Tag Archives: The Salted Pig

Eastside Tavern

8 Jul

the dim sum diaries hong kong

eastside tavern hong kong

Shore Hospitality is on a roll at the moment. Not long after contracting tapas fever with the opening of Pico, the group has now brought us Eastside Tavern, a New York style gastropub and sports bar where patrons can ‘eat, drink [and] play’.

eastside tavern hong kong

Eastside Tavern is in fact located in the same building as Pico, with an open front overlooking busy Mody Road. It is a huge space, seating up to 120 diners looking for a casual meal or happy hour drinks (the bar prides itself on stocking 18 craft-style beers from around the world). The décor resembles a lofty warehouse, with bare wooden tables, high ceilings and raw, unfinished touches. At the back of the space is a games’ room complete with electronic dart boards, a pool table and a soon-to-come foosball table; perfect for boys who will always be boys.

The menu is…shall we say….not exactly light. It ranges from pizzas to burgers to homemade pies, to perhaps the odd salad here and there. It is man food. It is American food. It is true comfort food.

eastside tavern hong kong

We began with the spiced cracklin’ pork belly – incredibly tender cubes of satisfyingly crispy pig, generously smeared in Chef Sammy Flores’ homemade hickory-smoked barbecue sauce, giving the perfect balance between sweet and salty.

eastside tavern hong kong

Next up, the crab cakes served with homemade roast garlic aioli were also delicious, packing a bountiful amount of fresh crabmeat, without all the unnecessary additions that are usually included to bulk them up.

eastside tavern hong kong

The Serrano, fig and Persian feta salad, apparently one of Sammy’s favourites, was light and refreshing, ideal for these hot summer days. The sweet figs were incredibly ripe, perfectly contrasting against the super salty yet wonderfully soft Serrano ham and chunks of feta.

eastside tavern hong kongObviously any good American bar can and should be judged on its burger, and I think EST’s burger would definitely pass the test of a good American bar. The patty was cooked to juicy perfection, topped with gherkins, melted cheese and tomatoes, encased in a soft, fluffy (perhaps a tad gigantic) bun, which altogether carried a smoky flavour guaranteed to satiate any intense burger craving. To make it even better, a tower of hand-cut wedges perched temptingly beside it. For some reason I always feel that chips that still carry their skin are more healthy than those that don’t; yes this is obviously complete nonsense, but please just humour me a little!

eastside tavern hong kong

Following manager Jose’s recommendation, we saved space for a slice of black forest pizza (and took the rest home in a doggy bag, of course!). The base was neither too thin nor too thick and was loaded with wild mushrooms, spinach, pine nuts and shaved Parmesan, resulting in an almost healthy, wonderfully earthy-flavoured pizza.

eastside tavern hong kong

eastside tavern hong kong

In true New York style fashion, Eastside Tavern prides itself on its desserts. There isn’t currently a dessert menu per se, as it varies daily from one classic to another, but it seems to be a case of ‘ask and you shall receive’ – within reason. We tried the daily dessert of baked NY cheesecake, served with vanilla bean ice cream and red berry compote. It was light and fluffy, yet a little too sweet for me. The banoffee pie had perfect biscuity base and the right balance of banana, cream and toffee, yet, contrary to the cheesecake, it actually could have been a little sweeter!

Prices at Eastside Tavern hover around the $100 mark for starters, and $150-200 mark for mains. It is a fun space, with good service and a great atmosphere, where one can while away a few hours eating and drinking oneself into a comfortable food coma.

Shore Hospitality’s mission to make its mark in TST does not stop at Pico and Eastside Tavern… HK fave The Salted Pig will soon be sharing its piggy love with Kowlooners as it is set to open a second location in Knutsford Terrace this summer. What else can this group do?

Eastside Tavern

Shop 29, G/F, Empire Centre
68 Mody Road
Tsim Sha Tsui East
Kowloon
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2367 8770

eastsidetavern.com.hk

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Pico

18 Jun

the dim sum diaries hong kongpico hong kong

The city has gone wild with tapas fever and it looks like it’s still contagious. Shore Hospitality is the latest group to be affected, with the opening of brand new Pico in East TST. From a steakhouse to a pig-centric eatery, a tapas restaurant doesn’t seem like the obvious choice for this hungry restaurant group, but if everyone else can do it, why can’t they?

Once you’ve made the ‘trek’ to East TST, you will find Pico in Empire Centre, just beyond the Intercontinental Grand Stanford. It is a large, unfussy space with rustic wooden tables, patterned tiles and old photos of Spain adorning the walls. Tables and chairs spill out at the back of the restaurant onto an open terrace; it’s not quite Madrid’s Plaza Mayor, but it’s still pleasant and a good spot for people-watching.

pico hong kong

The menu is devised by Jason Black (the brains and chef behind The Salted Pig and Shore), as well as James Black, the new Salted Pig chef (no, there is no relation). It encapsulates almost everything you would expect to find at a tapas restaurant and more, all expertly created by the new restaurant’s head chef Sammy Flores.

pico hong kong

We began our tapas adventure with a plate of 48-month jamón Ibérico, sliced from one of the several legs of ham hanging above the bar. The ham was of the highest quality and dangerously moreish, particularly when served with the delicious baked breadsticks that give the restaurant its name.

pico hong kong Following this came a platter of aliñados – pickled green and black olives, aubergine, carrots, garlic and red peppers. Although the olives and aubergine were tasty, it was the latter three that really impressed. The carrots in particular are so delicious that manager José even claims that they are one of his favourite items on the entire menu.

pico hong kong

The warm octopus salad, a combination of grilled octopus, sliced potatoes, olives and lettuce, was rather disappointing. Although the octopus had a lovely smoky barbecue flavour, it was slightly overcooked and chewy. What’s more, the strong flavour of the olives completely masked the delicious barbecue flavour; personally, I would have preferred a simple pulpo a la gallega.

pico hong kong

Individual portions of mussel and potato soup came next, served in rustic clay bowls. Although it was a little too creamy for me and I couldn’t finish the entire portion, the delicate flavours, enhanced by fragrant oregano, roasted garlic croutons and super fresh mussels, were spot on.

pico hong kong

Pico offers three types of croquetas: ham and cheese, prawn and crab, and pumpkin. The classic ham croquettes were as expected – crisp, salty and delicious, whilst the seafood variety offered an excitingly different alternative. It was only the pumpkin one that disappointed, as the flavour was a little too bland.

pico hong kong

Given the popularity of Jason Black’s bacon-wrapped scallops at The Salted Pig, he has brought this same idea to Pico and given it a Spanish twist – scallops wrapped in Serrano ham. These beauties are lightly cooked on a skewer and served on a sizzling plate to continue cooking tableside, giving them a perfectly bouncy texture and delicious flavour.

pico hong kong

Gambas al ajillo is a must-order dish at any tapas restaurant. Pico’s version offers generously sized, perfectly cooked prawns that are up there amongst the best I’ve had in Hong Kong. A little more garlic wouldn’t go amiss, however, along with a little more oil in which to dip the fresh crusty bread.

pico hong kong

As well as being beautifully presented, Arroz Pico, or paella Valenciana, with a selection of seafood and chicken, was also delicious. The rice was a little overcooked, lacking that satisfying bite, but the authentic flavours and fresh seafood made up for it.

pico hong kong

Although we were bursting at the seams, we were encouraged to try the Solomillo al cabrales – chargrilled beef tenderloin. Served with a whole roasted garlic bulb, sautéed onions and topped with creamy cabrales cheese, this steak was unbelievably tender and full of flavour; in fact probably one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time.

pico hong kongpico hong kong After cleansing our palates with a deliciously refreshing homemade lemon sorbet, adorably served inside a lemon, we ended the meal on a sweet note (of course), with the quintessential dessert of any tapas joint: churros con chocolate. Despite being a little too crispy without that much-loved soft centre, they still hit the spot and completed a truly delicious meal.

And so, the Shore team have shown us that they, too, can pull off a tapas restaurant with flair. A normal meal here (without over-eating, as we obviously did!) is likely to cost you around $400 per person, without drinks. Whether I would make the ‘trek’ to the dark side just to get my tapas fix is yet to be decided, but perhaps I should just point out that the only reason stopping me from going there again this very evening is my sheer laziness…

Pico

G23-28, G/F, Empire Center
8 Mody Road
Tsim Sha Tsui East
Kowloon
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2366 8355

picotapaswinebar.com.hk

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Eat Your Words – where the critics get critiqued

3 Jun

Those of you who follow me on Twitter (@dimsumdiaries) may have seen an increasing number of tweets going backwards and forwards between me and the wonderful (if a bit of a teaser) chef Jason Black (@jasonblack_hk), in which either he dismisses my ability to cook, or I dismiss his. We are not simply being rude to each other (much); we are in fact creating a buzz about an exciting upcoming charity event called Eat Your Words, in which we will both be cooking.

Eat Your Words Hong Kong event

Take 5 great Hong Kong chefs, pair them with 5 awesome food writers (if I may say to myself), and you have yourself Eat Your Words, a fun event in which the diners (all 125 of them – yikes!) get their chance to critique the critics. The aim of this little exercise is to prove that when we writers put pen to paper (OK, fingers to keyboards) to insult or praise food, we do in fact know the labour and love that goes into creating each dish. We can write about food, but can we cook it?!

The event will be held on Monday 24th June, 7pm at The Salted Pig.

Here is the line up for the night:

Alicia Walker (Foodie) with James Black (The Salted Pig)
Janice Jann (Time Out) with Arturo Melendez (Chicha)
Janice Leung Hayes (E-ting) with Anthony Fletcher (The Pawn)
Adele Wong (HK Magazine) with Jason Black (Shore)
Ale Wilkinson (The Dim Sum Diaries) with Gregoire Michaud (Bread Elements)

There is of course an element of competition involved, as each team competes against each other to receive the highest rating from the diners. We’ve obviously saved the best for last, so make sure you save room for dessert…

As this is a charity event, there will also be an auction on the night with some really great prizes ranging from a two-night stay in a boutique hotel, to a meat cooking class from Jason Black. I have somehow agreed to put myself up for auction – bid for me and you could win a date with me at Chicha! Please bid high boys; I am expensive and it’s all for a great cause!

Tickets for this unique 5-course dinner (with drinks pairing) go on sale TODAY, Monday 3rd June for $888 per person, and a portion of all proceeds go to Foodlink, to help alleviate hunger in Hong Kong. Head down to The Salted Pig today to get yours!

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Winners for Jason Black’s Cookbook Competition Announced

22 Mar

cow pig chicken jason black hong kong

Jason Black’s recipe tester competition for his exciting upcoming cookbook cow pig chicken has now closed. We had an overwhelming number of responses, most of which were truly excellent. This made it almost impossible to select the top five entries, but, after very careful consideration, we have managed to narrow it down to five lucky winners.

We were surprised at the very generous offers to help from some fantastic chefs, some of which are even working at some of our favourite venues too! Testing the recipes is really about ensuring that they can work under most conditions, not just for able chefs but also for amateur home cooks. We were therefore unable to select the professional chefs, and the almost professionals, even though we would have loved to work with them. Practised cooks, who would most likely be able to cook a gourmet feast with their eyes closed, would have instinctively tweaked the recipes as they went along, or at least skim read the instructions, knowing what was coming next. The real challenge is following the recipes to the letter, in order to make sure that each step is logical, accurate and successful. We have no doubt that every single applicant could have done a superb job, but of course, with it being a competition, not everyone can be a winner.

And so, without further ado, the five lucky recipe testers are:

Sally Collier

jason black cookbook cow pig chicken

Sally is a keen cook, having grown up in her mother’s home catering kitchen.  Originally from Trinidad, she has lived in Australia, the US and the UK and now finds herself enjoying her fifth decade in HK.  Her favourite meal is a good roast with all the trimmings, followed by a lavish dessert, all of course accompanied by a great bottle of wine.

Karen Herrero

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Karen is a 32 year old Spanish citizen who grew up in Canada. In the past 10 years, her job has moved her from Canada to Belgium to France and 2 years ago to Hong Kong. She enjoys the chaotic lifestyle in Asia and is thankful to have a full kitchen to support her unique form of mediation… baking! She loves cooking and hosting brunches and dinners with a focus on European and Middle Eastern flavours.

Veronica Mihno

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Veronica, 45, is from Sydney, Australia. Her mum says she started eating solid foods at 5 months old … and frankly she hasn’t stopped since! She has travelled to 33 different countries and makes it her mission to sample whatever culinary delights she finds. She no longer buys traditional souvenirs; she buys kitchen utensils. She has been living in Hong Kong for 13 years and is still delighted with a new find at the wet markets, and you will most certainly find her puttering about the foreign food isles at supermarkets. She is an all round cook, but the best compliments from her friends and guests are for her roasts, pastries and cakes. “Yumm-o!”

Payal Patel

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Payal is a relative HK ‘newbie’ having moved here from the UK about 5 months ago.  She would be lieing if she said  she ‘lurves it’ just yet, but she’s definitely finding her way and making the most of what HK has to offer – which as you well know is plenty and some! She is pleased that she has not limited her experience thus far to merely bar hopping; she has been to some wonderful restaurants, been on numerous hikes and thrown in some travelling too. 

There’s nothing fancy about the stuff Payal likes to cook–large portions of unpretentious comfort food.

Megan Smith

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Though often referred to as ‘that girl who likes cake’, which, by the way, she takes to be a positive rather than negative reference, her real name is Megan Smith. Having graduated in the UK just last June, Megan hopped on a plane to HK as fast as she could to begin a new chapter of her life here. Currently “22-years-old going on 62″, she enjoys eating, food, cooking, food, baking, food, running (usually towards the prospect of food), rowing (often followed by food) and reading (about food). “Greedy? Me? Never!”

These recipe testers were selected on the basis of their excellent responses to the question “what makes you think you have what it takes to be one of Jason’s elite recipe testers?”

We are all very excited about cow pig chicken and can’t wait to get started on the recipe testing! Updates will follow, so watch this space to see how the book is coming along and when it will be on the shelves for you to buy.

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Top 10 picks of 2012

3 Jan

the dim sum diaries new year top ten

They say that as you get older, the years begin to fly by faster and faster. I thankfully can’t exactly say I feel old just yet, but I can certainly say that time really does fly and I am now wondering in amazement where on earth 2012 went.

As usual, my year was filled with far too much food and wine. Thankfully the calories are yet to catch up with me, although I do fear that one day they might, so, just in case, I decided to join the LRC swimming team towards the end of the year, mainly so that I can eat more and not feel too guilty about it! So if you wonder how I am not the size of a house, I can tell you that it involves a lot of 6am starts and either running around (at Circuit25) or swimming at an ungodly hour.

The Dim Sum Diaries turned one in April last year – a very proud moment that sadly went by without a celebration. I should start making plans as of now for its second birthday and welcome any suggestions (or even presents!). From what started as merely a hobby directed at only my close friends and family, The Dim Sum Diaries is now being read by hundreds of people all over the world. I’m not entirely sure what people in Kuwait, Estonia or Suriname for example are doing reading about restaurants in Hong Kong, but whoever you are, and indeed wherever you are, thank you for your support and I hope I have been able to provide you with interesting reads to satisfy your food cravings.

Considering the fact that I reviewed almost 100 restaurants last year, narrowing it down to the top 10 is no easy feat. I’ve never been great at decision-making but I’ve had to force myself this time, so here goes nothing… In no particular order, my top 10 reviewed restaurants of 2012 in Hong Kong, whether brand new or simply new to me, are:

top 10 dim sum diariesLiberty Private Works – Since going here in February, I have been recommending it to everyone for all sorts of special occasions. It is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, as each one of the eight courses is prepared before your eyes with utter precision. Definitely a must-try.

 

top ten dim sum diariesGrassroots Pantry – I described this place as somewhere I would go when I need a food-hug. If you think vegetarian food is boring, think again, for Peggy and the team at Grassroots make their food far from boring.

 

top ten dim sum diariesSeema’s Private Kitchen – Seema is possibly one of the nicest and humblest chefs I have ever had the pleasure to meet and is a phenomenal cook. Her food, served in her own house, tells the story of her journey ‘from Africa to Asia’ and the sheer passion she puts into it is evident in every mouthful.

 

top ten dim sum diariesThe Chinnery – Everything about The Mandarin Oriental speaks of elegance and class, and The Chinnery is no different. Amongst the British classics, it serves some of Hong Kong’s best curries in a timeless setting.

 

top ten dim sum diariesOtto e Mezzo – This restaurant definitely deserves its three Michelin stars. Everything from the drinks, to the service, to the delicious food is perfect, and apparently they do an excellent aperitivo too.

 

 

top ten dim sum diariesThe Salted Pig – If you like pork, you’ll love this place. The super casual vibe, no-frills food and reasonable prices are enough to keep me going back again and again.

 

 

top ten dim sum diariesChautari – You don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant to find delicious Indian food. This is some of the best I’ve come across in Hong Kong and what makes it even better is the friendly service and silly-cheap prices. You can honestly eat more than your bodyweight in curry and not even pay $200.

 

top ten dim sum diariesChez Patrick – I can’t believe it took me so long to try Chez Patrick. This is definitely a gem in the city and although I never saw the old location, the new one is beautiful. Save space for the cheese, you won’t regret it.

 

top ten dim sum diariesLucy’s – Lucy’s is a lovely restaurant tucked away in Stanley Market. It’s been going strong for almost 20 years and I can definitely understand why. I just received Lucy’s cookbook for Christmas and can’t wait to try to recreate some of her recipes!

 

top ten dim sum diariesChicha– Hong Kong’s first Peruvian restaurant has become something of an institution already and they’ve even had to build a bar across the road to cater to the hordes of people that go there every day.

 

 

Ok, I know I said top 10, but I’ve thrown in an extra one just because I couldn’t not include it, so number 11 is:

top ten dim sum diariesLa Cantoche – This down to earth eatery in Sheung Wan serves up wholesome French food with a Southeast Asian twist. You can spend hours here gorging on comfort food in a fun, casual setting, and it’s also great for big parties.

 

So that was 2012. What’s to come in 2013? A lot more food! I still have yet to try 22 Ships, View 62 or Bistro du Vin to name but a few, and I’ve heard a lot of whispers about many more exciting restaurants opening soon… I can tell it’s going to be a great year for The Dim Sum Diaries, beginning with a new facelift very soon. Keep watching this space and join me on my culinary adventures.

Happy new year one and all!

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The Salted Pig

21 Sep

the salted pig hong kong

The pig has always been one of my favourite animals, mainly when it’s served on a plate in any of its delicious forms. I wouldn’t say I disliked se sa me, but when I heard it had closed and would be replaced by a restaurant specialising in PIG, do you think I was upset? Most definitely not. In fact, quite the opposite: when I heard about The Salted Pig’s imminent opening, I was like a child (or myself) on Christmas Eve, excitedly calculating just how much pig I could physically eat.

The Salted Pig is brought to us by the team behind highly successful Shore Restaurant and Bar, complete with its wonderful chef Jason Black; so he’s not only a specialist in cow, but pig too…it makes me wonder how exciting he could make chicken…

the salted pig hong kong

The space is entirely transformed from its se sa me days; it is a casual, down to earth eatery with bare wooden tables, simple wooden chairs and creative hanging lights. Above a row of tables in the centre of the room, all sorts of knick-knacks, pots and pans hang precariously.

The menu reflects the décor; there is not an air of fancy fine dining where you’re paying top dollar for a measly crumb that happens to be beautifully presented. Instead, the majority of the dishes are for sharing, family style, and are certainly hearty portions.

the salted pig hong kong

Our ‘oink-fest’, as Chef Jason likes to call it, began with a Pre-appetizer charcuterie platter, consisting of five kinds of cold cuts, pork terrine, pork rillettes, scotch eggs and piccalilli. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the cold cuts, the smoothness of the rillettes and the sheer perfection of the homemade scotch eggs.

the salted pig hong kong

To follow came a dish of gorgeous bacon-wrapped scallops with broad bean, pea and mint ‘mash’, with cider dressing. The scallops were only lightly seared, giving them the most perfect, firm yet never rubbery texture. Whilst I loved how the scallop and the bacon went together, my only suggestion is that the bacon could perhaps have been just a touch crispier, to add a deeper contrast in texture to the buttery scallop and creamy ‘mash’.

the salted pig hong kong

A green bean, broad bean and sweet pea salad with baby lettuce hearts, feta and warm bacon dressing came next. This was summer in a bowl. The sharp crunch of the lettuce and radicchio paired perfectly with the creamy feta, sweet veggies and salty bacon.

the salted pig hong kong

Moving on to the mains, we shared three between the four of us, as two are designed as sharing plates. The “Rub n Tickle” belly, having been cooked sous-vide, was packed full of flavour and incredibly juicy. Obviously it was a fatty piece of meat, but that’s what pork belly is all about, especially when the pork and fat are beautifully cooked so that they both melt into one. This came served with a lovely potato and egg salad, coleslaw, and amazingly crunchy crackling, alongside an adorable cute mini Le Creuset pot of special sauce.

the salted pig hong kong

From the accurately named ‘Porker Feast’ section of the menu, we shared The Rack, an incredible mouth-wateringly tasty and succulently tender slow cooked pork loin rack.  Served alongside roasted carrots, onions and fennel, with a jug of creamy mustard sauce, this was indeed a feast on its own.

the salted pig hong kong

A sage and mustard-crusted pork loin steak with white mushroom and marsala cream sauce was incredible: faultlessly juicy with a lovely flavoursome crust. I particularly loved the fact that it was served with roasted Granny Smith apples, which added a tartness to complement the sweetness of the sauce and the saltiness of the pork.

the salted pig hong kong

Although we didn’t really need sides, we tried the classic mac ‘n cheese (the ultimate comfort food), the pancetta braised creamy Brussels sprouts (would definitely add magic to any Christmas meal), and, just to be healthy, the cherry tomato salad with basil (wonderfully refreshing and light).

the salted pig hong kong

After all this, we tried not one, not two, but all five desserts from the blackboard menu: Chocolate and citrus tart, Pistachio and white chocolate mousse, Raspberry marshmallow with rhubarb compote, Banana and fudge Eton mess, and Carrot cake. I would imagine it would be too much to ask to suggest you save space for all five, but I strongly recommend at least saving space for the latter three, and particularly the incredible carrot cake, made with olive oil and topped with a carrot crisp; I think it actually rivals my own carrot cake…

Prices for this ‘oink-fest’ will surprise you. In a good way. For an abundant three-course meal with wine (served by the carafe), you won’t be paying much more than $350-$400 a head. The Salted Pig is not only doing something completely different to anywhere else in Hong Kong, but it is doing it well, with excellent service, for very reasonable prices. I’m very excited about how close it is to my office…but it does make me slightly fear for my waistline!

The Salted Pig

2/F, The L Place
139 Queen’s Road Central
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2870 2323

P.S. since writing the original review, I have already been back for lunch (can you tell I loved it?) and wowee what a lunch. Go for the ‘Porker Set Lunch’ and definitely get the shredded pork knuckle sandwich – it’s seriously worth the food coma it will send you into afterwards…

Do you know what makes The Salted Pig even better? They have kindly offered a 10% DISCOUNT to all my loyal readers – simply mention The Dim Sum Diaries when you ask for your bill and you’ll get 10% off until 31st October 2012. Enjoy your oink-fest, you porker!

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