Tag Archives: tapas

Common Room

24 May

the dim sum diaries hong kong

 

 

common room hong kong

It seems that in order to be considered ‘cool’ in the Hong Kong restaurant world these days, you need to serve small dishes, which will be known as ‘tapas’ no matter their heritage. If we’re going by this theory, then Privé Group’s newest baby, Common Room, is as cool as they come.

common room hong kong

Classing itself as a gastrobar, Common Room, on Wo On Lane in Lan Kwai Fong, is a huge space that boasts a sprawling 31-foot long glass and cast iron bar, which it quite fittingly refers to as a ‘liquor library’. Communal wooden tables fill the space, whilst an outdoor terrace, decorated with reclaimed ship wood, lies at the back. It was named to represent a shared, casual lounge space, like the common rooms we all remember from our school and uni days.

Common Room’s main focus is on its classic and contemporary cocktails, shaken up late into the night by three top cocktail mixologists. It does also offer a fairly comprehensive food menu, based on world-inspired dishes and served tapas style.

common room hong kong

Once cocktails were ordered (try the Zellweger if you don’t like your drinks too sweet), we tucked into a portion of the tastiest sweet potato fries I’ve had in a long while: perfectly crispy on the outside whilst lovely and fluffy on the inside. The homemade chipotle buttermilk aioli could have been a touch spicier, yet it was still dangerously addictive.

common room hong kong

Little, beautifully presented bites of scallop ceviche followed. Marinated in lime and topped with chilli, coriander and red onions, these beauties melted in the mouth and were packed full of flavour.

common room hong kong

As I’ve mentioned previously, foie gras burgers are all the rage these days (remember 22 Ships and Stone Nullah Tavern?), and quite rightly too. Common Room’s wagyu foie gras burgers, laden with caramelised onions, rocket and a balsamic reduction, may just be the best I have had to date. The beef patty was clearly of the highest quality and was cooked to perfection, leaving it neither too dry nor still mooing.

common room hong kong

The homemade chicken liver and foie gras pate, spiked with peppercorn and brandy and served with homemade crostini was heavenly rich and comforting, topped with a fruity layer to cut through the fat.

common room hong kong

I’ve had tandoori fish, tandoori chicken, tandoori most things really, yet tandoori octopus was certainly a new one for me. These glorious little bites of bouncy, smoky octopus, paired with fresh mango, sumac and raita were refreshingly delicious and definitely something I’d order again.

common room hong kong

Ask anyone to name the ultimate comfort food and there is little doubt that a good mac + cheese will be high on the list. There is even less doubt that Common Room’s individual, beautifully presented portions would jump straight to the top of this list. Packed full of buffalo mozzarella, Gruyere, Parmesan and Gouda, these little bowls are intensely cheesy and impossible to resist.

common room hong kong common room hong kong

Opting for the most intriguing sounding of the two dessert options (from the fittingly named ‘heaven’ section of the menu), we tried the cryo-fried vanilla ice cream. First set alight with flaming brandy, this bowl of battered ice cream was then extinguished with strawberry maple syrup – quite the spectacle to watch, yet for me the whole thing was a little too sweet to be able to handle more than a couple of mouthfuls.

Overall, Common Room is a fun, exciting new place where I can definitely see myself spending leisurely evenings with a group of friends, whether for refreshing cocktails or scrummy foie gras burgers. Prices hover around the $100 mark for cocktails, whilst food prices range from $58 to $132 – not bad for delicious world-inspired ‘tapas’ you’re unlikely to find elsewhere, unless of course you feel the urge to order everything on the menu; trust me, it’s a definite temptation…

Common Room

1/F, Wo On Building
8-13 Wo On Lane
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2525 3599

www.common-room.hk

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Tangerine

14 Mar

the dim sum diaries hong kong

tangerine thai restaurant hong kong

To narrow down all the cuisines of the world and select my favourite would not be an easy decision to make. Thai food, however, is certainly up there, and will often be my go-to choice of comfort food. Thankfully, Thai restaurants there are aplenty in Hong Kong. Yet there are no Thai restaurants quite like Tangerine.

Its location on the quieter part of Peel Street and the fact that it claims to serve ‘Thai tapas’ didn’t fill me with hugely high hopes for this place; I expected it to be one of those that has no chance of surviving. That was until I tried it whilst doing a review for Time Out (read it here).

As its name suggests, Tangerine is significantly orange in colour, contrasted against dark wood and modern Thai touches, all presented under intimate, dim lighting, giving it a cosy yet elegant feel.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

As I mentioned, Tangerine specialises in Thai tapas, although there is also a regular menu featuring many Thai favourites. Deciding that a Thai green curry could be had anywhere, we kept our focus mainly on the tapas side of the menu, comforted by the fact that, this way, there was less chance of coming face to face with our evil friend Food Envy.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

An unexpected yet wholly delicious amuse bouche appeared in the form of a fresh prawn roll, before we were served the first of our ‘tapas’ – char-grilled chicken satay. According to my father, these were the best chicken satay he’s had since he lived in Singapore 50 years ago! They were beautifully presented in little shot glasses full of the creamiest peanut sauce you could ever taste, and the chicken was unbelievably tender.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

Next up, the garlic and chilli sizzling prawns, although not even slightly sizzling, were delicious, packing a significant chilli and ginger punch that lingered long after the prawns had been devoured.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

True to our friendly waitress’ recommendation, the stir-fried soft shell crab with garlic and chillies was exceptional. Not only were the generous chunks of crab crispy and satisfying to bite into, but so were the large slivers of garlic – definitely not a dish for a first date!

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

Perhaps my favourite dish of the night was the minced pork with Thai chillies and kaffir lime leaves, served on fresh lettuce. Again these were beautifully presented for individual consumption and were simply bursting with flavour. Not for the faint-hearted, these parcels of delight are even spicier than the abovementioned dishes, making them, in my mind, utterly delicious and authentically Thai.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

Unfortunately the char-grilled pork neck with Esan-style chilli sauce was disappointingly chewy and far too salty for our liking – the only let down of the evening.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

The last of our tapas dishes was sizzling tofu with basil and chillies, this time most definitely sizzling. If the tofu itself wasn’t hugely flavoursome, the rest of the dish, with lovely chopped green beans, crispy Thai basil leaves and of course a lot of chilli, made up for it.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

The pad Thai, from the non-tapas menu, was one of the best I have tasted, with just the right balance of sweet and spicy, beautifully presented in a thin, tasty omelette.

tangerine thai tapas hong kong

Last but by no means least, the mango sticky rice with coconut cream, made with both black and white, amazingly sticky rice, was the perfect end to a surprisingly delicious meal. The mango here was just as I like it – slightly sharp, creating a wonderful contrast with the heavenly sweet coconut cream.

Between four of us, our meal amounted to a little over $200 a head, with only soft drinks; had it not been a Monday night, the tapas menu even offers wine suggestions to complement the dishes. Finding a place like Tangerine with excellent, well-executed food and good service that doesn’t cost the earth is a true breath of fresh air. We were such fans of Tangerine that we even ordered a takeaway from there just four days later! This may well become our go-to Thai place…

Tangerine

51 Peel Street
Soho
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2546 6162

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22 Ships

4 Feb

4_oh

 

 

22 Ships Hong Kong

 

The hype about Jason Atherton’s 22 Ships reached me months before it actually opened, yet what with all the Christmas and end of year celebrations that seem to last far longer here than anywhere else, I have only just managed to give it a try.

Slightly put off by the no reservations policy that seems to have peeved quite a few people about town, and with absolutely no desire to queue for hours, we arrived at 5.45, putting us second in line for the 6pm opening time.

The focus is on the central open kitchen, around which you’ll find the best seats in the house; there’s something about watching your food being carefully prepared, with close attention to detail, that makes it even more exciting when it comes to actually eating it.

The menu, which also serves as your placemat, is inspired by Spanish tapas, given Atherton’s background at elBulli. However, this isn’t tapas as we know it; this is modern, fancy tapas that will definitely make your taste buds tingle.

22 ships hong kong

 

Even 22 Ships’ sangria is fancy, topped with a thick foam and somehow not as sweet and sickly as sangria often can be.

22 Ships hong kong

To look at, the Salt cod brandade ortiz, wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, yet to taste, it was heavenly: a beautiful, creamy dip made of salt cod with anchovy and herb paste, topped with olive oil and avocado. I could have eaten it straight from the bowl with a spoon, yet of course it also worked with the crisp bread it came with.

22 ships hong kong

From the specials menu, the tea cured salmon with rock melon and daikon was perfect. Each bite of salmon was flavoursome and unbelievably tender. Having been cured in tea as opposed to smoked, it didn’t have that strong, overpowering flavour, but rather was light and delicate, pairing perfectly with the sweet melon and creamy avocado.

22 ships hong kong

A side dish of peas, broad beans, goats curd, Iberico ham and mint dressing was light and fresh, but nothing to write home about. The occasional mint leaf we came across brought some excitement to the dish, so it definitely could have done with a few more of these.

22 ships hong kong

Absolutely incredible, were the char grilled Iberico pork & foie gras burgers. You might expect this combination to be far too rich and salty, yet these beauties were utterly perfect, the flavours balanced by the fluffy, slightly sweet homemade bun.

22 ships hong kong

The suckling pig was also divine. Having found Hong Kong’s best suckling pig a few weeks ago at Manor, my expectations were low. However, although the two are completely different styles and cannot be compared, I think I may have found a close contender. The meat was unbelievably tender, served with roasted apple, piquillo peppers and red pepper-infused roast pineapple. I’m not normally a fan of cooked pineapple, yet this one, paired with the salty, succulent pork was amazing.

22 ships hong kong

For dessert, we opted for the olive oil brioche with chocolate ganache and sea salt. Concerned as to whether or not this would actually come together, we were pleasantly surprised when we combined each component and realised that of course it did. I particularly loved the pistachio ice cream and whole pistachio nuts, which neutralised the richness of the ganache.

One thing I didn’t like about 22 Ships was the feeling they gave us that they were trying to get rid of us; the dishes came out all at once to the point that we had to tell them to slow down. This must be their way of trying to get as many covers as possible on one night. Once they realised we weren’t in a rush to leave, however, service was good and the staff were friendly, which, combined with their no service charge policy, encouraged us to tip generously.

Much has been commented on about the cost of 22 Ships; no, it isn’t cheap. Yet neither is it extortionate; for our meal, we paid less than $400 each, including a tip. Remember that this lively, delicious restaurant has Jason Atherton’s name behind it, so it never was going to be cheap, was it?!

22 Ships

22 Ship Street
Wan Chai
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2555 0722

www.22ships.hk

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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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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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Papi

3 Oct

papi hong kong

Apart from when I call him Pieman, ‘Papi’ is what I call my dad, so ever since hearing that there was an Italian restaurant called Papi, I knew I must try it to see if I could possibly love it as much as my Pieman. For fear of insulting him, I will say that this could never be possible…but it certainly did come close!

Papi is located in Civic Square, the lovely palm tree-lined alfresco dining area in Elements. The simple, brightly lit space, dotted with tins and jars of authentic Italian condiments, draws in families, friends and businessmen alike, as the menu is designed around the concept of family-style sharing plates under the fitting headings of ‘finger food’ and ‘fork food’, alongside larger plates of pizza, pasta or roasts.

papi hong kong

We began our meal with a delicious fresh burrata cheese served with Italian cherry tomatoes, crisp rocket and a delicious basil dressing. I’ve recently developed a bit of an obsession with burrata (not helped by the incredible one at DiVino Patio!) and this wonderfully creamy serving of cheese definitely did not disappoint.

papi hong kong

Whoever first thought of the combination of Parma ham and melon should be knighted. This is one of my all-time favourites, and Papi’s version, with only the absolute freshest ingredients, was spot on.

papi hong kong

Papi’s homemade focaccia, served straight from the oven, had the perfect fluffy texture, yet it was slightly lacking in flavour. A sprinkle of rock salt over the top would have made it, although it also worked with the delicious rocket dip it came with.

papi hong kong

The deep-fried mixed mushrooms, with a light tempura-style batter encasing gorgeous melt-in-the-mouth mushrooms, may have been the star of the show… or at least one of them. Also served with a lovely rocket dip, I simply could not get enough of these.

papi hong kong

To follow, the homemade pork meatballs were also complete perfection. The pork was wonderfully tender, lean and full of flavour. A sprinkling of slightly bitter fennel seeds complemented the sweet tomato sauce it was bathed in, which also served as the perfect dip for the focaccia.

papi hong kong

Garlic prawns is another of my favourite dishes. Unfortunately these seemed ever so slightly overcooked, causing the texture to be just a touch rubbery. However, the caramelised garlic chips were scrumptious and also worked amazingly with the focaccia.

papi hong kong

Obviously we had to try some of the homemade pasta, so we opted for Papi’s Pici – handmade Tuscan pici in a spicy tomato sauce with garlic chips. With a lovely udon-like texture, this pasta was far too moreish; although I was already near bursting point, and with three courses still to go, I couldn’t resist serving myself a second and third helping. (A good thing to know about Papi is that gluten-free pasta is available upon request.)

papi hong kong

Last but not least of the savouries, we tried the Pizza salsiccia, as it would have been an insult to the chef not to see how his pizzas fared. With a wonderfully thin, crispy base and an exciting mix of mushrooms and Italian sausage, there was little I could fault about this pizza. I even enjoyed it for breakfast the next day (slash three days later…oops.)

papi hong kong

On to desserts, the panna cotta with fresh wild berries was deliciously creamy yet light, flavoured with real vanilla pods. The sharp fresh fruit cut through the sweetness of the panna cotta to create the perfect summer dessert.

papi hong kong

Without beating round the bush, however, the best of the desserts was the Nonna chocolate cake. This amazing mousse-like cake came on a bed of crunchy hazelnuts, sprinkled with chocolate pop rocks and served with hazelnut ice cream. It was absolutely to die for.

Having initially thought that Papi might be the sort of place you only go to either if you work nearby or are shopping in Elements, I’ve realised that it is in fact worth the trip in its own right. The service is good, the prices are fair (‘finger food’ starts at $30, ‘fork food’ at $60, pastas at $98 and pizzas at $128) and the food is delicious. Get over the thought that TST is a million miles away and get over there, even if just for the Nonna cake!

Papi

Shop RO11, Civic Square
3/F Elements Mall
1 Austin Road
West Kowloon
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2811 2681

www.papi-hk.com

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Eclectic

10 Sep eclectic private kitchen hong kong

 

 

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Besides the numerous taco shops that are currently filling our bellies, Spanish cuisine is the flavour of the moment, with tapas restaurants galore enticing us in with their jamón Ibérico and queso Manchego. Newcomer Eclectic, set up by charming chef Juan Martínez Gregorio is a cosy little private kitchen tucked away in Sheung Wan, serving traditional home-style Spanish fare in a relaxed, humble setting.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The space is very intimate and homely; it isn’t just an empty space with a table and chairs, but actually looks like it could be someone’s dining room, ready and waiting for the dinner party guests to arrive. As you enter, there is a Hong Kong-sized open kitchen (I’ll get back to the cooking appliances later!) that opens on to a long dining area with comfy sofas at the back, perfect for enjoying your complimentary glass of sangría.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The first course, which we also savoured on the comfy sofas, consisted of simple and classic cold cuts: 16-month aged Manchego cheese, chorizo Ibérico and pan tumaca (country-style bread topped with a gorgeous tomato and garlic purée): this was the perfect start to our dinner party.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Seated at the rustic wooden table, our second course was an empanada de frito from Cartagena, Juan’s hometown. Whereas South American empanadas come as individual pockets of delight, this one was more of a giant pie, which was shared between us. Inside the lovely, flaky pastry were black olives and tuna, bathed in a delicious tomato-zucchini sauce. I later discovered that Juan’s ‘oven’ is just a tiny tabletop oven, much smaller than the one I have at home! It’s amazing that he can run his private kitchen with this, but honestly, looking at and tasting the empanada, you could never tell!

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The pimientos del piquillo, so named for the beak-like shape of the peppers, were stuffed with a combination of fish and prawns, bathed in a red pepper and paprika sauce. The flavours were wonderfully delicate, although we all agreed that they could have done with a little more spice.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Our fourth course, not to be mistaken with a gazpacho, was a salmorejo from the Spanish region of Córdoba. This cold tomato soup contains a blend of red pepper, bread, garlic and olive oil, sprinkled with strips of jamón Ibérico, chopped red pepper and crumbled egg to add some exciting textures. For me, it was a little too intense and acidic, but I’m never a huge fan of gazpacho-esque dishes anyway.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The papada de cerdo al vino tinto, or pork jowl slow cooked in red wine, was beautifully tender, having been cooked in Rioja for two hours. It was hearty and delicious; the perfect home-style comfort food.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Dessert was quite simply out of this world: flambé strawberries with black pepper and ice cream. As the smell of toasted almonds filled the room, we were lured towards the kitchen to watch Juan prepare the strawberries, sautéing them in butter and sugar before flambéing them in brandy. The freshly ground black pepper added an interesting and subtle warmth to the dish.

Eclectic is BYOB, but I would recommend also trying some of the gorgeous Spanish red wines sold by the bottle, starting at only around $160; cheaper than you’d find them anywhere else, but the most important fact is that you’d struggle to actually find them anywhere else…

To match the dinner party (as opposed to generic private kitchen) theme, the time between courses is somewhat slow, meaning our 7-course meal (there was also a salad but I chose not to write about it, as a salad is a salad) lasted over four hours. Taking into account that Juan’s cooking appliances consist of a teeny tiny oven and two plug-in hot plates, I’m surprised it wasn’t even slower! If you’re in good company, enjoying fine wine and delicious food, time will fly by anyway, so just embrace it and relish the fact that you can host a dinner party with someone else there to do all the hard work! All for only $400 a head too – bargain!

Eclectic

Room 603, 6/F, Cheung’s Building
1-3 Wing Wo Street (actually Wing Lok Street)
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 9158 1584

www.e-eclectic.hk

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Eivissa

3 May

 

 

Café Deco Group’s newest baby comes in the form of Eivissa, the newly opened trendy bar on Wyndham Street. As Eivissa is the Catalan name for the beautiful island of Ibiza, it appears that Café Deco are trying to bring a slice of the Spanish island to liven up Wyndham Street’s already buzzing throng of bars. I’m not sure I see the resemblance but it’s sweet that they do!

With high leather chairs and funky blue lighting, the small space occupied by Eivissa is intimate yet fun – though I’m not sure that’s what makes it stand out amongst its neighbours.

What sets Eivissa aside is the menu, and the fact that said menu is not just a piece of card, but an iPad. Scroll through the lists of classic and not-so-classic drinks, ogling at beautiful images of each, as well as very tempting little tapas-like bites from the bar snacks menu.

House chips with truffle salt and aged Manchego

Whilst deciding on your tipple for the evening, order the house chips with truffle oil and aged Manchego. These crisps (for I am English and will never succumb to silly Americanisms) are made in Eivissa’s diddy little kitchen and are dangerously more-ish. Perhaps a little on the oily side, but when the oil is of the truffle variety, I daresay you can hardly complain.

Kee-Wee Martini

Eivissa’s martinis are far from ordinary with options such as tiramisu, mango, kiwi (or Kee-Wee in Eivissa speak) and elderflower. The Kee-Wee Martini was wonderfully refreshing and fruity, masking the strength of the alcohol underneath; one of those drinks you could easily mistake for fruit juice…until you stand up and realise there was definitely something stronger in there!

Mango Martini

The Mango Martini was even stronger, though balanced with the sweetness of the mango. I’m not big on my overly sweet drinks, so I much preferred the sharpness present in the Kee-Wee Martini.

Old Cuban

The Old Cuban – a mix of aged rum, lime, mint, angostura bitters and Champagne – I loved. Perhaps due to the many Cuba Libres I have enjoyed over time on the beach in Venezuela, there is something about good quality rum blended with lime that I always find hard to compete with.

Beef cubes and foie gras

To accompany our drinks and crisps, we tried the beef cubes with foie gras and red onion jam. The beef was admittedly a little on the chewy side, but the smooth foie gras and sweet red onions offered a welcome distraction.

Wild mushroom croquettes

My favourite of the snacks were the wild mushroom croquettes with truffle aioli. Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and paired with the most delicious aioli infused with truffle without being overpowering, I actually constantly find myself daydreaming about these croquettes.

Cocktails at Eivissa hover around the $100 mark and the snacks range from $45-$75. However, Happy Hour runs from 5-9pm every day with 30% off regular drinks prices and some complimentary nibbles. There are also exciting drink promotions Monday-Thursday, including, most importantly of course, free-flow bubbles for ladies every Thursday! It’s tough being a girl.

Eivissa

77 Wyndham Street
Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2520 5818

Date visited: Wednesday 21st March 2012

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Davis

18 Aug

 

For dinner on Wednesday night, we wanted to explore an area we had not ventured to before, somewhere easy to get to, relaxed and very casual. Davis in Kennedy Town ticked all these boxes.

Run by a lovely couple called Vivien and David, Davis classes itself as a wine and tapas bar. I personally would not categorise the food as tapas at all, as a lot of it is not really designed for sharing, but they certainly do offer some truly delicious down to earth food.

The first thing I was told about Davis was that their homemade cheesecake of the day was a Mars Bar cheesecake. Conveniently I was just on my way to Fiji Fitness when I heard this, so even though I was already stiff from the day before, I knew I had to push myself that little bit harder to make extra cheesecake-space.

The décor is very rustic and cosy: bare-brick walls, stone floor, stone-topped high tables and high wooden stools under a fairly dim light. The blackboard menu in the doorway is enough to draw you in for a very laid back dose of the kind of food that my aching muscles were craving: comfort food.

Between four of us, we decided to share three starters: Deep fried shrimp balls stuffed with blue cheese, Fresh Boston mussels in white wine cream sauce and Baked Portobello mushroom topped with spicy sausages and blue cheese.

Deep fried shrimp balls stuffed with blue cheese

The shrimp balls were definitely not something I would have thought to pair with blue cheese, yet I was pleasantly surprised. Obviously the blue cheese made them fairly salty, but this was balanced by the sweet chilli sauce and fresh watercress, making this really quite an interesting dish and leaving us craving more than just the one ball each.

Boston mussels in white wine cream sauce

This craving soon passed and was replaced by the incredible mussels. They were so fresh and full of flavour, soaked in the delicious creamy white wine sauce, which was the perfect dip for the accompanying garlic bread. I had to resist scooping up the sauce and eating it like a soup.

Baked Portobello mushroom with blue cheese and spicy sausage

The stuffed mushroom was just as delicious, served alongside a goat’s cheese and cherry tomato salad. Again, salty blue cheese, but it was evened out by the sweetness of the salad. My one complaint was that the table was too small for all these dishes, meaning we had to eat the mussels a little too quickly to be able to fully enjoy them before the mushroom stole all the available table space.

For mains, choices ranged from fish and chips, to lamb meatballs to crab, chicken or beef burgers, to a broad selection of pasta and accompanying sauces. Two people chose the penne pasta with chicken and red curry sauce. An interesting combination as the obvious choice for curry is rice, not pasta, but nevertheless a successful pairing and the sauce had a comforting kick to it.

 

Homemade wild mushroom ravioli

The homemade wild mushroom ravioli in a Pernod cream sauce was very fresh and light although a tad too salty for my liking. Fortunately the extra salt was a blessing for my friend who was suffering from a slight cold so her taste buds weren’t as responsive!

Linguini with prawns in spicy tomato sauce

My choice was the Linguini sautéed with prawns in a spicy tomato sauce. If you like a lot of garlic then look no further than this dish as there were a lot of whole lumps of garlic, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It could have done with being a little spicier for my liking but certainly had a little kick. The prawns were fresh but still had their tails on which delayed the eating process ever so slightly.

Portion sizes are very generous at Davis so definitely don’t bother coming if you’re not particularly hungry. Unless of course you are just after the cheesecake, as I would most definitely go again just for the cheesecake!

There were in fact three cheesecake options: butterscotch, amaretto or Mars bar. We were going to have two between the four of us but then realised that it might be rude not to try the third one, so we asked for a small slice of each (they ignored the ‘small’ request and brought us three regular slices!). In increasing order from least favourite to most favourite: the first mouthful of the amaretto one was pleasing but soon became overwhelmingly rich; the butterscotch one was incredible; but the Best Cheesecake Award definitely goes to…. (drum roll please) the Mars Bar one. It had an amazing caramel surprise at the bottom, which oozed out at the touch of a fork. At times like these it’s best not to even consider the caloric intake and just close your eyes and enjoy it. Until tomorrow when I would definitely suggest some hardcore exercise!

The winner: Mars bar cheesecake

Service was exceptional. Vivien came and spoke to us directly several times as she remembered my sister from another restaurant that they used to own on Gough Street. The familiarity and the fact that she even remembered my sister’s name about three years after having last seen her added a personal touch to a delicious and very relaxed meal.

The bill (including no wine but two beers) came to $300 a head, which isn’t cheap as chips but, seriously, those cheesecakes make it 100% worthwhile.

Davis

Shop 7, G/F
Grand Fortune Mansion
1 Davis Street
Kennedy Town
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 281 2727

Date visited: Wednesday 17th August 2011

 

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