Bobqb's Profile

I wish I had taken a picture of the pizza when it arrived, but it looked so delicious and I was so famished that I dove into it without thinking . It truly was a beautiful thing. At Grano, you choose your toppings at the counter and they create your tailor-made pizza right in front of you. Note that cheese (there are 4 kinds you can choose from, I think: mozza, smoked, gorgonzola, parmesan) and tomato sauce (2 types: regular, spicy) count as toppings, so for example, a "3 topping" pizza really means cheese + tomato sauce + 1 real topping.Anyway, I went with the "6 topping" pizza (which equals 4 toppings plus cheese and tomato sauce): mozzarella cheese, spicy tomato sauce, italian sausage, salsiccia (salami), ham and fresh rockets. The toppings appear to be high quality, which I can attest to for the ones I chose. After the pizza was made, it was put into an oven with a belt and rolled through til it was cooked to perfection! Only had to wait 5 minutes maximum.Seating is self-serve, so by the time we sat down and got our silverware, the pizza was freshly delivered to our table (it looked so good with the hearty sprinkling of rockets on top). There is a nice array of side condiments you can add to flavour your pizza: tabasco sauce, chili flakes, olive oil, peppercorn olive oil, etc. I grabbed the peppercorn olive oil (b/c I had never tasted it) and used a bit of it as a dipping sauce for the crust. DELICIOUS! I usually don't eat the crust of pizzas, but on its own, it was so yummy and crisp, so with the added kick of the peppercorn oil, it was like another 'dish' on its own.Back to the pizza...all the flavours worked wonderfully together (salty meats, bitter rockets, spicy tomato, creamy cheese), but what I think truly sets Grano's pizza apart is the crust. It's the perfect thinness and crispiness so that the dough doesn't overpower the toppings. It didn't feel too starchy, but it also was 'bready' enough, if that makes sense. I've been to Motorino and found that sometimes the middle of the crust would be slightly soggy, but there was no such problem here at Grano. Anyway, the whole pizza, from the first bite to the last one of the crust, was delicious.On top of the fresh, deliciously perfect pizza, with the set comes a refillable soft drink. An amazing deal here in HK, where other restaurants will charge you $14 alone for 1 fountain drink.With the pizza, we also got a salad, which was average. The pizza is really the star.The restaurant was very clean and service was prompt and friendly. It wasn't very busy (maybe 1/2 full), though I went later on in the evening (8:30'ish). I hope it becomes successful and stays put b/c it's really an innovative pizza joint with truly very good pizza. Been to many other pizza places and none impressed like Grano (although, I do love a greasy, big Paisano's slice occasionally).Regarding pricing, it's a relatively good deal at $148 for a 6 topping pizza + refillable soft drink due to the quality of everything you're getting. Elsewhere I could easily pay $250 for the pizza and 2 drinks. ( And for those who are interested...3 topping pizza + refillable soft drink = $108).Since it opened, I've already been twice (but just writing about my first visit)...I can't wait to go again soon!!!…Read More

I wish I had taken a picture of the pizza when it arrived, but it looked so delicious and I was so famished that I dove into it without thinking . It truly was a beautiful thing. At Grano, you choose your toppings at the counter and they create your tailor-made pizza right in front of you. Note that cheese (there are 4 kinds you can choose from, I think: mozza, smoked, gorgonzola, parmesan) and tomato sauce (2 types: regular, spicy) count as toppings, so for example, a "3 topping" pizza really means cheese + tomato sauce + 1 real topping. Anyway, I went with the "6 topping" pizza (which equals 4 toppings plus cheese and tomato sauce): mozzarella cheese, spicy tomato sauce, italian sausage, salsiccia (salami), ham and fresh rockets. The toppings appear to be high quality, which I can attest to for the ones I chose. After the pizza was made, it was put into an oven with a belt and rolled through til it was cooked to perfection! Only had to wait 5 minutes maximum. Seating is self-serve, so by the time we sat down and got our silverware, the pizza was freshly delivered to our table (it looked so good with the hearty sprinkling of rockets on top). There is a nice array of side condiments you can add to flavour your pizza: tabasco sauce, chili flakes, olive oil, peppercorn olive oil, etc. I grabbed the peppercorn olive oil (b/c I had never tasted it) and used a bit of it as a dipping sauce for the crust. DELICIOUS! I usually don't eat the crust of pizzas, but on its own, it was so yummy and crisp, so with the added kick of the peppercorn oil, it was like another 'dish' on its own.Back to the pizza...all the flavours worked wonderfully together (salty meats, bitter rockets, spicy tomato, creamy cheese), but what I think truly sets Grano's pizza apart is the crust. It's the perfect thinness and crispiness so that the dough doesn't overpower the toppings. It didn't feel too starchy, but it also was 'bready' enough, if that makes sense. I've been to Motorino and found that sometimes the middle of the crust would be slightly soggy, but there was no such problem here at Grano. Anyway, the whole pizza, from the first bite to the last one of the crust, was delicious.On top of the fresh, deliciously perfect pizza, with the set comes a refillable soft drink. An amazing deal here in HK, where other restaurants will charge you $14 alone for 1 fountain drink. With the pizza, we also got a salad, which was average. The pizza is really the star. The restaurant was very clean and service was prompt and friendly. It wasn't very busy (maybe 1/2 full), though I went later on in the evening (8:30'ish). I hope it becomes successful and stays put b/c it's really an innovative pizza joint with truly very good pizza. Been to many other pizza places and none impressed like Grano (although, I do love a greasy, big Paisano's slice occasionally). Regarding pricing, it's a relatively good deal at $148 for a 6 topping pizza + refillable soft drink due to the quality of everything you're getting. Elsewhere I could easily pay $250 for the pizza and 2 drinks. ( And for those who are interested...3 topping pizza + refillable soft drink = $108).Since it opened, I've already been twice (but just writing about my first visit)...I can't wait to go again soon!!! …Read More

As indicated in my title, the food is OK but the service could be improved. Not that I expect great service at a "char chan teng" type of restaurant, but the waitress who served us was mega-grumpy. And it's not like I (or my mother) were being terrible customers, in fact, I think we were quite nice and understanding.I found a nasty, brown bug floating in my pumpkin soup and when I showed it to the waitress, she scowled: "Oh that's not a cockroach, it's a (in Chinese some other type of insect)"...and then she just took my bowl and disappeared. No "sorry, la" or "Let me get you another bowl". I mean, I don't care what kind of bug it is! It was in my soup and it's still gross!! Eventually she did give me another bowl of soup, but I had no appetite for it anymore and she just sort of plunked it down in front of me in a begrudging way,.Then later on, my mother asked for a cup of hot water (really nicely, might I add) and we were met with a disgruntled look from the same waitress, who seemed really annoyed at the request. "We usually charge for hot water.....but fine, I'll let you have a cup for free." Um, OK? Who charges for a cup of hot water, especially at an unfancy restaurant like this? It's not like it was the busy lunch hour, it was after 2:30 pm and the restaurant had 2 other people in it. I just did not appreciate the rude tone of her voice. If she said what she did without being so rude, I would've been fine. But both me and my mother were surprised at how "mean" the waitress was. To add insult to the injury, some random lady a few tables away also asked for some hot tea and it was given to her by another waitress without hesitation. So hot tea is free but not hot water? Anyway, the food is decent, nothing to complain about...but that one lady really ought to be a bit more pleasant. I don't expect smiles and cheer, but a reasonable demeanor wouldn't kill. Because of her, I won't be going back to Charlie's Place. …Read More

I actually finished the entire burger even though it was really big. The meat was juicy and cooked just right, and even though it didn't come with any sauce (like Triple O's), it was very flavourful. Got the bacon cheeseburger, which I recommend over the cheeseburger b/c for an extra $2 you get the bacon and they give you a good portion of it and it's nicely cooked (not overly fried and not too undercooked where it's soft and rubbery). All the rest of the burger ingredients were fresh (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles). I had the truffle fries (extra $4), as the taste was subtle yet detectable. A delicious spin to normal fries. My husband had opted for the regular fries, but kept eating all of mine Anyway, overall I think this is best burger place in CWB if you're looking for a classic burger. Better than the much-vaunted Burger Room. Plus it's decent value-wise, at around $78 - $82 for a set meal. The restaurant replaced Wildfire in the WTC, so it has a nice view of the harbour. It's quite spacious and has never been full each time I've walked by. So a good fallback on a busy Saturday afternoon if everywhere else is packed. Can't wait to go back! …Read More

This little shop is just downstairs from where I live...so after a long day at work it's nice to just grab a ramen and some skewers.The quality and taste of the ramen has progressed from the first time I ate there. The broth is very tasty, it appears to have been simmering for a long time...it can be quite salty (last night, it was a bit too salty), but overall I really like the taste. The quality is the same as or even better than those 'famous' ramen places that charge you HK$80, although they don't give you an egg. I think you have to add that yourself. Ramen is chewy and I can dump lots of sesame seeds on top. The regular chef that's there, his presentation of the ramen is quite nice...but the younger guy who makes it, he could probably brush up a bit on the ramen presentation (even though the taste is the same - yummy!). Skewers arent' super-cheap, but the portions are sizeable. The ox tongue one is huge (3 big pieces) for just $10! And the pineapple is quite big and fresh, they put sugar on it and it's a nice 'dessert' cap-off to the other savoury foods.The rice with egg and beef/chicken, etc. is freshly made and tasty.I'm not the best food critic, but when hunger strikes and I don't want to venture far, this place is a sure bet. I sometimes see other restaurant operators (by that I mean, the ones running the other food outlets on the same street) eating there at night, so if it's good enough for them, must be alright. A meal shouldn't cost you more than $50-$60. Most rice/ramen bowls are $40.…Read More

Even though we came here because we got a coupon deal, I still don't think the food quality and taste justifies the price for the burgers. And don't even get me started on the mushroom poutine! Many other reviewers gave this dish stellar reviews, but I just don't get it. Ours was super-oily (there was a pool of oil at the bottom), cold and when I asked for some gravy, some grimy dry-ish, lumpy brown sauce was drizzled on top. Didn't add a thing. I think the texture is rubbery and just- no thank you! As for the burgers, they're not bad, but for the price, you can definitely get a better-tasting, seemingly more fresh one at Triple O's or Burger Mix. I just thought the texture wasn't 'beefy' enough and it wasn't bad, but really nothing worth a special trip for. And the fries were like McCain frozen fries, just baked up and served lukewarm. They weren't even hot or crispy or anything. Very disappointed - and also gave a small portion. Maybe it's cuz we used a coupon, but still...Anyway, it was decidedly less-than-average and I don't think I will be back. On a bright note, their tea sets seem reasonable price-wise. So I wouldn't wholly discourage anyone from trying this place out...just don't expect a taste sensation.…Read More

It was quite packed even though we got there after 9pm. I think this is because all the Chinese tourists are still in town. But anyway, food was really surprisingly good. My boyfriend, who is very very picky about his pad thais, was very impressed with their version of pad thai. He said they got the combination of salty, sweet sauces exactly right and he finished it super-quickly. Only disappointment was that the portion was quite small. I had the garlic toast ($15) and minced pork basil leave rice with an extra egg- and that was really, really good. It had just the right kick in spices. We shared a coconut chicken spicy soup and it was honestly one of the best I've tried in HK (and I've tried many). It was very flavourful, and though it appeared a bit watery in the begining (and I was afraid the taste would be diluted), it turned out to be really spicy and sour. It had good portions of chicken meat and full cherry tomatoes....and best of all, there wasn't any annoying lemongrass shreds to fish out. Most of the other soups at other restaurants I've tried leave in all this lemongrass that really gets in the way of drinking the soup cleanly. We had to wait longer than usual (maybe 20 minutes) for our food, but the restaurant was quite busy, so I guess the kitchen was up in a stir.Overall, really impressive and we will definitely go back! Prices are really reasonable, with the noodle/rice dishes not being any more than $35.…Read More

Istanbul is one of my favourite 'comfort foods' restaurants. I ALWAYS order the chicken doner rice, which comes with salad. As long as you go there before 10:00 pm, the freshness of the doner should be fine. I've been around midnight and the meat shaves were getting dry and crusty around the edges. Portions seem to be smaller post-refurbishment, but the amount is always enough for me. I think though, for my boyfriend, he would prefer a bit more meat as he is so quick to gobble everything up and has had to order another supplementary dish to feel full. What I love are the sauces you can drizzle over the dish - mint, regular and hot yogurts. Mixing the drenched-in-sauce meat with the rice is delicious! The salad is light and crisp, the right sourness to go with the meat/rice.Once they used what I swear was Chinese rice, but that was only once. and it was quite late at night, so I guess they ran out of the 'other' type (more grainy, not as soft). The Turkish tea is also quite nice. A bit pricey at $12/cup (it's a small cup), but the flavour is quite soothing and memorable. Depending on how busy the place is, sometimes the servers are attentive and quick, but at others, miserably slow and you have to flag them down and make your requests repeatedly. Despite patchy service, I'd go back in a heartbeat for the chicken doner rice! Yum! …Read More

Got there near closing time, but the staff was really nice and didn't rush us. I had the Dolce Vita bagel (bruschetta, salmon cream cheese spread on an onion bagel) and it was delicious!! The tomatoes were marinated and didn't have a sharp, sour flavour I expected from raw tomatoes...the sweet/sour flavour was a perfect complement to the salmon cream cheese. There were real salmon bits in the spread! Definitely one of the best and most unique bagels I've had in HK! I also had the smoothie, but it wasn't anything special. If anything, I thought there wasn't enough fruit in the mix. But it was still alright, so not really complaining here...One caveat: there isn't really anywhere to sit, it's a tiny place. So unless you're planning on takeaway, probably best not to go with a huge party. …Read More

I was just wandering around Tin Hau and came upon this Taiwanese restaurant. I wanted to try the stewed beef noodle, but since it was past lunch time and only afternoon tea sets were available, the beef noodle wasn't an option. I could've ordered it a la carte I guess, but the tea sets were a much better value, so my wallet won over. Just FYI, the tea sets range from $18 - $26. Anyway, I wasn't disappointed with my choice - I ordered the pork chop with meat sauce rice ($26). It came with a bubble milk tea (you can choose hot or cold). Now it wasn't the prettiest dish, just a deep fried (really battered/crispy - not too oily surprisingly) pork chop cut up into slices and a scoop of rice with a dollop of brown meat sauce on top (and some dribbled on the side), but it all tasted quite good. I think the pork chop could've used a bit more flavoring or spices of some sort, cuz it didn't have a discernable taste, but I was ok cuz the crispiness went well with the strong flavour of the meat sauce and rice. The milk tea, which I had hot, wasn't anything to write home about. It was quite watery and was neither very strongly tea or milk flavoured, but I liked it enough. The sweetness was a nice complement to the savouriness of the food.The service was efficient and attentive. I mean the guy waiter me correct change as I was still pulling money out of my wallet. How he knew I was going to exactly pay $31 (to get $5 change on the $26) I don't know...It wasn't the most fantastic tea time meal of my life, but it was very decent, exceeded my expectations and I'll surely be back to try their beef noodle. At $26, it's really a good deal I think.…Read More

Love the pizza, love the garlic bread, love the salad, and love the wings. Had the two-person combo twice and found all elements delicious and filling! The crust is thin, so don't expect a pan pizza, but it holds the toppings and marinara just perfectly. So good! The ratios of all the topics/cheese/sauce is right, nothing is overpowering. And the garlic bread...oh perfectly toasted and buttered lightly on both sides!! We went past 9:00 pm so there were free tables, but I can imagine around prime dinner time, it'd be packed. Seating isn't particulary comfy - plastic tables and plastic chairs - and situated closely together, but nobody's there for the environment I don't think.Highly recommended! Can't wait to go back, with a big appetite...…Read More

My boyfriend has been on the hunt for the best and most authentic Taiwanese food in HK, so he suggested trying out this random little shop in some backstreet near Quarry Bay station. It was really quiet around 8:30 pm on a weekday night, we were the only table for some time...but I'm glad to report that we werent' disappointed! (and my bf is quite picky about his Taiwanese food) Best Taiwanese beef noodle in HK!! The beef is tender and the broth is dark and very flavourful, not msg. Noodles are the right consistency and it was hearty enough to satisfy me!! And I love my noodles!! My bf got the minced beef rice...was pretty good although it had some green peas/carrot cubes added (didn't seem very genuine Taiwanese).Both the chef and owner are Taiwanese and the chef's specialties are the stir-fried dishes. Service is very friendly. I can't wait to go back and try the sweet vinegar ribs!!! The owner was talking to my bf and said we shoudln't have ordered the typical snack foods (eg. noodles/rice), but should've gone for the dishes b/c that's where the chef's real talent lies. Well, we'll go back! Definitely a little gem tucked away in Quarry Bay, but worth your time if you go there. It's closed on Sundays, just FYI. …Read More

I've only come for lunch, but all three times I've been impressed. Food quality is high and everything tastes delicious! Most recently I had the spaghetti bolognaise with double-baked cheese and it was very, very yummy. Last time I had the tomato/coconut udon with sliced beef. It sounded a bit strange to me, but I like udon, so I ordered it anyway...and wasn't disappointed. Really unique and delicious! Mmmm...I hope they feature that again so I can eat it~Prices aren't bargain-basement, but definitely worth it. Lunch sets just come with a drink, no soup or bread or anything (but that's ok!). I will be back!!! ps. Just note that the restaurant closes at 6:00pm on weekdays (but weekends it's open all day long)…Read More

I wasn't expecting much because the restaurant was empty during peak hours on a Saturday night, but I really was craving a crepe. so I ordered the banana & chocolate crepe ($38)......and it was DELICIOUS! And it wasn't a wimpy, soggy, thin crepe either. It seemed to be two (or more) crepes folded into a triangle, so it was quite thick. There was chocolate syrup, bananas and a dusting of cocoa powder...mmmm...it was so good!!!I will definitely come back for this dessert (and next time, try out their food). All their specials are written on the wall in Chinese.The waitresses are very attentive and nice, and the atmosphere is really cozy with books for reading lined up against the wall. I think the restaurant has some Christian-affiliation as there is at least one bible verse written on the wall and some light Christian music playing. …Read More

I'd read the previous review saying the ugly choco cake was overrated, but I still went against my gut instinct and went to try it out. Big mistake and massive waste of $38. I swear I could've made the same thing from a Betty Crocker supermarket mix, in fact, even better. The cake was dry, the chocolate flavour was lacking and it was a fairly modest size. I was wondering why they called it a "dirty, ugly" chocolate cake, and I think the only reason is because on the plate they smear some frosting to look like a mud stain. I guess the ambience was alright, with hip, chic and quirky-modern furnishings, and the waitresses were quite nice, but I don't think I'll ever go back. It didn't seem to be a particularly popular place either because when I went, it was a nice, Saturday evening around 8:00 pm and it was dead empty. Hm, I have better ways to spend my $38. …Read More