Madam Sixty Ate (灣仔)

Came by on a Sunday for Brunch and was drawn in by the amazing decor and high ceilings which gave a nice comfortable feeling and was perfect for chilling out for a few hours on Sunday morning whilst getting into a hearty breakfast.

First up on the menu was 'Casanova's Sleepover', which was lamb/pork sausages, bacon, spinach, white beans and a poached egg on a crumpet. It was good and hearty and very filling, but none of the flavours really stood out. The egg was done ok, but a touch overdone, and it seemed like casanova had slept in on this one.

Also tried the 'Drowned Pig' which sounded great on the menu (cured salmon and pig gristle!), but in practice failed to deliver. The flavours didn't really wash together and left us wanting more, but not in a good way.

Thankfully we also ordered the pancakes which saved the whole experience. They were perfectly done, and the coffee topping and ice cream really paired up well to give a real Sunday brekkie feeling and left us wanting more. It was just enough to fill us up, and was perfectly paired with an english breakfast tea to wash it down. This is definitely on the recommend list, especially for anyone who loves the taste of coffee.

All this was complimented well with nice friendly staff, and for once in Hong Kong an uncrowded restaurant where you don't feel claustrophobic or rushed to finish your meal. A great place for a sunday brunch.    

California Vintage (灣仔)

Noticed this branch of California Vintage which was a lot bigger than their Central store. Overall was really well lit, had friendly staff, and was spacious and comfortable. It was also happy hour for oysters (half price) so we could not say no!

Started off with a few oysters each, which were nice and fresh, not the juiciest, but given they were half price, pretty good value for money.

Then got into some real food. Tried the mushroom and camembert bruschetta which was really nice with some caramelised onions in the middle. A really simple dish, but done real well. Perhaps a bit overpriced, but I guess you are paying a bit for the environment too.

Also got their mixed sliders, which were soft shelled crab, salmon, and minced beef patties. They were all quite good on their own, but also very small (even allowing that they were just sliders). They came with a few different sauces to sample, but none were good enough to write home about.

Overall experience was very pleasant though. Will be back to try out the scallop and avocado salad or their tacos. It is a nice place to feel like you are in the states or anywhere else with a more western vibe. And their wine tasting selection is huge! 

天巢法國餐廳 (南灣)

A great dining experience with an amazing view. The whole place was very decadent and it looked great and the staff were suberb and very helpful. But the overall feel was like we were eating in China. Most of the customers here should be from the mainland so I think there were small touches here and there (like the table ornaments) that had a very distinct "China" feel to it.

The food though was great. Even the bread (foccacia, bacon bread sticks), palette cleansers etc were tasty. And got us so excited that by the time my first dish - the soup - was amazing. The foie gras at the bottom to match the soup was great. Could've been a little hotter, but aside from that was perfect.

Next on the list was the guinea fowl which was my choice of the main. It was a lot less than I expected (I thought I'd get the whole bird!), but what i did get was nonetheless, very tasty. Especially when had with the foie gras. One thing I left on the plate though was the brandied cherries - not a big fan - but I wonder what it would have all tasted like together?

For dessert, I had the mille feuille, which had proven popular with other diners on the day, and I was not disappointed. Perfectly flakey in all the right places, and balanced out with a nice vanilla bean ice cream, this was just the right finish to our meal.

Robuchon is a definite must for french food lovers, and for best value, try it out for lunch! The portions may be smaller but you do not lose out on taste!    

江南上品 (銅鑼灣)

Came here for dinner with no expectations, it was just a new restaurant that had popped up. And discovered a nice cosy little restaurant with very friendly staff, which is perfect for a simple yet delicious meal.

Serving mainly shanghainese fare, the strength of Gangnam is not overreaching or aiming too high, but simply focusing on the dishes / cuisines that it does best, really breaking it down to the simplest of ingredients, but staying true to the strong flavours and delivering well on this - as compared to other restaurants who try too hard to be different and end up with complex recipes which don't really work. We tried a mix of simple dishes including;

i) The lion's head was soft and succulent, and with just the core ingredients of the mince meat, vegetables and sauce, the dish was really simple, but savouringly delicious, but not in an overzealous way.

ii) White cabbage in sauce which is normally served with some yunnan ham or other toppings to make it more interesting. But the vegetables themselves were very juicy and fresh, and did not need any further decorating to pique our interest.

iii) The steamed buns which were a bit less than perfect (the inside could have done with more soup to tenderise the meat) but the bun itself was crisp and just the right thickness, as opposed to other SH restaurants in HK who overdo it with the dough

iv) Meat pockets were almost an afterthought in ordering, but can highly recommended, although I had no expectations from them. In the end though, they were delicious, packed with meat and flavour. Normally these are too dry for my liking from other restaurants, but the flavours and the tender meat really make this a must try!

Will definitely come back to try some more different dishes soon... and the service was great too - unfortunately no english menu yet, but the waitress was nice enough to spend time with us to go through and translate portions of the menu with a focus on the specials. A great place for inexpensive meal, with simple expectations of just good food and tastes without being too dressed up, this restaurant is sure to be a hit!

星座冰室 (尖沙咀)

Came here to try their tomato soup with beef and nissin noodles and was totally not disappointed! One of the best breakfasts' I've had in awhile and looking forward to going back again soon. Tried both the tomato soup with beef as well as the tomato soup with egg and beef. Both of these were great in their own ways, with their fresh ingredients - i.e. the tomato's - making for a great, refreshing start to the day...PS - Get there early to avoid the crowds! We were the first ones there that day so enjoyed a nice relaxed breakfast and a good chat with the owners, but they told us that normally the line stretches around the corner for their tomato soup!