Eat Drink Hong Kong

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This is a funky and informal Italian restaurant in the new iSquare. Pasta, Pizza and Vino it says across the top of the door. I skipped both the pasta and pizza but I did treat myself to a glass of vino. A Riesling, in fact, which was delivered along with a large crusty bread roll and some olive oil.

There is quite an impressive list of wines on offer. It is also interesting to note that the wines which are available by the glass can also be ordered by the half glass for those who just like a taste.

The restaurant attracts a young crowd and, being in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, a lot of them. I got in before the crowd and snagged a table near the front. This meant I couldn’t see the larger part of the restaurant but I could watch busy shoppers passing by. The interior wall to my left was decorated with an assortment of pots, enamelled iron pans, and what looked like takeaway pizza boxes. It was a pleasing effect.

There are two set meal options. Both of them are four courses and cost either $298 or $348. I’d decided to bypass those and order from the a la carte. The first dish up was cantaloupe melon with parma ham ($115).

The ingredients are simple enough but this was served in a way that I’ve always thought it should be served, large chunks of ripe melon draped with a generous portion of ham all on a wooden board. Easily enough for two people sharing.

It was just as the waitress delivered this dish that I spotted a dish called Spada. This is swordfish prosciutto garnished with tiny shavings of citrus fruit and served with avocado and lime salsa ($128). I just had to try one.

For my main course I ordered what the menu called Orata ($248). This is one of the most popular fish in Italy and was held sacred by the Greek goddess Aphrodite. It’s English name is gilthead sea bream and while it may sound less poetic it tastes every bit as wonderful. The flesh is firm and fragrant with a slightly buttery taste. It comes stuffed with rosemary and garlic, oven baked with olives and capers and served with potatoes, tomatoes and a forest of crisp fresh salad.

For dessert I opted for the Tortas Di Mele ($68). It sounded good on the menu; Apple tart made with Granny Smith apples and served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Whilst it was perfectly edible it just seemed a little ordinary after the previous dishes.

Shop 307 iSquare
63 Nathan Road
Tel 2328 5202

5/F The Mira HK
118 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2315 5999

5/F The Mira HK
118 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2368 1111

1881 Heritage
2A Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3988 0104

Hullett House
2A Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3988 0220

Hullett House, 2A Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3988 0101

G/F 8 Hart Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2368 7299

Hullett House, 2A Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3988 0107

G/F Beverley Commercial Centre
87-105 Chatham Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2721 8171

4/F Winfield Commercial Building
6-8a Prat Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2367 0555

Empire Centre
66-68 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui East
Kowloon
Tel 2311 3310

2/F Katherine House
53-55 Chatham Road South
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2827 7701

Empire Centre, 66-68 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui East
Kowloon
Tel 2311 4567

G/F Rose Mansion
1 Prat Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2311 4430

B/F Shop B, The Pinnacle
8 Minden Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2730 4788

Hullet House Main Building
2a Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3988 0101

208 1881 Heritage
2A Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2604 1881

The Minden
7 Minden Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2739 7777

7 Hillwood Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2736 0778

4/F Carnarvon Plaza
20 Carnarvon Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2368 1263 till they get their own number in Jan ‘10 CHECK

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

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.

Shop G7-8 Tsimshatsui Centre
66 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2722 7050

5/F 51-52 Haiphong Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2739 3982

2/F 12-16 Humphrey’s Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2721 8970

Shop 1, 17-23 Minden Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2312 1919

8 Hart Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2369 1260

48 Cameron Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2311 4223

10 Kimberley Street
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2367 5025

42-44 Cameron Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2311 9198

Lobby, Gateway Hotel
Harbour City
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2113-7935

I don’t often eat steaks at restaurants, its the kind of thing I cook at home along with home made English style chips and a glass of fine beer. But when the pangs hit not even a hike across Tsim Sha Tsui at six-thirty in the evening is enough to deter.

Now when I was a young lad BLT stood for bacon, lettuce and tomato. The three would usually be found between two slices of crusty bread and would be enjoyed with a piping hot mug of tea.

In Ocean Terminal BLT stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel which is the latest establishment to be opened by celebrity chef Laurent Tourondel. It’s also the first one to be opened outside the US. And it was here that my feet were taking me.

It is a modern cosmopolitan place with stunning views across the harbour if you’re lucky enough to be there when there isn’t a cruise ship in. The staff are friendly and efficient and soon led me to a table with an impressive view of the Silver Whisper cruise ship. Can’t have everything I thought and buried my nose in the menu.

Naturally there’s a full range of steak options with Australian and Wagyu beef. There are also some intriguing seafood possibilities and the Alaskan cod was very tempting. But it was steak that had brought me here and I was steak that I was going to have.

The top end of the menu was a bit beyond my budget but the 10oz Australian filet ($268) looked good but before that I ordered Spicy Rock Prawns with Blue Cheese Dressing ($138)to get things started.

While I was waiting for these the waiter delivered what he called “bread” but according to a little label on the side of the plate it is called a popover. Most British people however would know it as Yorkshire pudding. And a very good one and huge too, with cheese added during the baking.

Before long the prawns arrived. They were succulent and tasty. I wouldn’t have been unhappy had been a little spicier but not everyone would agree with that.

To go with the steak I’d ordered Potato Gratin ($58). “It’s very rich,” confided the waiter, “this one is for cheese lovers”.

The steak was all I could have hoped for. Cooked medium rare, it was lean and juicy. It wasn’t long before I found myself mopping the plate with the last of my popover.

Admittedly I couldn’t cook a steak that well at home and I was really glad that I had stopped by. My only complaint is about the range of beers that that they serve. And it’s not only BLT that are guilty. Given the range of excellent Belgian and British beers that are now available in Hong Kong it’s disappointing that so few restaurants offer them. A quality beer can complement a steak as well as a fine wine.

For dessert I opted for Lemon Meringue Pie with Lemon Sorbet ($80). The lemon meringue itself was fairly ordinary but the sorbet was wonderfully sharp and tangy. I rounded off with a coffee and took the ferry back across the harbour. It is indeed a spectacular view.

Shop 2602 Gateway
Harbour City
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3106 4686

8 Observatory Court
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2316 2727

6/F Harilela Mansion
81 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2312 1015

3/F Toy House
100 Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3171 8311

G/F Hotel Miramar
118-130 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2315 5111

18/F Sheraton Hong Kong
20 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2369 1111

6 Ashley Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2376 1545

G/F 33-35 Chatham Road South
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon (entrance Hart Ave)
Tel 3428 5133

Hotel Nikko Hong Kong
72 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui East
Kowloon
Tel 2313 4245

UG/F TST Centre
66 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2369 8899

Royal Pacific Hotel & Towers
Podium Tower 1
China HongKong City
Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2738 2368

38/F Hotel Panorama
8A Hart Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3550 0388

8/F The Peninsula
Salisbury Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2315 3355

G/F Lobby, Hotel Miramar
118-123 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2315 5888

11/F One Peking Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2366 1308

2/F Ashley Centre
23-25 Ashley Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2736-7177

1/F 46-48 Granville Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2311 3298

2/F The Kowloon Hotel
19-21 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2929 2888

UG/F 43-48a Empire Centre
68 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2367 5674

Shop 402, Ocean Centre
Harbour City
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2918 9189

Shop 4 Promenade Level
Tower 2, China Hong Kong City
33 Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2314 2907

Shop 51-52 Houston Centre
63 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui East
Kowloon
Tel 2366 1784

Shop 1-4, G/F Po Wan Building
26-36 Prat Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3426 9960

LG/F Kimberley Plaza
45-47 Kimberley Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2721 1663

Shop G2-5, Multifield Plaza
5-7a Prat Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3622 3622

1/F Supreme House
2a Hart Avenue
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3523 1578

Shop OT G63 Harbour City
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3101 0901

Nathan Hotel
378 Nathan Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2388 5141

G/F 5-7 Hanoi Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2368 1263

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.

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.

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.

This is a Japanese restaurant at the top of Knutsford Steps. It seems to be rather popular with the young local set, a demographic that misses me by a rather large margin I have to confess. But not one that is likely to put me off.

Since I’d just walked the length of Knutsford Terrace and failed to come to any other conclusion I decided that something on a skewer was exactly what I wanted, so I bounded up the short flight of steps and in the door.

Skewer Skewer is the first restaurant you come to, indeed one walks right into it and, with a bit of luck, you’ll be greeted by the charming smile of one of the waitresses. On the the right are romantic tables and little curtained booths. They do look very cosy, but I felt sitting there on my own would be a rather lonely experience so I opted for one of the more conventional tables on the left.

There is, of course, a full Japanese menu with all the regular items such as sushi and noodle dishes but this time I was interested in the grill. For those of you that don’t already know, the Japanese have a fine tradition of grilling things, it’s called robatayaki. Traditionally the grilling (yaki) would be done over a large open hearth (ro) where people would gather for heat and cooking.

These days the cooking is done over a modern grill and there is not much that the dedicated robatayaki chef cannot fit onto his skewer. The menu at Skewer Skewer is fairly conventional. Though I was tempted by the French garlic bread on a skewer ($24) I decided to keep things fairly simple.

For drink I opted for a Hoegaarden. It was called a “large pint” on the menu, on special offer at $52. I knew full well that this was one of those bucket sized glasses but I decided its fruitiness would go quite well with the food.

The first Item out of the kitchen was Roasted Norwegian Salmon Belly ($58). Slightly crisp on the outside, inside the fish was soft and delicious. Seasoning is fairly light in robatayaki, mainly salt with just a dab of melted butter or a brush of teriyaki sauce, so the natural flavours come shining through.

After the salmon came eel ($68) and a generous portion it was too. But I was not so impressed with this, though I would blame the eel rather than the chef. The flesh of the eel is much more dense than salmon so the contrast made the eel seem rather tough and rubbery. The flavour was good and in future I would suggest to the waiter that the eel be delivered first.

Next came sliced duck in roti ($52). This was an interesting departure from the norm. To say it was a bit like Peking duck would have aficionados of the dish howling in dismay. Nevertheless, the duck was there and so was the sauce. This may have been wrapped with vegetables in Indian/Malay style roti and served on a skewer but the connection was there to make.

The last skewer of the evening was a fairly straightorward pork, peppers, tomatoes and onions combination ($68).

At this point the waitress came to collect my empty Hoegaarden glass, “One more?” she smiled, I declined. “But it is special offer, two for one.” she insisted. “But I’ve already had two in that one” I wailed. She agreed to let me have something smaller so I settled on a bottle of Corona.

The desserts were a little on the disappointing side. The only one that took my fancy was the coffee jelly with vanilla ice cream but they had sold out.

I thought about the Japanese ice cream but then I remembered seeing an Italian gelato shop at the bottom of the steps so I paid my bill and made my way down there. A tub with chocolate and raspberry flavour was $28 and was so wonderful I quite forgot to look at the name of the shop but it is right there on the corner at the bottom of Knutsford Steps.

I bumped into an old colleague at a function a few weeks back. It was a bit of a surprise for both of us I think but a pleasant one nonetheless. We decided we really must keep in touch and, to seal our vows, went out to dinner.

She suggested we go over to Observatory Court which I thought was a splendid idea. I’m a bit slack at getting over the other side of the harbour, I have to admit. After snooping around a while we decided to go for teppanyaki at Akita.

Akita is on the first floor and stepping out of the lift, we found ourselves in a surprisingly spacious restaurant decorated in a mock traditional Japanese market style. In front of us were counters displaying fresh seafood and vegetables. To the right was a robotayaki dining area. We hung a left to the teppanyaki area.

Teppanyaki derives it’s name from the hot iron plate, called a teppan, on which the food is cooked. But with teppanyakai you don’t just get dinner, you get a show. We decided on the Hokkaido Teppanyaki Set performance at $498 for two people. We also ordered a bottle of cold dry sake. It was a rather a nice sake but I don’t remember what it was called - leading me to suspect I may have consumed more than my fair share.

The performance, of course, is watching the chef prepare the food. Ours was not only an excellent chef but a good entertainer, twirling pepper mills and cooking utensils with as much aplomb as any cocktail waiter.

We started with a light salad with crab while the chef topped and tailed two jumbo prawns. He set the heads aside for later. The prawns were firm and tasty. “Buttery”, said my friend. I had to agree, but I didn’t think that was a bad thing.

The hint of butter was prevalent throughout the whole meal but it never became overbearing.

The prawns were followed by scallop and geoduck clam dishes. The clam is actually pronounced “gooey duck” but is also called elephant trunk clam and has the distinction of being the largest burrowing clam in the world. It’s also said to be something of an aphrodisiac, possibly due to its phallic shape and the fact that the female produces something like 5 billion viable eggs during her lifespan. They are also an excellent accompaniment for sake.

By now the chef had turned his attention to the Angus beef steak. This was going to be served with a generous amount of fried garlic. While we watched, a bowl of lobster miso soup was served. After the steak we had fresh garden vegetables. The prawn heads were then pressed and cooked until crisp, and then finally, the Akita special fried rice. The fried rice was unusual in that it is cooked with bacon and ground beef, and was really rather nice.

By this time we were both feeling replete but I always feel that the meal is not complete without dessert. That said, in Japanese set meals the dessert is usually ice cream and I wondered if I could cheat. In the end I’m glad I didn’t because the ice cream flavour was sesame and tofu which I had never had before and was most enjoyable.

Afterwards we snooped around Observatory Court some more before clambering into our respective taxis vowing to do it all again soon.

Lovers of top notch, value for money, curries have always made a beeline for Chungking Mansions. A favourite of mine, when I arrived in Hong Kong as a fresh faced backpacker in the early eighties, was buried so far in that even the rats and roaches went around in pairs. The reward was an excellent curry that even backpackers had to agree was very reasonably priced.

But for some folks the very thought of Chungking Mansions is enough to put them off their dinner. Luckily, there are alternatives. One of these is Afghan Canteen, a small Indian (halal) restaurant that has inhabited the third floor above the Red Lips bar for over 16 years. The entrance is just around the corner on Lock Road. There are two small lifts which take people, two at a time, up to the third floor. There were four of us.

After the lift, the restaurant itself seems quite spacious. The decor was simple and the staff friendly. The restaurant wasn’t crowded and we were quickly shown to a table and menus were produced.

I’ve always maintained that beer and curry is a marriage made in heaven, the rest of the party seemed to agree and four cold Cobras were ordered and promptly delivered. We settled down to discuss the menu.

The were no big surprises, all our favourite dishes were represented. To get the ball rolling we sent the waiter off for some starters; Onion bhaji ($24), Samosas ($20), and Chicken chat ($24). The bhaji and the samosa were both excellent the chat, whilst not being particularly bad, didn’t really hold it’s own alongside the other two.

Nevertheless we made short work of it all and soon we were putting in our orders for the main dishes. Chicken Afghan ($60) was the house speciality so we felt duty-bound to order that. To go with it we ordered Baingan Bharta ($48), Rogan Josh ($60), Palak Paneer ($48) and Boti Kebab ($72).

Boti kebabs are chunks of tandoori lamb and are an excellent alternative to the ever popular chicken tikka (which is also available). The chicken Afghan was a mild, creamy curry and quite delicious. The rogan josh was also quite mild which is unusual for a rogan josh. These are usually on the spicy side and a bit oily but this adaptation was mild and buttery. It was a very pleasant dish indeed, but if you are a stickler for tradition it would probably raise the eyebrows a little.

The Palak paneer and Baingan bharta both lived up to expectation and we scooped them up enthusiastically with with plain and garlic nan.

Dessert would have been gulab jamun and kulfi but by the time we got there we were all quite full. Instead we finished our beers slowly, brought peace to the world and abolished natural disasters forever before emerging into the frantic neon of Tsim Sha Tsui. An explosion of light and noise that would also underscore a curry trip to Chungking Mansions.

Normally I have a very good sense of direction, if I’ve been to a place, or passed it by once, I can usually find my way back without too much trouble. The exception to this rule is if it happens to be in Harbour City or Ocean Terminal.

On a previous visit I must have passed Arirang three or four times as I searched for the place I was looking for. So when a good friend and I decided to go for Korean I had no hesitation in suggesting Arirang. After all I knew exactly where it was.

The doubt started creeping in almost as soon as I had put the phone down. I DID know where it was, I told myself, but just to be sure I decided to get there early. We’d agreed to meet at eight so at seven-thirty I strode boldly into Harbour City, up the escalator and … it wasn’t there. It must be the next floor up … no … down. I stopped to scrutinise a map. Arirang wasn’t on it. I called the restaurant, they told me to go where I already thought I was.

I eventually found the restaurant on the stroke of eight. Just as my friend walked calmly up from the opposite direction.
“You found it OK then?” I asked, anxiously.
“Yes, of course, why?” She replied.

We were led to our table. Arirang is quite popular and it was already quite busy. Attractive wood and glass partitions break up the space and help make it a little more intimate. It has a traditional atmosphere which is fitting because Arirang is traditional folk song that is found all over Korea with different regions each having their own version.

Tea was poured and menus promptly delivered. The menu is quite large and varied and it took us quite a while to make our minds up. To help us along we ordered an OB beer ($28) each.

For the barbecue we settled on the Modeum Gogi Gooi ($230), a meat combination that includes beef, pork, chicken and lamb. This was delivered with half a dozen kinds of bahn chahn or little side dishes. These included the classic cabbage and radish kimchee without which no Korean meal is complete plus vegetables and little fishes tossed in sesame oil among others.

My friend was keen to try the Se Gyub Sahl Jorim ($110), pork belly braised in sweet soy stock. I was glad she was because otherwise I might have passed that one over and it turned out to be one of my favourite dishes from the meal, much less fatty than I was expecting.

Kimchee Juhn ($60/$100) is a pancake like dish made with kimchee and pork in flour batter. Sahm Sek Juhn ($120) which consists of three kinds of vegetables filled with minced beef. Both of these dishes have a non-meat option. The kimchee pancake can be made without the pork and three kinds of vegetables can be fried without the minced beef which we decided to go for since we already had the barbecue and the pork belly.

Finally we ordered Ggong Chi Gooi ($90) which was billed as lightly salted pike though I had my suspicion that it didn’t mean the large freshwater fish that I was familiar with and indeed were distinctly sardine like. But that was no problem, I like sardines.

The only dish that didn’t really live up to expectations was the Kimchee juhn which seemed to be very dry and I think was suffering from being served in the vegetarian form. Though vegetarians should note that there are plenty of other vegetarian options available

Korean cuisine isn’t noted for it’s desserts, there didn’t appear to be any on the menu, but sesame ice cream is served automatically at the end of each meal.

As we left Ocean Terminal my friend led me through an exit that I’d never seen before and within moments we were back at Star Ferry. But I know if I try and retrace those steps I’ll wind up in Jordan.

I’m afraid Tsim Sha Tsui’s Avenue of Stars isn’t what I would have chosen for a promanade but, judging by the number of people out enjoying themselves, I’m rather a small minority.

Since it is facing Hong Kong’s impressive skyline I can forgive it once in a while and still enjoy a stroll, especially around twilight, that marvelous time between light and dark, on a balmy summer evening.

There were a lot of people out, though surprisingly few of them tourists. A couple of brave joggers were weaving their way between the children comparing their paw prints to those of Jackie Chan, and everyone else who seemed to be having their photograph taken against something or other.

For me the skyline, the lights and the boats chugging by were entertainment enough … well almost. Towards the end of the promenade, down by the New World Centre, I could see some tables. Suddenly I had a mission.

Perhaps a little bit too far round to be perfect but the al fresco tables do still afford quite spectacular views, especially if you sit looking back towards Wanchai. The bay that the restaurant names itself after is presumably Causway Bay which is just about opposite. And the blues, in fact jazz standards being sung by Rod Stewart which, in my opinion, have all been done better by other people. But I’d probably be in a minority on that as well.

The menu has quite a wide range of choices, though it does have a slight Thai bias - red curries and beef salads rub shoulders with items such as escargot and lobster thermidor. I ordered a Pomelo Seafood Salad ($88) and a glass of Chardonnay to get proceedings under way.

It was a generous serving of pomelo, in a spicy peanut dressing. It tasted good but there were only a few scallops and prawns representing the seafood, which was a little disappointing.

For the main course I ordered Pan-fried Cod with asparagas ($138). Although the cod was not as generous a portion as one could have hoped for, the Thai style sweet and spicy sauce that went over it certainly was - there was too much and it overwhelmed the delicate flavour of the fish which, once the sauce had been removed, was really quite nice. The asparagus was fresh and crisp.

For dessert I ordered Fried bananas with three scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream ($58) and rounded off with a coffee.

The dessert was good but I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed with the rest of the meal. I sat for quite a while watching families walking by, watching customers come and go. It’s quite a popular restaurant and it’s a really nice location. I’ll certainly come again but next time maybe just for drinks.

Harbour City is a peculiar kind of shopping mall, it’s more like a shopping warren. I’m sure it would be possible to wander around in circles for hours and not realise it. I don’t normally go in there unless I can help it, but each time I do it starts off looking familiar but then I realise how horribly wrong I am. It’s like the shops ARE all the same but they have shuffled themselves around and are now in different places.

I’d set out in search of the Spice Market which was at the Marco Polo Prince, I’m not sure what folly possessed me and led me into the mall, perhaps it was the heat and humidity or a subconscious lust for adventure. Suffice to say that I could have just legged it up Canton Road and been there in a trice.

Instead I wandered around for what seemed like ages on the wrong floor. I eventually came to a clearing on the far side of which was a glass staircase. I climbed the staircase and there at the top was a bustling Spice Market.

The restaurant offers an all you can eat buffet dinner for just $295. I didn’t have a reservation and was lucky to get a table. The buffet dinner, I learned, is very popular. I shown to a table adjacent two ladies who, it appeared, had already been there a while. They had buffet dining down to a fine art, take only small portions and don’t rush, it isn’t a race. I decided to follow their example.

The restaurant is a long curving room, the food is laid out along one wall with the tables set apart on a slightly raised wooden platform. With a name like The Spice Market one could be forgiven for thinking that this is primarily South and Southeast Asian cuisine and while they are well represented the restaurant aims to provide something for the whole family.

I decided to start with some cold cuts. Not too much, I told myself, some chicken slices, smoked salmon mmm maybe just one more piece of that salmon and ooh they’ve got Thai beef salad here. Well by the time I’d taken not too much of lots of different things I had quite a full plate. I’ll have a little more discipline next time around I told myself.

I decided I might just as well work my way along the line which meant my next course would be sushi. There were also oysters that were attracting a lot of attention. I’m not a huge fan so I decided to pass them by in favour of the sushi.

I did notice that the desserts were on a sort of detour behind the sushi counter. Two children were having a whale of a time manufacturing waffles, one ladling the other pressing, and then taking it in turns to deliver the finished waffle to what I could only assume was a fairly large family group somewhere out of sight.

I continued my journey. Roast beef and steamed vegetables didn’t seem very Asian but I didn’t really mind, there was still teppanyaki, hotpot, satays and barbecue. An intriguing item on the barbecue counter was something called slipper lobsters. These look like lobsters but are the size of a prawn and have a really tough shell. The flesh, when I finally got it, out was really quite tasty but there wasn’t as much of it as I would have hoped for.

My last forage along the main section took me to the Indian counter. This was getting much less attention from the throng as were the other options but for me tandoori fish and beef curry along with nan bread and poppadoms proved to be a perfect way to round off.

There was of course dessert, chocolate mousse, caramel creme, ice creme, tiramisu … all our favourites. I shan’t embarrass myself by telling you what I had but I would like to stress that I only had a small spoonful of each.

Spice market is good for a family event or a good crowd from the office, not fine dining, I like to call it fun dining. The food was good, plentiful and varied. I like that in a buffet. With beers the bill came to $330, which I thought was jolly reasonable.

I was strolling along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront the other evening. It was a pleasant evening, still early. Even after having lived here for many years I’m still impressed by the view of the Island from here. Of course, Hong Kong being the rapidly evolving place that it is, there is usually something new in the skyline that I haven’t seen before.

I never discovered what it was this time. Somewhere deep in my subconscious another visual connection had already been made. I didn’t cotton on to it immediately, all I knew was that I was getting hungry. What’s more I rather fancied a burger, a big juicy one, medium to well done with fresh salad and pickles.

Star Ferry would have to wait a while, I reset my coordinates and plotted a course to the Langham Hotel and Main St. Deli. This claims to be Hong Kong’s first and only genuine New York Deli.

It certainly looks authentic, art deco fixtures and fittings and old black and white photographs dominated by four chandeliers. I was given a warm, friendly welcome and quickly shown to a table in the corner from where I had a great view of the main part of the restaurant. Indeed I couldn’t help but wonder how many Delis there are in New York that look this good.

The menu appeared along with two large bowls of pickles and yet another charming smile. I ordered a Brooklyn Beer and studied the menu whilst nibbling on dill and green tomato pickles.

Although I’d gone with the specific intent of satisfying a burger craving the Reuben sandwich - which is corned beef, pastrami, turkey, sauerkraut and melted swiss cheese on grilled rye bread - was also tempting. Here they also offer a Naked Reuben which appears to be the same but without the bread. There is also a range of pizzas and pastas but I decided to hold firm to the plan of having a burger.

“Would you like to try our new lobster burger?” Enquired the waitress who had materialised at my table. I was indeed very tempted but sadly $388 was more than my budget would allow. Instead I ordered the Crispy Jumbo Crab Cake ($85) for starters. When dining in American style restaurants one needs to treat words like ‘jumbo’ with respect. As a rule of thumb it is safe to assume that all portions of everything will be larger than you expect - the addition of such words just means it will be even bigger!

Sure enough the crab cake was huge, a triangle about 4 inches along each side and three quarters of an inch thick served with pickles, salsa, salad and mayonnaise. It was delicious. I told myself to only eat half or I’d have no space left for the burger.

I failed and wolfed the lot, except the mayonnaise, but that is not the mayo’s fault, I just don’t care for it much.

The burgers come in two sizes, regular (8 oz. @ $128) and silly (12 oz. @ $168). I’d ordered a sensible 8oz., flame grilled, Barbecue Bacon Burger. It arrived on it’s bun with sauteed mushrooms melted swiss cheese, lettuce tomato and bacon. This was what I’d come for and it didn’t disappoint. It was however, simply too big to put the lid on and to pick up and eat so I attacked with the knife and fork.

Although I was already pretty full I take my responsibilities seriously and to leave without having had dessert, I always feel, is a dereliction of duty. “Is the lemon meringue pie good” I asked the waitress. “It’s very good” she replied and skipped off to fetch me some. When she returned my jaw dropped. “We serve New York sized portions” she beamed.

Indeed I thought, this was obviously based on 175 Fifth Avenue, the Flatiron Building. Though you’d never get that many eggs into the Flatiron Building. This was quite simply the most enormous wedge of lemon meringue pie I’ve ever seen and jolly nice it was too. I managed to eat around two thirds before surrendering.

I had a leisurely coffee before waddling out into the night and towards the ferry.

9A Wing Lock House
1 Lock Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 6372 3242

1/F Eastern Flower Centre
22-24 Cameron Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2367 1087

Basement 2, The Royal Garden Hotel
69 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2733 2020

Shop R004 Elements Mall
Kowloon Station
1 Austin Road West
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2196 8433

3/F Chun Fook Mansion
1 Hillwood Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2730 0860

G319 Harbour City
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2119 0666, 2721 9999
Fax 2119 0777

A&B G/F 2 Austin Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 9155 5048

Shop 403 Harbour City
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2730 8027

1/F 103-104 Chungking Mansions
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2722 5350/2723 7618

G/F Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2366 9956
Fax 2369 2765

1/F 16 Ashley Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2957 8041

55 Kimberley Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2722 0733
Fax 2722 5159

Basement 2 The Royal Garden
69 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2724 2666

1/F 1 Hillwood Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2377 0989

Intercontinental Grand Stanford
70 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2721 5161
Fax 2732 2233

Prudential Hotel
222 Nathan Road
Kowloon
Tel 2732 4611
Fax 2311 4760

Shop 3319, 3/F Gateway Arcade
Harbour City
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3151 7801

Royal Pacific Hotel & Towers
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2738 2398

G/F Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel
64 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui East
Kowloon
Tel 2721 2111 Ext 8756

2/F Hotel Nikko Hongkong
72 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui
Tel 2313 4225

5/F The Toy House
100 Canton Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 3428 3345

1/F Ashley Centre
23-25 Ashley Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2376 1001
Fax 2838 2933

Langham Hotel (Great Eagle)
8 Peking Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon
Tel 2375 1133 Ext. 7883

Shop 5 G/F Union Mansion
33-35 Chatham Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2391 7386

G/F 65A Kimberly Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2368 8974

1/F Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel
3 Canton Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2113 3912

G/F Astoria Building
32 Ashley Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Tel 2375 2212

Royal Garden Hotel
69 Mody Road
Tsimshatsui East
Kowloon
Tel 2733 2020