立体派拉麵 (尖沙咀)

Ramen Cubism (立体派), the first overseas venture by Japan’s ramen champion Hayashi Takao and Matsumura Takahiro launches to much fanfare in Hong Kong early this year. A collaboration between the ramen champion duo and Bird Kingdom Group, Ramen Cubism’s first outlet in Hong Kong is a cozy 29-seater on Wellington Street in buzzy Central district. 

With the success the famed ramen shop has seen over their first few months, we all knew it was just a matter of time before they start their expansion outside Central. Not surprisingly earlier this month, the group announced the launch of a second outlet, a new location across the harbour at Minden Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui.I can‘t help to notice the strong aroma of their signature white broth from my seat at the counter table. Can’t wait to get my first sip of the soup myself.Ramen Cubism ($118) - The size of this Large Ramen Cubism is simply incredible. The bowl is almost the size of my basin!Chef Hayashi Takao’s signature Premium Cubism white broth (特級白湯) is arguably one of the creamiest ramen soup I've seen in recent memory. It’s fragrant, well-balanced and flavorful yet not too rich and thick. Very delicious and very addictive.I was really curious of how they have managed to make the broth so sweet and tasty. It has to be more than just chicken, right? After chatting with my server, I finally knew why. Turns out the broth has been cooked repeatedly with chicken bones and meat, along with duck and seaweed. I think there were flavors from clams in there too, which explained the extra creaminess and sweetness.The thin sliced braised pork was very sumptuous. It was a bit smoky like smoked ham which made it extra special. Yes, it was a little on the fat side but I didn't mind that at all.This came with young bamboo shoots, leeks but no bean sprouts.My only complaint was perhaps with the soft-boiled eggs. The egg yolks weren't runny enough for my liking; otherwise it would be perfect.Ramen Cubism offers six different flavors of ramen but I just don't see why anybody would go for anything other than their signature ramen with premium white broth.

SOMM (中環)

After six months of work in the making, Chef Richard Ekkebus' Amber 2.0 was finally unveiled in May. Apart from a new and exciting menu that's staying completely away from dairy and gluten, the dining room was also revamped into a more casual space. There's more. The re-organization of space has created a brand new concept, some call the old Amber named SOMM, a casual French neo-bistro sharing Amber's same address.
On top of the neo-bistro fare, SOMM also boasts more than 1,000 labels from all over the world.
For someone like me who doesn't like to waste time studying the a la carte menu, the "Weekend Sommeliers' Lunch" menu was perfect (3 courses $538 - starter, main+dessert or 4 courses $608 - snack, starter, main+dessert). I was a little full after my breakfast at The Mandarin Cake Shop so I went with the 3-course set without the snack.
Taking a page out of our local cha chaan teng (traditional tea restaurants), all the cutlery and napkins are hidden inside a drawer underneath the table. How cool is that?
We started things off with some homemade bread.
Not bad. 
Hokkaido scallops, razor clams, sea lettuce and Kyuri condiment - Raw scallop carpaccio and razor clams were served on the shell (scallop) with kombu, diced cucumber and shallots. 
Judging from the sweetness of the scallops and razor clams, they have to be top notch ingredients so something versatile like kombu was the perfect catalyst (along with some lemon juice) to bring out the sweetness of our shellfish even more.
Tasmanian salmon confit, Ikura and vinegared rice cream - I have seen pictures of this dish everywhere from online magazine to SOMM's official website so I'm guessing it's some sort of house specialty!? 

Again the seasoning of the dish was very very light and it came primarily from the umami-rich salmon roes. The vinegared rice cream was a nice touch. I had a similar dish in Kyoto where they used vinegared sushi rice to make some kind of puree or cream as a dipping sauce. The concept was very similar yielding equally great results.
Madai, green flat bean coulis, pickled onions and horseradish - My main course was pan-fried madai fish which was slightly overcooked. The green flat bean coulis was a surprise addition providing the dish with some clean flavors to work with while the pickled onions and horseradish generated some extra kick. Very decent (except the overcook).
Veal “Wiener Schnitzel”, baked new potatoes - We were told that this was a very popular dish with very high demand at SOMM. From what we've seen from our neighbors, I could tell it's of high demand too.
The deep-fried veal cutlet was pretty tender and juicy but I actually enjoyed the baked new potatoes which have been dusted with onions, bacon and garden herbs even more.
Raspberry 1000-Feuilles and whipped pepperberry ganache - Mille feuille is always a crowd pleaser. This was topped with fresh raspberries, strawberry sorbet and whipped pepperberry ganache.
Abinao chocolate soufflé with cacao sorbet - I can't recall how long it's been since I last had a traditional soufflé but it had to be ages.
I was so happy that I picked this over the mille feuille. It was light and airy, almost like marshmallow with deep chocolate flavors (thanks to the layer of chocolate ganache and cocoa nibs on top). If there's ever a perfect chocolate soufflé, you're looking at it now.
For a restaurant dubbed as Amber's sister restaurant, I was certainly expecting more than what I've seen this afternoon. While all the dishes tasted reasonably good, they lacked the refinement, sophistication and artistry I was anticipating from a Neo-French bistro (something along the line of Belon perhaps?), especially for a MO establishment.

Silencio (中環)

Le Comptoir Group continues to expand its culinary territory this month. After launching Ecriture and PIQNIQ last year and taking over Lily and Bloom earlier this year, the group is set to open Silencio, a new Japanese izakaya in the heart of Lan Kwai Fong in collaboration with Chef Sean Mell.
Chef Mell cut his teeth at Nobu Hong Kong so it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about Japanese food. Along with Korean chef Kong Soo Do, who most recently helmed Alvin Leung's Bib n Hops, the duo aims to offer diners a classic izakaya experience with a contemporary twist. 
The restaurant's nightclub vibe is in full swing with live music starting at 8pm every night providing the venue with yet another nice intrigue.
Our dinner at Silencio started off with some complimentary snacks in the form of fresh edamame.
Pablo ($180) - First to arrive was hamachi sashimi with the promised contemporary twist.
The hamachi sashimi, cured with coffee powder and sancho, was beautifully plated with watercress purée, pickled shallots and edible flowers while the wasabi yogurt, chive oil and fresh pomelo pulled off a sublime finish. A very well-executed dish and easily the best one of the night.
French ($180) - Akamutsu (rosy seabass) sushi sprinkled with shaved foie gras torchon was next. With Akamutsu's rich fat content, I thought it would mesh well with the richness of the foie gras torchon but I was totally wrong. The fact is, it works much better with some subtle acidity with yuzu quickly coming to mind.
Onsen Egg Salad ($130) - A Caesar-style salad with house-smoked salmon roes, crisp baby gem lettuce, onsen egg and crispy nori tossed in a creamy yuzu dressing. Not bad. 
Yakisoba ($180) - A couple of noodles for my little nugget. First to come was fried Japanese soba with smoked duck breast, crispy shallots and coriander. This had way too seasoning (mostly salt) in it. Not a good start for my boy. 
Carbonara Udon ($190) - Many chefs have tackled this combination before. Frankly, I always enjoy a fusion twist on my carbonara and this time, it was a Japanese spin with ham made with wagyu, udon noodles and bonito flakes. Pretty yummy~
Here comes our sushi rolls.....
Fifty Shades of Tuna ($250) - The shades of tuna included otoro, chu toro and akami. I started with akami first.
Followed by the chutoro roll. So nice to enjoy the best of both worlds as chutoro is the perfect blend of otoro and akami. Very meaty, fatty and melt-in-the-mouth.
Saving the best for last. The otoro, fattiest part of the tuna was rich-flavored with a similar melt-in-the-mouth texture.
California Yoga ($100) - This looked like a California roll at first glance but the crab meat was replaced by cream cheese in the middle.

I was pleasantly surprised with the way the cream cheese, avocado and pickles all worked together. The spongy, marshmallow-like texture of the cream cheese proved to be a nice match with the sushi rice, creamy avocado and crunchy pickles while the extra cheesiness added another dimension to the sushi roll. Very interesting.
There were some nice surprises tonight (Pablo, California Yoga) but unfortunately, not enough of them to make this journey a memorable one. Pablo was a wonderful start to the meal but you could sense things were about to regress as soon as they ran out of surprises.

幸福鳥 (尖沙咀)

I first bumped into Shiawase Yakitori (幸福鳥), a new Japanese yakitori restaurant at K11 when I was visiting Shaz Confections three months ago. It was still very much in its renovation stage at the time.
But the wait is finally over as the Japanese skewer specialist recently soft-opens.
Local celebrity chef Ricky Cheung (張錦祥) was in the house when I visited and he was spotted in and out of the kitchen chatting with the chefs. I wonder how much of an involvement he has with this new establishment. Or he's simply visiting as a guest?
Kyoto signature tofu (京都特濃男前豆腐) ($48) - As one of the house specialties, this had to be a major disappointment. I was expecting really rich flavors from the tofu but sadly, it didn't happen.
Grilled ox tongue (燒牛脷) ($78) - A bit chewy at times but I would say, decent.
Grilled sliced Awaodori chicken leg (阿波尾雞脾肉燒) ($28) - The restaurant only uses Awaodori chicken for all its chicken dishes. It's a special breed of chicken from Tokushima, Japan known for its low fat content, slightly chewy texture but most importantly, umami-rich flavors.

The first chicken skewer to arrive was the grilled chicken leg made with Awaodori chicken (阿波尾雞). This was wrapped with shiso leaf and served with a homemade plum sauce. As expected, the meat was a little chewy but unfortunately, no umami-rich flavors.
Signature water chestnut squid and minced pork skewer (馬蹄鮮魷燒肉棒) ($28) - Another signature skewer, minced pork with water chestnut and squid was a dish inspired by the Cantonese classic, steamed minced Pork with water chestnut and squid (馬蹄土魷蒸豬肉餠).
This was done like a Tsukune (Japanese chicken meatballs) and served with an egg yolk and special soy as dipping sauce. I was a little worried about the execution of this dish but it came out perfectly (almost like a grilled version of minced Pork with water chestnut and squid). I love everything about this skewer from texture, seasoning and combination of flavors. I think they have something special here.
Grilled minced chicken (免治軟骨雞肉串) ($30 each) - I was told it's another signature item on the menu that came with four distinctly different flavors, salted, teriyaki sauce, cheese and spicy. 
These weren't bad and I especially like the soft bones there to give them some extra bite. But they weren't nearly as mind-blowing as the water chestnut squid and minced pork skewer.
Grilled Awaodori chicken kidney (阿波尾雞腎燒) ($28) / Iberian pork with leeks - The pork was way over-seasoned but the chicken kidney was pretty yummy. It's been a while since I last had crunchy chicken kidneys and they reminded me a lot of my childhood days as it's a dish my mom used to make a lot for me (which explains my high cholesterol?).
Grilled portobello mushroom (燒意大利大蘑菇) ($38) - I like the minimal seasoning. Not bad.
Grilled rice dumplings with cheese stuffing (燒芝士年糕) ($32) - Very soft and airy. The cheese filling could be a little more runny though.
Baked oysters from Hiroshima (燒廣島蠔) ($58) - This was simply cooked with its own juice. Very fresh and sweet. Very tasty with very lovely texture.
There were some good (water chestnut squid and minced pork skewer!), some bad (tofu, ox tongue, Iberian pork) and thankfully no ugly dishes tonight. I think I'd like be back some time since its location is pretty convenient for me and the prices won't burn a hole in my wallet (like most yakitori places do).

Caprice (中環)

It's been exactly two years since Executive Chef Guillaume Galliot took over the kitchen of Caprice and he has finally done it. The French chef from Loire Valley has finally guided Caprice back to its three-Michelin starred status (announced late last year).

On a personal note, I have not been back to Caprice as much as I would like since the departure of opening chef Vincent Thierry. But now that they have re-captured the third star, I thought I should come back and check things out myself (at least once within this year).
The weather has been pretty poor all day (so is my mood) but luckily, I was able to arrive at Caprice largely unscathed.
Caprice is open for lunch and dinner from Monday to Sunday. For lunch, the restaurant offers a set menu varying by the number of courses (3-course $645, 4-course $790 and 5-course $895). There's also a 5-course omasake tasting menu priced at $1288 and of course the a la carte menu. I was a little hungry so I went with the 5-course set lunch menu this afternoon.
Some homemade bread including my favorite brioche to kick off the meal.
Lunch started off brightly with a small amuse bouche, silky green pea mousse topped with crispy croutons (Chef Guillaume Galliot in the background!).
The clean flavors of the green pea was nicely matched with the saltiness of the cured bacon on the bottom while the croutons added a satisfying crunch to this otherwise soft and smooth dish.
The first dish from the set menu was Aji fish carpaccio served on a tower of fennel and pomelo salad. This was a pretty "safe" dish to start the meal as one could never go wrong with the combination of refreshing raw fish and fruity salad. I thought the saltiness of the Aji fish really caught me by surprise while both the fennel and pomelo did very little to neutralize that saltiness. Decent start.
The carpaccio was immediately followed by a heartwarming green pea soup, served with mint perfumed green pea tartare and bacon foam (same combo as the amuse bouche).
The soup was accompanied by a green pea tartlet on the side.
Following the starter and soup, my fish course was next and I went with their hake fish which was beautifully decorated with cauliflower crumbs and smoked pike caviar.
The soft-textured hake was lightly coated with seaweed giving it wonderful texture and flavor. It was finished off brilliantly with a rich-flavored champagne sauce. A well-executed dish with a symphony of umami-rich flavors yet without going over the top. Without a question, the best dish of the afternoon.
My final savory dish was roasted French duck breast with variation of carrots. There's really nothing more appealing to me than a gorgeous piece of French duck (Too bad they thin-sliced it!).
A star anise sauce with ginger provided some extra heat to the dish (Interesting that the sauce actually tasted a bit like those in Chinese cuisine). 
If there's an area to improve upon, it's definitely the dessert department. I was looking for something rich and perhaps a bit cheesy so I went with the lemon cheesecake.
This came with cédrat confit and a scoop of white sesame ice-cream. At this point, I was really missing Chef Nicolas Lambert (former executive pastry chef here!).
I couldn't exactly remember when was the last time I enjoyed a slow day like this. I think I need more of this in the future.
Petite fours are always something to look forward to at Caprice. Today's no exception.
This is certainly one of my most enjoyable lunch at Caprice since the days when Chef Thierry was still at the helm. I'm not entirely sure about the three stars but one thing for sure, it's moving in the right direction.