Category Archives: Food & Dining

The One With La Grande Bouffe – French Bistro In Soho

Nestled at a busy section along Hollywood Road was a gem of a find. In a city stuffed with overpriced French restaurants with little to offer other than their pretentious fine dining menus, La Grande Bouffe was quite a breathe of fresh air.

Run by a French chap Anthony and a co-owner, La Grande Bouffe opened its doors in December 2013 and has stayed busy since. A popular hangout for French, expats and locals alike, the restaurant is best described as quirky – from the various sections of the restaurant painted in different colours to represent parts of France Anthony sourced his menu from, the black-and-white French movie projected on its wall, to the way you get a discount on your coffee simply by saying “please, thank you”.

(A side note: Don’t try this with your steak, it won’t work).

The menu is brief and sufficient. And if you are a bit challenged French-wise, Anthony is more than happy to show your pictures of the food on his iPad.

First time at @lagrandebouffehk! This layered duck liver started off our meal great. Loved the layer of dried fig, apricot and prune, which balanced the savoury taste of the foie gras with sweetness - how refreshing! A change from the usual pan-fried styl

Pressé de foie gras aux fruits des mendiants. This layered duck liver started off our meal great. Loved the layer of dried fig, apricot and prune, which balanced the savoury taste of the foie gras with sweetness – how refreshing! The sprinkle of sea salt on top added a twist to the sweetness vs savoury too. A change from the usual pan-fried style used at other restaurants. The pate was perfect with the extra warm baguette they serve on the side.

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

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

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

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

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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The One With Ichiran Ramen – Going Gaga Over Japanese Noodles

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

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

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

The One With Ten Unusual (And Delicious) Hong Kong Hotpot Ingredients

Whenever my Singapore friends come to visit, a Hong Kong hotpot is never far from their list of things to do. I have to say, before I moved to Hong Kong, my knowledge about what makes a good hotpot dinner was woefully inadequate. And then I went to say that New Star Hotpot is the best place to have hotpot in Hong Kong.

Oh, the atrocity!

I have misled you, my dear readers. But since then, I have been to many, many more hotpot places and if you are to ask me now where to get a good Hong Kong hotpot, I can tick them off with my fingers.

But the point of this blog post isn’t as much to tell you where to find good Hong Kong hotpot (there are simply too many of them). I would like to share with you some of the most unusual ingredients I have came across that were used in hotpots here. This is, of course, relative. If you come from a city like Taipei with a strong hotpot culture, this list shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. Yet if you are a Westerner visiting Hong Kong, then let’s just say what I am about to tell you can be quite an acquired taste.

#1 Geoduck

10 Unusual Hong Kong Hotpot Ingredients

That’s quite a strange name for a shellfish. Geoduck is a species of very large, edible, saltwater clam originated from North America. It’s can taste rubbery and chewy, yet surprisingly exotic especially when dipped in the Hong Kong hotpot sauces.

(Photo Credit)

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The One With Linguini Fini – Possibly The Best Place For Pasta in SOHO

I wrote a while back about the new location for Linguini Fini, with its herb garden, eco-friendly business practices and wine honor system. The whole concept was pretty inviting, and so I found myself being at the new restaurant to try out some of the old favorites and new offerings on the menu.

Young Masters Ale

The dinner started off to an unexpected surprise. Just when you thought you have tried everything, come along a new beer to surprise you. The Young Master Ale is a local brew originally from Ap Lei Chau. The classic ale is light and hoppy, perfect for those who like their beer less heavy.

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