The power of social media, or to be more specific, the power of instagram (for this particular case). I was most intrigued and pledged a visit to Cafe Deadend after admiring photos of the its famous Apple Tart (photos which, yes, literally made my mouth watered).

Located, as its name suggests, at the dead end of Po Hing Fong. It was a typical day of May in Hong Kong; steaming summer heat with the spring humidity still lurking around. I resorted to my best friend - Taxi. Swiftly I was taken to the quiet and peaceful neighbourhood. First thing you would notice is the wafting aroma of freshly baked bread from Po's Atelier (its sister bakery). Second thing you would see is the white concrete wall, the dead end... It was a Sunday morning, around 10:45am, and the cafe was already filled with people. The server greeted us, and as we waited, I sneaked into Po's Atelier which hosted a hypnotising variety of artisan breads. After short 15 minutes or so, we took seats at the bar table.



I was studying the menu (nicely and cutely printed on a long, thin sheet of paper(it is slightly sticky though..)) and the coffee "Dirty" caught my eyes. Upon enquiring, I came to know that "Dirty" is cold milk stained with hot espresso. My skinny, single-shot espresso version was served and I was told not to stir or mix and just enjoy. Beautiful layerings for sight. Their choice of coffee beans is slightly towards the sour and herbal side; not my top pick of coffee style. Nonetheless, the cold, creamy and soothing milk coupled with the hot, aromatic and prononuced espresso, unmixed and undisturbed, was certainly a stimulating sip. Definitely a good option if you want to try something different on a steamy day.First up, Poached Egg and Prosciutto (only available till 12:30pm). Basically it is egg benedict with prosciutto and rocket. Promising quality proscuitto and fresh rockets. Excellently done poached egg; just look at the runny centre! The elegant and smokey proscuitto was nicely balanced with the hint of sweet-bitterness from the rockets; the rich and velvety yolk brought everything together to a creamy mouthful. Though, blame it on the hollandaise sauce which was relatively bland... (you could sense so from the pale colour and watery texture of the sauce...); not a memorable egg benedict (I am sorry, but the one I made was probably more delicious). The red peppery spice sprinkled on top did not give the needed kick either. Overall, it was just okay for me.Now, this was the reason I went - Spiced Apple Tart; and I am pleased to report that it was truly impeccable and heavenly. When we made our order, the server told us that the Apple Tarts are only available, freshly baked, from around 11:30am (perfect timing for us). It was a gorgeous pastry itself; you could see the thin slices of apples stacked up on the golden glazed, caramalised base topped with white cinnamon sugar. Freshly baked, served pipping hot!! Each slice of apple was soaked inside-out with delicious caramel and fragrant cinnamon; but the natural fruitiness of the apple still surprisingly shone through. The side of the pastry was light, crispy and reminded me of warm roasted butter. The base was the star; moist and chewy infused with nutty caramel. Salted caramel sauce drizzled on the plate sharpened the flavours and cold creamy vanilla cream by the side was refreshing. It was a hearty and harmonious piece. Divine, truly scrumptious! I will come back again and again and again just for this (even if I have to "hike"). To end, Bostock, a luscious delicacy. The eggy brioche bread was thickly sliced, almond-syrup soaked, frangipane topped and baked to a crispy-edged breakfast glory.Topped with thick golden-brown caramel sauce and lightly roasted almond slices; it was served very warm and delightful. I loved the edges, all 4 sides, all toasty and complimented the buttery and rich bostock very well. The caramel sauce gave a sharp and robust syrupy and tangy edge, and the almonds added a further nutty dimension and a hint of crunchiness to this sweet treat. Very, very satisfying.

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If life brings you to a deadend, perhaps consider paying a visit to Cafe Deadend, be pampered and "energised"!?


I inhaled; I turned my back against the white concrete wall... against the dead end; and I was able to walk forward with joy.

Sometimes you need a reason.

I am a capricorn. I like reasons to back-up my decisions and doings. Likewise, I tend to prefer finding reasons and occassions to justify splurging myself with good food (luckily, I never fail finding ones for food..).

I had a pleasant experience at the Intercon Steakhouse; it was a night which ought to be repeated; and I knew I had to try out its competitor, the Grand Hyatt Steakhouse. Now, me being me, I found (what I thought to be) the perfect reason to visit - to celebrate and congratulate my friend Dr N for completing her speciality exams!!

Opened in April 2011, it has a masculine and old-fashioned decor (leather chairs, dark wood, dim lighting..), the steakhouse at the Grand Hyatt is classic and comfortable. With the food, the menu is simple – no fancy, foamy or fusion dishes– just straight-up, good old classic American steakhouse cuisine. Two seatings available: come early and return the table by 8:30pm or start later at 8:45pm (and we were reminded that). Our reservation was for a Wednesday and I was highly skeptical whether the restaurant would really be that over-booked, and whether we would really have to return our table by 8:30pm. Luckily. We were not shoo-ed away. We were able to take our time. We had a good time.

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At this point, I must extend my commendation to the (I believe) manager there (because of his different attire). His service was excellent and very personal. He was super helpful sharing with us his recommendations from the menu and most importantly, I could feel actual passion and love for the food. It all shined through his eyes.

To get us started - garlic bread. Very thickly sliced. Complimentary on the house. I told myself not to have too much since I was concerned of being too stuffed (I know there would be more and more good food coming). But. Who could resist warm garlic bread?? And may I highlight that it was garlic-buttered both sides! It was toasted well, smelt delicious and on palate very fragrant. If it is even crispier, I would have had 2 full slices. Good start.Starter no. 1 - Pan Fried Diver Scallops. Diver scallops are harvested by divers who jump into the water and collect them by hand. In contrast to other scallops, diver scallops are known to be less gritty. The scallops were each pan-fried to perfection, dressed in a beautiful golden brown, though without being overcooked and tender in the middle (which is key!.. rubbery scallops, no thanks). There were bits of bacon, tomato salsa and herbs over each scallop; but none of which was able to cover the natural freshness of the scallop.Starter no. 2 - Seared Maryland Crab Cakes. This was highly recommended by the manager with a beam in his eye; in his words, he said this was the "crabbiest crab cake". We were not disappointed at all! Delightfuly seared on both sides. Just by looking at the side of the crab cake, I can see chunks, big chunks and generous chunks of white crab meat intersecting and packed together. Made me drool just by looking at it. Tasted as good as you could imagine. The crab meet was fresh with hints of sweetness. We adored these straight-up, "no crap", CRABBY crab cakes. (Oh and the rocket salad by the side was refreshing with a light zesty dressing!) Moving onto the main act - USDA Prime Nebraska Beef Tenderloin. Served with Béarnaise sauce by the side. Requested at medium rare, and delivered well at the exact level of doneness (and also further emphasised and advertised on the little wooden stick). Six types of mustard to choose from; the truffle mustart was absolutely addictive. But to be fair, you do not really need mustard or sauce; the steak was enjoyable and delicious enough as it was. The quality of the cut was unquestionably good. Char-grilled evidenced by a smoky and earthy crust, it was juicy and gamey with a rosy red centre. It was very satisfying and paired very well with my robust Malbec. For sides, we had Creamed Spinash, Aged White Cheddar Macaroni and Duck Fat Potato Fries (yes 3 sides for the 2 of us lol). The fries were nice thick ones, very aromatic and well-seasoned, presumably deep fried with duck fat; yet it was NOT oily and greasy at all. The creamed spinash was rich and buttery, but it still felt relatively healthy (maybe given that it contributed to our "7 portions a day"). We loved the aged white cheddar macaroni. The aged cheddar sauce was truly scumptious baked with al dente macaroni. It was one creamy, cheesy, pronounced, ooey, gooey "mac and cheese". A killer. While I felt that I had already reached my limit for calories, I am a true believer (and practioner of) "a meal must end ended with something sweet". Most of their desserts have two sizes to choose from, single or double portions. We opted for a single portion of the Washington Apple Crumble. Given that this is an American steakhouse, the very-generous size brought to us became surprisingly unsurprising. Pipping hot. It was gorgeously baked with a crunchy and toasty top, pistachio dust were added on which brought about the extra nutty dimension. The baked apple was fruity and displayed a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. All in all, a very, very hearty dish.

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...Sometimes you do not need a reason at the outset. The reason often unravel itself. At the end of the day,a perfectly justified reason to eat at this place happened to be - the food.

It was a night to remember. It was a night of celebrations. It was a night with unraveled new reasons.

Time of the year when it was the birthday of "the principal" in my life (my dear mum); it made perfect sense to bring my family to "The Principal" for a star experience on Star Street.

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Widely recognised to be a promising addition of the Press Room Group when it was first opened; the Principal has proven to be a successful and sophisticated member since then. Hidden discretely down on the far end of Star Street, but it gained the one-star Michelin recognition promptly after opening for a year or so. Power of minimalistic design. Spot-on example of "less is more". The Principal has a clean yet sophisticated interior, the bright airy space is filled with relaxing vibes.

...Alas, I have to start with some negatives (I prefer getting the painful and depressing bits out of the way first ). We were greeted pleasantly, brought to the table and seated. And just as we got comfortable... we were told it was the wrong table...(ok, fine)...well, then we all stood up and followed the usherette to the other side of the restaurant; when another usherette/waitress gave her a stern stare full of disapproval, guess what - we headed to the wrong table again.. Anyway, we were eventually seated and we did manage to eat (LOL). Slight hiccup, but one which I would not expect from a place of this (I presumed high) caliber (or seeking to be seen as this caliber). Let's fast-forward a bit and get through another anticlimax; for two of our courses, the waitress failed/forgot to present/explain to us the composition of the dish (ok.. maybe I am being mean, but again, would have expected more from a place of this caliber). Oh and we were not served bread when some other tables seemed to have got them...

Anyway. Huff.



A simple but inviting a la carte menu, though we had our eyes on the "Degustation Menu" (HK$1080 - quite reasonably priced). Me being me, I signed up for the wine pairing (by adding an extra HK$500, you have a matching wine for each of the 10 course! Fairly good value!).To start us off we were offered "Snack" (photo on top). The tray of goodies, from left to right: marinated olives, crispy bits, caramel popcorns, roasted chestnuts. As "Amuse Bouche" (photo beneath): we had Italian chorizo and cheese puffs (warm and mushy.. adore!); meringue with goat cheese (very nicely done, the sweetness of the meringue integrated really well with the unique aroma (tartiness and earthiness) of goat cheese; similar to the Amuse Bouche I had at Fat Duck in England); Spanish biscuits (not memorable).First course "Oyster" (photo on the left). The oyster shell was placed on some pebbles. Poached oyster sliced into small pieces, presented with a taste of Thai (lime and ginger and coriander used) and topped with coconut foam. Unfortunately, the coconut foam did not really speak; it was too light to the point that it was undetectable. This dish tasted a bit like the Chinese dish "ginger and spring oinion fried oyster"; but I must admit it does have more complexity in flavours.

Second course "Caviar" (photo on the right). The white bed under the caviar is no ordinary custard, but custard blessed with bacon essence. Extremely creamy and backed with aroma of pancetta - it was very palatable and an excellent base for the sensual and distinctive scent of caviar. The presentation of this course (with the box and the name of the restaurant printed on top..) reminded me of Robuchon's Caviar Box (which I absolutely LOVE). I would say Robuchon's take is more exquisite, but I very much enjoyed The Principal's "Caviar" as well. Nice! Third course "Caprese" (photo on top). Caprese, this refers to Insalata Capreses (aka salad in the style of Capri) which is a traditional Italian salad comprising of fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. An innovative interpretation and I have to say a successful one! Fresh mozzarella took the form of mozzarella foam instead (!!); though don't be fooled. Yes it was foam, yes it was light and airy, but (as opposed to the coconut foam for "Oyster") it was absolutely flavourful and luscious. It was "very mozzarella". Tomatoes - in two ways: dried and terrine; vibrant acidity perfectly balanced against the natural fruitiness of tomatoes - made my mouth water. The green icecream brought in the basil element; pleasantly herbaceous, it was one refreshing scope! A few balsamic 'pop's laid on the terrine; vital component of "Caprese" to give it that POP! This was a beautiful bridge between tradition and innovation!! Really enjoyed it!

Fourth course "Mackerel" (photo beneath). Very fresh Mackerel with a hint of smokiness rested on aljoblanco. Aljoblanco is a typical Spanish cold soup from Andalusia; this is a warmer version but equally aromatic of bread, almond, vanilla and olive oil (a bit like good old Chinese almond tea, except it's better, it's with more characters). The gem was the golden apple mash; neither over-powering nor redundant, it amazed me how well it complimented and brought out the freshness of the mackerel immensely. Gorgeous dish. Fifth course "Foie" (photo on top). Foie gras, poached, then marinated in a stimulating mixture of pickles, kumquats and yuzu (escabeche style!) and topped with a colourful garden of veg. Personally I found it too acidic and citrusy; luckily not to the extent that the flavour was harsh, but the foie gras was unnecessarily played down. Could display a better balance.

Sixth course "Ravioli" (photo beneath). First, let's pause, breathe, take a moment and admire the oozing yolk (LOL yes I have a thing for runny yolks). Not an ordinary ravioli. The ravioli skin was crisped to golden, the warm beautiful yolk hidden within was enhanced with pancetta essence. The creamy and buttery iberico parmentier base (iberico flavoured mash) was not heavy at all and brought all components of the dish together effectively. I licked my spoon for the last bit of it. Seventh course "Sea Bream" (photo on top). The sea bream was very fresh and its moisture was nicely retained. It was fantastically flavourful, infused with Korean spices. The green sea roe and mustard seeds, together with celeriac dices worked well with the mustard froth and added further textures and dimensions to the dish. Each nibble sent hot sensations on my palate. Sheer excitement to my senses!

Eighth course "Pigeon" (photo beneath). This dish consisted of the breast and the drumstick, cooked in slightly different way but both super succulent. I enjoyed the breast particularly, it displayed (borrowing a description from the wine world) hints of CIGAR BOX - elegant balance of sweetness and cedarwood with waves of smokiness. Medium rare; very juicy and savoury. Rather perfect fat balance as well. Nice bed of bomba rice, "soil" (made from "cepes" which is an edible fungus) and cute little truffles which were all brought to life by the rich gravy. Yumm.Ninth course "Citrus" (photo on the left). A refreshing palate cleanser as a pre-dessert. Three scoops - a lemon & ginger curd, lemongrass-mint sobert, kaffir lime ice-cream; with green tarragon jelly. Yellow crumbs brought further sweetness into the picture. All in all, a success in bringing about an elusive summery flavour which was fruity, sharp and citrusy.

Tenth course "Rapa Nui" (photo on the right). I smiled when I saw this. Rapa Nui, also known as the Easter Island - with their world-famous large stone statues (aka Moai) (dated back to 1100CE!!). 2 Moai for each of us, presented elegantly on a dark plate. Each was a simple shaped-chocolate filled with roasted corn ice-cream. Bits of "rocks" which were sweet milk chocolate mousse were laid on "palm leaves" which were dry cocunut flakes dyed in green (pretty clever!). Gorgeous to look at and tasted well.



Our night ended with petit fours; and my brother performing the catchy line from "the Night at the Museum": "ME no dum-dum, YOU dum-dum! You bring me gum-gum".

I could not help smiling, from my heart.

That meal we had. That vibe around the table. That smile on my principal's face. That - is exactly why I work hard, and very hard, at work.

Many more to come.

...as I walked out of the restaurant, I clicked on my iphone and texted my best girlfriends proposing Sunday brunch together, at the Principal, with free-flow.

A long due review, but one which should not be missed. Give a chance a chance.

I confess I am very much a Hong Kong Island girl and often avoid going to the "dark side". However, Messina, being the "Best Restaurant of the Week" for the Restaurant Week Winter Edition 2013, undoubtedly caught my eyes and I decided to venture to Hung Hom for a dinner treat. A short walk to the Star Ferry pier from my office, a swift ferry ride across the beautiful Victoria Harbour and I hopped on a taxi which brought me straight to the Whampoa harbourfront tower which Messina is situated. Messina along with Yu Lei (Shanghainese restaurant) and Kazuo Okada (Japanese restaurant) make up the K.O. Dinning Group's three-restaurant gourmet hub in Hung Hom.

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Messina is named after a city in the northeast of Sicily, Italy. Not surprising that it serves Southern Italian cuisine, but (thanks to the head chef Francesco Greco) prepare to be pleasantly surprised by a blend of French teniques.

The restaurant itself is very spacious (key for an effective wind-down), with majestic cosy décor (loved the warm beige colour predominating the dinning area which contrasted well against the stunning harbourview at night), and we were certainly very glad to find good personal space for each table (you see, this is luxury in Hong Kong; not surprised to see many couples around romancing ).

To me, bread is one very significant aspect of each dinning experience (what may appear to be simplest is actually most testing). We were not disappointed here. A basket of warm, freshly baked bread was brought and introduced to us. I was particularly intrigued to find croissants which I guess ties in with the French influences. The soft and fluffy focaccia with the distinct rosemary aroma was a perfect match with the olive oil and balsamicAmuse Bouche. Pumpkin soup with balsamic elegantly drizzled on top. This welcome "shot" was much appreciated. Creamy, full body, scrumptiously rich in pumpkin, warm and a kick of balsamic. One fine example of a non-pretentious and seemingly simple amuse bouche which impresses. Hearty!As antipasto, we were presented the colourful and beautifully presented Sicilian Tomatoes Terrine and Burrata Cheese Salad. I particularly enjoyed the tomato terrine, which was a lovely twist from its usual form. The terrine filled me with pleasant tomato tang. It was rather sensational. Burrata was fresh, but could be better (I would prefer a creamier "heart"); but it served its role well balancing the tangy element of the dish. Nice caramelised onion beneath the salad on the left; the hints of balsamic added an extra dimension.Dry paccheri from Gragnano, Sicilian Red Prawns and Pachino Tomatoes as primo. Not many restaurants would readily "market" / openly "classify" that its pasta is "dry pasta"; this admittedly comes with certain unexciting connotation. But well, it is from Gragnano (a comune in Naples), so I guess we can excuse this (LOL). This pasta dish was splendid. Each paccheri was cooked to perfection; distinctive, al dente, full of character, rich in flavours and each generously absorbed up the Mediterranean goodness backed with the sweetness of Pachino tomatoes. Each spoonful displayed endless depth. A dish which deserves to be savoured with your eyes shut and let your mind dift. Very appetising. Memorable.For secondo, we had one of its signature dishes - Crispy Suckling Pig, braised lentils, Tropea onions marmalade and natural jus. Nice. The meat was flavourful, juicy and tender, good fat level, thick roasted skin but I wouldn't mind it crispier. The bed of lentils and onions soaked up the jus, were incredibly delicious and acted as the soul to the dish. To end as dolce, tiramisu - the very classic Italian dessert. I have a general preference for the very traditional type of tiramisu (good amount of liquor is a must). Nonetheless, I believe that it is important to keep an open mind and embrace other forms or interpretations of each dish ; as with Messina's take of "tiramisu". Nicely presented. Each spoonful was heavenly creamy; I loved the interplay of the almond gelato, rich mascarpone and aromatic coffee powder. Made my heart sing. (I wouldn't have appreciated it as much if I pigeon-holed this as a "tiramisu" per se.)



It was a delightful dinner and we ended with more philosophical discussions as I sipped up my earl grey tea.. not uncommon for my meals with Dr N. I guess -

Just as many aspects in life; sometimes a restaurant needs an opportunity. A chance to be known. A chance to be savoured. A chance to be appreciated.

Give a chance a chance.

Perhaps it was my attempt to master Spanish as a teenager. Perhaps it was the young and fearless days that we spent in Barcelona. Perhaps it was the memorable vibes that I soaked up in the tapas bars across Andalusia. I adore Spain; and I adore Spanish food.

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BCN shares its name with the "Barcelona El Prat Airport"; also a common abbreviation for BARCELONA. BCN has been under my radar for quite some time; not a simple task to secure reservation (a date to fit in my food buddies' packed schedule and in such a popular kitchen with very limited seatings) - it was a good few weeks between booking and our actual meal.

A few days before the night, I got whatsapp messages for confirmation of our dinner and details of the menus on offer. Two to choose from; both super inviting. "Trip to Spain" at $595 or "Winter Chef Menu" at $720. We opted for the "Trip to Spain" one.

There are two dining slots for BCN - be the first guests and start at around 6:30pm-7pm, you get to stay till 9pm. They start welcoming the second batch from around 9pm, and we booked for this latter slot (you see, I never know how hectic work can be until the day...). At the end, on the day, it was rather peaceful at work and so I rang up requesting to be informed if seats became available earlier (I would be happy-houring around Soho anyways and certainly up for an earlier dinner). At the end, we were seated by 8:15pm - perfect timing!

A sleek and warm little space with up to 12 high stools surrounding an open kitchen; but with 3 staff serving (excluding chefs), attentive and courteous service guaranteed.

Manchego Cheese. Iberico Ham. Chorizo. Toast
Started off with a platter of manchego cheese semi curado i.e. semi hard (creamy and buttery, coated all over my tongue), Iberico ham and chorizo (both with a delightful balance of fat and intense flavours); all flown directly from Spain, with small bits of toasts blessed with olive oil lined up on the side. Something comfortingly simple, and something admittedly not testing of chef's skills; but as you indulge in the thin elegant sheets, each with packed flavours, you know you are promised with a night of quality and tasteful food. 3 Small pintxos set
To get us started... From right to left: Cod fish coquet - the amber crust was done perfectly crispy and contrasted well with the smooth potato and fish mash within. Foie gras and iberico ham on a toast - not the normal pan fried caramelised foie gras here, a blader take but the iberico ham gave the mouthful an awesome kick. Boiled octopus - prinkled with paprika and served on a bed of boiled potato; very authentic. Nice. Classic "Gazpacho"
Now - this. was. lovely. Gazpacho is a tomato-based soup, served cold, originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía. I was not a fan of cold soup. But this was lovely (yes I have to repeat it again). Very flavourful, each spoonful reminded of freshly picked tomatoes, well-balanced natural sweetness with a hint of zestiness; extremely refreshing (perfect for the humid Hong Kong weather); exceedingly appetising. Loved the twist of the watermelon skewer. Perfection. I love open kitchens. To admire the dedication of the chefs. To learn a trick or two. Here, Chef Edgar was preparing our next dish "Rossekat de fideos con alioli"!! Look at how he was carefully blotting the garlic sauce on the cool black plates! Fried Short Noddles
... I confess - I was skeptical; I did not really look forward to this course. The photo of this dish I saw on openrice reminded me of the tacky Chinese take-away noodles I had back when I was still at boarding school in England.. but man, I was so wrong. Just before I had my first taste, Chef Edgar explained that he made this dish in the traditional paella way, except that rice was substituted by noodles . The noodle was very very well-done, each little strip was cooked in seafood soup and completely soaked up the complex seafood flavours. The olive oil, garlic sauce and fresh tomato brought further dimensions to the dish. Enjoyed it to bits; very nice! Suckling Pig - "slow cooked with vapor" (this I quote from the menu)
I was told by the Chef that it was steamed for over 8 hours before being fried to crisp up the skin. End result? What a heavenly dish. The pork belly had the most tender and juicy meat, the skin was crackingly crispy. Smooth, creamy sweet potato mash (loved that it is SWEET potato mash) and served with beef sauce. hmmm I would love another piece. Ohh and i find the little leaves really very cute. ;) Chocolate Truffles with orange skin
We were offered up chocolate truffles topped with tiny bit of orange skin to end. By then, I was super satisfied and full; but I always have room for desserts and would have loved something else - something more substantial. Delicious truffles though!



As I drank up my glass of Rioja, for a second, I thought I was in BCN. Maybe it is time to plan another Spanish trip.