Hong Kong - Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant 滬江大飯店

It's an institution in Hong Kong.  It is as the cliche goes: tried and tested.  It is also a great bet, as I've learnt, to get modern renditions of traditional tastes from the Shanghai region without feeling like you've sold out.  And the late-ish Friday night craving for a hairy crab set menu didn't disappoint.  Set A, that is.  Yes, it's more expensive but it was good value compared with my similar hairy crab meal at nearby Shanghai Min a couple of weeks ago.  

Braised Hairy crab and Sharks' Fin

Un-politically correct but a nice way to warm the soul after sitting at a freezing salon for 3 hours.  Not the best bowl of fins I've had but it was generous for the crab roe and tasted more like roe soup than sharks fin.  With a dash of vinegar, we were off to a good start.

Stir fried hairy crab on steamed glutinous rice with stir fried Dou Miao

Although I found the glutinous rice a tad sweet, the stir fried hairy crab was just unadulterated goodness concentrated.  With a different vinegar laced with smashed ginger, same but different.  Very enjoyable.  An accompanying bowl of dou miao (pea shoots) ensured we got our fiber intake for the day.

Hairy Crab Xiao Long Bao

I'll be honest.  I'm not a big fan of XLBs.  I don't generally like eating the unknown and many a meals which I've had on the mainland guessing to myself what meat they use in the XLB filling...  This was was generously laced with hairy crab meat and actually quite good.  My benchmark is Din Tai Fung, which I still crown as my fave.

My trick for eating the XLB without sacrificing the soup is to actually nip a little hole at the top, pour in some vinegar, then pour all the liquid onto a spoon and drink.  I devour the rest slowly.  Not the most traditional way, but hey, I get the goodness first then decide if I want to even eat the rest.  For the record, I finished this one.

The real McCoy

Not the biggest..  but get real, this is a prix fixe offering.

Dissected

Could do with a little more roe but at least this one tasted real and good.  Roe was flavorful and rich.  Out of this world with yet another vinegar that was sweet - think balsamic.  Very good.  A little deeper into the season when the crabs are pregnant with more, and we're talking serious business here.

Glutinous rice balls with a sweet sesame filling in ginger broth

To finish, a typical dessert of glutinous rice balls stuffed with a sweet sesame molten paste hits the spot. Although the skin was not thin and chewy, the filling was pretty good and made up for a thick, powdery skin.  Ginger broth was milder than the last cuppa ginger tea, which had enough heat to chase any Yin-ness away from the crab.  

Yes, Chinese believe hairy crabs are extremely Yin by nature and so to harmonise the body during and after consumption, a lot of ginger is introduced (in sauces, teas, and desserts).  What we didn't order at this eat-and-run was an aged bottle of Huadiao, a Chinese yellow wine typically consumed with preserved plums, which also provides enough Yang-ness to balance.  And for those who are dying to ask, no, dining with a male companion is not enough.

Unit B, 17/F, Lee Theatre Plaza

99 Percival Street

Causeway Bay

Tel: +852-2506 1018

Hong Kong - Chikayaki 千賀燒

This place certainly has a lot of mixed reviews and a lot of one-time reviews on the Openrice machine, that you have to wonder how much of it is actually based on actual eating experiences.  I've been on 2 occasions in the last couple of months and only because I happen to be in the CWB area, and old favorite Rakuen is hard to get into without a reservation.  There is a lot of apprehension walking into Chikayaki because it is just so quiet.  On my first visit, there were just 2 tables (including mine).  On the second, it was a little more boisterous (5 including mine).. 

But the food isn't bad.  Well, it won't be the best Japanese restaurant you've eaten at in the CWB area, but you won't come away feeling like you've had a bad meal.  And the big plus is not having to fuss about getting in nor getting a reservation.  And it's quiet so you can actually have a decent conversation unlike most low-ceilinged Japanese eateries. 

Fish salad

The menu is pretty wide and you can order a good range of things depending on what you're in the mood for.  I am pretty fussy about my sashimi and sushi so I won't go overboard here since it's not going to give you a lot of satisfaction. 

Pacific Saury (if you can spot them underneath the garden)

But they do some creative work with the fish they have, which makes it pretty tasty since it not all just about the fish.  So you do cut them some slack.

Soft boiled egg with Uni and salmon roe

This is one combination which you cannot get sick of.  In this case, this was the only hiccup with service we faced, which was otherwise friendly and competent.  We were told that they couldn't serve this because the chef let the egg overcook and that it would take too long to make another one.  When we said we could wait for the next egg, they were almost disappointed and had to have a mini conference with the chef before agreeing to make another order.  A little bizarre since it wasn't that late but we were served this towards the end of the meal. 



Grilled chicken "knuckles", squid "mouths" and minced chicken

 

Japanese Shishitos, cod fish and Wagyu beef

Grilled items lived up to the "yaki" in its name and are enjoyable even if just a tad over salted.  The minced chicken and cod were most enjoyable of the choices we got.  Perhaps the salt factor was the ploy to get you to load up on beer or sake.  But I was quite happy with my Kyoho grape calpis soda and downed a couple easily. 


Inaniwa udon in fish soup

To end, this bowl of rich fish broth loaded with lotsa veggies was a comfort send off.  Hearty but not heavy, this was goodness in a bowl.  

This is not a bad alternative to Irori in the same building even if it's not as good but perhaps budding establishments just need that second chance.  After all, competition keeps everyone honest and the consumer is the ultimate winner. 

7/F, Bartlock Centre
3 Yiu Wa Street
Causeway Bay
Tel: +852-2156 0503

Hong Kong - Hana Sakazuki 花盃日本料理

It was a good night to be at Hana Sakazuki.  Even with our ferocious appetites, we couldn't exhaust the selection at the sushi counter.  The unique time in nature where seasons change (in this case spring to summer) means nature offers up the produce from both seasons.  As we move into the season of shell fish, we were therefore lucky to get a lot of fish still that was really good.

I won't go as far as to say Hana Sakazuki is my Japanese canteen but it is an awesome place to go to for the best and freshest sashimi, and at decent value.  Just make sure you're lucky enough to get a place at the counter since the chefs are a real friendly and chatty bunch.  They love sharing your drinks with you too. 

Here are highlights from the evening.

Fresh oyster from Hokkaido

Okinawan sea grapes salad

Scallop 2 ways - with crab paste and with sea urchin

"Right mouth" fish

Kinmeidai

Octopus - suction tentacle and flesh with sweet mustard miso

Chilled but not frozen shrimp - yes there is a difference

I missed the name of this semi-fatty but sweet fish.

Grilled fish roe

Yellow tail amberjack with Yuzu pepper

Deep fried Botan shrimp head

Grilled Botan shrimp

Missed the name of this one - blow torched to lend a smokiness to the fat. Ponzu reliefs the fattiness

Silver cod 

Hokkaido sea urchin

Katsuo

Akamutsu - blow torched

Grilled ox tongue

I've never been disappointed by a meal here.  They are only limited by shipments which they bring in everyday in time for dinner.  There are rarely limitations here.  Perhaps there were limitations in the immediate wake of the tragic tsunami last year, but it's more than recovered then thanks to a fervent regular crowd of customers.  Keep them coming, I say, and keep supporting Japan by eating Japanese.

2/F, Ming An Plaza Phase II

No. 8 Sunning Road

Causeway Bay

Tel: +852-2577 9799

Hong Kong - Bridges Okinawa Robata Dining

Friday night and no reservations.  That’s a darn tough thing in Hong Kong, especially in Causeway Bay.  So we thought we hit the jackpot when we arrived at Bridges and were told there was availability after having been turned away at 2 other places already.  It was a bonus when we saw that they were part of the En group which boasts Rakuen, our favorite Okinawan place in Hong Kong.  

Bridges’ advantage is space.  There is actually lots of it by Hong Kong standards.  Seats are comfortable and tables big enough.  There are also tatami lined rooms if you feel like doing the Japanese living room thing but I prefer to keep my shoes on when dining out, unless I’m in flip flops. You can also have a decent conversation without having to battle neighboring diners and the regular shouts of “irrashaimase”!  Unfortunately, space seemed to be the only thing which saved the day at Bridges.  

If the kitchen at Rakuen was a 10, Bridges was a 5.  Food wasn’t bad but it certainly was mediocre, at best.   Perhaps the 2 more competent dishes of the night:

Grilled Ox Tongue with Miso and Sichuan Pepper

The grilled ox tongue with Miso and Sichuan pepper was pretty good.  Tongue was tender and miso was the sweet kind and good with Sake.  Takes a little savouring before you can actually taste the Sichuan pepper though.

Clam, Sea Urchin and Jewel Leaf Tempura

This was decent although we wished they had used better produce though since they weren’t necessarily the freshest.

Okinawan classics were only passable.  

Okinawa Home Made Peanut Tofu

The peanut tofu wasn’t as fragrant as Rakuen's and a little too chewy.

Stir fried Bittergourd with Okinawa Pork

This was tasteless and disappointing especially if like me, you've been spoilt by Rakuen and Yakichi, also in the same En Group.

Stone grilled rolled Wagyu with spring onions

The biggest rip off of the evening was so-labeled grilled rolled Wagyu with spring onions on a hot stone.  Overly salted and not a good cut but priced for a cut that is meant to be 10 times better.  Never again.

Minced Toro Handroll

My minced Toro handroll was tasteless (if that’s even possible).  A real waste really.  

Baumkuchen with Black Sugar Ice cream

The supposedly house dessert of Baumkuchen (german for tree cake) tasted more like tree bark.  Our server insisted on taking a bite after we left it and insinuated we didn’t know what real Baumkuchen tasted like.  Oh well.. I’m gonna go to Kobe to be educated since my education at Ginza queuing a long time for the famous one is nothing to count for. 

Enough said.  

6/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay

Tel: +852-3428 2131

Hong Kong - Uno Duo Trio - Lana's Rustic Home Cooking

Tucked in a non-descript commercial building in the backstreets of Causeway Bay which actually boasts a few eateries, Uno Duo Trio seemed from reviews to fit the bill of decent food in a less expensive space type of deal.

It is a place which takes credit cards, unlike other "private kitchens" but it is still very much home style in terms of service and feel.  I didn't ask but assume the knowledgeable lady who explains the menu is Lana.  She enthusiastically explains the menu, what's good and what's just arrived from the shores of Italy.

Bread and Condiments

We order and get the obligatory bread and condiments, served on an artist's palette to start.  I liked the pesto and balsamic but breads were so-so, the polenta based one better than the focaccia.

Grilled Sardines

Sardines were well done.  Nicely grilled to a crisp but with skin still intact and the flesh plump and fluffy.  Touch of rocket and lemon and it didn't need more.

Gamberi Rossi de Sicilia al Mandilli de Saea

If you like prawns, this is your dish.  The sauce is almost exclusively prawn, given reprieve only by the shredded basil.  I liked that they used prawns from the Mediterranean.  Less bouncy than what Asians are used to but much sweeter.  The homemade ribbons of pasta did well to take up as much sauce as possible and were suitably al dente.

Baked pork loin

This was the least impressive dish of the night.  A tad salty and a tad tough.  Perhaps my Asian-ness in liking my meats laced with a little fat has marred by judgment for lean cuts but c'est la vie, life isn't good without a few guilty pleasures.

Cheesecake

There wasn't anything too Italian about the Cheesecake but it decent, and served in a cute little wooden box, similar to the box in which the bill comes.  Creamy, dense, cheesy - what cheesecakes are all about.

Overall, a decent experience.  Service is home-style, friendly but a little dis-organised and forgetful at times.  So don't expect a fine dining experience.  After all, it is rustic home cooking that's really on offer here. 

19/F, Bartlock Centre
3 Yiu Wa Street
Causeway Bay
Tel: +852-3489 3862

Hong Kong - Bella Vita by Francesco

Finally got round to trying the third restaurant in 1957 & Co.'s portfolio.  This time, Italian.  After Sushi Ta-ke and Mango Tree, it just seemed appropriate to taste the final segment of the trio.  If only to just be able to say "I've tried them all.".

We started the night on the wrong note.  My point, and I do have one, is that if you are the dude showing people to their tables, you are supposed to listen for the name of the party, not throw out names at random from the reservations book and hope you hit the right one.  The game starts to get weary after 3 wrong tries and you're not even close, especially when the party is trying their best to tell you what the name of their party is.  

After that hiccup, we did make it to our table and were promptly served a cold basket of bread.  I get that they eat cold bread in Europe, but this is Hong Kong, and being spoilt by warm bread everywhere, we wanted it warmed especially on a chilly night. 

Table Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

Bread came back warmed but didn't do justice to the condiments.  Bread was too doughy and sliced a little too thin to generate any texture or taste.  Table oil and vinegar were quite good though, as were the truffle butter and tomato paste.

Grilled Octopus with Black Pepper and Green Apple Salad

This was a refreshing entry after the not-so-pleasant start to the night.  Very well executed.  Octopus just barely cooked with a crusty, slightly charred exterior for a touch of smokiness but very tender inside.  The green apples were a nice complement of tartness and crunchiness.  

Orecchiette pasta with Sicilian red shrimp and date tomatoes

Pasta was al dente and well coated with the robust sauce of shrimps and tomatoes.  Only complaint, this was a tad salty and I had to order a Tua Rita riesling to neutralise the palate.

My “Cacciucco”, spicy Tuscan seafood soup with lobster, scallop, mussels, clams, calamari and garlic bruschetta

This was quite enjoyable, a relatively light main course and provides warmth to the soul on a cold night.  Seafood was fresh and cooked just right.  But the salt factor was even higher than the shrimp pasta, making it a little uncomfortable as the dish went on.  A little bit of a struggle towards the end.  Shame.

Apple tarte tatin and vanilla gelato

Dessert was quite ordinary.  Pastry was very flaky and airy, if you like that sort.  I prefer a little more substance so a few more layers would have worked better for me.  Otherwise, a decent finish.

Overall, it's got location going for it.  There aren't many decent Italian places in the vicinity although I have heard mixed reviews about Da Domenico, which is just across the road.  Bella Vita is a very comfy and quiet place to enjoy dinner, a big plus if the chairman of the board is a leading architect, I suppose.  A clever way to bring the corporates back even if the food isn't outstanding.  If only the people working there were happier and just smiled a little more..

11/F, Cubus
1 Hoi Ping Road
Causeway Bay
Tel: +852-2577 0699

Hong Kong - Mango Tree

Mango Tree is probably the most talked about Thai place in town after most people slammed the Greyhound Cafe at the IFC.  I've not yet made the Greyhound but the 2 menus are distinct, of course.  While Mango Tree offers traditional Thai dishes perhaps modernised for the international palate, Greyhound's menu is modernity with Thai influences.  So between the 2, their only common denominator is that they are exported concepts from Thailand.

Mango Tree is possibly one of the more comfortable places in Hong Kong to enjoy Thai cuisine.  It's bustling (mind you, it is still difficult to get reservations) but you don't feel the squeeze of Hong Kong in the dining room.  Tables are decent sized and there is adequate distance between tables so you don't feel compelled to eavesdrop on your neighbors.

Lychee Smash

I loved that they had a wonderful drinks menu with something for everything.  But whatever it was, it provided the perfect Thai resort feel and backdrop as you peruse the menu.

Crispy Rice Crackers - served with minced pork, peanuts and fresh coconut dip

Pomelo Salad

Starters were very competent and everything just came across as very fresh.  Sometimes, with Thai food, the authenticity is sometimes marred by the imagination of a dirty street kitchen, which while adding to exoticism, tends to just disrupt the joy with a touch of concern - just a touch.  But here you got the sense that the kitchen was just pristine, especially with the salad that was chilled right.  And the starters did well to suppress hunger pangs while we waited to complete the party.

The rest of the food was again, internationalized Thai cuisine.  Extremely competent and I will not hesitate to bring guests again.  

Tom Yum Goong

 If you like the prawny version ie. packed with a lot of shrimp roe, you will like this.  It is spicy though.

Roasted Duck Curry

Can't go wrong with roast duck in the land of Cantonese roasts so the duck was actually well done.  A little "wasted" in the curry, which was ok.

Thai Egg Omelette

This was a surprising wow.  The perfect egginess and fluffiness combined and oh so fragrant.  Given more substance with the minced pork but even a plain omelette of this quality would have made me happy.

Phad Thai

This did not have the usual Wok Hei (breath of the wok) which I like in my phad thai.  The "dirtiness" of a well used wok would have given it the x-factor but I came away from this one imagining that it was stir fried in an ultra clean virgin stainless steel pan.

Barbequed Fresh Jumbo Squid

This was another very well executed dish.  Perfect bounce of a squid just barely cooked but with slight crisp bits from being over a charcoal fire.

Homemade Ice Cream - Young Coconut

Homemade Ice Cream - Fresh Mango

Ice creams were creamy - in a good way.  Definitely home made.  The party liked the young coconut, which if you are a fan of coconut, you would lap up pretty easily.  The fresh mango was tangy sweet, and made for an easier finish for me since I was pretty full from the meal.

Overall, a satisfying meal in decent surrounds.  There is no rush even if you wanted to tarry after the meal.  And there is enough of a drinks menu to make people happy and almost forget they're in HK.

5/F Cubus
1 Hoi Ping Road
Causeway Bay
Tel: +852-2577 0828