Vin Monster's Profile

First and foremost, people go out to eat because they want to eat good food, food that cannot be easily prepared at home. Secondly, people want the experience, from enjoying the restaurant to enjoying the service, the interaction and all, the stuffs that make a Michelin star restaurant I suppose. I never did understand this until a recent visit to Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence. This is what I call you pay for it, but you get what you pay for. An important part of the culinary experience is enjoying both the food and the service. It does not matter how hard the wait staff work, if the management is stubborn and inflexible, the entire culinary experience for the customer will still be ruined. The art of the restaurateur is finding the balance of happy customers and big fat profit. In the steakhouse business in HK today, customer satisfaction is paramount. Unhappy guests will just go to the other steakhouse, of which there are many in HK. Service by wait staff - Excellent.Management - Need intensive customer service training. Need to show a lot more flexibility. Need to ask and answer the tough question: "Is it worth giving in to this customer's request?"Wine service - Very good.Wine list - Need improvement to include wider price range and coverage. Seriously, how many people can afford the trophy wines on the list?Bread - Warm and very good.Appetizers - Good size for sharing. I liked the steak tar tar.Steak quality - Not extraordinary. Never know if I am getting Choice or Prime grade meat in HK. There is no Lobel's in Hong Kong unfortunately.Seating - Too tight between tables. Not comfortable. Felt squeezed.Corkage policy - Not the greatest but will be reasonable if more choices available for the 1 for 1 policy.I will not be going back but I hope you will find more happiness in this restaurant.Keep Calm & Carry On!…Read More

After reading all kinds of rather negative review on Openrice, I have to admit I am pleasantly surprised by the warm and friendly service at Bistecca. We have a big party of twelve a Friday night. In terms of the logistics of managing orders and the number of requests we made during the course of dinner, I have to admit the restaurant coped well. I have no complain on service whatsoever!I am a steak lover and I must admit the steak quality here is average only. But I am willing to overlook this as the menu is not unreasonable. Seriously, the cost of a comparable USDA Prime grade steak will cost at least HK$350 to 400 alone. This is simple economics and very understandable. I do have one suggestion and that is for a restaurant which advertised itself as an Italian steakhouse ought to serve genuine Italian beef every once in a while, maybe as a special promotion? I truly would like to see and taste a real Bistecca alla Fiorentina from Chianina cattle in Hong Kong.…Read More

Only one thing to say about the pasta - they are not al dente.I also hope Grissini can bring in genuine beef from Toscana and serve real Bistecca alla Fiorentina, not immitation using US or Australian beef. Chef: Take a look at Buca Lapi and Cosimio de Medici.…Read More

One word sums up this sushi restaurant - Bad! I am never ever going back! I hope you have better luck!If Ginza Sushi Ko Honten is 10/10, Kyubey Honten is 9/10, Hong Kong's Sushi Hiro, Imamura and Kenjo all about 8/10, I will have to say 鮨福助 is 4/10 in terms of food quality and service.We had dinner and I tell you the "so called" omakase is a rip off. Just when did sushi chef print out menus for omakase? Isn't that an oxymoron? The toro is frozen - cheaper than chilled type?. It is also the thinnest slice of toro I have ever seen in a sushi restaurant anywhere, especially considering the price. The sashimi and sushi are just not impressive and out of line with the price this restaurant charges. Sake selection is also very limited. I think I paid for the interior decoration and not the food.The only good thing I can say about this restaurant is the very friendly female manager.…Read More

I was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in the service and more importantly, the food. The menu has been revised and expanded. As for myself, I was particularly impressed by the wine list as it covers a large variety and range of Italian wine. I had the traditional Toscana Vegatable Soup to start, followed by an al dente spaghetti with fresh crab meat and finished with a very juicy and tender bone-in Rib Eye Florentine. Some items may be off menu so make sure you ask. Our waiter was most helpful and we felt very comfortable and enjoyed the dinner tremendously.Wine of the night was a Egly-Ouriet "Les Vignes de Virgny" Premier Cru. 100% Pinot Meunier. Very Unusual indeed!Prego! …Read More

I can see that most reviews for Agehan concern lunches. That is understandable as the restaurant sits in the center of our CBD. Most Central diners will notice how deserted the place is at night, especially on weekends, when most diners move to CWB. Agehan has a long history in Hong Kong as I remember having lunch at both its old location at the basement of the Furama Hotel (now AIA Central) as well as this new location at Exchange Square. No doubt it is well known for its business lunches. Our visit to Agehan last Saturday preceded the movie “Hangover” at IFC. We sat down and ordered sashimi and some sake. We also ordered an extra toro as we have a party of six. I was utterly disappointed at the product. I didn’t think the toro is toro, having experienced real toro at Sushi Hero, Imamura, etc. and considering the price. The assorted sashimi is also very small with two piece each, not enough for everyone to say the least and the quality also very mediocre.We then have the standard set dinner such as tonkatsu and they are as good as they serve them at lunch. The sake selection can be considered non-existent so forget about it!If you want to have sashimi and sushi, go elsewhere. Otherwise, prepare for a sticker shock and a bad hangover the next morning! …Read More

It was my first dinner there and my first impression is that the design is contemporary and comfortable. There is a good vibe about the place. Being a cigar smoker, I was glad to see the large outdoor patio. When the weather turns cooler, it will be an excellent venue to hold a party.The food is basic Italian but I especially liked the pâté, meat ball, lasagna and the pasta which is al dente. Too many HK restaurants serving Italian cuisine have lost their way. I am glad that SML is doing it right with these delicious, hearty dishes! It is important to remember that Italian food are meant to be shared. It is a lot more fun to get a taste of everything!Being the wine monster, I would like to see more Italian wines (from obscure island wine to super Tuscan) on the wine list. I hope the owners will hear my call!If you have a large group, this is the place to go. This is a place where friends can gather to enjoy good food, good wine and have a lot of fun eating and laughing. Couples looking for a romantic dinner should go elsewhere!First they gave us Press Room for casual French, Classified for cheese lovers, then The Pawn for English pub food and now, hearty Italian in the heart of CWB. I will definitely go back! Delizioso! …Read More

For those who live on Hong Kong Island, it is an alternative to The Steak House at the Inter-Continental Hotel in TST. If you don't mind going to Kowloon, The Steak House still serves the best steak in Hong Kong. Dakota Prime is a close second. It is still my hope to see specialist steak house offer a wider variety of beef such as Charolais.1st Course: Oysters2nd Course: Salad3rd Course: USDA Prime New York Strip 18oz Alfred Gratien Cuvée Paradis Brut NV2005 Le Hauts de Pontet CanetThe wine list of this restaurant needs some work. I believe any restaurants that serve oysters should have Chablis on the list. There should also be more reasonably priced wine on the list of between $500 to $1,000. Most people cannot afford to drink Lafite or Mouton Rothschild at every dinner.One final note, the Cuvée Paradis Brut NV is amazing. It is similar in style to Jacquesson and more tasty than Krug's Grand Cuvée.…Read More