C.Li's Profile

Yup.. as a lot of reviews say, COME HUNGRY or don't come at all to BCN (Barcelona.. duh!) * After spending sometime in Barcelona this Summer, I was delighted to hear about this new Catalonian restaurant in town. A small private kitchen that only seats 12 people, I was lucky to get a booking on a weekday. The restaurant serves two sets of menus and a staff confirmed which set menu we wanted a day before our visit via Whatsapp! This made it a lot easier for me as the staff could immediately answer all the questions I had about the two menus. HOW CONVENIENT! :)We otped for the bigger menu "Pintxos Party (680hkd)" instead of "Trip to Spain (580hkd)" as we wanted to try a larger variety of food.We were seated at the only table by the window of the restaurant which was very nice as it overlooked the open kitchen and we had a great view of Chef Edgar at work. After ordering a nice bottle of spanish red, we were EACH welcomed with a platter of generously plated Iberico ham 100% "bellota", manchego cheese and spanish coldcut "Chorizo".Everything was delicious and I was happily surprised to find that Chef Edgar used Crostini instead of the usual boring slices of bread for Pan Tumaca (Bread and tomato).We then indulged in a marathon of small tapas and pintxos. 7 pieces all together as opposed to the 3 pieces you would get in the other set "Trip to Spain". Visually appealing* veggie tower with a dallop of aioli sauce on top // Bacalao tartare with tomato &* olives.Test tube SOUP SHOTS*! Our server advised us to have the honeydew melon soup first as it was sweeter, then the Gazpacho made with tomato, watermelon and basil <---- this was DELICIOUS. Probably one of the better Gazpachos I've had in HK.. could have had a whole bowl of this! Final set of tapas and pintxos. Eating order from Right to Left * -- starting from the octopus (very tender and well cooked) with squid ink chip and potato, foie gras iberico ham crostini (SUPER YUM!) and my eagerly anticipated iberico ham croquette that certainly did not disappoint*!! Could have had a bunch of these on its own..the outer layer was Crisp to perfection!*FINALLY IT'S PAELLA TIME! * The other menu "Trip to Spain" did not have paella but had spanish noodles instead. Being paella fans this was a MUST! The portion was quite big so I was a bit taken back considering we had two more main courses to come! However, we were very happy to find that the flavours were all there, the mediterranean red prawn was cooked well and we even asked for some extra aioli sauce to go with the paella. Chef Edgar was very friendly and later told us that he liked his paella with aioli sauce too!We were 100% satisfied with our paella but I had to refrain myself from finishing the whole plate to save room for what was to come next! Gentlemen should not have a problem finishing this dish but the Ladies may want to request for a smaller portion for this dish.Our fish course consisted of a visually Stunning dish of Bacalao with Spinach paper and soft romesco (Catalan sauce). Unfortunately I could not finish the whole dish as I was already too full from the paella.Our last dish consisted of Iberico pork jowl - something I have never had before. The three disc-shaped pork jowls came on a pool of Smoked red pepper sauce, one hidden under a warm foam of garlic and olive oil. The meat was extremely tender but the fat content was quite high. I was only able to eat two and had to share the last one. The dish was for me was SINFUL to the max and would probably cost me a few days in the gym but it was WELL WORTH IT! To end the meal, we were presented with two beautiful pieces of chocolate truffle. This was the PERFECT portion of sweets as we were both stuffed from dinner. I admired the edible glitter brushed elegantly on to the plate - nice touch! I also thought the use of edible glitter was very smart! The chocolate truffles were SUPER delicious and I ended up finishing 3 out of the 4 truffles... Gluttony has gotten the best of me tonight! *Overall, BCN was a great experience and I enjoyed savouring Chef Edgar's creations. He really adds a fresh, modern twist to his dishes and it is clear that this talented and creative chef (and restaurant) is here to stay!…Read More

As a self-confessed foodie, I got to give it to the Press Room Group for always bringinging in new concepts and dining experiences to Hong Kong food enthusiasts*!Apart from the Press Room, the Classified chain, The Pawn , SML and The News Room, the Press Room Group has now added a new member to their restaurant family - The Principal.Tucked away in a spacious corner of Star street and right below Star Crest, The Principal welcomes you with a very comfy looking sofa and a doorman at the entrance. ** Do be careful when you sit on the sofa as it is actually a sculpture and NOT a real sofa! The same goes for the "arm chair" in the washroom* I have been to The Principal several times now and have gotten used to this type of Modern European cuisine. Not only is the Principal's Spanish chef a real sight for sore eyes, his dishes are meticulously arranged and his play on flavour combinations is fantastic! Apart from the a la carte menu, diners can also choose from a 5 or 8 course tasting meal which is excellently balanced.Instead of the usual bread basket, The Principal welcomes its guests with a tray of goodies: Caramel pepper popcorn, almonds and little Rosemary puffs which I especially enjoy eating (had to request for more!). These puffs go very nicely with a glass of champagne. If they had some finely diced creamy mushrooms inside, I could imagine it being the perfect canapé for a cocktail*! Bread lovers don't despair! Throughout the meal, servers would offer you a wonderful selection of bread. I like their potato olive bread and brioche buns.If you like eel, I would highly recommend the dish EEL which is actually Smoked Dutch Eel * (something I get EVERYTIME I visit the Principal) This dish really reflects the chefs creativity and style. Don't feel put off by the pineapple icecream, tomato textures and herring roe. The trick is to combine all the components of the dish and eat everything TOGETHER. IT WORKS.I also really enjoy having OCEAN TROUT, which consists of tartare, trout caviar, pickled cucumbers and a tomato consumme. It is a very light and flavourful dish. Visually stunning as well! Egg lovers would enjoy the 63°C EGG which is basically a free-range 63°C egg with ceps, artichoke and Summer truffles. Taking a new spin on crab cakes, the CRAB would not disappoint as an appetizer!Moving on to main courses, I would recommend one of the Principal's signature dishes - SUCKLING PIG. This dish comes with a generous chunk of suckling pig, accompanied by some lemon purée and sautéed red endives, finished with a dash of pomegranate jus. I think the dish is great although I do miss the gravy (which is available upon request). The pork itself is extremely succulent and the lemon purée complements it well.My favourite main course at the Principal would be KOBE - Grilled kobe sirloin with foie royal, black garlic, sautéed baby carrots and turnips. This dish is beautifully plated and the kobe sirloin is absolutely DELICIOUS.Vegetarians and light eaters would enjoy the healthy yet flavourful and substantial ARROZ CALDOSO, which is a basically like a risotto made out of bomba rice, artichokes and super fresh baby vegetables - basically a DREAM vegetarian dish.For dessert, I really enjoy the dish YUZU. I love the Dark and Milk chocolate aeros which I find similar to chocolate truffles, as well as the matcha chocolate twigs with hints of Yuzu. Very yummy and fun to eat! I would have liked to see more chocolate areros on the plate as I did not care for the bits of coffee cakes too much.All in all, my appreciation for good quality, healthy, light food and great service is what keeps me coming back to the Principal. ** NOTE TO BRUNCH LOVERS ** The Principal's brunch is something you should definitely check out if you would like to try something other than the usual eggs benedicts and waffles. It is the perfect place to laze and drink free-flowing champagne on Sunday afternoons with many delightful surprises!…Read More

Sushi Ta-ke * is definitely one of my favourite sushi restaurants in HK. It is a REAL TREAT and I've found myself going back, again and again, for the fabulous sushi meals that Chef Do churns out.I usually pick the All raw food omakase and pair it with a glass of Sushi Ta-ke's house rose sparkling wine. Sometimes they have it, sometimes they don't... I wish they would always have it because it compliments the sashimi dishes very well*!! I also love how they have WILD toro at Sushi Ta-ke*. Chef Do always explains in detail what kind of sashimi we are having. Apart from a 5*Star sushi meal you also walk away learning something new!I really enjoy having the negi toro handroll that comes at the end of the sushi meal. Chef Do adds shreds of radish inside to give it a bit of a crunch. A very refreshing and nice touch! One of the best parts is dessert. Although Sushi Ta-ke doesn't serve special puddings or japanese cakes, their standard japanese dessert items such as Green tea icecream is exceptional and so is their homemade mochi! It is not your typical white mochi but more like a transparent jelly-like dessert - the Best way to end the meal with a cup of Japanese tea!Sushi Ta-ke never disappoints and is really a great place for sushi if you don't mind the interiors being rather dark.…Read More

My sis was having ramen cravings one day so I accompanied her to try out this new place in Tai Hang!I was happy to find a Chicken broth ramen on the menu. Turns out, we were very lucky to arrive just in time for their last bowls of limited edition signature ramen and chicken broth ramen*~ The soup in the signature ramen was wayyy to heavy for me but I'm guessing Butao lovers would really appreciate it. What came as a pleasant surprise was the chicken broth ramen. It was super delicious! Despite it being also quite heavy, I would recommend it to all ramen lovers who would like to try something different!…Read More

Happy Valley Classified is easily my favourite out of all the other Classified branches.Not only is the location Super convenient, it also serves Crispy Chilli Fries, which FYI are always sold out if you go late!! AND they serve Thin crust pizzas*.. Total perfection!!The fries are really a MUST-ORDER...So good with a glass of red wine or as a side dish!Here are some dishes I would always go back forrganic beef Lasanga * - Thin layers that come in a small round sizzling hot pan.. SO DELISH. Piri-piri Chicken * - Half / whole, not super spicy but very tasty. You can always order a whole chicken and take home the rest. The next day, I would make a chicken sandwich out of the leftovers - after keeping them in the fridge and tossing them in the oven for a few minutes. You'll be surprised how juicy and tender the chicken still is! Spaghetti with meatballs * - Spaghetti tossed in a spicy tomato sauce (my personal favourite) with meatballs. For some greens, get a side of mixed green salad or the Chicken and avocado salad. It is very refreshing especially with the tomatoes and crunchy hericot verts.…Read More

I find myself thinking about Piccolo pizzeria .. probably at least once a day, when I am not eating there.Although it is a small place, the staff is extremely helpful (especially with making wine choices) and the bathroom is very clean The food just keeps us coming back for more! I would highly recommend this place to ALL pizza and pasta lovers.. and residents of Western District* (you guys are so lucky!)Here are some of my favourites*anchetta pizza * - with Italian egg (+15hkd) , I find myself thinking about the cheese on this pizza all the time. It is especially tasty.. probably because of the bacon on top. May try it again without the bacon next time! the Four cheese pizza that we tried did not measure up. Unless you are going in a big group, I would stick to ordering the Panchetta pizza.Fried chicken * - this was Super delish, we had to refrain from ordering seconds!! This dish goes hand-in-hand with Piccolo's fusilli bolognese. ** I tend to order innies like fusilli/penne for bolognese because innies can trap all the sauce inside them! If you're feeling guilty and feel like ordering some veggies, I would recommend the Warm green salad - Fresh greens with pumpkin pieces. Great for sharing!I look forward to trying Piccolo's Blanca "white pizza" next time I visit! ** IMPORTANT NOTE ** Although it says Piccolo pizzeria is opened till 3am on Openrice, they stop serving food WAY before that.. I would know because I tried going there after a night out!! :( So best to call ahead and check if they are still serving food before you travel all the way out there from Central!…Read More

Liberty Private Works (LPW) definitely deserves a second review now that it has a NEW CHEF and a NEW LOCATION! * The new chef Vicky Cheng (male, google him!) is already the Executive chef of BOTH Liberty exchange (LEX) AND Liberty Private Works (LPW) at the impressive age of 26! Apart from winning multiple culinary awards in the past, Vicky has also previously worked for the American celebrity chef Daniel Bouloud at his New York restaurant Daniel before moving to Hong Kong.So combine pure talent, passion, dedication and 2 years of working in a restaurant, which by the way, is a three Michelin star Relais & Chāteaux member, it's really no surprise that Vicky's dishes BLEW MY MIND ~* Delicate, intricate and Delicious, his dishes are always visually stunning and neat. One can tell just by looking at his detailed dishes that a lot of thought has been put into them and therefore are executed at their finest!I can have Vicky's signature tuna tartare everyday. Even the crispy rice is homemade and it just never gets boring. The frozen longan stuffed with a white wine marinated grape comes along with it as a palette cleanser, an extremely nice touch to the dish! I also really love ending the meal with one of LPW's special tea served in a transparent teapot. Vicky picked the tea himself and I would highly recommend the Rose tea and Caramel tea. The Caramel tea actually doesn't have any caramel in it but smells like it does. ..very fun to drink!The reason I never get tired of going back to LPW is because it is a fun place and the food is always consistently good. The staff is friendly and as the months go by, Vicky gradually changes the menu. This creative chef can tailor to all your special dietary requests in a 5*star way. The atmosphere at LPW is intimate and the counter which seats 26 people comfortably is very welcoming (no tables). The floor to ceiling windows give diners a feeling of dining in between buildings and the view is just incredible! The restaurant now is A LOT more spacious than before and it is a great place for dates and friends.LPW is usually fully booked and you should try to reserve seats a month in advance . Do try to be waitlisted as now and then people would cancel, especially on weekdays! So let's see if you're lucky... :)…Read More

I haven't been this excited about a restaurant since Sushi Sase first opened on Hollywood road. Except, this time, I revisited Yardbird TWO nights in a row.. and plan to go again next week! YES.. that's just how Good it is.A chic little restaurant ground level on Bridges street, YARDBIRD gave me an "out of HK" experience the minute I stepped into the restaurant. The place was hip and packed with good-looking youngsters (including the staff), not advisable for the elderly or people who do not like to be in a noisy environment.Before you visit Yardbird, here are some important facts to note down:1) They do not take reservations.2) They will not seat you until your WHOLE party has arrived - just like in New York!3) They open at 6pm so that would be a great time to go as they are more flexible with the tables. Otherwise expect to sit at the bar or stand around it during busy hours.** I LOVE the drinks selection at Yardbird. The chardonnay they serve by the glass is from Spain and is fantastic! They also have a good range of cocktails and shochu (funky flavour infusions too!). If you are a fan of Hitachino nest beer, you would be delighted to find a whole range of them. Now on to the food... here are my FAVOURITES *- Okra soba (one of their specials)- Corn tempura balls ( a must ORDER!)- Chicken meatball with egg yolk ( love the grilled flavour .. delish!)- Fried korean style cauliflower (if you like kimchi you'd like this!)- KFC friend chicken ( if you're a sucker for fried food)- Seared yellowtail salad ( one of my FAVOURITES on the menu.. * light and healthy)- Chicken oyster yakitori * (note that it is not a real oyster, just the best part of the chicken thigh)- Mochi rice sticks ( I am def. not a mochi fan but THIS was something else! Crispy &* tasty.. a must order for mochi Lovers!)- Crispy chicken skin with egg rice ( this was just INCREDIBLE *)- CURRY SAUCE.. got a side of this to go with my rice but at Yardbird they actually do a SHORT RIB JAPANESE CURRY. this was Drool-worthy AMAZING. * Yardbird does lots of different parts of yakitori chicken .. chicken heart, liver, neck, gizzard .. you name it! *** Must say YARDBIRD is the ONLY place in HK where I would actually eat chicken skin .. let alone a Crispy version of it! Yardbird just does fried chicken skin the RIGHT WAY! At the moment, Yardbird only serves Peanut butter icecream for dessert, but i must say it is the LIGHTEST icecream I've ever tasted in HK. Almost like mousse ... would like to see more japanese influenced desserts on the menu. Overall, a great start as Yardbird has only been opened for 6 weeks! * The head chef Matt is also extremely nice and cute! * The bathrooms are extremely very clean &* nicely designed. Only one person can go in at the time. Perfect for OCD people! *YARDBIRD is definitely my new favourite place in town, I'm really looking forward to trying the rest of the dishes on the menu and would recommend any food lovers to check it out... but remember... you must go early coz the place fills up QUICK! ;) …Read More

Last night, Moo surprised me with a new restaurant. Apparently it was so new that there have not been any reviews on Openrice yet! At first, I was a little bit skeptical but it turned out to be one amazing discovery! :)We read the menu on the wall before walking up to the restaurant. It looked delightful with sections of French, Tuscany and Spanish tapas to select! They even have a small Foie gras section with three dishes listed on the menu.Filled with excitement, we went upstairs and encountered an extremely clean and chic environment. The bartender was making drinks for a French couple and looked super professional. We sat down for a couple of drinks before dinner... and we were so impressed!I started off with the Blackberry &* Lavender martini - DIVINE. * It was well-mixed and sophisticated - I was a bit shocked! The vodka in it was infused with lavender but it was not overpowering at all. Moo had "The Elder" which consisted of cognac, white wine and champagne mixed together - it came in a tall glass and was very refreshing.We decided to have a second round of drinks and the French bartender Benoit (who turned out to be the Operation Manager of Entourage) suggested two Gin based martinis. I told him I wasn't a Gin fan but he said with confidence "Trust me you won't be able to taste it!".. and he was right! Benoit made a grapefruit gin based martini for Moo* and another Gin martini made with a good blend of herbs, lime juice, soda and Gin for me. These were both DELICIOUS! Benoit was trained in London and is now my favourite mixologist in town! * You can tell him what you like and he'll tailor-make amazing drinks for you. His cocktails are sophisticated, easy to drink and extremely tasty. I would totally ditch hotel bars for this Hidden gem.We also tried different Tapas to go with our drinks. Benoit recommended the Spicy chorizo on bread and I picked the Salmon blinis.* Salmon Blinis - I was expecting the blinis to be like mini pancakes with a salmon rose, they came a lot bigger in size but the blinis tasted great! Not dry at all and the portion was very generous.* Spicy Chorizo on Bread - Together with the red onion jam like spread between the chorizo and the thinly sliced bread, this tasted pretty good. The chorizo itself was delicious!Our tapas came with a cute little basket of bread though they were not warm enough. The waiter told us the bread was all Homemade! The basket carried Goat cheese bread &* Baguettes .. these went so well with the butter, I had to stop myself from eating too much and ruining my appetite for what was to come. I must say I really love the beige leather seats that surrounded the Oval bar. We sat on the high tables which were very pleasant too! Was delighted to find the restaurant area as clean and chic as the lounge. It wasn't a huge area but the booths looked very comfortable. A great place for dating or just a friendly gathering. I must add that the bathrooms were very nicely designed and super clean.To start, Moo &* I shared the Verrine of Foie Gras. I figured the foie gras must be good if they had their own special section on the menu.. and it was!! Extremely smooth and delicious, the verrine came with tasty fig jam and thin slices of bread. The foie gras quality was great and not heavy. I usually prefer to have my foie gras with brioche but this dish was Perfect and made me a very Happy Girl! We then tried the Green Pea Soup which was absolutely delicious! Would love to try the Onion soup with Emmental cheese next time* :)The friendly waitress recommended the Lamb and the Veal cheeks for mains. We opted for the Veal Cheeks and we were just so pleased. This dish was as good as the ones in HK's top french restaurants. The veal cheeks were extremely tender and the mash was SO well-made. An extremely refined dish - we savoured every moment. Also loved the veggies in this dish, very fresh and complimented the dish well.Since our dinner was so successful, we decided to test the skills of the pastry chef who recently arrived from France. We ordered the Apple Tart with icecream. You have to wait 15 minutes for this dish but it was very good! Loved the twisted pastry sticks on top. Took one bite of that and knew the tart was going to be good.Benoit also recommended the Mille Feuille which was also freshly made and not on the menu.. this was HEAVENLY! The pastry was SO fresh, I was on Cloud 9 * .Our meal ended with another round of drinks. Benoit made a special Lemon Pie Martini * - we enjoyed watching him making it and torching the brown sugar on top. Almost like what they do with the sugar on a Creme Brulee.After having this amazing dining experience with Super sophisticated cocktails and refined food, I would happily ditch other French restaurants for this little one for a change! Entourage is much cheaper in comparison but for the high quality food they serve, it is really a great deal! If they can keep up with their consistency, I am sure this new restaurant/lounge/club (downstairs) will be the new HOT SPOT in town in no time!…Read More

I have always remembered Lung King Heen* as overpriced and unmemorable when it first opened but I must say yesterday's lunch changed my mind.After hearing lots of good reviews about the now 3 star michelin restaurant, we decided to give it another try.Started off with my favourite Har Gows and Lobster Fu Yung (egg white) dumplings. *I was very pleased to find the shrimp in my har gows steamed to perfection. They were extremely fresh and definitely gives the ones in Fook Lam Moon a run for their money. The Lobster Fu Yung dumplings were soooo delicious! I was impressed with the dumpling skin that faded from green to almost white, in a very appetizing manner. Then came our favourites - the Abalone chicken tarts. The abalone was tender and sliced up into bite sized pieces, I had that first and found a bed of chicken cubes underneath which went super well with the tart ... a definite MUST ORDER!If you're the type of person who has to order Spring rolls for dim sum, the Chicken spring rolls won't disappoint for sure!I was also craving Fried taro balls. Unfortunately this was served as a main dish and not a dim sum dish... so we got 8 pieces between 3 people which was a bit much...However, I was happy to find that they were vegetarian fried taro balls (less filling than the usual) and had a dab of mayonnaise inside. Delicious!The Lotus root & minced pork cakes also came in 8s. I liked how there wasn't too much pork in it, mostly chopped up crunchy lotus root which tasted amazing. The lotus root chips that came with the dish were crispy and NOT greasy at all! I enjoyed eating them together with the minced pork cakes (SEE PIC*: Notice the meticulously cut out lettuce leaves underneath!)We also ordered the Baked conch with portuguese sauce. This was good but I've had better. It was quite filling so I wish we ordered 1 to share instead of 3! Next time I will opt for the baked crab shell instead.By the end of this meal, we were too full to order any rice, noodle or veggie dishes which was a pity as I saw lots of signature ones on their menu. I look forward to trying more main courses and dessert the next time we visit! :)Overall, Lung King Heen does live up to it's reputation and is a great place to impress your guests. One could tell the chefs put a lot of thought in their dishes. Their high quality and visually stunning dishes are definite crowd pleasers. I also really appreciate the service where servers frequently change your plate (Feel kind of bad for the dish washers though!)I must add that the Best thing about our seemingly fatty meal was after a few hours we were feeling hungry again! Thumbs up to Lung King Heen*!! …Read More

Some may find my title a little exaggerated but this was really how I felt the first time I tried Sushi Sase! *I have been to Sushi Sase several times now, for both lunch and dinners. I usually book to have Chef Sase to prepare the meal but if he is not available, I find that Chef Jason does a really good job too! My most memorable experience would still be my first visit to Sushi Sase.Yes, it is extremely expensive but Sushi Sase's decor is exactly what a sushi restaurant should be like. A nice clean space with a very welcoming counter, a few tables on the side and a very clean bathroom with a high-tech japanese toilet - definitely a plus if you are a clean freak! The service in Sushi Sase is great and staff are very courteous. I like the omakase course with hot dishes for some variety.The first time I went I had .. .* Amuse Bouche - Visually appealing snow crab jelly* Hokkaido Uni with sea salt - a bit of sea salt complimented the sweetness of the uni very well!* Grilled Kinki ... DELICIOUS!! Their Kinki fish are all caught by hand line fishing unlike other Japanese restaurants.* Sauteed abalone - Super tasty!* Saba sashimi - something I normally don't eat but this was definitely the freshest I've had in HK. I actually liked it.* Snow crab chawamushi - even this was exceptional!* Mushroom tempura - Batter was perfect not too thick not too soggy.* Japanese salmon sushi - this was one of my favourites! The salmon was blanched in hot water then marinated in soy sauce for 12 hours .. amazing ♥* Chu-toro sushi - very fresh.* Eel sushi - probably the BEST eel sushi I've ever had in HK (Note: The eel sushi they serve at dinner is much better than what they serve at lunch)Our meal ended with a bowl of miso soup with kinki head.. super delicious. Sushi Sase also does AMAZING puddings!! We had both the matcha pudding and caramel pudding for dessert. So SOOOOO GOOD!We really enjoyed our dinner and felt like we were back in Tokyo for a few hours. That, in my opinion, is a restaurant worth going back for!I must add that I had the Freshest shrimp sashimi EVER at Sushi Sase. I don't usually like raw shrimp but these were huge and extremely fresh.. with their heads chopped off seconds after they were whipped out of a large bowl of water (where they were swimming in). Kind of mean but oh-SO-fresh *!!A note for those who cannot get reservations for dinner, you can also order the dinner menu if you go at lunch.Overall, I would say that though Sushi Sase is definitely more on the expensive side, for authentic sushi it is still worth a try. Remember to book Chef Sase or Chef Jason! Both extremely gentle and friendly chefs.…Read More

Fusion Sushi Lovers * - especially those who have been to Sushi of Gari in New York, would be delighted to find this hidden gem on Stanley street's modern white building across from Holly Brown.I have been to their soft opening and was very happy to see such a new concept come to town! The name "Gyotaku" is derived from the traditional form of Japanese fish printing. The process is extremely delicate and artistic... just like the food served - hence the name! Tonight, I revisited Gyotaku for dinner and was extremely pleased with creative and high quality food.We started off with the *Tempura shrimp and radish salad* - the shrimps were fresh and batter wasn't too thick! A great appetizer to kick start the meal.We ordered several types of fusion sushi, my favourite being the Tuna quail egg sushi, the Fois gras sushi with blueberry sauce and the Scallop sushi with basil parma ham and fresh cherry tomatoes . If you like meat, I'd recommend the Duck breast sushi or Wagyu beef sushi which I thought was a nice change from the usual seafood sushi.I had the Fois gras Chawamushi and it came with a layer of mushroom soup - what a great concept! Will try the Crab bisque Chawamushi next time, heard it was very popular too! Then on to the Star of the night! Gyotaku's Japanese wagyu (Saga beef) & Fois gras fried rice bowl with poached egg! Extreme goodies mixed in one bowl, this heavenly combination is NOT on the menu. You can ask for it when you get there and if you're lucky... you'll get to try it If you're a Wagyu beef lover, I would recommend the Saga Beef steak instead of the rice bowl as you get more of the Saga beef flavour. Am recently a big fan of Japanese grilled cod fish and heard that Gyotaku's was amazing. This dish definitely lived up to it's reputation and is also available for lunch. Much better than most of the Japanese cod fish dishes I've had in HK.Our meal ended with the famous Sesame pudding * .. I must say I loved it even though I wasn't a sesame fan. You can have the sauce on the side if you don't want the sesame taste to be too strong.. but overall it was a relatively light dessert with great flavours.Am looking forward to trying Gyotaku's lunch dishes as I heard their Japanese beef curry was made from scratch - Yes.. meaning fresh fruit and NOT from curry cubes! AMAZING! Can't wait to try visit Gyotaku again * :)Mixed in a few pictures from the Soft opening and some from tonight's dinner:…Read More

So we decided to try Butao one more time as our taste buds were probably blurred by the glasses of white wine we drank while waiting in line for our Butao Ramen..2nd time experience *QUEUE - we arrived before 6pm and there was already a long line in front of us. While queuing up I was extremely disturbed by the smell of the street.. which smelt like RUBBISH (literally). This made queuing up extremely unpleasant and people should be prepared to enter stink-ville for a good 30 mins - 1hr for their now super famous butao ramen.RAMEN - Genki King was sadly not available so we ordered the usual pork bone soup ramen. Was glad to find that it was still very delicious.SADLY .. as quite a few readers have commented, Butao ramen is filled with a good amount of MSG ... something I realised after not being able to sleep the night after i wrote my first review on Butao ..Would recommend people to tick the less strong "special miso base" on the ingredients check list... and maybe wash down your ramen with some COKE - really helps me feel better after an MSG overdose.Am not sure when I'll get to try Butao again now that they CLOSE after selling 200 bowls of ramen..…Read More

Been quite obsessed with Ramen lately and happened to stumble across this hole in the wall in LKF. With the amazing smell of ramen flowing out on to the streets, it was not surprising that a long queue formed so quickly outside. Don't be put off though! The wait should only take around 15-20 mins. Butao only serves ramen so most people usually bounce right after they have satisfied their cravings. Am very Happy to say this hidden gem will save you a 2hr flight to Fukuoka!!While waiting, the friendly staff offered us menus and checklists as to what ingredients we wanted in our ramen. We were seated shortly after. Unfortunately we didn't get to sit at the counter (with 4 seats). It was fun sharing tables though.. especially with the anticipation of what was to come.DN &* I ordered the Original pork bone soup base ramen while Moo ordered the Limited edition CURRY soup base ramen (He was lucky, not on the menu yet there were only 2 left and it was not even 7pm!) My personal favourite is the curry soup base ramen * .. it was super tasty and the curry flavour wasn't overwhelming at all. It complimented all the other ingredients very well :)We were equally happy with the original flavoured ramen. Both very good choices of the night!** Butao also serves a spicy soup version of ramen, a soy sauce version and a more fusion version consisting of basil and parmesan.WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!The soup was very refined and more superior than any other ramen places I've tried in Hong Kong. We were happy to find our ramen cooked just right (we ticked "hard" for ramen texture on our charts").. almost al dente! Must add that the soft hard boiled egg was absolutely DIVINE *Overall, I can't say the ramen was cheap but must say it was VERY worth it! Really looking forward to trying all the other flavours next time * ~ ** Please note that Butao closes for a few hours after lunch and re-opens at dinner time. Best to call and check before! …Read More

I've been to The Drawing Room twice and enjoyed both experiences immensely. A friend was raving on about TDR's white truffle dishes so decided to go try them one night. As expected, the food did not disappoint! :)Upon arrival, Moo & I noticed how packed the restaurant was! Luckily there was a cancellation earlier, so we were able to sit on a nice table for 3.With our friend there, we were able to replace items on the 4 course menu ($660 hkd plus 10% service) from the 5 course menu ($830 plus service)... what joy!! Three white truffle dishes were available: Yellow egg ravioli with white truffles / Homemade tagliolini with white truffles / Risotto with white truffles --- TDR uses white truffles from Alba - the best of the best!I had my eyes on the ravioli so couldn't wait to try it *To calm our excitement, our friend recommended TDR's bellinis ($80 hkd). To my surprise, they tasted EXACTLY like Cipriani's famous bellinis! Even the colour was the same.. to a point where I thought they used Cipriani's bellini mix. Turns out DTR's source puree fresh peaches, freeze them so they turn into a sorbet and mix it with champagne. LOVED IT.. I have FINALLY found a Bellini in HK that could give those at Cipriani a run for their money.When the bread basket arrived, I was delighted to see a wide variety of bread in one basket. I've always remembered TDR's bread being fresh and warm, going perfectly well with the olive oil they served. I asked for some butter as well and was happy to savour the extremely creamy block of goodness at its finest. A must order for Bread & Butter lovers!The amuse bouche of the day was a small cup of tomato soup, the semi-sour taste of the tomatoes was the perfect touch to kick start our appetite.First coursean Fried Quail and Fois Gras with Grapes and Hazelnut (Mine)ne of TDR's signature dishes, the quail was cooked to perfection - Tender and juicy. The fois gras was seared perfectly. I'd recommend you to have a bite of the quail with the fois gras AND the grapes! Seriously heavenly.Tuna Belly Tartare with Slow cooked Egg, Sea Urchin and Cardoon (a type of vegetable) (Moo's):Toro lovers would be happy to see this on the menu! Best to mix all components on the dish together and eat in one go.Second course: Burrata Cheese Ravioli with Duck Ragout and Chanterelle Mushrooms (Mine):Six raviolis arrived on a long plate, covered in ragout and mushrooms. My friend advised me to eat them at once as the burrata continued to melt inside the ravioli. The cheese was very tasty. However, I try to avoid garlic when I'm dining out so I did not care for the chopped up raw garlic too much as it was sprinkled all over the ragout and mushrooms.Yellow Egg Ravioli with White Truffles (Moo's):The waiter took a whole tray of white truffles out so you could just smell the fantastic aroma. He then shaved a very generous amount of white truffles on to the ravioli. Very satisfying * (You can replace the courses on the menu with a truffle dish, just need to pay extra)Third course:Trio of Wagyu Short Rib, Wagyu Beef Tenderloin and Ox Tongue with Whipped potatoes and Red Wine Sauce (mine): I had to order my all time favourite. The beef and mash went well with our red wine, along with super fresh french beans and a baby carrot. Delicious!Roasted Iberian Suckling Pig with Apple Chutney and Romanesco (Moo's):LOVED the presentation. A very warm and appetizing dish, great for Suckling pig lovers but if you prefer lighter dishes I would go for the seafood options.Forth courseear Tart with Vanilla Icecream (Mine):I always thought TDR's desserts were exceptional and this pear tart is, in my opinion, probably one of the best in HK. If you like Sevva's pear tart, you would definitely LOVE this one. I would happily munch on its pastry on its own.Pan Fried Brioche with Goat Cheese Icecream (Moo's):For brioche lovers, this was a dish one could not miss. The brioche was delicious and not soggy at all. The icecream complimented it very well. *Do not be intimidated by the flavour of the icecream. My friend described it to taste like the Chinese white rabbit brand milk candy... and it was exactly like that! Amazing.Our long and enjoyable meal ended with two glasses of Homemade lemoncello. Quite strong with an alcohol percentage of 36-38%(?). Great for digestion though! A generous amount of petite fours was also served. This consisted of chocolates, homemade marshmellows, lovely mini macaroons and madeleines in both original and chocolate flavours. For the quality of food they serve, I think TDR is definitely good value. I was very impressed that all dishes were served in hot plates (except for the dessert courses of course). The service is excellent and the cozy, romantic ambience makes it a great place for special occasions * :)…Read More