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Eating Sai Ying Pun

17 Jan

In an effort to explore more local neighbourhoods, I recently found myself having dinner at four restaurants in one night. How else am I supposed to try as many restaurants as possible when I’m only allowed three meals a day?!

With no real plan in mind other than to just go exploring, my stomach took us on an adventure in the ‘West Side’, around the streets of up and coming Sai Ying Pun.

Derby West Hong Kong

Derby West

Our first port of call was a British pub on Queen’s Road West. Where local restaurants and shops selling dried fish (and other unidentified objects) abound, a British pub is the last thing you’d expect to find. But find it we did, and although there were one too many stereotypical (or perhaps even verging on tacky) decorations, Derby West definitely can be classified as a good old British pub. All that’s missing is the smell of stale beer and cigarettes, and possibly a slot machine too.

Derby West Hong Kong

Although the curry smelt delicious, we didn’t want to fill up on our first stop, so we opted instead for a plate of Indian vegetable samosas, as, in the words of a wise man, “you can’t get more British than that!” Sadly the samosas weren’t the best I’ve ever had; they didn’t stand up on their own for starters. However, it was pub snacks we wanted and it was pub snacks we got; we weren’t expecting gourmet food.

I wouldn’t say I’d trek all that way to visit Derby West again, but if I find myself in the area, I certainly might be tempted to see if the curry is as delicious as it smelt. And with beer and wine around the $40 mark, I can see why this is popular with HKU students, even if, unlike a real British pub, they do add an unnecessary 10% service charge.

G/F, 389-391 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun 2698 1616

BBQ Hong Kong

A little wander up the road onto Third Street took us to BBQ, a random little place that I had heard a lot of good things about. To look at, it isn’t particularly appealing: bright lights, basic tables and chairs, no fancy décor. It does however serve up some pretty decent grilled seafood and robatayaki-style skewers.

BBQ Hong Kong

The garlic scallops were slow in coming but tasted delicious, provided you’re a fan of a LOT of garlic. (I probably wouldn’t recommend having these on a first date.) At $108 per piece, you’d expect the king prawns to be good and thankfully they were: perfectly tender with a generous amount of flesh to sink your teeth into. While the sirloin steak skewer wasn’t hugely impressive, perhaps the best dish of the lot was the spicy pork, chopped up into strips and sprinkled in shichimi, making it irresistibly moreish.

129-133 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun 2548 9880

Memo's Hong Kong

Memo’s

I noticed this place on a recent visit to Fuku Robatayaki & Kaki, so as we were in the area, I couldn’t resist checking it out.

Its décor of yellow walls with exposed brick panels is inviting, as it reminded me of some of the casual neighbourhood restaurants I visited in Italy. When we had a chat with Chef Memo himself, he told us that this is exactly what he had hoped to create: a neighbourhood restaurant that Sai Ying Pun-based families could come to again and again.

Enticed by the leg of jamon Serrano and feeling the weight of BBQ’s skewers in our tummies, we decided to share a squid and jamon salad. These may not sound like ingredients you would normally put together, but I promise you that this salad was utterly delicious. The soft, buttery squid had not the smallest hint of chewiness and went perfectly with the seriously high quality cured ham. The caramelised onions, fennel bulbs and salad leaves were just a bonus.

Memo's Hong Kong

We also shared an amazing chorizo pizza. With a wafer thin crust and stringy fresh mozzarella cheese, this was one of the finest pizzas I’ve tasted in Hong Kong. It’s not the cheapest, at about $140, but it’s definitely a generous size, perfect for sharing.

I’ll most certainly be returning to taste more of Memo’s menu. I was particularly interested in the slow-cooked lamb shank for four people; all that remained on a neighbouring table was a very clean giant bone, suggesting it was seriously delicious.

G/F, 62 High Street, Sai Ying Pun 2858 8173

Blue Butcher Hong KongBlue Butcher

Yes I know, it’s not in Sai Ying Pun, but in order to burn off our three mini-meals, we walked and walked until we found ourselves having dessert at Blue Butcher.

You know how I feel about the chocolate bread and butter pudding from when I reviewed Blue Butcher last year (read the review here). Needless to say that is exactly what we had, along with a glass of Sauternes to wash it down.

108 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan 2613 9286

I discovered on this mini food crawl that this may be one of the best ways to experience restaurants. Not only do you get to taste more than the standard one place in one evening, but also, as you’re walking from place to place, chances are you’re burning off at least a few calories - perhaps a mouthful or two if you’re lucky. And do you know what that means? That you can eat more at the next place! Perhaps I’ll spend all my Friday nights eating at four restaurants whilst burning calories…

Other tasty restaurants in Sai Ying Pun:

Ba Yi – G/F, 43 Water Street, Sai Ying Pun 2484 9981
Fuku Robatayaki & Kaki – 69 High Street, Sai Ying Pun 2540 9961
Grassroots Pantry – 12 Fuk Sau Lane, Sai Ying Pun 2873 3353
Hung Hing – 22-32 Pok Fu Lam Road, Sai Ying Pun 2858 2512
Kwan Kee – Shop 1, Wo Yick Mansion, 263 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun 2803 7209
Light – 1 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun 2559 9098
Pata Negra House – G/F, 1 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun 2527 5181
Taco Chaca – 1 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun 2525 2066

As well as many others of course - just go exploring!

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Hatsu Japanese Restaurant

9 Jan

4_oh

hatsu hong kong

It’s a sad fact that although Japanese food is so tasty, it’s near impossible to have a good, filling and varied Japanese meal without paying an arm and a leg. Relatively recently opened Hatsu Japanese Restaurant in Bank of America Tower is trying to change this, by offering Kaiseki cuisine in a casual setting for affordable prices.

Hatsu’s décor is very simple and relaxed. Executive Chef Toshio Kon, with 40 years’ experience in Japanese cuisine, wanted to bring back the simplicity and move away from the formality of traditional Kaiseki cuisine, making his restaurant accessible to everyone. A mixture of raw elements can therefore be seen, such as bare wooden tables, an industrial stone wall and bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, which are then contrasted with colourful Japanese paintings, taking you back to the restaurant’s heritage.

The restaurant is known for its Matsu Gozen Set menu, a $430 multi-course feast only available at dinner. This set offers much more than I could ever eat, and even for four of us, we were advised to share one and order a few extra dishes from the a la carte menu.

hatsu hong kong

The set began with a selection of four colourful appetisers: sea urchin-infused tofu (beautifully silky and fresh), cucumbers with miso pickle (very interesting contrast), pumpkin with edible skin (wonderful texture, yet perhaps served a little too cold, meaning the flavours were a little lost), and last but by no means least, a little platter containing tender duck breast, a fresh prawn, egg, and a delicious grilled fish fin that was somehow reminiscent of beef jerky.

hatsu hong kong

Following this, we were served a plate of grilled dried blowfish (not from the set menu) that I could not get enough of. It again had that jerky-esque texture, but it was its honey-like sweetness, heightened by the sweet Japanese mayonnaise it was served with, that pleasantly surprised me; it was hard to believe we were eating fish.

hatsu hong kong

The simmered fish from the set menu was delicious, with a sweet, smoky flavour. However, I excitedly put a sizeable chunk in my mouth without thinking and was shocked by the amount of small bones I almost choked on.

hatsu hong kong

The silver cod from the a la carte menu, on the other hand, was absolutely perfect: buttery and flaky, contrasted with its wonderfully crisp charred skin.

hatsu hong kong

A range of sashimi from the set menu offered salmon, amberjack, octopus and yellowtail. Apart from the latter, which I found almost too tough to sink my teeth into, all of the fish was wonderfully fresh and melt-in-the-mouth tender.

More impressive, however was the a la carte sashimi, offering sweet shrimp, salmon, sea urchin, octopus and yellowtail, although this changes depending on what’s freshly available.

hatsu hong kong

One of my favourite dishes was the salmon salad from the a la carte menu. Thin slivers of the freshest salmon hid a mound of lightly seasoned crunchy salad leaves and peppers, to create a gorgeously refreshing salad with interesting textures.

hatsu hong kong

The grilled part of the set involved a beautifully presented sizzling plate containing a tiger prawn and a beef roll. Both of these were utterly delicious, if a little hard to share! The tiger prawn came laden with Japanese mayonnaise, carrots and mushrooms, while the tender beef roll, stuffed with garlic, spring onions and ginger, on a bed of mushrooms and onions was my absolute favourite.

hatsu hong kong

Space on the overfilled table was cleared to make room for a huge box (not from the set menu), presented before us with its lid still on. It was a joy to lift up the lid and reveal a colourful assortment of beautiful sushi! Hatsu is the only restaurant in Hong Kong to use Akita Komachi rice, from the Akita Prefecture of Japan, known as the ‘country of rice and wine.’ Girls will be pleased to hear that apparently girls from Akita, who eat and drink its rice and sake, are more beautiful and have clearer, more youthful skin, due to the clear, pollutant-free water of the region. I’ll have another helping of this plump, sticky rice then please!

hatsu hong kong

Aside from a fairly standard bowl of miso soup, the final savoury dish of the set menu was a ‘mini bowl’ containing more of that yummy, beautifying rice, topped with fatty tuna, salmon and tofu skin, all of which were wonderfully light and moreish.

hatsu hong kong

The dessert, included in the set menu, consists of a mini slice of cake and the ice cream of the day - in our case lychee. This was delightfully fresh and creamy, without being as overpoweringly sweet as lychee flavoured desserts often can be. Soon to come will be Chef Toshio Kon’s outstanding rice-flavoured ice cream, which I am very eager to try.

Service at Hatsu is very efficient, with knowledgeable staff who ensure plates are frequently changed throughout the multi-course meal. The average spend at dinnertime is $400 per person, while set lunches start from about $130 ($90 on Saturdays!); Hatsu makes delicious Kaiseki cuisine accessible to not just those who can afford fine dining, but to you and me as well!

Hatsu Japanese Restaurant

Shop G4, G/F, Bank of America Tower
12 Harcourt Road
Admiralty
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2971 0002

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Mr Bing

7 Jan

4_oh

mr bing hong kong

Ask anyone who lives in Beijing what one of their daily staple meals is, and they will answer ‘jianbing’. These traditional Beijing-style crepes are sold on every street corner, usually prepared off the back of a bicycle. Now the jianbing has come to Hong Kong in the form of Mr Bing.

mr bing hong kong

Leaving the bicycles behind but maintaining the feel of Beijing through the use of original photographs, street maps and music from emerging Chinese DJs, Mr Bing is a cool, colourful and modern street crepe joint on the corner of Wellington Street. Mr Bing’s founder, Brian Goldberg, fell in love with jianbing while studying Mandarin in Beijing in 1998 and has since then had his heart set on bringing the concept to Hong Kong.

mr bing hong kong

Since opening not even a month ago, Mr Bing has perpetual queues outside every breakfast, lunch and dinnertime. Yet as each ‘bing’ takes around a minute to prepare, queuing time is never very long.

mr bing hong kong

mr bing hong kong

Not to be confused with a French crepe, the original jianbing is made of green bean flour, with other options of millet flour, buckwheat flour and even purple rice flour available too. The batter is smoothed over the hot crepe plate (which does in fact come from France). This a rather challenging technique, as I witnessed when I did a taste test at Brian’s flat before Mr Bing opened. An egg is cracked onto the batter, sprinkled with black sesame seeds, coriander and spring onions, brushed with various all-important sauces and finished with a sheet of baocui, fried wonton skin, before being folded up and served in a Mr Bing branded paper bag.

mr bing hong kong original

The original jianbing is utterly delicious. Admittedly I have never tasted the real Beijing street crepes, but I do know that Brian brought over a jianbing master from the outskirts of Beijing to teach the chefs how to get the batter exactly right, complete with a secret blend of Chinese herbs and spices, and how to smooth said batter perfectly over the hot plate. The contrast of textures, particularly the crisp baocui, and the sweet versus spicy sauces make for the perfect meal. Extras such as pork floss, kimchee or fried garlic can also be added at an additional cost, and sides of garlic cucumber, spinach with sesame sauce and marinated lotus root are also available, freshly prepared several times a day.

mr bing hong kong duck

Mr Bing’s signature jianbing, and one that would never be found in Beijing, is the Peking Duck Bing. With the addition of pickled ginger, hoisin sauce and of course some roast duck, this ‘bing’ is sweeter than its original counterpart and even more dangerously moreish. We tried ours with some additional youtiao, the kind of long deep-fried batter usually served with congee. Although it didn’t add much in the way of taste to the ‘bing’, again it’s all about the texture.

mr bing hong kong char siu

A variation of the original jianbing is the Char Siu Bing, with the addition of char siu of course. This is my personal favourite as it still carries the original flavours, enhanced by the barbecued pork. We tried the purple rice batter instead, a slightly sweeter option which balanced the saltiness of the pork. I’d also recommend asking your jianbing chef to add a touch more chilli paste.

mr bing hong kong singa bing

Unique to Mr Bing are the sweet jianbings, which of course we couldn’t resist. The Singa-Bing, a combination of kaya, shredded coconut and baocui was delicious and light, although definitely something for those with more of a sweet tooth.

mr bing hong kong peanut butter

I preferred the HK Cha Chaan Bing, which oozed peanut butter and condensed milk, a medley of salty and sweet that reminded me a little bit of salted caramel.

The Wellington Street Mr Bing is the first of what will become a chain of restaurants around the city, which are all likely to be just as successful as the first. Of course the staff still have some kinks to iron out, but Mr Bing is definitely going on my list for quick, cheap and, most importantly, delicious eats (the original jianbing costs only $30).

Mr Bing

G/F, 83 Wellington Street
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2568 8248

www.mr-bing.com

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La Rotisserie

12 Dec

4_oh

la rotisserie hong kong

There is little more comforting to eat than a perfectly juicy roast chicken, especially if someone has gone to the trouble of roasting it for you. With a good quality roasted chook the possibilities are endless: you can have a cosy dinner in front of the telly, chicken sandwiches, chicken salad, or even use the bones to make chicken soup. La Rotisserie in Sheung Wan has just arrived on the scene to facilitate this for us.

la rotisserie hong kong

This tiny hole in the wall was set up by three French friends who missed the delicious rotisserie chickens they grew up eating. Thankfully the corn-fed chicken is shipped over from France too, so you know you’re getting delicious, free-range poultry that’s worth the slightly extra cost.

la rotisserie hong kong

For takeaway only, La Rotisserie offers ¼ ($50), ½ ($90) or a whole chicken ($150) cooked to golden perfection in the shop’s giant rotisserie oven. There’s also the option of quiche, roast chicken sandwich, chicken Caesar salad, and a variety of sides that change daily.

la rotisserie hong kong

The lunch set includes ¼ chicken, sides and either a soup or an iced tea for a mere $68, packaged and ready to take home, back to the office or, like we did, to a pretty little bench somewhere to have a picnic.

la rotisserie hong kong

The homemade soup of the day was celery and tomato. Although this is not something I would normally order, it was absolutely delicious and so fresh that it seemed it had been made especially for us. My only complaint about the soup was the wooden spoon; I simply can’t stand the feeling of wood in my mouth, so I decided to drink it straight from the bowl instead!

la rotisserie hong kong

I often find that the breast is the driest part of the bird, yet La Rotisserie’s chicken breast had not the slightest hint of dryness; it was wonderfully juicy and full of flavour, drizzled in a scrumptious, if slightly oily, jus. Side options included rice, roast potatoes and mixed vegetables, of which we chose the latter two. The potatoes were perfectly fluffy and deliciously infused with rosemary, while the vegetables were perhaps just a touch too al dente.

la rotisserie hong kong

Since I must give my readers a rounded experience of each restaurant, I simply had to try one of the desserts, so we shared a chocolate cake with sel de guerande. I loved the chicken, but I absolutely adored this cake. The so-light-it-was-almost-mousse cake sat upon a perfectly crunchy layer of biscuit and was all sprinkled with coarse salt crystals, creating an incredible balance of salt and sweet that begged me to finish every last crumb. Needless to say if you’re sharing this cake, you might want to first clarify the boundaries of what is yours and what is sadly not yours.

La Rotisserie is the perfect answer to a lazy night in or a delicious (and somewhat nutritious) lunch. The concept is right, the prices are to be expected for Hong Kong, and frankly I don’t see anything stopping me from venturing into Sheung Wan at the very least once a week to get my juicy chicken fix.

La Rotisserie

255 Queen’s Road Central
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong
(Entrance on Hillier Street)

Tel: +852 2324 1898
(Lunch is first come first served, but you can order your chicken for the evening by calling a day in advance)

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The Herbivores

10 Dec

4_oh

the herbivores hong kong

I love going to a restaurant with absolutely no expectations and being very pleasantly surprised. This is not often the case with vegetarian restaurants (bar MANA! And Grassroots Pantry of course), and I was certainly not expecting big things from The Herbivores. I was, however, quite wowed by this one, even if it was lacking that all-important ingredient.

The Herbivores occupies a very small space on Staunton Street that only seats 26 diners. Apart from a cosy booth at the back of the room, the only table is a long, wide wooden one that takes up most of the room, for all to share. This shared table, along with the simple décor of white-washed exposed brick walls, contrasted with black corners and hanging blackboards, gives off a relaxed and welcoming feel. To add a touch of colour and intrigue to the room, vegetarian ‘fun facts’ are scrawled onto the black part of the walls, such as “you might be better off kissing a vegetarian than a meat lover, as research has shown that vegetarians taste and smell better.” Hmm….really?!

The entire kitchen of four chefs were all previously at ROKA, which must account for a lot of the Japanese influences that have snuck in to the menu.

the herbivores hong kong

Our meal began with one such dish: a Japanese Crunch Salad. This presented itself as a light, refreshing medley of crunchy cabbage, soft abura age (a healthier version of deep-fried tofu) and rice-noodle-esque konjac jelly, smothered in an incredibly addictive sesame dressing and black and white sesame seeds. You probably know how I feel about salads, but this is a salad I would not refuse.

the herbivores hong kong

A cute bowl of crispy wedges followed, served with homemade cocktail sauce. These perfectly crispy wedges are deep-fried in super healthy Omega 9 Oil, making them almost guilt-free. Paired with the zingy and delicious sauce made with a blend of tomatoes, Parmesan, chilli powder and pepper, they were twice as tasty. Feeling greedy, we also asked if we could try the homemade truffle mayonnaise – seriously, you MUST try this!

the herbivores hong kong

To follow, came a very simple yet wonderfully tasty dish: Japanese plum pasta. Fresh linguini cooked al dente in vegetable stock was topped with a pile of shredded seaweed, dried basil and a single Japanese plum. Tossed all together until the plum disintegrated, the beautifully contrasting flavours of sweet, salty and sour set off fireworks in my mouth.

the herbivores hong kong

The daily special, not on the regular menu, was another cute dish (I love The Herbivores’ crockery!) of Baked rice with spinach cream. The fluffy rice was topped with a layer of mushrooms and tomatoes, followed by a layer of wilted spinach, finished with crumbled Parmesan before being baked to golden perfection. Despite the cream, this was a lovely delicate dish that wasn’t at all heavy.

the herbivores hong kong

The only disappointment of the evening was the NY Cheesecake. Although it had a good flavour, it was a little too dense and there wasn’t enough of a distinction between the cheesecake and the base, which could have been a lot crunchier. Its redeeming factor, however, was the delicious mixed berry and red wine purée that provided a welcome and refreshing tanginess to the rather heavy dessert.

the herbivores hong kong

The Mango yoyo, on the other hand, a dish I would normally never order, was divine: yoghurt pudding topped with strips of fresh mango, mango purée and oatmeal crumble. It was delightfully smooth and creamy, whilst still somehow light and refreshing, but the real star was most definitely the crunchy crumble.

the herbivores hong kong

As the restaurant is still in the soft-opening stage, it is still awaiting its alcohol license. There are, however a selection of delicious mocktails on the blackboard, including ‘The Herbivores’ (mint, lemongrass and honey), ‘Meditation’ (fresh lemon, fresh cucumber, white grape juice and cranberry juice) or, if you’re feeling like a celebration, a ‘Mock Champagne’ (ginger ale, white grape juice and pineapple juice) – it almost tastes like the real deal….almost!

Service comes with a smile. The small team are very personable and passionate about what they do, which is always refreshing to see in Hong Kong. Prices aren’t too unreasonable, with starters and salads around $60 and main courses between $100 and $200. The Herbivores is a lovely little place that serves delicious, hearty food, despite the rather untrue ‘facts’ – I’m pretty sure that as a meat eater I smell and taste pretty wonderful, thanks!

The Herbivores

35 Staunton Street
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2613 2909

www.the-herbivores.com

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The Shed, London

3 Dec

the shed restaurant london

One of the things I miss most about England is the countryside; farms and open expanses of greenery are not often seen in Hong Kong, at least where I live. Even though newly opened London resto The Shed is in Notting Hill, far from farms and countryside, it feels as if you have literally stepped into a country shed (albeit a rather glamorous one).

The Shed was set up by brothers Richard and Oliver Gladwin, as manager and chef respectively, whilst the third and youngest brother Gregory works at the family farm in Nutbourne, West Sussex, from which most of the restaurant’s delicious fresh produce comes.

the shed restaurant london

From the outside, you would definitely be forgiven for mistaking the building with a garden shed, given its white wooden façade. The interior is decorated with pitch forks, tables are made from barrels or reclaimed wood, and there is even the bonnet of a tractor hanging above the bar, making you want to put on your very best ‘Farmer Joe’ accent when ordering a drink. Nevertheless, it also has a warm (rather too warm) cottagey feel that encourages you to stay there for hours and avoid the cold outdoors. I loved the added touches like the lumberjack shirts and leather tool belts worn by the waiters, which really complete the look

The Shed holds one of my favourite philosophies, that of ‘sharing is caring’. The menu, which changes daily according to what’s in season, can probably be described as ‘British tapas’, consisting of a variety of small plates designed to be shared, making sure evil Food Envy stays far, far away.

the shed restaurant london

Our first ‘mouthful’, from the section of the menu with the same name, didn’t particularly impress us. Although the endive with pear and blue cheese sounded tasty, it was a little heavy on the pear and light on the cheese.

the shed restaurant london

However, the chorizo patty was incredible, both in texture and taste. The rich, salty chorizo was topped with a humble dollop of egg mayo, bringing it back to its roots and creating a remarkable dish. We just wished we had ordered more than one mouthful each!

The Shed’s salami, made at Nutbourne Farm, was of the highest quality and paired perfectly with the homemade bread. The only thing I was slightly unsure of was the anchovy butter…

the shed restaurant london

Why I have never had goat’s cheese paired with hazelnuts is beyond me; after tasting The Shed’s pan-fried goat’s cheese with hazelnuts, honey and thyme, I was in cheese heaven and swore to always eat goat’s cheese with hazelnuts from that moment on. We were advised that 2.5 main courses under ‘slow cooking’ or ‘fast cooking’ would suffice per person – so we ordered two of everything, of course.

the shed restaurant london

The venison chipolatas with Shed mustard were cooked exactly to my liking: perfectly bronzed on the outside and deliciously juicy on the inside. The rich, gamey flavour was further enhanced by the homemade mustard so that this was actually the only dish I could have done without having ordered a second helping of…. although I happily ate a second chipolata anyway!

the shed restaurant london

I loved the girolles, thyme crumpet and labneh cheese, particularly the latter, which added a wonderful creaminess to this hearty and comforting dish.

the shed restaurant london

My absolute favourite, however, were without a doubt the lamb chips, served with a generous dollop of spiced harissa. These two cylinders of beautifully tender lamb shank, coated in crispy breadcrumbs were to die for; we were all relieved there was another plate to come when the first sadly ended.

Simply because a meal cannot end on lamb alone, we shared two desserts between us: Apple tart tatin and cranberry suet roly poly. The former was decadently sweet, with a perfectly crisp base, unusually yet tastily paired with poppyseed ice cream.

the shed restaurant london

Having originally ordered a chocolate brownie, Richard insisted we must try his roly poly instead, something I would never normally order. Richard was absolutely right: the roly poly was utterly divine. The cake was amazingly light and fluffy, and the slightly tart cranberry compote on top transformed this traditional, yet often forgotten dessert into something I would want to order time and time again.

shed restaurant london

Prices at The Shed aren’t too steep at all; for lots of tasty food, a ‘daily loosener’ each (containing gin, white wine, rosehip and soda - sounds bizarre but tasted amazing) and a bottle of wine, we paid a mere £35 per head (around HKD400), and were also given a cute little packet of seeds to take away and try to make our own farm. With its excellent and friendly service, warm, inviting interiors and of course wholesome, delicious and real food, brought from the farm to your table, it is definitely worth hanging out in this Shed.

The Shed

122 Palace Gardens Terrace
Notting Hill
W8, London

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7229 4024

www.theshed-restaurant.com

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Yonge Piggies

23 Nov

yong piggies hong kong

The pig is centre of attention in Hong Kong at the moment, first with the opening and unyielding popularity of The Salted Pig, and now with Yonge Piggies, on the corner of Bonham Strand and Jervois Street. Yonge (pronounced ‘young’) Piggies is a Canadian hotdog joint named after hotdog vendor-lined Yonge Street in Toronto.

With its retro neon signs, metal clad décor and open front, complete with high red stools, Yonge Piggies does indeed look like it’s been transported straight from North America, much like its Canadian sausages.

yonge piggies hong kong

Said sausages, which are grilled to juicy perfection, come in three flavours: Head Prefect (honey garlic), Prom Queen (picante pepper) and Hippie (hickory smoked). All are served in a butter bun, and can be purchased on their lonesome for a steep $65, topped with chilli (‘Chubbs’) or cheese sauce (‘Dork’) for an even steeper $75, or as part of a combo set with either ‘fries’ or a salad and a soft drink for a slightly silly $85/95.

yonge piggies hong kong

I tried a Prom Queen combo with chips and a bottle of water. I had first asked for an iced tea, but was told this would cost an additional $12 on top of the combo price, so I changed it for water, and was still charged an additional $4. Minus points were awarded immediately; I don’t drink fizzy drinks, so why should I be penalised for this?!

When I had finished grumbling about soft drinks, I walked on to the condiments counter, where toppings included grated cheddar, jalapenos, olives, onions, bacon bits, tomatoes, sweetcorn, sauerkraut, guacamole and relish. I chose guacamole, cheese, tomatoes and jalapenos.

yonge piggies hong kong

So how did it taste, you ask? Completely lip-smackingly delicious. The buttery, soft and almost slightly sweet homemade bun was perfect, contrasting wonderfully with the crisp skin of the sausage that was bursting full of smoky, slightly spicy and ever so juicy meat. The condiments were obviously a bonus, particularly the jalapenos.

As for the ‘fries’ (I’ll stick with chips so I don’t betray my British roots), they weren’t piping hot and could have been a little crispier, although that didn’t stop me from eating them! Next time perhaps I’ll upgrade to the ‘poutine’ or the chilli fries for an extra $6…

I’d like to put the far-from-perfect service down to the fact that Yonge Piggies has barely been open a fortnight, and I believe I have already shared my views on the prices, particularly the unnecessary add-ons. However, regardless of mediocre service and slightly disagreeable prices, Yonge Piggies has tapped into a hole in the market, serving scrumptious hotdogs in a very favourable location. Thinking about it, perhaps the higher prices are a blessing in disguise; as I won’t be going every day, there’s less danger of me turning into a piggy myself!

Yonge Piggies
G/F, 1 Jervois Street
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2104 7218

www.yongepiggies.com

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Noodlemi

14 Nov

 

 

noodlemi hong kong

Vietnamese is one of my favourite cuisines, bursting with fresh flavours and spices, and one that somehow seems healthier than other Asian cuisines. When newly opened Noodlemi on Bonham Strand enticed me with slogans such as ‘bitemi’, ‘cravemi’ and ‘eatmi’, I could hardly resist, especially given how close it is to my office!

noodlemi hong kong

Noodlemi, set up by Duyen and Jeremie, two very passionate individuals, is not just another regular Vietnamese restaurant; it prides itself on being completely free of MSG and gluten (apart from the sandwiches, which of course contain wheat). It’s an adorable little space packed full of bright, lively colours to create something modern and totally different to the usual Vietnamese restos we see all over town.

noodlemi hong kong

Our super healthy and delicious feast began with some soft shell crab summer rolls from the ‘wrapmi’ section of the menu, obviously. These were filled with an exciting collection of leaves, avocado, cucumber, carrots, crispy shallots, and of course the all-important and wonderfully tasty soft shell crab, which had the perfect balance of crispy and tender. Dipped in the homemade nuoc cham sauce, these were utter perfection.

noodlemi hong kong

From the ‘eatmi’ section, we tried the steamed chicken salad with crunchy cabbage and herbs. This refreshing blend of tender chicken, crunchy cabbage, white onions, shallots and peanuts, dressed in a sour and spicy sauce was incredibly moreish. Yet when the ingredients are so fresh and good for you, who cares if you polish off the whole bowl?!

noodlemi hong kong

Unlike other Vietnamese restaurants, Noodlemi doesn’t want its pho to be the focal point, yet it kind of is without even trying to be, for Noodlemi’s beef pho (under the heading ‘lovemi’) is possibly one of the best I’ve tasted. Although the flavour might be milder than elsewhere, it’s a real flavour, made by boiling beef bones, together with spices like cinnamon, star anise and ginger for six hours, without a trace of MSG. Seriously when it tastes this good, who needs MSG?! The beef was incredibly tender and the flat rice noodles cooked to perfection. I know what I’ll be eating very often during the cold winter months.

noodlemi hong kong

The turmeric white fish with scallion and dill on rice vermicelli was just begging to be tasted (it was calling out ‘choosemi’ – I had to!). The lightly battered morsels of fish were beautifully tender and absolutely delicious, sprinkled with a blend of spices that warmed me right to the bones. Together with the slightly chewy rice noodles, crispy bean sprouts, cucumber and carrot, finished with aromatic coriander, I can see why this is already one of Noodlemi’s most popular dishes.

noodlemi hong kong

Last but not least, we couldn’t leave without trying Noodlemi’s special banhmi (if it politely says ‘bitemi’, how can I not?), loaded with Vietnamese salami, cucumber, chilli, carrot and plenty of fresh coriander. Although it wasn’t the easiest dish to eat, it was absolutely delicious, made even more so by the perfect crusty baguette.

Unfortunately neither my one-hour lunchbreak nor my already full to bursting stomach allowed for dessert, yet I’ll make sure to try the vanilla terrine with fresh berries on my next visit, which may well be later this week!

Service was initially a little confused, but the staff are all very friendly and it is clear that a lot of passion goes into every dish that is created. What’s even better is that for such delicious and nutritious food, provided you don’t eat as much as we did (there were only two of us!), you won’t even need $100. I mean it when I say I’ll be going back very, very soon.

Noodlemi

G/F, 2 Bonham Strand
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2253 1113

http://noodle-mi.com/

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Tamarind

12 Nov

 

 

tamarind hong kong

I was always a little bit confused by the concept behind Italian and Indian restaurant Duetto. Take away the Italian chef, replace him with Thai chef Amoo and you now have Tamarind, serving Thai, Vietnamese and Indian cuisine.

The same great space in the Sun Hung Kai Centre has been revamped to provide an elegant, minimalist design with neutral, earthy colours. The main highlight, however, is Tamarind’s sprawling terrace with a gorgeous view of Kowloon. Now that evenings are cooler so that it is actually possible to sit outside without getting disgustingly sweaty, this terrace is clearly the place to be; there was barely an empty table on the night we went.

Still leading the Indian kitchen is Chef Ravilal Bhandari, who has been working in the same kitchen for 15 years. You can take the chef out of India, but you can certainly not take India out of Chef Bhandari; both he and his food are so authentic that, despite having lived here for so long, he can barely speak a word of English, let alone Cantonese, and gets by mostly in his native language.

tamarind hong kong

Our meal began in the streets of India with a Pani Poori Trio: little crispy puffs with a spiced potato filling, served beautifully atop shot glasses with three flavours of water – beetroot, tamarind and mint. The water is poured into its respective puff, completely altering the flavour of each one and making a really delightful treat; I can understand why this is such a popular street food in India.

tamarind hong kong

The grilled pork neck was wonderfully tender and had a lovely smoky flavour. It was tasty on its own, yet the spicy tamarind sauce it was served with made it even better. This sauce is Chef Amoo’s family recipe and consists of a blend of ground toasted rice, chilli and tamarind, amongst other things, creating an incredible medley of sweet, spicy and sour flavours.

tamarind hong kong

Chef Bhandari executed his salmon tandoori perfectly, making it beautifully tender and light. Marinated in a blend of yoghurt, dill, fennel, honey and mustard, it had a lovely delicate sweet glaze that enhanced the fresh flavours of the fish.

tamarind hong kong

Looking at the menu, the Tamarind fish is perhaps not something I would normally order. Having now tried it, however, I would order it every time. The black cod is marinated overnight in tamarind sauce, coconut sugar and fish sauce, allowing the sweet and sour flavours to fully infuse into the fish. It had a lovely crispy outer layer that gave way to super tender and delicious flesh beneath, served alongside fluffy, aromatic garlic rice.

tamarind hong kong

Apparently one of the must-try dishes was the stir-fried tiger prawn in egg cream curry sauce, and I wholeheartedly concur. When raw, the prawn measures the length of two hands. When cooked it was about the size of my fist – probably the biggest prawn I have ever seen. It was amazingly tender and fresh, bathed in a delicious and flavoursome curry sauce, made with beaten eggs to make it smoother. I could have eaten this sauce on its own with a spoon.

tamarind hong kong

The beef brisket with lemongrass yellow curry, a Vietnamese take on the regular beef brisket curry, was a very interesting combination of flavours and textures. Each component of the curry was served separately: curry sauce, chunks of lightly battered beef and baguette for dipping. While the texture of the beef was spot on, combined with the sauce it was a little too salty for my liking.

tamarind hong kong

To end on a (very) sweet note, we were served a plate of Jalebi. These traditional Indian treats are not actually on the menu, and need to be pre-ordered. Fortunately for us, another table had put in an order so they had all the ingredients ready for us. They pretty much consist of thin coils of deep-fried batter soaked in sugar syrup and sprinkled with saffron strands, yet even something so simple was hard to resist.

Prices are very reasonable, with starters from $48 and mains between $68 and $200. Apart from slightly confused service, Tamarind has all the right tools in place to be a success, and in fact it appears to already have a very loyal following of Indian clientele, further supporting the fact that the food is as authentic as it gets. If you’re craving tandoori, Thai green curry and beef pho all in one night then definitely look no further than Tamarind.

Tamarind

2/F, Sun Hung Kai Centre
30 Harbour Road
Wan Chai
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2827 7777

 

 

 

 

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Boqueria

24 Oct

boqueria hong kong

It’s hard not to be excited when I hear about new tapas restaurants opening, and recently my excitement levels have been hitting record highs with tapas spots opening left, right and centre. One of these newbies is New York’s Boqueria, joining the buzzing throng of restaurants in LKF Tower.

Boqueria Hong Kong

The space is gorgeous, with high tables, low hanging lights and a melange of wood and tiles, with the obligatory rustic blackboards and legs of jamón, por supuesto! The look, together with its lively atmosphere (be prepared to shout a little bit to be heard) and Spanish head chef David Izquierdo, gives it an authenticity that many of Hong Kong’s tapas joints lack.

boqueria hong kong

No tapas experience is complete without some delicious Manchego cheese and jamón Ibérico. Platters of these were there to greet us when we arrived, and kept being served as the remaining guests appeared. Pretending I hadn’t had any the first time round, I couldn’t refrain from serving and re-serving myself more of these authentic delicacies.

boqueria hong kong

The pan con tomate was again dangerously moreish, but thankfully there was only enough for one each. The rustic crunchy bread was lovingly brushed with tomato, olive oil and garlic, and tasted even better when topped with the gorgeous ham.

boqueria hong kong

The Pintxos Morunos (lamb skewers) that followed looked delightful yet in actual fact were a little overcooked and dry. A dollop of salsa verde helped, yet still didn’t win me over.

boqueria hong kong

The Bombas de Barceloneta, however, were incredible. I adore croquetas in their normal form, but these were out of this world! A crispy outer layer gave way to beautifully fluffy mashed potato and an inner core of minced beef. The balls were then drizzled in salsa brava and alioli, of which sadly there was not enough. I began with half a ball, in an attempt to be polite…. but ended up gluttonously chowing down another one and a half balls. Oops.

boqueria hong kong

I was pleasantly surprised by the salteado de setas, which consisted of sautéed wild mushrooms, a sprinkling of thyme and Manchego cheese. The mushrooms had the perfect light, tender texture and a refreshing citrusy flavour that begged me to serve myself second and third helpings.

boqueria hong kong

The albondigas (lamb meatballs) that followed were full of flavour, although also a little on the dry side. Nonetheless the tomato sauce was divine and the dollop of sheep’s cheese added an extra comforting touch. I would have liked to mop up the sauce with crusty bread but failed to ask for some.

boqueria hong kong

Even more delicious was the carne a la plancha (grilled hanger steak). It was beautifully cooked and lovely and tender. The fingerling potatoes it was served on were wonderfully crispy on the outside and deliciously fluffy on the inside, and the sweet and slightly spicy shishito peppers added a subtle kick.

boqueria hong kong

The grand spectacle of the evening was the enormous paella de mariscos. Made with bomba rice, which absorbs three times its own volume of liquid, it had an excellent texture and so much flavour. However, whilst the monkfish, squid and prawns were delicious, the clams and mussels were slightly disappointing in both size and texture. Yet all in all it was definitely one of the better paellas I have come across in Hong Kong.

boqueria hong kong

Despite all this food, when it comes to desserts I always manage to find my second stomach and gratefully received the much-anticipated churros con chocolate. They were perfectly crispy yet doughy and lovingly sprinkled with plenty of sugar and cinnamon – lovely and healthy!

All of this was of course washed down with ample amounts of delicious sangría that went down far too easily for a Tuesday night. The things you readers make me do!

Prices at Boqueria are definitely reasonable (for a filling meal for two plus a couple of drinks, you’d be paying around $700-800) and I have no complaints about the service. It’s a fun, lively place with real Spanish food that is certain to succeed, even if it’s down to the churros alone!

Boqueria

7/F, LKF Tower
33 Wyndham Street
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2321 8681

www.boqueria.ccom.hk

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