The Coffee Academics (銅鑼灣)

Third wave coffee is all the rage, at least in California and other parts of the USA. Some of the overrated and overhyped places get a lot of hipster love as well, because it is cool to visit and drink the type of coffee where they place emphasis on where the beans come from and the roasting/brewing process. While some are good, there are those that adopt that attitude, and the results do not shine in the very end.

So I had a little chuckle when someone called Coffee Academics "HK hipster" coffee!
A friend visited here and took some really good pictures, and recommended this place to us.

Unfortunately we did not share the same love.

Bottom line, the cakes/pastries were very good. The matcha square cake was probably close enough to Salon de The (Robuchon) quality. 

The coffee however, left a whole lot to be desired. Particularly the Chemex and the Ice Drip.
There was emphasis in those "single point of origin" and kind of beans they used. But in the end they both tasted rather weak. I've had stronger tasting Kyoto style drip, and cold brew coffees abroad. So not sure what is the issue that lead to this quality.

They offer free WiFi in here for customers, but unfortunately for my iPhone 6, the signal kept coming and going.

Cafe Causette (中環)

The goal was to hit up the grill room for breakfast, after seeing a ridiculous looking video clip uploaded to the WOM guide where they served a tableside ham and eggs (upscaled via Iberico ham and perhaps duck eggs, over some delicious looking salad). Unfortunately they were closed, so the only other choice for hot food was Cafe Causette.

The experience overall was quite pleasant. Not busy at all but there was still a moderate wait of about 5 minutes. We were lead to a table further back from the reception area. After that it was fairly smooth sailing.

This is Central, and it's the Mandarin hotel, so do not be surprised by sticker shock. 

Cafe Au Lait was fairly textbook in nature, but well executed. Perhaps it cannot compare to a proper French bistro. I was glad I didn't pay hotel prices for a Starbucks...

The egg florentine was somewhere in the mid price range of their breakfast choices, some a touch too much for me to spend. The side of sauce (Hollandaise?) was nicely done, but I really really enjoyed the style of poached egg, where the egg white was so damn fluffy. I live in California and I have yet to taste an egg done like this, which goes to show the level of skill and effort put in, even for a hotel restaurant like this in HK, is significantly higher than where I am from. The only way to get an egg done like this where I am from, is to go to some out of the way place, or a fancy upscale restaurant. It's pretty sad.

I did not taste the ricotta pancake, but my friend enjoyed it. The presentation of serving it in a skillet is quite unusual, but it works.

The breakfast here is nothing earth shattering, but if you are seeking a place off the street and want to indulge in conversation with your dining compadres, in a hotel, with comfortable surroundings and adequate service, this is not a bad choice.

Sushi Mori Tomoaki (北角)

One evening in early January 2013, I had a very memorable experience at Sushi Mori 鮨森日本料理 in Causeway Bay, right in front of Mori-san himself. It was my one and only visit, and it was extremely memorable. I had been wanting to come back.
Then fast foward sometime to December 2013, I tried looking for Mori-san, but he left the restaurant. Then much later he resurfaces in North Point (closer to Fortress Hill) at Sushi Mori Tomoaki where he has more business decision power, and his loyal local fans managed to find him.
Mori-san is an interesting fellow. Half Kansai Japanese, half Hong Konger (he's also a local!). And he speaks both fluently. His father is trained classically in kaiseki, though he chose the route of sushi. Made a reservation at the bar in front of him the day before, and it was like reconnecting with an old friend. Non stop conversation with delectable solid bites in between. As it was my last lunch in town, I did a pretty much full blown omakase and went to YOLO town (in the United States, young girls love to use the term YOLO, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, but usually they are partying hard in Vegas and puking on the dance floor with their Cosmopolitans), despite the fact that two days prior I went to the 2nd best nigiri joint in Osaka.

So yes, Sushi Mori Tomoaki, is a very pleasant experience overall, despite the fact good sushi in HK is not a cheap endeavour. I still enjoyed my lunch very much.
The entrance is just a wall with an electronic sliding door, and a set of noren with a Japanese symbol. If you do not look for this, you will miss it. Then again this is the only JP restaurant on Shell street.
The restaurant expanded in the past 8 months to include two sushi bars side by side. All of the staff are well trained, but you want to sit in front of Mori-san himself.
To start, a spectacularl gorgeous authentic chanwanmushi with Matsuba snow crab, mushroom, yuzu zest (grated from fresh imported Japanese yuzu). Silky smooth, intense, delicious just like the one I had in Kyoto.
Thick pickled ginger slices (akin to daikon) placed on the earthenware dish. No excess moisture and very pleasant with a crisp.
Nigiri time! But before I begin, I want to place emphasis on Mori's style of sushi. It is not traditional Edomae, which you can find at very many places. His approach combines tradition with non tradition, in a way that works very interestingly. In that sense, his approach is subject to interpretation, and there will be fans, as well as those who do not understand it (and unfortunately be quick to judge). Once you realize what he is trying to accomplish, you may appreciate his work that much more. While the quality of the fish is very good, there are likely sushi snobs who will think the Michelin star places offer far superior quality. While that may be true, Mori-san compensates for this by applying very interesting techniques to further enhance the experience, and in some ways may work as good as, if not better than the competition.

Openrice only allows me to upload 12 pictures, but I ate far more than that. I went for the dinner omakase (nigiri omakase) but during lunch. Yes I was willing to go big...
Shima aji - a prime specimen with delectable garnish and knife strokes
Buri (wild JP yellowtail) - a light brush of nikiri seals the deal
Kawahagi (filefish) with raw liver on top - Two places in SF Bay Area used to offer this seasonally and now they don't get them anymore. Such a pleasure. The liver is soft and runny, guess it is advantageous for JP/HK to be within 4+ hours of air travel.
Aji - So delicate, with very light garnish! This lunch is getting good!
Applewood smoked Nagasaki oyster - fecking incredible
Seko gani kani miso (香箱蟹) - the tomalley/inside of the female JP crab head. Looks like ankimo had a one night stand with mustard seeds. Very interesting
Aka mutsu - look at the knifework on that!
Kohada - it's not a tip top prime specimen, but Mori-san puts in the necessary skill (and fusion touches) to make it complete. First he marinates it in apple vinegar which is already very unusual. Then he puts a thin layer of kelp on top, akin to Osaka style saba sushi (battera). His reasoning: you can find Edo style sushi easily in HK, the dare to be different and doing it right, makes you stand out. And I have to agree.
Kuruma ebi (imperial shrimp) - Last time I had this was Akiko's San Francisco before chef Ricky left last year. Here this specimen is more crisp and spectacular.
Chu-toro - it's excellent, can't complain
Shirako (cold milt) - look at the picture, it's so fecking CUTE! Seared and prior to that, smoked with apple wood. Genius and creamy!
Seared meiji maguro (baby bluefin) - Ridiculous hard to procure. He sourced this cut to a katsuo (bonito) specialist vendor in Japan. Sometimes baby bluefin are caught in the nets meant for bonito, and thus a rare treat.
Otoro - sublime
Japanese uni - nuff said, looks a bit like aka uni. From 888 Ogawa Company.
This one is interesting... blue fin tuna meat from the top of the head! A very unusual cut, and after searing almost looks like JP beef. Super interesting texture and taste!
Hokkaido scallop with shaved yuzu zest - tried and always true. Meaty with the right balance
Unagi senbei - Mori san doesn't screw around. The traditional approach is to steam, grill, then steam again. To achieve the crispy "rice cracker" effect, he doesn't do the final steam, but instead just heats it up more. This mofo is not deep fried like a jive ass roll. Great job Mori-san!
Steamed abalone - Kuro awabi must be darn expensive to get to HK, and whatever he used is good. Loved that extra nikiri/brushed sauce on top!
Tamagoyaki - this is his signature castella / Katsutera pound cake style tamagoyaki. Good stuff indeed.
Mori-san continues to season his sushi rice with aged red vinegar, and the color is far darker (once applied to the sushi rice), yet it does not taste terribly sour. I didn't even see this kind of colored sushi rice in Osaka. It's yet another attention to detail and skill that elevates the experience.
Had to run to the airport, and passed up on offer for free dessert and coffee (coffee in a JP restaurant in HK? Haha nice). Half the price of 3 Michelin star Sushi Shikon, and you can still leave satisfied. 

一樂燒鵝 (中環)

What that Fa? Yat Lok got a Michelin star? Then you walk inside and it looks like a run down cha chaan teng on the inside. Excuse me??

Anyways where else in Central would you go for roast goose? This was the obvious choice, and we didn't want to risk Yung Kee.

I like how they advertise the price and pictures of roast goose drumstick lai fun, but it is very likely you will not get one these days due to popularity and demand. If you want a drumstick, get half a goose or one of those lower quarters where you might get one.

In short, the carbs there, whether lo mein, or lai fun in broth, are just distractions and stomach stuffers.

The iced lemon tea isn't even great. The veggies just to ease the guilt.

The reality is that the star here is the goose. It's a lean variety based on our visit in late December, but is very good. The drumstick I had at Bor Kee was more like a Flintstones experience (humongous beast), yet a much saltier marination...though the skin was crispy. Here the skin is not crispy but the marinade/rub was dead on and just the right amount of saltiness. Juicy flesh and just hits the spot. There is not much more to be said, other than I agree with the fans of the place.

Now with a Michelin under their belt, they have to step up and offer more variety.
The lines are insane during lunch, so go early or keep your fingers crossed. 

麥奀雲吞麵世家 (中環)

It's funny, I loved wonton noodles as a kid. My earliest memory was maybe 7 or 8 years old long long time ago, eating at Wah Lai Yuen in Causeway Bay, opposite Tai Ping Koon.

But as I grew older, I do not cling onto this part of my past. Yes, wonton noodles are iconic but they do not appear to be what they seem anymore. Then there are major snobs and yobbos who want the absolute perfect trifecta of components (broth, noodles, wontons), and even nitpick down to the finer details and condiments. At this rate you cannot tell if they are clinging onto sentimentality, or if they are mouthing off for whatever reason, or both.

Our friends and I spent much of the day snacking around in Tai O Fishing Village, and wanted something light with variety in the evening. So we did a two part snacking, and started with Mak's Wellington just out of spontaneity.

The signature small bowl of wonton noodles in broth, was the perfect size that had quality, yet just leaves you sufficiently happy, if you are not set to fill your stomach. Obviously if that is not your goal, then there is Tsim Chai Kee across the street. Or pay a ridiculous sum for Porky King Ramen nearby (with a sizeable wait).

What can I say, the small bowl of wonton noodles was good. The noodles obviously not bamboo pole kneaded, but still had that delicate light crisp to it. The wontons were decent, though missing the skin slack that would have made other wonton snobs say "it's missing the goldfish tails!". For that you would have to go to Yung Kee.

But the broth...man alive this was clean and refreshing. A nice comforting simple stock, not enhanced with shrimp roe (like Mak An Kee on Wing Kut Street).

What I really enjoyed was the house orange colored chili paste. A tiny dollop of this, and the noodles taste so much better. Granted it was not Yu Kwen Yick, but it had a fiery kick that will scorch your throat a little bit if you add too much. Pity I did not ask where I could buy some of this.

I think the bowl was around HK$38 per. Consider a bowl of wonton noodles in California USA would run approximately $56, much larger portion but crappier quality and not so good broth (or noodles) with golfball sized wontons, I certainly wouldn't mind spending "more" yet less for a smaller portion of quality with this perspective. 

Saw an adjacent table have shrimp roe lo mein, but to me it did not look visually appealing, at least not like my favorite "Good Hope Noodle" in Yuen Long.

Guess it is best to stick with the classic here. Walk in, slurp and eat, then walk out and do the next thing. If you are here to fill your stomach on wonton noodles, you are doing it wrong.