Cuisine: International – Page 2

A “Neighborhood” restaurant in Soho (Hong Kong)

Lured by its inclusion in the list of Asia’s 50 best restaurants (2019), during my September 2019 trip to Hong Kong I made a reservation at Neighborhood, a bistro hidden in Soho. It is listed on some websites as a “French” restaurant, but the chef-owner, David Lai, plays also with Italian and Spanish recipes and ingredients.

The visit

I established contact with the restaurant on their Facebook page, then they asked for my mobile and we exchanged a couple of text messages to pinpoint a reservation. I was warned that I would get a bar chair, that was fine since I was alone.

The restaurant has an unassuming front in an alley.

The restaurant technically is located on Hollywood road, but you won’t find it there… rather you have to look for the nearby Man Hing Lane (shown above).

I was initially seated at the bar as expected. After 10 minutes one of my leg was numb… it was really an uncomfortable chair and luckily after some begging I was moved to a normal table.

I already knew that the menu changes frequently. I was a bit disappointed that the menu I was handed was remarkably shorter than others I saw online. The most interesting dish would have required a pre-order. Yet, there were some attracting dishes and the ingredients seemed to be handpicked.

My first order was an appetizer, Spanish salami that came with a fantastic ciabatta bread (apparently they buy the bread from a nearby award-winning French restaurant, Belon).

My first dish was a delicious beef tartar with salmon roe. The addition of salty fish eggs gave a nice touch to the overall flavor.

Meantime I was offered a complimentary dish: some grilled bell-peppers. Very nice.

My last dish was handmade garganelli (a type of pasta) with an interesting combination of spicy scallop skirts and beef tripe. It was quite spicy (I would say Korean style), but very good.

With the check, I was offered a complimentary French pastry.

The check

The final check was 610 HKD (78 USD) for three courses. Not outrageous and the food in the end was good. This was a luxury casual restaurant. If I was living in Soho and I was a millionaire, I would make it my kitchen. At the same time I feel I missed something since I could have planned my dinner in a more effective way if I had seen the menu beforehand. If you go, ask them to send you the menu, when available.

Where in Hong Kong:
G/F, 61-63 Hollywood Road, Soho, Central.
(But look for Man Hing Lane.)

A new Hong Kong’s favorite: Feather and Bone

Feather and Bone is a chain of butcheries cum groceries cum steakhouses that has become a new favorite for Hongkongers. All the times I have passed by a branch at dinner time I have always seen it jam-packed. In June 2019 finally I tried their Sai Ying Pun location.

The visit

I got one of the last tables available in the busy dining room part of the shop. They have burgers and a few other large plates such a linguine bolognese and chicken schnitzel, but the main attraction is the meat from the butcher counter. You can either choose the meat you want and pay by weight or go for their “butcher’s choice” or the more expensive “prime choice” for a selection put together by the chef.

The selection included chorizo, pork sausage, lamb chop, and a good portion of rib-eye steak. Now, if you look at the pictures above you will see a lot of meat… well… there was a mistake and they brought me meat for two people but only charged for my single order. Sadly I could not finish everything. This kind of situation happens only once in a lifetime.

The meat was good, not extraordinary, but good. Perhaps only the sausages were not on par with the rest.

I also had a burrata that was very fresh.

A side dish and a sauce was included. I had mashed potatoes. If you are there for a small splurge, you may try their truffle mac & cheese.

Meat on display at the butcher’s counter.

They also have a selection of cheese.

And a section with more grocery and household goods.

The check

The butcher’s choice was 352 HKD per person. The more expensive fine choice was 572 HKD. Appetizers and other plates were quite expensive. My total check was 514.80 HKD (66 USD) that of course was a steal for the double ration. For a regular portion was still an acceptable price point. I can see why it is so popular.

Where in Hong Kong:
See their website for un updated list of locations and online reservation: https://featherandbone.com.hk/pages/our-locations.

Why Quince is great for Saigon (even if I did not like everything about it)

Quince Saigon is the Vietnamese outpost of a Quince Eatery in Bangkok, managed by Farandole group. It has been a very hyped restaurant and you can find tons of positive reviews online. Certainly a sign of Saigon’s evolving food scene.

I tried Quince for the first time in summer 2018 and I thought that it would not have been fair to write a review on the basis of just a single visit. So I came back again in my summer 2019 trip to get a better idea.

The visit(s)

Located in the outskirts of district 1 in a rapidly developing area famous for its hardware stores and a military surplus market, the interior of the restaurant exudes modernity and class. As a solo diner, I find the long counter a very nice feature (and I sat there on both of my visits). Let’s start with my 2019 visit.

I started with an octopus casserole. The octopus was tender and all the condiments right. Really enjoyed the dish.

Then I was craving for chicken (this was the beginning of my summer 2019 chicken quest that culminated in Chiang Mai…) and I was attracted by a roast French cockerel (coquelet) on the menu. It was ok, but there was really little meat (which is normal for this kind of chicken, in fact I was expecting a whole one, the menu did not help).

The chicken came with some potatoes and greens.

I had also ordered a dish of greens with an homemade anchovy sauce that was brilliant (the flavor reminded me of Japanese sauces) but I was a bit upset because nobody told me that the chicken was already coming with some greens. It was not clear at all from the menu that, using a modern style, only indicated the main ingredients of the dish without more details. If I knew about it, I would have ordered something else.

While I was eating the salad I was abruptly interrupted by the waitress that wanted to clean the table from the chicken plate. She literally interrupted me while I was chewing. This kind of things make me upset not with the service staff, but with the management that should have trained them in a better way.

No dessert, but the check was accompanied by some jellies.

And now a look at my 2018 visit.

My first dish was an interesting beef tartare. It was not your usual tartare. It was copiously sprinkled with dried egg yolk and rich of ingredients (I appreciated the capers). Overall a very good creative dish.

My main was a veal cheek with mash and cherry tomatoes. There was a good balancing of flavors among the three main ingredients of the dish. However the veal was quite dry contrary to my expectations.

The cauliflower with cream that I ordered as a side was full of flavor and simply great.

I also enjoyed a Vietnamese red tea.

Finally I had some room for a dessert: a scoop of Ralf’s chocolate gelato. Good of them that found the best in town.

The final complimentary jellies were already there.

The check(s)

The 2019 visit cost me 1,218,525 VND (52 USD), including a super expensive bottle of water!

The previous visit cost me basically the same (the tea was much less expensive than the water).

By international standards, it was quite reasonable. Being in Saigon, the cost opportunity is not negligible.

After these visits and after speaking with F&B professionals in Saigon I realized one thing: Quince has been and is great for the development of Saigon’s restaurant community. The head chef, Julien Perraudin, has an amazing curriculum and is a true creative force. The creativity is reflected in his dishes and the menu changes frequently depending on the quality ingredients available. Do not expect to find the dishes I described. All of this creative power is trickling down to the wider community and is helping in modernizing Saigon’s food scene. Great.

What left me with mixed feelings, especially after the second visit, was the lack of clarity on the menu. I hope I could have had a more in-depth conversation about the food to order with the chef (but he was, rightfully so, busy) or some knowledgeable staff. This would have made the experience more streamlined. I would gladly go back if chef Perraudin was to offer a tasting menu or to try some specific dishes.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
37bis Ký Con Street, District 1
Follow their Facebook page.

Western gourmet dishes in a Hong Kong food center

Similarly to hawker centers in Singapore, food centers in Hong Kong aggregate several vendors under one roof that serve cooked food. The food is usually local, but the Queen Street Cooked Food Centre in Sheung Wan offers a variety of international cuisines.

One of the stall is called ABC Kitchen (for “a better cooking”) and lore has it that it was started by a group of employees of the famous French restaurant M at the Fringe after its closure (incidentally, there is a M on Bund in Shanghai still open started by the same owner of the other M restaurant).

The visit

I went to the Food Center for lunch and it was pretty packed.

I found a spot at a table in front of the ABC Kitchen stall and the staff took the order at the table.

For lunch a tea or coffee is included and they have a number of specials, including a soup of the day.

The full menu was also available.

I took a plate of linguine pasta with duck breast and tomato sauce. It was quite good, the duck meat was very tender.

I added a fish pie. This dish was less interesting than expected. Bits of fish were mixed with potatoes mash and other ingredients.

Finally I had a chocolate parfait that turned out to be a slice of chocolate mousse with some fruit. On the menu they also had the pavlova, that is a signature of M restaurants.

Other restaurants in the center include a Thai, an Indian, a Pizzeria cum Kebab, and a few Chinese eateries.

The check

In the end I spent 204 HKD (26 USD) for this three course meal. There was no service charge for lunch, I believe there might be a service charge on evenings. For a food center this is quite expensive, but it was fun to have this kind of Western food in this casual setting. Some of the dishes on the menu can be quite pricey and I am not sure that I would dine there for dinner.

Where in Hong Kong:
Shop CF7, Food Market, 1 Queen St, Sheung Wan.
Website: www.abckitchen.com.hk.

A great chocolate cafe in Hongdae: 17℃

In Seoul there is no shortage of cafes for dessert fanatics. 17℃ stands out as it is a real chocolaterie specializing in chocolate treats. 17℃ apparently is the perfect temperature to store and serve chocolate bonbons.

The visit

From Hongik University metro station, it was a pleasant 5-10 minute walk along Hongdae main road.

On a sunny weekend afternoon, the place was packed, but I got on of the last remaining tables inside.

I had a cup of their soft serve ice cream. As good as it gets.

I also had their seasonal drink: a cold brew with dark chocolate, Kyoto Uji matcha, and ice cream. This was the drink that convinced me that green tea and chocolate go well together.

They also sell chocolate products.

The check

The check was 12,500 Won (10.30 USD), with the drink accountimg for 8,500 Won.

Highly recommended for chocolate lovers.

Where in Seoul:
38, Donggyo-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu.
In Korean: 서울특별시 마포구 동교로 29길 38.
Website: https://17dossi.modoo.at/ (Korean only).

Staying up late at Ninethirty by Awfully Chocolate

I am writing this post mostly because I wrote a review of Awfully Chocolate in Mainland China. While in Singapore I had a chance to go with friends to Ninethirty, the flagship restaurant operated by Awfully Chocolate in its home country.

The visit

It was past 10pm on a Saturday and the restaurant was packed. Contrary to classic Awfully Chocolate locations, Ninethirty is a full-fledged restaurant and on Saturdays is open till 1am. There was a very nice young vibe.

Personally I stocked up on Awfully Chocolate milk that is not available in China. It is just chocolate milk, but it has the right density and I enjoyed it.

Somebody in the party had the original all chocolate cake.

The check

The chocolate milk was 8 SGD a pop.

Ninethirty is definetely a good venue where to have a post-dinner dessert with friends.

Where in Singapore:
31 East Coast Road.
Website: www.ac9thirty.com (with link to menu and reservation system).

Brunch at Shanghai Tavern

This brunch was really random. I literally ran away from another venue where the level of noise of the crowd was just unbearable (I am talking about the Westin). The contrast with my previous destination could not have been starker: the Tavern is an elegant and quiet place, especially for an early Sunday brunch.

The visit

Shanghai Tavern is located on the lobby level of the luxurious Shanghai Edition and has its own entrance at one side of the hotel on Nanjing East Road.

On a typical weekend Nanjing road is very crowded so it is really refreshing to step inside the Tavern to find a little urban oasis with many types of seating arrangements from sofas to booths and normal tables.

The Tavern serves British and European food in an elegant yet laid down environment. I think the name is misleading: I kind of assumed that it was a Chinese restaurant (maybe because of the Chinese Tavern in Rockbund).

I was welcomed by the professional staff, got a table, and served the bread basket with butter. The restaurant offers all-day dining starting from breakfast at 6am. For weekend brunch they have a fixed price for either two or three courses. For additional coins, you can also get a glass of quality champagne.

I had their “royal eggs”, just salmon poached eggs. A very well executed and fitting brunch dish.

The pan-seared snapper with kale mash was just a perfect dish.

Finally, I had their cheeseburger. A big boy, with smoked bacon and caramelized onion. It was what a cheeseburger is supposed to be and alone could satisfy one’s appetite.

I did not have the champagne, but I enjoyed a Japanese soda, because Japanese sodas are fun.

The check

The brunch deal was 348 RMB (50 USD) per three courses and 298 RMB (43 USD) for two. Prices were listed net. After adding the soda, I spent 403 RMB (58.5 USD). It is an average price for a Bund-worthy high-end location.

The food was good, solid Western food, not without some special touches (the kale puree was something). I did not regret changing my brunch plans and I would not mind visiting again.

Where in Shanghai:
199 Nanjing Road East.
Check their website for reservation info.

What to order at Awfully Chocolate in China

Awfully Chocolate is a chain of dessert and cake shops founded in Singapore back in 1998 by Lyn Lee, a young lawyer, and her boyfriend (both with no business experience in the food and beverage industry). They have over a dozen shops and cafes in Singapore (including a restaurant) and have franchised their business in other countries. After false starts in Taiwan and Hong Kong, they seem to have found a very strong partner in Mainland China. At the time of posting, Awfully Chocolate stores are all over China, mainly in shopping malls.

What is interesting about their concept is that it, uncompromisingly, is all about chocolate. They started by selling a single type of chocolate cake at the origins and now they have a wide range of chocolate products: from cakes, to beverages, ice cream, pralines, etc.

The visit(s)

The picture shows the storefront of the shop in Wanda Plaza in Ningbo (now closed). Some shops have tables, some others do not (like the one at IFC Mall in Shanghai, just for take-away orders). They had a particularly large cafe in Ningbo near the central Tianyi square (now closed).

A very good introduction to their cakes is the super-stacked chocolate cake that is inspired by the traditional Southeast Asian Lapis Cake. According to their website, “each cake layer is baked one at a time, so a completed Super Stacked cake with six layers of cake and six layers of fudge takes almost four hours to complete”. I have the impression that they have reduced the sweetness of their cakes for the Chinese market over time (I remember them sweeter just a couple of years ago, but I could be mistaken).

For something even more massive, their cupcake is an interesting creation. Most of the mass is actually “solid” chocolate topping the soft layer.

I also recommend their hot chocolate. In the picture above a cold chocolate beverage (60%) with chocolate bits. Unfortunately this one was not very good, the hot beverages are way better.

The check(s)

The super-stacked chcolate cake was 29 RMB (4.3 USD).

The cupcake was 4 RMB more expensive and along with the cold chocolate was 68 RMB (10 USD). These prices are comparable to Starbucks in China.

Where in China:
Check their website for store locations. (Ningbo locations as to mid 2020 were all closed. The list on the website may not be up to date.)

The cheapest five-star buffet in Asia at the Sofitel Ningbo

Nothing glamorous about this weekend brunch buffet, but it is very cheap and some of the food is excellent. I suspect it is a loss leader for the hotel. The buffet for lunch is only available at weekends starting at 11.30am.

See the review of the Koko Japanese restaurant for another Sofitel dining venue in Ningbo.

The visit

The weekend brunch buffet is held in the second floor restaurant, calle Le Bistrot. Here’s a round up of what is available:

Random hot dishes (braised pork, vegetables, and so on).

Grill corner, they prepare skewers, beef steak, some small white fish on demand.

Some of the dishes coming from the grill.

The roast meat usually features pork (never beef!).

This is my favorite corner: fresh sushi and sashimi including tuna (the rolls have random ingredients…).

More fresh seafood, some small prawns, crabs, mussels…

The dessert buffet features classics like Opera Cake and more creative sweets. It is excellent, they must have a good pastry chef.

The check

Ok, I am cheating a little bit, I have a discount eating at this buffet and my final check is 100.8 RMB (or exactly 15 USD). It is as low as it can get for a five star buffet.

However, even the full price, 168 RMB (25 USD) is still pretty cheap.

It is not a fancy buffet, but the selection is extensive and there are actually some excellent choices. The sashimi is fresh and the dessert corner sports many great cakes.

Where in Ningbo:
Sofitel Wanda Hotel Ningbo, 2F
899 Si Ming Zhong Road Yinzhou District
In Chinese: 四明中路899号
Tip: online booking is possible, but not necessary.

The Sunday Brunch at the Cathay Room between history and seafood

The Cathay Room is one of the restaurants of the Fairmont Peace Hotel, a Shanghai’s landmark. Built from 1926 to 1929, it was originally called Cathay Hotel and also hosted the private apartment of the owner, Victor Sassoon (technically, also the building across the street was part of the complex, it is now a separate property). Victor Sassoon was behind the development of a lot of art deco buildings in Shanghai and my understanding is that the Cathay Room was below (or part of) his quarters. The hotel even has a small museum where you can learn about his remarkable past. I spent time reading a letter of a British woman telling her story of her time at the hotel as a hostage of the Japanese. Some fascinating stuff if you are a history buff.

To get to the restaurant, take the third entrance to the right (the first one is closed and the central entrance leads to the main hotel reception), turn right and look for the elevators: the Cathay Room is at the 9th floor. They also have a terrace with fabulous views of Pudong and the river.

The visit

On Sundays, and only on Sundays, The Cathay Room offers a brunch semi-buffet. The seafood spread is formidable and it is what lures me back. In this review, I will account for my visit on Sunday 21 April 2019, that happened to be Easter. The restaurant was busier than usual.

The dining room has a classic charm and is quite intimate.

The table was impeccable and had some Easter goodies.

One station is dedicated to oysters. On this visit they were Moana oysters from Australia. They were shucked by the staff on demand. It is usually my first stop.

They have a decent selection of sushi and sashimi (including all the right pickled vegetables). Sashimi slices are thick.

Another station is dedicated to fresh crustaceans including giant clams, abalone, shrimps, king crab claws, mussels, razor clams.

Peking duck pancakes were prepared at this station.

Deep fried pork belly, some cold cuts (they discontinued the Spanish ham), smoked salmon, pate’, cheese, bread were available on one side of the central buffet table.

A number of Chinese appetizers and salads were available on the other side of the table, including boiled egg mimosa sprinkled with caviar.

This is a semi-buffet, because the buffet is supposed to be just an appetizer. Then you can order a main from the list above.

I had their turnedos Rossini that was fully satisfying. The meat was really top-grade and super-tender. Also the lamb chops and the cod were substantial dishes.

Among the many treats available, I want to show their truffle cheese and cheese bell peppers. Quite unique in a buffet. I appreciate the attention to the details.

Finally there was a dessert buffet with a couple of good cakes.

The check

The check was 687.70 RMB (or 102 USD) after service charge and water and soft drinks were included (ignore the separation in the check between beverage and food, it was total price, the subdivision must be for internal reasons).

Given the quality of the food, I have no problem with their price.

Finally, they also have some free-flow options for Champagne lovers.

Where in Shanghai:
Ninth Floor, Fairmont Peace Hotel, 20 Nanjing Dong Lu (West Road)
In Chinese: 南京东路20号费尔蒙和平饭店9楼
Info from the official website and link to reservation here.