這天在會展看過展覽，家人居然建議到附近的Dynasty Restaurant吃個輕怡的午餐． 起初還不知道這滿嘴英文的中菜廳是甚麼東東，後來才知道原來就是滿福樓滿福樓位於酒店三樓，入口處設計低調，只於入口旁掛有兩個寫有餐廳名字的額匾．但步進用餐處就知道別有洞天：屏風背後是樓底極高的大廳，高得甚至可以在室內種植棕櫚樹，空間感甚足，窗外盡見港灣景色，環境相當舒適．滿福樓的另一特色為碗碟上的天外飛仙圖案：貫徹了中國畫的留白技巧，和西方講究對稱幾何的漆碟非常不同，感覺亦可將點心和優美的飛仙融和在同一畫面之上，讓每件點心亦可成為獨當一面的藝術品．只可惜早餐吃得比較飽，所以我們只點了數款點心分享；喝著濃香的普洱茶，看著窗外窮恐極惡的大雨，心中居然是難得地平靜，舒適的環境應記一功．點好點心，先來的居然是酥皮叉燒包($70)．包身不算熨熱，令人感覺弔詭，難道這不是新鮮焗製的？一咬軟稔的包身就知猜對了，酥皮又薄又帶點濕搭搭的，不算香脆，包身也帶點翻熱翻蒸／長期保溫引致的濕蹋感，單是這點就已被添好運的新鮮熱辣酥皮勝過不少，而且後者的價錢還便宜多呢．不過叉燒餡倒是頗惹味濃郁的．蝦餃($64)是飲茶必修科，不少外國飲食節目均介紹蝦餃為港人最喜愛的點心之首．這裡的蝦餃做功精細，皮薄得彈指而且煙韌有致，蝦肉餡彈牙鮮甜，相當美味，值回十六元一枚的票價．雞包($70)的爆口漂亮，包身乾濕適中，不會過於墜手．撕開即見熱得冒煙的雞肉餡料，鮮甜中不失微辣的薑辛，平衡了雞肉難免的膩滯感，精彩．聞說滿福樓的叉燒品質佳，曾到訪（已結業）的尖東滿福樓的父親亦點頭稱是，所以這天也來了一客($240)．首先驚奇的是叉燒的份量，在酒店中菜廳來說是相當的大！而且是乜部位都有，要有焦香的有邊邊位，要有嚼感的有肉眼位，要軟稔的有柳位，要乜有乜．肉味的確是頗為濃郁香甜，焦位的香味亦盛．只是感覺這叉燒有點試圖用百貨應百家的感覺，是能夠please everyone沒錯，可惜欠了點個人風格，未能叫人留下深刻印象．本想點滿福樓著名的流沙包，侍應卻表示沒有提供，原來連如此招牌的點心亦會被剔除？真叫人驚訝．其他甜品都不太吸引，所以我們點了鮑汁蝦子撈粗麵($168)作為單尾．粗麵彈牙而且蛋香豐富，並能將濃味的鮑汁和蝦子緊緊裹著，每口都能吃到三者的香味，要不是這天實在有點飽，我這不太吃蛋麵的人應該會添吃多一碗呢．

無心插柳的滿福樓第一次居然是吃點心．感覺還算可以，價錢和食物質素亦是成正比的．只是當我們在靜靜享用點心的時候，不斷在附近走來走去的員工侍應們居然在大大聲講閒話（甚至是八婆話題，講人壞話！），這在如此等級的中菜廳來說實在少見，亦令客人（如我）感覺相當不受尊重．希望這只是個別員工的問題，否則餐廳可真要在員工培訓方面下多點功夫了．

曾在香港某駕駛學院上課的都知道，在港島南面的學院位於利南道倔頭處，地點極．為．偏．僻．若非碰巧居於附近的屋苑，每次上課的交通都是痛苦的pain in the ass！這天約了中午上課，為免遲到還是早點到好；但附近除了滿是傢私店和時裝outlet的’商場’和超級跑車維修中心外就是一片荒蕪，那多出的時間怎算？幸好絕處逢生，記起上次來訪時在商場二十八樓見過一cafe，應該是坐坐的好地方，早點到達也不怕．交通依然不便，痛苦後到達時已是十一時許．Cafe其實是同名木製傢私店的伸延部份，當是善用空間也好，當是賺點外快亦好；經過密麻麻的木枱木床後，就是隱藏其中的Tree Cafe．供應的都是簡單輕餐，從早餐吃的Granola and Yogurt Pot，Bagel with cream cheese，中午的沙律盒，Panini，到下午的Sift cupcakes，cheesecake都有，價錢正常，和蘇豪區的差不多．飲品有咖啡，茶，酒，汽水，有機果汁等等．本以為此等荒蕪之地，平日應該沒甚麼客人，想不到除了到達時已再買食物的兩位外籍媽媽＋BB，及後還有一外籍四人家庭，一ABC媽媽＋工人＋BB加入，一副來吃午餐的姿勢，實屬意料之外．．．也許是因為這裡奉行Kids go free的政策，小朋友來這裡可享用免費的迷你cupcake，更可玩玩具，令整天緊繃著要照顧他的媽媽可以放鬆一下，所以吸引不少expats專門到訪吧．說回來，這cafe的環境相當不錯：窗外是無敵海景，枱椅全部是＄＄＄＄的Tree出品，更有免費（不過極不穩定）的wifi，hea一流．不過，亦因這裡的枱全是木製，再加上外籍BB總是比中國BB活潑一點，他們用木玩具敲木枱的噪音真的是．．．相當清脆，任你多睏也會清醒過來．撇開這點，環境配套均是可取的．這天只能坐半小時，所以只點了一杯iced coffee(unsweetened)（$32）．店員弄咖啡的聲音比BB的還要大．．不過這裡用意大利的名牌咖啡機＋澳洲Pura奶，送來的咖啡也是酸味不太重，醇香十足的，喝到最尾也不見味道變啖，不是胡混了事的．其他客人點的三文治反而沒那麼吸引，也許是因全部為packaged food的關係？不過甜品則相當吸引，尤其是份量不少的lemon cheesecake，如果碰巧二人同行，分享一件作下午茶點，配以窗外無際景色，應該相當寫意．

家人生日，我們不流行禮物，以正經生日飯代之，地點由生日者決定．過往十居其九都吃西餐，難道是中菜感覺老土又不及西餐'sophiscated'的緣故？我可管不了甚麼，反而選擇了以釀蟹蓋叫人涶涎欲滴的欣圖軒，和家人吃一頓反’西’歸中的生日飯． 點好茶，侍者放下茶壺和蜜糖合桃．愛吃果仁的我當然對這沾上香甜蜂蜜外層的小吃愛不惜口，加上爽脆的芝麻粒，絕對是待上菜期間的良點！ 這裡仿效西餐，上菜前先來悅口小吃．用甜醬煮過的豆腐乾和豆角甜椒等成一稔一爽的對比，加上炸至薄脆的蜂巢底趁，吃得乾淨又方便． 從小愛吃叉燒，但在酒店中菜廳吃還是第一次($200)．這裡用上稔身梅頭，肉質鬆化而不失肉香．叉燒醬清新卻偏甜，燒得不會過焦過炭．父母吃慣充滿炭香又有嚼頭的再興叉燒，所以覺得這裡的會甜了點亦不夠焦香．個人則覺得精緻版和是粗獷版各有好壞，就像和牛和美國牛一樣，哪種比較好？其實全屬個人口味． 龍帶玉梨香($188)是這裡的名物．本來還擔心又釀又炸又帶子，份量會很大，想不到送來的卻是精緻非常的六小件！蝦膠釀得實淨，一口咬到的是彈牙質感，夾雜雪梨的爽脆；表面炸粉薄得可怕，裡面濃郁鮮味滿載，不用淮鹽已是十級滋味，難怪滯身名物之列． 為脆釀鮮蟹蓋($180)而來，當然不能不點。蟹蓋份量看似不大，揭開方知釀滿蟹肉；忌廉增添滑溜而不失海鮮甜，濃香而不過膩，啖啖均滿有蟹甘甜，美味！ 燉湯是中國傳統智慧，這裏以每位上，更是靈活．我點的是北菇肘子燉菜膽($100)。湯頭清晰不肥，卻貫徹肘子經高溫迫出的咸香，加上肥厚的冬菇和菜膽，感覺清新又滋潤。 魚腩固然肥美，但我很很怕河魚的泥腥味，反之海魚腩不是用重醬燜煮就是炒球，很少能吃到魚肉的鮮味。這薑蔥生炆斑球($480)中的麵醬拿走了，魚肉味反而更突出，油香豐厚的非常精彩。更愛的的更是吸盡精髓的葱頭大蒜，是魚腩的最佳綠葉。 脆皮龍崗雞($230)要了半隻，已起骨。皮是名符其實地薄而脆，沒甚脂肪，有淡淡雞肉香的肉則相比驚喜不大。不過在中央屠宰的今天，能吃到有雞味的雞，也不是四目皆見的易。 魚腩煲的麵醬用來煮唐生菜．在酒店中菜廳點菜吃看似愚笨，誰不知本來十幾蚊斤的菜被這裡price up多少？但看似簡單的生菜卻吃得我們嘳嘳稱奇，從沒吃過如此美味的！經精心挑選過的條條均是菜中fit馬，爽脆新鮮，加上咸香適中的麵豉醬，好好吃！ 最後的飄香荷葉飯($78)是一人份量，賣相精緻．飯粒乾濕剛好，用料豐富，但略嫌荷香太過拘謹，可能和分量太少不宜蒸煮過久，所以香味不及大份的濃香罷． 知道這裡有petit fours，加上家人不嗜甜只愛吃生果，所以甜品選擇了生果雪山．其實是將切好的生果插進錐形的碎冰之中，玩味多於一切！ 最最最後以中式架俸上的petit fours分別有芋頭酥，咸蛋酥，老婆餅，合桃酥，椰撻和豆沙餅．中式酥皮易做難精，這裡的雖是一口份量卻也薄而不碎，可見功架．其中最愛的是椰撻，是想像不到的充滿椰香呢，飽亦不能錯過！

相比起每人選一份main course然後各自為政的西餐，我其實更愛重分享的中菜．加上年齡漸長，能和家人一起吃飯的機會只會減少，就算有也多是趕這趕那的．所以這晚雖然用餐時間長了點，但能安安樂樂的聚在一起，講些比平時的低級對話有深度些的話題，看似平淡，其實已非常感恩．

最近常常在想，下年的今天我會在何方，會在做甚麼？也許身處的不會是香港，吃的做的也和現在不盡相同．有改變才有進步，但或者有些看似基本的人和事，才是永遠不變．

Despite passing by IFC Mall for perhaps the hundredth time I have waited until today to visit Fuel Espresso for the first time. Perhaps its because of the location on the 3/F which is outside the sphere of my usual activities, or the timing of my arrival at the mall which is usually in the afternoon, and sadly any sip of caffeine in the afternoon would drive me insomniac in the night. Hence when I was venturing the mall at ten ish in the morning I decided to give Fuel Espresso a go.

Interestingly I notice how three cafes at IFC Mall have formed some sort of an iron triangle across the floors: Starbucks on 1/F, LGB on 2/F, and Fuel on 3/F. What is even more interesting is as I went upstairs on the escalators, I notice that Fuel is the most 'hidden' and yet the most popular amongst the triangle. It was literally bursted with white-collars who are having some leisurable coffee time with colleagues or bitter conferences with clients across the table. The menu here is simple, just coffee and some simple pastries that do not look too fresh and appealing apart from the carrot cake toppled with a thick and promising layer of cream. However I was there just for a cuppa, and after struggling between the Piccolo Latte and Flat White (Both $48), i decided to give the former a go. the cuppa came after 3 minutes of wait in a tall glass. As i was about to take out my phone I recalled the 'no photo allowed' rule at Fuel - but as i took my phone out and snap a pic, no one came over to stop me and ask me to delete the picture, as a matter of fact no one cared. Okay, perhaps if its a DSLR you produced then perhaps they would bother to intervene. But they just did'nt give a damn about what I was going before enjoying their coffee.Back to the coffee - the first thing I noticed before drinking was, as some previous reviews have mentioned, the temperature which was way too high. I don't really have a thing for hot coffees of scalding temperatures and I was expecting something warmer of drinkable temperature. Luckily the milk (skimmed) was frothed just well and, albeit the messy heart-shaped 'latte' art, the texture was alright. The coffee they use (i guess) is a darker roast which luckily wasn't too sour but was quite heavy-bodied in the mouth, which i liked. The coffee does'nt come cheap ($20 more than average cafes), but if I were just having it once in a while, its still worth it.

The coffee was short and managable within less than five sips. What I found even more enjoyable was the residue milk froths at the bottom of the cup, which was velvet-ly smooth & resembling very lightly whipped cream. I even spooned them out leaving nothing in the cup - it was that good.

All in all, a good coffee experience worthy of me breaking my de-caffeine plan and taking the risk of (yet another) insomniac night in bed...

Never do I possess a sweet tooth and I ain't a big fan for cakes and desserts. Seriously, if you see me ordering a slice from a cafe, something bad is bound to have happened. The only occasion when I do disassociate sugar with negative emotions is during birthday or festive celebrations when there's a crowd to share the cake with. It's no longer the cake but slices of pure happiness that's being shared and enjoyed.

& so lucky I am to have enjoyed some of the most wonderful birthday cakes with my family and friends, both from one of the top-notch bakery in town.

Ms B's Cakery along Gough Street is almost like the Jimmy Choos or Hermes of the bakery scene. Expensive but stylish, I cannot recall how many times I have logged into the website just to eye on the array of beautiful cakes.This year without my knowing my parent made a secret venture to Gough Street again and there they brought a smaller but equally tasty cake called 'OMG!' home. and i was honestly surprised for the last minute i was working on a hardcore research paper, the next minute they went from the kitchen with this cake in their hands - and of course I love it too.

The OMG! is a new cake of the spring collection 2013 (see how they adopt the jargon from fashion here) and is, ironically, a sugar-free and gluten-free cake to accommodate the special dietary needs of some. These were not the motivation of my parent who thought (mistakenly) it was a sesame cake - but never mind, I like this cake equally if not more than last year's checker mate.The cake was layered into a chocolate sponge cake (gluten free?), chocolate mousse, chocolate meringue and cocoa nibs. The sponge cake was fluffy with the aroma of the cocoa beans transient throughout, and the sandwiched mixture of meringue and mousse not overpowery rich but very, very aromatic, perfect for the sugar aware and weight-watching chocolate lovers who aint looking just for a sugar rush but also a gastronomous cocoa venture where the aroma is what they are after. The darling size - perfect for 2, so it says - took us two days and four stomach to finish, but I still think its one of the suitably sized cake for our non-sugary household.And after the surprising OMG! I was once again GAGA'D by my foodie friends who knew my taste as well as my parent do. After an array of perhaps slightly disappointing dishes at Ngau Kee, just as we were sharing some nibbles of ginger and pineapple a gigantic familiar cake box landed on the table. The moment it was uncovered I knew it was a BE GAGA'D and couldn't stop myself from shouting its name out loud!The reason for the instant recognition was its signature chocolate spikes in all directions, eye-catching just like Madame Gaga herself in her infamous raw beef suit. This is one of my favourite cakes from MsB mostly because of the colour - the yin yang oxymoron of black and white suits my contradictory personalities best! The cake was nicely decored with oreo chips and a thick, honest cover of Sevva's signature cream on the outset.On the inset it is basically a Black Forest cake, a cake I don't like because I haven't tasted any great ones by far. But this is truly an exceptional because every layer of it is amazing on its own. The chocolate sponge cake is dense but not too moist and rich, the syruped blueberries drawing a good balance of taste and texture with it.Even the grape jelly that I used to skip was soo good and rich in the fruitiness of the grape, and the key got to be the thin but crispy and buttery cracker base. The blend of heavy cream, Oreo bits and marshmallows on the outset forms the golden triangle of pure, pure indulgence and happiness. I like every bit of the cake so so much.And one thing I really appreciate about my friends is how they deal with the cake. We didn't cut it up but for the slice for photographs and we just forked the share we want. Like seriously how often do you see people dividing a $990 cake with forks??? It was a great messy scene to watch, really. And I like watching how my friends enjoy the cake as much as I did, whilst my parents hardly share any of my festive sweet tooth. They just couldn't stand the slightest trace of sugar on their plate.I am thankful for having parents and friends who know and love me so well. It's not just the $$ nor the cake that mattered but the effort behind that I appreciated the most. Life might have been harsh on me as this year had been an exceptionally busy and tiring one, but I am lucky and thankful for having them backing me up. In times of bitterness these sweet memories would surely be recalled as a reminder of the bright side of friendship and love, of my barely existing social life, of everything.

Thanks again for everything

上星期消息瘋傳有茶餐廳推出$30任食，引來朝聖者甚眾，但餐廳反因人流太多出現虧蝕，未經一週已經加價三分一．看過報導，其實食物質素只是一般，但這仍無阻抱抵食，回本心態的客人風至．

茶餐廳做任食有綽頭？非也，其實上至海鮮，下至甜品，甚至雪糕，一直都有放題，反應還相當不錯．收費數百元的酒店buffet，不也是放題？碰巧今晚看電視，節目主持問光顧放題的客人，你有甚麼策略？主攻貴價菜式囉．有幾多點幾多囉．回本囉．也許胃口能屈能申是基本求生本能之一，平時只能吃兩嘴的小姐，這天多多也塞得下，反正點多點少還不是付那個錢！不放盡點對不住自己．

－轉念一看，究竟是你在吃放題，還是你已被貪念吃住？追求的是質素，還是滿肚雪糕的快感？

我本來也是放題愛好者，朋友聚會必選放題．但也許因近年吃得少了，對食物質素重視了，放題質素更良莠不齊了，我開始對五花百門aabbccdd的放題厭倦． 幸而，在校園一端，我還有這間一念素食，靜靜地散播著愛食，惜食的種子，讓疲於為死線，數字奔命的學生，有歇息的空間． 餐廳於上年中開張，宣傳低調，加上位置實在弔詭，客人至今還以學生為主．餐廳把環保概念實行得貫徹：燈光以藍膠樽砌成，枱椅都是從學校回收再用，落地玻璃引入天然光節省電力．最徹底的是餐廳經營模式：午晚餐只設覺醒自助餐，提供家常素食數款．客人拿了食物就要磅重，以＄15/100克計算，盤中食物越多，價錢越貴．米飯和湯水則自取． 這不正和放題打對台嗎？對；但這模式也叫人重新思考，我是否真的要吃那麼多？這是否我真的想要的？一條菜，一塊豆腐，甚至一滴汁，在這裡被重新賦與價值，重新獲得客人的尊重． 當然，要贏得尊重，味道也是很重要的．這裡的素食不會假惺惺扮自己是雞或是鵝，而是實在的菜芯，炒娃娃菜，芽菜煮菇，凍豆腐，咖哩南瓜，中式包點，款式一晚已會轉動數次，保證次次有驚喜．

來吃了兩次，兩次的選擇都不同，同樣的只有那天然，樸實，清新的美味．菜芯鮮甜無渣，豆腐大豆味香濃，南瓜稔滑香甜，以墨西哥薄餅皮包裹的肉桂水果卷，豪不油膩而且香甜無比．

平時不吃飯，但看見混有紅米的糙米飯也忍不住拿了點來吃餸．同樣自取的湯水當然也是無味精，一天的款式是冬瓜，雪耳，南北杏，無油的湯頭是純樸的甜美，一點不矯揉造作，叫我不忍多來一點－外面甜美的燉湯煲湯全靠鮮肉雞腳吊味，油淋淋少不了．這裡的全素湯水也許味淡，卻更得我心． 吃罷，請自行清理餐具．吃不完？那就麻煩你把用真金白銀買回來卻被浪費的食物親自倒掉了，感到罪疚？是你罪有應得，叫你不得不學會粒粒皆辛苦這簡單道理．下次來，就知道珍惜食物的重要性了． 餐廳不只提供免費清水，其實也有飲品供應．新鮮果汁，黑麥汁，天然果茶，山渣茶，通通都有．最驚喜的是這裡居然有虹吸咖啡供應，有不同產地的咖啡豆選擇之餘，價錢更是相宜！店員煮咖啡的手勢也很正宗，能在大學喝到一杯甘苦平衡，醇香無比的咖啡，實在是挑燈夜讀期間的重要精神食量． 以大學消費又甚至正常市價來說，在一念素食的消費不算很低．但反過來想想，究竟人吃食物，是為了只為溫飽？只為飽食欲？或是有更深層次的原因，值得我們去思考發掘？

在'放題''任食'日漸泛濫的香港，我想是時候，大家來想想，究竟我們和大自然的關係應是怎樣，我們對食物的觀念，又該是如何．

數月前聞說上環普慶坊有售賣手工麵包的Po's Atelier開張，愛吃麵包的我當然去看看．不過，麵包價錢不菲，加上家沒同包中人，所以只有看的份兒．但比起只設外賣的麵包店，其後在堅巷開設的Cafe Deadend，卻更得我心－畢竟，比起吃，我更喜歡喝，尤其咖啡．但事與願違．雖然一週差不多上落普慶坊十數次，卻一直未到訪．終於．最近心情差，睡得更差，精神日見痿麋．每天不吸收咖啡因，仿如行屍走肉．更差的，是味蕾仿佛被褪色，五味之中只嘗得苦澀；所以，要醒神，每天一杯Americano是必需，反正就算一飲而盡，亦未覺苦．

但前天早上，咖啡因癮起，附近的homei和Cafe Loisl卻滿有默契的一同休息．也許，是時候？位於堅巷和普慶坊交界的Cafe Deadend為半露天設計，座位被樓梯和高牆包圍．加上鄰近公園和後街，環境實在清幽．枱椅被整齊排成一列，顧客除我以外只有一人，環境更帶避世之感．可惜，忙碌心煩的是我：一心只來坐五分鐘喝一杯，本想只點Americano提神，卻被用收據紙打印的餐牌吸引著．除了普通的咖啡，還有特色的Dirty和espresso soda．一問，Dirty($35)其實是將凍奶加入熱espresso，因賣相混濁而命名．凍奶和熱espresso的組合，會是如何？論賣相，受熱密度降低的espresso漂散在冷奶之上，不修篇幅的層次不算醜，但肯定這像宇宙大爆炸的混沌，實在和精緻的拉花咖啡，成一強烈對比。細啖一口，卻滿是驚喜。不是熱臉碰上冷屁股的自討沒趣，反而在第一口不可避免的浮面的苦澀之後，尾隨的凍奶甜香，卻更為突出。也許是溫度的強烈對比，或是那未經打泡的濃厚質感，令本來看似混亂的溫呑咖啡添上絲滑尾勁，比喝過的拿鐵又或是espresso，更為動人？冷熱苦甘看似對立，卻雙雙在口腔中組合互融，叫人欣喜。可惜這天要趕著走，否則手上這一小杯，我肯定會放慢不少來喝著．此刻，真的好想再來一杯．

或者，很多東西像這杯Dirty一樣，看似混淆對立，其實只看透表面的苦澀，藏身底下的甜美，才是精華所在．

假設快樂有盡頭，痛苦也未會不朽？只是，咖啡再香，也許會刺激味蕾，心中的苦澀，還是纏繞不去，感覺，還像活在夢魘之中．

希望的，只是，the best is yet to come．最好的，尚未來臨．

位於西環厚和街的新興食家，早前因租金狂加而被逼搬遷．碰巧此時我卻搬得更近；本來應該近廚得食，得天獨厚地每個星期去飲一次早茶的我，此時卻要和深愛的新興暫時分開，直至它在一月重開為止．

但點心還是要吃，早茶還是要飲，所以在難得早起的一月一日早上，我們來到西環北街的悅點居，看看這間新點心專門店，究竟可否暫時代替心愛的新興食家．店子小小，想不到還頗旺場，而客人多數是老人家．座位放得近，和鄰座不得不坐得不親密．點心紙，碗碟，都和添好運相當相似；但比較有趣的是，這裡並沒有人人吹捧的酥皮叉燒包，反而有新興獨當一面的流沙奶皇包．這是否說明，這裡是奉添好運的形式，新興的內涵？ 先來八寶糯米雞，果然份量十足，熱謄謄的很足料．也不知是否夠八寶，只覺糯米粉綿得來保留了煙韌的質感，香甜入味，和瘦肉，雞肉，北菇等香味融為一體，比不少酒家的硬繃繃版本好吃呢． 腸粉和臉皮相反，越薄越好．這裡的只算一般般，但靠米香搭救，也不難吃的．蝦仁不算大顆但彈牙十足，雖然蝦味不濃倒也收貨了，畢竟只是十多元的貨色． 新興的蘿蔔糕驚為天人，這裡的瑤柱蒸蘿蔔糕又如何？從表面來看瑤柱是有的，吃下去味道卻不覺有，反而甜甜的蘿蔔粗絲香味更濃，叫這沒甚麼臘味的糕身挺直及口感豐富．不過始終新興蘿蔔糕的水準實在太高了，這始終難以和之相比呢． 山竹牛肉球，蝦餃，叉燒包是上茶樓的必點鐵三角，這裡的倒也中規中矩，牛肉球鬆化而不過咸，蝦餃皮不薄但清甜可口，叉燒包的包身偏軟偏甜但叉燒夠咸濕搭救，食味甚佳，過關． 身為潮州人，卻只是最近才迷上潮州粉果．這裡的一籠三大隻，飽滿豐富的材料除了一貫的花生，肉末，粉葛之外，更加入大量韮菜提升香味，入口帶辛並更加爽脆，彌補了厚皮的不足，也是美味推薦之一． 登登登櫈才出場的流沙包熱辣辣的，包上點有黃色染料以玆識別；興奮的拿起一個搖呀搖，卻未覺有從前那種奶黃餡的流動在其中，心頭先是一沉；撕開包身，艷黃色的奶黃餡卻立時’必’了出來並流滿手滿碟都是，情況令人為之震驚！！！！！！！！而且此包並非只得個噴字，奶黃餡的蛋黃香味亦夠濃，質地起沙而不過稀，只是包身遠比新興的為厚，否則絕對可代替之成為另一流沙包之王，厲害！厲害！而且此點不過十四元三個，價錢親民得很，絕對是吃得過之作！

三人吃罷八點已是飽得快撐爆，加上座位和舒適沾不上邊，吃完就快快讓位．老實說，這裡的點心雖不算非常出類拔萃，但整體的質素都頗平均，尤其是流沙包更是想像不到的驚喜，在新興回歸之前，這裡絕對是一合格有餘的替代品．

而且，營業時間比新興正常的悅點居，應該會更適合愛喝下午茶的街坊，三點三不吃菠蘿包，反而來這裡吃流沙包！

莎厘娜，原來不經不覺，認識你已超過廿載了．打從有記憶開始，藏身沉木色木門背後的你，就一直守護著人來人往的般含道．雖然你和旁邊的報紙攤販和新興地產，越來越顯得格格不入，但在這區住得夠久的街坊都會明白，其實你才是這裡的老大姐，代表著半山昔日的光輝．

曾經何時，到你處吃晚餐可是件大事．．．因為座位有限，要吃晚飯總是要預先訂位，絕不可魯莽．穿戴整整進入餐廳內部，先映入眼眶的不只湧湧的人頭，還有佈滿牆上櫃上的馬匹佈置，英式盾牌，中式書法，全都是老闆的多年珍藏，同時記錄了你輝煌的歷史．坐下，和外邊少有的風景油畫式枱氈打個招呼，打開沉重而莊嚴的餐牌，點一些不懂發音的俄式食物，享受濃郁可口的食物－每一次的到訪總是如此令人難忘，十年如一日．

但當年月過去，小小的世界開始向外擴展，當天那滿足於免治牛肉飯，煎西冷牛扒的小孩，發覺出面的世界更是有趣：而曾經雄霸半山，甚至擴充開分店的你，在物價飛脹，競爭激烈的壓力下，亦開始出現老態．

最近，你更因為賣鋪，而將撤離鎮守已久的般含道．消息一傳出，不少老饞像是回巢鳥，紛紛重溫昔日的美味． 晚市一位難求，幸而午市還比較鬆動．那天回到熟悉的你懷裡，發現曾經的滿室馬匹早已被收起，唯一不變的是座位依然狹窄難坐． 記憶中，到莎厘娜沒有一次是不點羅宋湯配蒜蓉包的．雖然後來才知道原來正宗的羅宋湯應該放紅菜頭和酸忌廉，但也許是先入為主，總是覺得熱謄謄又濃郁牛肉香的酒紅足料羅宋湯，才是全城最佳．從不吃湯渣到追著菜蔬來吃，今天的我，只消湯一碗加蒜蓉包兩件，已是飽足的一頓，那怕蒜蓉包不過是翻熱而從非新鮮． 三人行，永遠會點的還有zakuska．其實是餐前沙律的加加加大版，是另一從小吃到大的頭盤，不過相比今日驚嚇的雞型賣相，昨日的平凡沙律賣相反而吸引．豐富的燒牛肉，雞肉，火腿，凍肉鎹喱，酸菜，和最重要的薯仔沙律，幸而味道始終如一，美味依然． 昨日最愛點的西冷牛扒，大蝦牛扒，今天都已褪色，反而流於配角的洋蔥牛脷，今天擔正大旗．但記得要在常餐晚餐等都不是牛脷的日子才好點，否則送來的會是經大火猛炸的糜爛牛脷，而非厚膩豐盛，軟綿甜美的慢煎牛脷．配上香甜的洋葱汁和懷舊厚切波浪薯條，好吃得叫人一點再點． 可惜－窩蛋免治牛肉飯不歷禽流感侵襲，半熟蛋早已變成全熟煎蛋；曾經美味的白汁雞皇，今天變成黃不黃，白不白的奇怪顏色，味道同樣叫人搖頭嘆息．也許，懷舊真的不能當飯吃；看似叫時間停頓的餐室，開始在時間洪流中不進則退，失卻昔日的光輝．

記得看過一篇關於莎厘娜的訪問，記者提到昨日的港大學生，物質也許缺乏，但正因如此，更加珍惜每次可以上館子的機會，從中學習西方餐飲禮儀，並和老闆成為老友．反觀今天的港大學生，世界觀廣闊了，卻開始嫌棄老套的你：寧願出外吃日本菜，法國菜，也不再懂得欣賞尊貴卻老派的你，認識優雅的西方文化，實在叫人心痛． 只是，價值觀的變遷，正如你即將搬遷的事實，已不可改變，亦不必勉強．希望的是，只是無論你去到那裡，也要保持一貫的尊貴和優雅，再為懂得欣賞你的一眾食客們，帶來重溫悉日味道的機會．

I have walked passed this very popular brunch place in Sheung Wan for perhaps the thousandth times before I actually popped in for a brekkie on a Weekday morning. And almost immediately can you see the reason for its popularity (reservation a MUST) - while weekend brunch is increasingly becoming a hit in town, not many places serve decent breakfasts or brunches during the weekends. Naturally that's an economical decision for set lunches would certainly rip a lot more money off white-collars than brunches will do from leisurable late-waking tai-tais, expats and tourists! And thus Oolaa and Classified the cheese room remain two of the very few weekend brunches around the morning dessert of the Sheung Wan spawl.

Another reason for Oolaa's success is perhaps its cosy environment - while Classified has only wooden chairs and commute tables to offer, Oolaa has comfty sofas and free wifi - and together with decent food they form the golden triangle for a breakfast that you wouldn't mind paying over a hundred for.

Staff here are exceptionally friendly - at least they didn't immediately pull a long face when they spot this poor-looking, CHINESE, student me, and greeted me to a table. The breakfast selection here is not too extensive but has everything you could think of digging in on a hungry morning - from healthy muesli to heap-ful pizzas, or just a clean toast basket or muffin, you name it.

I thought of ordering a NY Bagel but took a last turn for muesli instead, which came with fresh fruit, greek yogurt and honey. It almost came instantly and the portion was generous! The combination of fresh fruits were very fresh and juicy, perfect as a morning sugar-rush. The muesli they use is less chewy but more crunchy variation, but i like it anyway because it has raisins and walnuts mixed with it which enrich the texture by a lot. They serve it with skimmed milk which i note was PURA, the australian brand which is more expensive but certainly better than the rest. The pot of greek yogurt was small but good enough for the muesli itself was filling enough! I had an enjoyable 45 minutes time stuffing myself with this simple yet beautiful museli and fruit mix, spoon in one hand and a book in another. Life couldn't be any more beautiful than that.I also ordered a flat white (skinny). Personally I think the flat white here tasted just like an ordinary latte but for the mug that it was served it (they do serve lattes in latte glasses tho, following the tradition). The milk was nicely frothed and the nice abstract latte art stayed there throughout. The blend they use isn't too strong but at least wasn't too sour which i didn't like - all in all a very smoothing coffee to drink. The little coconut meringue that came with the coffee was not too sweet and chewy enough to my likings as well.

One thing to note is that the staff were actually friendly enough to apologize for a bug which pathetically flew into my milk and died….a rare find in Soho

Everything cost me $140. Certainly not cheap but as long as i could afford it once in a while, what's bad about having to enjoy some happy 45 minutes on a good breakfast and a good book while someone else does the stacking, cutting, coffee-ing and washing for you? (And not to mention the fact that I stayed full from morning till evening..did i mention they serve the American portion?)

I will be back for sure to try out the rest of the items off the brekkie menu. Hope it would be soon!