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Reviews S-Z S | T | U | V | W | XYZ Sabah One of the great things about Malaysian restaurants is that invariably they offer a fabulous blend of styles. Curries, for example, can be found in Indian and Thai styles as well as Malay. On top of this they are almost always great value for money. I stopped into the Wanchai branch of Sabah the other evening (The other is in Kennedy Town). It was still early but it was already quite busy. Had I arrived half an hour later I probably wouldn't have got a table. The restaurant is simple but functional. There are some kites decorating the walls and some tribal carvings, a nod to the province from where the restaurant takes its name. Mercifully there were no tourist office posters of Mount Kinabalu, not because I dislike the mountain but because they always serve to remind me that I haven't yet climbed it. I must get my act together one day. In the meantime I focused my attention on the varied menu. The choices included samosas, satays and shrimp cakes. I decided on the deep fried bean curd ($45). This was stuffed with cucumber and bean sprouts and served with Thai style sweet chili sauce and Malay spicy peanut sauce. They were pleasing and not too filling, which was a good thing because I went way overboard on the main course. In my defense I will say I didn't realise just how much was ordering. I had already decided to forego rice and have two main dishes instead. But then I said to the waitress right at the end of the order "... and could I also have a chapati please ($18), no make that two." She looked at me in wonderment. The chapatis were the first to arrive. They were quite a bit bigger than I was expecting and came with a delicious curry sauce dip. Fortunately the next dish came soon after otherwise I might have ruined my appetite before I'd even got started. However, grilled fish with in banana leaf ($98) arrived in the nick of time and I was able to turn my attention to that for a while. The fish had been grilled with shrimp paste, something that I always feel should be used with great care because of its potential to overpower all other flavours. This fish was good and though the the shrimp was trying very hard to assert itself it was no great it didn't overwhelm. The next dish to arrive was king prawn in butter and fried egg white ($160). This dish was huge I would recommend sharing. The prawns themselves were monsters and there were five or six of them. I'm afraid I lost count but they were all wonderfully fresh and firm. The fried egg white in which they are tossed is very rich so by the time I'd worked my way through all of them I was feeling very full indeed. I decided I'd better rest awhile before attempting dessert. "Don't forget you chapatis" quipped the waitress with a cheeky grin. She was right, I hadn't even finished the first one. Ordering two had been totally reckless. I looked at it for a while and tried a nibble but I knew it would be either the chapatis or dessert. The dessert won the day. From the beginning of the meal I'd had my heart sent on the Malaysian bubur char char ($25). I had no idea what it could be but it had a charming name. I gave my order and the waitress hurried off to the kitchen in disbelief. The sweet itself was warm coconut milk with taro and sweet potato and was pleasant enough though not as mysterious and exotic as the name. But then If I'd thought about it I might have remembered that 'bubur' is Malay for porridge. February 2006 Sala Thai I was back over in Elements again this week. I decided that this time I would stay away from the roof garden area and see what else I could find. There are plenty of other restaurants in there so I wasn't worried about getting too hungry. I didn't have to search too hard. From the outside Sala Thai looks relaxed and inviting and there is an enlarged version of the menu by the entrance to tempt anyone who is not entirely certain. I really like Thai food so it didn't take much to tempt me at all. The interior is pleasantly wooden. Some booths, some parts raised a little and they seem to be able to pack a lot of people in without actually appearing to be too crowded. I was lucky. When I arrived there were not too many other guests but the place filled up quickly and by the time my food had arrived the place was buzzing with life. The menu offers all the Thai classics, green and red curries, tom yam soups and spicy salads. Although it is divided into appetisers and mains I never really expect the food to arrive according to that order. It never does in Thai restaurants. So it came as no surprise that the the dish I ordered last, stir fried mixed vegetables ($58) arrived first. Shortly before the rice. The dish I'd ordered from the appetiser section did arrive next. This was a green mango with soft-shelled crab salad ($68). The Mango is julienned in the same way that papaya is in the famous som tam but the flavour is more tangy and complements the crab rather well. It is mixed with cashew nuts chillies and a dash of lime juice. To go with the vegetables I had ordered the salt encrusted grilled mullet ($118). This is very popular in Bangkok and is one of the chefs specialities. It is also quite big but it was moist and tender. The fish is stuffed with lemon grass, galangal and lime leaves before it is grilled and these impart a delicate fragrance to the fish. But be careful of bones. They are not particularly small in a mullet but there is always one that sneaks in and stabs your gum. For dessert I chose the ever popular mango and sticky rice. The black and the white rice were shaped into two halves of a heart with coconut cream poured all over. Mmmm delicious. Shop 1028A Elements Austin Road West Kowloon Tel. 2609 1898 Sauce Sai Kung on Monday lunchtime isn't quite the bustling place we usually see it over holiday weekends. The seafood restaurants lining the front only have a few tables full, for which they are probably glad of the rest. However, we had a hankering for Western-style food, so turned away from the waterfront and into the main square where parents and grannies watched the children playing in the park. On one side of the square sits Sauce, which looked inviting on a hot day, with green umbrellas and plants over a patio area out front, and high ceilings with plants hanging from them inside. We were handed four (!) menus as we took our seats - main menu, lunch, drinks, and the day's special menu. Trying hard to cool down we ordered home-made lemon squash, though there were plenty of options - 6 red and 6 white wines, an array of teas and coffees, beer, and even hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream (that one will have to wait for winter before we try it though). The main menu includes one page of appetizers, ranging from snails and mushrooms, to lamb kebabs, to leek, potato and goats cheese cake, as well as soups and salads, but we skipped these to save space for the tempting desserts. If you are thinking of going there for dinner, prepare to spend some time going through the page of home-made pastas, as well as a page with a variety of European main dishes including lamb ragout, grilled tuna steak, mushroom and asparagus risotto and eggplant lasagna. The lunch menu was very reasonably-priced and included foccacia sandwiches with potato wedges for $58, two varieties of risotto, and even a sirloin steak for only $65. We chose the day's pasta special - home-made egg tagliatelle with beef stroganoff, which arrived in a large dish, with strips of beef, a few onions and lots of mushrooms to offset the rich creamy sauce - maybe it was too rich for a hot lunchtime, as I was unable to finish it. The fish and chips was a good choice, with two pieces of sole fillet, potato wedges and a crisp green salad. For dessert it was a hard decision between the mixed fruit crumble or the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream. Sticky toffee won, and what a guilty pleasure it was, with dates embedded in the sponge, covered in toffee sauce, and with a scoop of vanilla on the side. Thus fortified, and only out of pocket by $288 we stepped out into the roasting sunlight again with smiles on our faces. 30 June 2004 Sen's Deli Sen's Deli is a little pocket of Russian elegance on SoHo's Elgin Street. It seems tiny at first but it does stretch back quite a way and the two or three tables in the front are complemented by several more in the back. That still doesn't make it any larger than a cosy little nook but that is a good thing if it was any bigger it would lose it's charm. I wasn't planning to stop it was the decor that caught my attention as a I passed. It really is quite sumptuous. I don't use words like sumptuous very often but this time it is called for, pink walls trimmed with pale blue woodwork, polished floorboards and an irresistible display of cheeses, sausages, cakes and pastries. As I said, I hadn't intended to go in but before I realised it I was sitting in a very comfortable, blue velvet covered chair with a menu in my hand and a candle, in a pretty glass holder gently flickering on the table in front of me. The decor was all researched and collected by the owner and the attention to detail was indeed impressive, from the large gilt-framed mirrors and paintings on the walls, the period light fittings right down the floral designs on the cups and saucers. It wasn't crowded, but it was still quite early, just a group of trendy young things towards the back, the staff, and myself. There are numerous fruit juices on the menu plus some intriguing mixes, I ordered a grapefruit, pear and ginger ($48) while I considered the menu. It was a generous glassful and quite very refreshing, not sweet but not at all sour either. I lingered with it for a while. There was no pressure to order food, I could have just sat there and soaked up the atmosphere but I had to admit I was starting to feel hungry. The menu has a number of ingredients which can be assembled in to sandwiches according to what takes your fancy. The fillings are organised into three groups. The meats include garlic sausage, salami, smoked duck breast. The vegetables; grilled eggplant, mushrooms, caramelised onions. Finally an impressive range of cheeses that includes Roquefort, Emmental, Brie and Gruyere. The sandwiches are $48, $59 or $68 depending on how many filling you want. They also have quiche and pate. One item that took my fancy consisted of a selection of six different cheeses, pate, toast and crackers ($168). A set dinner option ($88) was chalked up on a blackboard and seemed particularly good value so I decided to try that. It included a choice of soup or salad to start. I went for the salad which was crisp and leafy in a balsamic vinaigrette. This was followed by smoked chicken linguine in a cream sauce which I also enjoyed very much. The set dinner includes coffee but not dessert so it was back to the menu to choose the finale. Chocolate raspberry cake ($42) won the day but the warm banana tart with ice cream was a very close also rans. May 2005 Sergio's Ristorante I wanted crispy pork, I'd been wanting it all day. I think I probably woke up wanting it but by lunch time I still hadn't decided where I was going to go to get it. Then a friend called and asked if I'd been to Sergios in Causeway Bay and what did I think? Well I had to confess I hadn't heard of Sergio's but since it sounded Italian I figured there would be a fairly decent chance that crispy roast pork would be on the menu. "I'll tell you tomorrow" I said. It's an unusual place for restaurant, out on Causeway Road opposite Victoria Park. There are a couple of al fresco tables but it is mostly inside but it does maintain a garden like feel. Windows along two sides make it seem a little more spacious while strategically placed plants hide most of the buses rumbling by outside. I was happy to note that crispy roast was indeed on the menu; Il Porcellino Croccante al Forno ($168). According to the English, "crispy baby pig 'mother' style". Which I presume means just how Sergios mum cooked it. Sounded good to me but first I decided to order the Affettato misto All' Italiana ($138), a selection of salami and prosciutto. This was really my second choice. I'd wanted the Salmone Afumicato con Crostini Caldi. The waitress was very sorry but explained that the markets had failed to yield salmon of a standard that Sergio was happy with that morning. Since a good prosciutto needs to hang for a considerable length of time I felt confident that it would be available. It was served very simple with just the wine and the bread basket to accompany it. The crispy roast pig was a delight and well worth waiting for. It was also a very generous serving delivered by a waitress who's smile seemed to know that that I'd been looking forward to all day. She refilled my glass. Again the dish was served very simply with roast potatoes and garnished with rosemary. I tucked in. The meat was tender and succulent and satisfied my craving quite admirably. I rarely order Tiramisu, I don't know why. I think perhaps because it is just such a common dessert and I usually like to look for the unusual. The tiramisu at Sergios is 'grandmother style' and it wasn't to be denied. Sergios Shop A Catic Plaza 8 Causeway Road Hong Kong Tel. 2577 5183 Shake 'Em Buns They have had a little place in Wanchai for a while but Shake 'em Buns has recently opened a larger place at 5 Hoi Ping Road in Causeway Bay. Just opposite the inside out beer garden at Sunning Plaza. Indeed it seems to be benefiting from the popularity of the pub. It certainly was in my case. I'd stopped by for a beer and decided to grab a burger as well. The menu definitely seems to be targeting people of a pub going age. I can't imagine a 'Frying Nemo', succulent cod fillet burger with home made tarter sauce, going down all that well with the younger generation. Nor can I imagine their parents struggling to explain a 'Sissy Boy'(vegetarian) Burger. "Um, it's for people who don't like meat, dear". I must admit I was very tempted by the 'Gang Bang'. It's the most expensive item on the menu but still jolly reasonable at $98 for a double beef patty with bacon and a fried egg. But I also had my heart set on some chilli cheese fries ($39) and I knew I wouldn't be able to finish. I was intrigued by the tofu burger but it had "coming soon" printed next to it on the menu but the young lady on the till didn't know exactly when. Other options included a Philly Willy cheese steak ($65) and a Doggie Style, which can be either a smoked bratwurst, bredder cheddar or hot link ($32). For an extra $7 you can have Mama's home-made chilli poured over it. In the end I settled for a South of the Border ($60) This is a classic burger slathered with sour cream, guacamole and salsa. It was good. A substantial amount of dressing oozed out of the far side at first bite but the burger wasn't diminished for the loss. After that I managed to get fully half way through before it finally collapsed, as all good burgers eventually do. The chilli cheese fries were excellent, at least the chilli part was. The fries on their own would be just ordinary but the chilli livened them up considerably and they will make a very agreeable snack when they get their alcohol licence sorted out. There are no desserts on the menu. I had fooled myself into thinking that I might try the Pepper Stuffers ($39), breaded Jalapenos with cheese, if I wasn't too full but in the end it was as much as I could do to finish the remains of my raspberry blizzard smoothie ($35). Shake 'em Buns is already doing a roaring trade and apparently they have more outlets in the pipeline so watch this space. Shake 'Em Buns 5 Hoi Ping Road Causeway Bay Tel. 2572 6220 Siam Garden This is a small Thai restaurant on Hennessy Road. Although the name might be Siam Garden the menu covers a much larger area of Southeast Asia with dishes from Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore as well as a good selection from Thailand. Unfortunately the descriptions on the menu are not quite as clear as they could be. I had ordered Potatoes fried in Yellow Curry ($48) what this turned out to be was, in fact, vegetables fried in a light tempura style batter served with a yellow curry sauce for dipping. It was actually very nice and there were some potatoes included along with carrots and green peppers. To be honest I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting anyway, it had just sounded appealing on the menu. Another item that had sounded appealing was the Singapore style spicy crab ($128). This also came in a variation of the yellow curry sauce. I felt a little disappointed at first but after tucking in I decided I wasn't so bothered after all. The sauce wasn't quite the same as the previous dish and the crab was large and meaty. It was delivered along with a pair of nut-crackers to help prise the shell away from the flesh. At the end of the day, however, nothing works better then fingers and it wasn't long before I was up to my elbows in yellow curry sauce. There weren't any desserts on the menu but after consultation the waitress was able to find some red bean in coconut milk. The food I had at Siam Garden was good and the dishes I saw delivered to other tables looked appetising as well. But I do suspect the menu would benefit from a re-write, certainly in the case of the two dishes I had ordered. Skewer Skewer This is a Japanese restaurant at the top of Knutsford Steps. It seems to be rather popular with the young local set, a demographic that misses me by a rather large margin I have to confess. But not one that is likely to put me off. Since I'd just walked the length of Knutsford Terrace and failed to come to any other conclusion I decided that something on a skewer was exactly what I wanted, so I bounded up the short flight of steps and in the door. Skewer Skewer is the first restaurant you come to, indeed one walks right into it and, with a bit of luck, you'll be greeted by the charming smile of one of the waitresses. On the the right are the romantic tables and little curtained booths. They do look very pleasant indeed but I felt sitting there on my own would be a rather lonely experience so I opted for one of the more conventional tables on the left. There is, of course, a full Japanese menu with all the regular items such as sushi and noodle dishes but this time I was interested in the grill. For those of you that don't already know, the Japanese have a fine tradition of grilling things, it's called robatayaki. Traditionally the grilling (yaki) would be done over a large open hearth (ro) where people would gather for heat and cooking. These days the cooking is done over a modern grill and there is not much that the dedicated robatayaki chef cannot fit onto his skewer. The menu at Skewer Skewer is fairly conventional. Though I was tempted by the French garlic bread on a skewer ($24) I decided to keep things fairly simple. For drink I opted for a Hoegaarden. It was called a "large pint" on the menu, on special offer at $52. I knew full well that this was one of those bucket sized glasses but I decided its fruitiness would go quite well with the food The first Item out of the kitchen was Roasted Norwegian Salmon Belly ($58). Slightly crisp on the outside, inside the fish was soft and delicious. Seasoning is fairly light in robatayaki, mainly salt with just a dab of melted butter or a brush of teriyaki sauce, so the natural flavours come shining through. After the salmon came eel ($68) and a generous portion it was too. But I was not so impressed with this, though I would blame the eel rather than the chef. The flesh of the eel is much more dense than salmon so the contrast made the eel seem rather tough and rubbery. The flavour was good and in future I would suggest to the waiter that the eel be delivered first. Next came sliced duck in roti ($52). This was an interesting departure from the norm. To say it was a bit like Peking duck would have aficionados of the dish howling in dismay. Nevertheless, the duck was there and so was the sauce. This may have wrapped with vegetables in Indian/Malay style roti and served on a skewer but the connection was there to make. The last skewer of the evening was a fairly straightorward pork, peppers, tomatoes and onions combination ($68). At this point the waitress came to collect my empty Hoegaarden glass, "One more?" she smiled, I declined. "But it is special offer, two for one." she insisted. "But I've already had two in that one" I wailed. She agreed to let me have something smaller so I settled on a bottle of Corona. The desserts were a little on the disappointing side. The only one that took my fancy was the coffee jelly with vanilla ice cream but they had sold out. I thought about the Japanese ice cream but then I remembered seeing an Italian gelato shop at the bottom of the steps so I paid my bill and made my way down there. A tub with chocolate and raspberry flavour was $28 and was so wonderful I quite forgot to look at the name of the shop but it is right there on the corner at the bottom of Knutsford Steps Skewer Skewer Shop 8 2/F Knutsford Steps I Kimberly Road Tsim Sha Tsui Tel 3167 7388 November 2006 Slim's American Diner You need to be slim to fit into Slims, the bar is long and thin. It's owned by the same people as the Hong Kong Brewhouse so you get that familiar crunch of peanut shells as you walk in. Less familiar, but even more welcome was the sound of a laid back urban blues easing itself into the room. This is the kind of music I can sit and drink beer to all night. Adorning the wall that wasn't taken up by the bar and kitchen are were black and white portraits of old bluesmen whose names happened to include Slim; there was Memphis Slim, Sunnyland Slim, Slim Harpo and many others. My companion patiently read the menu while I admired them all. Slim's is on the little side road next to Pacific Place 3 so it is an excellent location for recuperating after the rigors of shopping. We'd actually been buying cool gadgets which isn't really shopping in my book. Never-the-less we welcomed the idea of a refreshing ale and a bite to eat. The pub has an interesting selection of bottled beers form England including several from the Fullers brewery. I opted for a bottle of Fullers Organic Honeydew Ale. Largely because I have sosme very fond, if somewhat hazy memories, of Fullers ales from when I lived in London long ago. And the idea of organic beer appealed to me. My companion, who is not a big alcohol drinker, settled for a ginger beer. The menu is pretty much what you'd expect to find in a pub but it's done reasonably well. There a burgers, fish and chips etc. We decided to share a plate of nachos ($75) for starters. The Honeydew Ale was really rather pleasant. A little on the sweet side so I don't think I'd make a night of it but quite refreshing, good for a swift one on the way home. For mains we ordered we ordered the Lamb and Leek sausage ($88) which is served with sauerkraut, potato salad and an interesting minty/mustardy sauce. The sausages were really nice, imported from Wales, according to the menu. We also ordered the Chili and Pepper Chicken Pizza ($98) The pizza is actually not quite good but next time I would ask them to hold off the Thai style spicy-sweet sauce. I have nothing against the sauce in itself, it just didn't belong on that pizza. I felt that, if required, it could have been included in a small dish on the side so each individual could decide how much or little to add. For dessert I decided to forego the Slim's Cheese Cake and instead turned to the beer menu again. The waitress intervened to inform me of a new beer that had just arrived from Oxfordshire Ales, and wasn't on the menu. And I'm glad she did. The beer was called Pride of Oxford and was really quite wonderful. I don't know if this beer is available in the companies other outlets, if not it is worth a trip to Wanchai on it's own merit. That and the excellent music that was playing while we were there make this a hole in the wall well worth knowing about. Slim's No.1 Wing Fung Street, Wan Chai Tel. 2528 1661 Soho Seafood Express This is a tiny little restaurant on Wellington Street. Ten guests represents a full house and they are, very often, full. This was my second attempt to get a table. I was lucky, there were only two other guests there when I arrived. That wasn't to last long however, and pretty soon there was only one seat left. It is a compact and functional restaurant with a name that sums up it's philosophy. The menu offers numerous items Including lobster - baked or steamed, garoupa, various types of prawn and geoduck amongst them. To complement these there is a selection of chilled crabs, lobsters, prawns and what I think were tin law, or Chinese edible snails. I ordered a huge mantis shrimp for starters ($98) which was steamed before being chilled and served simply with a butter lemon sauce and a pair of scissors to cut open the tough shell. There's not quite as much flesh inside as I was expecting but what there was was firm and succulent. To go with it I ordered a glass of house white, a sauvignon blanc ($42). The hot items on the the menu are also served very simply. For each there is a choice of either garlic or black bean sauce and are served with either noodles or rice. I opted for steamed fillet of garoupa with noodles. I'd noticed by this time that most of the other diners seemed to be ordering exclusively from the chilled selection and, after that mantis shrimp, I was secretly wishing I had done the same. Not that there was anything wrong with the garoupa, far from it. It was very fresh and tasty and I would have it again. But I think next time I go I will choose from either the cold selection or the hot selection. The restaurant maybe called Soho Seafood Express and indeed express had been just what I wanted. But having said that, there was no pressure to hurry up despite the shortage of tables and the steady stream of disappointed faces passing by. As I left, the original couple that had been there when I arrived were still happily seeing to a mountain of empty shells, and didn't look like they were about to give up anytime soon. There is also a take away and delivery service available. Soho Seafood Express Wellington Street Central Tel. 2805 9889 Song - Cuisine d'Indochine Although the address is Hollywood Road, the entrance to Song is actually on Man Hing Lane, a quiet little alley that runs between Peel Street and Aberdeen Street on the north side of Hollywood Road. In the past, finding it was a bit of a challenge for the first time visitor but a new neon sign on Hollywood Road now marks the little flight of steps that lead down to the restaurant. Inside, the colour scheme is predominantly white, which gives Song an open airy feel. Curtains help soften the hard architectural lines and candles soften the light. It all adds up to a pleasantly relaxing atmosphere. The drinks list is impressive with a range of wines to suit all tastes. Faced with such overwhelming choice we chickened out and plumped for the house white, a crisp Ironstone Semillon Chardonnay. We had a hard time coming to a decision on the appetizers, but in the end we decided on Duyens Summer Platter, a selection of four of the spring rolls on the menu, prawn, tuna, chicken and vegetable. Other options included coconut prawns with chilli dip and chicken and ginger dumplings with soya and lime vinaigrette. The lemongrasss beef with rice vermicelli, with peanut and chilli dressing, and the sauteed pumpkin with cashews and crispy basil leaves both lived up to our expectations. But our favourite was the crispy soft-shelled crab with mayonaisse and wasabi. I'm not entirely sure where wasabi and mayo fit into Vietnamese cuisine but the wasabi works very well indeed. I gave the mayo a wide berth but that is just a personal preference. Other main courses include green papaya, mango and fresh prawn salad, and grilled lime chicken. To finish we had coconut fried banana with lime sauce. This, for me, was the stand out item on the dessert list. The tang of the lime sauce a perfect complement to the banana that might otherwise have been too sweet. Song is open from midday to midnight on weekdays, 7pm to midnight on saturdays, closed on Sundays. It is quite a small restaurant so reservations are recommended. Tel 2559 0997. 15 April 2004 The Spice Market Harbour City is a peculiar kind of shopping mall, it's more like a shopping warren I'm sure it would be possible to wander around in circles for hours and not realise it. I don't normally go in there unless I can help it, but each time I do it starts off looking familiar but then I realise how horribly wrong I am. It's like the shops ARE all the same but they have shuffled themselves around and are now in different places. I'd set out in search of the Spice Market which was at the Marco Polo Prince, I'm not sure what folly possessed me and led me into the mall, perhaps it was the heat and humidity or a subconscious lust for adventure. Suffice to say that I could have just legged it up Canton Road and been there in a trice. Instead I wandered around for what seemed like ages on the wrong floor. I eventually came to a clearing on the far side of which was a glass staircase. I climbed the staircase and there at the top was a bustling Spice Market. The restaurant offers an all you can eat buffet dinner for just $295. I didn't have a reservation and was lucky to get a table. The buffet dinner, I learned, is very popular. I shown to a table adjacent two ladies who, it appeared, had already been there a while. They had buffet dining down to a fine art, take only small portions and don't rush, it isn't a race. I decided to follow their example. The restaurant is a long curving room, the food is laid out along one wall with the tables set apart on a slightly raised wooden platform. With a name like The Spice Market one could be forgiven for thinking that this is primarily South and Southeast Asian cuisine and while they are well represented the restaurant aims to provide something for the whole family. I decided to start with some cold cuts. Not too much, I told myself, some chicken slices, smoked salmon mmm maybe just one more piece of that salmon and ooh they've got Thai beef salad here. Well by the time I'd taken not too much of lots of different things I had quite a full plate. I'll have a little more discipline next time around I told myself. I decided I might just as well work my way along the line which meant my next course would be sushi. There were also oysters that were attracting a lot of attention. I'm not a huge fan so I decided to pass them by in favour of the sushi. I did notice that the desserts were on a sort of detour behind the sushi counter. Two children were having a whale of a time manufacturing waffles, one ladling the other pressing, and then taking it in turns to deliver the finished waffle to what I could only assume was a fairly large family group somewhere out of sight. I continued my journey. Roast beef and steamed vegetables didn't seem very Asian but I didn't really mind, there was still teppenyaki, hotpot, satays and barbecue. An intriguing item on the barbecue counter was something called slipper lobsters. These look like lobsters but are the size of a prawn and have a really tough shell. The flesh, when I finally got it, out was really quite tasty but there wasn't as much of it as I would have hoped for. My last forage along the main section took me to the Indian counter. This was getting much less attention from the throng as were the other options but for me tandoori fish and beef curry along with nan bread and poppadoms proved to be a perfect way to round off. There was of course dessert, chocolate mousse, caramel creme, ice creme, tiramisu ... all our favourites. I shan't embarrass myself by telling you what I had but I would like to stress that I only had a small spoonful of each. Spice market is a family event or a good crowd from the office, not fine dining, I like to call it fun dining. The food was good, plentiful and varied. I like that in a buffet. With beers the bill came to $330, which I thought was jolly reasonable. June 2005 Spoil Cafe This is a tiny little restaurant at the end of Sun Street in Wanchai. The decor is nothing fancy, pleasant but functional, and with the tables tightly packed together it has room for just 16 people. "Do you have a reservation?" I was asked when I arrived. I said I didn't and the manager furrowed his brow for a moment before pointing to a table. "How about this one?" I asked looking at another one "Reserved", he said "This one?" I asked again, pointing to another. He shook his head. There weren't any more so I sat down at the one he originally offered. On less damp and humid days I'm sure there would be seating outside but the effect is almost achieved anyway. The corner shop has had it's two outside walls removed completely and replaced by windows. Despite the lack of candles and subtle lighting it seems to be quite a romantic place. This was evidenced by the fact that the only other guests there were courting couples. I tried not to feel like a gooseberry and turned my attention to the menu. It was not a large menu. I could tell you everything that was on it but that would spoil the joy of discovery and besides I rather suspect it varies from day to day depending on what the chef finds in the market. "We also have spaghetti with squid ink today" the manager told me. I passed on the squid ink, instead I had a mango and avocado salad ($98) followed by a seafood linguine ($128). Both were very good indeed. To accompany them I ordered a glass of crisp Australian Riesling ($55). The mango and avocado salad came with a couple of large prawns on top. This was a bit of a surprise but not an unpleasant one. The menu hadn't mentioned the prawn but I decided it was an inspired addition and wolfed it down anyway. The couple at the next table were sharing a plate of clams. They looked delicious and I was rather hoping that there would be a few in my linguine. There were. There were also mussels, squid, prawn and a white fish, probably sole. I also rather fancy there was a hint of something spicy in there that one doesn't normally associate with Italian food.. or was it just the black pepper playing tricks on me. I would have asked the manager but other guests had arrived now and he was busy. But I did press him for dessert. The selection consisted of cheesecakes and chocolate cakes etc. I settled on a slice of blueberry cheesecake ($30) and a coffee ($22). The leaves outside fluttered on a rare breeze, the courting couples billed and cooed. I paid my bill and hopped down the steps and along to Slims, where I happen to now they have a very fine selection of beer. Spoil Cafe G/F Shop 1 & 1a, Sun Street Wanchai Tel. 3589 5678 Stormies Crabshack Stormies is that rather pleasant pub at the very top of D'Aguilar Street on the corner where, on warm evenings, the pavement ouside seems as popular as its nautically themed interior. I've sloshed quite a few beers down in there over the years but for some reason I'd never managed to drag myself up the stairs to that nice little restaurant they have up there. The restaurant has just reinvented itself as 'The Crabshack' and has introduced a brand new menu which, as you may well have already guessed, is loaded with crab dishes. The other evening I went along to the launch of the new menu where I got to taste not just one or two dishes from the menu, but small tasting sized portions of almost everything on the menu. For someone as indecisive as me, when it comes to menus, this was indeed a treat. There was Crab cake with avocado and tomato and Soft-shelled crab with piri piri aioli, thats a chili and garlic sauce of African/Portuguese descent I believe. Both dishes were really quite delicious but perhaps my favourite were the Snow crab clusters in parsley butter. One has to dig the flesh out but it's not difficult and the effort is well rewarded. Although crabs are the star attraction the menu does have other items. The Seared lamb loin tataki was delicious but the Surf and Turf - made with king crab and beef that was so tender it almost melted in the mouth - pushed the wow indicator to the very end of the dial. I'm afraid I had second helpings. Other dishes included Seared Ahi Tuna, Cajun prawns Jambalaya and BBQ beef short ribs with Stormies own BBQ sauce. The desserts included Chocolate Pecan Pie and a New York style cheesecake which was at least as good any you'll find and considerably better than most. Of the ten dishes we tried there was really nothing that I would have been unhappy with. Which leaves me with a rather unusual dilemma. When I come back, and it will be soon, I am going to have to confront the menu knowing just how good everything is. This is not going to make the decision making any easier. Stormies 48 D'Aguilar Street Lan Kwai Fong Hong Kong August 2006 Sukho Thai I'd just come back from a wonderful break in the land of smiles and was yearning to extend it for just one more dinner time so I wandered along to Sukho Thai in the Sun Hung Kai Centre. This is the newer of the two branches, the other one being in Stanley. I was the first customer of the evening and, for a short while, had the waitresses all to myself. I ordered a glass of draught Carlesberg ($48) and munched on crackers dipped in either chillies in a sweet honey sauce or chillies in fish soy sauce while I contemplated the menu. The ancient city of Sukhothai, a UNESCO world heritage site in the north of Thailand, was the first capital of the Kingdom and is regarded as the cradle of Thai civilisation. The name means "dawn of happiness" and during its 200 year reign the arts flourished, the Thai alphabet was born and its influence stretched across parts of Burma, Laos, Cambodia and far south into the Malay peninsula. I ordered the crispy, soft shelled crab with green mango salad ($65) for starter. The salad is related to the popular som-tam (green papaya salad which is also on the menu) though it is not as spicy. This was fresh, sharp and tangy. A little spicy but no too much. I felt the urge to ask for sticky rice to go with it but the meal had only just begun and there was a lot more to eat yet. For main course I ordered a Phanaeng style curry with roast duck and garnished with cherry tomatoes and grapes ($62). This is a rich, thick curry from the south made with peanuts and coconut creme. Consequently it leans towards the sweet rather than spicy. To go with it I ordered steamed tofu stuffed with spinach ($52). Both of these dishes were large and would be more than suitable for sharing. The tofu was served in a herbed lime sauce and while it was quite delicious I could have perhaps chosen a better option, say fried vegetables with salted fish, to follow the mango salad. For dessert I opted for the lemon grass panna cotta with marinated plums and berries ($68), and rounded off with coffee. It was an enjoyable meal in pleasant surroundings but stepping out on to Gloucester Road I could feel the onset winter in the air and had to accept that my vacation was over. December 2005 Sup 1 The Gough street area continues to develop apace. There are some cute little lifestyle type shops opening up between the restaurants and the print-shops. And of course there is usually a new restaurant or two to visit. I thought Sup 1 was new but I was assured they had been there for quite some time and wondered if I had a reservation. I didn't but they were able to squeeze me in. I didn't really have too squeeze to much anyway since I was the first customer. I took a seat by the window. I had my back to the bulk of the dining area but glancing around I could see that the decor was clean and modern, but with paintings of European domestic scenes to add warmth and colour. Setting it all off to a 'T' was an impeccable choice of cool jazz vibes, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Chet Baker and some crisp bossa nova only some of which was punctuated by the unmistakable saxophone of Stan Getz. I was feeling relaxed and comfortable even before I had the menu in my hand. The house white was a Chilean Chardonnay. I hadn't been planning to drink but then I thought I could have just one to compliment the music as much as the food. The menu itself has a Japanese half and a European half. I'd already had sashimi for lunch so I didn't pay much attention to the Japanese side. My attention was caught by the the Stir Fried Mushrooms in Cream Sauce served with toast triangles ($68). This was in the snacks section of the menu but I ordered it as a starter. Very nice it was too. I also thought it would work well with some white fish. For the main I had the French Style Roast Suckling Pig ($148). Though obviously not the whole pig. This had been wrapped around some finely minced chicken and mushrooms and then sliced. The pork was crisp and juicy on the outside, the chicken firm on the inside and altogether very enjoyable indeed. It was elegantly presented with roast potatoes, green beans and carrots. The desserts are one area where the menu could use a tad more inspiration. Chocolate sponge pudding and tiramisu are all very nice but they are on almost every menu. A testament to their popularity no doubt but I do get bored with them and always look for the item that is a little different. There wasn't one here so I settled for the chocolate cheesecake and a coffee. The restaurant had filled up by now. There is space for about 25-30 guests and there wasn't a spare seat in the house. Since this was on a Wednesday night I would definitely recommend making reservations. February 2007 Sup 1 G/F 11 Gough Street Central Hong Kong Tel 2522 5000 Taj Bar and Restaurant This is a cosy little Indian restaurant on Wo On Lane. We'd been planning to head on up to Wyndham Street but the promise of fresh nan was too much to resist and the little restaurant was almost empty. "As long as you don't order anything too spicy", my companion said as we crossed the threshold. There were only two other guests, and they were just finishing an early dinner so before long we had the place to ourselves. "Not too spicy, eh?" I confirmed, as the waiter poured the beers. A chicken korma seemed the obvious choice but we would need more than that. I I figured the onion bhajis would go down well. I was right. Onion bhajis vary so much from restaurant to restaurant, I've often wondered if it is because of regional variations or if it's simply the way the chef's mum used to cook them. But I always forget to ask. These were tightly packed nuggets of shredded onion a little crispy on the outside. An excellent accompaniment to the beer. I tried to go slow but it was useless. By the time the mixed tandoori platter arrived we were ready for more beer. Fortunately the tandoori took our minds off the beer briefly. It consisted of chicken, fish and lamb. "I like the lamb" said my companion, stabbing the last piece with his fork. I was impressed with the fish and duly smuggled the last morsel of that onto my plate. The korma and an aloo gobi arrived. Both were good, the korma in particular. It was rich and creamy and clearly a hit with my companion. Before long we had mopped all the dishes clean and were leaning back in our chairs. Dessert was not really an option, we were both too full. Even finishing our last beer was a challenge. It was a very typical curry dinner and a very good one. And at around $300 each, including beer, it was good value for money too Taj Bar and Restaurant G/F 4-5 Wo On Lane Central Tel 2522 6061 Thai Curry House This is a very pleasant restaurant in Sheung Wan. I've passed it several times at lunch times and it always seems to be doing good business. But since I can't pass restaurants very often without eventually going in you could say its time had come. The decor is pleasant and unpretentious. Bright walls with just a little Thai ornamentation give it a spacious airy feel. Kenny G played in the background but not loud enough to put me off my dinner. What makes this particular restaurant interesting is that its menu leans heavily on dishes and styles from southern Thailand and Malaysia. It even includes the Singaporean dish, Hainan chicken, and you can enjoy your curry with either rice or roti. I'm a sucker for crispy fried soft shell crab ($55). There were plenty of other things to choose from though all of them quite familiar, spring roll, fish cakes chicken in pandanus leaves. But the soft shell crab was a good call. Southern Thai cuisine is not as spicy and is sweeter than the more familiar Thai dishes and while the crab wouldn't have been a very spicy dish anyway the southern sweetness was quite apparent.. It became even more obvious in the green papaya salad ($35). This was an interpretation of the famously spicy dish som tam. It was not even slightly spicy. The chillies were simply not there. Now I have to confess I am a great lover of the real macoy and without the chilli it took a few mouthfuls to get used to. But it was still and interesting dish. It will never replace spicy version in my affection but not everyone likes chilli and with those people in mind this is a perfectly acceptable adaptation. The main course was chicken curry baked in pastry ($68). This was a delicious coconuty yellow curry served in a chicken shaped clay pot with a layer of filo pastry on top. I'd thought about ordering some roti but along with the chunks of chicken there were chunks of potato. Combined with the pastry itself it was quite filling enough. Dessert was the only disappointment. I'd ordered the baked apple roll with ice cream and pandanas sauce ($28) and while the ice cream and pandanus sauce were fine the apple roll itself was rather tired and uninspiring and completely lacking in flavour. But even without the dessert this restaurant is good value for money and a great Thai option for those that don't like it so hot. Thai Curry House, 38 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel 2850 6380 June 2007 Thai Delight I can normally rely on my son to demand steaks and burgers when we have occasion to dine out. A plate of taco chips is usually about as exotic as he's prepared to go. But that was before he and his mates skulked off to a full moon party in Koh Samui. Now Phad Thai has entered his mental menu so this time, when I suggested dinner, that was what he wanted. We went to Thai Delight on Lockhart Road. It's a fairly large and modern restaurant and I have a suspicion it does better rather later at night than it does at 7.30 when we were there. The staff were friendly and courteous and we had our pick of the tables. We chose one that would have had an excellent view of a large TV screen had there been anything on it. I thanked heaven for small mercies and ordered beers. It's a reasonably extensive menu but there are no surprises. All the items you expect in a Thai restaurant are present; curries, spicy salads, tom yum... "I'd like phad Thai with tiger prawn" ($88) he said. I suggested we have a some other dishes as well. For starters I ordered the mixed platter (small $72). This included Vietnamese style spring rolls, fish cakes prawn cakes, chicken in pandanas leaves and som tam. To my taste buds the som tam was lacking in oomph but not everyone like chillis as much as I do. If you prefer it spicy be sure to let the waitress know. Following that we had the Tom Ka Kai ($53), and smoked duck breast with mango, tamarind and chilli salad. The tom ka Kai was chicken in a spicy coconut milk soup and was very good indeed. I thought the duck was good though I did think chef had been quite conservative with the chilli. My son wasn't impressed - I think he a was holding out for the phad Thai which duly arrived complete with a huge prawn on top. He would have been quite happy to wolf down the lot himself though I did manage to secure a few mouthfuls. Phad Thai has never been a favourite dish of mine. I have nothing specific against it, I just feel that Thai cuisine has so much more to offer. But, like fried rice and banana pancakes, it is a budget travellers staple and who can criticise a young fellow for wanting to recapture, for a moment, the flavour of his holidays. "How often did you eat phad Thai in Samui?" I asked. He screwed his face up thoughtfully and then said "Every day." Thai Delight Shop A 117 Lockhart Road Wanchai Tel 2877 7983 Tuk-Tuk Thai Hidden behind the market at the top of Graham Street, just before it meets Hollywood Road is a small unassuming restaurant called Tuk-Tuk Thai. It's an easy place to miss, Graham Street isn't the most obvious way to get down to Central, and you certainly wouldn't come up that way. So unless you're actually going to the market there is no reason why you should find it at all. Consequently Tuk-Tuk Thai has remained a fairly well kept secret known only to those who are lucky enough to live or work nearby. I'd been in for lunch a couple of times and was very impressed so I decided it was high time to wander along for dinner and see if it lived up to it's promise. The menu boasts a full complement of popular dishes. Starters include fish cakes, prawn cakes spring rolls and satays. Tom Yam Gung proudly heads the list of soups; then there are curries in red, yellow and green; spicy salads and of course fried rice. I was in turmoil. On one hand I wanted to try all my favourites, on the other I wanted to try some dishes I hadn't had before. In the end reason prevailed. I knew from past experience that the larb moo (minced pork with chillies, shallots and lime juice), the fish cakes and the green chicken curry were all good so I reluctantly decided against any of them. To get the proceedings under way I ordered some fresh spring rolls ($25). These are a mixture of crisp fresh vegetables, chillies, some dry noodle and hint of mint in a wrapper made from rice flower garnished with a deliciously spicy peanut sauce. I'd thought about ordering som tam, the famously fiery green papaya salad but I was intrigued by the yum som-o ($32) which I'd never had before. Yum som-o is a pomelo salad but sweet rather than spicy. The pulp of the pomelo is broken up and mixed with shallots, dried shrimp and toasted coconut. Like the spring rolls the pomelo was wonderfully fresh and surprisingly juicy. Next I was served a clear broth with minced pork and bean curd ($28 small, $50 large) before getting on to the main event. This was Pla Phao ($98), a whole grilled snapper garnished with a riot of thai herbs. Lemongrass was in evidence as was coriander and chillies.The herbs had imparted their flavours into the fish which was tender and succulent. Too much for one person, but it didn't stop me, and by the end I barely had room for a dessert of mango and sticky rice with coconut cream ($25). I sat back with a contented smile and nursed a glass of tea. The manager was keen to know if everything had been alright. Not only had everything been alright but, given that what I had ordered could easily have fed two people, it was also excellent value. 17 September 2004 Union Bar and Grill Earlier in the day I'd been thinking about heading up the escalator a bit to see what was new and interesting, but by the time I'd made it to Central it was threatening to rain. I was also feeling pretty weary after a hectic day. Anyway I was having a snoop in the bookshop in IFC Mall. Not because I really wanted to buy a book, I was trying to decide whether to go on or give up and go home, when I heard someone talking into their phone "...ok I'll meet you in half an hour in Union Bar." What a splendid idea I thought, a steak and a beer would be just what the doctor ordered, so I made a beeline for the floor below. Union Bar and Grill is on level one and, as you may have already gathered, is an American style restaurant. It is a cosy place despite being quite large. Decor harked back to a time long past with red brick walls, dark wooden details and a warm light. The music was period too; ol' blue eyes and Ella Fitzgerald amongst others. I ordered a glass of Kilkenny ($60) and took my time over the menu. To be honest I already knew what I wanted but I always feel duty bound to read the whole menu. The very first thing on it was baked potato skins ($65) and they were a must. Seared tuna and lamb lollipops both had their merits and they were duly noted and will be remembered for another time. A plate of warm crusty bread arrived while I was waiting for the potato skins. I ordered another glass of Kilkenny. The skins arrived piping hot, just as they should be, with two types of cheese melted over them and a tub of sour cream to dip them into ... once they had cooled enough to pick them up. The portion was generous, as is traditional in American restaurants, but no so large that it was in danger of spoiling my appetite for the main course. I did cast an eye over the pizzas (roasted tomato and applewood bacon mmm) and pastas but I know from experience that I will get too full though i did think about the French onion soup. For the main course I'd ordered petite filet mignon wrapped with applewood smoked bacon ($240). There was nothing petite about it, this was a whopping 10 oz serving ($240), lean, juicy and tender. Served with potatoes, baby corn and pak choi. They do offer 16 oz steaks but I knew they would be just too big. To eat steaks that size I would probably have to do without starters and I definitely wouldn't be able to squeeze a dessert in afterwards. Which would be a great shame. The desserts all take a while to prepare and the menu recommends that you order your dessert at the same time as your entree. I'm more inclined to think that the waiting time is a good idea. It gives an important breathing space between courses. For my dessert I ordered New Orleans beignets ($48). In New orleans they are simply called donuts but they're actually pastries that are hand rolled and deep fried. Mine were conical shaped with strawberry, chocolate and honey dips and are best served with a large mug of hot coffee .... oh and Louis Armstrong and the hot fives in the background. July 2005 Lunch at Veda I'd been meaning to go back to Veda since I first visited it for dinner about a year ago, but its location - tucked away in Arbuthnot road - meant I was never 'just passing by'. However, recently, I was lured back by an impromptu gathering, organised by a vegetarian friend. As I entered the restaurant, I was once again struck by its sleek modern decor. It is very light and spacious with splashes of green. Bamboo shoots decorate the tables and add to the comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. A very modern look for modern Indian cuisine. Indeed the delicious smell of spices was the only indication we were in an Indian restaurant. At lunchtimes there is a buffet table laid out with all manner of temptations. We first visited the 'wrap' station, where you can get an Indian style wrap, with four choices of filling - 2 vegetarian, 1 chicken and 1 fish. The wraps, solid and warming, were delicious with a dab of tamarind, and were almost a meal in themselves. It is worth saving room for the buffet - the starters were light and tasty, mostly vegetarian. Who would have thought that spinach and mushrooms could be so scrumptious? We enjoyed that dish, along with the fabulous spiced pumpkin, asparagus with sesame, a lettuce salad and some soup, hot enough to make eyes water. After a breather, we approached the hot side of the table, which had been calling us with its mouthwatering aroma of curries. Lashings of eggplant masala, venison curry, egg vindaloo, a vegetable curry and a smokey lentil dahl, two types of rice, and some cloud-light, straight-from-the-tandoor naan, had us all discreetly unpopping the button on our trousers. Definitely a case of eyes being larger than stomachs. I decided to stop there with a cup of excellent espresso, and watch my friends ohhing and ahhing over the gulab jamun (milk dumplings soaked in syrup) and a sticky decadent chocolate and date cake. There was also some fruit and some jelly like substance, but replete, there were no takers. Verdict - an excellent lunch. The buffet varies from day to day so be sure to make it a habit. Non vegetarians will be blown away with the flavours and won't even notice its low meat content. Vegetarians will be in heaven. January 2005 Viceroy I was nursing a half glass of Kingfisher beer, gazing across the harbour towards Kowloon and gently chiding myself for having passed up the gulab jamun in Grand Marnier. A boat chugged by and a light breeze played with the leaves of the plants that decorate the Moghul Terrace at the Viceroy. Inside the tabla player was beating out the rhythm as the singer sang of her love; some things are universal. But not gulab jamun in Grand Marnier, I've only ever seen that on the menu at the Viceroy. I seriously considered ordering a second desert, for the sake of research I'll have you know, but I wasn't sure I had the space left to research it properly. I'd arrived about ninety minutes earlier, beer, poppadoms and an intriguing menu had arrived shortly after. The Viceroy is, of course, best known for being an Indian restaurant but it also serves a range of middle eastern dishes and while I'd gone there for the Indian food it was very tempting indeed to mix and match. The restaurant does offers a range of set dinners from both the Indian and middle eastern menus starting at $158 per person, there is also a special menu for kids. The items on the middle eastern menu that particularly caught my attention were a kingfish shashlik, Moroccan herbed chicken and roasted prawns. It was a tough choice but I eventually chose tandoori prawns ($138) for starters. Two huge ones that were firm and tasty, with onions and peppers. Another option had been salmon and cheese samosas ($68) but in the end I was delighted with my choice. The breeze had stiffened a bit but not enough to worry me unduly. I ordered another Kingfisher and watched a crane barge lumber towards Causeway Bay. The next dishes to arrive were saag gosht ($98) and dubikiwale dum aloo ($68). The saag gosht is a mild dish with pieces of lamb cooked with ground spinach. The lamb was deliciously soft and tender. The dubikiwale dum aloo consists of potatoes stuffed with paneer, which is an Indian type of cheese, and sultanas and bathed in a tomato and cream sauce. The dishes were a pleasing combination, the dry earthy flavours of the lamb and spinach contrasting well the sweetness of the sultanas and tomatoes. The dishes were mopped clean with nan bread, and I polished off my second kingfisher and ordered a third while I perused the desert menu. Now I've had gulab jamun many times before. It is the quintessential Indian dessert. I don't remeber ever having been to an Indian restaurant that didn't have it on the menu though admittedly never in Grand Marnier. But I'd never had aam ki phirni before either. Aam ki phirni is a souffle of rice and milk blended with mangoes. I love mangoes. A decision had to be made and I went for the mango souffle. It was delicious, smooth, creamy, chilled to perfection and studded with cubes of fresh mango. It was a good decision. I finnished the beer, paid my bill and left but that gulab jamun is going to be tugging at my conscience, I don't think it will very long before I am back for seconds. Wagyu Wagyu is steak. It's a particular kind of steak that is famous for it's marbling which produces a hight percentage of monounsaturated fats and, more importantly, greater flavour and tenderness. It would surprise no one then to find that a restaurant calling itself simply Wagyu specialises in this particular kind of steak. Indeed they offer several cuts in sizes 8, 10 and 12 ounce sizes, and a selection of other kinds of steak including Black Angus and Filet Mignon. They even offer a Wagyu burger. I'd arranged to meet up with a very dear friend for a pre-christmas dinner and when I suggested going to this very new restaurant called Wagyu - I really was in the mood for a good steak. We arrived quite early but we were still lucky to get a table as most of them had been reserved. It is a slick, modern and very trendy establishment. Although there a quite a few tables it doesn't feel cramped and when you melt into you seat and are handed a menu you quite forget your surroundings. And it was at this point that I forgot about the steak. Whilst the restaurant is Australian at heart the menu offers a mouth watering selection of dishes that draw inspiration from all over Asia. I gave up the idea of the steak and decided instead to doff my cap to the wagyu by ordering an Outback Wagyu Mini Pie ($110) for starter. But it hadn't been an easy decision, Wagyu sang Choi Bau and Rock Salt encrusted Wagyu Beef strips ran a very close second. There were also salads from Thailand to Lebanon and the Mediterranean but after a brief and struggle my friend opted for the Wild Mushroom Camembert ($110). Both of these dishes were really quite special and, with a salad or soup and bread, could easily make a meal in their own right. The pie was a classic Aussie steak pie made with generous chunks of Wagyu beef. We wolfed it down and wanted more. The camembert was oven warmed and served with wild mushrooms and crispy garlic toast. It was a generous serving but again, we made short work of it. The starters had been a difficult choice and so too were the mains. Bundy Rum Glazed Rib Rack and Pork Belly Grill were both stating their case quite clearly. So too was the Campfire veal shank. My friend, perhaps sensing that the portions were going to be generous, opted for Linguini Vongole ($120). Clams flash fried with chili and garlic. I ordered the North Queensland Barramundi ($160). According to the menu the fish is flown in daily from Australia. It is cooked slowly with Chinese herbs and spices and served on a bed of pak choi. The fish was indeed very fresh and the flavours really leapt out a danced. I looked over to my friend and she signaled her approval of the pasta. The dessert menu wasn't quite as adventurous most of the items familiar classics though we were quite sure by this time that whatever we ordered would be good. My friend admitted to being something of a chocoholic and while she put up a brave fight the temptation of the Death by Chocolate was just too much. I knew, just by looking at it, that it would have beaten me but my friend made a very respectable dent indeed, and, I'm happy to say, lived to tell the tale. I plumped for a rather more conservative Apple Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream. We finished with coffees and exchanged the last of the gossip. As we got up to go I realised just how packed the restaurant was and there were still more people queuing outside. Reservations, it seems, are recommended Wagyu 3 G/F The Centrium 60 Wyndham Street Central Tel 2525 8805 Water Margin I'm not at all fond of elevators on the outside of buildings. I'm not sure why, I don't suffer vertigo but I've never been completely comfortable with the floor receding beneath me at quite such speed. So, if I had been left to my own devices I would have made my way up to the Food Forum of Times Square via the escalator. But it was not to be, I bumped into one of my dinner companions on the way in and she insisted on using the lift. I acquiesced quietly, I didn't want to appear a wimp. Fortunately the lift was crowded so I didn't have to admire the view and I arrived at the twelfth with my appetite unimpaired. There are a lot of interesting restaurants up here so we did a quick tour of the menus, while we waited for the third member of our group, before heading into Water Margin. This is one of a growing number of restaurants that are looking back to Chinese history and traditions to create a new kind of ambience in which to enjoys the country's cuisine. In the past so many Chinese restaurants have been decorated with a modern and, too often, rather bland feel. Stepping into Water Margin is almost like stepping back in time. At the entrance a waterfall and a large dark wooden counter covered in dried chillies set the tone. The main dining area continues the theme. Large wooden tables and chairs on a flagstone floor, wooden paneled screens line the walls and paper lanterns provide subdued, but dramatic lighting. The cuisine is northern Chinese with a few modern flourishes. We ordered drinks. The lychee, rose, cinnamon and honey ($38) and the bamboo with vodka and lemon ($48) were both delicious and refreshing. The menu is in both Chinese and English. In keeping with the theme of the restaurant it is bound between two pieces of carved wood and offers a wide range tantalising range of dishes. As Usual I wanted to try everything but my companions were a little more practical. We agreed on three dishes; Crispy de-boned lamb ribs ($158), Wok fried fish cake with salted egg sauce ($108) and Winter melon puree with poached egg white ($78). To go with it we ordered a very pleasant chinese rice wine called Nuer Hong which translates as "the blush of the daughter". There were some Sichuan dishes I would love to have tried but I decided it would be better to save them for another time. The food we did order didn't disappoint. Indeed the de-boned lamb, which is served with pancakes and a soy and spring onion sauce, and the fish cakes were both excellent. The only slight critiscism was that the winter melon in poached egg white leaned a little too much in favour of the egg white at the expense of the winter melon. My companions didn't seem so enthusiastic about dessert but agreed to share a pomelo with black sticky rice and sago. It was a delicious meal in a very pleasant environment, the only real down side is its in Times Square. But then, I hate shops and shopping, a sentiment that didn't seen to afflict my two friends. Water Margin 12/F Food Forum Times Square Causeway Bay Tel. 3102 0088 Weinstube Austrian Wine bar Weinstube has one of theose mirrors that are designed to make the place look bigger than it really is. It works very well. "Can I sit over there?" I said. The waitress gave me a very puzzled look. I looked back towards where I wanted to go but the perspectives were shifting. Then I saw a familiar face; it was me. "Oh it's a mirror!" I said, involuntarily as the penny dropped, and much to the amusement of a group of gents sitting at the bar. I plonked myself down in front of it and hid behind the menu. There are some Interesting dishes, the spit roast pork knuckle and spit roast spring chicken ($160) both looked great. The do, however, require 50 minutes to prepare. The waitress delivered a glass of Erdinger dunkel bier (dark beer) and I made a quick mental calculation to work out how many dunkel biers I would drink before the food was delivered. I decided against it. There are plenty of other things to choose from, including a range of german sausages, veal and a mushroom goulash for vegetarians. I ordered the sausage platter. I was just about to order a main course to follow it but I was told "You may want to see the sausage platter before you order anything else, the small is a hearty meal for one person the large will feed two." I was a little disappointed at first but when it was delivered I understood. There were three large sausages, a Vienna, a ham with cheese and a grilled pork. There was also a generous portion of French fries. I did order a side of saurkraut. Sausages and beer just wouldn't be right with out it There were no desserts on the menu which was probably a good thing. "Would you like another beer?" enquired the waitress. I thought about it but in the end I declined. The sausages really were filling Weinstube Austrian Wine bar 1/F Honeytex Building 22 Ashley Toad Tsim Sha Tsui Tel. 2376 1800 Wildfire, Elgin Street I'd been meaning to go to Wildfire for sometime but for one reason or another I'd never got around to it. So, when I discovered a couple of weeks ago that they had just introduced a new menu, I decided it was time to get my act together. I'm sure you could have a romantic tryst tucked away in a corner but to me wildfire has always struck me as the kind of place you go with a group of friends. A place where you can chill-out and have a few beers and snacks or a full blown meal. We were there for the full monty but after a quick glance at the menu I realised then the snacks and appetisers alone could have kept me busy for the night. Fried Olives in Chorizo Crust, Feta and Spinach Kataifi Rolls, Seared Tuna with Kalamata Olives and Crab Cakes with Green Papaya Salsa to name but a few. Fortunately the spirit of sharing is alive and well at Wildfire and we had little hesitation in ordering both the Appetizer Platter and the Mezze Platter ($138 each). They are served on long plates, five items on each plate with each item carefully arranged and presented in its own right. Viewed as a whole it was really rather impressive and almost a shame to eat it .... almost The end nearest me yielded Salmon Rolls followed by Fried Olives in Chorizo Crust. I am a big fan of both olives and chorizo so this was a match made in heaven. I did embarrass myself slightly when I dipped the soft shell crab fritters in the sauce meant for the olives but no-one was really paying attention. Though they did taste better when dipped in the correct sauce. Prawns in Noodle Crust followed by chicken wings took me to the far end of the Appetiser Platter. The Mezze Platter, as you may have already guessed, presented us with Greek/middle eastern flavours. The Feta and Spinach Kataifi rolls, Crab Cakes and eggplant with tomatoes all stood out and amongst them was pitta bread and chick pea dip. We followed these with a Romaine Salad ($74) which consisted of deliciously crisp lettuce in a smooth buttermilk dressing with crispy pork crackling. The pasta dishes came next. We had ordered two; Prawn and Potato Gnocchi ($139) and Lobster Agnolotti ($138). I don't recall seeing gnocchi in Hong Kong before but it is what the Italians call a dumpling. If we translate it literally "gnocchi" means lumps but these were light, smooth and about the size of large beans. They can be made from flour and/or potato and can be flavoured with cheese and spinach. Whilst it's not strictly a pasta it is invariably served as a pasta course at Italian tables. Ours was served with prawns in wonderfully rich and creamy truffle and mascarpone sauce. Agnolotti is a stuffed pasta and ours came stuffed with lobster and lime leaves in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce. At that point we decided a short break would be beneficial so we kicked back and let the Pinot Grigio and convivial conversation flow. Now readers who have visited Wildfire before may be wondering what happened to the pizzas. Well I can assure you that they are still there, but with some intriguing new flavours. There are two that I can vouch for; the Wasabi Chicken which is NOT a fluorescent green disc that will cause your sinuses to melt down. The wasabi flavour is actually very subtle. It has a teriyaki eggplant base and includes cashews and shitake. The other one is the Gourmet Mushroom which has a mushroom paste base truffle oil and, of course, lots of mushrooms. Anyway back to the job at hand. The Herb Roasted Lamb Rump with Garlic (($162), and the Beef Kebab ($158) were about to be served. The lamb was a really tender and tasty cut but the beef kebab is something of a show stopper. A stainless steel support rising about eighteen inches above the table holds the skewer, which is crammed from end to end with chunks of beef, peppers, onions and chilli, in a vertical position. At the base is rice wrapped in vine leaves and a sauce made from mildly spiced tomato and mint. The beef, marinated in cilantro, parsley and cumin for five hours, is very tender and absolutely bursting with flavour which combines perfectly with the tomato and mint sauce. It was indeed a fitting way to bring this part of the meal to a close. We were all beginning to loosen our belts but we were all agreed that the meal would be unfinished if we didn't have dessert. So we scanned the menu, there are five desserts to choose from and the one we didn't have was Caramelised Pecan Cheesecake. The rest we did have! Lemon Tart with Honeycomb ice-cream, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Chocolate torte with chocolate ice-cream and Strawberry Pavlova. Again beautifully presented they tasted every bit as good as they looked. By the time we got to the end I had precious little room for even a small coffee. As we squeezed through the door and rolled off in search of our respective taxis we all agreed that we must do it again, soon. After all there is a Pecan cheese cake with our names on it Incidently there are three other branches of Wildfire; Stanley, Bonham Road and The Airport September 2004 Wooloo-mooloo If you're Australian you might want to skip this paragraph, everyone else repeat after me "Woo-loo-moo-loo" ... out loud please. There, now can you say it without smiling? Of course Australians don't pronounce it like that, it's more like Wullah-maloo which is still fun, but not as good as the former. For those that don't already know, Wooloomooloo is a district in Sydney. It is also an Australian themed restaurant an bar at the top of Wyndham Street and I wandered along there the other evening to see what the menu had to offer. The bar on the ground floor was very lively with music pumping out into the street. Upstairs, in the restaurant on the first floor, it was not so busy but it was still early. The music from the bar was still audible but not too loud. The dining area is quite spacious and modern with aboriginal art on the walls. One of the walls proudly displays three huge oilskin coats and leather hats. It's an unusual decoration but it works well. I settled down and studied the menu. At first I was a little disappointed that there ware no 'roo or crocodile steaks on the menu but my mood softened at the thought of Baby Barramundi in Saffron butter sauce ($220). But first I needed a starter. The menu offers various options for oyster lovers starting at $138 per half dozen. There were also numerous salads and prawn dishes but I plumped for the Broiled Scallops wrapped in Bacon ($120). It was a good choice. They were deliciously fresh, plump and juicy, and served with a tangy mango salsa. To go with it I ordered a glass of Sauvignon blanc ($65). Barramundi are one of those types of fish whose life cycle goes from salt water to freshwater. The eggs and larvae develop in the coastal areas of Northern Australia. They then swim up-river to mature before swimming back out to the estuary to spawn. They are also said to be quite difficult to catch. Mine arrived sealed in a bubble of foil which the waiter opened, releasing a puff of steam and revealing the fish, studded with lemon. To go with it I had ordered spinach and mushrooms and kipfler potatoes with rosemary and sea salt ($45 each). The foil proved to be a little in the way but it was a small price to pay for what was a delicious meal. The barramundi has quite a delicate flavour and the saffron butter complemented it perfectly. I resisted the obvious Australian dessert, instead I was torn between the apple crumble with ice cream and custard ($65) and the Wooloomooloo lemon lime pie ($60). The waitress suggested the lemon lime pie so I opted for that, and a coffee to finish. The restaurant had filled up a bit more by now and the bar was still very inviting. I was very tempted to stop for a beer on the way out but alas I had work to finish. Xinjishi It's always nice to go out to dinner with a large group of people. It's even nicer when they do all the ordering and all I have to do is sit back and enjoy. That was almost what happened the other evening when a group of friends decided that it was high time I tried the Xinjishi Shanghai restaurant in Causeway Bay. Xinjishi is a well established name with branches in Beijing, Taipei and six in Shanghai itself. The interior of the Hong Kong branch was designed by Yasumichi Morita who is responsible for designing numerous swanky restaurants around Japan. Elegant it was too and with a slight 1960s retro feel. It was quite bright as Chinese restaurants often are, and busy but not overcrowded. Menus were handed out all round and there was much discussion. I'd told myself that I wasn't even going to look at the menu but, I'm a weak-willed soul and when one was placed into my hands I couldn't help but turn my attention away from the soybean and the peanut with seaweed starters that had been placed on the table as the tea was poured. It is worth noting that Xinjishi doesn't have a licence to sell alcohol but they do offer free corkage at dinner times. Call me old-fashioned but I like tea with Chinese food. It seemed I wasn't alone, nobody expressed the slightest disappointment at the lack of wine. Indeed everyone was having way too much fun with the menu. "Would you mind preserved crab in sweet prune wine" ($250) I was asked " the crab isn't actually cooked it is marinated for seven days". I didn't mind at all. It was one that I had quietly singled out as a must try. So much for trying not to look at the menu. Everyone around the table was adding their own choice to the list, when my turn came I added salt spiced fried duck ($65). Well at least they did MOST of the ordering! The service was friendly and efficient and we didn't have to wait long. The first dish to arrive was the preserved crab. The crab meat itself had turned pale yellow from the wine marinade. This combined with the pinkish-orange colour of the roe and the thoughtful arrangement of the shell made for a visually appealing dish. The person to my right singled out a huge claw which we shared, though there was plenty to around. It was also really quite delicious. I was just delving in for seconds when the next dishes, fried beef with orange peel ($55) and steamed pork dumpling with crab cream ($60) arrived. These also were excellent. The pork is suspended in soup inside the dumpling. It takes considerable skill just to lift them out of the bamboo tray without bursting them. I had help from the waiter. The idea is to get them into your mouth before bursting the dumpling whereupon a little tidal wave of flavour washes over the tongue. The dishes were arriving at quite a pace now, the fried duck, sauteed bean curd with crab cream ($250), turnip pastry ($32) Pickled cabbage with bean curd skin and green peas ($60) and Xinjishi vegetable fried rice ($60). None of them could be accused of being disappointing and before long six chairs were being pushed slightly backwards to make room for newly replete waistlines. The only blot on the landscape was a morsel of preserved crab that had somehow been overlooked as the other dishes had arrived. I did the honours. But, as I'm very fond of saying, a meal is not complete without dessert. Desserts are not one of the stronger points in of Chinese cuisine but one can usually find something. This time we found a very pleasant walnut soup with sesame dumplings and coconut and red bean paste. They did the job admirably. Xinjishi has bilingual menus and staff who are friendly and helpful. September 2005 Zenses I must admit I felt a little lonely sitting in Zenses all on my own. Not because I don't like dining alone sometimes, but because it is a big place, sleek and modern and with a high ceiling. It was also quite early so there weren't many customers. The bar area was a little cosier, and had a few more customers, but still couldn't be described as busy. A TV projector was showing highlights of a football match on a huge screen the far end of the restaurant which suggested that this venue would be at its busiest on match nights. The waitress confirmed my suspicion and apologised that there were no live games on this evening. Indeed the volume was turned down in favour of music I ordered a glass of Shiraz Cabernet ($65) and buried my nose in the menu. There was enough there to tempt. Lobster bisque ($68) and French onion soup ($58) both sounded good but the lobster and scallop salad with asparagus ($98) won the day. It was a good choice, fresh with crisp asparagus spears. The bread rolls that arrived at the same time were a little disappointing however. There were only two of them and they looked rather lost in the bottom of an oversized basket. They were also rather dry. The scallops and lobster made them fairly easy to ignore. The menu offers a range of pastas. Most tempting among them was a linguine with prawns, mussels, cod and salmon ($148). And there is also the chefs speciality, baked sea bass with pumpkin puree and cashew nuts. But I was not in a seafood kind of mood so instead i ordered baked veal loin with mushroom and thyme sauce ($188). Again the food was tasty and well presented, perhaps not as generous a serving as I might have hoped for but then I reasoned that there was always dessert. A very agreeable mocha mousse with almond cake and orange salad ($58) to be precise, sluiced down with a coffee. Zenses is without a doubt a good place to go and watch the footy on a Saturday night. Open space is just what you need when you have a lot of people shouting at the TV. But despite presenting good food, on non-match days it needs something to break up that space and make things little more intimate. August 2005

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