bignoodle's Profile

Diners would be wise to be wary of Mott 32. Its location is prime, and its decor is stunning. The cocktails are great and the BBQ meats are spectaclar, but sadly, this is where the love-fest ends. The meal was largely underwhelming, more or less from start to finish, and we left disappointed. As much as Mott 32 is known for its meats, it is also known for its mixology, and true to form, the cocktails at the start did not disappoint -- at least in the flavor department. The Old Harbor (fashioned) was heady and strong yet subtle and a thing of beauty. The HK Iced Tea was possibly even more interesting, an absolutely smashing combaination of spirits which gave the impression that what you were drinking was not even alcoholic. (Oh, but it was). Unfortunately, the decision to serve the drink in a cheap plastic cup as a kitschy homage to an actual "iced tea" was misinformed, and cheapened the whole thing to the point of being laughable. Maybe it would have been okay at lunch (if anyone were to be as bold as to order one of these at lunch) -- but for prime time dinner service, drinks that you're paying HK$120 and up for, need to be served in proper glass. Misguided attempt at kitsch failed what was otherwise a stellar cockatil. Serve it in a glass guys. We're not in high school.So, onto the food. The clear winner here was the iberico Char Siu -- honestly, they do it about as expertly here as anywhere you're likely to find in the entire country, or for that matter, the continent. Its texture is absolutely sublime. Complete melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Resplendent in color, bursting with flavor, an absolute home run and a flawless expression of what barbecued pork can be. Sadly, that was the only dish which excited us, and the main culprit across the rest of the set was the baffling lack of seasoning. For the starters, the black chicken soup was nearly flavorless and left us with more questions than answers. The cold cucumbers, while certainly not bland, were drowning in sauce. Not usually something I complain about, but this was excessive by most standards. Though it can be forgiven as I'll gladly take too much sauce over not enough any day. So no major worries there.Onto the mains -- The NZ lamb shank, while slow-cooked beatufilly, disappointed deeply due to its inexcusable lack of seasoning. And as for the eggplant w/ pork mince, well, that bad boy got lost in the kitchen and appeared 15 mins after the main, sizzling piping hot and impossible to eat. Shame we were essentially already full and on our last sips of wine by that point. When it finally did cool enough to try, it too was hopelessly bland, to the point that we sent it back (a rare move for us, but in this case it was warranted). The dessert - a green tea chocolate mousse -- despite a presentation which bore greater resemblance to hockey puck than chocolate mousse -- was, to be fair, very well balanced in flavor and overall nicely executed. Decent marks for that one. Overall, Mott 32 was a letdown. If you're planning to go and you're looking to drop coin on Cemtral fine dining, then go for it -- but choose wisely. Definitely rock the cocktails, and have full faith that the bbq meats are going to blow you away. Everything else on the menu, I'm afraid to say, will disappoint you. The flavor simply is not there. At least it wasn't for us.At this location and price point, Mott 32 could have done a whole lot better on the whole.…Read More

The product that the folks at L'Eclair de Genie are turning out is nothing short of spectacular, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better crafted, better tasting eclair in town. Anywhere, really. Hong Kong foodies are a discerning bunch and if you're going to charge $50 for a cream-filled tube of pastry, it had better be something special. L'Eclair de Genie knows it, and have answered the call by raising their game to an art form. You simply cannot go wrong here as every flavor is a winner. The pastry has just the right consistency -- slightly springy with just the faintest hint of savory. Inside, the cream inside is less sweet than what you might traditionally be used to (but this, in my opinion, is a good thing). The toppings only add to the experience, the glazed pecans atop the vanilla eclair, in particular, are excellent. The temperature control of the pastries themselves is perfect (slightly cool but not cold), and lends the overall experience a mouth feel that is almost beyond compare.Go to this place and order yourself an eclair. Any flavor will do. You will walk away happy! (and not too much heavier, either. These are not huge eclairs. Just enough for a small treat. Not enough to induce any major bouts of guilt.Enjoy!…Read More

They've done a good job making the place *look* fancy, and the marketing and branding succeed in giving one the sense that they're in for a taste of something time-honored and proper. "Royal" this-and-that, blah-de-blah.What you get when you dig in, though, is miles away from what the decor is trying to sell you.  These cakes are mediocre at best.  All you really taste is the sugar.  There is nothing delecate or subtle or artful about the flavors.  They look nice enough, sure, but looks can be deceiving.We tried two cakes -- a banoffee something-or-other, and something else which was on the pinkish-rose colored end of the spectrum.  Beautiful looking cakes, the both of them.  Neither, however, had many redeeming characteristics in the taste & flavor department other than sickly sweet.  The texture of the cake was dry, almost crumbly.  The icing utterly gratuitous.  The base of the cake had the consistency of a 3-day old rice krispy treat but without any of the flavor.Absolute disappointment.If you're going to spend $50 on a treat, and the calories that go along with it, you really want it to be worth it.  The characterless fare at Royal Touch will leave you wishing you had gone somewhere else.For your high-end artisanal dessert spend, you'll be far better off patronizing L'Eclair de Genie in PP or Prince's Building. Now *that* is a place that's got its act together.  Those eclairs -- also $50 -- are a thing of beauty.…Read More