By way of background, I was born and raised in California, moved to Hong Kong a while ago on my own after graduating from college (the first one in my family graduate college)...I am Portuguese American (Grandparents are "straight off the boat", Grandfather moved with my Grandmother to California and our family owes Tuna Boats)...I grew up on the boats, been free diving, lobster diving, deep sea fishing, spear fishing my whole life. My family has sold a few of the boats in our fleet with business not being what it used to and bought a vineyard in Sonoma County and ever since I can remember its always been fish and wine at every meal (along with the tradition Portuguese dishes and staples -- Linguica being one of my favorites). SO naturally I was very excited when I discovered California Vintage (may too excited) in Hong Kong.
Ok I will start with the Positives:
1. Great selection of california wines
2. Quality Beef (tri-tip they serve is good and one of my favorite cuts of beef)
3. Atmosphere -- I like the small feel and tables close together (We have a big family so its fun to sit close to other tables, gives you a feel of big reunion/thanksgiving dinner), the restaurant is perfectly lite (not too bright but definitely not the dungeon feel you sometimes experience at "romantic" restaurants)
4. Great for date
5. Ability to choose if you want to sit inside or on one of the four/five tables outside which is fun for people watching
6. some may not like it but I found the bathrooms to be interesting and unique
7. Unique food menu selection and does its best to use ingredients from California (Gilroy garlic for example among many other menu choices-- the garlic fries are great)
8. Cool Ipads to order food and select your wine choice (also gives you background on the wine and information on the taste of the wine)
Ok now to the Negatives:
1. WAY OVER PRICED for what you get...over 100HKD for three bite size fish tacos for example. Fish tacos in california are at least 6 inch big fillets and the best fish taco spot in California serves them for $2.50 US (around 20 HKD); 2 will fill you up so you spend 5 US dollars, less than 50HKD...you better order 4 orders of California Vintage's fish tacos to fill up...
2. Although a great selection of wine, again WAY OVER PRICED for their version of "Full Glass" of wine (you maybe get 1/4 of your glass filled...pathetic. Don't even waste your time getting a "half glass"...by the time you get back to your table it will be gone, its about a good size sip. Their "full glass" selection is a "taste" given at vineyards in california when you go on wine tasting tours. I recommend walking over to Park n Shop and getting a bottle of wine from California for maybe 80 HKD more than two "full glasses" of wine at CV
3. Every item on the menu we ordered was tiny. One tiny slice of Tri-Tip for 150+ HKD (you can get a Tri-Tip 8 inch sandwich for 9 US dollars (70 or so HKD), three tiny fish tacos, a cup of gilroy garlic fries, tiny slice of chicken, three tiny little sliders.
Save up your money and go visit California to experience California for yourself...this is not California and am embarrassed that it claims to be...
This is a poor example of what California truly is. California is big BBQ, Great fresh fish, and lots of wine all at great prices. I get its Hong Kong, real estate is expensive so prices need to be high so you can make rent. I would never recommend this place to any of my friends and family. Like I said earlier, save your money up and go fly to Napa Valley, Central Coast, SF and SD to try the real thing (not to mention enjoying it in California's beauty, not a busy street in Hong Kong) and get your moneys worth!
影片
大家在約地點時，出了些誤會，幾乎一個去左餐廳A，另一個去了餐廳B，真的7到核爆。可能大家都吸左毒，神志不清。
事情是咁的。我收到對方既電話，佢講：「喂喂，我行勻成條街，都搵唔到間餐廳，應該執左喇！」
檯下置有釣，讓客人放袋，算是細心位。雖則，現今好多餐廳食肆，已有這個「裝置」。
大家都是細食之人，喝完湯，恐怕唔使再食主菜。因此，我倆均選擇了田園沙律。整個沙律，大致新鮮，但我最欣賞的，卻是那些車厘茄，鮮甜到不得了，被我吃清光。
我挑了安格斯牛漢堡，要求Medium的生熟程度。然而，那塊牛肉，乾巴巴的，沒半點肉汁，唯幸，仍有些少肉香。都係多吃幾條薯條，更好。
Oli也是吃漢堡（其實都係些牙食啦！），但是迷你版本，牛羊豬的餡料。試了半份豬，嚡個我條脷。據知羊的情況，比豬更壞。又係果句，食多幾條薯條好過啦~
雖對這的甜品沒太大期望，但眼見只加十幾蚊至廿幾蚊就可吃到，又好想試試。分別來了朱古力慕思，以及芝士蛋糕。兩者水準也很一般，相比之下，芝士蛋糕要好丁點，起碼芝味濃。
那杯Latte，是近年喝過最不濟的。
