Monthly Archives: March 2015

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The One With Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar – Oysters Delight At Hong Kong International Airport

30 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

So recently I was at the Hong Kong International Airport for a short trip and decided to give myself a treat. The better half recommended Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar for a spot of luxurious food, and so we did.

The bar itself serves champagne, wine and seafood, and the combination was hard to bear. We decided to go for oysters – and the choice was Gillardeau.

Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar

Arguably of the most popular French oysters, the Gillardeau is famous for it’s tender texture and slightly nutty flavour, a delicate balance between being delightfully simple in texture yet wonderfully complex in flavour. With a sprinkle of crushed pepper, it’s hard not to develop a crush for the Gillardeau.

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Posted in: Lantau Island, Seafood | Tagged: , , , ,

The One With Pride – A Feel-Good Movie Where Miners & Gay Activists Unite

24 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

Pride is a below-the-radar UK film exploring an interesting period in the 1980s: A group of London gay activists, in an unusual display of solidarity, supported miners on strike in small Welsh town by collecting donations and organising the “Pits and Perverts” fundraising concert (talk about reality being stranger than fiction).

Pride Movie Review

“Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners” (LGSM) felt a kinship with the miners, who were also a marginalised minority facing public humiliation and police violence. Director Matthew Warchus and writer Stephen Beresford emphasised the dichotomy through comedy (expectedly, some of miners were homophobic and befriending “the gays” seemed ridiculous to them), resulting in a lighthearted atmosphere, which has greater general appeal.

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Posted in: Screen Talk | Tagged: , , ,

The One With Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood – Best Japanese Pork Cutlet In Hong Kong

23 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

I have never been a big fan of tonkatsu (Japanese deep-fried pork cutlet). Before I discovered Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood, my impression of tonkatsu was just glorified meat served in Japanese style and hence a high price tag.

And so imagine my delight one day when the better half brought me to Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood at World Trade Centre.

Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood

The ambiance of the restaurant is nothing much to shout about (though it has been a long time since I last see a Hong Kong restaurant with this many private rooms and cubicles), the food itself was stellar. The deep fried pork was juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and you get to experiment with three different kind of sauces. The jumbo-sized prawns were a favorite as well, I order them everytime I visited Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood.

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Posted in: Causeway Bay, Japanese | Tagged: , , , , ,

The One With Vinny Lauria – Chef Of Linguini Fini Hong Kong

16 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

After my last meal at restaurant, I was convinced that Linguini Fini serves up the best pasta in Soho. Apart from that, there are many reasons why I love Linguini Fini. Their nose-to-tail cooking philosophy. The no-waste method of running the restaurant. The wine honor system.

I also heard that their chicken wings are pretty kick ass as well, have you tried? I must do that some day.

So it is only a matter of time before I got personal with Chef Vinny Lauria, the mastermind behind Linguini Fini’s inventive and tasty menu.

Chef Vinny Lauria of Linguni Fini Hong Kong

Nose-to-tail eating concept is very ingrained in your restaurant, but to the novice, it can be quite a concept to take to. What would you tell them, and how best can they can experience the philosophy?

Our pappardelle nose to tail bolo is reflective of this philosophy (see a photo of this here). It is a classic bolo with veal pork and beef, but instead of just using the typical mince, we do it nose-to-tail using pigs head, veal loin and ox tail. The whole idea of nose to tail is to be more sustainable, using the whole animal instead of just the prime cuts.

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Posted in: Food & Dining, Italian | Tagged: , , , ,

The One With Hong Kong Alfresco Restaurants – List Of Outdoor Dining Spots

13 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

Happy Valley Bar & Grill

I had always loved an alfresco dining experience, and yet whenever I fancied one I would have to rack my brain hard for ideas. And being the lazy bugger which I am I always ended up going to the usual suspect (like the one pictured above). But for 2015 I decided to make a change. I will make a list of all the Hong Kong alfresco restaurants and outdoor dining spots that I had visited, and then some, so that everyone can benefit from such a curated list.

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Posted in: Food & Dining | Tagged: ,

The One With Ichiran Ramen – Going Gaga Over Japanese Noodles

11 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

It has been more than a year since I last blogged about Ichiran Ramen. Back then, I was mocking those people whom spend hours queuing for a bowl of Japanese noodles.

Oh, how my tune has changed. Now I am one of those people who wouldn’t mind spending an hour in line just to be seated in one of those cramped booths for a speedy bowl of those – in my honest opinion – pure heaven.

Food aside, the whole experience itself is already very captivating. First, you are presented with this simple checklist so that you can customise you own Ichiran ramen experience:

Ichiran Ramen Hong Kong

There are many things you can specify about your ramen – from flavour strength, richness, amount of garlic, level of spiciness to noodle texture. There’s also a few ingredients you can top of your Ichiran Ramen with (not unlike street cart noodles), like green onion, slice pork, mushrooms and dried seaweed.

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Posted in: Causeway Bay, Japanese | Tagged: , , , ,

The One With Still Alice – Winning Performance By Julianne Moore

10 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

Full disclosure: I’m a HUGE fan of Julianne Moore, one of the most fearless and versatile actresses around. Her most accomplished roles were those with characters who were not “perfect”, or even likable. Moore has the ability to humanise them, making them more relatable.

Still Alice

In Still Alice – a simple but effective film – Moore gave her all to portray a linguistics professor who was diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Instead of overplaying the effects of the debilitating disease, Moore chose a more subtle approach where her transformation was felt rather than seen, and hysterics were kept to a minimum.

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Posted in: Screen Talk | Tagged: , , , ,

The One With Cova Hong Kong – Disappointing Valentine’s Lunch

9 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

On retrospect, I should have known better than to have walk into an available restaurant at peak hour on Valentine’s Day. We were out shopping for the day, and I had always wanted to dine at the posh looking Cova Restaurant at Pacific Place. The running theme was lobster, and I thought it would be an apt thing to splurge on for Valentine’s Day.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Cova Hong Kong

The lunch started off with some traditional and classic Italian antipasti from buffet table. Pretty standard stuff, and I particularly liked the cold squid and mozzarella cheese. However the buffet line was quite sad looking, with many of the platters of food nearing empty. Since it was lunch time, one would expect the buffet counter to be filled promptly, no?

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Posted in: Admiralty, Italian | Tagged: , , , ,

The One With Kronenbourg 1664 – Where To Get It On The Tap (Draught) In Hong Kong

6 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

Kronenbourg 1664

I have been on a quest recently, to find restaurants and bar serving Kronenbourg 1664 on the tap. I had always fancied Kronenbourg 1664, especially the blanc variety. To my delight, I started to see more and more places serving draught 1664 beer, which is really the only way to enjoy this French brew.

So for the convenience of (Kronenbourg 1664) beer enthusiasts out there, here’s a list of places serving them ice cold, on the tap. This list will be updated as and when I find more places.

Pavilion At Crown Plaza Hotel (my review)
8 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
+852 3980 3300

SML at Times Square (my review)
11th Floor, Times Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
+852 2577 3444

Beeger Hong Kong
Shop 1, G/F, Supernova Stand, 28 Mercury Street, Tin Hau
+852 2352 3508

Fringe Club Rooftop
2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong
+852 2521 7251

Wildfire at East Soho
45 Tai Hong Street, Soho East, Lei King Wan, Sai Wan Ho
+852 2261 2999

Staunton’s
G/F, 10 – 12 Staunton Street, Soho, Central
Tel : +852 2973 6611

Pastis Pastis
G/F, 65 Wyndham Street, Central
Tel : +852 2537 5702

SEVVA Bar & Cuisine
Prince’s Building 25th Floor, 10 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tel : +852 2537 1388

Amazonia
Corner Jaffe and Luard Roads, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Tel : +852 31058990

Delaney’s
G/F & 1/F, One capital Place – 18 Luard Road, Wanchai
Tel : +852 2804 2880

Posted in: Bar & Pub | Tagged: , , , ,

The One With Lunar New Year Market – Flower Galore In Hong Kong

5 March, 2015 10:00 am | Leave a Comment |

It’s my sixth year living in Hong Kong, however it my first time going to the Lunar New Year market at Victoria Park, more commonly known as the “flower market”. I was planning to do a little CNY shopping and so was not at all prepared for the onslaught of humanity all desperate for flowers and festive goods.

Hong Kong Lunar New Year Market

Did the entire Hong Kong descend to the park that night? It was hordes of people trawling up and down several one-way lanes, often at snail pace. Budding young entrepreneurs from schools and universities competed with seasoned businessmen for festive dollars eager to be spent.

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Posted in: Daily Diary | Tagged: , , ,