岩崎's Profile

店開沒久就到達, 大概十一時四十五分左右吧, 店旁只有一家旅客在用膳. 斜坡上的椅子如 michael jackson MV 般陡峭. 地方有點殘舊但尚算衛生, 地面沒有過多水漬. 牛沙瓜沒有異味, 油香滿溢. 葱花是必備的點綴. 湯底不過鹹, 但跟大埔群記的略遜一籌. 上菜時一句慢慢食, 付款時一聲多謝, 很市井, 但有人情味. 名店不用開片， 不須趕客, 有麝自然香.…Read More

Little Bao is taking the world by storm as of late, especially with the chef, May Chow, being awarded Asia's Female Chef of 2017.  A seat is hard to come by, even on weekday evenings. I was told by the friendly staff at the door that a 45 minute wait was in store for me, so I was pleasantly surprised when after 15 minutes and a few unanswered phonecalls to prospective customers, I was ushered in.Fine dining restaurant it is not. Expect diners bumping your shoulders and waiters brushing your back as they squeeze past. However I never felt claustrophobic. A spotless environment together with warm attitudes of the servers elicited the vibe of a mix between a gastropub and a cha chaan teng. The menu is short but comprehensive, and easy to understand.  There are three Baos, probably inspired by the traditional Chinese 刈包, which are essentially burgers. There is  one vegetarian option.  On the left of the menu are 'Sharing plates', including salads, meats and other side orders. I went alone but ordered one sharing plate, Sesame Caesar (HKD78), and a Szechuan Fried Chicken Bao (HKD88). I also asked for a Chrysanthemum lemonade (HKD58), whichturned out to be a bad decision.There were some positives. The lemonade was adequately fizzy with just the right amount of sweetening. However, chrysanthemum, being a delicate taste, was totally drowned by the barrage of other flavours. Alas, it did the job of refreshing one from the strenuous hike up from Central, and I was ready to dig into the Caesar that was to come.It was quite a large portion by Central standards. It was to be eaten with chopsticks. Green lettuce leaves were tossed with Japanese style sesame sauce, topped up by probably fried onions. That was all, I thought, until I took the first bite. A familiar flavour greeted me...FRIED DACE?! One of the staples of canned food, almost as popular as luncheon meat in Hong Kong, made it into the offerings of a chic eatery! I let out a big smile. For those who don't know, fried dace is a served in oval cans. It is oily, chewy and served with a ton of black beans. Other than being eaten alone, it is often used as a condiment, especially when cooking vegetables. Little Bao basically juxtaposed a Hong Kong trademark onto modern dining. I marvelled at their creativity. Tastewise, it was quite nice and the ingredients blended quite well. The lettuce was chopped into perfect sizes to fit into one bite. However, towards the end I felt that the fried dace was a bit too heavy, and the mildly acidic sesame sauce could not balance it out. I would suggest using a little less of this beloved snack.My Bao arrived just as I was finishing off the last morsels of the salad.The bun was white in colour. It was soft. It was, for lack of a better word, absorbent, which was a big plus as the sauce was literally oozing out. It was basically a Taiwanese 刈包. I dove in head first (my parents gifted me with a big mouth so I could sample everything in a gobble). I was pleasantly surprised, again.There were pickles, mayo, sauce and chcken. The mayo was mayo. The sauce was probably a mix of black vinegar and barbecue sauce. The pickles were the kind of appetizer you would find in a Chinese restaurant serving Shanghainese or Northen cuisine, not the ones sold in a jar. It was crunchy and tangy, which wonderfully complemented the chicken, which was fantastic.It was fried crisp, much better than the faux Korean eateries popping up like mushrooms lately. The flesh, a chicken thigh probably,  was tender and succulent. More importantly, there was the precious yellow fat 黃油 attached to it. Scrumptuous.Little Bao describes their menu as 'spanning Asian influences'.  That is an understatement. It is Chinese cuisine from top to bottom, served to you by a waiter who speaks English. I like it. To serve excellent quality food in a modern environment is the best way to pay respect to ones roots. People complain about portions, but I had a filling meal for just under 250hkd, which is, by Soho standards, normal. Just don't order the lemonade.…Read More

Birthdays are always the best excuse to indulge in great food. This time, we wanted to give a posh Chinese restaurant a go. I was tasked with finding one, and I set my sights on Mott 32.Mott Street was the location on which New York's Chinatown was built upon, and the historical 32 Mott Street was the epicentre of all early Chinese activity, serving as a universal postbox, grocery store and herbalist. (Unfortunately the old store was closed down after 9/11 and turned into a tacky souvenir shop, but I digress). This rendition, however, is set in a much more upscale environment, in the basement of Standard Chartered building, right where millions are made and lost in the blink of an eye. The decor is decidedly modern and high-class, with reflective mirrors guiding your descent into a dining hall that is spacious and chic. Elements of old New York and Chineseness are incorporated in the form of wooden ornaments and leather seats. Nothing too pretentious, but definitely very charismatic.We were sat at a table not far from the semi-open kitchen, where we saw chefs preparing food. In addition, we could see the glass-windowed refrigerators, inside which held a healthy stock of the bird Mott 32 is famous for - Peking Duck.When I made a reservation, I noticed that this restaurant was run by Maximal Concepts (I found out when they recalled my phone number from a previous booking at Fish And Meat). One thing I like about their restaurants is that they are careful about sourcing ingredients, bringing the best farm to table experience for us to enjoy. This meant that we were offered a menu filled with seasonal goodies, which at the time of dining was an assortment of fungi dishes from Yunnan. Of course, their signature dishes were always on offer.Diners usually start with a cocktail here.... but we don't drink. So we drank tea, which was... ordinary.We started with Char Siu.Usually I am sceptical when restaurants boldly state 'Iberico Pork' on the menu, especially when this is a Chinese dish. However, this Char Siu definitely qualified as traditional Cantonese. Lean pork was interlaced with flavourful fat, giving the perfect texture. The honey was not overdone, as is the case with many others. There was just a minimal amount of charred edges to give the barbecue feel. I am a self professed connoisseur of Char Siu, and this ticked all my boxes.We were then served soup.Summertime is the season for winter melon (ironic, isn't it). Pureed melon was mixed with shreds of crab meat, conpoy (dried scallops) and Chinese onions. It was good. There was nothing that stood out, but every morsel was refined, resulting a refreshing appetizer.As we were finishing the last bits of pork, we heard a cart roll up. It was our Roasted Peking Duck!It was definitely a treat watching a steaming roasted duck being prepared by a skilful member of staff before our eyes. He went on to meticulously explain how each part of the bird should be served to maximize the dining experience. For example, the skin on the duck's back was served alone for us to sample the crunchy flavourfulness. The meat and skin of the leg, however, was served together, to be put inside a Chinese pancake and eaten the traditional way.There were even different condiments for each serving. The skin was served with brown sugar that miraculously balanced out all the oil (balance and refinement were the theme of the evening). The meat was served with garlic puree, and the duck leg was served with hoisin sauce. I think it was the best way to prepare a duck in so many ways. Our table consisted of youngsters who wanted good food with a twist, but serving it the traditional way as well meant even people who wanted an old-fashioned hearty meal could get in on the action as well.The Boletus mushrooms were a recommendation by the waiter. I could see why as soon as it arrived. It was pan fried with soy sauce, and served on a bed of fried enokitake mushrooms. The thick cut of the mushrooms meant that the bite was immensely satisfying. We all agreed that it would be wonderful with rice. As if on cue....Fried rice can arguably be found anywhere. But this was not an ordinary run of the mill dish. Never mind the fact that there was again crab, conpoy and also fish roe on top. The rice itself was quite simply al dente. Each grain was separate from each other, never becoming mushy.By now we were getting quite stuffed. We were quite concerned about not being able to finish the final dish when it arrived. Our doubts were soon proved to be unfounded as it was irresistible.Mushrooms galore! This time, however, the Matsutake mushrooms would be playing second fiddle to the abalone and chicken served in a sizzing pot. One had to grumble about the fact that there were only four abalones for a table of five, but we could never fault the quality of the dish itself. The abalone was succulent and not overly chewy, and the chicken was tender yet flavourful. A mix of ginger, garlic and spring onions ensured that every bit of food inside the pot was cleared.We were too full for dessert!When I reached for the bill, I was kind of prepared for a bombshell as I did not really pay attention to the price tag as I ordered. However, I was shocked to find that for five bloated stomachs, we were set back by less than 600 hkd a person! I have to say, Mott 32 definitely elevates the reputation of Chinese cuisine, serving solid unpretentious good food in an upscale setting. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to try interesting dishes that pay homage to their traditional roots, without breaking the bank excessively. I personally would be back, maybe to try their dim sums.…Read More

'Continuity and change.' This was the motto of my history teacher. (It was also the only phrase I remember from her lessons...) After decades of serving high quality beef to lucky diners in Wan Chai, the old Louis' Steak House closed its doors early this year. Indeed I had wept inside, but my imaginary tears were soon dried upon knowing that a new restaurant by the same family.We arrived at 7pm with a reservation for four. (By 7.30pm all the tables were taken on a Sunday evening, in a deserted office building. Talk about fame..) We were led by a friendly waitress to our seat.My favourite part about the decor of the old Louis' was the red checkered tablecloth. This was gone. However, checkers were incorporated into the design of the restaurant elsewhere, including the floor and tablemats in black and white. Less warm and cosy, more stylish and chic.We were recommended the 4-course set dinner for four. There were small and large steak portions on offer, depending on your stomach size and greediness. Being sensible people on a diet, we opted for the smaller choice, with 1kg of baby Tomahawk shared.First came the Tua Tua. There were three for each person. It wasn't the freshest shellfish I had tasted, but it was still tender and succulent. The white wine sauce was well seasoned with celery and tomato, a little bit too salty but I don't think they expected us to finish all of it (which we did).The mushroom soup was very well done.Little mushroom pieces added to the texture of the cream soup. Basil was present, as was the faint note of red wine. (?!) Interesting and filling.The garlic bread was served freshly toasted. Some places serve bread that is toasted till the whole slice is crunchy. This one however, was crispy on the outside with the soft bit preserved inside. We wanted more but then we remembered the steak to follow...The steak! In all its glory! We gasped in collective exclamation as this was served to our table. Mr. Tomahawk is definitely no 'Soy sauce Western' resturant, and the steak was not marinated or processed with soda. Nothing but evenly sprinkled sea salt to bring out the wonderful flavours.We asked for it to be cooked to medium, and it was precisely executed. The outer surface was lightly charred, rendering the fat very well. The inside was tender and juicy but without excessive overflow of bloody juices that would freak my mum out. It was served with baked potato and greens. Choices of English mustard, mustard seed and bearnaise sauce were added to the side.In the end we skinned the bone as well.We were given a choice of custard pudding or tiramisu for dessert. We went crazy and upgraded one of the desserts to a slice of apple pie with ice cream for 50hkd extra.The custard was, well, ordinary. I liked the caramel sauce though.The apple pie, however, was nice. Light notes of cinnamon enhanced the flavour of the stewed apple. The crust was warm and crispy, not at all soggy. Much better than the so-called famous apple pie that people flock to Tai Po for...Many fine steakhouses exist in the major hotels of Hong Kong. However, Mr. Tomahawk serves high quality fare in a relaxed environment with excellent views of the harbour. It was a very enjoyable meal that was worth every penny. Certainly lives up to the name of its predecessor! Probably they could take their game to further heights if they enhanced their wine list. In any case I will definitely be making a return, sooner rather than later.For a even more wallet-friendly experience, they serve set lunches for less than 200hkd!…Read More

There is nothing more soothing than a great meal at the end of a long week. For some reasons my Saturday was spent slaving away at work, so I was positively exhausted when the my companion and I arrived at Nobu. I almost fell asleep on the the couches in the lobby! Anyway, I digress..I love eating at the Intercontinental! The fare is usually unpretentious, nourishing and always delicious. Lately they started promoting themselves as the premier Sunday dining destination, with each restaurant serving a scrumptious special menu. The Nobu one in particular gives us a glimpse of the quality it is capable of. The Sunday Set lunch, which is a four-course matter, sets you back 548hkd each.The good thing about eating with a companion is that you can try more variety. Being greedy Hong Kongers, we opted to try ALL the appetizers in store.The waiter was kind enough to recommend the order of tasting, so that we could sample the more lightly flavoured dishes first. Our favourites were the Sweet Shrimp Tartar with Caviar on top, which was fresh, sweet and delightfully chewy. The Crispy Rice with Yellowtail was also well executed. I wasn't as impressed with the Short Rib Tacos, however. The texture was too brittle for my tastes, and it was served cool. I like my beef warm..On to the main courses..Quite simply, one does NOT dine at Nobu without trying their Black Cod Saikyo Yaki. We soon found out why. Each flake of fish was well seasoned with a thin crust of sweet sauce glazed at the rim, with just the right bite. The skin was crispy. The whole dish was gone in a jiffy.Quite visually stunning, the Lobster tempura was. Unfortunately the lobster shell was empty. (We knew it would be, but we were hoping for a miracle...) The flesh, of course, was delicately fried in a thin batter and served with vegetables. It was all fine, but I was most impressed with the fried broccoli. Ask any Western child and he/she would say broccoli is the grossest thing on earth (Reference: Pixar's Inside Out). This specimen, however, was crunchy and sweet. I never thought broccoli could be done this way and this well. We also loved the sauce, which was a tad acidic to keep the oils from inundating your tastebuds.Then came the carbohydrates. By now we were positively feeling our bellies bulge. The arrival of the Rice with Eel, however, changed the tone dramatically.The eel itself was normal and well seasoned. The rice was excellent. Every grain was covered in sweet soy sauce. There were small tidbits of duck foie gras in it. The stone pot was still hot, so when we got to the bottom some crispy rice had formed, very much like what happens to a Cantonese 煲仔飯 (Clay Pot Rice).The sushi was alright. Nothing to write home (or post to Openrice) about.Ah yes, desserts. I ordered the Suntory Whisky Iced Cappuccino. I love whisky, the name meant I could not miss it.Looks totally unassuming, doesn't it? Well if you go through the dense foam you will reach a layer of custard, and underneath that you get a lot of crunchy chocolatey goodies. All with the faint backdrop of whisky. Not bad at all.This was the most peculiar banana split I had ever tasted. It was nice, but to this day I have no idea what those shreds were. Could someone kindly give me an answer in the comments below.So, was this worth the money? I would say yes, especially with a credit card discount. To dine with the Victoria Harbour in full view, complemented by attentive service and a relaxed atmosphere, I would probably come back again for dinner. But not before I have tried Spoon...…Read More

Was introduced by girlfriend to this place, and went there together.It was crowded but the staff were attentive.Ordered a 海鹽紫薯雪糕 on cone for HKD32. Unfortunately the machine gave us a cone that only had 海鹽. The staff saw our disappointment and immediately gave us another 紫薯 cone for no extra charge!Regarding the ice cream, the texture of the 紫薯 was very interesting, like eating frozen mashed sweet potato. It blends well with the lighter salt ice cream. The cone was a bit soft but still delicious.Recommend everyone to give it a try!…Read More

香港人最喜歡平靚正, 大件夾抵食, 看到沾仔記的受歡迎程度便略知一二. 這家以前也是 '大大粒雲吞' 的始創者, 但和今天市面上的相比, 也算是貴精不貴多了.午飯時間到達, 門外有人在等位, 但幸好及時有人離座, 可以立即進內. 內裏格局有點舊, 但是乾淨企理. 坐了卡位很闊落, 但看到店子中間坐圓枱的人則有點擠迫的感覺.店內有牛腩, 叉燒, 豬手選擇. 我只點了一味鮮蝦雲吞麵 ($30), 約五分鐘後送上.碗子的確是不大的, 不過在這家店已是預料之內. 對面坐的食客點了豬手麵, 分量好像大一點. 不過, 整體分量應不足以滿足一位男士.麵餅放在頂部, 以免被湯浸稔, 有心思, 是老牌麵店的慣常做法.我喜歡吃麵前先喝口湯. 有大地魚香, 不錯.麵條是有嚼勁的那種, 蛋味一般, 鹼水味低, 整體不過不失.今次的主角藏在碗底. 雲吞其實不小: 當然沒有沾仔記那樣, 但好像較同樣是老店的麥奀記大. 不過論精緻度, 這雲吞的尾部不太美觀, 整個扁扁平平的, 觀感差了一點 (除非閣下喜歡大大粒的快感). 裏面真的吃到原隻的蝦, 鮮味十足. 不過其實我希望雲吞內可加點豬肉會更好.三兩口便把這碗麵幹掉, 雖然店員阿姐們沒有催趕的意欲, 看到門外的人群也就不好意思霸佔坐位, 結賬離去.整體感覺是不錯的. 下次再試試豬手麵如何.…Read More

是日女友抱恙, 和她吃飯要選些清淡點的菜式.八時多到達, 只見人頭湧湧. 幸好有椅子, 坐著等了約二十分鐘可以入座.菜單上有很多小菜和肉類, 還有時價的海鮮. 我們二人點了兩個菜, 蜜糖豬扒和柱貝魚湯雜菜煲. 問了店員, 例湯是粉葛眉豆豬骨湯, 也要了一煲例湯一分鐘後極速以傳統湯煲送上. 打開蓋子一看, 差不多有十碗分量! 熱騰騰的老火湯裏還盛著很多湯料, 如粉葛和眉豆, 而豬骨是還連著很多肉可以吃! 味道方面, 這店真的不切下了味精, 喝下口清甜, 充滿豆香, 就像家中喝的一樣. 不過, 一煲的分量實在太驚人了, 如果是二人吃飯可以散叫兩碗.蜜煻豬扒的賣相十分討好, 每一塊都沾想暗紅的醬汁, 伴以鮮花作點綴. 咬一口豬扒, 發覺肉質鬆化, 但肉味猶在, 沒有過多的化學處理. 豬扒醃得非常入味; 蜜糖香味是有的, 但醬汁並不過甜, 應該是混入了蠔油. 豬扒的最好朋友, 即洋葱, 也十分美味, 送飯一流. 現在的人外出吃飯也注重健康, 通常會點一味蔬菜. 不過, 在外吃菜, 分量通常少得可憐, 結果是心理安慰作用多於實際. 這裏卻完全不是這回事! 煲內有白菜仔, 娃娃菜, 西蘭花, 還有草菇, 粉絲, 面頭還舖著蝦乾, 兩口子每人分到三碗. 味道較淡, 不過沒有把菜煮得過熟, 蝦乾也能配合菜味, 正合心意. 本來是有意試試魚湯的質素, 只是肚子早就給例湯填滿了, 只好放棄.餐廳環坐得頗舒服, 只是排位稍嫌狹窄, 很容易聽到旁邊食客談話. 店員服務尚算周到, 會定期添茶. .吃了近一小時離開, 連兩碗白飯, 埋單才$200元多少許. 兩個人吃到飽一飽, 倒也是化算. 老實說, 這店的菜式不是什麼驚為天人之作, 但吃得出是用心造好每一道菜. 如果家中不想煮飯又想吃到家常便飯的味道, 不妨一試.…Read More

Went to Mongkok on an assignment for twice this week, and remembered that there was a nice coffee shop nearby. Dropped in for tea at around 4pm and saw what it was all about.The shop had a dark brown wooden exterior, much like a shop you would expect in a place like Stanley, but in stark contrast to the HK style cafe and shop selling construction material nearby. This is certainly a sight that can only be found in Hong Kong. The coffee shop itself was very neat and tidy, with chairs and tables seating around 20. There was also a long bar table. Behind the counter was an espresso machine, coffee grinder, and lots of other equipment for making coffee. At the end was were two plates with a glass lid, displaying cakes produced by the on site bakery.Before I even sat down I was handed a glass of water to clear my palate. There was a wide selection of drinks, from lattes, cappucinos to different tea selections. However, I was here for their specialty coffees, which they had in abundance as well, with a wide selection from Asia, the Americas and Africa.I sat down at the bar and asked the barista for a recommendation. At first he suggested I try their newest beans, but I mentioned I wanted something that was less acidic. He decided that a cup of Brazil COE Lot #10 ($65) by hand drip would be the best for my tastes. I also ordered a lemon cake ($20) to go with it.I must say that the preparation of my coffee was very meticulous. Measuring scales and different cups for every occasion were everywhere. Mr. Barista ground the beans and gave them for me to sample. The aroma was very pleasant with a nutty feel to it. Then, he put it on the hand drip funnel, and poured hot water over the grinds. I noticed that he started in the middle and worked his way outwards in a circular fashion. His methods were professional and elegant, and the whole process was very enjoyable to watch. He advised me to wait for it to cool a bit to better appreciate the aspects of the cup.The staff kind of forgot about my cake, but it was immediately given to me together with a ton of apologies when I mentioned it. No complaints here.I am not a very good taster of coffee, but I did know that I felt very happy sampling the cup. It had a full body with low bitterness and acidity, a very relaxing drink. However the barista did mention that due to its lack of acidity, it was less 'interesting' than other beans. I will try his recommendations next time, I guess.The cake was also surprisingly good. It was served at room temperature. The crust was crunchy with a soury lemon note. The cake itself was soft and granular at the same time, a bit like the texture of a coconut tart (椰撻). Apart from the lemon taste, which was very pleasantly pronounced, it had a strong taste of egg as well. You could even see the lemon zest in the cake.A new found gem and great place to catch a breath away from the hustle and bustle of the city! Definitely will be back.P.S. This place also offers coffee classes. Will check them out when I have time.…Read More

薄扶林的大學, 從來未嘗以食物聞名. 雖然新校舍建成後多了些選擇 (一念素食的確給人煥然一新的感覺), 不過有空還是到附近的西營盤覓食較好. 位於水街巴依餐廳早為人稱頌, 其新疆風味繪炙人口, 也許也間接令大家較易接受其他菜式. 這家主打湘菜的餐廳在大道西和水街的交界, 毫不起眼, 很容易錯過. 但行過時看到招牌上的午市套餐, 菜式特別. 想想這幾天吃燒味飯吃得有點厭倦, 加上價格合理, 便二話不說一支公走了進去. 店內報置其實十分華麗, 像國內較高級的餐館. 店門旁的圓枱坐著說國語的人. 心想: 內地人都光顧這店, 質素應該是不俗吧!午市套餐主打是木筒飯, 港大學生是有優惠價 (減$3)的. 看到它有孜然的菜式, 回想起去年在台灣街頭吃羊肉串吃得津津有味, 便點了一個孜然牛肉木桶飯, 加上'靚湯'.一大壺熱茶先遞上 (忘了拍照), 較一般茶記濃, 想著這裡不收茶芥便變貨了. 例湯接著來. 一個盅內, 有豬骨, 還有應該是合掌瓜. 喝下去帶點清甜, 最緊要是不覺口喝, 有點家常的感覺. 主角五分鐘後出場. 嘩! 足足有五個飯碗的份量! 見到飯面鋪著牛肉, 葱, 辣椒, 迎臉是陣陣孜然香味.我急不及待將飯伴勻, 試了一口. 牛肉沒有被處理到變成豆腐狀, 孜然, 辣椒和葱的配搭其實十分完美, 但牛肉味略嫌被強烈的香料蓋過了. 其實配菜是有點油膩的, 不過配白飯一起吃是還可以. 吃到一半, 發現口內有把火在燃燒, 須不停喝茶中和. 不吃辣的人要記住把辣椒拿去才伴吃! 吃罷走到櫃枱結賬, 捧著肚皮滿足離開. 有機會找個晚上再回來試下小菜的功架!…Read More

Have thought of myself as a coffee drinker for a long time. After all, I've always enjoyed a Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks since Form 3. Like many other people, I thought Starbucks was a 'serious' coffee joint. Only gradually did I discover that apart from giving the jitters, all they had to offer was an intensely bitter taste due to over-roasted low quality beans.I discovered Barista Jam in the summer of 2011. Based on good reviews, I barged in one afternoon and ordered an iced latte. I still remember the enlightenment the instant the coffee reached my tongue. '!!!!!!' I had never thought coffee had such an intense aroma, and that it could smoothly blend in blissfully with the full cream milk! After this experience I was determined to develop my coffee drinking habit into the pursuit of the finer cups offered in Hong Kong. A few months later I also acquired a French Press and a manual Hario grinder and started discovering the world of gourmet coffee.As luck would have it, this joint recently opened near my home. I was determined to give a try. The enironment was very bright, with a long table for customers to spend a nice time chatting with friends. Alternatively you could sit at the bar and watch the baristas do their magic.I sat down and ordered an espresso. I always think an espresso is the best display of a coffee shop's style. I waited for almost 5 minutes, watching the barista meticulously going through every step, from grinding to extraction. This is in contrast to the one minute fast food coffee served in the major coffee chains around Hong Kong.I always have had difficulty getting the different notes from an espresso. Perhaps they are too intense. I can only describe the other aspects. This drink had a medium body, with a pronounced, sharp acidity. The notes were generally fruity, maybe a bit floral as well. I asked the barista what blend it was, and he said it contained Sidamo. I admit it took me a while to overcome the new-found 'sourness', but in the world of coffee, acidity is not considered a negative feature but instead something that adds extra dimensions to a drink.The shop also offers a wide selection of Specialty coffee beans from all around the world. The baristas used plenty of time in going through their selection, You could tell them your preferences and they would give suggestions to which one you should try. In fact, they had a chart that summarized all the different characteristics of each bean! I bought a 250g bag of Costa Rica Herbazu Honey coffee beans. The bag had a very refreshing design with its casual font and white foil. It came with a slider that helped seal out the moisture (I re-used this to store my loose leaf teas after finishing the coffee!)Using a French press, this was really different from the other coffees I had had in the past, such as Mendehling or even some Blue Mountain blends. This one was very fruity, with a strong citrus note, with moderate acidity and low bitterness, likely due to its medium roast. According to the internet, this coffee is processed in a different way in that no water is used in the extraction of the beans from the coffee cherry. At a price of $140 I thought it was a great buy.All in all, this joint opened me up to a whole new world of specialty coffees, hence the title of this review. Thank you!…Read More

Came down with a sudden lack of appetite, most likely due to the fact that I had to have lessons on a wonderful Saturday morning. Went down afterwards to the IFC for window shopping therapy, and a cup of coffee as lunch. Well, more like an early afternoon tea.Fuel is located on the 3rd floor. I Ordered a Flat White and a Chocolate Cake, then sat down at their tables. Like the other shops in this extravagant mall, this meal did not come cheap. The whole set cost me almost 70 dollars. My dad would scoff at this if I told him I paid this sum for a coffee and a cake. Alas, he is not one to appreciate coffee, and that was precisely what I was here for.The joint actually has a selection of normal and dark roasted blends, suggesting that it definitely takes its coffee seriously. (You can buy beans from them too) Sure enough, before long a dinky little cup in a delightful green appeared before me, served with a smile and filled to the brim with a brown concoction. Even though this wasn't a Latte, the barista still had the good sense to put some patterns on the top! Wonderful. The chocolate cake looked equally delighting. You could see that it was going to be chewy and wasn't going to be dry. The portion was much more generous than the coffee as well.The moment I took a bite, I was blasted with an intense chocolate aroma. My goodness, this was rich! I can only describe the texture as soft, wet and succulent. At the same time, it was not too sweet nor was it bitter, and it went perfectly well with the coffee.Speaking of which, Fuel indeed serves the best coffee in the IFC. I had the regular roast, and it came up with a mild acidity but strong aroma. The milk, blissfully full cream, smoothened the whole experience.A mere 5 minutes and the cake was gone. So were my troubles. My mood was swiftly uplifted and away I went, back to bury myself in study. Fuel is a great place to go if you are in the vicinity, but maybe not worth a deliberate trip. There are in fact many other coffee joints in Central that are decent enough, but I will be back for this one when I come passing by.…Read More

街山過後到了筲箕灣買菜, 路經東大街時突然感到肚子餓, 於是便掃街!這家小食店一點也不低調, 門外人龍排了近十人! 不過店員很有效率, 在排隊時先下訂, 排到後付款即可取食物.我喜歡格仔餅多於雞蛋仔, 叫了一底, 什麼配料也要! (註: 行山燃燒卡路里行動付諸東流)下單後不消五分鐘, 熱騰騰的格仔餅便送上了! 店員很細心問需不需要切開兩份, 像我這類美食焚化爐一整塊拿着咬才夠過癮!格仔餅很厚很足料, 有大量的花生醬, 糖和煉奶, 還有人造牛油. 不過, 我認為雞蛋仔和格仔餅最重要的, 都是餅底!不知道是不是物價飛漲的緣故, 市面上的雞蛋仔很多只有脆的口感而忽略蛋香. 這家店舖的香味卻從遠處可以聞到, 一咬落格仔餅時更是香氣四溢! 味道又不過甜, 和配料的花生和奶味完美配合, 是吃過最有水準的夾餅之一!十多元的價錢, 比一般夾餅貴了數元. 不過我覺得是完全值得的! 希望水準可以維持下去!…Read More

在尖沙咀處理完些事後, 想起附近好像有間麵家. 心血來潮變往蘭香去.比想像中難找, 其實是近佐敦多於在尖沙咀.入內環境十分乾淨整潔, 有別於一般傳統麵家. 隨了麵以外, 牛腩, 牛柏葉等也可以跟飯.點了牛柏葉貢丸米粉, 另加紫菜. 等了五分鐘左右就送到, 還附上一小碟鼓油.其實自小以為牛柏葉是黃白色的, 皆因在外的酒家都會用上經過漂白的版本. 直到開始跟爸爸到街市買菜, 才恍然大悟.黑色的牛柏葉賣相當然沒有加工過的討好, 但咬落爽脆, 索索有聲. 味道方面, 牛柏葉醺上帶辣味的鼓油, 配上青葱送入口, 簡單享受每樣食材的自然味道, 是在街不常見的風味. 貢丸也是水準之作, 香菇味重, 口感彈牙. 湯底是一般的麵湯, 但喝下沒有口渴的感覺. 米粉沒有煮到過稔. 錢吃了一半, 加了一匙辣椒油, 立時香氣四溢.結賬三十八元. 這家打的不是大件夾抵食的旗號, 但吃過後同樣令人感到滿足.…Read More

與同學唱 K, 完結後心血來潮食甜品.十人行, 等了大概十分鐘便可入座.氣溫下降, 點了熱食的紫米露豆腐花. 不過, 看到鄰座芒果糯米卷好吸引, 忍不住多點了一個.紫米露豆腐花看似沒有太多料, 但吃下發覺米香甚濃, 加上豆腐花口感順滑, 還有一點奶香, 是意想不到的美味. 如果溫度可以再熱一點就更完美.芒果糯米卷分開四份, 端上來時看到肥厚的芒果心便充滿期待. 糯米卷表面鋪上椰絲, 咬下時也挺煙韌. 芒果是新鮮的, 鮮甜多汁. 不過, 以近四十元的價錢, 又好像給不了驚喜.回想起之前曾光顧過現已不再的利舞臺分店, 發現芒果酸酸的, 又不多汁, 感覺一般. 其後吃糖水都主要光顧附近的松記. 看來宵夜下場又有好去處了.…Read More