The Coterie (尖沙咀)

A friend had sent me the menus and photos of The Coterie a couple months ago and said good things about this place. Decided to give it a shot. Slightly overpriced for what the food's worth, but the venue is quite intimate, there is no corkage (winelover alert!!) and the host dispalys warm hospitality. So my advice would be - bring (more) wine. Wine makes the meal worth your quid. Oh, and go with a larger party - not only to consume the wine, but hopefully to book out the whole resto so you can have the small venue completely to yourself!

Environment:
It's tucked away at the cul-de-sac of Hillwood Road, Jordan. There are two dining rooms - one features a large round table (for private parties); the other featured a single long dining table (on our night) but on weekdays it's a communal dining area with tables of 2-6(?). There are interesting grey printed panels in lieu of wallpaper, and I believe they're movable. Pretty nice for photos. The chairs were kind of low. There's some lounge music playing in the background. Lighting: quite bright. 

Service:
Good hospitality, as I said. The host is very talktative and engaging, always willing and happy to engage in food talk. The waiter serving us that evening was attentive and polite. 

Food: 
This review features the Summer Menu 2013. 

 Shotglass of Iberico and cantaloupe The ham was really, really good. Fragrant oils were present and there was a delicate meatiness to it when you've worked it enough in your mouth. The cantaloupe was very juicy and sweet, which struck a nice contrast with the savory ham. These sweet and savory; juicy and semi-oily pairings work really well. Of course, the ham had to be sufficiently salty, and the melon had to be sufficiently sweet.  The red from Woodinville, Seattle. Byzance 2009, Brian Carter Cellars. One of my favorites. I've not seen it on the racks in HK. It is a blended wine. 

Seared bonito tuna, eggplant mousse, gazpachoNope, I don't really eat raw tuna but I had to give it a go, given the occasion. Not my favorite kind of seafood...and the fact that it was lightly seared on the surface didn't solve the problem. The gazpacho, however, was excellent as a chilled, tart, appetizing agent. There was a garlicky flavour to it, as with all gazpachos, and it was the right temperature.  

Blue lobster ravioli; basil sabayon, garlic croutons I didn't try this dish, but D who tried it didn't complain...heh!

Angus beef carpaccio, oscietre caviar, walnut oil Didn't try this either, but M, who did have this dish, said the walnut oil was quite strong and fragrant. Caviar...I had a small spoonful - not fishy, but not particularly amazing either. To me, caviar is not an intuitive delicacy. Is anyone born a caviar lover? If you gave a small child potatoes and caviar, which one would s/he choose? I realized that my palate is pretty basic and undeveloped in this regard hehee. I like flavours that I've liked since childhood. 

 Soup with iberico chorizo and truffle shavings Another interesting concoction. The consistency of this soup is not unlike a substantial borsch, but it is slightly grainy. And we confirmed that it is potato-based - quite starchy. The chorizo was fragrant and gained more flavour as you worked at the small slice of meat. Truffle shavings? - seriously, they are overrated, and if it costs $100 per 5g, I'd much rather do without it. In fact the addition of truffle shavings to this soup did little to enhance its flavour. Truffle oil, on the other hand, hits you instantly. Would much rather have a soup laced with truffle oil. Oh, also, do not underestimate the satiety factor of this soup - better leave half for the guy to enjoy if you don't want to feel stuffed at the end of the meal.  

Saffron infused 'egg custard', panfried foie grasThe egg custard-like layer was unexpectedly smooth, tasty and fatty...duck fat. I couldn't really taste saffron, but heck, it was tasty. Foie gras had a crisp, thin exterior and a melting interior. There was so much fat, heh. The portion size was just about right - any more would've been far too filling. I don't like internal organs but I did enjoy this dish. 

Iberico pork belly, smoked charcuterie cooked in champagne sauce A little bit of everything good is what a tasting menu should be like. I enjoyed every morsel on this dish. The pork belly had a substantial fatty layer, which was surprisingly dense and solid - it wasn't mushy at all, and didn't give the appearance of oiliness. Not sure how they prepared it but I must say it was a very decent piece of fat. I usually carve out the chunk of fat for someone else but this time I had it all. The piece of sliced ham was flavorsome and tender. The sausage was a bit too soft for me and wasn't outstanding in terms of flavour - not sure I could distinguish it from the high-quality sausages you can get at high-end supermarkets nowadays. Oh well. A small helping of sauerkraut was helpful - it is, after all, salty pork. 

Roasted cod, romesco sauce, brussel sprouts It's difficult to find fresh fish on the market. Even a certain restaurant in Princes' Building that holds itself out as a seafood specialist fails, consistently, to deliver great fruits de mer. Therefore I was delighted to find that this cod was very fresh, and didn't require a lot of seasoning to mask the unpleasant fishy flavours that so put me off. The flesh was oily and firm - held together well, but yielded and flaked perfectly under pressure. The romesco sauce was slightly nutty in flavour and was an excellent complement to the fillet. The basil-cod pairing is novel to me, but worked well. Basil goes well with the roasted tomato as well. There was an interplay of conventional food pairings at work on this dish, and it made sense. Happy. 

Dark chocolate mousse (complimentary) + Tiramisu This won me over. It was home made, and delicious. Dark chocolate - my fave, with crushed pistachios sprinkled on the side. It was surprisingly light. The chocolate was high quality I could tell...intense, deep and bitter. 

There was also Tiramisu (incl in menu) for dessert, served in a cocktail glass. I must say it is an excellent rendition of the classic dessert. Well - it's not unheard of, but this one was almost perfect in terms of flavour and consistency. Mascarpone was lightly whipped, infused with a bit of liquer; lady fingers were soaked in espresso and kahlua (?); topped with a light sprinkling of cocoa powder. Mm. heavenly. There really is no use for overwhipping the cheese. Yup, this one was delicious. And chilled too. 

Conclusion:
Yes, I had a great evening. Yes, some dishes were excellent, but there was room for improvement. Is it worth a second visit? Most certainly yes, since they change their menus every season but...next time I come I'll be armed with wine and friends who do enjoy their drink. Dinner tonight was quite expensive for what it's worth. But, tonight was a special occasion, and although it was slightly awkward when the host and waiter stood around listening to some very personal matters that transpired over the dinner table, most of the talk was playful banter, in jest. I love my family.

The restaurant is normally closed on Sundays, but they agreed to opening for the special occasion. Grateful. Hospitality was tops.
Make your reservation at 3971 0773, or k.uy@absoluteconceptsltd.com

Munch (尖沙咀)

MUNCH has been on my list of must-try restos since...2010(?) but I never got around to trying it becuase...TST is too far away . However, since it's summer and I have time to spare, a trip to TST was alright. Emm. Actually - the delay is caused not by sloth but by the rapidly changing food scene in Hong Kong. I also have myself to blame for not being very focused and intentional when it comes to checking restaurants off my eatlist. Thankfully, I have a friend who knows my palate very well and specifically picked out MUNCH for our saturday lunchdate. I am thankful to E for introducing MUNCH into my food journeys this week. 

Environment:
Quite spacious. There are huge glass windows on one side overlooking Knutsford Terrace. A party of 2-4 would enjoy the unobstructed view (despite the limited scope). Ventilation is quite good. 

Service:
Average - no complaints. They did their job, and food was brought to the table pretty promptly. 

Food: 
Set lunches are available but in terms of price they are not much different from the Set Meals in the a la carte menu. Check both out. You need to +$20 for a soup or salad upgrade. 

Cream of mushroom soup 
Did not plan to have this initially but E suddenly wanted to have something liquid and hot before the meal. I had the green salad (interesting citrusy dressing, not the standard balsamic + EVOO). The soup was hot, only slightly grainy, well-seasoned and flavoursome. It was quite delightful - the good thing being it wasn't too creamy, or else finishing the entrees would become a problem. 

Spinach and mushroom risotto with panfried garlic shrimp  
I had been swearing on the mushroom risotto at *OL10* for some time but I might've found a keen competitor. Maybe it's the intense garlic oil which, for me, does wonders. Everyone likes a bit of garlic and mushrooms. The risotto was well-cooked - al dente, with a slightly undercooked center which I have come to appreciate. I used to prefer a fully-cooked risotto which I could mush between my tongue and palate. This one requires a bit of chewing. Anyhow - I loved the strands of spinach ribboned between the rice and of course the juicy, fragrant and well-seasoned mushrooms (brown, crimini?). Didn't try the shrimp. I would come back for this dish anytime. The only complaint being the huge portion size. Good to share between two ladies. Great execution. 

Veal chops with tomato sauce and organic rice 
I had this. The chops were quite tender and non-fatty. Perhaps they trimmed away some of the fat? Anyway, the sauce was delightful. It's a tomato-based sauce cooked with the basic aromatic vegetables for an oxtail stew - carrot, celery, onion. It was really good. Not sour, slightly sweet, and quite thick (which I much prefer over runny sauces). The veal itself was sufficiently marinated and had itself a nice flavour which was further enhanced by the sauce. The rice was fluffly, long grain. Slightly disappointed by the boiled broccoli and cauliflower, which were undercooked. The skill required here isn't as high as that required for the risotto, but still, this is a very decent dish and I would love to be able to replicate this someday. 

Crumbed (cheese, breadcrumbs) chicken fillet in mushroom sauce The chicken breast fillet was quite tender, moist and well-seasoned. The crust was thin and crisp - not a chicken schnitzel. I think a bit of cheese and bread crumbs went into the batter. The fillet was huge. The creamy mushroom sauce was an appropriate choice for the fillet. Again, the sauce was very yummy. The mashed potato quenelle sat stiffly on the plate - slightly too dry, not enough butter . But I really appreciate how MUNCH tries to keep its dishes healthy. The side veg is boiled - avoid oil when you can; then you can spend your calories and fat intake on other treats. 

Conclusion: 
So glad we came here. I will definitely be back, perhaps for dinner. I would try their sandwiches sometime to see how they distinguish themselves. There's also a bunch of other interesting looking restos along Knutsford Terrace, certainly something to look into during summer hols.  

Olive, Greek & Middle Eastern (中環)

We've been having issues with Sunday dinners for some time. Not about whether or not to eat together - that's a non-issue - but about who gets to decide on where to go. So we agreed to take turns deciding. I won't go into detail about how issues managed to wriggle their way into this deceptively simple plan...owing to none less than the litigious atmosphere in the household, ha-ha-ha. Happily, all was playful banter, done in good faith, in jest.

This particular Sunday, D, R and I combed the entire SoHo area from Aberdeen street to Gough Street to Staunton, Elgin, Shelley...it was a little later than 8 by the time we decided on Olive. I secretly cheered. Have always wanted to have dinner here because the 3 lunch experiences I've had were pleasant.

Environment:
Tables are quite near each other, conversations easily overheard; dim lights, long dining room, one round table for 5(?) at the entrance next to the full-length glass window providing an unobstructed view of Elgin.

Service:
No complaints. Pretty spot-on. Waitress was all smiles (so important!) and gave recommendations which were worth trying. Attentive and unobtrusive. Would've been even better if she could tell us that the extra naan would be charged. Not that it's a problem (HKD15) but it would've been nice to be told.

Food:
Olives Mezze – Silky Hummus, Smoky Baba Ganoush, Cheesy Pastries; seasonal Pickles & Marinated Olives, Warm Pita Bread $118
Hummus was smooth, spread easily on the pita. I liked the seasoning - not too sour, but with enough lemon juice to let you know it's there. Baba ganoush was true to its name - smoky, soft (kind of like stiff whipped cream), moderately spiced but the subtle sweetness of eggplant came through nicely. The pasty substance was non-oily and felt like a healthier option than hummus, albeit slightly less satisfying. Cheesy pastries - basically a soft, mild cheese wrapped in deep fried rice sheets; unmemorable. Cucumber sticks were lightly salted. Pita bread was served hot - had a bit of oil on the surface which I didn't expect. I expect pita slices to be almost oil-free, sprinkled with a bit of flour to keep them from sticking to each other. Overall, a moreish, family-friendly dish, fun to share.

Warm Moroccan Lentils with Fresh Burrata & Hand Pounded Mediterranean Herbs $108 (see pic above)I enjoyed the bed of lentils. Can't describe their taste now because it's been a while since I had this meal. I enjoyed lentils more than the burrata, which is an Italian cheese made from mozzarella with cream, hence its texture is akin to mozzarella, only slightly more buttery in the center. The flavour is quite mild. I enjoy mozzarella as a melted cheese on top of pizzas. I am not so fond of having it in Caprese salads. Not saying that I wouldn't recommend this dish, but there are other tastier options below.

Hazelnut Falafel with Winter Tabbouleh & Whipped Tahini Yoghurt $88 This for me was a winner. I love any kind of falafel, and the fact that hazelnut was incorporated into this one made it even more intriguing. The bed of rich flavoured, liberally seasoned tabbouleh was the star though. I don't like parsley but enjoyed this particular mixture very much. Again I cannot identify the ingredients (due to lapse of time) but...it's yum. The falafel had a dense but crisp exterior, tightly-packed filling (did not fall apart when we cut through it), moderate spice. The yoghurt acted as some sort of glue to bring everything together in the mouth. This is my favorite starter - although you can't have too much of the falafel as it is quite filling, I could steadily rake spoon after spoon of tabbouleh into my mouth.

Baby Spinach Salad with Medjool Dates & Walnuts $48This side salad was surprisingly delicious. From the name I expected something very simple, thrown together without much thought, but it wasn't. It was very well thought-out, perfectly seasoned and dressed. Baby spinach was fresh and crisp, walnuts gave the salad a nice crunch and nutty flavour, pomegranate seeds added acidity and moisture (bursts of juice), dates added the final touch of sweetness. Perfect salad to be consumed on its own, perhaps with a bit of bread/some other carb. So glad we ordered this.

Claypot Roasted Poussin, Cracked Green Olives, Giant Couscous, Preserved Lemon & Moroccan Spices $178My choice of mains because of the chicken. I love chicken. Especially a tender, juicy, moist, perfectly Flavored chicken like the one we had here. No complaints at all - it was everything a perfect chicken should be. The portions were also very generous. As you can see, there is no shortage of spice in this exciting and flavourful mains. The giant couscous to me, was especially fascinating. The texture is unlike that of couscous. It's more gelatinous - kind of like the bubbles in boba tea. Slightly less rubbery, of course. I really liked them. The jus was also delicious. You can see a handful of cinnamon sticks in it, adding a spicy sweetness. Not surprised if star anise and cloves went into the pot as well. All in all, a perfect dish by my standards - tasty, hot, flavourful, and quite balanced in terms of nutritional value .

Greek Spiced Lamb Rack With Twice Cooked Finger Potatoes, Wild Rocket & Olive Dressing $308Not my choice but I managed to try a small bite of lamb which I don't usually eat. It wasn't as gamey as I feared. The finger potatoes were delicious though. First had them in Seattle a la Jonathan; never saw them again in HK. They are a wonderful small breed of potato perfect for light roasting, because they go crisp on the outside but remain starchy on the inside. They do not fluff up or crumble like jacket potatoes. They also have more flavour than new potatoes. Each one a pocketful of potatoey goodness hahaa! Yumyum! R and D both liked the lamb. The rocket was well-dressed and added a pleasant peppery flavour to the dish.

Desserts were omitted because I have not had any luck with middle-eastern desserts at all. They are usually doused in a sickly syrup which even I find too sweet and cloying. No. We hopped over next door for the dessert bar instead, and were very happy with the mango cheesecake.

Conclusion:
I will so be back. Still got other dishes on the menu to try! Hoping to see new additions to the menu, which at the moment is not so comprehensive.

銀杏館 (中環)

The food at Gingko House might not be the most refined or the tastiest on this street, but the satisfaction that lingers on for the rest of the day is unmatched by any other. Hence Gingko House is certainly worth more than one visit.

Environment:
A very packed little space, with little privacy. Demand for seats is quite high. I saw a couple of single diners sitting comfortably at a table at the entrance, and another at the back of the restaurant. Slightly cramped though, right next to the door, and you get stared at a lot by people peering in.

Service:
You probably know already that all the service staff are able and willing elderly folk. Frankly speaking, it's not surprising that they outperform the younger generation. If it's simple tasks like taking orders, serving food, clearing empty plates and refilling glasses - you won't notice a difference. You'd probably get more smiles and personal attention off an elderly man than someone in their twenties. Cheers to elderly employment.

Food:
Starter of duck breast and greens plus Bread sticks
Thoughtfully presented, and a nice little pile of everything to whet the appetite. Fruit, vinegar and olives, one lone zucchini, a pearl onion. The streak of balsamic down the middle was cleaned. It was thick, intense and sweet. The mound of leaves could be better dressed though. I liked the portion size - literally just a small bite of everything is what's needed.

The bread sticks were curiously tasty. I mean - they were hard, dense, aroma-less, and couldn't soak up any olive oil at all (coz they weren't porous) but...somehow I kept going back for more ^^''. They are also served at room temp. Not sure what kept me going back for more but...yes there you have it. It's more like eating a biscuit (pretz) than bread. Hmm.

Cream of ube soupI've never had ube soup before. It was much sweeter than the normal cream soups (broccoli, mushroom, pumpkin), given the natural sweetness of the root veg. Fortunately it wasn't very creamy or else it would be like having a chinese style sweet soup (dessert)...still I couldn't finish it, because I had to save space for the huge pizza I ordered....

Tricolor mushroom fusiliIt's nice to see a mix of colors on the plate. Supposedly the more color the dish has, the higher nutritional value it carries. But as you can see it somehow looks dishwashed. It doesn't look...as appealing as it could've. Perhaps they could do away with the tricolor fusilli (stick with plain) and let the veg do the magic. Red, orange, yellow capsicums, eggplant, onions (to be sauteed separately so that it doesn't soak up the purple from the eggplant). But A enjoyed the dish, so I guess it was seasoned properly. I tried one bite but have already forgotten my verdict hehh.

Thincrust pizza with red onions, mushroom, bacon and cheeseI ordered this. Less cheese, check. It was surprisingly, delightfully tasty. The crust was brittle and thin (definitely not Neapolitan style, but not everyone likes those!). I loved the charred edges, and the fact that I could pick up an entire piece without the slice flopping over at the pointed end. I also liked how I could eat with my hands without getting them greasy. The toppings were nothing spectacular but hey, the pizza was tasty and satisfying. The tomato paste/sauce was quite sweet. Yum! I would go back again for this! Quite a safe choice. Served sizzling hot. Mm.

Vanilla souffle on a bed of strawberries with mango sauce +$30(?)Ordered this to satisfy our sweet tooth. Okay so I don't really think it's a souffle...but more like an alaska. I didn't really enjoy this dessert because it was far too sweet for what it's worth, the top was rubbery, and the middle part was too moist...wet. There was nothing at the bottom of the ramekin because I suppose all the egg white had risen during the baking. There were a few diced and marinated strawberries at the bottom, which added further moisture to the 'souffle'..not a good idea. The mango syrup added even more sweetness. Yes, it was a light way to end a meal but the personally the utility of this vanilla souffle wasn't high.

Conclusion:
I won't be returning very soon (so many new things happening in the district!!) but I will definitely revisit. This is one of the handful of restaurants in HK that you simply wouldn't take off your list. Best wishes to the warm, attentive and hardworking 'lo yau gei's! It's inspiring to see how driven and motivated people are even past retirement when they're supposed to be enjoying a leisurely pace of living. But - everyone has their own story to tell. Would love to hear one of theirs, someday.

Dandy's Organic Cafe (上環)

Riding on the wave of an organic diet that's led to the establishment of many boutique restaurants in HK, and especially around the sheung wan/sai wan area, Dandy's Organic Cafe is one place you ought to give a try. But you should go to La Creperie next door for dessert.

Environment:
Pretty packed, back to back, and doesn't seat more than 30 I reckon. High ceiling, a lovely mural on the wall. The store front is a wide entrance that opens directly to the street. Good thing there wasn't any traffic at night, but I could imagine it to be pretty polluted and suffocating in the afternoon. It was very dim. Electricity-saving, good!

Service:
Average.

Food:
Grilled cheese and mushroom on seared tofu (260 cal) $60S ordered this for us to share. The cheese was very mild, the mushroom wasn't very flavourful; the seared tofu was not smooth but I did manage to taste tofu underneath all the flavours. I guess they chose all these mild-flavoured ingredients in order not to mask the delicate tofu flavour. Not a favorite. I prefer bolder flavours for a starter, to whet the appetite. Wouldn't order this again, but you could give it a try.

Mushroom and eggplant risotto V, GF, DF, AL, NF (260cal) $98I ordered this because...okay I admit, because it was one of the low(est)-calorie options...have been gaining weight lately. Heh. And I love mushroom risotto anyway. I loved this dish - the grilled eggplant was smoky and slightly caramelized, giving it a subtle sweet flavour. The mushrooms were plentiful and I could easily share this with M and S. It's got chopped asparagus/string beans, and chia seeds. All cooked in a healthy and flavorful mushroom vegetable sauce. I don't mind ordering again. Fat: 3g. Such a goooood deal. The only drawback being the lack of varied textures. I would suggest adding some chopped walnuts...for those who don't have nut allergies.

Brown rice pasta with chicken and veggies GF, DF $128 (350cal)This was delicious too. Brown rice pasta is GF, but tastes exactly the same as normal pasta...cooked to al dente, mixed with delicious greens and this almond, dried fig and brazil nut pesto sauce....the ingredients alone sound enticing. The chicken breast was very lean. The only complaint is that there was too much oil - by the time we got to the end of the meal, there was a sickly pool of oil left in the bowl. But, flavour and texture-wise, I have no complaints. Especially loved the crisp, flavorsome broccoli and sweet figs, an ingredient I've never come across in a pasta!

Spaghetti with big scallops - pan fried sustainable big scallops in mild spicy lobster cheese sauce (475cal) $188Two large, fat, fresh scallops! Didn't try them, but they were cooked medium-rare, and S was pleased. The lobster cheese sauce was quite mild - cheese flavour not overwhelming. Lobster flavour could have been stronger though. And the consistency wasn't very nice because it was slightly lumpy...would've been yummier if the consistency were like a thick lobster bisque instead. Again, I liked how they throw in accompanying greens, whatever the main ingredient.

Desserts:
*note to self: can get better vegan desserts elsewhere* At least we tried.
Tofu chocolate hazelnut mousse GF, V, Low GI, DF, AL $58You can't really taste chocolate. You taste more of the tofu at the end of each bite. Just a very, very faint flavour though. Um and the hazelnut...do they mean the cracked nuts sprinkled on top? ^^'' not sweet, not satisfying at all, I wouldn't go for it again. It was very soft, too soft.

Apple and almond cake DF, GF, Low GI $58 Regret ordering this. The almond cake was extremely dry and loose, coarse. The apples on top were moist and sweet, but there's only so much value nicely cooked apples can add to an 'apple and almond cake'. Again, not sweet, and the raw almond bits sprinkled on top didn't add anything to my experience either. would not order this.

Conclusion:
I think organic/vegetarian restaurants capitalize on this huge feel-good factor people get out of having these meals. But you can't have them every day because i) $$$ ii) need some solid unhealthy yummy fat oily food once in a while hehee. Somehow those fatty foods hit the sweet spot. Still not a complete convert. But yes, I would revisit. Maybe in another 3-4 months.

We weren't very full after the meal. Considered hopping over to Creperie for another round of dessert. But that idea was discarded. Next time.