喇沙椰味香濃， 雞飯不過不失， 喇沙略勝一籌， 小食性價比高。 75/100 A number of new restaurants have opened in place of MacDonalds. Asam occupies a small area next to the railing overlooking the ice skating rink. We tried the Laksa and Hainan Chicken rice. We’ve also ordered fried shrimps and a pork skewer. The laksa came swiftly. It had a rather generous amount of ingredients, such as prawns, fried tofu, Singaporean white fish balls and a bit of morning glory. We were very happy about the soup with it’s rich, aromatic coconut flavor and just the right amount of spiciness. The noodles were smooth and springy. Everything else were good. And the price was reasonable as well. No complaints over the Hainan Chinese Rice. I prefer the taste of the chicken here, which I find more authentic, than Tin Tin. However, the texture of the meat was somewhat less tender than Tin Tin. The rice was more salty than aromatic though. Those at Tin Tin were miles better. The fried shrimps were too oily but the pork skewers were probably marinated in honey so it was a bit sweet. The little ones loved it. The Kaya toaster was also an immediate hit. I never had a chance to get near it. There was some sort of discount for the snacks were ordered so the price was really quite reasonable. The service was good. Worth a try.

首推箱壓壽司， 名物咖哩烏冬， 性價比可接受， 不妨一試老鋪。 70/100 I’ve always wanted to try the curry udon at this place. So one night I came with my family. The shop is located at City Garden. We were the first customers that evening. They have a rather comprehensive menu which includes sashimi, sushi, different types of grilled food, skewers, fried skewers (!?) and many types of set dinner. Plenty of sake and sochu to choose from as well. We ordered the following: Sushi set $450: The salmon, a favorite amongst Hong Kongers but so so for Japanese customers, was very flavourful and filled with fish oil. On the other hand, the uni was not particularly impressive. Others were pretty good. My quibble was that the rice was rather loosely held and difficult to eat with chopsticks. Aji fry ($220): Impressive presentation. Very crunchy but a bit oily. Make sure you add a few drops of lemon juice to reduce the oiliness. The fried bones were delicious and also less oily. Good for calcium. Curry udon ($95): One of their signature dishes. The curry was apparently home made. It was spicier than normal Japanese curry and quite aromatic. It had plenty of leeks, onions and good quality beef. The udon was springy and thick. This is better than most of the curry udon that I’ve had in Japan. Recommended. Box pressed Saba sushi ($120): This is different from “normal” hand made sushi (握り寿司)The rice and the topping are put inside a box and then pressed together. It’s supposed to be the prototype of Edomae sushi. The rice had less vinegar taste than what I’m used to but the Saba is really rich with fish oil. Delicious and authentic. Recommended. I didn’t drink that night. We only ordered a bottle of oolong tea and apple juice. The bill came down to about $1,100. Not cheap but you get what you’ve paid for. Worth a try.

6.5/10 散點的意粉和自助餐的一樣。頂癮。 The best thing about ordering pizza, secondi or any pasta here is that it includes a complimentary lunch buffet. The meat balls and grilled chicken were really very good. My colleagues’s pizzas were lovely too. I ordered a pasta alla vodka in order to compare it with the one served at Carbone. My colleagues ordered pizza, linguini with clams and a Brooklyn sandwich. The pasta was al dente and bursting with tomato flavor. It was less rich than the one at Carbone but I’m still happy with it. My only quibble is this: it’s virtually the same as the pasta being served at the buffet! Well, being extra positive, at least for $30 odd dollars, I get to have warm pasta served to me directly. Lesson learnt: Caveat emptor ~ let the buyer beware. (But for this mishap, I would have given this a smiley face.)

獨沽雞湯拉麵和沾麵; 發泡雞白湯香濃醇厚。 平實雞肉叉燒味清新。 可惜麵條偏硬欠口感。 75/100 I’ve always been a big fan of chicken soup ramen. There is apparently a huge amount of collagen in the soup. So after my half marathon, I’ve been hoping to repair my joints here. It on the same street as another ramen shop, Shugetsu. There was quite a long queue. They have a very focused menu, just 3 types of noodles: Chicken soup ramen, Chicken tsukemen and Chicken and Fish ramen. Quite a few snacks such as rice and fried chicken. Similar to other chicken ramen shops, there no option regarding the hardness if the noodles. I noticed a Japanese chef,Kato san, was supervising the other two chefs. A good sign. Noodles: The ramen in chicken soup ramens are usually different from what most Hong Kongers are used to. It’s not the thin white ones used in Hakata Tonkotsu ramen. It’s usually thicker, more springy and a bit curly. According to the introduction, they have created a special low gluten type of noodle. It was low gluten indeed, as I found it rather hard and not really springy, a bit like spaghetti a bit harder than al dente. I prefer the more springy ones at Torihana (now Torihana Tei 鳥華亭). The two pieces of chicken breast char siu were rather simple. Those were tender enough. But I was expecting some more exciting, like those marinated with sake/mirin at Torihana Tei. The pork shoulder char siu was tasty though. The fried burdock was an interesting concept. The chicken soup had a very creamy texture. They also used a sort of blender to create the cappuccino effect. While I’m not a big fan of foams in food, I didn’t mind the bubbles. The soup was very creamy and rich. Very interesting. The karaage was tender but a bit salty. Those at Torihana Tei had a crispier batter and were less salty. I still prefer torihana tei but this is a close second. Worth a try. $138 for noodle $ 48 for Karagage + 10% service $205

宮崎雞場直營。 主攻女性市場， 骨膠原雞鍋物， 型格裝修，面向維港， 性價比高，可以一試。 Hip Japanese chicken nabe from Miyazaki; Collagen filled nabe; Chicken themed dishes. Modern decor. Recommended. When I first saw the name of this restaurant (Tsukada Farm), I thought it would be some vegetable themed restaurant like Vegi. Fortunately, from a meat-lover's point of view, the farm refers to chicken farm. This Japanese group owns their own chicken farms in Miyazaki, Hokkaido and Kagoshima. The Miyazaki chicken is famous in Japan for their umami and texture. So no surprise that this place focuses on chicken dishes, and chicken nabe with collegen (hotpot) in particular. We wanted to try different stuff this time so we decided against ordering a nabe. We ordered the following: A pint of Macha Beer: A lovely pint of soothing beverage. The macha matched very well with the beer. It's a bit like drinking sparkling matcha. I enjoyed it. Charcoal Grilled Miyazaki chicken (salt): Arrived on top of a sizzling metal plate. It looked and tasted like charcoal grilled. It had good umami. At $180, some might find the pricing a bit steep. Nagaimo mentaigoyaki: essentially a hash brown made of nagaimo (a type of yam), mentaigo and seaweed. The texture was interesting. Not bad. Crispy chicken salad: the fried chicken strips were coated with corn flakes, crispy indeed. Unfortunately, I found the strips a bit dry. I suggest adding more dressing or to provide ponzu dips. The salad was nice, however, with tsukemono (pickled vegetables) giving it a bit of a kick. Avocado with nori: with konbu nori paste. This was a surprising hit amongst the ladies. Pork wrapped Onigiri : (1) taberu chilli; (2) teriyaki; (3) cheese. As a finger food, the size of the rice balls were just right. I didn't think much of them but it was another hit with the ladies. (I forgot to take a photo.) Bejin maki (chicken & eggplant): The rice sheet was springier than Vietnamese rice rolls. It had shredded chicken, eggplant, spring onions and a little bit of pickled vegetables. I found these very refreshing even without using the Hattcho miso (sweet miso). Recommended. We also ordered the dessert version of it. It had red bean paste, assorted fruits and shiratama. We enjoyed it: I also ordered a glass of "sleeping cat" sochu. It had a creamy tastes like Enma 閻魔. The small quantity might put a cat to sleep but definitely not me. I suggest they should provide at least 75 ml per glass. On top of the very cool and modern interior overlooking the Victoria Harbour, there is even an alfresco area for smokers who want a lovely view. I also suggest that the lights at tables could be brighter so we could see the food properly. The bill came down to $803 for 2 adults and one child, inclusive of one beer, one sochu and a glass of red. I'd say it's not bad at all. This shop is newly opened so they need to iron out some kinks here or there. Other than that, the service was very good. I'll most probably return to try their chicken nabe. Recommended. 8/10

北海道來的居酒屋。 午市性價比高。 提供獨立個室。 不妨一試。 Authentic Hokkaido Izakaya; Quality lunch sets at reasonable price. Recommended. 8/10 I was told that this strangely named izakaya (majime meant serious/stern in Japanese) is from Hokkaido. They have more than 160 branches in South East Asia. In Hong Kong, there is another branch at Sai Wan Ho. I was curious about this place because there have been no reviews even though it has been opened for more than a year. So I decided to come here for lunch. Once inside the shop, I was immediately struck by the authentic Japanese izakaya style decor, complete with a number of partitioned rooms and a decent drinks list (it must have sochu & Chu-hi to be a real izakaya IMHO.) We ordered a grilled hokke fish set, fried pork neck "stamina" set and a mini undon set for the little one. Grilled hokke is usually rather tough and salty. However, the one served here had neither of those problems. The meat was tender and the flavoring was just right. "Stamina" recipes usually refers to the addition of garlic, onions, spring onions, meat, mochi and sugar into a dish. It's supposed to give you extra stamina. The fried pork "stamina" neck set was interesting. The batter fried pork neck was crispy on the outside and tender inside. It was served with caramelized onions, chopped Japanese spring onions, grilled eggplant and ponzu sauce. The combination was quite refreshing, which was perfect for this hot weather. The Japanese rice and miso soup for the sets were authentic and delicious. The little one also enjoyed the mini kitsune udon set. The udon was springy and the dashi was flavorful. All in all, we were happy with the food, ambience and service. The bill came down to about $240, which I find to be value for money. Recommended.

Professional, classy Japanese whiskey bar. Huge selection & reasonably priced. Highly recommended. I was introduced to this bar by a Japanese restaurant owner. There is apparently a branch in Ginza too. He told me that I would not be disappointed. Indeed, I wasn't. The decor was excellent, just like what you would expect from a proper Japanese whiskey bar - old school wooden paneled interior, classy decor, quite, and complete with an impeccably dressed Japanese master and waiter. Both of them very polite & friendly. Feel free to ask them what you want, and they will give you excellent recommendations. They serve a huge selection of cocktails, brandy & whiskey from all over the world. I had Sutherland & two Brandy based cocktail (I believe it was Sidecar & Old Fashioned). Sutherland was a bit bitter but refreshing. I particularly enjoyed the Sidecar, smooth as silk yet rich & powerful. Highly recommended.

型格裝修, 無限酒水,

服務殷勤, 甜品精美。

但

生吃欠鮮, 薰食過油,

選擇欠奉, 性價比低。

恕不推介。

3/10



I've always been fairly curious about Armani/Aqua, primarily due to it's mysterious and cool looking front entrance. Unfortunately, having had lunch there, the front entrance remains to be the only impressive item.The interior was fairly classy, as you would expect from a collaboration between Armani and Aqua. Much to my pleasant surprise, there was even a children playroom at one end of the restaurant. There was this new free flow brunch set with unlimited starters on offer at about $600. ($400 odd without alcohol). We chose the non-alcohoic version - big mistake as our tastes buds were able to fully engage in the taste of the food.

The "unlimited starters" would end at 3:00 pm. It consisted of, amongst others, some not very fresh looking sushi and sashimi, similarly unfresh oysters and assorted seafood (shellfish and crabs), smoked salmon and salad. There were also parma ham, salami, and a pasta corner where you could order angel-hair or a mickey pizza. The food did not look appetizing to me at all. It was rather a rather depressing sight and I did not take anything from the starters.

Those who had the sushi thought that the taste of the sauce was rather odd. The neta was not fresh. The hot starters from the Japanese corner were slightly better than the cold ones, even though I did not enjoy the onsen tamago with truffle. I had to ask for extra soy sauce before I could wash it down. The tempura prawns were not bad but nothing exceptional. Those were on the oily side. I did not try the piece of wagyu on offer as I do not eat beef. The others did not enjoy it.

The stuffed chicken wings with mentaigo was really average stuff. Not what I would expect from an allegedly top notch Japanese/Italian restaurant. The polenta balls with cream cheese (?) were interesting but not particularly tasty.The hot mains from the Japanese kitchen were also rather disappointing. The texture of the salmon, half cooked and half raw, was rather weird. The oily batter and what seemed to be tar tar sauce did not help.

The foie gras were cold and bland. The wagyu patties (or hamburgers) were again very average stuff. Those who had the beef did not enjoy it.At this stage, most of us were already completely demoralized and did not have the interest to carry on. The hot mains from the Italian kitchen fared a bit better. Most of the lamp racks were fine other than 1 or 2 pieces which did not taste well. The few pieces of paprika were probably the freshest item in the whole meal.

At least the little one enjoyed the mickey pizza and the play room.To be perfectly fair, the desserts were very good.The cup of green tea, despite being contained in a stylish but highly user-unfriendly cup, was also not bad.Service was very good.

All in all, unless your primary purpose is to enjoy free-flowing drinks/desserts, I would steer clear away from this place.

誠意美式小酒館。
進餐和淺酌皆宜。
如在附近不妨一試。

Quality American bistro.
Suitable for drinks or a meal.
Worth a try.

75/100



在這區工作多年，對太古廣場內的Grappas 和 Dan Ryan's 有一定的情意結。一開始的時候對這「霸」了Grapps鋪位的餐廳好感不大,但有朋友試過覺得不錯,所以有天要加班但又想和家人進餐時便試一試。

Bizou was located at where Grapps used to be. I'd heard some good things about Bizou so I decided to have a quick dinner here with my family before getting back to work.餐牌選擇貴精不貴多。但其實和一般西餐廳差不多,並不特別覺得是一間"bistro". 印像中酒水選擇都不錯的。

The menu was rather simple and straightforward, though I wouldn't really classify this as a "bistro" in the traditional sense. 烤八爪魚: 兩枝頗長的觸鬚口感良好,柔軟之餘亦有一點嚼勁。可能由於用了中東香料(sumac) 的關係, 味道偏鹹,但和碟面的薄荷鷹嘴豆茸同吃則味道剛好。很不錯。

Grilled Octopus with sumac and mint puree ($158): Two pieces of tentacles placed artistically on top of the mint purée. The flavor of the octopus was quite strong on its own but was well-balanced by the mint purée. The texture of the octopus was wonderful, soft yet a little bit chewy. 接著點了在北歐非常普遍的生醃三文魚。三文魚用糖,鹽和茴香來醃製,切碎後放在一片好像浸過蜜糖的 brioche 之上。整個配搭簡單但美味,鹹甜適中。

Gravlax ($138): Smoked salmon has always been one of my favorites. The piece of toasted brioche seemed to have been soaked with honey. Good match with the dill marinated salmon. 冰島鱈魚柳: 肉類的選擇主要都是我不吃的牛肉菜式,所以點了這個。 聽說大廚是北歐人, 果然處理魚類有一手。鱈魚用牛油煎了後, 再加了一點很淡的芝士和蛋。鱈魚質地一流,結實有口感但不會老。雖然味道本身較淡,但配上淡芝士,蛋和椰菜花茸後味道變得很有層次。讚。

Icelandic cod fillet ($258) with cauliflower purée: The cod was firm and flaky, just like how a good piece of cod should be like. Despite the butter, the taste of the cod would still have been quite bland by itself. Fortunately, the cauliflower purée really transformed the whole dish into something wonderful. 相比之下, 這S型意粉則明顯較遜色。相信是自家製的意粉雖然很彈牙,但味道較單調,基本上只有偏鹹的藩茄和辣椒味。

In comparison, the Casarecci with tomato ($178) was not as impressive as the cod. The pasta was springy but the flavor was rather one dimensional, chili and tomato. 羽衣甘藍: 眾所周知,這對身體極為有益。這是加了點鹽再快炒。簡單有益,又大盤,性價可說是不錯。據說蒸的話能保存更多維他命。

Kale ($58) Braised with brine. Preferably steamed as it retains the highest amount of nutrients in this super food. I did feel a surge of energy after having half of this pretty large bowl of kale.希臘檸檬焗薯: 看見侍應捧著這漂亮的焗薯我們也忍不住點了一客。外脆內軟,還有點點的檸檬清香。這相對簡單的配菜都做很有誠意,見微知箸。

Fried Lemon potatoes ($68): very crunchy outside and soft inside. Perfect with the aioli. The little one loved it.埋單約$900元,性價比算合理。服務員都很友善客氣,亦積極聆聽食客的意見。整個用餐過程都輕鬆愉快。值得一試。

All the servers were friendly and helpful. They were quite keen on listening to customers' recommendations. I suggested that they should add some lamb dishes to the menu.

The bill came down to about $900. Other than the pasta, we were pretty happy with the rest of the food. Overall it was a satisfying dining experience. The drinks area looked pretty comfy as well.

Worth a try.

Decent pork themed restaurant.
Quality food at for a reasonable price.
Recommended.



I was "gently reminded" by my wife that today was the day I first met her a number of years ago.

I was, on the one hand, trying to maintain a cool facade like I knew it all along, while frantically trying to think of an appropriate place for dinner.

I required somewhere solid, dependable and most importantly - with seats available despite last minute booking. A number of steakhouses and Spanish/Portuguese restaurants came to mind but those were all fully booked. Fortunately, there was the Salted Pig.First things first, a pint of draft Guinness and Sangria to celebrate getting a table successfully. True to its name, most of the food here were pork based:We placed our orders without further ado.

Scotch egg: First came the Scotch egg.

This was surprisingly good. Perfect half boiled egg wrapped in wonderfully marinated minced pork and crunchy breadcrumbs.

Definitely one of the best Scotch egg I've ever had in Hong Kong. Those served here was far better than the one served at a Scottish Pub, the Canny Man.

No wonder every table had one of this. Highly recommended.

Scallop: True to it's theme, even the scallops here were wrapped with bacon. The scallops were firm and their umami mixed well with the bacon. My only quibble is that the scallops were slightly overcooked.

I also enjoyed the fresh green peas with cream. The peas were not mashed but were nice and crunchy.

Rub & Tickle: Nice crispy skin, tender meat and not too fattening. The gravy was excellent, bursting with vegetable flavors. The refreshing tomato base was particularly pronounced.

The potion was perfect for sharing. This was much better than the one I had at their Central branch a while ago.

The vegetables that came with the pork belly were great too. The carrots and zuchini were crunchy and very sweet.

Eaton Mess with Banana: Fortunately, this mess was not as sweet as I had initially feared. The meringue were crunchy and not over sweet. The sweetness of the banana and the cream was just right for me.

Conclusion:The bill came down to about HK$500 per person including quite a number of drinks, good food & good service. I find it very good value for money.Highly recommended.