Eat Drink Hong Kong

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

This place was doing brisk business even on a cold and damp Wednesday evening. No doubt the lure a hot and hearty bowl of beef pho was attracting customers. I was certainly what I was thinking of when I rolled up the escalator, but after I had got settled at a table and the menu in my hand I began to have other thoughts.

It’s a pleasant place. The decor is in a French colonial style with pale greens an white. It is elegant but not over done. The menu also boasts hints of the country’s colonial as well as offering the occasional not to its Southeast Asian neighbours.

I sent the waitress off with an order for a plate of Ban Mi Chien Tom, or prawn toast ($48) and a bottle of 39 Saigon Porter ($30) and took my time reading the rest of the menu.

All the familiar dishes are represented, bowls of pho, spring rolls both hot and cold and stuffed chicken wings. But there were also a number of regional dishes that are less frequently seen and I was keen to try a couple of these. So as the waitress delivered the prawn toast is despatched her a second time. This time for an order of Ban Hoi Ga Nuong, vermicelli cake with grilled chicken ($48) and Cha Ca Hanoi, Fried fish with dill ($128).

While I waited for those to be prepared I tucked into the shrimp toast. This is basically ground shrimp mixed with garlic, spread onto slices of baguette and, usually, fried - but I think this version may have been grilled. These are then dipped into a puddle of nuoc cham dipping sauce.

The other two dishes were delivered together. The vermicelli cakes are made from layers of the fine noodle pressed flat and drained. Along with the chicken they are served with fresh mint an a pile of lettuce leaves. The abundance of lettuce usually indicates that you are to wrap the other items inside a leaf and make little parcels of food so this is what I did. No-one came to tell me I was doing it all wrong so I suspect I was on the right track. Though I clearly need more practice at wrapping things in lettuce.

The fish, as the name would suggest, is a popular dish in Hanoi. It consists of tender cubes of fish rolled in bread crumbs and fried with dill and onions. It really would have gone well with a bowl of rice but since I already had quite a lot of food I decided to skip rice. Never-the-less it won my heart and I shall be heading back for another helping very soon.

I finished off with a white chocolate Creme Brulee ($38) and, feeling suitably fortified, headed back into the cold night air.

I would have spotted this place if it wasn’t for the blaze of Chinese New Year decorations outside. At least I think they were New Year decorations, I must confess I didn’t look at them that closely. It’s at the top of a short hill just off of Star Street and curiosity got the better of me so up I trundled.

Once there I decided it would have been a wasteful exercise if I didn’t stop and have something to eat so I went inside.

It’s quite a spacious restaurant with tables that are reasonably well spaced out. The decor, at first glance, looks quite simple but what seems like a random collection of cupboards, shelves and welsh dressers do a very good job of invoking the atmosphere of and old small town hotel.

There were a few pictures scattered around the walls but what really caught my attention was a large framed photograph of a really impressive pig. I immediately thought of Empress of Blandings from the PG Wodehouse novels. From a distance the animal looked like a huge potato with four small legs and a snout.

The background music was a French diva who I didn’t recognise but it was pleasant enough. The menu is also in French though there are English translations alongside. I decided to start with the Norwegian smoked fish platter ($180).

While I waited I tucked into a deliciously fresh baguette which had been delivered with a small clay pot of pate.

The fish was duly delivered an featured slices of eel, herring and salmon arranged around a little thicket of arugula and served with a slice of lemon. I do enjoy smoked fish but it is not all that common in this part of the world. I made mental note to return again soon.

For main course I had ordered the roast leg of lamb ($220). This was served in a very simple, home-cooking style. The lamb was tender an succulent and came with creamed potato.

I don’t drink a lot of wine but I do enjoy a glass with a meal. But I have to say the red from Haut-Brisson ($80), which was the only one available by the glass was very pleasant indeed. Smooth and mellow, a touch of spice with a hint of blackcurrants.

To finish off I ordered the mango cake ($60) which came in it’s own sea of chilled mango puree.

As I left I noticed that there was also an Olala deli on Star Street. Another good reason to come back soon.

G/F 1 Electric Street
Wanchai
Tel 2294 O450

This is a funky little hideaway in Sheung Wan where the building gets so narrow you’d think that there couldn’t be room for anything in side. Luckily There is just enough room for a kitchen and a about four tables.

One side is little more than an alcove. One of the tables has been tailored into the curve of the wall. Above it there is a gallery of old black and white prints of film stars from the forties and fifties.

The menu reflects the flavours of the southern Italian countryside from Rome to Sicily. According to the menu the recipes have been passed down through the generations using the simplest of cooking methods. They use fresh Mediterranean ingredients with fewer dairy products.

I started with crisp and flavourful Insalata di Spinaci ($52). This, quite simply, is baby spinach with pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese with a balsamic dressing.

I’d been slightly disappointed that bread needed to be ordered separately. But since quality Italian restaurants for the budget-conscious are something of a rarity anyway. So I decided to forgive them.

In the end I was glad not to have had bread because my second dish of the evening, Melanzane all Parmigiana ($48) was really quite filling. This consisted of layers of eggplant and mozzarella cheese baked in a rich tomato sauce.

The pasta I had ordered, Penne Ciociara ($80), is from the Lazio region just to the south of Rome. It’s a marvellously sharp and tangy dish mad with olives, capers, anchovies and pine nuts with just a few raisins as a counterpoint. I’m not sure if it is a dish that rarely appears on menus or if I’ve simply overlooked it in the past. But it is certainly one that I will be remembering in the future.

I finished off with a slice of cheesecake and a coffee.

Cafe Roma are happy to prepare food for take-away and also serve breakfast, afternoon tea and sandwiches.

G/F Jervois House
1 Jervois Street
Sheung Wan
Tel 2517 8484

That dish is very spicy sir,” informed the waitress. I told her that was just fine and that I liked spicy food. She nodded and was gone. We were referring to the Spicy Black Chicken with Red Peppers ($168) that I had just ordered. To go along with it I had ordered Five Tastes Shrimp ($98), a plate of pak choi with garlic and a bottle of Yan Jing Beer

Yi Jiang Nan is one of those restaurants that has been there for sometime but I always manage to bypass when I am in the area. It has a traditional style interior with murals along the wall. It doesn”t boast a huge menu it is well thought out. Although it is in both Chinese and English I did feel the descriptions needed just a tad more detail. The cuisine not specific to any particular are in China with all main regions being represented.

Some dishes gave away their origins by having Beijing style or other place names as a suffix or prefix but the majority don’t. Five tastes shrimp didn’t, it turned out to be Sichuan. Had I know this I might have thought twice about ordering it alongside the chicken dish.

But the shrimp did turn out to be a very pleasing choice indeed. Its a cold dish which bears a striking resemblance to a Thai style salad with coriander is very much in evidence. The five tastes? Well I got spicy, sweet salty and sour. The fifth one must be a secret.

The Chicken, when it arrived, was quite spectacular. The chicken pieces themselves were buried under a mound of dried red chillies which almost covered a rather large plate. But although they looked intimidating they can easily be swept aside. The fagara pepper, on the other hand is ground, and sprinkled in and it is this that gives the dish most of its heat. Once your lips and tongue are tingling from the fagara you can enjoy the flavour of the chillies without noticing the heat.

For connoisseurs of spicy food a crisp dry beer is the perfect accompaniment but this is no good for people that want more control over the the level of hotness. If you want to try it but are worried about the pain keep a bowl of plain white rice to one side. This will absorb the oils that carry the heat.

The staff were friendly and helpful when they could be but they were not able to tell me what else the chicken was seasoned with. “Chinese herbs and spices,” I was told.

I finished off with Chinese style donuts with banana ($48). These were light, fluffy dumplings stuffed with banana and red bean paste and rolled in sugar.

33-35 Staunton Street

Soho,
Tel 2136 0886

“Mmm, clammy,” said my companion. She was referring to the Clam Chowder ($98) so I assumed it was a good thing. She certainly seemed to be enjoying herself. My attention had been captured by the Roast Pumpkin with Feta Cheese ($118) which was quite delicious.

Union J is a Modern American restaurant located on the first floor of California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong. It has quite a large dining area with window seats overlooking the street itself.

There is a bar area at one end for those that just want to have drinks and perhaps a light snack. We had gone straight for a window table and ordered a bottle of South African Pinotage ($388) which we sipped as a group of tourists were marched up the ‘Fong’.

My friend happily mopped up the last of the clam chowder with some bread. I asked if it lived up to her expectations. “It did indeed,” she smiled.

For my main course I had ordered Black Cod with mushrooms ($188). This was every bit as enjoyable as the starter had been. The fish was firm and fresh and served on a bed of wild rice.

My friend, who had been slightly apologetic about ordering something as ordinary as roast chicken, was happy to report that there was nothing ordinary about this roast chicken, reporting the the chicken was delicious and very tender and that the potato was super creamy and buttery.

By the time she had finished (and I must admit I helped with the last piece of chicken) she wasn’t too sure if she had room for dessert. She did eventually allow herself to be talked into the Lime Sorbet with Banana which she was able to polish off without too much of a struggle. I took on the Apple Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Union J
1/F California Tower
Lan Kwai Fong

Brrr it’s been so cold this week I didn’t want to go out anywhere preferring to find a slightly warm corner somewhere and huddle down with a good book. But one can’t eat books so I did take myself out briefly to find some comfort food.

The food in question turned out to be burger and chips and these were found in Burger republic on Gough Street. This is one of the many little burger joints that have sprung up over the past couple of years. A lot of them vanish again without trace but Burger Republic has been there for quite a while now so they must be doing something right.

It’s a small place, twenty customers would be a full house, or very nearly. But It was not busy on the day I went. Decor is simple and bright and the tables are set with knives and forks for those who prefer not to eat with their hands.

The menu boasts about 16 burger options; half a dozen with chicken, one with fish and a veggie burger. It was tempting to go for the Colossus ($76) which includes beef and chicken along with cheese and all the usual fillings. But this time I managed to exercise a little self-restraint.

Instead I went for the chicken with cranberry and brie ($59), and to go with it some mozzarella gravy chips ($37). I don’t normally like chicken in burgers, I think it was the brie and cranberry sauce that won me over. But it’s promise was better than the reality.

It’s probably unfair to say it was bad, I did eat it after all. It was just a bit ordinary. I’m blaming the chicken mostly though the brie was less substantial that it first appeared. The whole thing fell apart at first bite so the cutlery came in handy after all. I suspect that, had I gone for beef, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

The chips did live up to expectation and I was glad I had ordered those rather than settle for the $23 regular chips and soft drink upgrade.

Dessert was three large scoops of ice cream with banana and crumbled digestive biscuits which, at $30, seemed pretty good value for money. I’d suggest you share with a friend though.

39 Gough Street
Central
Hong Kong

This, as you may have guessed, is a Mexican bar and restaurant. It’s Old Bailey Street about half-way between Wyndham and Staunton Streets. A little road that I habitually forget to go and look at. This time I spied the yellow sign and went up to have a look.

It’s a friendly place decorated in the obligatory colourful Mexican cantina style … or at least the style of most Mexican restaurants in Hong Kong. But I didn’t see any sombreros lying around to entertain late night guests after the drink that the restaurant is named after has worked it’s magic. But then the lights were low and I took a seat by the window so perhaps I just wasn’t looking hard enough.

I ordered a bottle of Dos Equis Amber and studied the menu. The beers arrived with a basket of nachos and a mild salsa dip. I figured I’d better get my order in fast before I ruined my appetite.

For starters I went for deep fried jalapenos stuffed with cheese, onion and cilantro ($48) and half a dozen Mexican skewers, three each of beef and chicken ($58). The skewers come with a smoky, but not too spicy chipotle sauce. For those that like a little fire there is ample choice. The waitress will more than happy to bring you a selection with some of the strangest names.

I chose a not so blistering, pleasantly peanutty sauce called Toad Sweat which went perfectly with the very satay-like skewers.

The jalapenos boated a sharp, tangy hotness that is a perfect accompaniment to the beer. Too perfect in fact, I was looking round for my second bottle before the main course had arrived.

For main course I had chosen a dish called Las Chimichangas ($118). This is a twelve-inch, hand-rolled tortilla stuffed with cheese and shredded chicken (or beef) and deep fried. It was huge. Bounded on one side refried beans and guacamole and on the other by Mexican rice. It was topped with salsa and sour cream.

It was quite delicious but there was easily enough for two people. I did my best and there was much left at the end but I did want to have enough strength left at the end to try a dessert.

There aren’t many to choose from but I did fancy the Mexican fried banana ($48). This consisted of four pieces of banana and scoop of vanilla ice-cream drizzled with chocolate sauce and honey and garnished with blueberries and a delicately carved strawberry. Simple but pleasant enough.

By the end of the meal I’d easily had enough for two people possibly three if your appetites aren’t so big.

G/F Shop B 11 Old Bailey Street
SoHo
Tel 2524 2002

Kennedy Town looks like a place worth keeping an eye on. Several new residential developments have been completed in recent years and with new MTR stations under construction at either end it would appear to be an up and coming area. Already there is a small row of bars and restaurants at the Harbour end of Davis Street. Just around the corner on Hau Wo Street there is a Japanese and two Thai restaurants. And just a little further away is an Indian Restaurant.

It was one of the Thai restaurants that caught my eye the other evening. It’s a low key informal place. Decor is greens and yellows, as befits it’s name, with pot plants hanging from the ceiling. It’s bright clean and friendly. The staff are friendly too, and keen to point out that since everything is cooked from scratch it may take a little time. I assured them that this wasn’t a problem and busied myself with the menu.

“Thai home cooking with a twist” boasted the place mats. I was intrigued. All the familiar dishes are there. I decided to get the ball rolling with some spring rolls ($25) and a lime soda ($20). The lime soda is simplicity itself. A bottle of soda water with lime squeezed into it. Sugar can be added on request but I liked it as it was. Sharp tangy and very refreshing.

The spring rolls arrived piping hot and, as promised, very fresh indeed. Laab is one of my favourite Thai dishes. Usually it is made from either minced chicken or pork. At Lime they also offer it with duck and “Laab Pla Thod” or fish ($45). I’ve never seen or heard of fish laab before so I had to give that a try.

I also had to try a variation of som tam. This is the infamous spicy green papaya salad. Here they offer a version made with green apple ($42). “It’s very spicy.” I was warned. Oh but I like it spicy, I said, give it your all.

The som tam arrived first and it was excellent. The apple brought a new flavour to the mix and added just a touch of sweetness. Otherwise it was classic som tam with no holds barred.

The laab is served with lettuce. Fish doesn’t mince the same way as meat and it loses a little in the texture. It does, however, stay where you put it and not fall into your lap when you try to fold the lettuce around it. Its a comparatively mild dish but there is a selection of chilli sauces on the table if you need to spice it up.

Another interesting item on the menu was tuna fish cakes. I wondered if these were based on the familiar tord mun pla. There is also a range of Thai beer battered dishes. Both these are going to have to wait for my next visit. I rounded this one off with banana spring roll served with ice cream and garnished with palm seeds ($25).

The restaurant only has seating for about a dozen people but take away orders are welcome.

G/F Shop E
14 Hau Wo Street
Kennedy Town

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.

This is a lively Turkish restaurant towards the Observatory court end of Knutsford Terrace. It’s been there for some time and my last trip to the terrace a few weeks ago reminded me that I still hadn’t been here. I decided to rectify the issue.

I arrive quite early but here were quite a few people there already. They can still find me a table with ease. After eight o’clock it would not have been so easy. The decor is pretty well what you would expect for a middle-eastern restaurant. Red ochre coloured walls and plenty of souk lamps scattered around.

There is a small al fresco area but it didn’t really look inviting so I opted to sit inside. Along the bar the dining area is quite narrow but it opens out at the back and is quite spacious.

The boasts a fairly wide selection of mezz or small dishes which can be served as starters or just snacks with beer. I decided to order two and see how it went.

The first up was deep fried lamb ribs ($70). These were seasoned with salt and paprika and very tender indeed. They went rather well with the Efes Turkish beer ($35) and I soon found myself ordering another bottle. Efes is made with rice which gives it a very clean dry flavour that goes down well even without the lamb.

Hot on it’s heels were sardines on barbecued on swords ($40). They weren’t very big swords of course and the waiter did remove them. I presume the point is that the heat conducts along the length of the metal cooking from the inside as well as out. They were very moist and tasty and erm.. a rather good accompaniment for Turkish beer.

I ordered another bottle and also put in an order for their ‘Hot Pan’ speciality Circassian Chicken ($145).

This would take a while to prepare but that was fine with me. While I waited the lights dimmed and the music grew louder. A lissom young thing in flowing pink silk and golden bangles floated in and performed an approximation of a belly dance. She was way too slight to carry it off effectively but it didn’t seem to matter. She was pretty and graceful and she earned herself a round of applause before floating out again.

As if on cue my chicken arrived just as the lights went up again. This is a dish that comes from the European corner of Turkey in the north-west. The chicken id seasoned with walnut and paprika and in this case was serves with fresh vegetables.

Although I was fairly full I still felt I had enough strength left to push a slice of date tart with walnut ice cream ($55) around the plate. I finished off with a regular coffee and, since it was a pleasant evening, took myself for a stroll along the harbour front.

G/F, Yiu Pont House
12 Knutsford Terrace
Tsim Sha Tsui

Tucked away behind the Belchers and Westwood Plaza this place could be a challenge to find for anyone not familiar with the area. But for those that do your efforts will be well rewarded.

Kathmandu serves an eclectic mix of Nepalese cuisine and Spanish tapas. It may seem like a odd combination but not to owner and chef Bahadur KC Shiva. Shiva has experience of running Spanish and Argentian restaurants and his original branch of Kathmandu was one of the first restaurants to open in the SoHo area back in 199Os.

Soaring rents forced that branch to close down. The current branch is a cosy little hole in the wall on a Kennedy Town back-street where Shiva himself is on hand to take your orders and explain dishes. And when hoe’s not doing that he will have his head in the kitchen to direct operations there.

The Spanish part of the menu consists of around a dozen tapas plus soup and salad options. The Argentinian chorizo ($48) caught my eye and, tempting though the momo and samosas were, I decided that would be my starter. Though I did order some poppadoms and a beer as well.

The chorizo was good and I wolfed it down enthusiastically but I had barely finished when my second dish, Ostrich Kebab ($88), arrived. The ostrich is marinated in organic Nepalese herbs and served on skewers with onion and bell pepper with a red wine and garlic sauce. It is also served with lightly spiced vegetables and saffron rice.

Ostrich meat is low in fat and really rather tasty. I promised myself that I will try the tandoori version of it next time.

The next dish was Khasi Gurkhali. This is the Kathmandu version of a Rogan Josh. This is not as oily as the familiar Indian style rogan josh. In this version lean pieces of lamb served in a smooth, spicy tomato rich curry sauce.

I finished off with rice pudding ($30) which was served with light sprinkling of masala spices.

Kathmandu has a limited number of tables I recommend calling ahead to book.

G/F Shop 1A Woo Hop St, South Lane
Kennedy Town
Tel 2817 7811

It’s not often I go to Knutsford Terrace but this time it was raining so I didn’t get to have as good a snoop around as I would have liked. I arrived at the Observatory Road end had a quick splosh down to the other end and dived into Munch. ‘Modern European Cuisine’ it said outside, and that sounded good to me.

The interior is quite large. There are window seats that overlook the terrace but these were all booked in advance. I’m not sure what to call the decor. Facing me was a wall-sized mirror with the restaurants logo, a rather spaghetti-like M printed in white and forming geometric patterns. From the ceiling hung numerous chandeliers with pink glass trim. It was all quite attractive.

Letting the side down however ware the dull brown table coverings. Sure, it wipes down easily but crisp white table linen would have looked so much better.

There are a few two-course set dinners to choose from with prices in the region of $180-$220 but I had already spotted a couple of dishes I wanted to try in the a la carte menu.

The first of these was Garlic sea scallop with wild mushroom bread pudding ($79) and I’d already ordered it when I saw, under the heading ‘Snacks’, Organic risotto and cheese dollops ($48). Rather than make difficult decisions on the fly I had them both. And a glass of fruity Pino Grigiot ($58) to go with them.

The cheese dollops arrived first. These are little balls of rice in a sea of creamy cheese sauce. There was also something a little fruity about the sauce. Was there a hint of mango there? I couldn’t be sure. The rice balls themselves had a heart of melted cheese.

I’d barely seen them off before the scallops arrived. This dish stole my heart and it was largely due to the the lovely earthy flavour of the mushrooms that were layered generously into the bread pudding.

For the main course I had ordered Rack of lamb with potato gratin and thyme. It was pleasant enough, and quite a generous serving, but I’m afraid the previous dish had already stolen the show.

After a short break I ordered Mango Napoleon Cannelloni ($68) for dessert. It was huge and really ought to be shared but I did my best. Layers of mango cream alternate with layers of flakey pastry which are wrapped in a glutinous rice sheet and served with a scoop of lemon sorbet. I don’t know how but I managed to wolf the lot without even realising it.

Munch was quite busy even on a wet mid-weekday. If you are planning to go on a Friday I’d suggest you make reservations first

1/F, 1 Knutsford Terrace
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel 2317-7887

Let there be no confusion, Ocean Grill is a seafood restaurant. But for those that must the menu does include a chicken option and a steak option. And I had rather fancied the wild mushroom and goat cheese tart for starter but I was rather hungry and couldn’t wait the twenty minutes it would take to prepare.

Instead I opted for the House cured salmon with horseradish ($105). And a glass of chardonnay to go with it. To keep me company until it arrived I was presented with some griddle toasted bread. It was quite a heavy type of bread with the butter already melted into it. It was quite yummy indeed.

Horseradish I more usually associate with roast beef but it does go very well with salmon. Here it was also garnished with arugula leaves. Altogether it was very agreeable and before long I was chasing the last of the horseradish around the plate with the last corner of bread. “Would you like some more bread?” asked the waitress. I nodded enthusiastically.

Although it is a seafood restaurant the interior designers refrained from covering the walls with maritime bric-a-brac. Instead they went for subtle woody shades. The background music was a well thought out selection of pop, soft rock and soul hits from the last fifty years, the Beatles, Pet Shop Boys, and Joni Mitchell were all in evidence alongside current hits.

The menu changes daily according to what is available at the market. Some dishes, the waitress told me, are available almost every day others change. Today they had Whole Roasted Sea Bream Puttanesca ($180) so I ordered that. Puttanesca is a salty, tangy sauce which is emphasised by the olives, capers and cherry tomatoes that the dish is served with. A sprinkling of basil leaves on top finish off what was a very enjoyable fish.

On the side I’d ordered lemon butter potatoes and broccoli ($38 each).

I’ve long maintained that the holy grail of desserts is to find an apple crumble like mum used to make. I don’t suppose I ever will but a worthy alternative is the Peach and Cherry crumble served here with a scoop of ginger ice cream ($58).

I lingered over coffee enjoying a couple of tunes I’d not heard in a while,

At first this didn’t look like it would be an all that comfortable place to eat. The music was loud and the tables seemed a bit pokey and suitable only for drinking at. I was about to pass on by when I noticed a flight of stairs to the right.

I asked the waitress if there were more tables upstairs. “You want to go upstairs?” she asked somewhat surprised. I’d like to take a look I told her.

Upstairs was much better. The music wasn’t so loud and there were tables that looked like you could eat at them. Cafe Iguana serves Mexican food. You don’t need a menu to tell you that. One wall is green the others are yellow. They are hung with paintings featuring colours from the red end of the spectrum. A pile of sombreros lay to one side.

It’s not a big menu but what it does it does well. Four variations of guacamole are the first items. I ordered a Poblano ($68) and a bottle of Carta Blanca beer ($50). Poblano is a mild type of chilli pepper from Mexico. It adds a gentle spiciness to the avocado. Also in the mix was corn and asadero cheese. It is served with tortilla chips which are used to scoop it up.

The cocktail menu, on the other hand, is quite impressive. Patron, Don Julio and Herradura and the three main tequila brands used but for connoisseurs there are almost 50 others in stock. I do like tequila but I prefer to save it for weekends and days when I don’t have to remember what I was doing the night before.

From the tortilla section I had ordered the Carnita ($98). This is pork braised in orange and tequila and garnished with another dollop of guacamole. They are served open on freshly made tortillas. They roll up fairly easily but what impressed me the most was that the contents stayed inside. Usually when I try to eat things like this half of it falls into my lap.

Following this came the Alambres Al Pastor ($138). This is a large skewer of barbecued goodies. The waitress had asked if I preferred prawn or chicken. I suggested a mix of both and off she went to consult the chef.

The skewer itself is hung horizontally over a plate of roasted lime-oregano potatoes. On the skewer, alongside the prawn and chicken were red and green peppers, onion and pineapple. I don’t normally approve of pineapple in a dish like this but this time it was sharp and tangy so it worked quite well.

I finished off with a rather agreeable coconut flan garnished with blueberries and crispy coconut shavings.

When I left there still were not too many people upstairs although the ground floor seem fairly well populated. But it’s still a very new place, things will probably change as it becomes better known

The Burger Room is tiny and hugely popular. Every time I’ve passed it has been crowded but this last time I decided to belly up to the counter and and find out what it was all about.

There are a few tables in the middle, some leather looking easy chairs and some high seats down one side. Only the high seats were available when we arrived and we were lucky to get those. Had we arrived 5 minutes later we would have been turned away.

My companion went to inspect the fridge while I studied the menu. They do have a small range of bottled beers including Stella and Hoegaarden but he came back with a couple of Snapples claiming it was too early for beers.

The menu is small but intriguing. Alongside the eight or so burgers made with beef there are chicken and duck options as well as fish, crab and lobster. The lobster is the most expensive thing on the menu but is still a quite accessible $188.

My friend ordered a Bacon Chicken burger ($65), I went for The Club ($108) and to keep us company while we waited we ordered some melted cheese fries ($35) and breaded mozzarella sticks ($38). These were a mistake.

There was nothing at all wrong with them, they were really very tasty and we wolfed them down eagerly but then the burgers arrived and my jaw dropped. The Chicken was a generous fillet of breast topped with enough bacon to make a sandwich in its own right. In with it were lettuce, tomato and onion.

But if that looked big the Club was a masterpiece of engineering. On the lower part of the was a bed of lettuce. This was topped with tomato and onion. Next came the first beef patty topped with bacon, mushrooms and melted cheese. The cheese actually seemed to be serving as an adhesive to hold the second patty in place which itself was topped with melted cheese and a fried egg.

The top half of the bun was propped on the side and the whole lot was pinned together with an extra long flag. The beef was finely ground and with very little added fat.

There was no way to eat it in the accustomed manner of eating burgers. Knife an fork was the only way. I did my best. It’s not often I’m beaten but this time I had to admit defeat. My companion did better but even he left the bun to one side.

There are no desserts on the menu. There is a selection of tea and coffee options but I felt that even they were beyond me.

Chinese menus can be a bit intimidating for the lone diner. Most dishes are designed for sharing and I inevitably end up with way too much food on the table. However, I was sauntering along Gough Street the other evening and a little place called Shanghai Lane caught my eye.

Big windows and white walls make it feel bright and airy. On one wall there is a large painting of The Bund as it looked in it’s former glory. Facing it are about 8 or ten old framed photographs. I assume these too were Shanghai but I didn’t get a close look as people were having dinner beneath them.

Not being an expert I don’t really know how many of the dishes on the menu were actually from Shanghai. But the descriptions were all written in English as well as Chinese and there was plenty there that looked interesting.

I got the ball rolling with with some pan-fried pork dumplings ($25) and a glass of fresh soy milk.

The dish that had caught my eye when I’d browsed the menu outside was Fish with wine lees ($88). Wine lees is the residual yeast left over after fermentation of the wine. The Fish was served on a bed of black fungus. It was rather plain to look at but it tasted delicious. The wine imparted a rich flavour to what were otherwise a fairly ordinary pieces of sole.

For the last dish I’d ordered rice cake with chicken, shrimp and ham ($68). This really is a dish for sharing. The rice cake is quite glutinous and heavy. It was a pleasant dish but I knew immediately that I wasn’t going to be able to eat it all. Instead of trying I concentrated on finding all the chicken, shrimp and ham pieces along with a generous scattering of crisp bamboo shoots and pak choy.

I finished off with longan and date in soup ($25).

There are also branches of Shanghai Lane in Happy Valley and Tin Hau

There are two branches of Dressed Salads. I hadn’t paid either of them much attention but then I found a crumpled take-away menu on a colleagues desk and decided I ought to go and take a look.

I went along to the Queens Road East branch which is opposite the Hopewell Centre. It’s a bright cheerful place with colourful 1960’s retro seating. The first thing you see is an enormous array of ingredients and these, according to the menu, can be mixed in any way you so choose.

The basic salad starts at $58. This includes a choice of greens, four toppings and one dressing. There is plenty to choose from that would enable you to build a jolly nice salad without going over the base price. For the greens alone there is mesclun, baby spinach, arugula iceberg and romaine to choose from.

But it’s the premium toppings that make these salads so special. The premium toppings cost extra but none of them are too expensive. Crumbled blue cheese, for example, costs an extra $4. Italian Salami costs an extra $8, seared tuna $16, up to lobster which adds a princely $26 to the total.

And there are plenty of other choices in between. So many possibilities that both myself and my companion wimped out.

There are also over a dozen salad combinations that have been designed by the companies own chefs. I went for the Shrimp Scampi ($78). This consisted of grilled shrimp, roasted garlic, white beans tomatoes, fried capes and baby spinach in a lemon caper vinaigrette. It appeared in a heavy ceramic bowl, a forest of spinach concealed most of the ingredients but they were plentiful and delicious.

The salad came with two slices of grilled flat-bread but if you prefer this flat-bread can be used to wrap your salad in. This is what my companion has opted to do with her Seared Tuna ($88). Wrapped in there with the tuna was carrot capers, grilled asparagus, mushrooms, tomato and mesclun with chipotle aioli vinaigrette.

Wraps are prone to fall apart halfway through but this one held together very well. How much of this was down to the architecture of the wrap and how much was down to the skill of my companion I couldn’t tell but she did say it was very good.

We both washed our meals down with home made lemonade ($20). This is lemonade as it should be, made with real lemons. Not some fizzy stuff out of a can made with sugar and citric acid.

I suppose Dressed Salads could technically be called fast food but it’s a refreshing alternative to burgers and fried chicken. I hope to see more of them around town before long.

Shop 2016
Level 2,IFC Mall
Central
Tel. 2295 4848

Shop 1
G/F QRE Plaza
202 Queen’s Road East
Wanchai
Tel 2893 4848

To be honest I thought I was coming here for a fairly simple set dinner but I wound up in the wrong place. From the lift I turned right into the Robatayaki restaurant. The simple set dinners are available in the bar. For those you must turn left out of the lift.

The problem was that once the idea of robatayaki had been planted in my mind nothing else was going to do. I took a place at the counter where I could watch the chefs go about their art.

Robatayaki is Japanese barbecue. Traditionally the cooking would be done on an open hearth in the middle of the room with the prepared dishes being distributed to the guests by means of a paddle. In rural Japan it would have been the same paddles that powered the boats that brought back many of the ingredients.

At Tokoro the paddles are purpose made for the job but it is good to see the traditions being acknowledged. The atmosphere is lively and fun with the head chef receiving the orders and barking out instructions to his team. It wasn’t long before my own orders were being paddled across to me.

The first plate included two items Australian strip-loin beef ($97) and Japanese sweet potatoes ($57). I do like a nice dry saki, especially chilled, but it was mid-week and I was alone so I decided to give it a miss. I compensated extra dishes instead.

I’d been having a hard time choosing between Norwegian salmon ($77) and Japanese silver cod ($117) so I ordered both. Eringi mushrooms ($57) and chicken with leeks ($37) completed the list of robatayaki orders. All of them were quite delicious. If I had to choose a favourite perhaps the salmon would win by a whisker.

I had been hoping for the sea eel but the market that morning had presumably delivered but they were able to offer a tempura eel ($167). I rounded off with a simple bowl of inaniwa noodles ($117).

I’d eaten well but I still managed to find room for some green tea ice cream with blueberries. The great thing about robatayaki is that all the dishes are quite small so you can order as many or as few as you like.

Sushi and sashimi is, of course, available for those that want it.

Cafe Tornado is a small casual little bistro amongst half a dozen or so restaurants on Caroline Hill Road in Causeway Bay. I spotted it a few weeks ago and decided to go back and give it a try.

Decor is simple, a bookshelf adds a homely feel to it and, because it is a small place, makes it feel quite cosy.

There are a few a la carte options but it is mostly set dinners, of which there are about six to choose from. They include a salad and soup of the day along with a main course. The prices range from $130-200.

For a $50 upgrade you can get a glass of house wine, a starter and a dessert. It all seemed very reasonable to me … but then I set the cat among the pigeons. I didn’t want the ordinary salad I rather fancied the smoked salmon with avocado salad ($80) from the a la carte menu. I assured the waitress I’d be willing to pay the extra.

She didn’t seem to certain but she agreed anyway and went off to deliver my order to the kitchen while I looked over the rest of the menu. It’s a curious mix of pasta dishes, some Japanese options and steak. It offers a good range of herbal teas and a range of coffees.

Presently the salad arrived, it was huge. The waitress said “Yes, this is the salmon and avocado … ” and then waving her finger vaguely around it she continued ” … and your set meal…” at which she beat a hasty retreat. Did she mean she has mixed the two salads together?

I decided not to pursue the matter. In actual fact all it entailed was extra foliage and it was crisp and fresh. I decided I would simply leave what I didn’t want.

That wouldn’t have been much at all had it not been for the arrival of my starter. There had been five or six items, all from the a la carte menu, that I could choose from. I had chosen the bacon and potato. It had a menu price of $53 and consisted of nice chunks of lean back bacon in a creamy sauce, very tasty indeed.

The soup of the day arrived shortly after. It turned out to be French onion soup. I can be quite picky about onion soup, this was served in a glass with a rather humdrum piece of toast on the side. But apart from the glass the soup’s only other crime was not having any cheese on top. The soup itself was rather good.

I’d ordered Roast Duck for the main course and this was a lovely piece. Tender and juicy with a delicious smoky flavour. It arrived on a mound of potatoes and garden vegetables.

I confess I was getting rather full but I had made a mental to order the home made lime yoghurt cheesecake from the menu for my dessert. Even if it did mean upsetting the waitress again. As it turned out they only had two desserts available; creme brulee and an Oreo and Baileys cheesecake. I plumped for the former.

The food here was very good and good value for money too. A little more organisation in the menu wouldn’t hurt and nor would a strategy for accommodating people who like to stray from the set menu.

I’ve been hot on the trail of Italian flavours for the budget conscious all week. It’s not easy to find but one place that is worth a look is Caffe Vergnano 1882. There are three branches I stumbled into the Branch in Elements.

It’s a straight forward open fronts mall type eatery. Functional, not fancy. The menu outside offered a special of deep fried seafood plus a glass of house wine for $88. I decided that would be my starter so I went in and found myself a table.

There were a few customers but not too many. I found myself a corner at the back and perused the menu. There was a respectable range of pasta dishes with prices ranging from about $60 upwards. Twelve-inch Italian style pizza started at around $150. There were also salads and a range of sandwiches.

I ordered the seafood and a glass of white which turned out to be a pleasant Chardonnay. The seafood consisted of calamari, scallops, prawns, and mussels. For dipping there was a tangy and mildly spicy tomato salsa.

It may have been somewhat lacking in presentation but otherwise it would be hard to find fault. The lack of a bread basket had not gone unnoticed but when you are looking for quality budget dining something has to give.

For the main course I had ordered rack of lamb ($178). Again the presentation was simple but the lamb, cooked in rosemary, was succulent and tasty. It was served with broccoli. I Had expected some potato as well but there was none so If you are particularly hungry you might want to consider a pasta dish.

For dessert I ordered a panna-cotta ($35). The coffee list is quite impressive offering no less than 26 different ways of serving it, both hot and cold. I rounded my meal off with a banino ($39) which was a sort of combination of Ice coffee and Banana shake.

There is no candle-lit romance and the waiters will not fuss over you but after a weary afternoon of shopping it does the job.

This is a casual little Italian place on Hennessy Road. “Good place for when you’re in need of a swift pasta”, I was told. So I wandered along to check it out.

It’s a pleasant place. There are paintings on the wall and attractive red check table linen give it a comfortable feel. There was some modern pop/rock playing a little louder than I would usually like but I have to confess it was better than the roar of Hennessy Road outside.

I took a small table on the ground floor. A flight of stairs suggested there may be more upstairs but I didn’t go to look. Instead I perused the menu.

There is indeed a good range of pasta dishes including all the old favourites. There is also an interesting range of salads and starters. I’d been carefully dieting all day because I knew already that I was going to forego the starter and have a pasta dish and a main course. So, by the time I got there I was suitably ravenous.

The pasta dish was called Bucatini con il Ragu all’Amatriciana ($118). This is spicy bacon in a simple tomato sauce and it was indeed very good. It was mildly spicy, just enough to give it character, with a tangy tomato flavour. It comes with a generous portion of fresh home-made spaghetti. To go with it I also ordered a glass of fruity Locorotondo bianco ($70)

To follow I’d ordered the Filetti di Sogliola in Cartoccio con Gamberi ($168). This means fillet of sole baked in parchment or paper, though in this case I’d guess it means foil. The fish was cooked with mushroom and zucchini.

It was probably not the best option to follow a spicy pasta but, while it was perfectly edible, I felt it lacked a certain something, possibly some asparagus or potato.

To round off I ordered a coffee and a Millefoglie Napoleon ($58). This is layers of flakey puff pastry separated by thick, thick cream. Totally wicked. I must now resume my diet and hope to work off some of the calories.

Discovering Indian vegetarian cuisine is almost like discovering Indian food all over again. There are so many possibilities that you simply don’t see many of them on the menus of most restaurants. Unless, of course, the restaurant is dedicated to serving only vegetarian dishes.

Khana Khazana is just such a place. There are two branches, I was at the Wanchai restaurant. It boasts quite a large dining area with functional but pleasant decor. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I took a table towards the back and ordered a kingfisher beer to go with the complimentary poppadums.

As mentioned the menu offers a range of dishes that are not seen in most Indian restaurants. Idlis, Rasam and Wada all appear on the very first page. Helpfully the menu does include descriptions so you know what it is you are ordering.

My first dish was Haryali kebab ($78). This is the familiar looking kebab shape but since it is made with spinach and garden vegetables it is an unfamiliar green colour. It arrives on a sizzling hot-plate garnished with fresh cabbage and onions and wedges of lemon.

They are mildly spicy and very flavourful but my attention is distracted by the arrival of the South Indian platter ($88). This took my breath away. I’d already noted that the kebabs were a generous serving but this, a selection of small dishes was just huge. It includes smaller portions of many of those intriguing dishes.

Rasam, a lentil soup flavoured with tamarind, tomato and pepper occupied one end of the long platter while a dosa masala took up the far end. The dosa is a kind of pancake filled with spicy potato and onion. In between these was a ground lentil fritter called a wada, a steamed rice cake known as an idli which is served with a delicious coconut chutney. There was an uttapam which is another kind of spicy pancake.

It was so big that I could have made a meal of this one dish alone. Indeed two gentlemen and completely different tables were doing just that. I still had a vegetable Jaipuri ($78) to come and, true to form, when it did arrive there was enough food on the table to easily feed three or even four people.

The basic sauce for the Jaipuri is similar to a classic vegetable curry that you might find elsewhere. But unlike anywhere else this vegetable curry is definitive. It comes thick with fresh crunchy vegetables including carrots, cabbage and peas. I really didn’t need the nan I had ordered but it did help scoop some of it up.

I was well and truly beaten. I think I ate less than half of what I’d ordered but I felt I couldn’t leave without trying the Kesar badam kulfi ($68), home made ice cream flavoured with saffron and almonds. Mercifully it was a smaller serving and I was glad I made the effort.

Though I think the toys on the tables may have been more for kawaii cuteness than for the entertainment of little fingers, Mackie Kitchen does target a younger, more family oriented market. It’s a brightly lit restaurant with a series of endearingly wacky cityscape illustrations by AH Tsui along one wall. The other wall is painted bright orange.

A line on the menu encourages patrons to “Enjoy a coffee by the orange wall.” I decided to have dinner by the orange wall though I did have to move the table away from the wall an inch or two to give myself a bit of elbow room.

The menus are line covered, the a la carte menu had teddy bears embroidered on it. Most of the dishes here are also available as set dinner options which come with a soup and starter. Prices for the set dinner start as low as $98. There are about half a dozen choices for main course ranging from spaghetti to steak but even the most expensive items are still jolly reasonable.

I ordered the US pork chop in port wine sauce ($128) and a glass of Australian Chardonnay ($35)

Of the soup options I chose potato and leek which arrived promptly accompanied by a bread roll. It was tasty enough but a little on the thin side. The other choice had been gazpacho which I don’t mind but I couldn’t call it one of my favourites.

Next to arrive was baby octopus marinated in a Japanese sesame sauce served with a small salad. I did enjoy this dish. The octopus was not as chewy as I had been expecting and I had been happily wrapping it in lettuce leaves, Thai style.

The pork, when it arrived, was served with zucchini, aubergine and potato. It was a sizeable chop, nothing fancy in the preparation, just quality home cooking.

For an extra $20 you can add dessert. I went for the blueberry cheesecake and a regular coffee.

The final bill came to a whisker over $200. With that kind of value there is nothing you could complain about. I might not make regular visits myself but for young teens or for mums wanting to get a quick lunch while waiting to pick the kids up from kindergarten its a great place to hang out.

I hadn’t been planning to eat here to be honest. The bus deposited on Gloucester Road in Causeway Bay and I was intending to walk through to Times Square but the sky looked so gloomy I didn’t fancy my chances of getting there without a good soaking.

Seacoast was just a few paces away so I changed course and dived inside. It’s a simple place, the staff are cheerful and the service is prompt. Chinese tea was poured and a newscaster silently read the news on a wall mounted TV. I suspect that will be used for karaoke sessions later in the evening.

Though all the classic dishes such as tom yum are there leans heavily towards southern Thai with a seafood in milder yellow curries. There is also a nod to the local palette with Chinese influenced dishes.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted. Until I walked in my mind had been thinking of a different cuisine entirely. The first item I ordered was a spicy raw shrimp salad ($88). The waitress was keen to make sure I realised they were uncooked. The menu is mostly pictures and from the photo I could understand how some people may not realise.

The prawns themselves are not spicy at all. The little slice of green chilli that decorates them can easily be brushed aside. The dipping sauce is spicy but it does allow for the individual to add a dab or a dollop according to taste.

The next dish was grilled pork neck ($58) which comes with a sour coriander sauce. I had decided t forgo rice in order to avid getting too full but a serving of sticky rice would have set the pork off perfectly.

I was just about to wave my hand to attract the waitress when she appeared anyway with a large plate of stir fried vegetables with bamboo fungus ($58). I sensibly reconsidered the rice. The pork and the vegetables were enough.

I finished off with a time honoured favourite if mine, sago pudding with coconut cream ($25). Four little cakes of sago wrapped in banana leaf and topped with a layer of creamy white coconut. I think maybe two would have been sufficient but I ate them all anyway.

I rarely write about noodles because… well there are just so many of them around. But there are some that stand out and are well worth a mention, I found one in Quarry Bay the other lunchtime. Miso Cool is one though they actually spell it Miso Coollll. You need to see the logo to understand why. The for ‘l’s look like strands of noodle held by two horizontal lines (chopsticks) above the word ‘cool’.

The decor is plain but functional. Two large canteen-like tables occupy the centre of the restaurant with smaller tables around the edges. The staff are young the service is friendly and efficient.

The menu is mostly ramen and bento there there are plenty off side dishes to add a little variety and also a range of smoothies, drinks and even beer. But it was lunchtime and a colleague and myself had gone in search of noodles and that is what we were determined to have. She ordered the Japanese style beef ramen ($36), I went for the Pan-fried linguine with Hokkaido seafood milk soup.

At $68 this is the most expensive dish on the menu. This is made with squid ink spaghetti. The picture on the menu had already warned me that it wasn’t linguine but I considered this to be a rather small detail. The blackness of the spaghetti makes for a striking contrast against the soup.

The one that arrived at my table had rather more soup than the one in the picture. I felt a little disappointed at first because it seemed that there was not all that much seafood in it but after trawling around a little I discovered prawns, scallops, squid, clams and other goodies. The pond was quite well stocked after all.

My colleague seemed to be content with her beef ramen and nodded happily when I asked. Presently the pan-fried scallops ($24) she had ordered turned up and shortly after that a plate of dumplings ($22). There were four of each and all were decorated with a little roe that had been glued to the top of each one with a dab of mayonnaise.

By the we’d finished the noodles we were both stuffed. They are generous servings but we agreed we would see the meal to the end. She ordered a drink called a miu miu berry ($28). This is essentially a drink that tastes like a strawberry and vanilla ice cream.

I opted for sesame ice cream ($15). I would have been happy with just a scoop of ice cream but this was decorated with sugary marshmallow which I felt detracted from the flavour of the ice cream.

Shop SLGB-9A, G/F Westlands Gardens
2-10 Westlands Road
Quarry Bay
Tel 2565 1001

Although the address is Johnston Road the entrance, or at least the one I found, is round the corner on Ship Street up a short flight of steps. What is nice about this is the terrace where, on a balmy evening, one can sit outside with a few trees to break up the hard line of the buildings but without so much of the roar of Wanchai.

Being an early diner I had the terrace to myself for the most part of my meal and I was a pleasant evening indeed.

There is a full menu with individual prices but there are also set dinner prices, $238 for three courses or $258 for four. These include whatever choices you want from the menu anyway. I decided to forego the soup and opt for the three courses.

I also opted for a red wine there are several you can order by the glass I chose an Australian Merlot.

The menu is typically French and made up mostly of tried and trusted dishes. For starter I had the smoked salmon stuffed with Alaskan king crab and topped off with avocado. The two rolls of salmon and crab looked quite small but the are deceptive. They were in fact tightly rolled and quite substantial.

This was followed by a generous serving roast lamb rolled with spinach and ham. This came with carrots and green beans on a bed of potato.

For dessert I was intrigued by the idea of frozen cheesecake. I remember as a student buying frozen cheesecake at the supermarket. Not knowing they were supposed to be defrosted first I happily ate them frozen.

This was a more delicate portion than I used to give myself back then. To be honest it had the taste and texture of good old vanilla ice cream but it didn’t melt so readily. I enjoyed it all the same.

This is a funky, modern Thai restaurant on Arbuthnot street. It’s quite a hike if you’re coming up the hill from Central but well worth the effort.

Seating is canteen style on benches at large wooden tables but they are very spacious so there is no need to worry about bashing elbows with people sitting nearby. They are set with eight place mats but if you were planning an office night out they could probably fit as many as twelve quite comfortably.

I was on my own and had a whole table to myself but it was still early. Early is good at Box Thai. If you go before 7.00 pm they offer an early bird special where $88 will get you one main dish (not including the chef’s specials) and a choice of beer, house wine or soft drink.

The price is attractive and the portions are generous enough but I couldn’t imagine restricting myself to just one dish. The menu is also you place mat and if busy I’m sure you could just tick the boxes and hand it to the waitress. The place wasn’t busy at all and the waitress took the time to tick off some of her recommendations.

I passed by her suggestion of satay favouring instead the betel leaves with savoury pork ($45) but I did take up the suggestion of baramundi in yellow curry with mango and banana ($85). She also thought the grilled calamari and pomelo salad ($60) would go down well.

She was right. That was the first dish to arrive fresh and tangy. It was a little spicy but not too much. Indeed very few of the dishes on the menu are from the hotter end of Thai cuisine. I hastily put in an order for sticky rice which I had forgotten to do earlier.

The rice arrived along with tan elegant display of betel. An appropriate amount of pork was already placed on each leaf and all I had to do was fold it over an pop it into my mouth. The flavour was a little smoky and slightly dry. It was a pleasing contrast to the calamari and also to what I was expecting to be a fairly sweet curry.

Yellow curries are always at the sweeter end of the scale but this interpretation was particularly interesting. The sauce itself was not as sweet as others I’ve had. The sweetness comes in little explosions when the palette finds a piece of mango or banana. The chunks of baramundi were succulent and plentiful and cherry tomato halves added a little colour. I mopped up the remains of the sauce with the last of the sticky rice.

There were a few desserts on the menu, all familiar choices. I opted for banana fritter with vanilla ice cream ($40)

I’ve passed this place a few times on the minibus. The other evening I was on foot and it was starting to rain so I decided it would be an ideal time to go in and take a look.

It’s a modern place. The long narrow dining area looks over Electric Road. I took a table by the window. At first in one of the rattan basket style chairs but I soon discovered that these chairs can only be enjoyed by the very slimmest members of society. A demographic to which I certainly do not belong.

Having found more suitable accommodation I ordered a glass of house red and studied the menu. The dishes are predominantly Italian and there is a wide range of pasta available.

But the best options looked to be the set dinners. These include starter, soup of the day and a main course. and the prices range from $168 to $188. There is a choice of six main dishes and as many starters.

What wasn’t included was the assorted cold cuts ($98) upon which I had already set my heart. The waitress took it all in her stride, indeed she even hesitated just a little in case I should continue ordering. “Shall I bring the cold cuts first?” she asked. Yes please I said, and she was gone.

I nibbled at the bread basket and continued reading the menu while I waited. I do like raisin bread but left to my own devices I would have it with afternoon tea rather than at dinner.

The cold cuts weren’t long in coming. Salami, Parma ham and home smoked duck breast served on salad with pickles and olives.

Next up were scallops with salad. I’d chosen this dish for starter because I guessed it would be the lightest. I was right. The salad was just a repeat of what I had already had so it was easy to bypass that and just pick out the scallops which were firm and tasty.

Soup of the day turned out to be cauliflower, served piping hot an creamy. It was pleasant enough but it could have been improved with a nice crusty roll. I did think about asking for one but decided I had quite enough to eat anyway so I let it pass.

The main course was pan-fried sea bass with green beans on a bed of creamed potato and with a lovely buttery sauce.

I rounded off, after a respectable pause, with ginger soufflé and coffee. All in all I thought it was a very pleasant meal. Not exceptional but very good value for money.

Stepping off of Leighton Road and into Agnes B is like stepping into a little corner of Paris. Or rather the Paris of a bygone era. It’s hard not to be impressed by the decor. From vintage style floor tiles and the panelling on the walls to the brass light fittings and antique clock.

Dark wooden furnishings set with crisp white table linen complete the scene whilst net curtains hung from a brass rail at half window height blocks Leighton Road from view. The attention to detail is meticulous.

The only thing to give the game away is the very modern background music.

I took a table in the corner from where I could see the whole restaurant. It was still early so there were not too many customers yet, the waiter brought me a menu and then showed me the daily blackboard. The blackboard options were interesting but I decided to stay with the main menu.

They were about to introduce a whole new wine menu a day or two after I was there so the only wine they had left that I could order by the glass was a red. I didn’t catch the name, I’m a bit of a slacker when it comes to wine, but it was very agreeable.

I already knew that I wanted French onion soup ($58). I’m not a huge fan of soups generally. I like them well enough but I tend to think that a soup course is often more than I really need. But I make an exception for French onion soup. The dish is a firm favourite of mine and a good one will always be rewarded with repeat custom.

But before that I had ordered a dish called Gravadlax ($98). This is dill-cured salmon served with a sweet mustard sauce and a light salad. I’d thought some rye or brown bread might be served with it but it was not forthcoming. Not to worry, I still had some in the bread basked that had arrived when I sat down.

The onion soup came next and it was all I could have hoped for. I tried to take it slowly and savour it but I’m afraid I failed and before long I was mopping out the bottom of the red ceramic dish in which it was served with the remains of the bread basket.

I celebrated its departure with a large draft of wine and listened to the music. It was completely out of context with the surroundings but it was a pleasing contrast. It was a fairly laid back sound, gentle but not spineless.

My listening was interrupted by the grilled rack of lamb ($258) that I had ordered. Three meaty cutlets served with potatoes and another salad. It was good but I did feel the lamb deserved a little something more than just a salad. Asparagus perhaps, some carrot or green peas. It didn’t worry me all that much and to be honest if I had not already had salad with the gravadlax it probably would have bothered me at all.

For dessert I chose pear with raspberries, strawberries and black currant. All served with a scoop of home made vanilla ice cream ($68). Delicious.

I rounded off with a coffee and sat listening to the music for a while. It was a good meal in a very pleasant environment. But it is the French onion soup that will keep bringing me back.

Spuntini is the Italian word for snacks or small dishes. You could think of them as Italian tapas. They are best eaten at a leisurely pace with a glass of wine or two. It’s a form of dining that is becoming increasing popular in Hong Kong. I think perhaps the idea of sharing lots of small dishes among friends rings a familiar bell.

The place itself is quite small and cosy with with seating for about 22-24 people. On one side the wall is covered with a blackboard detailing what is on the menu. On the other are wine racks replete with bottles. I took a place in the corner and the friendly staff wasted no time in providing croutons, olive oil and strips of carrot and cucumber.

I ordered a glass of Hooly Dooly, a crisp white from Australia’s Dowie Doole vinyard, and settled down with a printed version of the menu. Some cool, laid-back blues was playing in the background which didn’t seem at all out of place in the otherwise Mediterranean atmosphere.

There is quite a lot to choose from. Spuntini and antipasti both hot and cold as well as pasta, pizza and huge salads. From the entrees the baked sole ($138) was very tempting.

But it was the little dishes that won the day and I began my forage with marinated artichoke ($35). It was pleasant enough but I have to confess it was overshadowed by the sweet peppers stuffed with Greek feta ($38) that followed it. These were quite delicious and went very well with the wine.

So well in fact that I had to order another glass before the next dish arrived. That dish happened to be smoked swordfish with tomato risotto ($138). It is the shape of a fish the waitress assured me, pointing put the head and the tail. Risotto is perhaps not the easiest medium for a sculptor to work in but it tasted pretty good.

The risotto had a sweetness to it and I wanted one more dish for contrast before dessert. The waiter helpfully suggested another plate of the peppers and I admit, I did think about it.

In the end I decided the green olives stuffed with smoked salmon ($38) would do the trick. They arrived in a canoe shaped dish with enough olive oil to sink a battle ship. They were delicious but on future visits I would order this dish first with some bread.

There was not a wide range of desserts, I decided to round off with a tiramisu.

Spuntini also sells a range of products created by Michelin 2 star chef, Moreno Cedroni and all of the wines on the wine rack can be purchased to enjoy at home with a 10% discount

There are half a dozen branches of Red Ant but, though I’d been asked many times, I’d never actually eaten in one. To be honest I’d never even thought about eating in one but a friend insisted that, even though it was a high turnover type of restaurant, the menu was interesting and the food was pretty good. I promised to give it a try.

I made good on that promise the other day when I spotted one behind Times Square. It’s the only one on Hong Kong Island and I usually try to give places like Times Square a wide berth so it had been several weeks since that conversation. Nevertheless my curiosity had been aroused so I went in.

It’s a modern place, clean and functional. They do subscribe to that music company that specialises in dragging you down those parts of memory lane which you would rather not revisit, otherwise it was pleasant enough.

But the menu is intriguing. It boasts flavours from both east and west, often on the same plate. Baked Escargots in Light Curry Sauce was one that caught my attention. It was a close call too but In the end I plumped for a more familiar sounding Baked Mashed Potato with Escargots topped with Herb Butter($32).

I also ordered Pan-fried Raw White Turnip Paste ($28). Both dishes were pretty good though as a combination I could probably have made a better choice. But I still managed to dispatch the snails and most of the turnip before the main dish arrived.

The main dish was Sautéed Linguine with Fresh Crab Meat and Yunnan Ham in Chives Cream Sauce ($68). The ham was shaved onto the top giving a little colour to the dish. This time the combination of flavours was good. The pasta sauce itself could have done with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese but there was none to be seen and the waiter was off looking after another customer. By the time he hove back into view I was almost finished.

I finished of with a sticky Glutinous Fresh Mango Roll ($20). Altogether the bill came to less than $200 dollars, I’d eaten more than enough and I had been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. I’m not sure I’d have dinner there on a regular basis but it is a good place to keep in mind for lunch

This is a funky little eatery on St Francis Street in Wanchai. I rarely go to Chinese restaurants alone because they are most often geared towards serving several people sharing. Dining Wok looked more like an old fashioned noodle shop so I went inside.

It’s a small place but quite big on atmosphere. It’s long and narrow like many shops in the area. The kitchen is towards the front. Along one side and the back the lower half of the wall is dark stained wood panelling to about shoulder height. Above that it is painted dark green and decorated with modern Chinese paintings.

Towards the back are some old wooden doors with coloured glass panels which hide what I suspect is an office. Chinese lattice decorates the ceiling and wooden lamps provide light. It was all very well done and in perfect harmony with this special international corner of Hong Kong.

The menu features dished that are primarily northern Chinese though there are other options including General Tso’s Chicken which I have a sneaking suspicion is North American in origin. They also offer a range of noodle and fried rice dishes.

The first item I ordered was Deep Fried Spicy Crispy Beef ($60). To go with it I ordered Moo Shu Chicken ($80) and finally, because I had decided to forgo rice, I just had to try the Shrimp Ball Stuffed with Goose Liver ($88).

The beef was first to arrive. Elegantly presented on a long narrow plate it was crispy without being hard but I think if this was served in Sichuan the chilli content would have been a little more generous. It is still a good dish and I suspect its more conservative approach to chilli allows it to appeal to a larger number of diners.

The Moo Shu was up next. This is a stir fry dish that, along with the chicken, includes bean sprouts, carrot, mushrooms and seasoning. It is served with a little dish of hoisin sauce and four flour pancakes. Sauce is spread onto the pancake and then a spoonful of the stir fry is added before wrapping it all up and eating. It was quite delicious.

The prawn balls had arrived but at first they were too hot to eat. The richness of the liver overpowers the delicate flavour of the prawns but the prawns do provide body and texture to the liver. It was an interesting and pleasant contrast but due to its richness I would definitely suggest this dish be shared.

I finished off with Chilled Sago and Mango in Pomelo Cream ($25).

Dining Wok has a daily lunch set for $58 and will also deliver.

This is a pleasant little place in one of the less frenetic pockets of Causeway Bay. It’s an all day place with menus for breakfast, lunch, afternoon teas and dinner.

The dinners are in the form of a set meal; for three courses $168; four courses, $188. The extra course being soup. Each item is also individually priced so you could just order a main course if you wanted to.

There are half a dozen options each for starter and main. These change frequently according to what is available at market. There were two choices for soup but I’d already decided against the four course option.

For my starter I ordered the pan fried-frogs legs. I also ordered a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc while I waited.

The restaurant is divided into two sections. The front has more an afternoon cafe feel to it while the back is lined with linen covered seats and cushions on subtle beige and pale brown. Black and white photos of happy faces adorn the walls while a female singer delivers torch songs old and new in the background.

I’ve never been sure why some people say Frogs legs taste like chicken. I don’t think it does. It looks a little like tiny chicken drumsticks, but the meat is denser and has a slightly stronger, almost nutty flavour. These were basking in a sea of delicious, buttery, parsley sauce and topped with a small forest of salad.

Naturally I wanted more and could have easily dispatched another leg or two but I decided to wait patiently for my main course. For this I’d ordered white cod on polenta and French beans. The fish was firm and flakey as cod is supposed to be. The polenta, which is made from ground corn, was mixed with some whole kernels to add a little more texture.

Dessert was a choice of chocolate mousse and orange cappuccino. I went for the orange and rounded off with a fair trade coffee.

“Free noodles”, said the waitress. It doesn’t take anything more than that to convince me so in I went. To be honest I’ve been meaning to try Pho Lemon ever since it opened a couple of years ago.

It’s quite a small restaurant but the white walls and tables with a touch of green on the linen made it seem a little more spacious. Paintings on the wall add a hint of French colonial charm.

The staff are cheerful and friendly and, since it was still early and there were no other customers, more than happy to chat. They told me that they were offering a complimentary bowl of beef or chicken pho with every main course. They don’t do this every night. Sometimes the special offer is a free Saigon beer. Sometimes they don’t have a special offer but when they do it is usually from Monday to Thursday.

To go with my beef pho I decided I would order vegetarian rice paper spring rolls ($58) and Sarong prawns ($188). I also ordered a bottle of Saigon Beer.

I was most impressed with the spring rolls. They were stuffed with avocado, tomato and mushrooms and were really quite flavourful. It was a generous serving too. These dishes are made for sharing.

The background music was an eclectic mix ranging from Tijuana Brass to Parisian back-street ballads with electronic wallpaper music thrown in for good measure. It was such an odd selection it merely seemed to add the the general cheerfulness of the place.

The Sarong Prawns were delivered with a smile. I’d been wondering what sarong prawns were, it turned out they were quite a familiar dish after all. There were six large meaty prawns each wrapped in a cocoon of crispy noodle. There was also something that tasted suspiciously like thousand island dressing in there. Not that I have anything particularly against it but I do think it should have been mentioned on the menu.

The prawns are served with a refreshing green mango salad. This is a relative of the Thai papaya salad, som tam, but the Vietnamese version is fresh and tangy rather than spicy.

The crispy noodles are actually quite filling and towards the end I was extracting the prawn from its wrap in order to save a little space for the beef pho.

It wasn’t a huge bowl, though it was big enough and quite tasty. Not bad at all for a complementary dish. I do have to say, though, there are so many small Vietnamese pho shops around town now that I don’t think these would shake the faith I have in my favourites.

After despatching the noodles I took a well earned rest. The tables around me were filling up and the staff were quite busy though one did find a moment to ask if I’d like dessert. I chose the grilled banana with ice cream ($58) and rounded off with a Vietnamese coffee.

I stumbled onto The Green Mouse quite by accident. I’d turned into Peel Street with the intention of heading downhill from Hollywood Road back to Central and there it was.

Since it was almost dinner time anyway I didn’t need much convincing but being told that it was owned and operated by two former Chez Patrick staff was certainly encouraging.

The decor is simple but elegant, white walls punctuated with miniature paintings with crisp cheerful green table linen and napkins. A small chandelier tinkles gently in the breeze from the air conditioning unit. There were no other customers but it was still very early. I took a seat near the window. Net curtains hide Peel Street and, on my side of the door, reflect the restaurants logo; a green mouse.

It’s not a large menu, it doesn’t need to be. Quality rather than quantity seems to be the order of the day. There is a set dinner menu on the right which offers 3-course meals for $378 or 4-courses for $458.

There is a choice of three starters and three mains. The choices are changed every week except desserts which vary from day to day and are not listed. The 4th course, if I made it that far, was a cheese board.

For starters I went for the pan-fried fois gras with caramel sauce. While I was waiting for that I was served a, fresh from the oven, bread roll. It may not have been as enthusiastic a display as an Italian bread basket but it was luxurious in its simplicity. I was about to ask for another when I was presented with a small portion of quiche lorraine which took my mind off it.

I was just looking around for more quiche when the fois gras arrived. Two rather generous pieces, crisp and delicate on the outside deliciously creamy on the inside. It went pleasingly well with the house red wine.

I have to admit I’m a bit of a slacker when it comes to wine and I’d neglected to write the name down. It was quite a fruity tang and was comparably light for a red wine.

Timing of the dishes was near perfect with just the right space between them. But it was here that the background music came forward. For the most part it had been a selection of middle of the road 1960s and 70s pop. Fairly easy to ignore for the most part but there was the odd, annoyingly gimmicky, dance tune.

Fortunately it was over before the main course, pan-fried beef flank steak in port wine sauce, arrived. And a lovely piece of steak it was too. Cooked medium rare, it was lean, juicy and served with a selection of garden vegetables, mushrooms, cauliflower cheese and caramelised onions.

I think it was Oscar Wilde, or someone of that ilk, that once said that listening to music while eating is an insult to both chef and composer. I think that is a load of old rot. Good music complements a meal just a surely as a good wine and I thought this was worthy of a Thelonious Monk or Stephane Grappelli.

There were a number of desserts available including chocolate pudding and crepes but I plumped for the apple tart with cinnamon ice cream. Along with coffee it was an excellent way to round off a very pleasing meal. The cheese board, I’m afraid, will have to wait till next time.

The poet John William Burgon once described Petra, with its rock-cut architecture, as “a rose-red city half as old as time.” But the world heritage site in southern Jordan wasn’t known to the west until 1812, when it was discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

I discovered Al Petra Restaurant on Wellington Street just before Christmas. That visit had been with a dear friend and was purely for fun but I was impressed enough to want to go back and have another look.

It’s a narrow doorway on the right just past the escalator as you make your way down the hill towards Sheung Wan. Quite easy to miss. There is a small bar area on the ground floor but the restaurant proper is in the basement.

The walls are painted in dusty yellows and ochre to evoke the sandstone walls of its historical namesake. These are decorated with an assortment of shields, swords and other items. The ceiling is hung with a sumptuous looking red cloth and dotted with lamps. It all helps to make what would be a comparatively large dining area feel rather cosy.

The menu is quite big and covers most of the table. Being alone this time I didn’t have to worry about knocking the candle into my companions lap so I spread it out and had a good read.

There is a wide selection of mezz, both hot and cold. Familiar dishes such as hummus and babaganouj are all in attendance. I’d enjoyed some of these on my first visit. This time I decided to start with Warak Enab ($75). These are little parcels of lightly spiced rice wrapped in vine leaves and marinated in olive oil with tomato, mint and other herbs.

They were very good, and I idled over them while reading the brochures from the Jordanian tourist office that had been placed on a small table a short reach from where I was sitting. Consequently the main course, when it arrived, caught me by surprise.

This, the menu assured me, was a traditional Bedouin dish and the national dish of Jordan. It’s called Mensaf ($250). It’s usually served on special occasions and shared between family or friends.

It consists of lamb braised in jameed. Jameed is a salted goats milk yoghurt and it made the lamb very tender indeed. it is served with fragrant Arabic spiced rice on pitta bread and garnished with pine nuts and almond. It comes with a tangy sauce which is poured all over.

Traditionally, it would be eaten with the right hand instead of utensils. I did think about this for a few moments but decided the probability of rice and jameed falling down my sleeve was very high and I should, perhaps, hone my skills in private before trying it in a public place.

Baclava was the only desert option. I wasn’t really in the mood for that so I decided to finish with an Arabic coffee. This is a very strong coffee indeed - if you’re planning an early night you might want to give it a miss. I found myself Googling tourist information on Jordan well into the small hours.

We didn’t think we were coming here to be honest. A friend and myself had been for a couple of beers after work and we had planned to go somewhere else for dinner. Unfortunately that somewhere else was packed to the rafters so we opted for plan b.

“Have you ever been to that Italian place down the little lane by Taco Loco?” I knew all along that there was an Italian place down there but I had to confess, it is so tucked away I never think about.

“Sounds like a good plan b to me”, I said, and off we went.

Even this place was busy but not so busy that a table couldn’t be found. There was live music in the form of a singer/guitarist playing a repertoire old Bob Dylan and other folksy acoustic tunes. I was worried that it might be a bit overwhelming in such a small restaurant but in the end we found ourselves tapping along as one familiar old tune was followed by another.

The menu has a lot of loose pages most of which appeared to be based on what chef had found in the market that day. All of it looked very tempting - though a little expensive.

“When was the last time you went to a good Italian restaurant and simply ordered a pizza?”, enquired my friend. I couldn’t remember. I rarely order pasta either because both these dishes are too filling and I usually want starters and a main course as well.

So we agreed, we’d share a pasta and a pizza and a couple of starters. I reluctantly let go of all the tempting printouts and turned my attention to the main menu.

For starters we had the Misto Salumi ($115) which was a selection of delicious cured hams with shavings of parmesan cheese and green salad. We also ordered the Sole Mediterraneo ($68) which consisted of sun dried tomatoes, eggplant and artichoke with olive oil.

I love olive oil but I was trying to go easy knowing full well that the next two dishes were going to be quite filling.

The pasta came first. This was Roebuck Ragout with red wine and a penne pasta ($135). It was a generous serving and it more than lived up to our expectations. We dug in with enthusiasm but we were soon interrupted by the arrival of the pizza.

Pizza alla Marinara ($138) with calms, mussels and prawns looked impressive. The shells made up an appealing decoration with one extra large mussel taking centre stage and made it look almost as if the pizza could fly.

The base was thin and crispy, as it should be, the sauce delicious and the mussels and clams separated from their shells without a fight. We wolfed it down.

The owner came out to do his rounds and ensure that everything had been alright. We assured him it had more than alright - it had been very good indeed. Then, to make a good meal even better he offered a complimentary digestivo, which is a drink to aid digestion.

My friend went for an amaretto with biscotti. I opted for a lemon grappa and, for good measure, ordered a panettoni for dessert. This is a sweetened cake containing raisins, nuts and candied fruit.

The Piazzetta is not easy to see from Shelley Street - it is a few doors down the lane. Despite that there was a steady stream of customers throughout the time that we were there. And this was a Wednesday. If you are going on a weekend I would strongly suggest you make a reservation.

With a name like the Yorkshire Pudding it’s pretty obvious what kind of cuisine is likely to be served within, but just to make sure there can be no doubt whatsoever, the whole exterior is decorated to look like a huge red British phone box. It may sound a bit silly but it certainly catches the eye as you rumble up the escalator to Staunton Street.

The ground floor bar area has a pleasing pub-like feel. Effective without being too contrived. A bar along the left hand side and a long red leather sofa facing it along the right.

You can dine downstairs if you wish but up the stairs, past several large clock faces, there is another dining area. There’s another red leather sofa and even a huge leather armchair with a union jack on the back. Although that seems to be more for decoration.

There are photos of familiar London scenes on the walls which are reflected on the equally familiar bottles of brown sauce that bear the name HP. The walls are also decorated with music manuscript. I tried humming the tune to myself but I’m not very good at reading music and the Oasis track playing in the background kept putting me off. So I concentrated on the menu instead.

British cuisine often gets a bad rap. I always find this rather surprising because it does seem to be quite popular. Indeed for a restaurant that hasn’t been open long enough to get its alcohol licence it seemed to be doing very well indeed.

There were half-a-dozen starters plus a couple of soup options on the menu. I considered the stilton soup but in the end I opted for the deep fried cheddar with mixed berries piccalilli ($88). The cheese was tasty but it was the piccalilli that made the dish. In hindsight I think a nice crusty roll would have gone well with it. The cheese is very hot when it’s delivered, so do be careful.

There were a number of quintessentially British options for main course including the classic Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding. I was very tempted and I think I’m going to have to sneak back on Sunday for it, but this time I really wanted to try something a little different.

There are of course numerous other Yorkshire pie options including sausages and gravy. I was intrigued by the Cawl. This is a Welsh stew made with lamb and vegetables. Here it is made with leeks and parsnips and served with Yorkshire pudding. It was a good choice. The cubes of lamb were both generous and tasty, and the whole thing was served within the Yorkshire pudding. This does mean that the stew is a little drier than it might be but it is nothing a little gravy on the side wouldn’t fix.

Dessert presents numerous options too and I was torn three ways, between the apple crumble, the bread and butter pudding and the rhubarb pie. Rhubarb won the day based solely on the fact that I could not remember the last time I had rhubarb. I had it with ice cream. Not quite how mum would have made it but a damn good performance nonetheless.

Until the alcohol licence is approved drinks can be ordered from Staunton’s Bar which is just a couple of doors away.

Patio 88 is a cosy little nook on Jervois Street in Sheung Wan. It’s a quiet and friendly place. Some old black and white framed photos and a handful of vintage record sleeves decorate the walls.

The menu is European and while there are plenty of a la carte options towards the back the set dinners also offered some interesting choices. And at $248 for four courses seemed like a bargain to me.

I started with the salmon salad. Two generous slices of salmon sashimi with garden cress a a dash of a mild mustardy sauce. It was a simple but agreeable dish and I made quite short work of it.

Hot on it’s heels was the soup of the day. A rich and creamy broccoli today. It could have done with being a bit warmer on delivery. I prefer to allow soup to cool to my palette rather than to have to hurry it down before it gets cold. Consequently I wolfed it in record time and had a bit of a wait for the main course.

It wasn’t too long a wait and presently the rack of lamb on creamed potato with asparagus tips was placed before me. It looked good. In fact it looked very much like the kind of thing my mum would put before after a long hard day at school.

Nobody can ever quite get the measure of mum’s cooking but this was certainly a creditable effort. Crusted with thyme the lamb which I’d ordered medium rare was perhaps a little closer to the rare than the medium but that didn’t worry me unduly. With a dollop of mint jelly and another of mustard I was a happy camper.

The finale was orange crepe gateau, a pleasant change from the cheesecake or fresh fruit that often adorns such menus. I rounded off with a coffee.

All in all it was a good meal at a good price. I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again; The reason standard of restaurants in Kong Kong is so high is because those at the top are being chased every step of the way the quality of those below. Patio 88 may not be top tier but they do take just as much pride in what they do.

I have to be honest, you need deep pockets to dine at Cepage. It’s the first Hong Kong outlet for Singapore’s Les Amis Group and is located on Wing Fung Street right next to Pacific Place 3.

I don’t have deep pockets I’m afraid but I was keen to give it a try, so I decided to stop by and see how far my budget would go. They are still waiting for their alcohol licence to be approved so that helped me a little. If you are planning a visit you can bring your own wine, you won’t be charged corkage. But I do suggest you call in advance to check.

The dining area is actually on the first floor. The ground is an elegant but discreet lobby where a lift takes you to the restaurant proper. There aren’t many tables and most of them were already booked. That said, there is no such thing as a bad table. Mine was one of a group of three away from the main dining room though there couldn’t have been more than seven or eight even there. Each table has it’s own chandelier, crisp white linen, and allows generous elbow room for a party of four.

Ol’ blue eyes croons away in the background, napkins are positioned and the first of several surprise treats are delivered. This was a delicious canapé of truffle ice cream in a tiny cone decorated with poppy seeds. A little explosion of flavour to get proceedings underway.

Shortly after this the menu and bread basket arrived. Service was friendly and efficient but at no time hurried. I like this, it allows me to enjoy the atmosphere. The only change I would have made would be to tweak Frank Sinatra’s volume up a bit.

I placed my order and was rewarded with a slice of smoked salmon with rosti and julienne cucumber.

The first dish I’d actually ordered was was smoked pigeon with caramelised endive and truffle vinaigrette ($230). It was an inspired choice and I almost wished I had ordered two. The bird was smoked with hickory and was as tender and succulent as I could have hoped for.

The next dish was angel-hair pasta with chilli du Monteporro and lobster oil ($340). According to the menu this is usually made with crab but crab dishes were not available on this particular day. The chef was able to offer the same dish made with shrimp so I agreed to that.

Although it is a chilli dish it is not spicy - the full flavour of the chilli comes through without the heat. The waiter informed me that this dish comes from one very small region in Italy.

Dessert was Grand Marnier parfait in a chocolate cone with orange tuile and citrus fruit salad ($150).

I’d been looking forward to an early night and coffee would have put the kibosh on that idea. However the petit fours and chocolates that would have accompanied the coffee were still delivered.

Cepage has three private dining rooms which can accommodate groups from four up to fifteen persons.

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.

According to the place mat the restaurant takes it’s name from a recipe for the famous Vietnamese beef noodle broth that was popular at a railway station hawker stand. The old hawker never gave up his secret recipe but cafe locomotive have created their very own.

It seems to be popular too. On my previous trips to this area the Cafe Locomotive has always been packed. This time I got there early.

The decor boasts a railway theme with luggage racks and station clocks showing the time in several cities around Asia. The staff are friendly and efficient. I ordered a coconut base with jelly bits and ice and perused the menu. Most people were having the noodles and they did look very good but I had decided I wanted to try something different.

I started with roasted French quail ($48) this is served simply on a banana leaf with a slice of lime and an orchid (which I didn’t eat). It can sometimes be a bit of a fight to get the meat from the bones of small birds. The use of fingers is essential. The restaurant does provide disposable plastic gloves but that is cheating in my view and besides it makes the whole process seem rather surgical.

It was a tasty bird and it wasn’t long before all I had left was a neat pile of bones. The waitress enquired as to whether everything was to my satisfaction. I assured it was and she whisked my plate away.

The waiter had warned me that the quail would take around fifteen minutes to prepare. This meant that my next dish, big head prawn ($118) arrived almost as soon as the last one had been cleared away.

The prawns were baked in a rich, buttery garlic sauce. This too was most agreeable. The only downside was that flesh of the prawn seemed rather less that the shell had promised. But I guess that is prawns for you. You never do get as much as you think you’re going to get.

For vegetable I’d ordered morning glory in broth ($42). It turned out to be a considerably larger bowl than I had anticipated. I couldn’t finish it all though I made a valiant effort soaking up the broth with garlic bread.

The lemon creme brulee with cinnamon sugar French toast and ginger ice-cream ($39) proved to be an excellent finale but then I’m a sucker for ginger ice cream.

Cafe Locomotive is quite a small but very popular restaurant. If you’re making a special trip it’s worth calling ahead to make a reservation.

This is a large and very popular restaurant in Pacific Place and whilst it may be called Thai Basil, there is no shortage of Vietnamese influenced dishes on the menu.

I arrived shortly after seven. There were still quite a few tables available then but I was very lucky. I took a seat near the front in the belief that I would be able to watch shoppers bustling to and fro while I enjoyed a leisurely dinner.

I was wrong. By the time I had studied the menu and ordered, the place had filled up and there was a throng of a dozen or more people waiting outside. Since my view of busy shoppers was blocked I studied the decor. The walls were midnight blue. Decorating them, at least the part that was nearest to me, were stainless steel skulls of a variety of horned animals.

A series of white Romanesque columns showed the way to the back of the restaurant where, in the distance, I could see the kitchen staff going about their art.

I wasn’t to dwell on the fixtures and fittings for long before my first dish arrived. This was the Vietnamese style clear white rolls with mango and beetroot ($72). They also included carrot, cold noodle and were garnished with mint. They were really quite sumptuous.

Within moments of this arriving my second dish, papaya salad with seared tuna ($85) arrived. This is a Vietnamese variation of the famous Thai dish som tam. It is not as spicy as som tam - instead it has a tangy fruitiness which compliments the tuna perfectly. I’ve had other variations of this made with green mango and whilst my papaya version was delicious I’d love to try it with the mango as well.

The last main dish was Thai tiger prawns($165). These came wrapped in a nest of crispy noodles with a sweet and sour dip. As with all the dishes they are probably best shared, and while I had no trouble eating the lot single-handedly, the noodles did get a bit boring towards the end.

I rounded off with lime meringue pie ($42). Two small ones to be exact but with a tower of meringue that reminded me of something Van Gogh might have painted. Otherwise they were fairly ordinary.

The food at Thai Basil is great but the service is necessarily fast and furious. I would have have felt guilty dallying over coffee and meringue whilst the folks outside were eying it hungrily.

I hadn’t been planning to come here. In fact I didn’t have any plans at all except that I was going to have dinner somewhere. I’d just swung off Johnston Road and was pointing vaguely in the direction of Star Street when a charming young lady waved a menu under my nose.

Another time I might have passed on by but she had such a charming smile I didn’t have the heart to say no. She ushered me into the lift and, alas, that was the last I saw of her.

Deluxe Wine is a young and trendy kind of place with that hypnotic music that never seems to have any beginning or end pumping away behind the clink of cocktail glasses against expensive phones.

But it is not that expensive really and they do offer what looks like an interesting set dinner for $348 which mixes Japanese and western dishes. I made my way onto the balcony which gives a commanding view of Johnston Road. The waiter followed me out, arranged the table and took my order.

The first course to arrive was the Deluxe Wine salad. This consisted of a tuft of lettuce with cubes of crab roe. The roe was surprisingly hard, indeed at first glance I thought it was carrot.

The next course was sashimi. This included salmon wrapped around a prawn, yellowtail wrapped around scallops and tuna roll.

Next came a delicious and chunky vegetable soup served in a rather odd shaped bowl with a huge brim that made me think of an upturned straw boater. Couldn’t argue with the soup though, I wolfed it down.

The main course was pork with orange sauce. I enjoyed the pork with the slices of orange that garnished it, but I felt the sauce was a little bland. A little more orange tanginess would have improved it greatly. It was served on a bed of creamed potato with baby corn and green peas.

I didn’t make a note of what the dessert was called on the menu but it was actually creme caramel.

It wasn’t a stunning meal but it was pleasant enough. I did enjoy sitting on the balcony and watching the early evening clatter of Johnston Road.

The public holiday got in the way of my dining plans this week but I did manage to find time for a sandwich.

I’d stopped by Epoch on Wing Fung Street earlier in the week. It was pretty quiet while I was there but I would Imagine it does a roaring trade at lunchtimes with all the offices in Pacific Place Three right next door.

It’s a trendy, chill-out kind of coffee bar. Quite spacious with magazines and even CD machines with headphones and a choice of music. The background music featured young singers singing jazz standards over a backing track of what I prefer to call wallpaper music. But what do I know?

I found myself a corner amidst the CD players and the waiter promptly produced a menu. I didn’t actually need a menu, I’d seen what I wanted on the blackboard outside. I wanted the baby lobster with mango on soft multigrain bread ($50). To go with it I ordered a lime and green apple smoothie.

The menu does have quite an interesting range of sandwiches, salads and paninis and, since it is a coffee bar, there is also a range of coffee and coffee cocktails.

I browsed the CDs in the CD corner but the sandwich arrived before I’d found anything I recognised. The bread was indeed soft and the filling generous. Enjoyable too, the ingredients were good and the mayo had been kept to a minimum. The smoothie was sharp but not sour, I was most pleased.

I figured that since I’d skipped the coffee, I really should have a dessert when in a desserterie. There is a different menu for dessert and it took me a while to decide. In the end I plumped for the Luscious Lemon ($68). A slice of warm lemon pound cake drenched in lemon syrup and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. On the side a topping of fresh pineapple.

It was sweet to say the least, I’d recommend sharing.

Well what do you call a Japanese home-style curry house? In it’s defence it does have a large kawaii (that means cartoon-cute) panda flying across the ceiling. I’m not sure what it has to do with curry but it is, I suppose, very Japanese.

Mercifully the rest of this little restaurant is of the wooden, clean-lined simplicity which is even more Japanese to my sensibilities, and far more welcome than flying pandas.

I vowed not to look up and instead gave my full attention to the menu. Familiar items such as sushi are available, but the centrepiece of the menu are the curries. There are several to choose from - I opted for the minced beef. To go with it I also ordered a sampler dish of four side orders. These included prawn scallop and oyster tempura plus tofu.

The curry arrived first. The rice formed a little island in a sea of curry sauce while the mince filled in the centre of the rice. Two little ears of okra poked kawaii-like from the top but despite that little indignity it looked quite good.

It tasted very good. Japanese curry is usually quite mild and whilst this couldn’t claim to be spicy it did have a little kick to it. The sauce was laced with mushrooms and other goodies. I breached the wall of rice and let the mince spill in.

I was half-way through before the other bits arrived and to be honest, I didn’t really need them. They were perfectly edible but just seemed a little bland. Curry is perhaps not the best thing to have them with … though that didn’t stop me cleaning the plates.

I washed it all down with a banana smoothie, paid the bill which was a little under $200, and was on my way. The decor maybe iffy but the curry is spot on. It’s in an awkward part of Causeway Bay, but if you want to get away from the crowds for a bite then it’s a good place. Just don’t look up

“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.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I wandered in here. I’d come to the Star Street neck of the woods simply because I hadn’t been up there in a while.

I’d heard of Naturo Plus, of course, they’ve been in the news a few times. But I had been under the impression that they were a shop that specialised in organic foods. I was mostly correct, but what I didn’t know was that they also have a small menu of snacks.

Yak cheese features quite prominently in many of them. The cheese is imported from Shangri la, a small enterprise in Tibet.

“How big are the snacks?” I asked. I was wondering whether I should order two or three of the snacks.

The lady thought about this made shape with her hands, thought about it for a while and said “Any size you’d like really. Did you want dinner?” I admitted I had been thinking of that but I would be happy with a sandwich or blini or even yak cheese on toast.

“I can do you some pork spare ribs with a salad and some cheese toast with that if you’d like.” I told her I’d like very much and wondered about a possible starter. “How about ham with pomelo?” she suggested. I told her it sounded wonderful.

I ordered a glass of organic white wine and took a seat at the only table.

The pomelo wasn’t long in coming. Sweet and tangy, draped with prosciutto and punctuated with a spicy Thai style sauce.

The ribs took a while to cook but they were well worth waiting for. Alongside them on the plate were four slices of cheese on toast and, whilst the pork was good, it was probably these that I had been looking forward to the most.

It’s a semi-soft cheese, slightly rubbery in texture with a ripe, tangy flavour. Delicious! I couldn’t help wondering how a blue variety would work. Admittedly if you don’t have a taste for strong cheeses you might find it a little overpowering but if you enjoy a good piece of stilton you’re going to love yak cheese.

I finished off with a small slice of very rich and creamy traditional cheesecake. I think it was the only thing I had that was actually on the menu.

It was an excellent meal and since the bill came to less than $300, excellent value too.

I didn’t think to ask, before I left, whether I was just lucky or if they usually have something on hand for people like me who just happen to wander by. If you don’t want to chance it you could always call ahead.

I don’t have to many opportunities to go up to the Sai Wan Ho end of town, so when I do I like to stop in and see what’s going on along Tai Hong Street. This is a little strip of restaurants on a small leafy lane that fronts onto the harbour.

It’s an attractive corner of town. The half dozen or so restaurants are geared towards the occupants of nearby residential blocks so while they may be European in style they cater very much towards local preferences. Most of them are also aimed at young family groups.

I decided to give Beira Dos Namorados a try. The decor was bright and cheerful and Ricky Martin was belting out his hits. I took a table at the front by the window. On less humid days the restaurant opens right up but on this particular evening I was grateful for the air con.

The menu is essentially Portuguese but with local characteristics. There is a range of set dinners which include a trip to the salad bar, the soup of the day, a main course, dessert and tea or coffee. For a single person they start at $165 for a pasta with seafood and go up to $250 for steaks and lobster.

Set meals for larger groups are also available. For two - $488; four - $888 and six - $1,388. These include a selection from the other main dishes. The menu also has a range of options for children.

I went for the roast baramundi option. While I waited I went to plunder the salad bar. It was a simple affair; lettuce, cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, pak choi and cucumber. Sprinkled with dried bacon bits and parmesan cheese, it kept me happy until the soup arrived.

The soup of the day was chicken and it reminded me very much of the ones I have in the cupboard. Perfectly edible, it came with a bread roll and a little plastic tub of butter. I wolfed it down.

Outside a young boy, about 5-years-old, barrelled past on a tricycle. The lights of Kwun Tong twinkled through the trees and a crane barge slipped silently by in the dark. My baramundi arrived.

It was a decent fish too. Succulent and tasty, served on a bed of buttery creamed potato along with broccoli and a spicy, sweet orange sauce for dipping. I was pleasantly surprised to be honest.

Dessert was apple strudel with mango ice cream. Again it was perfectly adequate, the strudel could perhaps have done with a little more apple in it. But drizzled with lashings of chocolate and strawberry sauces it is undoubtedly a hit with the kids

After a salad, three courses and a coffee the overall bill was still well below $200. It’s hard to knock that kind of value.

At first I thought a restaurant called Babylon would probably serve middle eastern cuisine but when I got there I discovered that it was really a European/international menu.

It’s a small restaurant right at the very end of Gough Street. A cosy little nook, as evidenced by several young couples making sheeps eyes at each other over the candle light. I felt a bit of a gooseberry but I never let things like that spoil my appetite.

The decor is fairly straightforward, simple but functional with seating for about eighteen. The menu does have an a la carte section but the set dinner menu offers a wide variety of choices.

I started with crab meat cream soup. It was a delicious soup with large chunks of crab sculling around, but it was crying out for some nice crusty bread to go with it. Sadly all that was offered were some rather uninspiring soft rolls. Still the soup itself was good and I wolfed it down while Whitney sang something about the greatest love and a dozen watery eyes gazed devotedly at their opposite numbers.

For entree I had ordered braised lamb shank in herb and red wine sauce. This arrived on a bed of creamed potato and, rather surprisingly, with a side of arugula leaves. I have nothing against aragula but I would have thought carrots or string beans might have been more appropriate.

Or maybe I was just being an old fuddy duddy. The lamb itself was excellent. Lean and tender, it slipped away from the bone with ease.

Dessert was a fairly standard creme brulee. Perfectly edible but nothing to make it stand out above any other creme brulee. Tea or coffee is also included

The set was $268. I added a glass of wine to that which took the bill to a litle over $300. I thought that was pretty decent value for money. A little more thought on the details and it would be a terrific place to sneak off to. Especially if you are young and in love.

I’ve been a fan of this restaurant for years. It boasts a large and impressive menu which includes dishes from all over India. August, however, has seen them making a special feature of Hyderabadi cuisine so I went over to have a taste.

I arrived shortly after seven o’clock. I hadn’t made a reservation and I do know that this place fills up pretty quickly, even on a weekday. I got a table near the back fairly close to the stage. The music would strike up in a while but for now it was quiet.

Hyderabadi cuisine is rich in flavour evolving over a 400 year period from the 15th to the 19th century and drawing influences from Arabia and Persia via the Mughal Emperors who had raised cooking to an art form.

The featured options were on the first page of the menu. There were about five or six each of starter and main course and the decision process was tricky. I ordered a bottle of Kingfisher beer and nibbled popadoms to help.

After much deliberation I settled on Shammi kebabs ($98) for a starter. These are lamb mixed with chana dal and blended to a fine paste before pan-frying. They look a bit like small burgers but they are silky smooth and delicious.

Hyderabadi dishes not as fiery as recipes from other regions. Rather they tend to be smooth and creamy. This was exemplified by the next dish. Simply called Chicken Hyderabadi ($92) it was a rich korma like curry made with plain yogurt, and almonds and with fairly prominent cardamom. It was really quite special indeed and I enthusiastically mopped the serving dish clean with my last piece of nan bread.

The only Hyderabadi dessert was called Shami Tuki ($42) These were three thin patties. I’m not entirely sure what the patties were made from but they were very sweet with an almond flavour to them. Sweetened milk had been poured over the top before finally being garnished with saffron. They are quite delicious but you’d be advised to share unless you have a very sweet tooth indeed.

Typhoon Kammuri threw cold water all over my plans for dinner last Wednesday but the day was salvaged. Quite pleasantly too. Like many people, after a day of forced idleness, I was bored silly.

I’d figured that since no markets had been open all day, menus might not be at full strength so I sauntered off to Kennedy Town where I’d heard about a handful of bars.

Davis was on the end of a line of four. It has a nice rustic feel, wooden stools and simulated stone topped tables. They also had a blackboard menu right in the doorway, I needed no other invitation.

There were a few other people there but there was plenty of space. The waitress went off to find another blackboard and lugged it over to the table and explained the dishes. For tapas the dishes are actually quite large, and if you are only looking for a light snack I’d recommend sharing.

For a starter I ordered deep fried camembert with assorted sausages ($78). There were actually three types of sausage in a tomato and pepper sauce. With the cheese and some slices of toast as well I decided that this was two tapas rolled into one. They both went down very well with a cold bottle of Beerlao.

This is the first time I’ve seen Beerlao in Hong Kong. It used to be one of the great beer secrets of Asia. Until quite recently it was only brewed in a small brewery on the outskirts of Vientiane. It is a crisp, delicately-flavoured pilsen style beer that is made with local polished rice, Hallertau hops, German yeast and malted barley from France.

Production has been ramped up recently with investment from Carlsberg. If they can maintain the beers integrity and resist the temptation to pollute it with preservatives Beerlao could become very popular indeed. I ordered another bottle.

For my next dish I had ordered grilled beef salad ($98). A simple but pleasing dish that consisted of slices of beef arranged around a green salad with a spicy sauce in which to dip the beef.

Dessert was deliciously decadent cheesecake with pistachio nuts and flavoured with Black Sambuca liqueur. If you are a lover of cheesecake, then it is worth the journey just for that!

When you walk into Sagrantino the first thing you notice is the arched red brick decorative finish. The tables are set back into little arched alcoves. You might even be reminded of those old photographs of the Beatles playing at the Cavern back in the 60’s.

I’m not sure if that’s the intended effect but it is a little different. Especially as it is on the fifth floor (The Cavern was in a basement I believe) of a modern building in Wellington Street. Nevertheless it does aid and abet a cosy atmosphere

I got there quite early and surprised the waitress. It was only just about 7.00 and I don’t think customers start arriving much before 8.00pm. It’s a long thin restaurant with the kitchen at the far end. Since I had the place to myself I chose a table in an alcove about half way along.

The waitress brought me the menu and a bread basket. For an Italian restaurant it didn’t seem like a particularly varied selection of bread but it did have some delicious croutons which I nibbled into extinction while waiting for the first course.

For starters I’d ordered Carpaccio Manzo ($98). Carpaccio is thin slices of beef in olive oil and lemon. This was garnished with a forest of aragula, pink peppercorns and topped off with shavings of parmesan cheese.

Although Sagrantino is essentially an Italian restaurant it is Japanese owned and though Carpaccio is technically beef, Sagrantino offers options with octopus, tuna, salmon, yellow tail and duck. Which, when you think about it are just logical variations.

I’d stayed with the traditional beef because I had ordered grilled salmon for main ($178). This was two generous salmon steaks swimming in an ocean of parsley cream sauce with some little roast potato cubes on the side. It looked quite striking and tasted wonderful. But it was almost too much. Almost. if you don’t have such a large appetite I would recommend sharing this and maybe a pasta.

The choice of desserts is not spectacular. Dessert of the day was orange sorbet. I was tempted but in the end I opted for tiramisu ($68). Tiramisu is so common in so many restaurants that I usually avoid it and I must confess, halfway through this I was wishing I’d had the sorbet. Not because the tiramisu was particularly bad. It wasn’t, it was perfectly edible. I just get bored with it.

It was one of the first pleasant evenings that we’ve had for some time, and I was in the mood for a spot of al fresco dining. Now, the options for al fresco in Wanchai are pretty limited. There is really only that stretch of restaurants at Sanlitun, opposite the Sun Hung Kai Centre.

All the restaurants along the side that directly faces the SHK Centre are well established and have been there for a long time. The only one I hadn’t eaten in was Mr Steak. I decided it was time to rectify the omission.

It’s quite a pleasant place to sit and watch people walk by. I ordered an Asahi beer and, as the the roar of Gloucester Road ebbed away with the last of the daylight, I turned my attention to the menu.

The set dinners offer a pretty wide range of options with two courses for $178, three courses for $198 and, for the very hungry, all you can eat for $328. The latter, I have to confess, was very tempting indeed.

But I had set my heart on a dry aged rib-eye (10oz $398).

The problem was the starters. On the a la carte side of the menu they were nowhere near as interesting as the ones on the set dinner side. A quick word with the waitress however resolved my concerns and I ordered baked escargot ($54).

There were six in all, tender and succulent. Three were served in shells, three stuffed into mushrooms and all served on little beds of creamed potato.

The dry ageing of beef is a traditional process. In the old days the meat was hung after being cleaned so that the outside dried. The juices on the inside helped tenderise and improve the flavour of the meat. It would have been hung anywhere from one to three weeks, losing considerable weight as it did so.

In today’s vacuum packed world, beef is more usually wet-aged inside sealed plastic bags. The meat doesn’t lose weight but nor does it gain richness of flavour.

Mine was served simply with baked potato and crisp garden vegetables and was quite delicious.

Desserts are Mr Steaks weak spots. There are soufflés and chocolate pudding which I’m sure are very nice but I do get bored with them and they do take a long time to prepare.

There was a wider selection of the set dinner side of the menu and I opted for caramelised apple tart. It was pleasant enough but I do appreciate it when a restaurant puts as much effort into it’s choices of dessert as it does with the other courses.

A couple of weeks ago, we noticed a new place opening just next door to the Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road, so when the chance came for a ‘ladies who lunch’ meeting, four of us booked into Duo.

It’s a sleek-looking place, with high ceiling, wooden floor, stylish but comfy seating, and enough space to give you some privacy. Ceiling high shelves hold some shiny knick-knacks and books which relax the look a little. At 1.30pm on a Wednesday, it was fairly busy, though not full. Strangely, for an Italian restaurant, the music playing softly was vaguely middle-eastern.

The friendly staff directed us to a centre table, and after we sadly rejected the extensive wine menu (it WAS lunchtime!) bustled off to fetch some sparkling water.

We were a little disappointed to discover there were no lunch specials, but I expect the restaurant is still a little bit new for that yet, so we turned to the main menu. A fairly diverse affair, with everything from open salad bar ($140, and it looked tempting), to a couple of burgers, to veal (at $320 a little deep for our pockets), and variety of pastas in the $100-150 range.

While pulling apart some crusty bread to dip into pesto, I decided you should always check out the spaghetti bolognese at a new Italian. My companions chose Quattro-formagio conchiglie, Penne arrabbiata, and a vegetarian risotto. All arrived together - in medium sized portions on enormous plates.

My bolognese at first bite was tasty. Of course its hard to get wrong, but the meat seemed high quality, and the sauce had just the right amount of oil to not smother it. Not as good as Mothers, though.

As for what I was allowed to taste of the other dishes, the four cheeses were almost overwhelming, but I noticed the plate got polished off even so. I’ve come to expect arrabbiata to be excessively spicy, and am not fond of getting my tongue burned, but this one was toned down a little, probably to cater for local tastes - which suited me fine. The risotto was pronounced ‘a little stiff’, but otherwise adequate.

As can happen with pasta, we were all full, but had managed to save enough room for a couple of bites of dessert. Almost everything on the dessert menu was chocolaty, except some sorbets, so we decided to share the ‘tiramisu boccata’ (which means a mouthful). Luckily it wasnt quite as small as billed, and we all managed a couple of little spoonfuls, and it really was delicious. I didn’t want to alarm my friends by then ordering another for myself, so we went ahead with a couple of coffees to wrap up the meal.

All in all it was a pleasant, relaxing lunch, and at $763 for 4 people, not overly priced. I imagine the restaurant’s main business however, will be the evening crowd. With its location under a glamorous new apartment block, and away from the bustle of Soho, it should attract a low key crowd with money to spend (I will go back for that veal one day!).

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.

This quiet little tapas bar is part of the Fleming Hotel. The waitress assured me that it is much busier at lunchtimes and breakfast. On the evening that I went, I was the only customer I saw. The location doesn’t help. The entrance is tucked away on Jaffe Road to the side of the hotel entrance. And there is nothing at all on the outside to betray its existence.

I took a table by the window, sinking deep into the sofa and the cushions. The walls are almost bare but the ceiling is an arrangement of cube shapes, some of which are light fittings. It made me think of the early nineteen seventies but the background music was modern jazzy based wallpaper music.

I decided I would start with a tapas or two … or three. The menu offers a tapas combo for $208. This is a choice of any three tapas on the menu. I knew it was going to be too much because I had already made my mind up that I was going to try the Tagliatelli ala Carbonara ($158)..

One of the tapas I ordered was Lime Bait; This is deep fried white anchovies served with wedges of lime. Arriving with that were meatballs in saffron and almond sauce. Both were enjoyable.

Arriving a short while later was deep fried camembert with cranberry sauce. All of these dished were fairly generous servings and could easily be used as starters in their own right. As tapas they are perhaps a little too big for one person but perfect for sharing. Since I knew I had over ordered anyway, I tried to restrain myself.

Carbonara is rather a routine dish but I’d had a hankering for one. This one lived up to my expectations well enough. The sumptuous sofa did become a bit of a problem. It’s fine when you are leisurely stabbing at tapas items but it puts you at a distinct disadvantage when dealing with something as recalcitrant as tagliatelli.

To finish off I ordered a small portion of banana cake and a coffee.

The menu at cubix isn’t large and it doesn’t contain any surprises. But the food is agreeable enough. I think the restaurants main advantage is that you can probably always get a table. If you must have pasta, remember to avoid the sofa seats.

I’d stopped here for a bowl of noodles a few times and I’d been impressed with how good they were. But I don’t like to eat big lunches, a bowl of Beef Pho ($34) is plenty, so I wandered back in the evening time to try a few of the other things on the menu.

It’s quite a new restaurant but already it does well for itself during the lunch time rush. In the evenings it closes at eight ‘clock but does have plans to stay open later in the near future.

I went along about seven and had the the place almost to myself. I was told that the reason the noodles are so good is because the soup is made the old fashioned way, by boiling the bones for 24 hours, rather than from prepared stock as is more common.

Another excellent noodle dish I’d tried was the prawn and crab roe with a tomato based soup ($34) but this time I wanted to try a few of the other things. Many of them were already familiar some other a littler more intriguing.

The sweet potato and chicken curry ($38), which can be served with either rice or baguette, was very tempting indeed. But another dish had caught my eye and I was keen to try them. These, according to the menu, were boneless chicken wings ($35). Since a chicken wing is mostly bone anyway I simply had to find out.

They were a delightful surprise. They don’t look much like wings, they are considerably bigger than I was expecting. This is because they have been stuffed with lemon leaves, minced vegetables and vermicelli.

I was offered two dipping sauces, one popular in the North of Vietnam, the other popular in the south. They were both good but I think if I could only choose one I would plump for the one from the north.

To accompany the wings I had some spring rolls, both the fried and the ’summer’ style cold spring rolls which were stuffed with tiger prawn. Another familiar item was sugar cane prawn sticks ($40) and rounding things off I had some thin slices of barbecue pork cheek.

By the time I’d wolfed all that down I was too full for dessert but there is a wide range of coconut milk based drinks. I’d ordered one with jackfruit so I finished off with that.

Pho Saigon is a little noodle shop with a big heart, the food is good and it is great value for money. Who can ask for more?

I love it when local friends take me out to dinner. Partly because we usually go to places that I wouldn’t think to go on my own. Places where you really need a group of at least four people so that you can try more dishes. And partly because most often I can’t read the menu so I am able to sit back and let my companions do the ordering

But at Crystal Jade reading the menu is bilingual and there is a photo of each dish so ordering is a breeze whichever language you speak.

It was an intriguing menu indeed, the dishes are mostly from Shanghai and the northern parts of China. There were many indeed that I would have liked to try but I was still happy to let the others order.

One of the first things to be ordered was an attractive ceramic jug containing what was called “Daughter red” wine. I didn’t catch the Chinese name, I suspect it may have regional variations. The wine itself is made from rice and wheat and can be served warm or cold. The taste reminded me of sake though the wheat gave it a much fuller flavour. It was a fine prelude to the dishes that followed.

The first dish to arrive was Marinated Ham Zhen Jiang Style ($48). “Chinese corned beef” one of my companions joked. I could see the similarity but the taste was altogether more delicate.

Next came Sautéed egg with compoy ($60). I was awarded the task of stirring the yolk. Compoy is made from shredded dried scallops and was really quite delicious.

Some sautéed prawns had also arrived, probably while I was busy stirring the egg. But what also arrived at about this time was a serving of ham and dried bean curd ($68). This is delivered with a plate of white unleavened bread. The idea is to make a little sandwich with a slice of ham and a slice of bean curd skin. It was so good I could have cheerfully polished off the entire plateful on my own.

Fortunately good manners prevailed and I turned my attention to the Fresh soy beans with bean curd leaves and preserved vegetables ($50). This too was a rather special dish. The bean curd leaves are small pieces of shaped bean curd slightly reminiscent of pasta. It was quite delicious and would make an excellent vegetarian option.

Another good vegetarian option was the Sichuan style hot and sour soup ($35). The main ingredients of this are soy bean, bamboo and fungus. It was sour but not nearly as spicy as I was expecting for a Sichuan dish. That said not all Sichuan dishes are spicy.

For dessert we shared a glutinous rice and sweet wine porridge and red bean and date pancake.

Crystal Jade is a very popular restaurant and reservations are highly recommended.

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 Sergio’s 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 though 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 whose smile seemed to know that that I’d been looking forward to it 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.

Adagio is a neat little cafe on Wing Lok Street offering western style food in simple but functional surroundings. It’s on the first floor above a flower shop, I got a table by the window where I was able to sit and look down at other people hurrying about.

I don’t know what it is, but there is something therapeutic about watching others hurry about while you are sitting waiting for a nice plate of food. I figured I’d better consult the menu and order something to wait for.

There is a set dinner menu offering four choices ranging in price from $158 to $198. But it was the smaller snack-sized dishes that caught my eye. I asked the waitress about how big these dishes were, she made a rectangular shape with her thumbs and index fingers. “Not too big then?” I asked. “Not too big.” She confirmed.

Thinking they would probably be about the size of an average tapas I ordered four. Mixed mushrooms with butter and cream ($26), baked broccoli with bacon and cheese ($26), Deep fried salmon nuggets ($32) and roast tiger prawn with beef tenderloin skewers ($42).

The mushrooms were the first to arrive and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. By adding a small serving of pasta there would have been enough for a hearty meal on it’s own. And it was very tasty indeed, with at least four types of mushroom.

Hot on it’s heels was the broccoli, again another generous serving. It began to dawn on me what a great place this would be to come for lunch with office mates. The food is simple but tasty and great value.

I hadn’t got far into the broccoli when the salmon nuggets turned up. Four golf ball-sized cakes of minced salmon deep-fried in bread crumbs and served with French fries. These were the crinkle cut variety and for once I didn’t mind. I had way more food than I could possibly eat so it was easy just to leave the fries.

The tiger prawns and beef were interspersed with peppers and tomatoes. This was the last dish to arrive and were my favourite of the lot and I managed to polish off both skewers. To the other dishes I made a commendable effort but I was determined to save just a little space for apple crumble with Ice cream ($30).

It was blisteringly hot when it came and I had to let it cool for a few moments. It will never replace mum’s apple crumble in my affections but it did round the evenings meal off adequately.

The food was good and excellent value, the staff were cheerful and attentive. What more could you ask for?

This is a well established restaurant. There are two branches. One is in Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui, but the one that we went to is in Century Square in D’Aguilar Street.

It’s a large restaurant that is very popular with both locals and expatriates. The decor is a mix of both traditional and modern. It’s not a intimate place it’s a place to go with a group of friends.

The staff are friendly, helpful and bilingual. So is the menu and although we did have native speakers in our group we had no problem ordering everything in English.

The menu is really quite varied offering dishes from Shanghai, Sichuan and Taiwan. Our first dish was poached tomato with pomelo and vegetarian sharks fin ($40). I think we were all intrigued by the vegetarian sharks fin but after we’d had it I we agreed that it was probably least interesting part of the meal.

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.

There is a group of four delightful old shophouses on Johnston Road just opposite the Southorn Playground. I must admit I thought there were due to meet the wreckers ball along with Wedding Card Street so I was pleasantly surprised, when I passed by a couple of months ago, to see that they were being renovated.

I didn’t give them much more thought until I passed by again the other evening. Renovations were obviously complete and there were lights and people moving about on the first floor. I had no idea what was there. I knew what I thought should be in a building like that and something in the way those people were moving made me think of waiters.

The ground floor shops were still vacant and there was nothing outside to give the game away so I located the narrow staircase and up I went. To my left at the top was an old foosball table and beyond that was an impressively stocked bar.

The floor is divided into sections and joined by arches. Modern light fittings are augmented by solo bulbs dangling from wires. Furnishing is simple but comfortable and there is a balcony that overlooks Johnston Road. It is a very pleasing atmosphere.

The building itself dates back to 1888 and was formerly occupied by the Woo Cheong Pawn Shop.

The staff made me feel very welcome and found me a table on the balcony. They are not fully operational yet. So far only the bar on the first floor is functional. By mid-April a restaurant occupying the second floor and the rooftop will be open.

But the bar menu does include a selection of pub grub items and a good range of beers. On draught there is Spitfire and Master Brew from England’s Shepherd Neame Brewery, Marsden’s Pedigree and Budejovicky Budvar from the Czech Republic as well as some more familiar names. There are also bottled beers from UK, US, Australia and Belgium.

I ordered myself a pint of Marsden’s ($60) and a plate of sausage and mash with peas and onion gravy ($88). The sausages were thick and tasty with herbs, the potato was smooth and creamy. I wolfed it all down in no time and then leaned back in my chair to enjoy the beer.

The new occupants have done a good job. They have preserved the buildings dignity whilst putting it to a new use. There are old-style pubs all over Asia, many of them are very nice indeed. But no matter how talented an interior designer is, they can never create the the atmosphere of a building that really is old.

Watch this space, I shall be back when the restaurant opens.

Vietnamese noodle shops are hugely popular at the moment, it seems there is a new one popping up every other day. I’m not sure how new Pho 26 actually is, it’s not a area I frequent too often, but it is extremely popular.

I first noticed it a few weeks ago but that time there was a queue already out of the door. The same thing happened on my second attempt a week later so by that time I was really curious.

That part of Queens Road isn’t exactly the life and soul of party-land so there had to be something that was drawing the crowds. So next time I got there around 6.30pm. There were already plenty of customers but tables were still available. I found one towards the back.

The decor is purely functional as one would expect, though the green that is beloved of Vietnamese restaurants is in evidence. The menu too is simple and functional consisting mainly of a variety of noodle dishes and a range of smaller side orders.

Top of the range of noodle dishes is the Top Choice Kobe beef Pho. It was an intriguing option and I’m sure it would have been delicious but at $138 I felt was perhaps a bit too luxurious. Each to their own of course, but for me a bowl of noodles shouldn’t require such deep pockets.

And indeed nothing else on the menu does. The next most expensive option regular Kobe Beef Pho ($49) so I decided to give that one a try. To go with it I ordered a side of pork and lemongrass paper rolls ($38). These are the popular Vietnamese style cold spring rolls.

There were some other items on the menu I would have liked to try, such as the black pepper steak cubes ($50) but I could already see the size of the noodles servings and knew it would be overdoing things.

The two dishes both arrived with impressive speed and, as I had anticipated, the noodles were a huge serving with a generous amount of beef that was gradually cooking in the piping hot soup base.

What I hadn’t been expecting were the two large slices of turnip that accompanied what was otherwise classic bowl of beef pho. But it was an inspired addition and I enjoyed the combination very much.

The menu also includes a variety of breakfast sets for around $25 and snacks that include everything from chicken wings to peanut butter and condensed milk on toast.

There are no desserts on the menu but the drinks can double as a sweet course. I had an iced ocean coconut milk ($17). I’m not sure where the ocean part comes into it but it was thick and sweet and laced with chunks of nata de coco. The straw it came with was very wide and cannon like. Presumably to allow solid matter to be drawn in but if you’ve never used one before you need to approach it with caution or will end up with coconut milk down your front. I speak from experience.

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 they 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 may be 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.

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. They 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 without 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.

Fridays were special days when I was a kid. We used to get off school fifteen minutes earlier so we’d go and play footy in the park for a while. There were no mobile phones back then, some of us didn’t even have land lines yet, but so long as we were home before dad, nobody minded.

On Fridays being home before dad was not a problem. On Fridays dad used to stop off at the chippy on the way home. I can never forget the blast of cold air accompanied by the warm smell of well wrapped fish and chips as he opened the front door. Mum already had the plates warming in the kitchen.

This was where the weekend began, dad was home, there was no school tomorrow and there was a plate of fish and chips warming my knees as we watched the telly. We were only allowed to have dinner in front of the telly on Fridays.

A few years later the chippy would be the last place I stopped at after a Friday night out. On a student budget a piece of cod was just a bit too expensive so I would often have a saveloy with chips.

I had my first saveloy in over twenty years the other evening. After college I moved to London. Saveloys were rare in London chippies so they slipped from my diet altogether.

This most recent saveloy I discovered, appropriately, in The Chippy. But whereas in England ‘the chippy’ is a generic term for a place that sells fish and chips, in Hong Kong it is at 51 Wellington Street. Though the entrance is around the corner on Pottinger behind all the fancy dress stalls.

It does a good job of looking like an authentic chippy. Plain white walls with just a touch of blue here and there. The menu is chalked up on a blackboard at one end and there are some tables squeezed into a narrow space between the counter and the outside wall.

I ordered the classic cod and chips ($95) to accompany my saveloy ($35 as a side order) and a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale ($45). There are plenty of other things on the menu; pies, pasties, Cumberland sausage, battered sausage or chicken. They can all be served with either chips or mash and with a choice of mushy peas, beans or salad. The fish options include cod, haddock and sole.

My piece of fish was firm, flaky and fresh, and cooked in a light, crispy batter. The chips were hand cut and actually tasted of potatoes rather than the oil they were cooked in.

Apart from a few places that sold banana fritters I don’t recall much else in the line of dessert from the chippies of my youth. The Chippy have addressed this by offering the iconic Scottish delicacy, the deep fried Mars Bar ($45). Here it is served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The Mars bar itself is sweet and gooey but you knew that anyway. The sweetness tends to overwhelm the taste of the batter. The batters main job, it seems, is merely to seal it in long enough to melt but not leak. Although mine was still a little firm in the middle.

The problem with Mars bars generally is that they are fine for the first few bites then I get bored with them. The same can be said for the deep fried variety, they need to be shared.

An odd name, even by the odd naming conventions of pubs. There are two branches, one in Tsim Sha Tsui and another in Times Square, Causeway Bay. I went along to the latter the other evening.

The ‘gastropub’, as 798 Unit & Co describe themselves is mostly reminiscent of a medieval beer hall. Nothing particularly odd about that, indeed the larger tables in the middle that are common in such beer halls are perfectly suited to Hong Kong peoples love of dining together in large groups.

What was a bit strange were the hacienda-like arches along one side and the distinctly Mediterranean menu. I’d already ordered a Murphy’s Stout and was searching the menu for something that might go with it. In the end I gave up thinking I could gulp the beer down while I was waiting for the food to arrive and then order a glass of wine.

I was wrong. I ordered two tapas, both of which arrived with a promptness and efficiency that was that was really quite impressive. I looked towards the kitchen with admiration. The kitchen is actually visible through the back wall. The bright reassuring cleanliness of the modern facility contrasts with both the beer hall and the hacienda.

The tapas were wasabi beef ($80) and grilled octopus with chorizo, roast tomato and onions ($68). Both were very good. The only criticism I would level would be at the octopus and chorizo and that was because there was substantially more octopus and whilst I do like it, I like chorizo equally.

The menu boasts all the regulation pizzas and pastas and delicious though they probably are, I figured that would be a mistake after two largish tapas. I’d already consulted with the waitress. We’d concluded that the Murphy’s would go well with a steak and we could probably get away with a pizza. But, if we left beer out of the equation than we both agreed that the salmon filet with parsley crust in a fish broth with tomato and olives ($108) would be ideal.

She assured me it was one of the lighter entrees on the menu and would leave me with ample room for dessert. It was delicious too. The soup had a pleasant sharpness to it that complemented the fish. I imagined it would probably do alright with a hint of jalapeño added to it.

I mopped up the last of the soup with the remains of the crusty bread that had been served when I arrived. And turned my attention to the stout. It had lost it’s ‘just out of the fridge’ chill which is actually beneficial for a stout. I spent a leisurely ten or fifteen minutes enjoying that and watching people arrive.

It was mostly an after office crowd while I was there and whilst it wasn’t full I doubt there would be too many complaints from the management. I guessed that by 8.30pm you would be lucky to get a table without a prior reservation.

All the dishes on the dessert menu are tried and trusted favourites. I ordered the brownies with banana fudge gelato ($42) and a coffee.

Nobody seemed all that fazed by the contrasting styles of the restaurant. I suspect I’m one of the few people around that actually notices these things. But it doesn’t really worry me, how can it when I am going to step out and straight back in to a bustling shopping mall?

This is a small restaurant just off Star Street at the Admiralty end of Wanchai that specialises in French/European styles. It is a very simple unpretentious place with just a few tables. It is spacious, clean and friendly.

There is a set menu for $195 which includes starter, main course and dessert, but it still offers a reasonable selection of dishes to choose from. But for a restaurant of this size I was rather surprised at the number of wines that it has to offer. I’m no wine expert but it did seem that some of the other guests were there for the wine rather than the food.

I ordered a glass of house red. The waitress did show me the bottle but I was so absorbed in the menu that, I confess, I wasn’t paying attention. It was a pleasant fruity wine and I was quite happy with it.

For starters I ordered smoked Herring with boiled potato. It was a decent piece of herring thought the potato could perhaps have done with another minute or two cooking. It didn’t stop me eating it though.

For main course I ordered the lamb stew in white wine sauce. This was served simply with plain boiled rice. It was pleasant enough but apart from some carrot in the stew Itself there were no vegetables. It needed some.

Dessert was chocolate mousse washed down with a good hot coffee.

Olala is a no-frills restaurant, the food was perfectly edible and at the price point there really isn’t much to complain about. But I do feel that a a little more attention to detail would turn a decent little eatery into a little gem.

That said if you are looking for a quick, no-fuss, hot dinner that is not burger related than Olala is just the ticket

One of the great things about travelling around Southeast Asia is that you rarely go more than a few metres without finding something wonderful to eat. Often it is being cooked right there before your eyes, and costs very little to taste.

I must confess, very often when I’m down that way I don’t get to sit down for dinner in the evening because I have spent the whole day snacking.

There is, of course, no shortage of Southeast Asian restaurants around Hong Kong but Husk is the first one that I know that is dedicated to bringing together a wide variety of those tasty morsels from all around the region. And while Husk may be in a fancy shopping mall, with fancy overheads to contend with, the prices are still very reasonable.

It’s a fairly large restaurant with huge tables rather like a dining hall. It would be great for large gatherings but is still good if there is only the one of you.

There is a wide range of curry and rice dishes including fish head curry. I was tempted but I’d made up my mind I wanted to try some of the smaller dishes. First up was Gai Yang ($48), grilled marinated chicken with a dip called nam jim. The main ingredients in the nam jim are fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar.

This was followed by marinated beef wrapped in betel leaf. The dish is called Bo La Lot ($38) and is served with the more familiar sweet chilli sauce.

Both dishes were really delicious and I was very tempted to order seconds. My third dish arrived in the nick of time. This was grilled Vietnamese eggplant ($38) slices and served with prawns and shallots.

The last dish I had ordered had been the Lime Cured Tuna with green mango, rose apple, mint and dried shrimp ($48). The problem with this was that the tuna was out of stock so the waiter offered to either have it prepared with crispy salmon, or change to the crispy salmon and cucumber salad.

I opted for the former. The salad itself is a Vietnamese variant of the famous Thai som tam though not usually as spicy. I guessed that the salmon would probably work just as well. I was right, the tanginess of the mango was a wonderful counterpoint to the salmon.

The eggplant had proved to be quite filling but I was just able to round off the proceedings with sago gula Melaka ($28). This is pearl sago with coconut milk and palm sugar.

With drinks added, the bill came to less than $300 and I ordered easily enough for two people. Good food, great value. What more could you ask for?

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.

This is a cosy little French restaurant on Whitfield Road in North Point. I’m sure it does a roaring trade at lunch times but in the evenings, when all the office staff have left the area, there doesn’t seem to be many customers around. That, of course, makes it a perfect spot for a quiet and romantic interlude. Alas, I was on my own.

But I wasn’t about to let that spoil my enjoyment. Even empty the restaurant has a lot of atmosphere. A variety of oil paintings line the walls while screens and a lamp help break up the rectangular shape of the room. A flagstone floor and art deco light fittings create the impression of a small bistro somewhere in Paris in the 1950s.

An intelligent selection of background music, that included selections by Edith Piaf and Django Reinhardt/Stéphane Grappelli’s Hot Five’s amongst others, completed the illusion.

It is a set menu but there are a range of options. The prices are $298 or $328 depending on you choice of entrée. I ordered glass of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) and thought about it.

The first course was soup. There was a choice between Clam Chowder and Seafood. I had opted for the latter which I found to be very agreeable.

This was followed by a rather delicious pan-seared foie gras. The outside was thin and crisp, the inside creamy and rich and absolutely bursting with flavour. There were several other options on the menu but when I make a return visit I know I’m going to find it hard to pass this one up in favour of something else.

The main course was Roast Suckling Pig. Served with asparagus and potato the flavour of the meat was wonderfully balanced with rosemary and thyme. Succulent and tender and with a beautifully golden and crisp outer skin.

Bringing up the rear was coffee and creme caramel. I did think about asking if there was a cheese board, I didn’t remember seeing it on the menu. But in the end I decided I was already feeling well satisfied so I let it pass.

I paid my bill, which I must say was very reasonable for the quality of the meal, said au revoir and stepped out of the Paris of fifty years ago and back into the Hong Kong of today

Gingko House is run by a social welfare group called Everbright Concerned Action and is staffed by entirely by retirement-aged workers. The idea behind it is to help alleviate the financial problems and loneliness encountered by the elderly.

It was a chilly evening when I arrived but the warm smiles of the staff made me feel instantly welcome. I was promptly shown to a table and given a menu.

The decor is simple but attractive. The tables are well laid out and the staff wear black waistcoats and bow ties. Tony Bennett crooning in the background completes an atmosphere of old fashioned charm.

The menu is predominantly French and Italian and offers some very tempting dishes such as Fried herbs sole fillet with truffle cream sauce or Pan-fried silver cod fillet with mango & angel hair pasta.

I ordered a glass of house red and an artichoke and avocado salad ($58). It was a generous salad, fresh and crisp, and could easily have been shared between two.

To follow I went for the roast rack of lamb ($208) which was served on a bed of mashed roast chestnut.

The Gingko dessert, as named on the menu, turned out to be a soufflé. Again it is a very generous portion and could easily be shared between two people. I did the best I could and it wasn’t long before I was looking at an empty plate. I finished off with a coffee.

It was a fine meal delivered by an enthusiastic staff who clearly enjoy their job. In 2007 Gingko House won the top award in a scheme organised by HSBC to recognise corporate commitment to social responsibility.

Wagyu is steak. It’s a particular kind of steak that is famous for it’s marbling which produces a high 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 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 dear friend for a pre-christmas dinner and 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 your 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 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 and 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.

Frites has been open a couple of months now, so when a friend suggested we meet there for lunch, I jumped at the chance - a restaurant named after chips! (thats fries to you Americans.)

The entrance is just up a few steps of Pottinger Street, from Queen’s Road Central, up a flight of stairs and you come out into a large bright room, with high ceiling, black and white checked tiles on the floor, and heavy dark wood furnishings, with banquette seating in dark green leather. The seating is generously spaced, so that even if you do share a table as we did, you never feel crowded.

At 12.45 there were only a few tables taken, but I noted that every one had a reserved sign on it. It later filled up, with a large proportion of European customers.

As expected from a Belgian place, the first large menu I was handed was mainly for beer, all offerings from the homeland, and ranging from $45 up. I’m not a huge fan of beer at lunchtime, so from the small wine selection, I ordered a New Zealand Rose, which was light and refreshing.

There is a set lunch of three courses for $98, from which I chose the pork and duck terrine to start, followed by linguini with mussels (how could I resist) in white wine sauce. My companion chose from the regular lunch menu, which was printed on paper placemats at every seat. Schnitzel and frites ($160) seemed appropriate.

There are a variety of other hearty items, including a ‘half-meter sausage’ with mash, which we noticed rolled up on a neighbor’s plate. There is also a selection of 6 different ‘mussel pots’ in half ($165) or full-kilo ($295) size.

The schnitzel arrived spreading across half the plate, and was tasty, but we were disappointed with the chips. If you’re going to name your restaurant after them, they really ought to be something special, and these were pretty standard fare.

The terrine was delicious, and came with a fresh berry compote. The linguine was quite small, but well prepared, the wine sauce a perfectly simple foil for the fresh juicy mussels. Overall, the lunch deal was a good one, with higher quality ingredients than many lunch ‘specials’. I noticed they also have an ‘Express dinner’ deal between 5-7pm - one course with house beer, or wine for $118, which I am sure I will go for in the near future.

I must admit, it is a very homey and comfortable place, which encourages you to hang around just a bit longer… and maybe you really ought to try one of those beers… It was certainly very difficult to think about getting back to work.

Robatayaki is Japanese style barbecue. The guests sit in a semi-circle or kind of horseshoe shape around the chef who cooks everything over charcoal while you watch. The waiters main job is to collect your orders and deliver drinks, sushi and sashimi. We ordered a Sapporo beer each while we considered the menu.

There is a good range of options. Plenty of seafood as you might imagine plus chicken and kobe beef and plenty of crisp fresh vegetables.

At $900 we decided to pass up the Kobe beef. It did look good but we wanted to try a few things without busting the budget.

The first thing we ordered was the okra ($55). I’ve never really understood why okra got the nickname ‘ladies fingers’, it doesn’t look a bit like anyones fingers. But whatever you call it, this is by far the best way to serve it as it keeps in check the vegetables natural tendency to turn gooey.

It wasn’t long before we had finished the beer and I had spotted some ’super dry’ sake on the menu. Unfortunately I didn’t catch the name for it in English but I’m a sucker for a dry chilled sake. My companion warmed to my enthusiasm and ordered a big bottle ($349).

By this time the black mushrooms ($60) had been delivered. The chef actually sits some distance away on the other side of the charcoal. The food is delivered by way of a large paddle, rather like a rowing boat oar.

The chef was getting into the swing of it by now and we had hardly stopped singing the praises of the mackerel ($95) when the Alaskan crab legs ($280) were delivered. The mackerel was the only dish to have a light soy sauce to accompany it. For all the others the only condiment was a squeeze of lemon. This was perfectly adequate as it allows the natural flavours of the food to come through unhindered.

Next up came the spicy fish roe ($90), and garlic ($45) and lastly grilled onigiri (rice balls). Robatayaki is simplicity itself and is a joy to eat.

For dessert my companion had a coconut ice cream and I a tangerine sorbet ($60 each). We both felt they rounded off the meal perfectly. The ice cream was served in a half coconut shell and the sorbet was served in a hollowed out tangerine skin and served on a bed of crushed ice.

The bill at the end came to a little over $1,300 which we decided was quite reasonable. Of course if you fancy the live lobster or the Kobe beef you’ll need to budget for considerably more than that.

The roof garden at Elements doesn’t really feel much like a roof garden. There are palm trees, a fountain and it’s surrounded by tall buildings. There is also a huge TV screen which, I suspect, will make the place hugely popular on big match nights.

But it’s a pleasant place and I would guess it’s existence will help persuade even the most stubborn significant other into a trip to the labyrinth of shops below. Especially if that significant other is allowed to sit in El Pomposo with a few glasses of sangria and a few tapas while the early game is on.

I must admit I’d been giving Elements a wide berth but I kept hearing about new restaurants opening I figured I should at least take a look. So I went on a Wednesday night in the hope that, since it was still very new, it wouldn’t be too crowded yet.

I was lucky. I had a quick whirl around the shops but, to the untrained eye, they look just like all the same shops you see everywhere else.

El Pomposo is an attractive place, modern but still very Spanish. You can sit at the bar or at one of the high-perched tables. I chose a table from where I could watch the whole bar.

The staff were cheerful and friendly. Enthusiastic without being overbearing. I ordered a Sangria Blanco and a plate of Escalivada ($45). This is a dish from the Catalan region in north east Spain and consists of roasted eggplants, bell peppers and sweet onions and seasoned with olive oil and garlic.

It is served cold and it arrived along with my first sangria. The other dishes I’d ordered were hot so I knew they would take a little longer to prepare. The Sangria Blanco is white wine based mixed with lemon, apple and grape.

The next dish to arrive was Pinchios de Vieras con Jamon Serrano ($88). Succulent scallops wrapped in serrano ham and skewered on a sprig of rosemary. Hot on their heels came Patatas Al Azafren ($45), or potatoes cooked in saffron.

The great thing about tapas is that the dishes are quite small and you can just keep on ordering until you’ve had enough. I’d already ordered another sangria and decided I needed something more to nibble while I drank it. Lomo Embuchado ($65) I thought would do the trick.

This is cured pork loin and it is served with tiny dill pickles, pearl onions and mayonnaise. I’ve never been fond of mayonnaise but it is easy to ignore. The pork, seasoned with olive oil, was delicious.

I finished the food and the sangria ran out at about the same time. Which was convenient because, after four dishes I was feeling quite full. I also felt that another sangria might make the MTR harder to find.

There has been quite a lot of talk about Cherry Garden and the other restaurants that are popping up around Tai Hang. Though most of them actually popped up a year or more ago. It’s also been suggested that the area could be the next restaurant district. Wun Sha Road where most of the restaurants are isn’t all that appealing, but the narrow roads and low rise buildings nearby certainly would have possibilities. At the moment, however, it is mostly auto repair shops.

Anyway, I’d heard good things about The Cherry Garden so I decided it was time to go and see for myself.

It’s a popular little place, I got there just after seven and it was already quite busy. There is a rather large lighting fixture but otherwise the decor is clean and simple. There are some Chinese style square tables and stools and some conventional rectangular tables. Some jazzy sounds were drifting from a loudspeaker somewhere but it wasn’t very loud.

The menu is European and fairly straightforward. There is a choice of steaks, lamb, chops and chicken. There are also pasta and pizza options as well as vegetarian choices. It struck me as being a pretty well balanced menu for all the family.

For starters I was hankering after some calamari ($34) but the potato skins ($28) were also tempting so in the end I ordered both. The skins came stuffed, one side with bacon and cheese the other side vegetables in a tomato sauce. Both dishes were garnished with a little jungle of salad greens.

For the main course I’d ordered the baby back ribs ($98). The menu warned of a thirty minute wait (hence the two starters) but it didn’t take anywhere near that long.

“We’re not that busy tonight,” the waiter assured me. I looked around and thought that there must be quite a lot of restaurants that would kill to be ‘not that busy’ on a Wednesday night.

The ribs were served with regulation fries. These were a little ordinary but the ribs themselves were perfectly acceptable. Again there was a little forest of green on the side but this time there were some peppers to add a little colour.

Now I have often said that a meal isn’t complete without dessert, and I have also often lamented that too many restaurants don’t make the effort to come up with interesting choices. But Cherry Garden really pull out an ace with their Earl Grey Pudding and Fresh Fruit Sabayon ($38).

The Sabayon (from the Italian zabaione) is a light airy sauce made from eggs, sugar and some kind of liquor poured over watermelon, pineapple and papaya. Green tea ice cream had never really excited me but the Earl Grey pudding was truly yummy.

I left and headed back towards Causeway Bay through the narrow streets. I could envision tables on the pavement, plants growing up walls. People spilling out onto street corners, drinks in hand, on balmy summer evenings. It would indeed make an excellent bar and restaurant district. But I couldn’t help thinking that if it did take off, it would attract the attention of some corporate behemoth who would wreck the place for everyone and put up some soulless concrete and glass tower.

I got into a bit of a mess. I like to think my chopstick technique is pretty good but peeling prawns just isn’t possible, so it was fingers to the fore.

These particular prawns were cooked in Hakka rice wine and served on a bed of steamed cucumber so they were particularly messy. But they were also really delicious and I wasn’t about to let decorum, or the threat of a stained shirt, put me off.

Hakka Ye Ye, as the name suggests, serves traditional Hakka cuisine but the restaurant itself is prim and modern. Only a few tastefully framed photographs on the wall hint of the past. It’s quite a small place and the lack of more elaborate decor allows it to seem more spacious.

The staff were friendly and efficient, tofu nibbles and tea were served the moment I sat down. They were also more than happy to explain the dishes. For a starter I’d had the the Ye Ye crispy pork nuggets ($42).

These were dumplings of minced pork mixed with dried squid and fried in a bean curd wrapper. Hakka Ye Ye does have a small wine list but the glass of Tsing Tao that I had was probably a much better accompaniment.

The main event were the prawns ($138) though drunken chicken had also been a contender. For vegetable I ordered stir fried mixed mushrooms with snow peas ($88) and white and red mixed rice.

All the dishes were generous servings, designed for sharing, so by the end of it I was really quite full. I had just enough room left for a bowl of pumpkin and sago.

It was a good meal. And considering it could have fed two of us excellent value as well.

Yes, yes I know it sounds a bit like a clothes shop but it’s actually not a bad little Italian place on Minden Avenue, around the back of Chungking Mansions. There’s quite a few trendy little cocktail bars down there as well.

Both of these discoveries surprised me. The last time I had been around the back of Chungking Mansions was a very long time ago indeed. Old hands may remember there was a pub called the Blacksmiths Arms around there somewhere but pretty well nothing else.

I’d been up on Granville Road and was trying to find my way back to Star Ferry through those little back-streets that all look the same. Every time I go up that way I do the same thing, and every time I get lost. Still It’s usually a good excuse to stop somewhere and cool off. Last time I accidentally found Fatts Place (I had tried to find it once before but failed). This time I stumbled upon Giardino.

It was a little before seven in the evening, the place seemed reasonably quiet and the staff all had friendly smiles so I went in.

It’s on a corner but the interior is a rather peculiar ‘V’ shaped affair, with one side of the restaurant not being able to see the other. The interior designers handled their task well and turned an odd shape into a cosy little restaurant just perfect for a romantic tryst. Which is just what the only other customers appeared to be enjoying.

I tried to flutter my eyes at the waitress but she merely thought I was ready to order. I asked for a glass of Pinot Grigio and a plate of Grilled Garden Vegetables ($68) and hid behind the menu while I made up my mind what to have for main course.

For an Italian restaurant I thought the bread basket was a little bit spartan, usually Italian restaurants have better bread than most. This one offered only a couple of bread sticks and a single piece of herb bread. I hoped it wasn’t a sign of things to come.

The vegetables were pleasant enough though. They consisted of slices of red and yellow peppers, aubergine (eggplant), and zucchini. Grilled and very lightly salted.

For main course I ordered the grilled swordfish with tomato salsa and a pesto cream sauce ($168). Swordfish is quite dense but flaky. It’s also moist and a little sweet. It was served with some more grilled vegetables on a bed of creamed potatoes and it worked well with the pesto sauce.

There were only four desserts on the menu, all of them quite predictable. I opted for the Strawberry Napoleon ($60). This is essentially layers of strawberries and cream. I’ve never been very complimentary about the quality of strawberries found in Hong Kong but all credit to the chef who had obviously gone to great lengths to find some decent ones.

Giardino may not be the best Italian restaurant in Hong Kong but it is perfectly acceptable at it’s price point. And it is a very cosy little hideaway.

La Terrasse is at the top of Old Bailey Street. I’ve thought about going there loads of times but by the time I’ve trudged up Pottinger Street I give up and go somewhere on Wyndham. However I was up on Caine Road the other afternoon when a sneaky plan formed. I would walk along to the top of Old Bailey Street and walk down the hill.

Problem was that this particular section of Caine Road might as well be a foreign country. I sallied straight past and was well on my way to Glenealy before I realised the error of my ways and had to turn back.

Of course most people would say “Why didn’t you just take a taxi, you great lummock.” It’s a reasonable question and indeed, sometimes I do. But I do like to feel like I’ve earned my dinner by way of a little physical excersise. Twenty yards downhill is just about right in my book. So by the time I arrived, after my little excursion to Glennealy, I was feeling thoroughly deserving.

La Terrasse is a cosy little restaurant. I found myself a seat by the widow surrounded by cushions. I was the first guest for dinner though there was a small group at the bar. Conversation was in French, the background music was French, the menu was in French. I had a feeling that this was going to be good.

There were English translations on the menu but, although my French never did rise above schoolboy level, the ability to read a menu is something I’ve always been quietly proud of.

A glass of Chardonnay was delivered along with a delightfully presented salmon canapé.

I think I would have been happy with anything on the menu. The Fish soup sounded good and so did Filo pastry with four cheeses and almond. But in the end I opted for Terrine de Foie Gras marinée au Vin Doux ($125). This is Chef Rene’s very own home-made Duck liver terrine marinated with muscadel, a musky flavoured white wine.

It was wonderful. I always try to take these things slowly, to savour them and make them last, but it never works. All too soon I find myself staring at an empty plate.

But Chef René was on the case and I didn’t have long to wait for the main course. Filet D’Agneau, sauce crème D’Ail ($195), or Lamb fillet with a creamy garlic sauce. Again this lived up to it’s promise and all too soon I was mopping the last of the delicious sauce with the last of the bread.

Dessert was Crème brûlée ($79) and a coffee. By now more people had arrived but conversation was still in French. I gazed out the window and watched passers-by going down the hill.

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.

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 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. Nevertheless we welcomed the idea of a refreshing ale and a bite to eat.

The pub has an interesting selection of bottled beers from England including several from the Fullers brewery. I opted for a bottle of Fullers Organic Honeydew Ale. Largely because I have some 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 are 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 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 Cheesecake 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.

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.

I don’t get myself over to Kowloon side very often. Very slack of me I admit because there is no shortage of excellent places to eat. Fate took me over there the other afternoon, so as soon as I was free I made a beeline for Knutsford Terrace.

I’d been planning to check out all the options along the Terrace and in Observatory Court but then the rain beat me to it. Fortunately I was right outside BB’s Bistro which had been high on the list of possibilities anyway. So I decided to dive inside and save the research for more clement weather.

The good thing about wet weather is that there are fewer people out and about. On previous occasions when I’d thought about dining at BB’s it has always looked very busy. This time I almost had the place to myself.

A friendly waiter showed me to a table by the window and we chatted briefly about the new Premier League football season while another went to fetch the menus and a blackboard with the days oysters options.

I declined the oysters but I did order a glass of very nice Chilean Sauvignon to read the menu with.

The menu is very French and I’m sure I would have been happy with just about anything but one that took my fancy for starters was the Salted Codfish, with Bell Pepper, Asparagus and Mozzarella ($82). It also had mango but that was fine by me, I love mango.

The dish was presented as a neat little tower over which the waiter ground some black pepper. It tasted as good as it looked and I demolished it with gusto.

For the main course I had Loin of black pork with polenta and glazed vegetables ($188). A thick and juicy cut of pork on a polenta base topped with carrots and onions and garlic.

The waiter kept stopping by for a little banter, his way of making sure everything was OK without having to repeat the same question for every course.

For desert he recommended the Rhubarb Confit with Oranges and Candied Fennel ($52). A comparatively new dish to the menu he informed me. And one that I expect to be on the menu for some time to come.

Quite a few more guests had arrived by now and despite the weather the restaurant was doing well. I finished with a coffee and splashed off into the night telling myself that I really must get over this side more often.

Guest review

My hike up the Peak every weekend is made more pleasant with something to look forward to - gulping down a four-glass shaker of magarita that costs only $70.

Besides that, I get to eat shrimps cooked in every possible way - shrimps in tasty buttery/Cajun broth, Cajun shrimps, fried shrimps, grilled shrimps, cold salad shrimps, and the list goes on. The servings are generous, unlike those usual shrimp dishes where you only get five small shrimps that can hardly satisfy your shrimp craving.

It’s not just all shrimps, however. There’s also juicy burgers, pan fried fish and other mainstream dishes. However, the highlight and chef’s recommendation is of course, the Cajun shrimp.

Main dishes cost about HK$100-170, while appetisers cost less than HK$100. Because of the generous servings, just one main dish and another appetiser is enough to fill up two adults. If you order a shrimp platter, you even get to read the Forrest Gump newspaper which wraps up the platter of shrimps.

Another great thing is the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co Restaurant is one of the best spots to see the fireworks and admire the Hong Kong skyline while devouring your meal.

Some might say there’s a Forrest Gump overload, but I admit that I am a Gump fanatic and the souvenir store piled with Gump-themed T-shirts, water bottles, tank tops, towels, etc is just fab. I got one that says: I love Bubba. Forrest Gump fans get to watch the movie replayed over and over again, while sports fans can also watch seasonal games in the bar area.

Don’t forget to look out for all the famous quotes from the movie on the walls, tables and on the T-shirts of course: ‘Run Forrest Run’ and ‘Mama says life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are getting’. In Bubba Gump, though, you can be sure that at the least, you’ll be getting some great food.

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 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 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.”

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 enjoy 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, 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 criticism 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.

This is a brand new cafe that has just opened at the western end of Bonham Strand. I used to live near here many years ago and would have been grateful for a place like this.

It follows a familiar format, they offer coffee, tea, smoothies or shakes. There is a range of sandwiches and other types of hot and cold snacks available. And there are, of course, cakes and pastries.

I hadn’t really been planning to go there but I was passing and there it was, so I decided to pop in and take a look. They’d only been open four days but they seemed to be well organised already. The staff were cheerful and friendly.

The decor is pleasant. Pastel green and comfortable seats make you feel relaxed but there isn’t a printed menu. I had to get up again and read the board by the door. I can understand the the sandwiches and pastries may well vary from day to day but a printed drinks list would have been helpful. I was hot and gasping.

I ordered a smoothie called a daydreamer, and I went for a large one ($32) since the large was only a couple of dollars more than the regular. The daydreamer is mostly berries, with raspberry and blueberry being dominant. It was deliciously sharp and tangy. I like that.

To eat, I ordered a slice of bacon, onion and tomato quiche ($25) and a peppered ham sandwich ($38). The quiche was a pleasant surprise. I’ve been to so many places where the quiche is dry and lifeless, but this was moist and tasty with a generous amount of cheese mixed in.

It’s difficult to hurt sandwiches but one surefire way of doing so is to slop massive amounts of ‘mayo’ onto them. I’m happy to report the good folks at Graze resisted the temptation. Although if you are partial to lots of mayo I’m sure they would oblige and slather some more on.

I’d cooled down a little now and moved towards the door to surf the internet on one of the two funky iMacs there. That meant the pastries were right behind me and despite being a little full already I could hear a slice of apple crumble singing to me ($25). I was also intrigued to find out what iced green tea with vanilla would be like.

Both were good. The crumble would have benefitted with the addition of some cream or custard. The tea did need to be sweetened and there is a choice of honey or syrup. The correct amount will vary from person to person. I think it may take me a bit of practice to get just right.

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.

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 - 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.

Friends who’ve been away from Chinese food for almost a year called and almost begged me to eat Peking Duck with them while they were visiting Hong Kong.

Without even mentioning a name, we all pretty much immediately knew where we would be going… The American Restaurant (of course!). Despite its rather suspicious name, all of us had eaten there before, and it is famous for its Peking Duck.

So, early Tuesday evening, a table of 6 adults and one lively 2 year old descended upon the little old men that serve in the place. They cleverly put us in a corner so the 2 year old would be nicely trapped. Its a medium sized restaurant - maybe 10 large tables, and kind of old fashioned, with light wood panelling surrounding large mirrors on all the walls.

When we arrived we were the second table filled, but the place soon filled up and the noise rose to dim-sum levels.

Once at the table, I took a quick, rather alarming glance at the menu - the first item was Sharks fin soup at $1380 for a medium serving and $2160 for a large. Beggars’ chicken, which I would have loved, needed to be ordered in advance, so that was out.

Then I remembered that as I’d come through the entrance I’d noticed a faded sign on the wall for set dinners, and it had seemed like a good deal, including pretty much everything we’d be likely to order. I asked for the set and our waiter looked very confused for a moment and then said ‘Oh, but thats only for the small tables upstairs’.

‘But it’s a menu for 6 and we ARE 6 (and a half)’ I replied. He didn’t seem eager, but eventually he wandered back with a faxed copy of the set dinner menu for us, which we promptly ordered.

First up came quite a strong-tasting soup, with chicken, noodles and elephant ear fungus. A huge pile of minced pigeon came next, with fresh lettuce leaves and oyster sauce to wrap around.

The green onion cakes were a little oily, and not too popular at our table. However, following them was Ôkun pao’ prawns which were delicious - soft, plump, and both sweet and slightly spicy.

At last the duck appeared - we didn’t get a whole duck with the set, but it was large, and there was plenty to go around. There’s not a great deal to say about it. Peking duck is yummy, popular, and American Restaurant is famous for doing it right - thin pancakes, sweet sauce, crispy skin - perfect. (Oh, okay I’ll give a niggle! I wished there was more in the way of scallion, and that the cucumber had been cut a little thinner than finger-width.)

Having forgotten what was on the menu, we were surprised when more food started arriving. Sizzling beef with ginger and green onions looks impressive, with a huge cloud of steam rising from the platter (actually we were also impressed by the way the waiter handled what must have been an incredibly hot metal lid), but the beef was a little too gristly for our table. Cashew nuts with chicken came last - I believe it said chicken and cashew nuts on the menu, but was hard pressed to find much meat. The sweet, sticky nuts were pretty much good enough on their own though, and by now, everyone was pretty full.

Just as we were about to ask for the bill, the waiter suddenly reappeared with a bowl of iced water. Oh! dessert! Out came a plate with a selection of cooked apple, pear and banana pieces, covered in hot, runny toffee with sesame seeds. These were then dipped in the ice water and passed around. Absolutely delicious.

All this came to only $1261, with a couple of soft drinks, and many tea refills. For a place with such a good reputation, thats’s been around just about forever, and that is popular with the tourists, I think that’s a brilliant deal.

The waves were lapping the shore, birds were chirruping in the trees. My colleague and I made our way along a table of delicious yet healthy looking morsels choosing whatever took our fancy. Which in my case was a bit of pretty well everything.

It was hard to believe that we were really in a restaurant on small road at the back of Western Market.

I don’t know how long Harvester has been open, it is still quite new looking so I would guess its less than a year. Having said that, it is already very popular, we were there around 7pm and it was already quite busy. I’m told that it gets very busy at lunchtimes.

It is not difficult to understand why it is so popular, it combines two of my favourite elements. Good food and great value.

The system is simple. Once you have found a table you collect a plate and choose the items you want from the buffet. Once you have decided, the cashier weighs the food and charges accordingly, $12 per 100 grams of food. Mine came to $48. It’s a system the the owners believe encourages people to take only as much as they need.

The food was a blend of western and Chinese style vegetarian dishes. There were potatoes, tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, vegetable dumplings, fake prawns on tofu, mushroom and pumpkin dishes. All of which were very tasty indeed. I can’t really single one out above the others, nor can I think of one that I would rather not have had.

In addition there is congee, green bean soup and brown rice all included in the cost.

Harvester also stocks a wide range of other organic products such as wine and herbal teas. They can cater for private parties and corporate events and even offer a health consultation service.

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 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 Mccoy, and without the chilli it took a few mouthfuls to get used to.

But it was still an interesting dish. It will never replace the 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.

Given my aversion to shopping this is the kind of place that I could easily miss. Indeed, had missed until I was asked if I’d eaten there, and what I thought of it.

The restaurant is tucked away on the second floor of the Goods Of Desire shop overlooking Leighton Road in Causeway Bay. It’s not a fancy place, it’s exactly the kind of place you might want after a hectic afternoon shopping.

The decor is simple but functional. Some of the tables have nice sofas on which to lounge and the red Chinese lanterns that hang from the ceiling are a pleasing touch.

It is quite busy though there are still unoccupied tables. Most of the other guests appeared to be young couples taking a break from the melee in the shops and one group of office girls who seem to be celebrating something.

The menu offers an intriguing selection of international dishes. The starters alone tempted me with satays, Vietnamese style spring rolls, deep fried camembert with cranberry sauce. I was torn between potato skins ($28) and some thing called ‘Slim+Fit’ which consisted of sauteed spinach and garlic.

Good sense told me I should go for the healthy option but right at the last moment indulgence prevailed. I knew I was going to enjoy the potato skins. Indeed potato skins are pretty hard to hurt. All you need is a dollop of melted cheese, some sour cream to dip them in and a sprinkle each of bacon bits and chives. And for the price I thought they were excellent value for money too.

The menu also offers a wide range of shakes, smoothies and other drinks. I ordered a banana strawberry shake ($38).

For main course I had a dish called ‘In bed with Pumpkin’ ($88). This included a salmon steak served with home made pumpkin mash vegetables and dill sauce.

I was pleased with the choice, it had been a tough call between that and the fish and chips with beer batter. For people who might want something lighter Home Cooking also serves Vietnamese, Malaysian and Japanese noodle dishes.

For dessert I opted for the ginger pudding with ginger Ice cream ($48) and rounded off with a coffee.

This is a neat little eatery, decent food and reasonably priced. And you can do all your shopping on the way out!

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’m not sure if there are any pelicans in England, if there are there can’t be many. Nevertheless, the Pickled Pelican is an English style pub.

Two of them in fact. The one we went to was on Wyndham Street. It does a fairly decent job of looking English, the bar area is certainly inviting and appears to be quite popular despite being very new. The only thing lacking is a yard of ale glass hanging invitingly from the ceiling above the bar.

The dining area, with it’s comfy, leather upholstered, chairs and sofas struck me as being a little more club like. Maybe not the best for eating at but great for lolling back on, watching the sport on TV and enjoying a fine English ale.

And the Pickled Pelican does indeed have some fine English ales. Some of the country’s most popular traditional brews are represented. Amongst others there are Abbot’s Green King from Suffolk, Ruddles County from Rutland and Old Speckled hen from Oxfordshire.

Cider is represented by Henry Weston’s Vintage Reserve from Hereford and there are Tetley’s, Guinness and Strongbow Cider on draught.

In addition to the beers there is also an impressive range of malt whiskies. Thirty-three in all - detailed on their own special menu to suit all palates and pockets.

I ordered an Abbot’s, my companion - in this case my 19-year old son - a pint of Strongbow cider and we turned our attention to the menu.

The food is typical pub fare, bangers and mash with onion sauce, fish and chips and shepherds pie are all there. And there is also an all day breakfast.

My son wasn’t interested in a starter but discovered that he liked my paprika dusted whitebait ($68) so much that he ate almost half of it. Luckily it was a fairly generous serving so I didn’t mind though I nearly used it as an excuse to order some deep fried camembert ($68).

For main course my son ordered smoked salmon on Welsh rarebit ($142). “Do you know what Welsh Rarebit is?” I asked. It certainly looked a nice piece of salmon but try as I might I couldn’t see the Welsh rarebit. “It’s cheese mashed potato”, I was informed. “Is it good?” I asked. I received a hearty nod of approval so I decided that was the most important thing.

I ordered the fish and chips with tartar sauce ($105) and was delighted to find that a little cruet of vinegar was provided without me having to ask.

There are only two desserts on the menu - Lemon Meringue Pie and Rhubarb Crumble (both $55). I had the rhubarb. It’s one of those dishes that will always be measured against how mum used to make it. And, of course, it will never be as good as that. But it was still very good. Served with with vanilla sauce and garnished with a strawberry.

My son despatched the Lemon meringue pie with the same enthusiasm with which he polished off his main course so I concluded all was well.

Guest Review
It was once right in the middle of Staunton Street by the escalator, but is now hidden in a corner along Gough Street in Noho because of the skyrocketing rentals. So now, it is overshadowed by the long queues outside a beef noodle restaurant and an open-air traditional Hong Kong ‘Daipaidong’. However, Kiyotaki’s very own reputation of fresh sashimi and tasty yakitori has made its own mark in this increasingly hip and trendy area.

As you step in, the staff is always ready to greet you with a loud ‘Irashaiimase’. The lighting is fairly dim but bright enough to see your food, and the restaurant is cosy enough for talks, or even secluded enough to let you fight with your partner. Big groups are welcome too, and the owner has even added a LCD TV for ‘dining-alone’ clients who want to catch up on their soaps. If you are lucky, you will see local celebrities here.

The restaurant seems to be aiming to maintain a homey feel despite the higher prices.

Yes, the food is expensive, but which good Japanese restaurant isn’t? The sashimi platter is always worth the HKD160 or HKD220 because there is a wide variety of seafood and fish, plus its always fresh. And the chef will always recommend the fresh sashimi of the day. There is a long list of barbecued skewers to choose from, with prices starting from HKD20. There are also the traditional nimono (Japanese home-cooked and boiled food), rice dishes including sushi, onigiri, ochazuke and Japanese noodles like udon and soba. The food is authentic and fit for anyone who feels like a real Japanese feast.

Besides the normal Sake (cold or hot or masu sake), the restaurant has Ichiiko Sochu and clients can choose to order by glass or by bottle (which you can keep for your next visit). A glass of Sochu mix costs about HKD70 and a bottle costs HKD300. Ordering a bottle will, of course, make more sense.

We always start off with a sashimi platter, followed by a skewer platter, and a grilled cod fish, salmon head, beef with baby mushrooms, or fried vegetables. Our favourite skewers include beef tongue which is barbecued with Japanese spices, ginkyo nuts which go well with drinks, and sea prawns which cost HKD40 (a bargain compared to other expensive Japanese restaurants) and nicely done of course.

It is not so much about cost, it is more about what type of Japanese food you want to find. If you are desperate for real authentic Japanese food, then this is the place. The best thing is the place can only accommodate about 20 or so patrons, so it would never be too crowded and rowdy. Just be prepared to spend at least HKD500 for food and drinks (not including bottle orders) for two persons.