Lucky enough to sample the Sunset Menu with a friend at the one and only Aqua.  Apart from the fabulous views which never disappoint (at least, not so far!) the service is excellent and nothing is too much trouble - even borrowing pashminas to counteract the effect of the airconditioning after travelling across the water from HKG Island on what would be the first of some really hot days.
So, up first were a couple of cocktails - Mango Mania which was not as tasty as I was expecting but I've been all "sugared out" with too many sweet fresh mango juices in Vietnam and Cambodia in the past!  Still, this was pleasant enough.  The 2nd one though was a real surprise as apple and grapefruit (or was it pomelo?) were dominant and refreshing.  Accompanying these were a few sushi bites and while sushi is something I can normally live without these were tasty & appetizing.
For starters, I chose the parma ham with Datterini tomatoes, Buratta cheese & balsamic vinegar; my companion had the spinach rolls with homemade sesame sauce.  We were not disappointed although the sesame sauce was quite rich for my palate.  The parma ham was not the chewy stuff you sometimes find in restaurants - just as well!  The tomatoes and buratta were just delicious.
For main courses, we chose salmon and beef cheek respectively - but as we were sharing this was not a bad thing!  The salmon was perfectly cooked and served with caramelized onion and a sauce made with Yuzu and sansho.  Fortunately, my culinary friend was able to tell me that Yuzu is a citrus fruit and sansho, a Japanese pepper!  The beef cheek came with a raviolo stuffed with mascarpone and truffle shavings.  There were also some mini vegetables and a pumpkin puree.  Beef cheek is something new for me since coming to Hong Kong but I'm a complete convert & not afraid to order now (as long as I'm at a very nice restaurant!).
By the time the mains were done, the dessert platter, I found, totally overwhelming!  Perhaps it's best to half starve yourself before indulging in Aqua's delights - they can be quite rich.  Being World Chocolate Day (oh happy coincidence!), there were various delights: a choc pud filled with hot choc sauce, green tea creme brulee, tiramisu and a lemon sorbetto served in a lemon.  I could not do justice to the puds but made a half attempt at the one with choc sauce as I usually can't resist something like that.  All the others were just a taste for me but oh so good!  There was an added surprise of two small eclairs on our personal plates with a chocolate message.  Eclairs of a certain size are just perfect and these were!  
Throughout the meal we spoiled ourselves with Veuve Clicquot and were served a dessert wine for the last course which was not really to our taste but we're both bubbly gals by preference.
All in all, a lovely meal.  If there are any criticisms then they're only to say that the furniture at Aqua is looking a little tired but once the sun goes down & Hong Kong lights up, all is forgiven!  

Ayuthaiya is one of the best experiences in food that I’ve had in a long time. Having lived in Thailand for a couple of years it’s true to say that initially it’s fun to try new foods but after a while the expat in me reverts back to what is old and familiar. And boring! But let’s face it, we like what we like and I don’t believe in indulging myself all of the time – otherwise that would end up being boring too.
Anyway, back to the main point of this scribe which is to describe, or try to describe, my thoughts on my first and definitely not last visit to this great restaurant.
The first time I had Tom Yum Goong soup in Thailand it nearly incinerated my tonsils. For somebody who cannot take a lot of chilli, it was simply too much and I couldn’t taste the actual soup I was trying to enjoy.
Ayuthaiya’s Tom Yam Goong was simply the right spiciness for me – but it may not be for all of you chilli-lovers. The lemongrass, the taste of Thailand, was present but not overpowering. The prawns (shrimps) were succulent, not chewy as they can often be.
What followed was Goong Chae Nam Pla which may not be to everybody’s taste: raw, uncooked prawns (shrimps) served with a sliver of garlic and chilli on each and a sweet chilli sauce. Having eaten raw prawns before I was quite happy with them but some people may find this a little too much to handle. Fortunately, the chef at Ayuthaiya prepares them in such a way that they appear as tiny fish fillets and not raw prawns staring at you with their little beady eyes and long, fiddly antennae! Perfect.
With the best will in the world, I could not fault what arrived next: an appetizer dish consisting of Por Pia Poo Nim, baby soft shell crab with mango and basil, wrapped up in rice paper; Tod Mun Goong, prawn cakes with plum sauce; Salmon Miang Khem – check out the menu for this one, you eat the entire thing wrapped in a betel leaf, absolutely scrummy!
Accompanying all of this was a Monsoon Valley Colombard from Hua Hin’s Monsoon Valley Wine. Crisp and tasty.  Who knew that Thai wine could be this good?!
A short rest was interrupted with the arrival of two signature dishes: Gaeng Kiew Nua, braised beef cheek and Goong Mung Gon Pad Karee, baby lobster with yellow curry. A side dish of perfectly cooked vegetables and steamed rice accompanied these. The word delicious is pretty well over-used but I can’t think of any other. If there was any fault with this it was only that perhaps some extra cutlery be provided in order that all the pieces of lobster could be extracted with ease, rather than just with a fork and spoon. I’m sure I missed most of mine. The beef cheek melted in the mouth, it was so tender and the variety of flavours with it was divine.
Another Monsoon Valley wine, this time the Shiraz. A wine with a kick and that is all I will say, other than to mention that this vineyard is producing at least two pretty fine wines.
Finally, we reached the end with two ice creams, Coconut Pandanus and Lemongrass. I preferred the Coconut but the Lemongrass was refreshing and a good palate cleanser. With the addition of mango and sticky rice, Thailand’s national dessert (!), our feast was over.
If you have been to Thailand and are missing the cuisine, look no further. If you are looking for a night out with a group, or a romantic dinner, Ayuthaiya has just the right ambience for both. The service is slick, the music is at the right level.  I am smitten. And I will be back!