Hong Kong - Lunching at the Ritz Carlton

One of the biggest pluses about eating or drinking atop the 100+ storey Ritz Carlton is that the views are never the same.  And it is a stunning one no matter where you sit, no matter the weather and no matter the time of day.

Even when the clouds are so low that you can hardly see anything, it is but a different drama but dramatic nonetheless.

And on 102, there is a choice of Italian or Chinese.

Good breads on offer at Tosca are a welcome start especially the squid ink roll.

Bufala beef carpaccio, ricotta cheese cream, spring sprouts and homemade tomato jam

Grilled Octopus

Appetizers are decent enough although the centimeter thick beef carpaccio was a surprise.  Presentations were just short of stunning when compared with the view.  Produce used was superior so no real complaints there.  Pastas were only a so-so and my trio of spaghetti mounds with scampi and tomatoes were a just a tad underwhelming compared with the first course.  

Lemon tart with meringue

A citrusy sweet finish let us off with a happy enough ending and the meringue cigarettes were highly addictive.  So much so it stole the show from the tart itself.

If I could choose however, lunching at Tin Lung Heen is a little more exciting for the variety of dim sums that you can get.  Well, this is Hong Kong after all.

Baked Abalone Puffs with Minced Chicken

I haven't exhausted the menu yet but this is my favorite so far.  The abalone has a nice bite but isn't chewy and is a nice contrast to the crust which is firm but breaks down easily when in the mouth.

Baked Barbequed Buns

These are a nice alternative to traditional steamed BBQ pork buns.  A milky fragrant exterior that is fluffy with a good pork filling which was just a tad sweet for me.

Crispy roasted pork belly

Well, you can't really go wrong with this Cantonese roast staple.  TLH's version is a squatter piece which means the ratio of perfect crispy crackling to meat and fat is well, perfect.

Crispy noodle with Abalone and Chicken

This was a souped up version of the usual with the addition of abalone.  Crispy noodles well done and not greasy and abalones used were fresh and crunchy.  Lots of action on the palate with the different textures.  The fermented bean paste based sauce was surprisingly mild.

Poached Kailan with Conpoy

The use of good vegetables and conpoy came through in this really simple dish and it was a pleasure to enjoy the natural but diverse sweetness of both together.

Petit fours

The osmanthus jelly with wolfberries is a cool and light way to finish lunch without feeling like a tank before heading back to the office.  The floral scent may not be welcome by some but I love it and am usually sold to any dessert where it is represented.  Cashew cookies in the background were pretty decent too.

If you are looking to decompress and have a nice lunch where you can enjoy the views, decent food and actually converse without straining and still be heard, but don't mind paying for the experience, the Ritz actually isn't a bad choice.

Tin Lung Heen 天龍軒 ｜ Tosca
Level 102, International Commerce Ctr.
1 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852-2263 2270

Hong Kong - Sushi Toku 壽司德

More than 2 years after I first discovered this place, I finally made it back for dinner - something I had planned to do so since that declaration in 2011.  Since it had been a while and it was our first time for dinner, I was advised against Omakase and instead we picked items off the Specials menu.  A semi-work dinner meant I was less than able to remember names of fishies but from the selections, it was only slightly off the beaten track and mostly featured things we would have eaten before.

Starting off with a "carpaccio" of a "left-mouthed" fish.  Well, at least it's what the Chinese call them.  Although they had left and right, I was told left was right and so that's what we ended up with.  Sweet with a subtle crunch and almost a default to start with these days, it's excellent in summer with the tart ponzu soy it's served with.

Then a lightly torched pice of Kinmedai and cockles.  Although the species of cockle was supposed to be very seasonal, I wasn't that blown away.  I still like the red, raw and bloody type best..

A crowd favorite - chopped mackeral with scallions and what was a really fragrant and sweeter version of lemongrass.  Excellent with K's choice of Sake.

The cooked courses were very enjoyable despite the lack of choice since several things weren't available anymore.  A notable miss was the tempura of fresh figs which I must go back for.  The grilled eggplant with sweet miso wasn't bad though since it was still firm and not overly mushy.  Great way to eat this vegetable... or is it a fruit?

The sweet river fish or Ayu is an absolute seasonal fave with sweet and soft cottony flesh.  In bed sheet terms this would be no less than 500 threadcount.  Just lightly salted and grilled so you enjoy its natural goodness.  Accompaniments are strictly that and quite unnecessary.

This was the winner of the evening.  Good grade beef from Saga served on a hotplate and left to cook table side.  Capturing photos meant I left it to cook a tad longer than I would have liked but it was still melt-in-your-mouth goodness.  Amazing stuff.

After the beef, this very good fish tempura unfortunately paled in comparison (only in wow factor) and I was too distracted to even remember the name of the fish.  My bad.

To end, an Uni laden piece of sushi and sweet egg roll omelette.  The Uni was from Hokkaido and supremely sweet.  The Tamago was K's request although I had warned him that after my experiences at Sushi TaKe  and Sushi Sase , it would be hard to beat those.  I was unfortunately right.

Notwithstanding, we were pretty pleased with the evening's experience and the place does have enough credibility to compete with Sushi Kenjo and Sushi Hiro in the TST area.  A definite add to the TST list in my book.

Shop B, 2/F, Cameron Plaza
23-25A Cameron Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852- 2301 3555

Hong Kong - Above & Beyond 天外天

It's not out of this world but it certainly is above and beyond.  It is above and beyond what most other Chinese restaurants who seek to modernise Chinese cuisine for today's palate offers.  It is the use of better ingredients that translates into better enjoyment of the produce, something which has been lacking on the Chinese food scene even in the upper middle echelons, which is a real disappointment since it doesn't translate to better value pricing.  

Above & Beyond in my 2 recent visits at least tries to deliver on the promise of good value pricing.  And based on tastes and views alone, is pretty much up there in the clouds, sitting atop the new-ish Hotel Icon in TST East, oddly enough.  But it is perhaps the slightly out of the way location which allows it to deliver.  

Smoked Bresse Pigeon with Oolong Tea Leaves

All dishes were enjoyable but perhaps the standout was the smoked pigeon.  Not a huge fan of pigeon, but this changed my opinion.  Not the skinny dry ones I've had in Shatin, but a tasty (not gamey) bird that was juicy and had hints of fragrant Oolong coming through.  

Suckling pig trotters in abalone sauce

Of the appetizers we ordered, the collagen fix from the baby pig trotters were juicy and tender.  The sauce was good although I didn't get much of a whiff of abalone.  

Steamed crab with glutinous rice

The Rice

The steamed crab over glutinous rice was good but in my opinion, nothing beats the crab and rice combo at Xin Dau Ji.  The glutinous rice here was a tad too soft for me, but that's just personal since I prefer my grains very separate and apart.  The crab was definitely good quality and full of meat and roe.   

Fried shrimp patties with basil

Spareribs in plum sauce and poached pears in red wine

Spareribs well deep fried but I was sold on the pears in red wine.  Great way to lift an otherwise heavy dish.

Stir fried shrimps with lychees

Another dish to use fruit to give it a natural sweetness and freshness.

Chilled Mango Pudding

Sweetened almond cream with egg white

Baked sago pudding

Desserts were surprisingly good, especially the mango pudding in summer.  Good quality and naturally sweet, unlike the often used artificial mango puree these days.

It's not a cheap place but it offers great value.  Even dim sum at lunch is a treat.  My only complaint at lunch is a less than attentive service you get for dinner.  But you can only blame it on having to share the attention with like minded customers who swamp to what is an obscure area to me to lunch above and beyond TST.

28/F, Hotel ICON
17 Science Museum Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852-3400 1318

Hong Kong - Kowloon Tang 九龍廳

The Elements Mall is not a mall I frequent.  And frankly, I haven't been all that impressed with the F&B scene there so it really is a tad much effort to trudge there for lunch even though it isn't all that far away.  A chance errand required me to get there and so with E, we decided to try out the of late, much reviewed Kowloon Tang. 

The restaurant is beautifully fitted to look like a posh dining hall from 1930s Shanghai.  Stepping in, it smacks of nothing like the Chinese restaurants Hong Kong has come to know.  It was quiet, very quiet.  No doubt we were early for lunch but still, no clanging of tableware nor loud chatter from the staff.  Makes for an excellent venue to have quiet client meals.  Service is trained efficiency although it did lack a little warmth.  I didn't get the happy staff feeling but oh well, who am I to judge. 

We weren't looking for a lot to eat since we needed to manage time and our appetites.  But what we had was actually quite decent, and not overly re-created, and still true to its Chinese roots.  Many reviews had raved about the Peking duck here but perhaps one duck between 2 people would have been a little too much to handle.  

Goose liver in Huadiao

 This was chilled, creamy and exuded alcoholic fragrance.  Couldn't ask for a better starter on a hot and humid summer's day.    

Steamed crab meat and egg white dumplings

This looked quite ordinary when it showed up at the table, but one bite and we were suitably impressed with the freshness of the crab meat and the natural sweetness which filled the dumpling.  And of course, as true Cantonese demand, the skin was thin, yet had the requisite bite.  Quite good, really.


Deep fried spring rolls with taro wrapped in a steamed rice flour roll

This was a good twist to the usual steamed rice rolls.  For crisp, they are usually stuffed with dough fritters.  This one, however, was stuffed with a high quality spring roll which was well deep fried and drained of grease, and in turnr stuffed with a creamy taro mash and other vegetables for crisp and crunch.

Wok fried four angled beans with crispy pork lard and garlic

For greens, we decided to forgo the usual leafy greens to try this more sinful one.  It was an interesting vegetable we don't normally have in Hong Kong.  The closest I've ever had is the winged bean we eat with sambal in Peranakan food, but this was bigger, and required a little more effort to bite.  Using lard, fermented black beans and garlic bulbs flash fried together to release a heavenly taste and aroma is quite a clever way of making this vegetable palate pleasing.   

Overall, a very pleasant experience.  Very decent surrounds so you can actually hear yourself and your companion without fear of losing your voice.  And the food was pretty good too.  So I will make it a point to go back and try the duck.  Afterall, many have proclaimed it the best in Hong Kong.  So I might just break my rule of never eating the bird outside the capital.

Shop R002-003
3/F, Roof Deck, Elements
1 Austin Road West
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852-2811 9398

Hong Kong - 豪門火鍋 Rich and Powerful Restaurant (*seriously)

Getting a reservation for hotpot during the cold season in Hong Kong can be a b*tch.  In a city obsessed with keeping warm to the point of almost discomfort, this is the food of choice.  Every resident just wants to gather around a bubbling pot, dunk raw food in and cook it alongside booze and conversation.  Never mind that eating scaldingly hot food is bad for you.  Make it up on that next visit to the Chinese physician and the ritual starts over again.  On my 4th attempt late Thursday night, I managed to get a reservation for a late dinner Friday night.

Condiments 混醬

While many hotpot places offer the variety of condiments, not all places do.  I like places that do since it's an integral part of the cooling process for me.  Take food out of bubbling pot, then dunk in cool sauce before consuming to avoid scalding and ulcers.  And everyone's sauce is unique depending on what and how much you put into the base soy sauce.  Creativity at its best.  Clockwise in the above pic: sesame sauce, XO sauce, fried garlic, hoisin sauce, coriander, spring onions, fresh garlic mince and fresh cut chillies.

Soup base - clear brisket stock 清湯腩

We were recommended a clear stock made from beef brisket and radish.  Simple but naturally sweet.  And every other piece of brisket wasn't too tough for consumption.

Hand Cut local beef 本地手切牛肉

Cubes of tenderloin 牛仔粒

A must-have and must-do-well at a Hong Kong hotpot is the beef.  However good everything else is, this is the main event and so we were very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the hand-cut local beef slices.  Well marbled, a touch of chew to release beefy goodness and after that, it's almost effortless melt-in-the-mouth quality.  Awesome.  The tenderloin cubes weren't too bad either but paled in comparison to the sliced beef.  Still drooling 2 days later at the memory..

Black truffle selection 黑松露精選

Every hot pot place also has its own signature item to differentiate itself from the competition.  In this case, the Rich and Powerful have a selection of items where it uses the fragrant black truffle as a highlight.  We passed on the black truffle based soup base since we thought it would just overpower everything else.  Instead, the trio of 2 types of dumplings and meatballs all with truffle centers were an interesting delight.  Just beware of squirting centers!

Organic vegetable basket 有機蔬菜籃

Everything was fresh including the basket of crunchy organic vegetable selection from baby choi sum,  watercress, lettuce and sweet corn. 

Huadiao Chicken 花雕雞

Perhaps the only thing I would give a miss is the Huadiao chicken.  This always sounds like a great dish to order but the fragrance from the wine is lost in the pot and all you get is a piece of boiled chicken, with everything else so subtle that I won't even bother.  This is best steamed at home so the chicken is just barely cooked and the sauce, a magical potion with rice.

This was one of my better hotpot experiences, eating in comfort and our female server was just the smiliest ever.  I didn't even blink at the fact that she forgot my order of vinegar 3 times over, each time accompanied by an apologetic smile which makes you shrug and smile in return.  Unheard of in this city.  I would return just for the beef and the smiles.  And isn't the English name just a real hoot!?

G/F & 1/F, Charmhill Centre
50 Hillwood Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852-2730 1118

Hong Kong - a tale of 2 suckling pigs

The Cantonese are famous for their roasts.  No, not the kind you eat with Yorkshire pudding, but the kind where the carcass is hung or pierced through with a steel rod, then licked by open flames till crisp and done.  And where roast meats are concerned, some would take the view that the suckling pig is the holy grail.  And for good reason.  To cut short poor piggy's life because the skin is crispier and the meat more succulent and tender when cooked is reason for the premium it warrants over traditional roast pork.

And for that reason also, it is not meant for the everyday.  In the old days, if you were average Joe, perhaps wedding dinners were the only time you might see the roast piglet.  Nowadays, many Cantonese restaurants do the dish, and for those who want a treat every now and then, it is readily available, at least in Hong Kong.  But there are only a few which really tout it as the house specialty.

For traditional roast piglet, I do like the one by 新鬥記 (pronounced Sun Tow Kei in Cantonese or Xin Dou Ji in Putonghua).  I couldn't find an official English name for the place though.

Traditional Roast Piglet at 新鬥記

The crackling is done to a perfect crisp, with the fat underneath roasted away so that the taste is not greasy and on the contrary, quite addictive, especially if you've got cold beer at the table.  The meat underneath absorbs the spices rubbed on and is fragrant (none of that "piggy" taste) and tender.  Just quite perfect, really.

Kimberley's Roast Piglet

In contrast, the roast piglet at Kimberley is served 4-D, so you can still see the head and general shape of the pig.  Not for the faint-hearted who are used to eating everything filleted and balk at the sight of source of the meat they consume.  The wonder of this is the effort which goes into making this dish, where the insides of the pig are cleaned out to make way for a stuffing of richly flavored glutinous rice.

Cross-section view of Kimberley's roast piglet

The result is every diner at the table gets a "swiss roll" of rice on the inside enveloped by tender meat, then an "icing" around the cake of crisp crackling.  The combination of textures and flavors overwhelms and it is really quite rich as you struggle to fit it all in, especially since they served this as a final course.  Note to self: go even lighter with pre-dishes or just get at least 10 people at the table to enjoy this one comfortably.  For obvious reasons you cannot get a half order which you can at Sun Tow Kei.

For an overall experience, I actually like the menu at Sun Tow Kei better.

Sun Tow Kei's steamed crab on rice

The steamed crab on rice is what lures me back time and again, alongside the roast piglet.  Order these 2 dishes and you're all set.  The crab is really nothing to speak of but the rice soaks up the juices from the crab and is then accentuated liberally with roast garlic and spring onions.  Egg white is purely for texture to give the semblance that there is more crab than there is.  The result is pure carbo heaven.  I can down 2 bowls of this easily.

Whatever you fancy, both restaurants offer up their own specialties and make for an authentic Cantonese restaurant experience in Hong Kong.  If you prefer to avoid the decibel levels associated with most restaurants in Hong Kong, go to Kimberley.  Otherwise, brave the crowds at Sun Tow Kei and be prepared to wait (even if you make a reservation).


新斗記
2/F, Express By Holiday Inn, 33 Sharp East Street, Causeway Bay
Tel: +852-3162 8899

君怡閣中菜廳 Kimberley Chinese Restaurant
M/F, The Kimberley Hotel, 28 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852-2369 8212 / 2723 3888

Autumn Achievements - Hairy Crab

This year's hairy crab season was enjoyed entirely outside of the home.  A touch of lazy, a touch of convenience.  No messy steaming, no messy washing up.  Smiles..

Go traditional at Hong Kong Lao Shang Hai, one of Hong Kong's oldest Shanghai restaurants, where waiters are still in the traditional white shirt and black trousers, but both garments are washed thin and have seen better days.  But the knowledge of the waiters on the food is unsurpassed and if you find one that's friendly enough to share, he is going to tell you what the real deal is and you shall follow his bid and enjoy a traditional Shanghainese meal in the heart of Wanchai.

Goose liver pate smeared with Zhejiang vinegar and honey

Yes, even the Chinese know a thing or two about their foie.  And this is one fine way of enjoying it.  Smooth liver paste served chilled and given a breath of acidity from the vinegar and honey "jam" over the top.  Not greasy and very enjoyable.  Only complaint - it's a mighty small serving.

Steamed hairy crab

Then the real McCoy arrives.  And yes, please Mr. Waiter, I would like you to help open it up.  And this one does not disappoint.  The golden yellow hue of the roe is a sight for sore eyes and the accompanying crushed ginger in Zhejiang vinegar is an excellent way to cut through the richness of the roe.

Shanghainese pulled noodles with stir fried hairy crab

A wonderful way to retain the taste of the hairy crab is to have more of it - finishing with stir fried hairy crab, generously slathered over an al dente hand pulled noodles.

Glutinous rice dumplings in Osmanthus and Fermented rice syrup

This is probably one of the best of its kind.  Extremely fragrant and without the usual cloying and tongue clinging sugariness in lesser bowls.

Xin Ji Shi's hairy crab bowl

For those really lazy and happen to be in Shanghai, just go to any Xin Ji Shi restaurant in the city and order a bowl of hairy crab.  No peeling, snipping and digging necessary.  It's all right there, stir fried with a hint of ginger and served in a generous deep terracotta bowl celebrating the crab.  Just open up and say aaaaaaaah........

For those who want a touch of swank, with awesome views from within the No. 1 Peking Road building, another Shanghainese brand has set up its "premier" outlet there.  Unfortunately, the Xiao Nan Guo in Hong Kong is not anywhere close in food standards to its Shanghainese mother.

Stir fried river shrimps with hairy crab

Spicy rice topped with hairy crab in a stone pot

The quality of the hairy crab used was unlike its name.  It certainly wasn't premier since it didn't taste or smell like the crustacean we are used to.  So despite clever creations, the punchline wasn't delivered and the joke was on the diner.  Quite unfortunate.

A decent enough season but lesson learnt - enjoying hairy crab season is an aged old Shanghainese tradition which can only be enjoyed at timeless places.  Forget the swank and just get down and dirty.  You'll be a lot happier.

老上海飯店 Hong Kong Lao Shang Hai Restaurant

UG1, Novotel Hong Kong Century, 238 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai

Tel: +852-2827 9339

新吉士酒楼(久光店) Xin Ji Shi Restaurant (Jiu Guang Department Store branch)

静安区南京西路1618号久光百货8楼(近静安寺) 

8th Floor, Jiu Guang Department Store, No. 1618 Nanjing Xi Lu, Jing An District (near Jing An temple)

Shanghai
Tel: +86-21-62883658

小南國壹號 Xiao Nan Guo Premier
10F, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: +852-2527 8899