Dim sum date, Tin Lung Heen take 3!

After a couple of months in Sydney, coming back to Hong Kong meant a round of dim sum was in order. We were meeting Miss E and Mr A for a lunch date and Miss E kindly made us a reservation at Tin Lung Heen.

Always a pleasure to dine in such a lovely space. So bright and spacious, I really have a thing for high ceilings~

We left the ordering to Mr A and not too long after, our dim sum started arriving in timely succession.

Iberico pork steamed rice roll. Sweet flavourful BBQ pork tucked inside a slightly chewy rice roll wrapper.

I recommended the Iberico pork char siu and it was only when it arrived after the rice roll that we realised we had double ordered on the char siu oops. Luckily the char siu was still as luscious and fatty as I remembered with a slight char and a sweet sticky glaze.

A serving of abalone and roast goose tart. Tender abalone, but I found the roast goose filling a little dry.

Pan-fried wagyu beef gyoza. Certainly a striking appearance with its web of crispiness encrusting the bottom. It wasn’t as crispy as it looked, in fact just soft and the filling had no meat juices. Just a sad, doughy, dry mouthful…

Deep fried turnip cake in XO sauce was my favourite. Jenga chunks of turnip cake with a golden crunch and a spicy little kick from the XO sauce.

Shrimp spring roll. Thin and crunchy, I just don’t understand why they make spring rolls so thin in Hong Kong. I prefer them thicker so there is a heftier crunch when you bite into them.

Assorted siu mai. The individual portions were a high class version of the humble siu mai topped with lobster and gold leaf, while the two in the bamboo steamer were the ‘poor’ version here topped with a big prawn and scallop. Nice and moist, a solid meaty mouthful.

Contemplating dessert, it is always a bonus to dine with Mr C and Mr A as no sooner when we asked for the dessert menu, they said dessert had been organised for us 🙂

I was most excited to see the fried sesame dumpling, crunchy and piping hot with a creamy custard filling. The mango cream, pomelo, aloe vera and sago dessert had a fresh mango flavour and the juicy aloe vera pieces were a nice textural surprise. Osmanthus jelly was subtly sweet, nice and cooling and the little almond cookie was a nice finishing touch.

Quite enjoyable, and dessert was much appreciated!

102/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, TST

The most talked about buffet in town!

Woooo, the day after I arrived back in Hong Kong , I was off to have CNY dinner at the hardest to book buffet in town! Replacing the previous fine dining Spanish establishment, The Grand Buffet now sits high up on the 62nd floor of the Hopewell centre in Wan Chai. Boasting 360 degree views of Hong Kong, the restaurant revolves ever so slowly, completing one rotation in two hours so don’t worry you won’t get motion sickness :p

Lift entrance to lobby

The restaurant is so beautifully decorated, all beige marble, sandstone walls engraved with the station of food, big spacious tables and the light accents are too chic to not mention.

For those that enjoy a glass of liquor, The Grand Buffet has implemented an automated showcase where guests can use a pre-paid card to select their favourite champagne/wine/sake/plum wine to enjoy with their meal.

As for food selection, let’s take a look shall we 😉 Be warned there is numerous photos and best not to view when hungry.

Seasonal tomatoes and mozzerella cheese

Caesar salad mixing station

Succulent duck breast

My favourite foie gras terrine, so so smooth~

Smoked salmon

Assorted sushi rolls and nigiri

Or for those that want to skip the rice, a sashimi bar is right next to it where a sushi chef is all ready to slice off luscious slices of fatty salmon, yellowtail, large size Hokkaido scallops, sweet shrimp and tuna.

Don’t just fill up on sashimi when there’s a whole blue room dedicated to serving you seafood up the stairs. A selection of Boston lobsters, snow crab claws, whole bread crabs, cockles, mussels and three types of freshly shucked oysters from the US, France or whatever is freshly delivered that day. 3 per serve per person so each guest is able to enjoy these briny treats without waiting too long and since it is a buffet you can always line up again.

And a little reveal to show how much roe goodness is inside those bread crabs~

The seafood doesn’t just end there… head over to the live big head prawn blanching station where they scoop them from the tank and cook them fresh. These were my favourite, juicy, sweet and I loved sucking the goodness from the head.

If you need a break from seafood, there are plenty of other things to tempt you.

A whole roasted prime rib

Chinese BBQ selection: char siu, soya chicken, roast goose and that suckling pig has the most crunchy crackling~

Or some dim sum whose quality is equal or even surpasses those from a Michelin starred Chinese restaurant, but then again the dim sum masters here previously worked in one of those restaurants *cough Sun Tong Lok cough*

Just look at the translucence of that dumpling skin on this spinach and prawn dumpling~

Some delicious tempura with a thin crunchy layer of batter and surprisingly not very oily.

What is a buffet without a collection of bain maries of hot food?

This double boiled cockles, chicken feet and pork soup was so sweet and flavourful, I had to have two bowls of this.

Whole steamed fish

Grilled sea bass and lobster claws

Brown sauce braised sea cucumber, mushrooms and lettuce. The sea cucumber was slippery smooth and on different days the sea cucumber alternates with abalone. This is a dish where guests stand and wait for this to be replenished.

Sauteed Boston lobster

For the spice lovers, there’s a curry station.

Chicken curry

Beef Korma

And finally we made it to desserts 😀

Pretty coffee mousse cups

Assorted fruit. Can eat it the healthy way or…

…you can dip it into the molten chocolate from this stunning chocolate fondue machine. Not too dark and not too sweet, a perfect balance.

Assorted cakes, pastries and handmade chocolates.

Madelines and friands.

These macarons are definitely worth a mention. Not only is the display pretty, but the quality of these macarons are top notch since they are made by one of their affiliate restaurants Joel Robuchon.

Assorted flavours caramel, vanilla, raspberry, lemon.

Don’t fret ice-cream lovers, there is also an ice-cream station with a server displaying her arm strength through chopping and sraping your choice of ice-cream and toppings on an icy teppanyaki plate. Ice-cream is also from Joel Robuchon and let’s just say the vanilla bean flavour is divine~

Dinner is currently priced at $658 + 10% and I have heard how difficult it has been to make a reservation via the phone so I would suggest to head up to the restaurant itself and make one directly with the helpful staff.

Such a huge post. Hope you enjoyed it 🙂

Address:

62/F, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai

Cute Easter goodies~

I can’t believe it’s almost April and that means Easter is just around the corner~ but then again it’s pretty hard to forget since there’s a long awaited public holiday for all you hard working types as well as alluring chocolate eggs and smiling bunnies popping up everywhere 🙂

And speaking of chocolate goodies, this little fellow from Le Salon de The de Joel Robuchon is by far the cutest I have seen!

Creamy white chocolate body with moulded coloured marzipan for his crest, beak and chicken feet. Really almost too cute to crack open and nibble on, but if you don’t you will miss the fruity sugar coated gummies and mini chocolate Easter eggs hiding inside his belly.

If he is too cute for you (how could that possibly be?!) they also have an elegantly decorated egg tempered from dark chocolate, around 80-85%. Melting easily in the mouth, leaving behind a tang of dark chocolate fragrance, it is obvious that high quality chocolate couverture is used. Ideal for the dark chocolate lovers and like the little rooster, it hides sweets inside.

Perfect as gifts or why not treat yourself to one!

Carne means steak um… awful means awful.

Friday night with no prior dinner bookings can be a little daunting since most places would be full house. So when I called Carnevino and was able to easily secure a seating for two at 8.30 despite calling just 10 minutes beforehand I was pleasantly surprised, but little did we know…

Carnevino, one of Mario Batali’s ventures and from the name already announces what it serves- carne meaning meat and vino (you guessed it!) wine with an Italian touch.

Starting with some bread. A slice of white crusty bread extra thin and because it is a steakhouse as well as being an American thing, a miniature popover. Nothing really special, just empty carbohydrates to nibble on while waiting for your appetisers, the butter was decent, but the lardo was pretty nasty. Although infused with herbs, it could not fully disguise the overwhelming stale fat odour that lingered on the tongue afterwards.

I am having a ‘thing’ with bone marrow at the moment and seeing it on the menu meant I had to order it. One bone split into two, it was beautifully roasted and the marrow wonderfully fatty. They scattered preserved lemon over it which was to help with easing the palate from all the oiliness, but it did detract me from concentrating on the rich flavours of the marrow. The accompanying white bread was lack luster as well, more of the crusty white bread, but this time toasted.

The octopus was a decent serving of tentacles, but I would debate the freshness of the octopus used as I detected a slight fishiness. Maybe that was why they had to cover the dish in a strong sweet and sour sauce which was not unlike something you could order at a cha chaan teng just with an Italian twist from the limoncello.

They had two selections for their dry-aged steaks and we chose to share the 18oz New York strip. Asking it to be cooked to a medium rare, you can see that it was seared to a rare and not only that the heart of the steak was cool to the touch. We asked for it to be further cooked and in the mean time we occupied ourselves with the side of creamed corn, which if not for the slight popping of the fresh kernels I would have assumed was poured straight out of a can.

Upon return it looked slightly better, at least it was warm this time. The exterior is quite charred, with the layer of carbon lending its flavour to the steak. One word to describe this steak, chewy. And not just slightly. If you are in need of a jaw muscle workout I would highly recommend you in tackling this piece of steak.

No dessert as our jaws were already too tired.

Carnevino was definitely an experience. One that I happily will not repeat.

Chocolates please~

I have been sick lately, battling the flu is really tiring. Days of plain boring food and a ban on all things sweet and sugary >.<

So why is it days like this when I recieve something like this…

Mysterious black box from Robuchon…

I was expecting macarons, but the seductive waft of bittersweet cocoa butter gave it away…

Chocolat~ 12 pieces of handmade goodies, slightly imperfect, but that’s what makes them special.

Close up~

Colourful domes with a hint of shimmer…

…and handsome squares, understated yet elegant.

I so wanted to eat them… Not this time round so maybe I can get a replacement box for Valentines Day? :p

 

Prime rib? Why not?

I never went to Lawry’s when it was in Causeway bay so coming to its new location inside Hutchinson house would count as my virgin experience :p

Service in general was a little sketchy and our evening started off with the hostess being unable to find our reservation name, even though it was just on the next page. When I finally pointed it out to her and things were sorted out in her own time, we were finally showed to our table.

The menu is only one page long, so selections are limited, but really you are here for the prime rib…

…but the lobster bisque is highly commendable too~ take it from me 😉 Super creamy with a full, rich flavour everything just perfectly balanced. I wish we had ordered one each rather than share :p

5 large prawns hooked around a martini glass. I personally prefer the prawn cocktail served at another steak house as these had a slightly unpleasant fishy smell, but luckily it didn’t transfer to the tastebuds. The cocktail sauce was a little light in flavour, could be punchier.

Every order of prime rib is accompanied by their ‘famous spinning bowl salad’ and you are treated to slight theatrics as your salad is tossed in a spinning metal bowl upon a bed of ice. Crisp lettuce, strips of beetroot and cherry tomatoes, really fresh, but the smashed boiled egg yolk melts into the dressing and gets a little overwhelming.

I had been eyeing the prime rib trolley forever, watching it as it was pushed from table to table and finally it was our turn~ We were introduced to our carver who proudly displays his huge gold medal on his chest as a sign that he has made the grade to specially carve prime rib. After confirming our order for the diamond cut- 750gms, shared between two he quickly slices off a big hunk of medium rare beef.

Look at that~ Really juicy, with the gentle graduating colour from medium rare to well-done and the vein of fat in the middle… That’s the money shot 🙂

You can choose your sides, though the mashed potato and big puffy yorkshire pudding is already included. I would really pass on the creamed spinach, not creamy enough with hard bits of bacon mixed into it, but the creamed corn ordered by the table next to us looked quite sexy.

Fries were good. All cajun-ed up, much much better than the mashed potatoes. So I guess just order your own sides, but again not the creamed spinach.

Green for green tea @ Via Tokyo

The green tea soft serve is soooooo good here~!

So thick and creamy, look at those tight curls of green tea goodness~ It’s not too sweet and the fragrance of the tea just seeps slowly into your senses. Made from 3.6 Hokkaido milk, the texture is so firm that you meet resistance as you try to spoon into it, but the best part it doesn’t melt easily so you can enjoy it sloooowly…

I like mine plain jane, but there are other additions you can pick- mochi balls, puffed rice, azuki beans, fresh fruit and if green tea is not your thing, there is plain milk soft serve too.

Love love love 😀 Please open in Kowloon side soon so I don’t have to cross the harbour everytime I want one. Thanks.

Only ok… @ Gonpachi

So the ‘Kill Bill Restaurant’ has hit the shores of Hong Kong. Heralding from Tokyo, Gonpachi specialises in izakaya styled cuisine and hand-made soba, but as its nickname states it is also famed for the novelty of being the setting in Mr. Quentin Tarantino’s killer movie~

True to the menu they serve, the restaurant is decorated like a drinking den. Dim, with spotlights shining above the tables, the restaurant is all dark wood timbers with traditional touches like lit lanterns and the staff shuffle around in geta (wooden slippers) which may not be the most convenient foot wear, but adds to the setting.

What attracted me to Gonpachi was their uni tempura which reviews have raved about, but more on the heavy stuff later. Let’s start with the lighter items shall we?

Edamame beans served chilled. Can’t really go wrong with this unless they are way overcooked.

Not many places serve freshly made zaru tofu in Hong Kong, and this was good. A solid creaminess with rich soy bean flavour. Tastes so pure and not to mention healthy~ Add a little soy sauce, shallots and bonito flakes and you’re good to go.

The sushi here is not the best value for money… at the price they are charging I can eat better elsewhere, but it’s fresh. The sweet shrimp and uni was… well sweet, but the botan shrimp and scallop were a little disappointing.

Pretty tempura arrangement~ The uni I was waiting for didn’t really taste like anything, not sweet or briny and the shiso leaf it came wrapped in was muted in flavour. Just a crunchy mouthful with a creamy centre… I preferred the prawn and snow crab pieces much more, really juicy pieces of crustacean, while the vegetables were okay, the corn was too unripe though.

Nicely grilled ox-tongue, chewy and meaty and remember to sprinkle the seven spice powder~

The seafood teapot soup was too bland, although warming, it didn’t taste lively enough despite all the ingredients inside.

I so recommend ordering the tiger prawn wrapped in chicken skin~ A huge prawn grilled perfectly until the chicken skin was all crisp and crackly wrapped around firm, sweet prawn meat. Such a meaty mouthful, this was the highlight of the evening.

Since they have someone specially making soba noodles by the entrance, we thought we couldn’t go wrong with ordering a single portion of the seiro soba. Arriving in the traditional woven basket, it looks like a lot, but the basket is actually very shallow. Served chilled, the noodles were nice and chewy, but lacked the buckwheat-ness. The soy sauce used for dipping was too light in taste and they only provided shallots rather than the additional wasabi and quails egg. Order it for your carb quota, but don’t expect too much.

Not feeling satisfied, we ordered a serve of marinated octopus to end on. A supposedly recommended appetiser, this came out chilled rather than warm as we were expecting. Plump, fleshy octopus tentacles, the texture was nice and bouncy with lingering hints of sweetness and mirin, but it just wasn’t marinated long enough for the flavours to really soak in.

Hmm… only a few highlights the tofu, prawn and crab tempura and the tiger prawn kushi, but otherwise the whole experience at Gonpachi was just underwhelming. There are much better alternatives for Japanese food in Hong Kong where you can spend your money.

Cake fit for a King!

Opening cake boxes can just be as exciting as unwrapping presents… especially when you unveal something as lovely as this~

Galette des Rois or King’s cake~ Traditionally eaten during January or the exact date January 6th to celebrate the ‘Epiphany’ holiday in France.

This hefty creation is all delicate layers of buttery pastry, so crisp it shatters with each forkful and hidden inside is a dense filling of fragrant frangipane. Not too sweet, so you can easily finish a slice of this indulgent dessert 😉

And whoever finds the little toy (feve) hidden inside their slice gets to wear the golden crown and be king of the day~

Only available once a year so don’t miss out~

Sweet Anniversary Lunch~ @ Amber

So we turned one~!

And as people who love food, it only makes sense to celebrate with a lovely meal in a beautiful setting. Amber~

Weekend lunch is a set menu, with the option of wine or mocktail pairing. Three savoury courses, three tasting desserts and you can add an optional cheese course if you please.

The bread is always amazing here~ I loved the baguettes, so crunchy with chewy insides and I confess I ate a lot of butter with it.

Trio of amuse bouche. The ever famous foie gras lollipop covered in beetroot jelly, enjoying the smooth liver parfait is always an eye-closing moment. Crab rolls with a light citrus tang and my favourite pork croquette where a fried breaded shell releases a gush of rich porky liquid.

Mr. C’s first course was a single cabanon oyster hiding underneath a mound of greenness. It even tasted green from the pickled cucumber jell-o and the fancy cuts of cucmber. A little bland, but refreshing.

If you have never been to Amber before, you really need to try their signature dish! Tongues of sea urchin, lobster jell-o, and soft pearls of caviar all atop a blended cauliflower cream. Everything just melts in your mouth leaving behind an aftertaste of the sea… Really good~

Three tiny frogs legs wapped in crispy katifi were surprisingly flavourful. Tender and meaty, the kaifi was fried delicately so that it was still crunchy, but not hard enough to make it difficult to chew on.

My foie gras ravioli in wild mushroom and tea consomme was quite ordinary. An earthy broth full of diced cep mushrooms with two tiny pasta parcels filled with foie gras. If I could pick again, I would choose the abalone instead. The flaky roll it came with was quite nice where the truffle butter came wrapped like a little candy in rice paper. It tasted more cheesy than buttery though and it was a little awkward to bite through the rice paper neatly without it sticking to your lips.

The bresse pigeon looked somewhat unappealing on the plate, a brown ovoid dome of blended pigeon and foie gras all molded over toast. He saved the last bite for me, and I wish he had let me try it earlier =.= Don’t judge its appearance as it had really luscious gamey flavours that was just delicious.

I had the venison. Braised till it was so soft, that you could just poke to apart with your fork. Vension is naturally gamey so paired with the strong salty flavours of the sauce it just matched really well. Oh and if you are lucky you will find a bullet in your meat :p The side of cheesy spatzle was just comfort food at its best with the luxury of autumn truffle added to it, perfect for a carb lover like me~

And then our sequence of desserts began~

A small portion of poached pear in spiced red wine with olive oil caviar. The flavour of the wine is not too strong infusing a slight tartness and sweetness to the soft pear. The bursts of olive oil were a little odd though. Poached fruit is of course a wintery dessert, but it’s not something I would usually pick unless it was more indulgent as in surrounded by pastry or cream.

I liked the cheesecake semi-freddo, although it tasted more like vanilla than cheese. Wrapped in the crispy tuile it gave a little texture to the solid creaminess.

Before our last set dessert, the team at Amber surprised us with a mille-fieulle for our anniversay! It was so nice of them, not to mention how delicious it was~ Buttery layers of crunchy pasty, filled with sweet creme patisserie and fresh raspberries. So so good!

After the amazing pastry, the last dessert was a little flat for me. Chocolate and coconut, like a bounty bar. Although I do love chocolate, the Jivara chocolate creme was just not chocolatey enough.

Don’t forget the petit fours~ a three layered tin revealing twelve goodies. I didn’t have much as I was already pretty high on sugar, but the marron glace was lovely, liquered chestnut covered in a sugar glaze…

Thank you so much Amber team, it was most enjoyable~