Eat Drink Hong Kong

Open map in new tab/window

Shop 3, 1-5 Elgin Street
Soho,
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2559 2777

19/F Soho Square
21 Lyndhurst Terrace
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2123 9163
Fax 2815 9165

19/F Soho Square
21 Lyndhurst Terrace
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2123 9163
Fax 2815 9165

2/F 49 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2541 1599

G/F 16 Staunton Street
Soho
Hong Kong
Tel 2869 5463
Tel 2147 9689

G/F 55 Peel Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2975 9788 or 2180 8855

1-3/F, 37 Staunton Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2975 9722

62-64b Peel Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 3521 1291

G/F 40 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong

G/F 40 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2522 8322
Fax 2522 8322

59 Staunton Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2857 2966

LG/F 7 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2522 1262
Fax 2522 0757

G/F Lyndhurst Building
37B Lyndhurst Terrace
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2851 6550
Fax 2851 6590

G/F Shop B, 11 Old Bailey Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2524 1818

G/F 2 Shelley Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2521 83252
Fax 2521 8323

It’s always nice to stumble upon somewhere new, especially when it is in a area that you thought you knew pretty well.

Bali house is a small Indonesian/Chinese place that I’m sure I must have walked past a hundred times and never noticed. Perhaps this is because, unlike most of the restaurants shoe-horned into this area, Bali House is aimed squarely at the local residents and has nothing much to catch the eye. It is also just across the road from Chez Patrick and I’m probably looking in the other direction when I pass.

But there are two gatekeepers stationed either side of the door. On the left a ginger and white cat, and on the right a bilingual mynah bird that greets patrons in both English and Cantonese. I said “good evening” as I walked in. It cocked it’s head to one side and looked at me in the way that birds do when they think you are talking rubbish.

The decor is basic but the welcome was warm enough. I was ushered to a table and a glass of weak tea was promptly produced. I took a moment or two to find a menu, during which time I cast an eye around the room. The staff seemed to know all the customers and some of those seemed to know each other as well.

A large pile of freshly loaded satay sticks stood on the table at the very back. The menu duly arrived. It was a rather confusing affair, several dishes seemed to be listed twice and nasi goreng was conspicuous by it’s absence. Or maybe I just didn’t notice it.

No matter - I had already decided on half a dozen chicken satay. Which were delivered piping hot and with a nice cold bottle of Tsing Tao. The peanut sauce wasn’t too spicy but there was some chilli in shrimp sauce on the table so I could mix to taste.

I also pointed out a dished called Ikan Assam Pedas - the picture looked good. Ikan is fish and there appeared to be chillies as well. The man shook his head and offered sambal ikan, so I thought, why not? Sambal is essentially a sauce, it consists of fresh chillies, shrimp paste, lime juice, sugar, and salt. That said, every Indonesian home cook has their own variation. This had pineapple in.

Normally I would draw the line at pineapple in a savoury dish but I didn’t mind this at all. There was something in the sauce that prevented it from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.

Dessert was the Thai classic, mango with black sticky rice and coconut cream. A generous serving it was too.

For the princely sum of $127 I decided it was good value indeed. You wouldn’t bring a first date here and it wouldn’t impress any clients either. But when you’re feeling a little peckish and you can’t make up your mind what you want, remember the little Indonesian place on Peel Street.

I whistled at the mynah on the way out and headed towards the Pickled Pelican for a beer.

Every so often we get the urge to wander along one of those tiny little roads between Hollywood Road and Queens Road, just to make sure we’re not missing anything. Occasionally we are rewarded.

The other evening took us along Peel Street, down the hill from Hollywood Road. On the left just after crossing Gage Street, buried behind the street markets, we found an Indian restaurant that we’d never seen before. It is called Balle Balle and has been open for about three months. There had been something there before but after racking our brains for a while, and watching one of a group of chefs roll out parathas outside, we still couldn’t remember what. We went in.

It is a small cosy restaurant with just a few tables. A TV in the corner plays Indian pop videos but it was neither loud or intrusive, rather it lends the place a comfortable homely feel. We settled into our table and ordered beers.

The menu contains all our old favourites. In the appetizers section there are samosas, pakoras and onion bhajis but there were also a few that were a little more intriguing. The waiter recommended the chilli chicken ($31) - deep fried chicken with tomato, capsicum and chilli sauce. He told us that it had become one of their most popular dishes.

To go along with it we ordered my old favourite, mutton rogan josh ($40), vegetable kebab ($38) and a mixed raita ($17) where the yoghurt is mixed with diced tomatoes, cucumber and onions. And to mop it all up we added a lacha paratha ($11) and a plain nan ($10).

There was only one chef outside now to making the parathas, the others no doubt had adjourned to the kitchen to get busy with our order. To keep us going while the food was being prepared the waiter brought us complementary masala poppadoms.

The food when it arrived made us gasp. The servings were very generous indeed and we wondered how we were going to eat it all, but not being the kind of folks that shrink in the face of adversity we tucked in. I aimed for the rogan josh, my companion, the chilli chicken. The mutton was lean and tender, the sauce was thick and rich and not too oily as it sometimes can be. I could tell by the look on my companions face that the chicken was living up to its promise.

The vegetable kebabs had arrived on a sizzling plate but were now cool enough eat. Made from soya they had a meat like texture, a little chewy but definitely had a vegetarian flavour. I mopped a corner of my plate clean with a wonderfully light and fluffy piece of nan and asked my companion to pass me the chilli chicken. She did so but only after I had bartered the largest piece of mutton in the rogan josh AND the fifth piece of the vegetable kebab (I didn’t tell her that there was a sixth piece hiding under the lemon).

It was obvious why she was being possessive about the chicken, it was quite wonderful. The waiter told us the dish originated in southern India. It isn’t as fiery as it’s name might suggest, the sauce is a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet, the chicken lean and soft.

Eventually we both sat back with contented, smug looks on our faces. “I’m full”, I said. “Couldn’t eat another thing”, she replied. “Gulab jamun?” I said … We shared it.

Balle Balle is open for dinner from 6-10.30pm when we were there it wasn’t too busy but the waiter did warn that anyone wanting to go for lunch (11.00-4.30 should either go early or plan a late lunch as they get very busy.

G/F ?? Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong

G/F King Ho Building
41-49 Aberdeen Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2517 8484
Fax 2517 8585

G/F King Ho Building
41-49 Aberdeen Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2517 8484
Fax 2517 8585

G/F 9 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 3857 7388

G/F Lyndhurst Building
37A Lyndhurst Terrace
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2854 1872
Fax 2854 1882

10 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 6405 0298

G/F 33 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2536 9218
Fax 2536 9996

“Looks like worms,” said one of my companions. “Sautéed Shredded Pork with Beijing Sauce and spring onions,” ($108) said the other.

We were in Bistro Manchu on Elgin Street. As far as I know this is the only restaurant in Hong Kong that specialises in Manchurian cuisine. The region itself includes the three north-eastern provinces of China - Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning - but the cuisine also boasts Mongolian and Korean influences.

Potatoes are much more common in northern China and we had started with with potato noodle with horse radish ($98). The noodles were flat. They had quite a distinct flavour and much greater elasticity than the more familiar type. I was impressed.

Following this were north-eastern soup pork dumplings ($68). These are little soup bomblets and seem to be popular all over China. The soup is actually inside the dumpling. The trick is to pick it up and get it into your mouth without it bursting. The snag is that you never know how hot it is going to be.

These didn’t burn the tongue and were quite tasty though not as soupy as others I’ve had.

It was after this that the ‘worms’ had appeared. The dish is served with spring roll wrappers. The idea is to take make your own spring roll or wrap. The shredded pork is served on a bed of vegetables which can be mixed in or ignored according to your own preference. It was slightly sweet but very delicious, even better with my second attempt because it didn’t fall to bits when I bit into it.

Sautéed 3 vegetables ($98) had arrived at the same time. The vegetables in question were potato, green pepper and aubergine.

By now we had quite a lot of food on the table for just three of us but the best, in my opinion was still to come.

This was Cumin Lamb with Chinese Parsley on an Iron Plate ($168). It is said to be a classic Manchurian dish but it does remind me very much of Mongolian fare that I have had in the past. It is also a very hearty dish, a little bit spicy but with a very distinct flavour. It is served with little bread pockets into which the shaved lamb is stuffed and then eaten with fingers.

All the food had been tasty but the lamb was definitely my favourite. What was your favourite dish? I asked my companion. “This one” she said, helping herself to more worms.

Bistro Manchu can get very busy, reservations are recommended.

G/F 49 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2147 0100

1 Elgin Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2147 2122

Boca is a trendy European style bar on Peel Street at the junction with Elgin Street. I’d decided to go along for some early evening tapas and was lucky enough to secure the table at the front by the door. The bustle of Soho as it comes alive for the evening combines well with the Latin-flavoured jazzy grooves that were playing within.

The word tapas comes from the Spanish verb ‘tapar’, which means to cover, and was essentially a free snack that was placed on top of a drink. According to legend the first tapa was a slice of ham that was placed on a sherry glass to keep flies out. Bar owners realised that the saltiness of the ham encouraged customers to drink more and thus a tradition was born. Today the term refers to almost any snack sized dish, traditional or modern, and need only be limited by the chefs imagination.

I’d come in search of the more traditional tapas. These are listed down the left hand side of the menu while the more modern variants are on the right. I decided to order three dishes, the grilled chorizo ($56) is a favourite of mine, so that was easy. The other two choices required a little more thought. The pepper crusted tuna fillet, and the grilled sardines with sea salt and garlic both sounded tempting. Finally, after much consultation with the manageress Emmy, I decided on Gambas al Ajillo ($69) and Albondigas ($56).

Chorizo is spicy pork sausage flavoured with paprika. Sliced and grilled, it is an excellent snack that goes just as easily with a cold beer as it does with wine. Gambas is prawns and these are prepared with artichokes and spinach and sautéed in paprika. Albondigas are another classic tapas dish comprising spicy beef meatballs in rosemary and tomato sauce. Finally, a basket of home-made bread - perfect for dipping.

Had I not been in danger of overdoing it I might have been tempted by some of options on the “not-so-traditional” side of the menu which included dishes such as stir fried wild mushrooms sauteed in Thai spices, or roasted garlic and brie. Ah but there’ll be another time.

As would be expected, Boca also has a wide selection of wines from all over the world which are offered by the bottle or by the glass and, of course, sangria by the carafe or glass.

Desserts are not in much demand in tapas bars, due perhaps to the idea that tapas are a pre-dinner snack, but the Boca menu does offer a chocolate sponge pudding smothered in hot chocolate sauce and served with fresh strawberries, blueberries and Kiwi fruit.

Boca is open everyday from 12.00 till 2am. Reservations are recommended.

65 Peel Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel  2548 1717
Fax 2548 1727

3-5 Old Bailey Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2526 6099
Fax 2869 6821

1/F, Carfield Commercial Building
75-77 Wyndham St
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2971 0001
Fax 2596 0008

G/F 31 Elgin Street
Soho
Hong Kong
Tel 2834 9880

G/F 31 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2834 9880

21 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2540 6630

G/F 45 Elgin Street
Soho
Hong Kong
Tel 2834 9880

G/F 45 Elgin Street
Soho
Central,
Hong Kong
Tel 2526 8318
Tel 2526 8316

By Faye McCarthy

A surprise evening out with my husband led to a new restaurant experience for me. After a pre-dinner drink at a bar in SoHo, we strolled along Elgin Street and he finally directed me to Le Fauchon.

We entered the darkened interior (all low lights, candles, mirrors and grey tiles… modern, but intimate), and were shown to a corner table towards the back of the brasserie. After a little shuffling to make sure I had the best view of the other diners (it was already pretty full at a quarter to 8), we were given menus and a wine list. I was slightly daunted by the ‘tempura snails’, wondering if we were to have a Japanese/French evening and trying to come up with a word to describe this fusion (Frapanese being my favourite) , but as I continued through the menu I decided there were several potentially mouth watering options.

I finally I decided on the goose liver starter, followed by the duck confit (an unoriginal preferred choice for me). My husband – just as predictably – went for the snails and then in a bold move opted for the Wagyu steak (medium). I was allowed to choose the wine. I decided on a bottle of Saint Julien.

The order taken, the wine arrived with usual Hong Kong pomposity. It was lovingly uncorked, the cork placed beside my husband and the taster offered to him too (slightly annoying, since I was the one who did the choosing, but I am not one to make a fuss). I let my husband nod his appreciation and quickly took a sip before the waiter ran away. Of course it was good… as if I’d doubt my man!

Crusty bread and butter arrived. We picked at it whilst we unobtrusively (I hope) commented on the other diners, speculating on their occupations and their choice of food. At the right time the food arrived. Not too soon to interrupt our tete-a-tete, but not too late to allow our stomachs growling time.

It was beautifully arranged. I am not a fan of heaped plates and it certainly wasn’t. The starter was just that - enough to whet our appetites. The fois gras was cooked to perfection, almost melting in the mouth. A drizzle of balsamic around the plate and a small mound of mixed salad made it look and taste fresh. My husband’s snails came enclosed in a baked tomato instead of the usual awkward, and often messy, shells. When he cut the tomato open it oozed garlic sauce. I had to dip my bread in just to make sure I could cope with any hazardous garlic fumes later that night.

The wine was refilled at intervals without any of the usual ceremonial interruptions often adopted by restaurants and again the correct amount of time was left between courses.

My confit de canard was stacked upon some crisp mange tout and a couple of boiled potatoes placed beside it. It looked and tasted good. It was very slightly dry, but so slight that I can’t complain of it ruining my enjoyment. I was extremely happy with my choice.

My husband’s ‘medium’ steak turned out to be quite bloody, which made me giggle and only added to the French experience, because, as we all know, a good French chef would never lower themselves to overcook a decent piece of red meat. If you’re a fan of well-done steaks or are even slightly squeamish at the sight of a little blood, my advice would be to order something completely different.

Unfortunately we were both too full to consider a dessert. All I can say is from what we saw passing our table, they looked delicious. Next time, I promise, if I have to starve myself for a week or end up feeling sick as a dog, I am going to order myself a chocolate soufflé. Brasserie Le Fauchon is perfect for an intimate evening, with unobtrusive, good service and enticing food.

ShopA-C Upper G/F, Ming Hing House
52-56 Staunton Street
Soho
Hong Kong
Tel 2915 6788

G/F, Caine Mansion
80-88 Caine Road
Mid-Levels
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2548 0330

G/F 62 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2542 1991
Fax 2542 1922

36b Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2899 2244

G/F 70 Peel Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2526 8861

Basement, 23 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2167 7245

G/F, 23 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2810 0771
Fax 2810 0671

G/F 51d Graham Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2905 1768
Fax 2905 1968

Guest Review

The restaurant is conveniently located along Graham Street (where else?) in Soho, just down from the busy and sometimes rowdy Staunton Street.

The walls are completely covered with an eclectic mix of pictures, from a scenic photo of France to ancient Egyptian alphabets. It has almost become a home-from-home for lots of regulars.

It is busy lunchtime and evening, and you should check ahead if going in the evening - they will let you know when a table is likely to be free.

Cafe Graham is so casual and relaxed that you can dine alone, in pairs, or a big group of friends, and still be yourself. It has friendly staff and cosy seats. I’ve been there alone and I didn’t look weird or geeky or miserable at all - sitting alone in a corner having my meal while playing on my PSP (at least I think so). I’ve been there for dates and I didn’t feel any bit less romantic - I actually felt more relaxed with my partner. I’ve been there in groups of three, four, five, and so on - we had a great party. By the way, the restaurant takes reservations for private parties too - it should be able to accommodate around 30 people or so.

The food is mainly French basics, and well done - presentation is up to standard, meat is tender, fish is crisply pan fried, pasta is surprisingly healthy with home-made sauces, desserts are rich in flavour and most importantly, the price is very economical.

I always go for a lobster bisque to start with, then tomato-sauce shrimp with salad greens, followed by a sole fillet with vegetables. And if I still have space to accomodate dessert, a chocolate mud cake. The serving size is always generous, and on top of that, you can choose to have vegetables, rice or spaghetti to go with your main meal. My other favourites include the baked escargots, duck breast glazed with honey, grilled lamb cutlets with herbs, beef stroganoff and braised lamb shank.

Prices for a main meal range from HK$50-120. If you want to have good French and European cuisine with bargain prices, this would be the place to go. To top it all, the price of house wine starts at only HK$100 per bottle

I’ve known about Cafe Siam for years, I used to go past it at least once a day as I rode up the Central to mid-levels escalator. I have worked in three different offices that were all within a five minute walk of the restaurant. I even walked around for at least a week with a miniature take-away menu in my pocket. But it wasn’t until the other day that I finally got myself through the doors and up to a table.

Whenever I enter a Thai restaurant the cooking smells always trigger a Pavlovian instinct to order all my favourite Thai dishes and it takes a great force of will to look elsewhere on the menu. My favourite dishes, of course, are all classic dishes that can be found on all good Thai menus. That little pocket menu helped immensely, because it meant that even before I arrived at the restaurant I already had a shortlist of not so common dishes I wanted to try.

The starters I’d narrowed down to two; Koh Moo Yang, or char-grilled marinated pork served with a tamarind, toasted rice and shallot dip ($65) was very tempting but was pipped at the post by the Gai Manow, chicken and water chesnut roll ($68). These are cut into bite-sized pieces and served on a bed of crispy fried basil with a dab of mayonnaise and a sliver of lime.

One of the great things about Thai cuisine is that it happily borrows from its neighbours and the flavours will change according to which border you are near. The larbs and the ever popular green papaya salad, som-tam, originate in Laos, the mild yellow curries come from the south.

The next dish was Khao Soy ($65), a Burmese style chicken curry served with soft and crispy noodles. This was also a mild curry but not as sweet as the southern style curries. It is served with a hot and sour northern style chilli paste.

The main course was completed with Deep Fried Garoupa in a very spicy chilli sauce ($158).

The dessert menu is made up of tried and trusted favourites such as mango with sticky rice, banana fritters and fresh fruit. Cafe Siam make their own brand of herb tea and at $28 a pot is well worth a try. In fact it is so popular that they even sell it in packets to take home.

G/F 49 Peel Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2540 2046
Fax 2540 2047

43 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2147 5500
Fax 2147 5757

G/F 53A Graham Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2525 2430
Fax 2110 0614

41-49 Aberdeen Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 9604 7777

G/F 31 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2869 6555

G/F 45-53 Graham Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2893 3330

I’ve been wanting to eat here for some time but I’ve never been able to convince anyone to come with me.
“Chilli?” they ask.
“Yes, Sichuan,” I reply
“Too spicy,” they say, shaking their heads, “much too spicy.”

I do agree that spicy food is an acquired taste but if people won’t ever try it then they will never acquire it and they will miss out on a whole world of taste sensations. But alas, I went on my own.

It’s a tiny little restaurant with seating for about 18-20 people but I was early, being the first customer, so I had no problem with the table.

I ordered a Heineken which was served Chinese style in a bowl. The thing about drinking beer from a bowl is that it makes it very easy to drink a whole bottle in two gulps. Having just marched up Lyndhurst Terrace in the July heat (a crucial segment of the mid-levels escalator was out of action), I reckon I could have quaffed the whole bottle in one. But the bowl wasn’t big enough so two gulps it had to be.

Thus refreshed I turned to the menu. The menu is divided into three sections with about 15 choices in each section. Chilli Fagara’s chef suggests that the best way to enjoy the food is to work up through the sections.

The first section is called Tang. It may come as a bit of a surprise to some people, given the cuisine’s reputation, but Tang dishes are not spicy at all. I ordered Wild Mushrooms in Taro root ($98). The mushrooms were diced and mixed into a taro mash and served with strips of fried taro. A simple dish but I was surprised at just how much flavour could be packed into a mushroom.

The next section is called Ma and the dishes are characterised by the use of the Sichuan or fagara pepper. These tiny peppercorns are not related to either black pepper or chilli peppers but they are what makes Sichuan cuisine so distinctive (though they are also used in Tibetan and Bhutanese dishes).

I ordered Fish Slices in Chilli and Fagara broth ($138). This was served in a huge shallow bowl. Amidst the fish, dried chillies and peppercorns were also sweet chestnuts. The peppercorns have a hint of citrus to them but unlike the heat from a chilli they tend to make the lips and tongue tingle and feel a little numb. Which may sound distressing but it really is a pleasant sensation.

The final section is La, these are the fiery chilli dishes. I chose Fried Beef Slices with a Ginger Tang ($98). With my palette still tingling from the fagara, the flavour that was most apparent here was a rather pleasant, sweet gingery-ness. The presence of the chillies only became apparent as the numbness started to recede.

I ordered another beer. Not for any need to douse the flames but because beer and chillies complement each other so well.

I didn’t notice any desserts on the menu and besides I was really quite full. All of these dishes are quite big enough for two people or even three with smaller appetites. So I contented myself with a glass of chrysanthemum tea before wandering down to The Globe for just one last beer … or two.

57 Peel Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2858 8760

G/F 29 Elgin Street
Soho
Hong Kong
Tel 2801 4981

Chonqing means double celebration. I certainly felt like celebrating, after all it’s not often I can persuade anyone to join me for fiery Sichuan food, and I’d been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time. It was my guests idea, we were just strolling along Elgin street wondering what to eat when he said, “Lets go there”. I was in through the door before he had a chance to change his mind

The restaurant is quite narrow and has a nice old traditional feel to it without being too slick. The staff are friendly and we felt completely at ease from the moment we walked in.

We took our places and ordered beers. They do have a selection of wines but I prefer to have beer with spicy food. Not because of any notion that it will sooth a burning palate - it won’t. I just think it tastes better.

The menu is an elegant cloth bound affair with descriptions in both English and Chinese and if you are still unsure, the staff also speak excellent English so it is very easy for non-Chinese speakers to order with confidence.

My friend already had his nose buried in the menu. He is also very partial to sichuan cuisine, which I hadn’t known until then, so I was quite happy to follow his advice on which dishes to order.

For starters we ordered the classic Sichuan chicken ($62) and spring rolls with fresh prawns and asparagus ($88). Though spring rolls they are, they were cut into slices that reminded me, a little, of sushi. A notion that was reinforced by a compartment on the side of the dish which was filled with soy sauce and a dollop of mustard. The overall effect was truly delicious.

The chicken was served on a bed of clear flat noodles and was garnished generously with those wonderful smoky dried chillies. My habit of munching these whole usually generates expressions of alarm from fellow diners but my guest this time didn’t even notice, he was too busy with his own.

To follow we ordered soft shell crab with chilli sauce ($138), sauteed sliced beef in pungent sauce ($118), pan fried string beans with minced pork ($88) and, at the suggestion of the waiter, pork dumpling with garlic and vinegar sauce.

The crab was the first dish to arrive and seemed a logical continuation after the chicken and the spring rolls. I love soft shell crab and these were as good as any that I’ve had. The sauce was spicy but not volcanic. Instead of overwhelming, it accentuated the flavour of the crab.

Next came the string beans and the beef. The beef was a kind of hot pot which sat on its its own heater bubbling happily away while we finished the crab. And finally the dumplings arrived.

The dumplings were not spicy at all, they were flavoured with herbs and had the effect of luring the palate into a false sense of security before treating it to the beef hot pot. This was very hot indeed. It was still very flavoursome and despite the fact that we were both getting quite full, we dived in enthusiastically and made short work of it.

We decided to give dessert a miss. I always feel that skipping dessert is shirking my duty but to be quite honest, sweet dishes seem to have little appeal after a good Sichuan dinner. The chillies and the beer compliment each other perfectly and what we really wanted right then was a nice cold one for the road.

4 Shelley Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2521 8188

G/F 27 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2810 6681

G/F 46 Cochrane Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2849 4222
Fax 2849 4668

G/F 29 Elgin Street
Soho
Hong Kong
Tel 2526 0999

G/F 44 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2803 2083
Fax 2803 2051

G/F 15 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2127 7936

G/F 20 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2868 1250

B/F 49 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2559 1317

L/G Hilltop Plaza
49 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2559 1317

There are times when all you really want is comfort food. Something warm, tasty and substantial to make you feel better after a good soaking from the rain. And preferably not too expensive.

Invariably the role is filled by burgers or sometimes pizza but it’s nice to know there are options. Daddyo’s, on Staunton Street, has pasta, pizza and ribs.

The range of pizzas is really quite impressive - at least twenty variations from the classic margherita with pepperoni to the exotic clam chowder (clams, potatoes, mushrooms, ham and bacon. Each offers a choice of crispy New York or whole-wheat crusts. The prices range from $98 to $138 for for a 14 inch crust.

I ordered an Italian Vegetable Soup ($38) to get me going. It hit the spot quite nicely too. Fresh and tangy tomato with crisp chunks of carrot, celery and kidney beans. The soup came with garlic toast. Now, I prefer my garlic bread thick and crusty but this was rather thin and brittle.

But it didn’t matter because my other two dishes arrived shortly after.

Poutine ($48) is chips smothered in gravy, bacon bits and melted cheese. It’s probably the kind of thing your cardiologist would have nightmares about but they were very yummy.

The Baby Back Ribs can be ordered as a half slab ($58) or a whole slab ($98). Functional rather than elegant. By the time I had dispatched a half slab as well as the poutine I was fit to burst, but feeling a little more forgiving towards the world in general. Even the rain had let up for a while.

There are no desserts on the menu. I didn’t enquire because, to be quite honest, I wouldn’t have been able to eat one anyway. Instead I rounded off with an iced coffee.

Daddyo’s will also deliver. There are minimum orders depending on your area.

G/F 29 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2526 8668

B/F 41 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 3481 9996

G/F 48 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2549 1862
Fax 2549 0283

One of the great things about sake is that it never seems to give me much of a hangover. One of the not so great things about it is, I don’t realise just how drunk I am until I try and stand up. It’s then that I discover that my knees have turned to jelly and my feet point in opposite directions.

I was drinking sake the other evening in Dozo, the trendiest sushi-go-round in Central. Chilled sake, which is just about the trendiest way to drink sake these days. Traditionally, of course, it is served warm and that is how I’ve always drunk it but after a few sips I was rather warming to it. We’d ordered Ichinokura, a sake from Miyagi prefecture that boasts a light fruitiness.

A sushi-go-round is what I call the popular kaiten style restaurants where the dishes pass by on a conveyor and the all the diner has to is grab the ones they fancy. At the end of the meal the bill is calculated by the coloured rings on the rims of the dishes. At Dozo the dishes start $20 for a black rim, $30 for red etc up to $75. The dishes usually contain either two pieces of sushi rice with toppings or two sushi rolls.

All of the usual culprits were trundling by; Norwegian salmon, yellowfin tuna, those little sweet omelettes called tomago with their belts of seaweed. But there were some slightly unusual ones as well. One that caught my eye is called the Dozo roll. This is actually crispy duck with miso and spring onion. Unconventional but quite delicious all the same, the whiteness of the rice on the outside is freckled with sesame seeds.

But the kaiten does have its drawbacks, especially if you are indecisive like me, and can’t make your mind up that you want something until it is already out of reach. So Dozo also offers a la carte and my guest, who is very good at this sort of thing, took matters - and the menu - in hand.

Within moments she had dispatched the waiter with an impressive looking list then leaned forward and said; “I ordered the sashimi sampler” ($180). I knew she had ordered considerably more than that. Indeed the first item to arrive was prawn tempura maki ($40). The prawns are made crispy by the light batter and wrapped in seaweed.

The sashimi was the next to arrive. An impressive platter that included tuna, arctic clams, yellowtail and prawns neatly presented on a bed of radish. The restaurant apparently takes two deliveries, flown fresh from Japan, each day. The reward is exceptionally fresh sashimi. Even the clams, which I find disappointing in most places, were tender and tasty.

This was followed by prawn yakisoba; ramen noodles fried with prawn chicken, red and green peppers, and bean sprouts garnished with sesame and red ginger. We also had some skewers of chicken yakitori.

After this, sake and conversation took over for a while. It still wasn’t late and it was only Tuesday but the restaurant was doing very well. The menu offers ten different types of sake to cater for all tastes and pockets. They also offer a range of sake and shochu cocktails, hara kiri - chilled sake with triple sec and and gin - caught my eye. I was tempted but sensibly decided to save it for my next visit. We still had an almost full 300ml. decanter on the table.

After a while we decided we needed some tempura. We ordered the mixed ($75) in which vegetables are served with the prawns, and we also ordered some spicy roast tataki beef both of which lived up to the same high standard set by our previous dishes.

There is not a wide range of desserts on the menu but they do have Japanese ice cream, including the very popular green tea flavour. I have to confess, green tea ice cream has never really captured my heart, but sesame ice cream has. What’s more it goes perfectly with sake and was an excellent way to to end a very enjoyable evening.

Bsmt, On Lok Mansion
39-43 Hollywood Rd
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2543 8856

5B, U G/F Cheung Fai Building
45-47 Cochrane Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2581 2128

I’ve always been partial to a good burger, and with so many bad ones around I do like to keep tabs on where the good ones are. So I was quite intrigued when I was told about Duke’s Burger on Stuanton Street. “Gourmet burgers”, I was informed with a nod and a wink.

The gauntlet had been thrown so off I went to Staunton Street. Dukes is right next to the escalator and is a lot smaller than I was expecting with seating for only about 30 people.

It doesn’t look much like a burger joint either. A giant chandelier hangs from a wooden beamed ceiling. Indeed there is much dark stained wood in evidence but the back wall is entirely taken up with a neo-gothic decoration incorporating the letter ‘D’. In front of this is a huge, blood red sofa, that looks like it may have been smuggled out of a castle in Transylvania while it’s owner was sleeping.

So, full marks for style but what of the burgers? I perused the menu.

There were half a dozen options. The braised wagyu oxtail ($220) was very tempting but not quite as tempting as the seasoned lamb shank with mushrooms and yogurt ($180). I also ordered the thick cut fries ($40).

There is a range of wines and Belgian beers. For me a good beer would be the only choice and, whilst Belgian beers tend to be very good, I would like to have seen some fine English ales represented. I ordered a Tripel Karmeliet ($68).

The fries arrived first. They were definitely chunky, piping hot, and seasoned with salt and pepper. They were very nice but if I’d been given the choice I might have waited and had them served at the same time as the burger.

The fries had long since gone by the time the burger arrived. Again it looked great. The burger was resting on a slice of bun topped with mushrooms and then the salad, all delightfully arranged. The lamb had not been ground in the normal way. It still retained its original texture and broke apart quite easily.

Dessert was yummy, home-made, chrysanthemum ice cream and a coffee.

Duke’s Burger is still very new, it’s an interesting concept and I wish them well. The food was very enjoyable but somehow I don’t think it will replace the traditional burger in my affections. That will always come between both sides of the bun with an American flag stuck in the top.

5 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2526 7062

G/F 4 Shelley Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2868 4832
Fax 2868 4982

I always like to think I’m doing the right thing, so when someone suggested I try this place I said alright. It’s on the left just at the start of Shelley Street. Out of sheer habit I hopped onto the escalator and went sailing past. From the outside it looks like any other simple cafe. It is clean and brightly lit. At around seven-thirty it had a few customers but there was still space for anyone dropping in.

I jogged back down the steps and went in. There are newspapers and magazines to read and a computer for hardened internet junkies. I grabbed a paper and took a seat. The waiter came over with the menu so the paper was going to have to wait a while longer.

All the items on the menu are listed with their approximate calorie count. In the starters there was pumpkin and sweet potato dip (110 calories), or eggplant and chickpea dip (140 calories). Both sounded pretty good but I plumped for a wicked roast pumpkin soup at 160 calories plus grilled pita bread which added a further 90.

To drink I ordered a smoothie called a Nourish which is made with mango, banana and vanilla yoghurt. The large one came in at 248 calories.

The pumpkin soup really was quite creamy and delicious, the pitta bread was OK but I couldn’t help thinking a nice fresh crusty baguette would have been better. I tried to banish such thoughts.

Eat Right is not a vegetarian restaurant - it is about eating healthy meals and even staunch carnivores would be able to find a main course to tempt them. Beef lasagna, green chicken curry and even guilt free fish and chips. I was tempted but in the end I settled on the chickpea burger with hummus. This would only add another 300 calories to my total.

I’ve had “bean” burgers before. Sometimes they work well but all too often they can be a bit dry and stodgy. This one, I am happy to report, worked. It was served with a deliciously crisp and fresh salad, sprinkled lightly with balsamic vinegar and a tub of hummus. The burger was dressed with a Thai style sweet chili sauce.

For dessert I treated myself to a Guilt Free Chocolate Mousse with Berries. The berries were strawberries and blueberries and the mousse tasted like it was packing far more than the 190 calories it boasted.

It was a most enjoyable meal and altogether it came to less than a thousand calories. To be honest I don’t know if that is good or bad calorie wise. The total bill came to less than $200 so whatever else it may be, it is definitely great value.

Eat Right also has a rather interesting breakfast menu.

Feeling very pleased with myself I bounced down the steps, across the road and into the Globe for a beer.

El Taco Loco is its full name but I think I must be the only one that knows that. To most people it seems to be simply Taco Loco. My son had no idea where I was talking about when I said; “meet me at El Taco Loco”. He called me from Lan Kwai Fong and said “well where is it?”

I directed him to the escalator and when he finally arrived he said “Taco Loco?, everyone knows where that is, or why didn’t you just say the Mexican place with the pink walls?”
“You’ve been here before then?” I asked.
“Yeah, loads of times.”

Me too but I hadn’t actually been for quite a while. I used to come regularly for lunch when I worked in the area.

El Taco Loco is an informal easy-going place in a great location on Shelley Street, right next the mid-levels escalator and just above Hollywood Road. The food is good and very affordable. They offer a wide range of tacos, burritos, and fajita’s plus finger snacks.

My son ordered a Carne Asada burrito with guacamole and pico de gallo ($52), I opted for a chorizo and potato ($42).

We also ordered a small basket of nacho chips ($22). Small is plenty big enough for two people, even when one of them is my son. For people with smaller appetites a small basket would probably be enough for three. Remember the burritos that follow are also very filling. We also ordered some refried beans ($10) and a smoothie each ($36).

My son proved to be quite an expert at eating burritos and dispatched his rather neatly. I usually find myself retrieving a substantial portion from my lap though that doesn’t diminish the enjoyment in any way. It does give the boy something to laugh at.

He decided he wanted to go to Krispy Kreme for dessert, I decided to pass.

55 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 8105 0155
Fax 8101 5550

Basement, 11 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2522 2808

G/F 47 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2525 9944
Fax 2525 4477

2/F The Workstation
43 Lyndhurst Terrace
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 9616 0107

33 Peel Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2543 2010

G/F 49 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2973 6808

G/F 38 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2857 2586

Shop 1, G/F Car Po Commercial Building
18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2126 7265

27 Lyndhurst Terrace
Central
Tel 2851 9298
Fax 2851 3100

G/F 9 Old Bailey Street
Soho
Hong Kong
Tel 2140 6333

Shop B4, G/F 16a Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2840 0463

Ezra Lane
Lower Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2537 4680
Fax 2526 1372

G/F, 39 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2543-1941

1/F Cheung Fai Building
45-47 Cochrane Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2581 0321

Burger joints come and go but Gourmet Burger Union on Cochrane Street has been there a while. I’ve been keeping an eye on it. I knew the day would eventually arrive when desire for a burger would coincide with my being in the vicinity.

As it happened it was a desire for some Stilton cheese as much as for a burger that carried me there. I happened to know in advance that Stilton cheese is one of the toppings you can have.

The interesting thing about Gourmet Burger Union is that you can create your own burger exactly how you want it. To do that you are offered a range of toppings to choose from, of which Stilton is only one. Indeed there are fifteen options in the cheese category alone. They range from Greek feta, Monterey jack, Brie and of course Cheddar.

The choice of cheese can change the whole character of your burger but before we get ahead of ourselves we should look at the patties themselves. New Zealand Angus beef goes into the quarter pounder and the half pounder ($65 and $98 respectively). Alternatively they offer Australian free range chicken, New Zealand lamb and soy protein veggie burgers.

I opted for a half pounder on a bun with a bed of mixed lettuce. One type of cheese is included in the price but if you wish you can have extra cheese at $15 each. Onto that you can have up to two standard toppings. Yes, you can have as many as you wish. Extra toppings cost $5 each.

They also offer premium toppings. These come in at $10 each. I had portobello mushrooms and smoked bacon.

After that you can add a sauce. There are fifteen to choose from but I wanted the stilton to come through loud and clear so I gave them a miss.

I did consider having a Greek salad for starter but wisely decided against it. I did order a serving of French fries ($20) and a beer ($35) to wash it all down with.

Sadly, the only beer available was a version of Samuel Adams that comes out of the local San Miguel brewery. Sad because with so many excellent imported bottled beers around town, it would have been nice to enjoy a premium beer with a premium burger.

The burger was, of course pretty well as I expected - huge, rich and tasty. For those that can’t make up their minds about what to put in it, the menu also offers a dozen or so signature burgers.

Dessert would have been apple and blackberry crumble ($35) but I decided I would just have to save that for another time. I thought I might have trouble squeezing through the door as it was.

G/F 33 Peel Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2544 0389

13 Elgin Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2547 9998

I’ve long been a fan of Indian cuisine but I don’t often come across restaurants that style themselves as ’boutique Indian dining’. They do exist of course, sometimes they call themselves ‘modern Indian cuisine’.

The better ones usually have some interesting dishes on the menu. Lesser known or interesting reinterpretations of familiar ones. I had high hopes for Guru.

It’s a pleasant place just down the hill a few paces from the junction of Staunton and Elgin Streets. There are a couple of tables outside but this time I thought it might be more comfortable inside.

Just above the entrance on the inside there is a large light fitting and facing this is a colourful, modern painting of a traditional Indian scene. I took the table just inside with a good view of the painting.

I ordered a pint of draught Asahi ($55) and buried my nose in the menu. Of course there are some old favourites there. It just wouldn’t be right without samosas, rogan josh or tandoori chicken. But there plenty there to keep me undecided for quite a while. I was also pleased to note that they only use olive oil in their dishes and preparations.

For starters I took the easy way out and ordered the Guru sample platter ($98). You could think about sharing one of these as there are two of each item. The platter includes: Guru Tikki which were delicious tawa grilled potato and spinach cakes and samosas. Both of these could be dipped in the little bowl of tamarind sauce. Then there were muscles stir fried in tomato and herbs and the blue mango chat.

The mango was my favourite of all of them and I saved it until last just to savour it all the more. It featured tangy cubes of mango with whole wheat crisps in sweetened yoghurt with mint and tamarind chutney.

To follow I had ordered Mangaloria Fish Pot ($118). This is a very smooth and creamy curry rather like a korma. But unlike a korma this had a little more punch. I would class this as medium spicy so long as you don’t bite the chilli that decorates the top. It is served in a deep pot with succulent cubes of tender but flavourful fish swimming just beneath the surface.

To go with it I had Kadai Paneer ($68) which is sautéed chunks of cottage cheese with bell peppers, chilli and tomatoes. These were both mopped up with two plain nan.

I finished off with a Guru’s banana pancake a simple enough dessert of sliced banana wrapped in a pancake and drizzled with chocolate sauce and dusted with icing sugar.

G/F 13 Elgin Street
SoHo
Tel. 2547 9998

B/F 11 Staunton Street
Soho
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2522 2808

2/F 23 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong

L G/F Au’s Building
17-19 Hollywood Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel 2537 1000