Tag Archives: cocktails

Lobster Bar and Grill

18 Mar

 

the dim sum diaries hong kong

 

lobster bar and grill hong kong

 

At the Island Shangri-La’s Lobster Bar and Grill, the elegance and charm of this 20-odd year old restaurant is instantly apparent the moment you walk in. Given that obviously it specialises in seafood, and particularly lobster, the blue décor and the two beautiful aquariums dotted with colourful fish fit the scene perfectly.

To the right of the entrance, a huge mahogany bar dominates the space, where you can enjoy a cocktail or two pre- or post-dinner. To the left, is a gorgeous dining room with blue leather chairs, where you can gladly spend hours over a civilised dinner, whilst enjoying the tunes from the live jazz band.

lobster bar and grill hong kong

Following a recommendation from the helpful, smiling staff, we began by sharing a seafood platter for two. This enormous platter, bearing Boston lobster, Alaskan crab, oysters, abalone, muscles, sea whelks, prawns and four kinds of sashimi (scallops, salmon, squid and tuna), would have probably sufficed as our meal, or at least served three hungry people. The seafood was all incredibly fresh, my favourite being the very meaty lobster tail. Served on a bed of ice, my only complaint is that some of the seafood was a little too cold, verging on frozen, meaning that some of the flavour, from the crab for example, was lost.

lobster bar and grill hong kong

The Peruvian ceviche, consisting of scallops and hamachi, with avocado and pomelo, was deliciously fresh and light. I loved the contrast in textures from the melt-in-the-mouth scallops, to the buttery avocado, and chunky hamachi.

lobster bar and grill hong kong

The poached Boston lobster tartare, large enough to be a main course after the rest of the seafood, despite being on the starters menu, was divine. Tiny chunks of lobster, laced in a lemon yoghurt dressing were meaty and flavoursome, without being too heavy.

lobster bar and grill hong kong

My favourite savoury dish of the night, however, was the black ink seafood risotto. The rice was perfectly al dente, topped with scallops, prawns, clams, cuttlefish and of course lobster. It would be impossible to fault this dish and I only wish I had been able to finish it.

lobster bar and grill hong kong

Moving on to dessert, the Calvados baked apple was richer than expected, spiked so heavily with liqueur that you could probably get drunk on this alone. Paired with the slightly sharp green apple sorbet, however, a wonderful balance was achieved.

lobster bar and grill hong kong

Apparently the most popular of all the desserts, and understandably so, is the hazelnut parfait. This wonderfully creamy dessert can only be described as heavenly. If I had to give up chocolate for the rest of my life, this dessert, with its nutty outer layer and wonderfully silky interior, would possibly make it just that little bit less torturous. The chunks of passion fruit-topped mango on the side were just a bonus (as were of course the inevitable petits fours!).

lobster bar and grill hong kong

A meal such as this one, with only one cocktail each, would cost at least $2500 for two people. Yes, it’s expensive, but that is to be expected when presented with such high quality seafood that you would be hard pushed to find elsewhere in Hong Kong. For a civilised, delicious meal in an elegant setting, whilst enjoying lovely music (they even take requests!), I would definitely recommend a trip to the Lobster Bar and Grill. If you’re not a lobster fan, fear not, for apparently the steaks are also excellent, but then again it’s not called the “Steak Bar and Grill” now, is it…?!

Lobster Bar and Grill

6/F, Island Shangri-La
Pacific Place
Supreme Court Road
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2820 8560

www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/islandshangrila/dining/restaurants/lobster-bar-grill/

 

 

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

Honi Honi

21 Nov

 

 

honi honi hong kong

Almost as fast as restaurants keep popping up, recently, more and more bars have been opening across the city, each battling to have their own unique edge, complete with a slice of that ever-prized outdoor space that most of us crave here in Hong Kong. Although new openings excite me, I often find that there’s a lot of repetition and new places almost seem like clones of each other. Honi Honi, which recently opened its doors, however, is most definitely one of a kind, as it takes the prize for Hong Kong’s first and only tiki cocktail lounge, bringing an air of Polynesia to our very own Wellington Street.

Honi Honi was set up by Max Traverse, formerly head bartender at Le Boudoir, before which he had over a decade of experience in top bars in both France and London. Apparently Honi Honi, named after a Polynesian greeting meaning ‘kiss kiss’, all stemmed from Max’s serious love of rum and all things rum, along with his desire to create a relaxed environment where he could really get to know his clientele and serve them personalised cocktails, each presented in adorable glasses.

honi honi hong kong

If you remember Fifty2 Lounge, which stood in the very same place, you will be utterly amazed at just how much the space has been transformed. It has quite literally become a tropical paradise, complete with bamboo, palm trees, bright colours and patterns, that feels so far removed from Hong Kong’s bustling city. And with a beautiful terrace to enjoy these cooler evenings, almost every sofa and mango tree stool was taken by the time I arrived at 6.30pm, forcing us into a cosy, comfy corner inside.

honi honi hong kong

The menu is vast, with a wide range of cocktails made with premium spirits and fresh tropical fruit. I ordered the Three Wise Monkeys, a refreshing and spicy blend of Sailor Jerry spiced rum, ginger liqueur, fresh lime juice, fresh ginger and fresh apple juice that was the perfect pick me up after a tiring day at work.

honi honi hong kong

Max showed his skills of knowing his customers, however, as alongside my Three Wise Monkeys, he also brought me a Tropical Storm, made with Grey Goose vodka, passion fruit puree, elderflower syrup, fresh guava nectar and fresh strawberries. It was as if Max had known me forever, as this was definitely my kind of drink; give me anything passion fruit and I’m in heaven.

honi honi hong kong

To soak up these surprisingly potent cocktails, Honi Honi has a small but tasty snack menu. The pomegranate guacamole with tortilla chips was absolutely divine, packing a subtle yet significant punch. Heirloom taught me about pomegrantate and guac, and since then I don’t think I could have it any other way.

honi honi hong kong

We also tried the tzatziki with toasted bread. Although this was a little too laden with dill, it was nevertheless fresh, tasty and far too moreish.

honi honi hong kong

My favourite of the snacks we tried, however, were the meatballs and sauce, lamb and beef meatballs packed full of flavour and served with a delicious minted yoghurt sauce. Fortunately there were a couple of vegetarians around the table and I figured if they weren’t eating their portions then someone had to…!

Honi Honi is by far the most exciting bar that has opened in Hong Kong of late, and they have plenty of exciting ideas up their sleeves, both for when the weather gets cooler, and then when it starts to really warm up again. I’m intrigued to see what the shower on the terrace is for.

As far as prices go…. well they aren’t exactly cheap. Cocktails range from $110 to $2888 for an Around the World, which includes five different kinds of rum, fresh guava and lime juices, cherry liqueur and a whole bottle of Tattinger! Thinking about it, for all that, it might actually be worth it. It warns you though, – ‘don’t try this alone’!

Honi Honi

3/F Somptueux Central
52 Wellington Street
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2353 0885

www.honihonibar.com 

Naughty Nuri’s, Batubelig, Bali

17 Aug

Naughty nuris batubelig bali

To celebrate my sister’s birthday in Bali, we opted not for a Balinese restaurant (although we know these are good from my previous trip, reviewed here), but for a much naughtier option: Naughty Nuri’s in Batubelig.

Naughty Nuri’s is famous for its “wicked ribs and brutal martinis”, so it was definitely the perfect place to go with a group of 20 to celebrate such a momentous birthday. Despite not being able to reserve a table, we stomped our feet, raised our voices, and eventually managed to land ourselves the biggest table in the house, albeit at rather a tight squeeze.

There is nothing fancy about this restaurant; it classes itself as a warung, a casual family-owned café with wooden tables and benches. Yet when the emphasis is on the ribs and martinis, who cares about the surroundings?

Over the course of the evening, we ordered four rounds of lychee martinis, each impossibly stronger than the last. The fun isn’t just in drinking the cocktails, but in watching the staff perform a hilarious dance as they shake up the cocktails tableside. If you know my brother, ask him for a demonstration – he knows the moves better than anyone!

Food-wise, we massively over-ordered, asking for ten servings of each of the following: pork chops, tuna steaks, chicken, corn on the cobs, potato wedges, and, of course, ribs. A little excessive you say? Perhaps, but we needed something to soak up the industrial-strength martinis.

naughty nuri's batubelig bali

Everything was pretty tasty, but I feel a special mention needs to go to the pork chops. I had no qualms about picking up the bone and finishing off every last piece of meat, for fear that any should be left to waste. The meat was succulent, bursting with flavour, and I encountered barely an ounce of fat.

naughty nuri's batubelig bali

I had initially planned on ignoring the tuna steaks: when one has ten racks of ribs, what use is there for healthy fish, right? Wrong. The tuna was cooked to perfection, lightly seared on each side leaving the middle wonderfully juicy. I was grateful everyone else had the same initial idea as me, meaning there were plenty of leftovers for the next day. (Surprisingly it still tasted good straight out of the fridge without reheating.)

naughty nuri's batubelig bali

You’ll be pleased to hear that the best part of the meal was of course the ribs. Cooked on the roadside barbecue, they were so tasty and tender that in fact not one single rib made it back to our villa in the doggy bag; a fact that provoked many a moan the next day.

Bearing in mind that each martini cost IDR110,000 alone, and the fact that we had excesses of food, somehow (with a little help from a Naughty Nuri’s VIP card – I should get me one of those) the bill per head was a mere IDR600,000 (approximately HKD500). We might as well have had another couple of lychee martinis!

Normally when visiting any Asian country, I like to embrace said country’s culture and cuisine, and indeed I frown upon anybody who doesn’t. Yet Naughty Nuri’s has shown a definite exception to this rule; we could not possibly have had a better night anywhere else if we’d tried.


Naughty Nuri’s

Jalan Batubelig 41
Kerobokan Kelod
Kuta
Bali

(Original outlet in Ubud)

Tel: +62 361 847 6722

www.naughtynurisbali.com

Brickhouse

25 Jun

Brickhouse Hong Kong

Mexican is the flavour of the moment across Hong Kong. After complaints that there were no good tacos in the city, taco shops popped up everywhere, adding to the throng of pretty average Tex-Mex restaurants. When word got out that new kid on the block Brickhouse would be opening as yet another Mexican resto, I was excited, but I can’t say I expected grand things. Boy, was I wrong.

As we know already from many of Hong Kong’s hidden gems, some of the best places are tucked away behind the scenes. Such is the case with Brickhouse; you’ll only find it if you’re looking for it, as it’s hidden away down a random-looking side alley as you approach Lan Kwai Fong, There is no signage on or around the restaurant as the idea is to keep it cosy, exclusive and hidden. I like this idea, except the hidden part in practice doesn’t seem to be working: it’s been open for three weeks and it’s heaving every single night!

Brickhouse has a no reservations policy. Imagine the thrill and excitement that Yardbird has, a year after opening, double it, and that is what I’m expecting Brickhouse will be like, with queues all the way down the alleyway to get a table. Luckily it’s open until 2am on a weeknight, and 5am on a weekend, so I’m very excited about the idea of a midnight (taco) feast.

Brickhouse Hong Kong

I love the vibe at Brickhouse; as soon as I walked in, I was wowed by the eclectic décor consisting of graffiti-esque paintings by local artists, stickers dotted willy nilly all over the place, a very rustic floor, and obviously red brick wall panels. The quirky design makes the place look unfinished, yet in a really hip and funky kind of way. Music is blasted out at a tolerable volume making you instantly want to sing along and dance, and it looks as though even the staff are having fun; with so many miserable, moody waiters across the city, seeing staff who actually love what they are doing is really refreshing.

The menu is rather eclectic too. The choice is vast, yet portions are small, meaning you are able to choose a handful of dishes to share, which is my absolute favourite way of eating. While you’re thinking of what to order, definitely try one of Brickhouse’s exciting cocktails, my favourite being the Diabla, consisting of jalapeño vodka, raspberries, pomegranate and lemon: fruity and sharp with a subtle chilli kick.

Brickhouse watermelon salad

Our feast began with a Watermelon salad. As I’ve mentioned plenty of times, I am not a salad fiend. However, this salad, made with cubes of the freshest watermelon, strips of cucumber, goat’s feta, clusters of candied pumpkin seeds and chilli syrup was absolutely incredible, with the flavours and textures working perfectly together.

Brickhouse street corn

The Mexican street corn is a must. The sweet, juicy corn on the cob is first smothered in chilli mayo with lime, then sprinkled generously with grated cheese and coriander to give it a little something special without losing the taste of the corn itself. We both polished off our share without a word.

Brickhouse beets

Beetroot is still one of those things that I’ll eat if it’s put in front of me as I know it’s good for me, but if there were other vegetables, I’d probably choose those. The homemade beet fries, however, are something special. First roasted, then deep fried in a very light tempura batter, and finally dipped in the accompanying sweet chilli mayo, these were delicious and more-ish, yet almost 100% guilt-free.

Brickhouse tostadas

There are two options of Tostadas, of which, of course, we tried both. While the braised octopus had a great flavour, it was a little on the chewy side. The yellowfin tuna tostada, however, with chipotle mayo and habanero mustard, was delicious melt-in-the-mouth goodness on top, with perfect crunchtastic toasted tortilla below.

Brickhouse tacos

A note about the tortillas: these corn tortillas are made fresh in-house every day, something somewhat novel amongst Hong Kong’s Mexican eateries. The taco choices are listed on a blackboard and change regularly. Our choices, of which again we tried all five, were chicken, pulled pork, market fish, rib eye with crispy manchego, and venison. All had their own interesting flavours, but the absolute shining star of the lot was the rib eye with crispy manchego, grilled tomato salsa and coriander. The meat was beautifully tender, the dressings utterly divine. Although it sounds delicious, our suggestion is that you skip the venison and get two of the rib eyes instead.

Brickhouse ceviche

Of the three Ceviche options, we tried the Back to Life (a blend of shrimp, grilled tomato, smoked chilli, horseradish and citrus dressing) and the Peruvian (yellowtail tuna, apple, daikon relish, orange, avocado and yuzu-lime dressing). The former was a little too strongly-flavoured for my palate, but I adored the delicate flavours and super tender textures of the Peruvian ceviche.

Brickhouse chilli relleno

From the main courses, we tried the Chilli relleno, a poblano pepper stuffed with quinoa, butternut squash and manchego cheese, served in a rich tomato broth. If I were a vegetarian, I would be more than satisfied with this wholesome, comforting dish.

Brickhouse beef shortrib

The beef shortrib was beautifully tender and sweet, cooked in a brown sugar reduction, served with creamy mashed potato and baby corn done in the same way as the street corn.

Brickhouse yoghurt

After this incredible feast, it would have been rude not to try dessert – so of course we tried two. The first consisted of fresh yoghurt blended with goat’s cheese, layers of buttery dulce de leche and raspberries, topped with a bar of chocolate-covered peanut butter. I suggested these incredible chocolate bars should be sold in gift boxes, to which the response was: “so I can buy them as a gift for myself?!”

Brickhouse chilli chocolate cake

The chilli chocolate cake, although I couldn’t detect even the tiniest hint of chilli, was most definitely the best chocolate fondant I have had in Hong Kong and simply oozed molten chocolate goodness at the touch of a fork.

After only one trip to Brickhouse, I think it has already become one of my favourite places in this restaurant-filled city. Everything about it from the super upbeat vibe, to the friendly waiters, dangerously tasty cocktails, delicious food (at relatively reasonable prices – the average food bill will come to $300 per person, without drinks) and the fact that no service charge is added to the bill leaves no doubt in my mind that it will be a roaring success…if it isn’t already.

Brickhouse

G/F 20A D’Aguilar Street
Lan Kwai Fong
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2810 0560

Why not have a read of my mini-review of Brickhouse on Localiiz too? You might find some other exciting restaurants on there!

AVA Restaurant Slash Bar

29 Aug

I have been making the treacherous journey to the ‘dark side’ fairly frequently recently and have begun to think that it isn’t actually all that dark.

On Wednesday evening I was invited to represent Sassy HK at a media preview for the launch of Azure Restaurant Slash Bar’s little sister, AVA Restaurant Slash Bar, which will officially be ‘born’ on 1st September.

The whole experience, from travelling in the dangerously named ‘bullet lift’, watching the Hong Kong harbour get smaller and smaller; to arriving at the 38th floor of Hotel Panorama by Rhombus, admiring the spectacular 270° view; to eating Chef Mike Boyle’s incredible creations, is like no other.

With floor to ceiling windows and warm décor, AVA invites you to feast on international modern cuisine in true style, taking in the amazing skyline that our wonderful city has to offer.

Start the night with one of AVA’s signature cocktails, made by a highly trained mixologist before your very eyes. The AVA-tini is quite something; a blend of Absolut mandarin, Belvedere raspberry and Malibu with fresh fruit juices, topped off with liquid nitrogen, served actually smoking to the table – a feast for all the senses!

After the cocktail, move on to one of AVA’s high quality wines from the extensive wine list, with selections to perfectly match your chosen dishes. The Auntsfield Marlborough Chardonnay (2009), with only a subtle oakiness to complement the citrus notes is very good, or for an amazing red wine, try the MI Terruno Mayacaba Malbec (2007) from Mendoza, Argentina – a full-bodied wine made from 100 year old vines.

Crab salad on the beach

Each meal commences with a complimentary amuse bouche: Crab salad on the beach – a multi-tiered crab salad served atop a mini edible beach. From the moment I saw how much effort Chef Boyle had put into even his amuse bouche, I knew this was going to be a very special meal indeed.

The AVA team put together a tasting menu of about 8 signature dishes for us, including meat, seafood and vegetarian options to show the full range of their talent.

Boston lobster

The Boston lobster, served inside an ice crystal was sensational: layers of crab, avocado and tropical fruits with seriously tender lobster. The presentation was like nothing I have ever seen before, keeping the lobster both looking and tasting as cool as a cucumber.

Red pepper soup

Next came a red pepper and tomato soup with black garlic, served inside a beautiful little iron pot. I had never even heard of black garlic, let alone tasted it, so was surprised to notice the sweetness of the flavour, created by fermenting garlic at a very high temperature. Garlic is one of my favourite foods, and I think I fell in love all over again.

Duck foie gras

To follow came Duck foie gras with foie gras ‘pebbles’ served on a citrus-spiced waffle with orange vanilla gel. I have never been the biggest foie gras fan, but I think Chef Boyle’s dish may well have converted me.

The pan-roasted red snapper with orange ginger sauce, baby fennel and heirloom carrots on a bed of cauliflower risotto, showed Chef Boyle’s insistence on making the vegetables an integral part of any dish, rather than simply fading into the background. He likes his dishes to be colourful and aesthetically pleasing, hence his decision to use purple, yellow, white and orange carrots.

Salt-marsh lamb

The same was indicated in his Salt-marsh lamb from the Rhug Estate in Wales. Even though the lamb was hands-down the star of this dish, the carefully selected vegetables (Brussels sprouts, celery roots, potatoes, carrots and beans) served on a ribbon of beetroot purée, were also major players in this sensational dish.

As a special surprise not originally intended to be a part of our menu tasting, the butternut squash tortellini with light cinnamon butter and a fennel and orange salad was divine.

The Cap

Also from the Rhug Estate in Wales, the grilled Cap served with rosemary carrots and chunky smashed potatoes was possibly one of the best cuts of meat I have ever eaten. With absolutely no need for any kind of condiment, this tender, perfectly pink steak was a slice of heaven on earth.

Rosewater and raspberry ice cream

Knowing AVA’s dessert would not disappoint, we desperately located the special dessert space in our stomachs. Chef Boyle prepared a rose water and raspberry ice cream right in front of us, using liquid nitrogen. Paired with a berry compote, and served in a little shortbread basket, this dessert exceeded expectations.

AVA’s contemporary Sky Bar, with a live DJ from 10pm to 2am every Thursday to Saturday is the perfect place to relax and dance away the stress from a long week at work. For me, going to the same bars every weekend in Central is starting to lose its appeal, so a change of scenery is always appreciated. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something a little more chilled out, take the lift up to the 40th floor to the open-air Sky Garden to admire the view and relax with another of AVA’s amazing cocktails.

If you need a reason to brave your fears and visit the ‘dark side’, AVA is it. Once you get over the panic of stepping outside your comfort zone, you’ll realise that, sometimes, change can be a very wonderful thing.

AVA Restaurant Slash Bar

38/F Hotel Panorama by Rhombus
8A Hart Avenue
Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 3550 0262

Date visited: Wednesday 24th August 2011

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