餃餃餃子 (灣仔)

7.5/10 plates emptied! [Written by Gobay in Chinese, Carly in English]
特別喜愛這種格局小小的，進門有布簾子的地道感十足的餐館。工作日午市的人龍在灣仔來說不算長，而且上菜速度很快，適合趕時間的上班一族——當然，受歡迎的地方就要預早排隊啦～OiOiOishi, is what you should be proclaiming after having to enjoy a nudging cozy bite at Chao Chao Gyoza, when green perilla meets its destiny. The bar area with high stools will comfort anyone that is in a rush for food but unwilling to settle for cheap fast food. 【Chao Chao 餃子| Chao Chao Gyoza | HKD40 for 16 pieces】
首先這裡的餃子個頭很小，飯量大的人可以吃很多都不飽，所以不要被16這個數字嚇到。第一粒餃子入口，就感覺到很皮很薄，且有種爽口彈牙的感覺。這讓Gobay想起在日本一套美食漫畫裡有一場是講廣州餃子大賽，其中讓人印象深刻的就是在麵粉裡加入淮山（也稱山藥）磨成的粉一起擀成的餃子皮，就會給人雙實的食感。這裡不知道是不是真的加了，但很多日式餃子確實真的有加入淮山粉擀皮。菜牌上寫皮和餡的比例是2:8，說是黃金比例。這個真的不清楚，因為用的餡不一樣，出水的程度，餃子皮本身的厚薄等等都會影響比例乃至最後的口感。吃起來的味道就是普通的豬肉大白菜餃，不過確實皮薄，讓人想起灣仔碼頭的廣告菜牌上還介紹蘸醬和建議的食序。具體的各位去嘗嘗就知道，這裡重點提一下它的秘製辣醬和味增醬，我們有問過師傅，但他們說醬料統一從日本來，具體用的什麼味增和辣椒他們也不清楚。我們覺得還是讓餐廳有點秘密比較好，就沒有打破砂鍋問到底哈哈哈！推薦嘗試！As one of the flagship offerings from Chao Chao Gyoza, they’ve expanded all it way from Osaka, to Hokkaido and Okinawa in Japan, we HongKongers are certainly more than lucky to have the chance to dine at this very cost-friendly gyoza beer chain, around HKD 100 per person will cut the deal. Classic dish of 16 one-bite sized dumplings were lightly crispy, closely intertwined side by side, it’s almost impossible to break them apart and indulge them one by one. People have been saying that if you add a specific type of Chinese yam into the dough wrapper to add more solid texture, not sure if Chao Chao Gyoza has done the same but certainly it was thin yet very delicate and soft. 
In-house secret recipe of dumpling sauce and miso sauce are directly from Japan, ingredients are secretive. Dumpling sauce was pungently vinegarish and spicy miso sauce was very indulging with the temperate heat and relatively salty, nutty and fishy taste. 【紫蘇風味餃子 Green Perilla Gyoza | HKD 29 for 6 pieces】
不喜歡紫蘇葉香味的朋友要注意了，這道餃子的主角絕對是紫蘇當之無愧，味道很濃烈，愛紫蘇的朋友應該會大愛吧，因為在我們的固有認知裡紫蘇很少是主角，在這裡那麼被珍而重之很感動吧？配的蘸醬是梅子醬，酸甜鹹鮮，別有一番滋味。其實不蘸醬吃，味道已經很飽滿。For its very distinctive aroma of sharp grassy taste, reminiscent of applies and mint, this dish will surprise you by introducing these popular leaves often used in Korean cuisine as the protagonist in Japanese dumplings. Complemented with freshly sour-sweet plum sauce, for all the veggie fans out there, this is recommended.  【Shake Shake餃子 - 香港限定粟米濃湯味 Corn Potage Shake Shake Deep Fried Gyoza | HKD38 for 5 pieces】
非常有趣的餃子，shake完一打開袋子，非常濃郁的粟米濃湯味精版撲面而來，不過調味料一直都是「shake shake」的精神，只是味覺和嗅覺是不是每個人都抵擋得住。但毫無疑問地，真的好貼題——非常粟米濃湯！
Replicating the idea of “Shake Shake fries” from Mcdonalds, just adding another fun element with dumpling dining; with this limited edition only available in Hong Kong, the rich corn potage flavor reminisces fingerlicking corn soup flavor chips. Deep fried gyoza were very crunchy till a point the edges were tad too dry.  【西班牙黑毛豚肉餃子 Iberico Pork Gyoza | HKD 38 for 5 pieces】
這也是有點讓人意外，雖然餡料很豐富多汁，但豬肉味卻幾乎嘗不出來。西班牙黑毛豬最誘惑人的豬肉味沒了，這讓人頗失望。在我們的《Espuma》那篇食評尾部「Gobay話你知」欄目有比較詳細描述過西班牙火腿和它的原料黑毛豬，有興趣的朋友仔可以再去回顧一下。我們吉碟幫還沒有機會一起嘗試西班牙烤焗乳豬，其實廣東的烤乳豬在手法上更勝一籌，但說到豬，西班牙烤焗乳豬更多的是吃它的豬肉，純粹清淡卻又集中的香味和口感。有吃過山豬肉和內地有種叫「一號豬」的朋友可能會體會到什麼是「豬肉味」，和飼養的家豬味道和口感都不是一個檔次的，當然說到豬肉，東南亞本身也有很多出色的豬，著名的包括日本鹿兒島的黑毛豬，中國浙江的兩頭烏，韓國濟州島黑豬（喜愛韓食的朋友可以看看韓國境內很受歡迎的美食節目《白鐘元的三大天王》，裡面第18集就專門講韓國烤五花腩。韓國的肉類非常優質，而且特別，因為幾乎零出口）等。但總體純論味道而言，這款餃子還是不錯的。

Surprisingly, the meat filling of Iberico pork was not as juicy as expected, nor as fragrant as it should be. In previous sections of “Gobay’s Food Knowledge Corner, Gobay has compared Spanish ham with its various origins, subtle differences in their taste. Asia itself offers premium quality of pork anyway, Kagoshima’s Kurobuta pork, China Zhejiang “two ends black”, and Korea Jeju black piggies. These iberico pork gyozas were slightly juicier than the original ones as it is bigger in size compared to one-bite size ones and with the certain firmness of higher quality of pork.  【蒜香餃子 - 香港限定 Garlic Gyoza | HKD 29 for 5 pieces】
很濃烈的蒜香味但不嗆，那種香味和港人比較熟悉的「金蒜」的溫柔很類似，而並非蒜泥白肉的那種刺激霸道。這裡蔬菜香料類的餃子都做得出色，大家如果沒有特別討厭辛香材料的話都可以一試，畢竟確實很特別，也相對健康。
Limited Hong Kong edition of garlic gyoza with the pungent, delectable taste close to the fragrance of golden garlic, garlic that has been deep fried till it releases its powerfulness. Carly ‘s been to this place for more than a handful of times and every time, this one is on the order list. 《餃子4種の盛合 Gyoza platter - 4 types | HKD 52 for 8 pieces》
【Puri Puri 海老餃子 Puri Puri Shrimp Gyoza】
這個完全就是餃子皮包的蝦餃，又或者雲吞。蝦很新鮮，而且是鮮蝦不是急凍的那種。這個價錢加上給的蝦的大小是相對抵食的。而且最讓人讚歎的，是餃子皮的味道，細心咀嚼的朋友就可以發現餃子皮也有海鮮味，類似蝦頭蝦殼熬製的汁液放進麵粉裡擀皮得到的鮮味，和餡料搭在一起，嘗到了濃濃的誠意和讓人感動的回味。這是用心才能做出來的料理！
Ample portions of fresh prawns as fillings, complemented with dough wrapper which is made from seafood broth, we were moved by how sincere Chao Chao Gyoza was in the aim of delivering excellent seafood gyoza dishes. 

【Mochi Mochi 蘑菇餃子 Mushroom Gyoza with Rice Wrapper】
【日本京都九条蔥餃子 Kujo Spring Gyoza】
【日本淡路島洋蔥餃子 Awajishima Onion Gyoza】
由於這三種餃子都屬蔬菜類，就並在一起說了。共同的特點是非常鮮嫩多汁，所以即便是煎餃，也很難感覺到皮脆，因為餡料出水太多太快，但夾起餃子的時候還是很結實完全沒有散開，正正是功架的表現！蘑菇餃子特地強調用的是米皮而非普通的餃子皮，吃著除了多一點黏糥的口感，別的也吃不出來什麼特別。京都九條蔥，正如全世界通用的名物命名法昭示的一樣，九條是地名。這種蔥原產自中國，不太確定是不是和東北人愛吃的「大蔥蘸醬」是同一個老祖宗，不過都是蔥白多，甜而多汁，是日式居酒屋的恩物。在這裡也確實沒有墜了日本蔥的名聲。至於淡路島的洋蔥，港人酷愛到日本旅遊，去過的都知道淡路島最有名的除了海豚農場，就是洋蔥了。講日本料理的時候提及海豚總是覺得仿佛吞了蒼蠅般的難受（沒有看紀錄片《海豚灣 The Cove》的朋友建議去看看），這裡就不多說了，主講洋蔥。洋蔥在那裡隨處可見，幾乎每種料理都能看到它的蹤影。有這麼好的原料，做出來的餃子自然也是讓人直豎拇指。而且餃子的皮都配合著餡料而呈現不同的顏色，看著已經很開胃了。A platter of veggie gyoza with quite the unique touch of Japanese imported ingredients, mushroom, Kujo spring onion, and Awajishima onion. Mushroom gyoza was wrapped with rice made mochi-like dough, came off a bit gooey when the dumplings were steamed instead of pan-fried. Kujo spring onions were springy fresh, aromatically with its natural sweetness. Awajishima onions are just as famous as how this place is infamous of slaughtering wild dolphins, yet still, not intending to degrade the finest quality of onions that this place produces. This platter of veggie dumplings were presented in various colors which made them very attractive to begin with. 總體而言，這裡很值得一試，當然煎餃多油，愛健康的你們可以三思而後行...Just be reminded on pan fried gyoza will be relatively oily, but Carly is certainly overjoyed that there is such a renowned place that only offers Japanese dumplings for their thinly crusted wrappers and juicy meaty fillings and forever the best partner of dumpling sauce, spicy miso, chili oil, and miso dipping. Only offered at Chao Chao Gyoza all the way from Japan. 

Burger Joys (灣仔)

7 plates emptied!
Favs: Hiro Burger和牛漢堡, Signature Double Cheese Burger招牌雙層芝士漢堡
[Written by Gobay in Chinese, Carly in English]吉碟幫重出江湖的第一篇又是burger! 沒錯，炎熱的天氣，狹小的空間，不肯遷就亞洲人身高的高腳凳——經典burger地鋪的特色——都阻擋不了我們對burger的熱愛和持之以恆的探究! Burger的受歡迎程度甚至金融的世界裡都有一個非正式的測量貨幣匯率的巨無霸指數, Big Mac Index, 還衍生了「漢堡包經濟 burgernomics」這個專業詞彙。OK, 假意高級理論了一輪我們為什麼總是鐘情burger的原因之後，一起考察一下：
It’s a burger review again! Undoubtedly, the undying burger hype has hit Hong Kong hard since early 2014, then matcha turned everything green, along with the Korean bloom, burger trend has kept its steady trend; Butchers Club expanded to Kowloon and One Island East, Beef & Liberty kept calm and retained its elegant niche, Burger Joys has been well-established at this petite bustling corner in Wan Chai. To the gang’s surprise, we were surprised that it took us some time to discover this local joint. Better yet, Gobay and Carly both agreed that Burger Joys have made it to the top 3 of the Gang’s list. Here comes the verdict!Signature Double Cheese Burger 招牌雙層芝士漢堡 | HKD 138
最令人難忘的是它的顏色搭配：大大片的血紅番茄、紫色的生洋蔥圈（百分百生的！！！），金黃色的呈融化狀地包裹著兩塊漢堡扒（無論是Butcher's Club 還是 Beef & Liberty都無法達到的融化狀態）和青色的生菜。這裡必須要感歎一下，那些沒辦法把漢堡包裡的芝士弄熱弄融的burger stores是必須要反省再反省！(´⌣'ʃƪ)口感不錯，開邊後能看到相對算是飽滿的肉汁（這個比之後會提到的和牛Burger要稍微乾身一點）。破天荒我們沒有「糾纏店主」問他諸如「牛肉產地是哪裡？」「谷飼還是草飼？」等等的，大概就是潛意識裡覺得每次透露得太詳盡，讓過後去嘗試的食客少了獵奇的心思。這次我們就「隨便」一把：醃製的咸度剛剛好，拌酸瓜生菜的沙律醬是很熟悉的本土味道（感覺是用了日本的Kewpie嘻嘻），麵包微甜很軟厚（很像Bread Element的出品但又總覺得差點什麼）。138點價格確實容易惹人非議，不過如果你不介意錢，是一枚港版「土豪」或外籍「土豪」，不妨一試。
Fiery red tomato slices, vividly violet onion rings, jippy fresh greens and the complete-meltdown of cheese draped around that juicy beef patty did blow us away. Beef jus dripped over our fingers as we picked up the massive combo, no fretting, there was a refined balance of delish fatty goodness and well-seasoned patty, with the right sprinkle of salt & pepper, the dope of Kewpie-flavored mayo did the trick. Bread top slightly sweetish and very bouncy fluffy, blended in a mouthful of juicy and intriguing double patties, the portion was much bigger than Butchers Club for a regular burger of HKD100.Hiro Burger 和牛漢堡| HKD 188
這個價位讓我們馬上想起了Bread Street Kitchen 的Burger，而這個確是要更勝一籌的。"Hiro" 的命名讓人心思思猜測是否用的日本和牛。大家看到Hiro猜測是Hero意思的有多少？高比聯想到的卻是電影Baymax裡的Hiro, Baymax感覺有點像"Burger"升級版，哈哈哈！這個和牛漢堡真的很不錯，很多肉汁，但還是可以吃出肉的質感，即使它很快散在嘴裡，那種肉粒的結實仍然明顯。188的價格，你，值得擁有。

Sing in the tune of “Worth it” - Hiro burger, you are definitely worth it for your quality and price. Gobay immediately thought that this Hiro might be related to Baymax and how it is an upgraded version to serve your tummy well. Beef jus was running through our finger cracks, patty was less salty but way much juicier compared to the Signature Double Cheeseburger. Less profound in the manly beef taste yet more delicate when it comes to wagyu beef, it dissolves on the palate yet remained firm and delectable as you take a deep bite.

 

Fish Burger 魚柳包 | HKD 88
Lyoe很中肯地評論說「好似廿年前的麥記魚柳包」！的確，非常熟悉的味道，雖然魚柳還是乾，但外層用的絕對鬆脆的bread crust則讓人難以忘懷，咬下去就像在日本名古屋吃的黃金豚炸豬排的炸面包糠的口感，值得一試。
Our tagalong has risen above to the next level and started to pick up the role of being a food reviewer at times, as Lyoe stated, “This is like Filo-O-Fish at McDonalds 2 decades ago!” Tartar sauce was the familiar taste that recalls childhood memories; the crispy golden breaded deep fried crust was alike Japan deep fried pork tonkatsu, worth a try if you are not a beef fan.

 

Cajun Wings 6pcs | HKD 58
提到Cajun料理，來自美加的食客可能倍感溫馨。它就像是西班牙的Tortilla(土豆煎蛋餅)，意大利的pizza，中國的火鍋等，屬於創意大雜燴的平民食品。入口前聞到雞翼有股濃濃的味精味，差點就想放棄，吃的時候變成了各種香辛料的混合體，即使不那麼「味精」了，還是不怎麼討喜。也許會有支持的食客也未可知。
Cajun! Not a stranger to North Americans and especially when Carly used to sprinkle so much of this spice mix on her fries when she used to be in the lovely green land O-Canada. Close to Italian’s pizza, Chinese’s hotpot, Spanish’s Tortilla, Cajun is a powerful mix of paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes. Burger Joy’s Cajun mix tasted like instant noodle MSG which threw all of us a bit off our chairs and they were a bit too dry as well…

 

Lunch deal: free add-on of soft drinks/tea and fries/tater tots/onion rings
這裡有提供午市套餐，任意一款漢堡包配汽水或茶，還可以在薯條、炸薯粒和炸洋蔥圈裡任選一款。
Economical lunch deals if you work around Wanchai, free add-on of sides and drinks on the regular-priced burgers. Fries tasted and looked very much like everyone’s all-time favorite McDonalds.

additional HKD 20

 

Truffle Fries 松露薯條| additional HKD 20
吉碟幫對炸薯條的喜好各有不同，這裡的是麥記式的炸透型，炸兩次或以上，脆身香口。不過不失，性價比很不錯。
Truffle fries being one the most acclaimed dishes at Burger Joys, these were double fried to ensure that they were golden crispy, served with black truffle bits sprinkled atop. Can’t complain much for its price, worth a try if you happen to drop by this hippy joint.Cookies & Cream Milkshake | additional HKD25
曲奇奶昔嚐出維記鮮奶的味道，Oreo曲奇朱古力味道不特別突出，亦不似是雪糕打出來的一般濃稠香滑。
Possibly made from Kowloon Diary farm product, the unique milk fragrant was too strong compared to the bland Oreo flavored milkshake. Beef & Liberty and Burger Circus must have scored way higher in the milkshake contest.單純就漢堡一欄，Burger Joys真心能排上前三，特別是和牛漢堡。一直在想為什麼Burger stores總喜歡挑戰和牛漢堡，思忖一番後，覺得也許因為和牛不需要調肥瘦比例，選對部位就行，因為它的油脂分佈都比較「雪花」，所以肉汁分佈也會相對的多和均勻，口感比較豐盈。你們覺得呢？
Burger Joys made it to the Gang’s favorite top three, especially the Hiro burger was downright juicy, spectacular delicious in terms of seasoning, texture, and burger construction. We used to never really understand wagyu beef burgers, reminded us of the disappointing one at Glasshouse. Giving it a second thought, it’s probably related to their much finer marbling and higher tenderness, which makes the patty more elegant with a palate-coating richness.

* Lunch deals are great economical combos
* No service charge
* If you have a small stomach then it’s downright alright to just go for the burgers

* Lunch deals are great economical combos

* No service charge

* If you have a small stomach then it’s downright alright to just go for the burgers

Bread Street Kitchen & Bar (中環)

8/10 plates emptied!
[Written by Carly in English, Gobay in Chinese]名廚開的餐廳一般不是引來爭議，就是惹來非議，總會有人大愛的同時也有人拼了老命吐槽。吉碟幫總是很有『正義感』地要去試這些名廚餐廳，一來當然是投奔偶像光環，二來如果他們真的名副其實，也可以為其正名。人生很短暫，真正的『吃貨』經不起任何的美食錯過。
What should I say about this place? Jamie’s Italian created much rage over the fact that it was “overrated” for its quality but rather underrated for its sincerity offering delicate homey meals.In the name of Gordon Ramsay, the Gang again received mixed reviews about this place as we were trying to get this review across; Carly revisited BSK at least 2 more times to arrive a rather cohesive conclusion about the food and service.Astonishing seasoning and execution for poultry dishes, crispy pork belly is to die for; superb desserts to turn heads for; service can be improved with a more welcoming attitude. Uptown vibe and vibrant mix of crowd to transform any dreadful day into an exhilarating night on full blast.BSK源於倫敦，室內裝潢有點類似Mama San，皮質長椅，吧台，黑白地磚，大幅的落地玻璃，明亮簡潔。整體食物質素是上佳之選，Carly甚至再去了兩次以確保其食物質素的穩定，證明BSK是值得再次光顧。
《Starters》

 

【Sea bass carpaccio, avocado, horseradish 海鱸魚生片配牛油果、辣根醬 | HKD138】
One of the less impressive dish at BSK, expected to have a fresher marine taste from the sea bass, the avocado and horseradish did not add much flavor on the notes. The dish tasted rather bland and fish was a bit plastic-y and waxy. Fish carpaccio was never as appealing as raw beef carpaccio. Now Carly vaguely recalls her splendid dining experience at Gold by Harlan as their scallops carpaccio was stunningly impressive and Tango Argentinian Steakhouse’s sea bass ceviche was quite enjoyable too. But let’s not fret about the starters, mains were remarkable and dessert was a home run.
這道是當天『特殊』的菜，因為相對沒那麼好吃……我們寫過TangoArgentinian Steakhouse的Sea Bass Ceviche, 還記得那是相當出色和地道的。相較之下，這個既沒有菜名中『Carpaccio』的薄切口感，也沒有令人驚喜的味道。牛油果的厚重本來就非常危險地可能遮蓋海鱸淡淡的魚味，加上略帶刺激的辣根醬，即使有西柚的清新，我們還是完全嘗不到魚的味道，想來這條海鱸也會死不瞑目啊，多好的魚啊，糟蹋了。海鱸料理的主心應該是突出魚肉如牛油般的厚滑口感，所以根本不需要加牛油果或辣根醬這類口感和口味都偏重的配料。
《Mains》

 

【Fish and Chips, crushed peas 炸魚柳和薯條 | HKD208】
Proof of British chef nailing a traditional comfort food on the spot! Have you ever had the experience of super thick bread-like crust wrapped around your unappealing fish fillet that was absolutely served from frozen fridges and you get confused whether this was the standard of fish and chips in Hong Kong? BSK will alter your thought, noteworthy that Chef Ramsay likes to serve all the dishes at the same time instead of one by one, all the mains were served at once to fill our hungry tummies. Barramundi being known as the Asian sea bass was firm and meaty; not quite very juicy yet the mild flavored fish goes great in that light crispy batter and homemade mayo dip on the side. Slightly buttery and succulent fish are the best fit for comfort food on a draining work day.對於英國的炸魚柳和薯條，我們可能心裡上一開始時拒絕的，特別是看到對應的價錢後，總覺得還不如去麥當勞吃個魚柳包餐。不過為我們點單的侍應力推說是招牌菜之一，我們唯有硬著頭皮，自我安慰地說傳統英式食品是應該嚐嚐。結論是：幸虧我們聽話！——這個炸魚柳真的非常好吃！魚是港人俗稱『盲鰽』，鱸魚的一種，在澳洲很常見的一種養殖魚。酥炸盲鰽的粉漿不厚而且鬆脆，微甜的魚肉層次分明地濕潤著舌尖，輕輕一頂，你就能感覺到魚片的滑落，牙齒輕碰它就細碎地化在口中，口感味道均達一流層次。本來薯條也是一個主要的元素，但被魚肉征服的我們已經無暇顧及不算特別出彩的薯條，很忙碌地拼命地吃魚……

 

【BSK short rib burger, Monterey jack cheese, spicy sriracha mayo 招牌牛小排漢堡 | HKD188】
The Gang saw drooling pictures of BSK’s renowned short rib burger, expecting much; the half Aussie and half UK mix of meat patty, wasn't exceptionally juicy or rich in flavor, even though stated as grinded by hand, the refined meat texture made one very delicate burgers. Homemade spread of sirarcha mayo was a light touch, mildly-seasoned; apparently sirarcha has been widely used amongst burger places such as Butchers Club’s Wu Tang, the unique sharp spiciness gives off a pleasant acidic sweetness which is well complemented with meaty combos. Burger construction was clean and simple, you can easily finish the burger without sauce and oil dripping all over your fingers yet this was not as good as we expected, to the point, lacked character.
吉碟幫一直致力於尋找香港地最好吃的漢堡包，BSK雖然算不上『最』，但卻是對得起它的價格。它的肉扒是用澳洲牛肉和英國牛肉混合，裡面還有不同牛部位的肉，比如肉眼扒位的肉和牛胸肉等，混合製成的漢堡肉汁豐富，肉味強而且口感煙韌。搭配的Monterey Jack芝士，是美式『white cheddar』的一種芝士，白色比較堅實。 Sriracha Mayo是BSK自家製的辣味蛋黃醬，非常好吃。西方人都偏愛Sriracha辣醬，Butcher’s Club的Wu Tang漢堡也是用了它來調味。這種越南華僑發明的辣椒醬帶點酸甜，沒有很衝擊五感擊潰人味蕾的辣度，不加任何色素很健康，所以近年來風靡全球，成了漢堡和禽肉類的絕配辣醬之一。但麵包卻是還是Jamie’s Italian 最優秀，如果能放到這裡，則幾乎完美，可惜『完美』是可遇而不可求的。

 

【Traditional shepherd’s pie, braised lamb, onions, carrots, celery, potato puree, parmesan, brioche garlic crumbs 經典牧羊人派| HKD198】
Braised lamb flavor stood out amongst the huge combo mix of veggie and herbs, it was British packed in a little piping hot pot, one scoop of shepherd’s pie allowed you to indulge in some mushy creamy mashed potatoes and well-seasoned lamb. It was a bit salty after a few spoons and for non-lamb lovers, please do intend to stay away from it.Chef Ramsey曾經在電視節目上說過，牧羊人派和炸魚柳是他最愛的英國食品，小時候他母親經常做給他吃，故他餐廳裡的牧羊人派就是按照改進的他母親的食譜來製作的。牧羊人派易做難精，概念上極像意大利人的Frittata，一開始源於媽媽們用廚房剩下的材料做給家人吃的食物。這裡用的是羊肉，羊肉味挺突出的，所以不喜歡羊羶味的食友我們不推薦這道菜。調味偏鹹，這也是牧羊人派最難調控的地方：如何能不那麼鹹？但是土豆泥的細膩程度令人讚歎，這也確實符合Chef Ramsey的一貫標準，他對土豆泥的異常高的標準可能就是源自母親自小為他做派的心意吧。

 

【Hand cut chips 法式炸薯角 | HKD68】
Not particularly impressive. Not as great as Carbone’s crispy spiced up ones, or Doppio Zero’s mind-blowing Pecorino cheese sprinkled mushy hot creamy & crispy potatoes, it reminded Carly of the disappointing Polenta chips at Jamie’s Italian. I know it’s just potatoes, but seriously, it’s the basic ingredients which you can separate good chefs from groundbreaking world-class ones.
目前還是很難有勝得過Carbone的炸/烤薯角，也沒有Doppio Zero的芝士脆皮薯好吃，表現一般。
《Grill》

 

【Dingley Dell Pork Chop 10oz 英國Dingley Dell牧場10安士豬扒 | HKD228】
Juicy, succulent, cooked to its perfection. Taste the fatty goodness as the light grilled crisp on the edges preserved the juice of the pork chop, it altered our perception of dry pork chops we normally have. Just lightly seasoned with a bit of salt and herbs, it was the technique of grills at BSK that was more than impressive, close to astonishing. Carly revisited for dinner and tried their pork belly, even BETTER as the spicy sauce well complemented with the fatty belly, balancing off some of the oiliness yet the juice and fatty goodness was all packed and sealed under the layers of fat and meat. It was more of a surprise as BSK became one of the best places in Hong Kong offering skillfully done grill.原份的香煎豬扒是西方人餐單上的常見項目，但是非常難做得好，火候很難控制——要在外層不被煎乾的情況下把裡面的肉恰好煎得粉紅色。然而這裡確實展現了大廚功力，完美火候和熟度。豬肉就簡單的用鹽和香草調了一下味，來自英國Dingley Dell牧場的豬肉即使比不上西班牙黑毛豬，但仍然是質素一流，豬肉味濃而香醇。
《Dessert》

 

【Eton mess, strawberries, Chantilly, meringue 傳統英式甜品伊頓雜糕| HKD88】
When life makes a mess, have a cup of Eton mess. Traditional British dessert consists of a mixture of whipped cream, meringue pieces, strawberry or any summer fruit, widespread since 19th century as it used to be served at Eton College’s annual cricket game. Never hard to make but each component was important, meringue did not turn soft after being soaked under the cream, still crispy when we finished the whole cup. And the Chantilly aka whipped cream was whisked till it’s airy and velvety, smooth on the palate and mind-soothing in a guilty way.伊頓雜糕是19世紀倫敦溫莎小鎮的伊頓公學裡的學生創作的。包含有混合奶油，蛋白霜，和新鮮的夏季水果，大多數會用士多啤梨。它不難做，主要是平衡奶油的幼滑和蛋白霜的甜脆，這裡做得相當地道。

 

【Sticky toffee pudding, Muscovado caramel, clotted cream 焦糖拖肥布丁 | HKD88】
“God class” sticky toffee pudding in the house! LKF Tower is such a nice place to dine at, after discovering the best cheesecake in town at Carbone, BSK’s sticky toffee pudding was dreamily executed with excellence, beyond perfection. First off, not cloying sweet, the baked toffee pudding was still warm; cake was soft and crumbly good as you indulge it with a dope of Muscovado caramel and creamy clotted vanilla cream, you can even taste the baked fragrance of the toffee pudding as the bottom part was slightly burnt, so you get to experience the soft, fragrant, mildly sweet angelic dessert in one bite.焦糖拖肥布丁也是傳統的英式甜品。這個也是做得非常出色，一點都沒有想像中拖肥的那種『太甜』，布丁暖暖的，非常濕潤，底部稍微有點焦香，一口咬下，可以同時品嚐到柔軟，芳香，微甜三方位的愉悅，很了不起的一道甜品，推薦不怎麼愛吃甜點的食友也可以放心嘗試。Heard from few folks around us that BSK is overrated, undoubtedly, there is always room for improvement on service and certain food items. Order smart is our recommendation, obviously, read Emptyplates Gang reviews next time before you hit these restaurants headed by famed chefs.Yet certainly Bread Street Kitchen and Bar scores a higher than Jamie’s Italian for its profound grilling talent and desserts from heaven. (Carly secretly went back 3 times for their Eton mess already *yikes*)雖然有些人覺得BSK還是屬於『盛名之下，其實不符』，但吉碟幫眾覺得它已經達到了我們的期望值，名廚餐廳裡，它算是比Jamie’s Italian好太多，畢竟Gordan Ramsey是在廚房實打實幹了二十多年奮鬥出來的，廚藝和創意有目共睹。而且英國食品，能做到這樣，已經很不錯了。

Reservation: +852 2230 1800 or book online via diningconcepts.com

Carbone (中環)

8/10 plates emptied!
[Written by Carly in English, Gobay in Chinese]吉碟幫幫眾在悄無聲息中幾乎試遍了Black Sheep Restaurants HK裡的所有餐廳——在知道它們是隸屬同一個餐飲集團之前——包括Carly推崇備至的時尚中餐館口利福、可用『業界良心』（午餐性價比甚高）來形容的西班牙小菜酒吧Boqueria、吉碟幫曾贊不絕口的法式廉價扒房La Vache!、擁有香港為數不多的Napoli磚窯的意大利Pizza餐廳Motorino等等，還有Carly至愛的口利福。
In collaboration with the warriors of Black Sheep Restaurant group, Chef Mario Carbone has successfully snatched the hearts of the Gang by serving first-grade ingredients, offering unpretentious and fun service, scoring epic high on most of the dishes. Carly exclaimed with gusto, “woah!” as she took one bite into that alluring piece of lemon cheesecake, she thinks she found the best fruity cheesecake in town. Oh Carbone! You are way more than just homage of great mid-20th century Italian restaurants in America, just so much more.Just thinking about it, Carly realized there was not one dish that the Gang had to complain about. The trio of master chefs are deemed to be successful in New York, and Carly was very thankful they came to Hong Kong. She is very much in awe of their lavish mob style decor with dark maroon colored curtains, leather deluxe sofa area, small-medium round tables covered with snowy white table clothes, Italian paintings and drawings casually hung on the vintage themed walls.You can almost picture that there is an American gangster sitting at the corner, smoking his cigar and slowly murmuring with his Italian accent. Carly would picture that a piece of delicate cake at Carbone will make the boss smile.吉碟幫幫眾在悄無聲息中幾乎試遍了Black Sheep Restaurants HK裡的所有餐廳——在知道它們是隸屬同一個餐飲集團之前——包括Carly推崇備至的時尚中餐館口利福、可用『業界良心』（午餐性價比甚高）來形容的西班牙小菜酒吧Boqueria、吉碟幫曾贊不絕口的法式廉價扒房La Vache!、擁有香港為數不多的Napoli磚窯的意大利Pizza餐廳Motorino等等。直至如今機緣巧合試到Lorling一直心心念念的紐約式意大利餐廳Carbone，我們驚喜地發現，Black Sheep旗下的餐廳，絕大部分都是充滿特色之餘又帶著點家常味道的文化飲食地，幾乎都受到了我們的一致好評。這家紐約式的意大利餐廳由主廚Mario Carbone創立，主場在紐約。裝潢帶著濃厚的20世紀紐約風味，又似乎有點歐陸氣息：高級的皮質紅椅和白色桌布的組合、深栗色的窗簾和有藝術畫印記的餐具等等。昏黃的燈光下，你似乎能看到一個意裔的美國黑幫大佬抽著雪茄，在餐廳的一角嘟囔著帶有意大利口音的英語……廢話多說了，下面介紹一下吉碟幫當日的選擇：
                                                  《Antipasti》【Carpaccio Piemontese | Wagyu Beef, Walnut, Black Truffle | HKD 228】
生牛肉薄片沙律|澳洲和牛、核桃碎、黑松露油

It was rather rare to use waygu beef for carpaccio as it generally lacks the manly beef flavor and when they are served raw, the natural fatty goodness will easily lose its edge and lack a certain textural complexity on the palate just because of its delicate and soft texture. Not very traditional to drip black truffle oil over the very well-seasoned carpaccio, the intense black truffle fragrance highlighted the dish with an exceptional note, point taken, not intended to overpower the beef itself. Walnut bits were sprinkled on top for a nutty aroma. Carly suspected a type of house-blend truffle butter was spread over the carpaccio, making it very delectable and hitting the right notes in terms of flavor, while enjoying it with the unique sesame like arugula.

『Carpaccio』起源於義大利的威尼斯，以當地一位著名畫家命名，就是因為他作畫時偏愛用紅白相間的顏料，所以傳統的Carpaccio是以生牛肉薄片淋上白色的沙律汁（通常是Parmesan芝士或奶油、檸檬汁、橄欖油、鹽和黑胡椒），很簡單但很美味的一道菜。菜名中的『Piemontese』是緣於吃生肉是義大利Piedmont地區的特色。這裡少見地用了澳洲和牛，而且我們看到的顏色並不是鮮紅的，而是有一些反灰白，大概是因為白色的醬汁已經均勻地滲透進肉裡，儘管色彩沒有一般的Carpaccio靚麗，但味道還是不錯的。牛肉的味道比較淡，摻雜在白醬裡的黑松露油的味道略顯刺鼻故掩蓋了不少鮮味，但口感出奇地幼滑，也許用的是和牛的緣故吧，加上新鮮的火箭菜和核桃碎，味道不錯。一般Carpaccio都會選用去掉肥肉的牛里脊，即fillet，以精瘦肉為主的部位，而和牛是一種油脂均勻分佈的牛肉，就算部位仍是里脊，仍會比普通牛肉更滑一些。竊以為和牛不太適合用作Carpaccio，原因是切成薄片後牛肉味會淡化很多而油膩感會增加，而不喜歡松露油味道的朋友，推薦迴避。【Octopus Pizzaiolo | Spanish Octopus, Roasted Pepper, Fingerling Potato | HKD 198】
燜烤西班牙八爪魚|西班牙八爪魚、烤甜椒、薯仔
Pizzaiolo is an Italian word often referring to a man who makes pizzas in a pizzeria. A very edgy dish name as you see the sizable octopus tentacles, slightly chewy and lightly seasoned, surprisingly moist and bouncy to its core. Fingerling potatoes are short, stubby, finger-like shaped potatoes usually served as side dish for its small size, nicely roasted and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roasted peppers were almost fruity and sweet, complemented well with the grilled seafood combo.『Pizzaiolo』在義大利語中就是製作pizza的人，非常讓人一頭霧水的菜名。讓人想起了一部介紹義大利美食的紀錄片『Two Greedy Italians』，裡面那兩個『老男人』也是如這個菜名一樣隨性隨意地好玩。推薦嘗試，主要原因除了味道好，還有就是——八爪魚很大塊！有嚼勁卻不會太過，肉質仍是柔軟濕潤的，配合著香甜微辛辣的烤紅椒、青椒和洋蔥，還有手指般的原隻小薯，真心好吃！白璧微瑕的地方是吃的時候它已經暖了，如果熱騰騰地上桌，必定更好！
                                                     《Macaroni》【Fettuccine con Funghi | Porcini, Pecorino, Nepitella | HKD 198】
牛肝菌焙義大利寬麵|牛肝菌、Pecorino芝士、Nepitella香草
Fettuccine was slightly overcooked, might be due to the fact that we had this as the last pasta dish since we were busy digging in the reputable spicy rigatoni. Definitely homemade as you can tell the bounciness of the pasta was very natural and delicate, the yellowish color gave us a hint that more eggs were used than normal. Porcini is one of the best types of fungi, delicate enough to flavor a sauce and vigorous enough to withstand the “Breath of Fire” after stir frying or grilling; not to mention that the meat-like texture of Porcini is somehow earthy and subtle nutty.Pecorino is a type of hardened cheese made from ewe’s milk, commonly produced in Italy. Nepitella, a type of wild herb grown in Italy, Tuscany, and Umbria, these green leaves have a strong, distinctive flavor, somehow reminds you of mint and oregano. The most impressive part of this pasta dish was how the flavors of funghi, cheese and herbs were all soaked into the pasta itself, just think about when was the last time you had excellent pasta where it was not overwhelmed by chunky sauce. This reminded Carly of the real good homemade pasta from Doppio Zero.寬麵有點煮過頭了，但無論顏色口感都能明顯吃得出是店內自製的新鮮義大利麵。牛肝菌是義大利人非常喜愛的菌類，特別是義大利中部城市的中央菜市場裡隨處可見，但大部分是曬乾了的，新鮮的比較少有，它有種類似肉蛋白的口感，和港人很愛吃的杏鮑菇（雞腿菇）的口感很像，肉質厚嫩多汁，甘甜鮮美。而Pecorino這種非常常用的義大利芝士，此前在Motorino的食評中隨處可見，這裡就不詳細敘述了。Nepitella是一種義大利香草，香味揉合了薄荷的甜和奧勒岡（Oregon）的香，帶有非常輕微的香芹的苦味和檸檬香，經常出現在托斯卡納地區（Toscana）的義大利食物中。這道義大利麵的融合性非常好，香草，蘑菇，芝士所有都是簡單自然的，淡淡的食材，吃的時候感覺也是淡淡的舒適。【Spicy Rigatoni Vodka | Tomato, Onion, Calabrian Chili | HKD 198】
特色香辣伏特加醬通心粉|番茄、洋蔥、義大利Calabria辣椒
Must-try dish at Carbone! Rigatoni was alright al-dente, soft chewy and each rigatoni was swirled and twirled into that rich creamy spicy sauce, well-blended with the sweetness of tomatoes and onions. Calabrian chili is often used for infusing olive oil, goes so well with stews and pastas, small red chili that are only grown in Calabria, Italy.Gobay was particularly impressed with the mildly spiced pasta, stating that it was a level of spiciness that “lingers on the palate yet crowd-pleasingly enjoyable”. Carly found the rich, thick spicy cream based sauce to be exquisite; no other place out there has made such wonderful rigatonis.強烈推薦為必食之選！Rigatoni，長通粉的柔韌度恰到好處，柔軟中帶點剛強。最讓人欣喜的是每一個通心粉裏裏外外都均勻地沾上了厚重的醬汁——口感如奶油般厚滑，到舌尖上帶點辛辣，加上番茄和洋蔥的酸甜，簡直是素食者的天堂。義大利西南部的Calabria地區產的辣椒，它有種讓人很舒服的辣度，比Paprika辣椒粉更香濃，但又不過於刺激，那種微熱的感覺一直縈繞舌尖帶來持續的快感卻能讓不太能吃辣的香港人都完全愉快享受。【Lobster Ravioli | Homemade Ravioli, Vermouth, Fine Herbs | HKD 268 】
龍蝦義大利餛飩|自家鮮製餛飩、苦艾酒、香草
Acclaimed for their seafood ravioli, the seafood oceanic lobster flavors were condensed and very likely cooked in a broth with crushed shells, so all the essence was elevated into the base of the lobster meat sauce and packed into that bite of ravioli. It was rich but lightly refreshing at the same time, salt seasoning might not be needed as the extra hint of herbs gave the right savory and flavorsome kick already.這也是這裡的招牌之一。義大利餛飩的皮厚薄適中，雖然柔軟度還不夠，但仍算是相當地道的。餡料裡有濃郁的龍蝦海鮮湯的味道，這種濃香只有當龍蝦頭和殼也被放入熬煮良久才能得到的鹹鮮，如果餡料和麵皮的比例再大一點則非常好了。
                                                   《Contorni》

青蔥辣味焗薯|薯塊、青蔥、義大利Calabria辣椒

 

【Potatoes Sergio | Smashed Potatoes, Scallion, Calabrian Chili | HKD 108】
青蔥辣味焗薯|薯塊、青蔥、義大利Calabria辣椒
Carly was utterly impressed with how Carbone did their potatoes so profoundly depicting potatoes as a main character of the dish. These potatoes are worth a second visit. Sergio is the word for tall, good looking fellow who cares about his friends and family, working out and eating healthy. Not sure if this is a perfectly healthy dish, French potatoes being baked, lightly smashed, and then deep fried. Golden lightly crispy potato skins were indulging, and the potatoes were all very well-seasoned with sweet, aromatic Calabrian chilli and onion-like green scallions. These ingredients have been the greatest spotlights for the golden scrumptious potatoes. Carly can even recall the soft mushy and light crispy potatoes from her memory.強烈推薦必食，就連我們的薯仔達人兼瘋狂粉絲Carly都深深被這款焗薯打動！『Sergio』泛指高大英俊而且關心朋友家人的男子，食得健康且勤於鍛煉。雖然不一定和這個焗薯有特定關係，但每一個法國薯仔都被稍微輕拍裂了，使得在烤焗和炸的時候，香料的味道充分滲進薯肉中。薯皮香脆，薯肉甘甜粉嫩，加上惹味的Calabrian辣椒的微微辣意，這道黃金焗炸薯簡直讓小伙伴都驚呆了！
                                                  《Dessert》【Lemon Cheesecake】
義大利南部香檸芝士餅
We have this term in Chinese, called God-like, 「神級」, prominent world class and undoubtedly, Carbone did quite a great job on the dessert assessment. Carly simply whispered a “woah” after the first bite, she was in a rush to run back for meeting, but couldn't help but to grab a few more spoons before dashing off. Clear fruity acidic note of fresh lemon zest blended so seamlessly with the intriguing cheese flavor, the creamy cheesecake was very refreshing cool, naturally fruity, rich and dense enough for you to just smooth it out on your palate with a little effort and it quickly dissolves, lifting one’s soul, the cheese flavor was not overpowering yet scrumptiously harmonized; creating this symphony of lemon and cheese all together. Carbone used lemons produced from Southern Italy, same as what Jamie’s Italian did with their lemon pie. Not going to lie, it’s one of the most memorable cakes Carly has ever had in her life before.我們還沒有用過『神級』來形容一道甜品，但這個檸檬芝士餅，實在讓人無法不想到這個詞！推薦必食！它選用的是義大利南部的檸檬，本身就得天獨厚——酒吧裡經常有種黃色的酒叫Limoncello，就是用義大利南部特產的檸檬製成的甜酒。這種檸檬的酸，非常的圓潤不乾澀，而且帶著絲絲的甜味和清香，各方面平衡得非常完美的檸檬。而芝士餅本身的口感也非常的好，幼滑細緻地融化在口中，加上一點都不膩反而甜酸激爽的檸檬香和鬆脆的餅底，各種的完美揉合在一起，簡直是我們吃過最好吃的芝士餅。Pasta fairly decent and delicately cooked, desserts hit roaring scores. This proud addition to the Black Sheep Restaurant Group, all the way from New York, pleased the Gang with its service, ambience and food. Certainly worth another visit; to try out other “notorious” desserts and the Mario meatball pasta which is only offered during dinner time.總體而言，從食物的質量，環境和服務（期間我們問了很多問題都得到了耐心的回答，最後經理還為我們那塊芝士餅免了單，作為饋贈）都是上乘的，當然價錢會偏貴，因為畢竟『一分錢一分貨』嘛！

MAMA SAN by Will Meyrick (中環)

7.5/10 plates emptied!
[Written by Gobay in Chinese, Carly in English]
MAMA SAN是巴厘島著名餐廳老闆兼大廚Will Meyrick精心締造的主打印尼菜、巴東菜但隱含著整個東南亞特色（俗稱泛亞）的美食精品餐廳。Will是國際聞名的街頭美食大廚，周遊亞洲各國的他曾無數次收到不同地方女性交給他的傳統食譜從而獲得很多地道的烹飪知識和文化。MAMA SAN名字的來源也代表著東南亞各地長久以來經歷的新舊飲食理念碰撞——正如亞洲男權唯尊的俱樂部裡總有一個媽媽桑總管一切一樣。也許也同時反映了亞洲女性地位不高，卻深遠地影響了當地飲食潮流走向的事實。
MAMA SAN came all the way from Bali, led by the very charismatic chef, Will Meyrick, who has extensive culinary experience from Sydney to London and all across South East Asia; Carly not only felt the passion and joy dining at MAMA SAN, but also quickly realized that it requires creativity, passion and drive for excellence. Carly found Chef Meyrick exceptionally charismatic as she read through his journals on his trips around Bali, Vietnam, Burma, and Madura – his interest in street food showcased how the chef is down-to-earth, happily adventurous who appreciates local culture and habitats, aiming to discover and preserve exotic ways of cooking. Chef Meyrick hopes to capture your hearts by offering the living, breathing and hearty city culture on the table, with a splash and dash of authenticity wrapped in glamor.Upbeat modern decor, fancy in a fun way, mixed with high stables and stools by the window side will be a perfect spot for drinks, long wooden tables great for gatherings and big group chillouts, sofa corners are best spots for close friends.除了理念以外，Will對東南亞各地的特色配方和香料的研究和熱愛，鉅細無遺地反映在他的食物裡，在之後介紹的食物裡，你們會感受到一個真正熱愛烹飪和調味的廚師的那份暖人心意，而這份心意更促使了我們的Carly去細讀了他的遊記——這是一個多麼浪漫的『相識相知』的過程！餐廳裝潢依然是如巴厘島總店一樣的工業倉庫的懷舊風格，墻上最矚目的還是那位風情萬種的上海女性，畫中的她仍是一副羞澀不看顧客的姿態。老實說，她應該不是純華人女性，五官像南亞裔混血兒......好了不說題外話，進入本篇的食物主題——菜單大部分源自Chef Will，但主理香港MAMA SAN的聞說是追隨他近10年盡得真傳的Chef Gede，我們一起來看看他是怎樣揉合東南亞菜和香港人口味的：

                                                  《Lunch Set》

慢煮五花腩，襯印度果阿咖哩鯛魚，配青木瓜沙律

 

【Slow cooked pork belly with green papaya som tum and Southern Goan snapper curry with okra fenugreek curry leaves, yoghurt and coconut milk | 慢煮五花腩，襯印度果阿咖哩鯛魚，配青木瓜沙律 | HKD168】
Spot on pork belly! Slow cooked till the fat turned succulent juicy, melts in your mouth, with the pork belly dissolving on your palate, crispy on the edges, and mildly sweet seasoned with a caramel glazed skin, we can have one whole plate of this, the pork belly was the REASON why the Gang will come back to MAMA SAN. Fenugreek leaves, wonderful Indian plant commonly used amongst Andhra Brahmin households; goes perfectly well with a simple yellow curry base. Crucial to Indian culture, remember how in the movie of《Three Idiots》Rajol’s mom was complaining about the prices of Fenugreek leaves been climbing up, then you will realize how these herbs are as vital as cilantro or shallots in Chinese food culture. The mild heat spreads to the tips of your tongue with warmth lingering afterwards, and interestingly it’s good for digestion too! Green papaya was bit too raw but some liked it for its citrusy sauce for starters.對於好味道的豬腩肉相信大家心裡都有杆稱，推薦本菜給具備「仲有最愛的豬腩肉」情懷的朋友。這道菜雖名為「慢煮」但它成功地只把油脂部分變軟腍，瘦肉的部分竟然是脆韌的，麥芽糖般的微甜夾雜著肉鮮和油脂的甘香散開在口中，這時再加一啖泰國香米飯，實為人生一樂也！慢煮，源自法文Sous Vide，通常指把食物醬料封入真空袋在最適宜該材料的低溫下長時間烹煮，使得食物嫩滑軟腍之餘，還充分吸收醬汁的美味，食材的原味和纖維也不會受到破壞。這裡的豬腩肉慢煮後拿去煎封四面，大大的增加了口感。青木瓜沙律無甚特別但勝在不太辣，怕辣的食友都可以淺嘗。至於特別的印度果阿咖喱，香港能吃到果阿菜的地方非常少，這也是我們的第一次。果阿在印度南部，曾經有400多年葡萄牙殖民地歷史，它的菜餚揉合了印度菜和葡國菜的特色，而魚肉則幾乎是果阿菜裡靈魂般的存在。它沒印度咖喱那麼油膩，也沒有葡國咖喱那麼「椰奶濃」，而且辣度很適中，很好的味道。裡面加了秋葵和南印常用的香料Fenugreek leaf即Methi Leaf——香細葉，有很濃的苦味，必須混合其他多種印度香料一起熬煮才能提煉出獨特的果仁香。秋葵是印度咖喱文化非常重要的一環，看過電影《Three Idiots》的食友想必還記得Rajol的母親抱怨秋葵又加價了。正如開篇所說，簡單的一份午市套餐飽含了大廚的心意：西方的慢煮、泰國的青木瓜沙律、南印度的咖喱——而且迎合了港人口味：不太辣，不太油，簡直是時尚的味道。

辣炒蒜香雞肉粒，配太陽蛋香米飯和清新蘿蔔雞湯

 

【Stir fry chicken with chilli garlic long bean baby corn holy basil, jasmine rice runny fried egg and light daikon chicken broth | 辣炒蒜香雞肉粒，配太陽蛋香米飯和清新蘿蔔雞湯 | HKD138】
The chicken bits were chopped into bits and stir fried with some very pleasant holy basil, these widely spread basils are proven to be stress relievers, Carly was amazed of how caring MAMA SAN’s menu was to one’s health and mood. The basil leaves tasted rather earthy yet mild in its way, diners who do not fancy heavy exotic spices can certainly opt for this relatively simple and light meal. The fried egg was not so runny, a bit overcooked, jasmine rice was not too pronounced in the pandan-like nutty flavor. This would have been good if only the daikon chicken broth was not so salty.
雞肉切成碎粒夾著新鮮嘎拋（或叫甲拋即Holy Basil）,是典型的泰國菜。嘎拋是比泰式羅勒辣和香的泰國常用香草。泰國嘎拋和前道菜提及的南印香細葉都是對身體很有好處的香辛料。嘎拋在印度也很出名，叫Tulsi,食用或製成茶包飲用可以減壓和抗老化；香細葉Methi則有降膽固醇、降血糖血脂和增強免疫力等功效。雖然太陽蛋不太「糖心」，但我們還是覺得雞肉碎拌香米飯挺美味。至於蘿蔔雞湯就太鹹，原本看到菜單上用「Daikon」即「大根」，日本叫法，湯就會好似日本菜一樣清淡為主，誰知剛好相反！不過，主角夠好，配角我們可以省略不計。

柬埔寨式鴨肉番薯咖喱

 

【Crispy salmon with green mango and sweet fish sauce, Cambodian Duck curry with sweet potatoes shallots peanuts | 青芒魚露脆煎三文魚，配柬埔寨式鴨肉番薯咖喱 | HKD138】
Never thought sweet potatoes would go well with the yellow/red curry combo! Carly found this curry to be sweeter as the mushy sweet potatoes, shallots and peanuts gave a more nutty touch rather than coconut based flavor to it. Highlight goes to the velvety, tender, flavorsome salmon chunks from the salad, well-seasoned with fish sauce, cooked just on the spot, pink to its core.薯仔是咖喱的「天下無雙生命伴侶」我們明白，但番薯卻是認真地少見，而且味道還那麼搭！前面的套餐有果阿咖喱，這裡再來柬埔寨咖喱，今次令我們大開眼界、口界！柬埔寨最著名的就是Khmer紅咖喱——高棉紅咖喱。鴨肉、鮮椰汁和Kroeung咖喱醬混合製成，沒有泰國咖喱那麼辣，薑味比較重。鴨肉不會很乾身，花生碎增加了口感之餘還加了些果仁香，而番薯的甜和粉將各種元素很勻稱地綜合在一起，配合尖仔米飯一起食實在不俗！三文魚也是一大亮點：切開三文魚你會發現裡面還有紅色沒有全熟的魚肉！半生熟的炙三文魚肉加上清爽的青芒魚露，非常美味！

甜菜根沙律，配菜花茄子青咖喱

 

【Beetroot salad with paneer and chat masala, cauliflower Sambar curry with dahl eggplant tamarind and fresh Coriander | 甜菜根沙律，配菜花茄子青咖喱 | HKD118】
Vegetarian choice! Beetroot salad was rather appetizing and healthy chunks , the green curry was relatively spicy compared to other curry combos.Take notice of how each lunch item is cooked in a different sauce base, showcasing how diverse and dynamic Southeast Asian herbs and spices can be.這個是為素食人士準備的：營養方面有甜菜根，菜花，茄子等，這個搭配幾乎可以說是全方位兼顧到人體所需。咖喱比前文提及的都要辣上一點，但幼玉米的甜嫩加上泰式羅勒的香味又中和了部分的辣，整道菜平衡得很好。

瓦鍋料理：椰皇水黑椒紅燒鯛魚

 

【Claypot caramelized snapper with young coconut water black pepper, green mango and thai basil |瓦鍋料理：椰皇水黑椒紅燒鯛魚| HKD238】
Ambrosial scent was bursting with flavors as it was served in that hot claypot! Snapper meat was firm and some caramelized ones had relatively hard edges, nonetheless, crunchy in general. Shredded green mango adding a sweet touch, they went a bit heavy on the basil and black pepper, undoubtedly, will need a bowl of rice to go with the thick sauce.上檯伊始，這道瓦鍋菜就散發出濃郁誘人的香味！魚肉鮮實，某些邊位還微脆，外脆內嫩的口感加上外層微甜的醃汁，青芒絲加入了爽的口感外帶甜酸果香，儘管黑椒和泰式羅勒的味道有些濃重，但這絕對是送飯一流之選。有人問那麼濃的醬汁，清淡的椰皇水就等於白放了。椰皇水味道比普通椰青汁更濃，最重要的是它潤肺清熱，可以平衡青芒和黑椒所帶來的燥——幾乎每道菜我們都能接收到大廚對食客的厚重心意，又是一刻感動的瞬間。

【Stir fry pork neck with Bamboo ginger green peppercorns and holy basil | 竹筍青胡椒炒豬頸肉 | HKD198】
Ginger green peppercorns were refreshingly spicy compared to black peppercorns that are often used in western dishes. The pork neck was not overcooked but some did taste coarse on the palate, the abundant portions of holy basil will certainly overwhelm you if you aren't a fan of it.
這味豬頸肉對比其他幾款菜式沒什麼特別之處，儘管運用了比黑胡椒辣度低然而新鮮清香的青胡椒，但豬頸肉稍嫌鈍糙的口感加上與之不是很搭配的過量的Holy basil，整個菜頓時被我們拋「豬」「嘴」後。

良薑辣椒豆角炒雞肉

 

【Stir fry chicken with chilli jam, long bean baby corn, galangal chilli and Thai basil | 良薑辣椒豆角炒雞肉 | HKD178】
Chili jam was indeed pretty heaty and the chicken was softer and more tender compared to the stir fry pork neck we had. Galangal is a rhizome of plants in the ginger family, for culinary and medical uses originated from Indonesia which makes this another healthy dish served at MAMA SAN.這道菜味道挺霸道的，也比之前的咖哩要辣，因為有辣椒醬、辣椒和良薑三種味覺嗅覺都具一定辛辣氣息的材料。雞肉比之前說的豬頸肉要柔軟多汁，如果大家有嚐過我們之前寫過的灣仔生記海鮮舫的炒雞球，這個的口感和火候仍是稍遜一籌，儘管味道不錯。良薑又稱高良薑，原產自印尼，在廣東其實非常常見，大家經常吃的鹵水食品，良薑就是主角之一，另外超級市場賣的五香粉的其中一種原料就是良薑粉。它有很霸道的辛辣氣味，可以溫脾祛寒、行氣止痛——反正普通生薑能做的它都能，就是比較橘紅色，味道比較刺激。寫到這裡，Gobay由衷地對Chef Will和Chef Gede有了敬意，開始覺得製作出這樣的菜單的Chef Will簡直是一個「Will長今」——東南亞香辛藥膳菜式的傑出代表，但別忘了，他是一個蘇格蘭人，卻將亞洲香料用得出神入化！

巴東式炸辣牛肋排

 

【Dendeng Balado caramelized short rib beef with pounded chilli, kaffir lime & lemon basil | 巴東式炸辣牛肋排 | HKD198】
Dendeng refers to thinly sliced dried meat, more condensed in meaty taste, preserved through mixture of sugar and spice, skillfully evalates the intense flavors of the juicy, delectable short rib beef. As a die-hard fan of Ho Lee Fook, Carly had to admit that this was so darn good, consider this as par with Chef Jowett's renowned wagyu short ribs. Kaffir lime added extra pinch of acidity and fragrance o tone down the overall saltiness and sweetness, this dish was one to return for, Carly's stomach is growling thinking about those soft, tender beef ribs!這道小牛肋排應該是這麼多的菜裡最讓人覺得驚艷的。印尼菜裡蘇門答臘的巴東菜（Padang Food）屬於佼佼者（另外有爪哇菜、錫江菜和棉蘭菜等等），巴東菜名菜「Dendeng Balado」是一種常見的街頭小吃：炸辣牛肉。「Dendeng」是類似我們所知的肉乾的製作方法，而「Dendeng Balado」其實就是把牛肉放到辣椒油裡炸到半透半乾，作下酒菜一絕！我們一般吃小牛肋排都是軟身的，在濃郁的醬汁裡將它燜煮到極致，然後肉骨分離地上檯，感受它的肉筋相互融在口中的快感。但這道小牛肋排上檯非常乾身，先用多種香料和糖醬醃製過，Gobay專門請教了他們所用的香料，他們特別提及了cardamon即小荳蔻，還拿了一碟給我們看，是品質好的青色荳蔻，不是較差的白荳蔻。小荳蔻有消食的作用，最適宜和肉類一起烹煮，味道峻烈芬芳。醃入味後再經高溫油鍋收乾部分水分，所以吃起來外層酥脆內裡肉質滑嫩，突出的甜香帶著絲絲辣意，加上泰國青檸（kaffir lime）和檸檬羅勒的酸和清新，整道菜餚的層次多得難以形容。連作為口利福瘋狂擁躉的Carly都做了一次「二五仔」，覺得這是可以和口利福的和牛小肋排媲美的一道佳餚！

印度香茶

 

【Chai Tea | 印度香茶 | Additional HKD25】
Mama San's Chai Tea was crowd-pleasingly impressive as the natural tea aroma was very mind-soothing and exquisite in the subtle herbs fragrance, not very strong on the nose but then with a drop of syrup, the sensational tea is well-balanced and refreshing to pair with southeast cuisine. The staff said that they spent up to a day to brew these herbs tea, not going to lie but this was sooooo good. Carly has always been a huge fan of Chai tea, this unique blend from MAMA SAN satisfied all her cravings!這杯印度香茶最了不起的是它不但保留那讓人心神怡靜的自然茶香，配搭上其他淡淡而不嗆的香料，喝下後便會覺得這是一個非常舒服的一天。店員們說他們會花上一整天的時間烹煮這杯香茶，難怪那麼的愛不釋手！
                                                  《Desserts》
Desserts are all additional HKD30 during lunch time, it’s so worth it! Don’t miss out on these!
午餐時間只要加HKD30就可以擁有一款甜品，吉碟幫品嚐過覺得絕對不容錯過！【“Kampung snicker” peanut butter parfait with butterscotch & chocolate coated peanuts |「鄉村版士力架」——花生醬奶油芭菲配朱古力花生和鹹奶油糖碎】
Kampung, defined as village in Malaysia. Snickers – globally spread nougat topped with caramel and peanut, enrobed in milk chocolate kind of chocolate bar. Carly loved this chilled peanut butter parfait, ultra-smooth creamy, the nutty flavors were mind blobbing as the rich buttery aroma was not cloying sweet and rather scrumptious!
「Kampung」在馬拉語中是鄉村的意思，士力架眾所周知是內含烤花生和焦糖的牛奶朱古力棒。芭菲，可以理解為裝在高腳杯裡的新地雪糕類的物體——這裡主要是說它集合了花生醬和奶油經過冰凍後形成的凍糕，我們的甜品專家Carly非常喜愛這道甜品，因其口感相當幼滑，含豐富的果仁香味，而且不會太甜膩，是一道會帶給你驚喜的甜品。

香茅奶凍，青瓜青檸啫哩配檸檬羅勒雪芭

 

【Lemongrass panna cotta with cucumber lime jelly served with lemon basil sorbet | 香茅奶凍，青瓜青檸啫哩配檸檬羅勒雪芭】
Best dessert in the house! Summery, refreshing, and indulging as the top layer of icy citrusy lime jelly went so perfectly well with the panna cotta, bursting in energizing lemongrass scent, the bouncy jelly and creamy panna cotta was the best combo ever. Better yet, the lime sorbet was considerably sour and pungent but very decent and icy in a nice way.這是一道讓Gobay都讚嘆不已的意式奶凍雪芭。它的頂部是檸檬羅勒雪芭，非常清新的酸甜，一勺子下去，就吃到下一層的青瓜青檸啫喱，再深一點就舀到嫩滑的香茅奶凍，口感和味道三重奏，而且一大頓午餐後吃一口這個，酸酸甜甜凍凍的甜品，感覺又給你力量再大吃一頓！

芒果椰汁紫米露

 

【Black Sticky rice with mango and coconut milk | 芒果椰汁紫米露】
See how did MAMA SAN do a traditional dessert dish? Sticky rice with mango and condensed coconut milk, Carly used to cook purple glutinous rice pudding very often when she studied abroad, just coz it was easy and very filling, healthy too? (just don't add too much crystalized sugar or coconut milk ) but what does it do if there weren’t enough condensed milk? Coconut milk, with the right consistency and tad sweetened, complemented with the slightly chewy and soft black sticky rice. Mangoes, freshly sliced, not something you want to miss in a black sticky rice dessert.Carly在海外求學期間就經常煮少糖少椰奶的紫米露，又易滿足口腹之欲又健康。她所期待的傳統甜品MAMA SAN毫不意外地做得十分出色：紫米露柔軟中又帶點堅韌——很像我們人類的個性吧——芒果很新鮮很甜，再加上濃度放得恰到好處的椰奶，「椰」！MAMA SAN deserves all the recognition for modifying Asian street food into nicely presented buoyant dining experience, like a shining gem situated in the hidden corner of famed Lan Kwai Fong, heart of Central. Noteworthy that the staff was very accommodating even when we were all creating a huge mess at the scene as it was Lorling’s birthday when we visited, as you can picture we were loud, running around, asking.
12 hungry customers, left with happy stuffed tummies. Aside from Chef Jason Atherton, think Carly has spotted another favorite, Chef Will Meyrick, will you amaze us more?一句道破，MAMA SAN絕對是值得一般食客甚至饕餮認真對待的餐廳。它就像是一份隱世瑰寶沉寂在中環等待我們去發掘。Chef Will對香辛料的了解和運用，對東南亞各地食物和文化的用心融合，除了得益他的街頭和市場遊走經歷，還有一眾不吝於與他分享傳統食譜的「Mama San」，難怪他要向她們致敬。餐廳的服務也是非常不錯，當日是為Lorling慶祝生日，我們一共12人的排場還不斷遊走於拍照、食飯、聊天和玩耍之間，他們也是一直耐心而快樂地在旁幫忙和解答我們的問題，使得我們的用餐經歷非常愉快。我們期待Chef Will繼續擴張他的餐飲帝國，期待他帶來更多健康好味的驚喜！

* Lunch sets are must-try!

*必食午市套餐！