Va Bene Central - 02.11.10

My ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ group is really into Italian cuisine at the moment (two are pregnant, so Italian is a safe option for them, and the other is about to take her husband on a fabulous surprise trip to Rome).  To keep everyone happy I therefore arranged lunch at Va Bene today.

We were eager to try their three course set menu, which at $185++ per person seemed quite a good deal.  Choices today for starters included Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Zucchini Fritti or Salad of Chicken, Smoked Mozarella and Pinenuts. 

For Mains there was a choice of Spaghetti Carbonara, as well as a tuna and beef dish.  Being four very hungry girls, everyone opted for the pasta today. 

The soup was really lovely - the flavours were perfect and the consistency beautifully smooth and creamy.  The salad, I was told, was nice but too salty.  The Spaghetti Carbonara was a real disappointment.  Although perfectly al dente, the dish was ridiculously salty, so much so that two of my salt loving friends gave up eating it for fear of suffering heart failure then and there at the table.  In my opinion it tasted almost like they had added some kind of artificial flavouring, or flavoured salt to the dish.  The sweet desserts of Fruit Salad and Chocolate Mousse were not bad, but not particularly inspiring either.  What they did give us, was some sweet relief from the saltiness of our main courses.

After complaining to the restaurant staff, we were given a small discount on our meal. At $225 per person for a health scare and some water however, I won't be tempted to return for a while yet.

Va Bene

7-22 Lan Kwai Fong

Central

Hong Kong

T: +852 2845 5577

W: www.gaiagroup.com.hk

Arirang, Causeway Bay - 01.11.10

Cooking your own food in a restaurant is an interesting one.  Some might find the work stressful and unnecessary (why go to a restaurant to cook when you can do that at home).  I personally find it a fun, sociable and novel experience.  I also think that it’s a very clever business tactic, as it takes all the responsibility away from the chefs in the kitchen, instead leaving the diners responsible for ensuring their meat is cooked the way they like it.  Very clever!

Arirang is a classic Korean barbecue restaurant, which many of my Korean barbecue aficionado friends reckon is one of the best in Hong Kong.  The restaurant itself is not hugely inviting.  With all the partitions between different sections of the restaurant, it feels much like an uninviting maze of smoky cooking.  Once seated however, excitement starts to set in once the grill is lit and all the starters arrive.  I have not had much experience with Korean food myself, but I enjoy it more and more each time.  On this occasion I lapped up the Kimchi, dried fish and pickled cucumber like there was no tomorrow.  The Pancake with Spring Onion was delicious also, perfectly crisp and hot and comforting when dipped into the salty sauce accompaniment.  Our table on this occasion were avid meat lovers, so we ordered an endless supply of beef to barbecue.  We had two types, the Bool GoGi (Marinated Sliced Beef) and the GahlBi (Marinated Prime US Beef Short Rib).  My favourite was the Bool GoGi as it was more tender than the GahlBi, and the marinated flavour was divine.  My husband's sister doesn't like beef so she ordered the Dahk GoGo Gooi (Marinated Chicken Thigh Fillet), but as always, chicken lacks that depth of flavour that you get from beef, and was nowhere near as tasty as the red meat alternative.

This was a delicious and fulfilling meal. We went for a friend's Birthday and there were six of us.  I think the perfect group size for Korean barbecue is four to six people, so that there are just enough of you to try several different dishes, but few enough to all be able to talk and barbecue on the one grill. 

Arirang

Shop 1205, Food Forum

Times Square

1 Matheson Street

Causeway Bay

Hong Kong

T: +852 2506 3298

W: www.arirang.com.hk

Coco Thai, Deep Water Bay - 31.10.10

Coco Thai is somewhere I always forget about, but which, on the odd occasion I drive through Deep Water Bay, I always shout: "oh look! Coco Thai!  We must eat there next time it's a beautiful day, and watch the sunset!"  Well this Sunday night was the first time I ever did the sunset dinner thing, but of course it wasn't my idea, my husband's cousins very kindly invited us for dinner.

Now when it comes to eating Asian food, where the norm is for everyone to share, I tend to become quite controlling in that I always have my favourite dishes, which absolutely have to be ordered, or else I get stroppy.  Now as you can imagine this gets a little tricky when other people are paying the bill.  I have to find a way of getting my dishes ordered without the hosts thinking that I am completely taking over, resulting with us never being invited out by them again.

On this occasion I got off lucky, as our hosts had similar taste to myself in

Thai food and I only had to nudge them a little in the direction of Fried

Morning Glory with Garlic as opposed to Mixed Veg with Oyster Sauce and Green

Curry with Chicken instead of Beef.  In addition to these two dishes we had

Minced Chicken with Thai Basil and Chilli, Massaman Curry with Chicken, a Thai

Style Fried Rice, Spring Rolls and Chicken Satay.

The food was ok, certainly not anywhere amongst the best Thai food in Hong Kong, but definitely edible, and at times quite satisfying.  Highlights were the

Chicken Satay and the Minced Chicken with Basil and Chilli.  The Satay was particularly surprising, big juicy chunks of chicken with a thick homemade peanut sauce on the side. 

What makes this place worth going to, is the view.  Beach side dining is something I wish we had more of in Hong Kong, but alas the government won't have any of it.  So we have to rely on the couple of shacks such as this one and The Stoep, or the infamous 'above the public toilets' institutions that are Cococabana and South Bay Beach Club, which can only be as good as they can be with severely limited space and facilities at their disposal.  So please go to these restaurants, let's not forget about them and instead give them lots of business so the government sees how well they are doing and maybe one day allow more to open up and give Hong Kong a whole new lease of beach side life!

Coco Thai

G/F Island Road

Deep Water Bay Beach

Hong Kong

T:2812 1826

Yè Shanghai, Admiralty - 26.10.10

The evening didn't start well.  We were fifteen minutes late to meet our friends due to a stressful work issue that my husband had to deal with.  The situation was made all the more stressful because my husband flies into a blind panic the moment he realises he is running even a minute late.  Divorce has even been on the cards on a few instances where I was responsible for our tardiness, resulting in ALMOST missed flights / boats etc.

Other than our being late for dinner, the rest of the evening went swimmingly.

It was my first visit to Yè Shanghai - I had previously been put off by its shopping mall location, believing that the restaurant would be lacking in atmosphere, like so many other mall restaurants. This was not the case at all in this case.  Even on a Tuesday night it was packed and in typical Hong Kong style, very loud. 

The food was good.  We started with the Xiao Long Bao (steamed pork dumplings),

Spring Onion Cakes, and some fried Pork Dumplings.  All tasted exactly how they should - hearty and robust and comforting.  For mains we tried the Sautéed Minced

Chicken with Pine Nuts served with Sesame Pastry Pockets, the Green Beans with Minced Pork, and Steamed River Shrimps. 

I think that because we went with a couple who knew the menu well, our experience was somewhat better than it might have been had we taken a few more risks with our ordering.  I can’t possible complain about having a satisfying and delicious meal however!  Another great Chinese meal makes me realise that the only way to guarantee excellent value for money when eating out in Hong Kong is to go Chinese.  Will let you know when I find a western restaurant that is as satisfying food wise and cost wise as the likes of Yè Shanghai, Peking Garden, or The China Club amongst others.

Yè Shanghai

Level Three, Pacific Place

Hong Kong

T: +852 2918 9833

W: www.elite-concepts.com

The China Club, Central - 8.10.10

The China Club is one of my favourite restaurants in Hong Kong, and in my opinion the main dining room on the 13th floor has the best atmosphere in town.  Even after in excess of twenty visits, I never tire of the busy, bustling room with the nightly tea pouring and noodle making performances.  It may be a bit of a gimmick, but boy does it make for the perfect place to bring out of town guests!

The food isn't so bad either.  On this particular occasion, my husband and I went with a friend from London and another from Hong Kong.  We ordered all the staples.  To start we had Siu Long Bao (Shanghai Dumplings) and Peking Duck.  Both were perfectly prepared and infinitely delightful.  To follow, we had Sweet and Sour Fish, String Beans with Minced Pork, Hot Pot of Aubergine and Minced Pork, and a dish of Crispy Fried Noodles with Beef and Black Bean Sauce.  The Peking Duck, String Beans and Aubergine Hot Pot are always particular hits with any first time diners we take to The China Club.  Although not exactly gourmet in presentation or taste, the food at The China Club is always satisfying and very enjoyable.  The mix of Shanghai and Cantonese cuisines on offer is a perfect combination as they complement each other well and offer the best (minus Sichuan) of Chinese cuisine.  The quality of the food does tend to go up and down with each visit I make to this Hong Kong institution, but no experience is a bad experience here as the atmosphere, service and value for money is second to none in Hong Kong.

Make sure you have a drink outside on the roof after dinner. The view is awe-inspiring.  The China Club is members only, but you can make a booking through some hotel concierges or if you have an American Express Centurian Card.

The China Club

13/F Old Bank of China Building

Bank Street

Central

Hong Kong

T: 2521 8888

Nagomi, Happy Valley - 6.10.10

This tiny little restaurant with only five tables is conveniently located, in my opinion at least, three minutes walk from the public stand at Happy Valley racecourse.  I therefore enjoy a quick sushi fix here on the odd Wednesday night, before a night of moneymaking (or losing) at the races.

This really is a gem of a restaurant, serving incredibly fresh sushi and tempura at an extremely good price.  Everything I have tried on the menu has been excellent but I particularly recommend the Spicy Tuna Handroll, which is the best I have had anywhere in Hong Kong.  I would recommend reserving a table as there are far too few tables to meet demand here!

Nagomi
1 Village Road
Happy Valley
T: +852 2938 3848 
 

Liberty Exchange Kitchen & Bar, Central - 28.09.10

I have heard a lot of talk recently about the new offering from one of Hong Kong’s best Private Kitchens – Liberty Private Works.  It was therefore with great anticipation that I attended a dinner at Liberty Exchange last night.

The restaurant is located at Exchange Square – a great position, one would think, for a trendy new restaurant to open up, given that Exchange Square, IFC and all the neighbouring sky rises house thousands upon thousands of expense account diners.  It was a bit of a shock therefore to find the restaurant almost half empty at 8:30pm on a Tuesday night - very strange for any reasonably new establishment in Hong Kong.

The menu is modern American, with the likes of burgers, short ribs, deep fried oysters and US steaks on offer.  All look pretty appetising, making my choice a difficult task as usual.   Upon the recommendation of the waitress, I went for two of the restaurant’s ‘signature’ dishes: the Caesar Salad, and the Short Ribs. 

Upon its arrival, I could already tell the Caesar Salad was going to be a disappointment.  Although a healthy sized portion, the cos salad leaves looked like they came out of a packet, and were covered in a very pale white creamy dressing that had absolutely no depth or indeed any flavour to it.  A couple of lardons, and some quite decent croutons did nothing to enhance the blandness of the dressing – a real disappointment.  I always feel that if a restaurant can do a Caesar Salad right, then it will probably do everything else right also.  I was therefore not looking forward to my main.  When the Short Rib arrived, it did look quite promising however.  A nice big chunk of juicy rib, accompanied by a creamy potato side.  The rib was reasonably tender and the sauce not bad - nothing spectacular though.  The potato accompaniment was in fact a potato salad – cold and really nothing special.  I had also ordered a side order of Mac and Cheese.  This is another American staple that really should be cooked superbly, with just the right amount of tangy cheese, and a whole host of spices or flavours that can be added to give it depth of flavour.   In this case, apart from the fact that the pasta was cooked well, the dish was bland, with only the few tiny morsels of chorizo adding any real flavour to it. 

I won’t go on, but needless to say, the rest of my group felt similarly about their food.  The one saving grace of the night was the dessert, which although not fantastic, were at least polished off.  The Charlie Brown Brownie especially went down a treat . . . but perhaps that was because everyone was still hungry after having left most of their mains?

To top off an already disappointing dining experience, at around 10pm, music suddenly blared out from the speakers above us – far too loud for a restaurant that was nearly empty.  Check please!

Liberty Exchange Kitchen & Bar

2 Exchange Square

8 Connaught Place

Central

Hong Kong

T: +852 2810 8400

Cafe Gray Deluxe, Admiralty - 27.08.10

I have waited a long time to eat at Cafe Gray Deluxe, mainly because after having a drink at the bar when it first opened, I got a terrible bout of food poisoning and blamed it on their bar snacks. 

I am over the food poisoning incident now however and ready to give the place another chance.  We were lucky enough to be taken for dinner on Friday night by some family friends of my husband.  I am glad we were not treating that night, because Cafe Gray, located on the 49th floor of Upper House, not only has spectacularly high views and high cuisine, it also has high prices.   Chef Gray Kuntz’s creative menu of reworked classics offers an array of tempting dishes, but all at a price: appetizers start at around $85 for a tiny Gazpacho to nearly $300 for the truffle Risotto.  Mains are all upwards of $300 and most hover around the $450 mark. 

I began with the Bib Lettuce and Guacamole.  Refreshing and tasty though it was, it literally was just lettuce and guacamole, something I could have whipped up in the blender myself in 10 minutes flat.  My husband had the steak tartare, which was excellent in my opinion, but only so-so according to him.  For my main, I had the ravioli of tomato and thyme.  Although this dish sounds ridiculously simple, it was a brilliantly turned out dish, with perfectly sweetened tomatoes, a hint of cream or mascarpone I suspect, and just the right amount of herbs to accent the pasta without overpowering the other flavours.  My husband had the steak, which was perfectly cooked, and had a very good flavour to it.  The sides that came with the steak were a little on the rich side however.  Our friends had the lamb and they were very pleased with it.   

Unfortunately, no one had room for dessert, and we instead indulged in a few after dinner drinks.  We became quite merry and probably a little obnoxious in all honesty, but our after dinner conversation was quite hilarious.  At one point, someone was referred to as 'vors raw', meaning 'sitting on the fence not making a decision'.  Literally, the translation into English from the Afrikaans original is ‘raw dick’ - hysterical and definitely one to remember for the future!

Overall the food was good but not outstanding.  The service was pretty appalling.   Although perfectly polite and though the waiter delivered our food on time, it was damned near impossible to get anyone’s attention from our enclave table by the kitchen, and we ended up having to get up to pour our own wine a few times.

I can't even begin to imagine what our bill came to, but I would estimate the cost to be at least $1000 per head for three courses including wine.

Ask for a table by the window in the main dining area to ensure better service.

Cafe Gray Deluxe
49th Floor, The Upper House

Pacific Place

88 Queensway

T: +852 3968 1106

W: www.cafegrayhk.com

Lamma Hilton (Shum Kee), Lamma - 26.08.10

When you live in a small yet insanely overcrowded, polluted and hectic city such as Hong Kong, it comes as a huge relief when you get the opportunity to escape from the craziness, even just for a couple of hours. 

And so I find myself climbing on board the ferry that will take me from pier 4 in Central to Sok Kwu Wan on Lamma Island, where frazzled Hong Kong locals and a fair few curious tourists can escape to a world of yesteryear and delicious fresh seafood.

As you step off the ferry, a long line of similar looking seafood restaurants await, each beckoning hungry diners in with their promises of free Carlsburg or the ‘best seafood on the island’.  They needn't bother however as every local Hong Konger has their firm favourite, usually either Rainbow or the Lamma Hilton, which they most likely have been frequenting for years.

My favourite is the Lamma Hilton and as I wasn't the organiser of last night's outing, I was secretly very relieved that the organiser also preferred the Hilton to the other choices.  To say the least, it saved my husband from a torrent of complaints for the rest of the evening!

Satisfied with the choice of restaurant, my next hurdle to overcome was to ensure that all my favourite dishes were ordered.  Not a problem, anyone familiar with Lamma knows to order the Pepper Prawns and Deep Fried Squid.  Both were fantastic - the prawns were fresh and the crispy salt, pepper, chilli and garlic topping so moreish that the savvy ones on our table were scraping the excess from the dish into our bowls to eat with rice.  The squid was less rubbery than usual – not bad for Lamma standards!  We also had a great big Garoupa picked straight from the fish tank where it was swimming happily moments before being presented to our table beautifully steamed with spring onion and soya sauce.  We also had a spicy tofu dish, which wasn't bad, a seriously garlicky aubergine dish with vermicelli noodles, and a fried morning glory, which was nice, but I find this particular green vegetable a little stringy.   We did not have the baby lobster with minced garlic, a dish I would highly recommend trying, nor did we have any crab, which can also be amazing with black bean and spring onion.

Overall it was a pretty good meal – lots of food and fantastic value for money.  We each paid $180 for the food and lots of beer (no wine).  I would say that the price per head tends to get less the more people you have in your group, and a group size of 8 or more is ideal so you can try lots of different dishes.

Lamma Hilton (Shum Kee)
26 Sok Kwu Wan Road

Lamma

T: +852 2982 2941

Sen Ryo - Central, 25.08.10

Today of all days I decide to review Sen Ryo. 

I’m gutted because Sen Ryo is probably my favourite place to go in Hong Kong for that elusive great value / good quality meal. 

On any other day I would recommend it to anyone who loves sushi but not always having to paying the earth for it.  On any other day I would advise them that Sen Ryo is the perfect place to grab some straight up, fresh and simple fish and shellfish without the bells and whistles attached. Usually I would say that it is almost as cheap as Genki but a million miles away in terms of quality.  On any other day I would say that Sen Ryo is well worth the often hour-long wait for a table.

On any other day but today, as, after this evening's meal at my trusty regular sushi fix, both my husband and I are lying ill in bed from a meal that, on any other day would be so deliciously satisfying.

I personally have faith that this was a one off occurrence, and I know we will be back (after we have forgotten tonight’s little episode).  In terms of recommending this place to others however, well based on tonight’s meal I wouldn’t, but based on the 50 or so other meals I have had at Sen Ryo, I would definitely say go forth and enjoy.

If you do decide to take the plunge and try Sen Ryo, my personal recommendations are the Seared Salmon with Black Pepper Sushi, the Spicy Salmon Gunkan and the Fatty Tuna. 

From recent experience, the City Plaza branch seems to have surpassed the IFC one in terms of quality, and for the record, I went to the IFC branch last night. Anyway, at $150 a head for around five dishes per person, what are a few hours spent of 2am toilet action once in a blue moon!

N.B No reservations are accepted at either branch, so I would advise getting there before 12pm or after 2pm for lunch, and before 7pm or after 9pm for dinner.

Sen Ryo (IFC)

Shop 3009-3100

IFC, Central

T: +852 2234 7633

Sen Ryo (Tai Koo)

Shop 142B, 1^st Floor

City Plaza 1

18 Tai Koo Shing Road

T: +852 2967 5537

The Verandah - Repulse Bay - 25.08.10

My six months stint as a ‘tai tai’ is drawing to an end as the idea of earning an income once again is becoming increasingly attractive (so much I want to buy but cannot afford!)

For my last month or so as a lady of leisure, I have therefore decided to indulge as much as possible in all the things that I will miss once I become a working girl.  Lying in until midday, lying by the pool and walks up The Peak when I'm in Hong Kong; and day time TV, walks in Richmond Park and digging up courgettes and beetroots in my sister’s allotment when I’m in London.  One of my favourite pastimes over the past few months has been indulging in afternoon tea with my girlfriends.  It’s such an old-fashioned but simply luxurious way to while away an afternoon while catching up on the latest gossip.

Today I went to The Verandah at the still very beautiful and grand ‘old’ Repulse Bay Hotel.  Sitting in the elegant colonial dining room with high ceilings and a stunning view of the sea, wooden ceiling fans gently keeping us cool from above . . . one can really imagine what Hong Kong must have been like 50 years ago before it became the crazy high-rise metropolis that it is today.

There were four of us at tea on this occasion, and we opted for the full afternoon tea, consisting of a beautiful triple tiered cake stand filled to the brim with delectable goodies such as mini cakes and tarts, mango mousse, quiche and waffles, as well as the usual suspects of finger sandwiches and scones.  As is usually the case with these things, some elements of the tea were better than others - the scones for instance were a little dry for my liking.  Overall though, it was a pretty good spread, and what made it especially enjoyable was the lovely calm South Side atmosphere and the fantastic company of my partners in (tai tai) crime.

The bill came to $175 per head for the afternoon tea (add another $100 or so for the champagne version).  Afternoon tea is served between 3pm – 5:30pm.  Ask for a table next to the window.  Please check their website for dress code.

The Verandah
109 Repulse Bay Road

Repulse Bay

Hong Kong

T: +852 2292 2822

W: http://www.therepulsebay.com/