A Indian evening @ The Clay Oven

Kennedy Town is not a familiar area for me, in the three years I have lived in Hong Kong I have only been there once. If not for an invitation by the owner of The Clay Oven to try their Indian cuisine, I wouldn’t know when I would next venture into Kennedy Town.

It’s not hard to miss, a bright yellow sign illuminating the entrance. Walking in, a waft of Indian spices invades the senses and looking around at the Indian styled accessories and pictures decorating the restaurant it seemed a little cheesy, but appropriate for the ambiance. 

The owner brought over the menus and looking through they do have quite a wide selection of dishes.  I knew that I wanted curry that evening so that was easy for us to choose, but when asking for other recommendations  the owner suggested we try the tandoori dishes as well as their garlic naan bread which are cooked specially in their clay oven to achieve a more authentic flavour hence the restaurant’s namesake. 

Our drinks soon arrived mango lassi for me and young coconut for Mr. C. Both good choices to prepare for a spicy meal ahead. My mango lassi was nicely thick with a sweet sour flavour, but you should drink it quickly while it’s still cold as it does not taste as pleasant at room temperature. 

Rather than normal papadums, we were given masala papadum as a complimentary starter. A base of crunchy papadum freshly fried with a smattering of chopped raw garlic, herbs and tomatoes. Nice herby flavour with a slight tartness maybe from vinegar, quite good.

When Mr. C picked the tomato soup I gave him a puzzled look. Tomato soup? At an Indian restaurant? Despite his assurance that it would be good, I was still skeptical when it arrived since it looked so ordinary, but after my first spoonful I finally understood. Unlike your normal tomato soup, this had curry flavours mixed into it making for a rich, fragrant combination where the texture was just the right thickness. Really good~ I would recommend this.

The cucumber raita looked refreshing on the menu and the spoonfuls of chilled sweet plain yoghurt and diced cucumbers was lovely and cooling especially as a palate refresher between bites of tandoori chicken and curry, but towards the end the sweetness of the yoghurt became a little overwhelming especially as the yoghurt reached room temperature.

Our tandoori chicken arrived all sizzling and aromatic on a hot plate. Coloured the usual orange tinge, the chicken was nicely tender, but the flavour was quite bland if there had been more salt in the marinade it would have been much better.

My long awaited curry soon arrived~ Lamb vindaloo and prawn masala. Vindaloo is the spiciest curry available up to four chillis worth of heat and it looked the part with its eerie dark red colour. Deeply flavourful with tender pieces of braised lamb, despite the slow burning of the curry increasing with every mouthful it was strangely addicitive.

If you are not the type for spiciness, the masala curry is a good alternative. Stewed with tomatoes, onions and capsicum there is more depth to the flavour with a subtle underlying sweetness. I liked the curry, but the prawns were another story altogether. Frozen prawns that were not the freshest, they had a distinct fishy taste with some already at a mushy stage, disappointing.

To accompany the curry, naan was a must order for me. A big portion with bits of garlic sprinkled on top, it did not have the strong garlicky flavour I was hoping for and it could have done with more time in the clay oven, but it was still fluffy enough for soaking up the curry.

Mr. C always needs his rice and when he asked for steamed rice, the owner came back with a bowl of pullah rice for us to try instead. Coloured yellow by tumeric and saffron the basmati rice was cooked to a dry sightly chewy texture with a heady flavour from cumin seeds. I enjoyed this more than the naan.

They only have two options for desserts either ice-cream or gulab jamun a traditional Indian fried cheese dumpling which is soaked in syrup, but we gave these a pass since we were already pretty full.When we asked for the bill, they brought it over with a large container of sweets and anise seeds as mouth refreshers which was a nice touch.

I was not expecting much, but a few of the dishes at The Clay Oven were more than decent. I do not know if I will be back since the location is inconvenient for me, but the invitation was appreciated. 

Prime rib sandwich~ @ Westwood Carvery

Remembering that I had Westwood Carvery on my restaurant to-try list could not have come at a better time when I was looking for somewhere casual to calm my prime rib craving~

Tucked away on Wo On Lane in Lan Kwai Fong it is a small space with a seating capacity of around 20 persons max. I went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and it was not as full as I thought it would be with only a couple of tables occupied. 

Paper menus were already laid out as part of the setting and as I was seated the server directed my attention to the board listing their recommendations and the fish of the day. I was not so much interested in the fish as meaty goodness was calling to me~ Although the braised beef short rib and baby back pork ribs looked highly enticing on the menu, I was here for the prime rib sandwich~ Offered in two sizes, regular and Westwood sized, I ended up with the regular after confirming with the server that it would be enough for me.

Arriving not long after on a long plate, generous cuts of prime rib layered on hand rolled ciabatta accompanied by shoestring fries rolled in herbs and an apple for dessert.

Wonderfully tender, the pattern of layered beef made for a hearty mouthful while the horseradish spread on the bottom bun was quite subtle in flavour. The sandwich also came with a bowl of jus derived from the cooking process for dipping in, but there was no taste except for an oiliness that I did not particularly like. If it had been paired with a thicker savoury sauce then it would have been perfect.

Service was attentive too, the server came around half way throughout my meal to enquire how my food was and when I had nearly finished she thoughtfully placed a small paper bag for me to take my apple with me as I am pretty sure from her experience she knows that most customers would be unable to fit it in after such a filling meal. 

Immensely satisfying, it kept me full all the way till dinner time with no need of snacking at all~ 

Prime rib~ @ Duke’s

Having stayed at The Langham for more than a few times, we had never tried Duke’s. Passing it every time we go to T’ang Court and being only able to glimpse briefly at the darkened interior, we finally decided to have dinner there before heading back to Hong Kong.

Decorated like a luxurious lounge rather than a normal grill house, the dim lighting coupled with the cushioned couches and chairs made for a cozy yet classy setting. Perfect for having a couple of drinks with friends/business associates or even an intimate meal for two.

The menu is not vast, but is separated into two separate books. One lists a nice selection of tapas for appetisers, while the other sets out the more substantial items of steaks and seafood.

We were feeling pretty hungry, so we ordered a variety of tapas to keep our stomachs happy while waiting for our main course. The portions were surprisingly generous, four to five pieces depending on the dish.

Cute loaves of rosemary infused brioche were placed before us soon after ordering. Very fragrant, pillowy soft, but unfortunately they were barely warm, with the base actually being cold.

The crispy calamari caught my eye, arriving as five rolls of neatly scored squid, they were lightly fried with barely a hint of greasiness. Nice, especially with the accompanying creamy tartare sauce.

Seared scallops with pineapple held hints of Thai flavours. Just a little overcooked, but the heat from the spices and sweetness from the paper-thin slice of pineapple helped to whet the appetite.

The crab cakes were presented in a different manner to what we were expecting. Rather than uneven mounds of crab meat, they were cubes of minced crab meat again with a touch of Thai spices. Quite similar to Thai fish cakes actually with a bouncy texture.

Prawns in olive oil were really fresh, medium-sized with a firm texture that crunched on the first bite. They were chilled with a light tang from the lemon juice mixed with the olive oil.

And then it was prime rib time~ well for me. Australian beef, slow roasted for six hours this is Duke’s signature item. When asked how I preferred my prime rib, the server does mention the chefs roast it to a standard medium (x5) which was perfect for me. If however it arrives too pink for you, they are more than happy to cook it more well done. The meat had a nice chew to it, with just enough edges of fat to intensify the flavour. I would have enjoyed this even more if the accompanying gravy was more savoury though. Still good though. If I was not so interested in the side of roast potato and vegetables I would have most likely finished the entire portion.

Since I chose the prime rib, Mr. C chose to have the Australian beef tenderloin. Charred nicely, it had a solid beefy flavour and was actually more tender than the prime rib, but I still preferred my choice more.

So the saying is true, it never hurts to try something new and I am really glad we tried Duke’s this time~

Sweet potato and chestnut cream cake @ Maxim’s

Autumn is here~ Not only is the weather changing noticeably for the cooler, but you can now find a new range of chestnut cakes Maxim’s is promoting to herald the season. I am normally not one to buy cakes from Maxim’s since the flavours are too light and they always use too much cream, but recently passing by the displays a certain cake caught my eye. All covered in piped rosettes of chestnut cream and sweet potato cream it was the striking purple colour of the sweet potato that made it so alluring for me.

So on the way home today, I could not resist and bought one to share with my dad.

Removing the cake from the box, I could catch a scent of the cream which although had hints of chestnut, smelt a little too sweet.

Slicing into the cake, I could feel the resistance from the layers of sponge cake attesting to its springiness. A three layered cake, filled with golden sweet potato, purple sweet potato and diced chestnut pieces. Although the cream smelled sweet the overall cake as expected was not very sweet, in fact I could barely detect any sweetness in the potato fillings. The sponge cake was nice though, not just a puff of air, but actually with some texture.

At least I have finally satisfied my curiosity, no more passing by and wondering what that pretty cake tastes like :p

Beijing style Peking duck @ T’ang Court~

Beijing style roasted duck is now available at T’ang Court~ Having especially recruited six top chefs from 1949 in Beijing which are renowned for roasted duck, T’ang Court are now replicating this dish using a special breed of white ducks which are then carefully grilled over aged jujube wood to enhance the flavour. 
Just hearing this description was tempting enough to ensure we paid them a visit to try their specialty during our stay at The Langham this time.

Prior to our duck arriving, condiments and julienned vegetables were served first. Rather than just serving plain hoisin sauce like most establishments, our server drizzled an ‘X’ with sesame sauce and delicately swirled the sauce around until a hypnotic swirl pattern formed on the hoisin sauce. Quite impressive~

The vegetables consisted of the normal cucumber and shallots with the addition of fuschia pink carrot sticks. Like the sauce all of these ingredients were specially flown in from Beijing which served to further authenticate the whole experience.

The duck was then pushed in on a little cart and served gueridon style by one of the chefs. Watching him carve up our duck, all plump and golden, the noise the knife made while slicing through the skin left us in no doubt how crispy it was going to be~

And yes, it was. Biting into my first piece sans pancake, a wonderful crackle could be heard releasing the rich oils captured inside… paired with the slightly nutty sweet hoisin sauce it made for a decadent mouthful~

Accompanied by both flour pancakes and pastry shells with toasted sesame seeds, the pancakes were thin with a slight chewy texture while the pastry shells although not flaky made for a more substantial mouthful especially when sandwiched with the duck meat as advised to.

Really really good~ This was certainly one of the better roast ducks I have had and I would highly recommend visiting T’ang Court for this!

Lunching @ Iggy’s~

When we were visiting Singapore last month, Iggy’s was high up on our list of restaurants we wanted to try. Having claimed the top spot in the Miele Guide for a few years (but ranked 4th this year), both Mr. C and I wanted to see just how special this restaurant was. I phoned ahead a week in advance to secure a booking for a weekday lunch, but please note that Iggy’s does require credit card details upon making a reservation and a cancellation fee of $85++ per person would be incurred if you are do not give them advance notice of at least 48 hours.

Situated on the 3rd floor at The Hilton hotel, the restaurant is hidden behind an intimidating black wooden door. Once inside, the theme of black followed throughout the corridor that the hostess leads you through until you are shown inside their dining room which is completely cream in colour. Minimalistic and a little stiff were the words that came to mind regarding the decor, but it had a modern feel to it. 

The menu for lunch had a number of options to mix and match pending on how many courses you wished to select and both of us decided to have 2 courses plus dessert. After ordering we were presented with an amuse bouche of chilled tomato beer and a crisp with thin slice of shaved abalone. Quite good. The abalone was soft and contrasted well with the crunchiness of the crisp, while the clear tomato broth was refreshingly intense in flavour. How adorable is the little beer mug~?

They do not have a bread basket, but a server came around and placed a plump little roll on bread plates. She did not describe what is was, but only after taking a bite did we realise it was cheese bread. Not just any bread mind you, it had the most pleasing bouncy texture like a mochi and even Mr. C who is a bread snob found it quite delicious.

To start I could not go past the burrata cheese. A bed of snow white burrata with pieces of crisp fennel placed artfully on top. The burrata was lovely, all creamy and gooey just the way I like it and the caviar contributed a touch of brininess to the simple flavours of the dish.

Mr. C’s dish was very pretty. A solitary Gillardeau oyster resting in a fushia pink purple pool of red cabbage and Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar. The bite of oyster I had was really fresh where the cabbage flavoured vinegar with a hint of wine was more sophisticated than the normal red vinegar usually paired with these briny creatures.

Lamb is usually a favourite for me, so seeing lamb saddle on the menu was an easy decision for me. Three slices of lamb, blushing in colour accompanied by ratatouille. The main part of the lamb was relatively lean, not gamey at all, where the thin edge of fat added a richness to the meat. I quite liked the ratatouille, still crunchy roasted vegetables paired with a tomato- paste like sauce. The elements of the ratatouille were served separately which I suppose is good for diners so they can tweak the flavour according to their tastes.

Risotto was Mr. C’s pick. Japanese sweet corn risotto with Challans duck breast. Cooked to a medium rare even just from appearance it looked wonderfully juicy. However the stand out for me was definitely the corn risotto. Creamy with a buttery fragrance, grains of softly al dente rice mixed with super sweet corn kernels was just heavenly~ I really had to restrain myself from continually spooning into his dish :p

All too soon it was time for dessert. Before coming here, I looked up some past reviews to give me an idea of what to try and the kaya and teh tarik seemed to be a popular dessert choice. Presented in a deconstructed fashion, a cube of well buttered brioche toasted to a crunch went wonderfully with the generous smear of fragrant pandan cream. The scoop of milk tea ice-cream covered in tea foam was surprisingly strong in taste with black remnants of tea leaves at the base. A well executed play on a traditional Singaporean favourite.

Since we were sharing and not in a chocolate mood, Mr. C picked the remaining option of Peach Melba. Sweet juicy pieces of Californian peach nestled on a bed of creamy milk ice-cream with a shower of cereal for crunch. This was a lighter dessert, but nonetheless still pleasant. Peaches and ice-cream, nothing could really go wrong here.

I did enjoy my experience iggy’s~ Every dish although simple was well prepared with quality ingredients. Their portions however are quite small, with the exception of dessert which may not be satisfying enough for some diners and as a result some may not deem the meal as worthy of such a high price tag.

A night of cheese @ Chesa

Originally planning to have a relatively healthy night of salad at The Lobby ended up as a night of cheese overload upstairs at Chesa~

Stepping inside Chesa is as if you are transported straight into a cabin in Switzerland. With candles lighting every table, it really portrays a quaint and cosy ambiance that is unbelievably romantic.

Our main purpose for dining at Chesa was of course for cheese~ But of course there was the bread basket first, my favourite was the crusty roll with pumpkin seeds.

We started with their crab pancake which is a signature item of the restaurant. A single bundle of fresh crab meat mixed with cheese and coddled in a slightly chewy pancake, it was bathed in a sauce that was very similar to lobster bisque. This was really good, a very comforting dish~

Next a plate of slightly torched raclette in all its gooey and melted glory. This was amazing! Layered on the plate quite thickly, it had a wonderful texture. Boiled potatoes and pickles were there on the side to help cut through the oiliness.

My anticipated fondue soon arrived~ Chesa only has two types available and we chose the Fondue Montagnarde, a combination of Emmental, Appenzella and Gruyere cheese, mixed with pieces of smoked bacon.

Arriving with sides of pasta, boiled potatoes and crusty bread, what else do you need for dipping in cheese? The fondue was a little too strong in flavour from the alcohol, but nevertheless we still indulged ourselves silly.

Veal. Another of their signature dishes. Slices of tender veal cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce. Another comfort dish albeit a little heavy on the salt, but it was quite good with a nicely browned potato rosti on the side.

We were completely sated after the meal, ingesting so much cheese was bound to do that. No desserts, but the slice of chewy gingerbread with hints of citrus made for a delightful ending.

Mexican @ Brickhouse

I had a really hard time trying to find Brickhouse. Literally wandering around the corner with google map opened knowing I was in the right area, but just not seeing it was hugely frustrating. Until I looked up some other reviews did I realise it was hidden inside an alley obscured by a man selling bags on the wall…

The restaurant is really dark, rough and unpolished, but the vibe is quite funky which I suppose is quite suitable for Mexican food. 

The watermelon salad was something I really wanted to try and judging by the many plates prepared in front of me it was something that was quite popular. I also wanted to try their tacos which is written on the wall, they have a platter of all the flavours, but you can also order them separately. Asking for recommendations on which one to have, the server suggested the rib-eye and pulled pork.

The salad arrived first, 16 cubes of juicy watermelon scattered with feta cheese, candid pepitas and drizzled with chili syrup. The sweetness of the watermelon coupled with the tart feta was a little strange at first, but the flavours really grew on me and the pepitas were addictive with a lovely roasted flavour.

The corn tortillas for the tacos are freshly griddled so you do need to be patient for your tacos. The rib-eye was tender with a layer of cheese on top, so it was sort of like a philly cheesesteak, but Mexican style. The amount of pulled pork on my other taco was generous, laid on a bed of corn salsa and topped with a single slice of avocado, it was filling, but I could not really taste any strong flavours from it. 

Service was prompt and surprisingly attentive. The experience was quite interesting, but need to come back for other dishes.

Dinner~ @ Lobster Bar and Grill

Going to Lobster Bar and Grill at Island Shangri-La for an evening of… no lobster~ Although this sea creature is in the restaurants namesake and thus undoubtedly may be something signature, but for someone who is not especially partial to lobster aka me, there were still other choices that were more than pleasing.

The interior is elegant, shades of blue paired with dark brown tones in the furniture it gave a subtle sense of dining inside a ship Captain’s cabin, but just much more luxurious. I especially liked the submarine window-like aquariums housed inside the wall finding it added a cute touch to the restaurant.

The bread basket looked quite appetising especially those flaky truffle scrolls and thin toasts with melted cheese… but sadly I was on a bread ban that evening so I was unable to try…

Spying our favourite type of oysters on the specials menu, of course we ordered those. Half a dozen of Gillardeau and Fin de Claire. So briny and fresh~

Mussels are now in season too, and a steaming pot of these soon arrived on our table. The blue variety all the way from New Zealand, they were tiny, but very soft and tender.

The king prawn and avocado salad was impressive in portion size. Five big prawns each paired with their own slice of avocado hid among mixed greens and herbs with bits of pomelo and thousand island dressing. The prawns were firm and crunchy, but the avocado was unfortunately only half ripe which was a little disappointing for hotel standards. A very filling appetiser.

We shared a bowl of bouillabaise which they thoughtfully separated into two portions prior to serving. The combination of fish and potato boiled to a mush resulted in a lumpy stew with numerous little bones inside. The texture was not entirely pleasant and the bones made for awkward eating, but the flavour was still decent.

Double cut lamb chops was our main dish where we could choose three sides as well as an accompanying sauce. The lamb was faultless, tender and blushing pink, a pleasure to eat.

For sides we chose sauteed spinach, thick-cut french fries and baked potato. I have not had a baked potato in so long and this one really hit the spot. Dolloped with sour cream and shallots, the potato just melted in the mouth. So good~

No desserts, but there is always petit four~