisines of Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa...so the "nearest alternatives" would be "Olive, Greek & Middle Eastern", "El Greco", "Beirut", "Habibi", "Bazaar", "Assaf".
"Makumba Africa Bar" 's food is crap so don't go there.
=)
SCY
=)
SCY
our favorite Sichuan restaurants are: 四川菜大平伙, 川味港威記川菜, 重慶燒燒烤專門店, 雲陽閣川菜館 and 聯記川王涼粉.
followed by: 川粵米線大王, 詠藜園四川菜館, 四川樓麵館, 傷心酸辣粉,
didn't really like 四姐川菜 and 三希樓...
SCY
Ning Po was good, but I think the kitchen couldn't handle serving 12 tables simultaneously, but dishes that require less "last minute execution" (like the fermented tofu) were excellent.
The best OR gathering was Luk Yu...by far.
SCY
=)
SCY
haha well, it's a Chinese dinner so I'll be humble and diligent...unless the conversations drifts to western cusine =P
SCY
my first OR event...any advice?
SCY
SCY
=)
為食貓QQ
I'm going to check out the place tonight with some friends of mine talk to you later ... ...
glucose
You too lei!
SCY
What breed is your cat? I have a black bombay 5 years old
SCY
The French (as do the Chinese and the Japanese) believes for fine dining there is a "law of diminishing returns", where the marginal utility of a dish falls with the quantity eaten. Thus we have our "menu degustation" or "tasting menus" which typically consists of around 10 courses, but "cutting edge" restaurants (not in HK) serve 50 "bites" instead of "plates".
I'm in garde-manger, but I was in meat section at Robuchon.
We've not been to any OR gatherings, a few ones was tempting but we "chickened" out as we weren't sure whether we'd "fit" into the "crowd". We (us, you two and foodiewil) English writers should go to one together...
btw you write your reviews in English because it's easier for you or?...
haha foodiewil, yes, impressive hehe.