Food and the City

My Pre-Engagement Dinner at Amber

2012-04-10T05:43:00.003-04:00

Amber
7/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental,
15 Queen's Road, Central
Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2132.0066
http://www.amberhongkong.com

Overall: 5/5

Hi everyone! Can't believe it's April already...I'm currently on my last day of Easter holiday and I just came back from a wonderful vacation in Sanya, Hainan Island. As you can guess from the title of this post - I am engaged! It happened in March - two days before my 27th birthday. With our birthdays being only a day apart, my fiance and I practically share the same b-days. SO, when Andy told me he had booked the two Michelin star restaurant, Amber, I was super excited and didn't think twice about the occasion...little did I know this was actually our pre-engagement dinner :-D.

Amber is located in The Landmark Mandarin Oriental and serves a fusion of French and Japanese cuisine. The restaurant made headlines last year for being the only restaurant in China listed in the 2011 S. Pellegrino "World's 50 Best Restaurants." Their interior design reminds me of a mix between NYC's Le Bernardin and Per Se - simple yet classy. With waves of golden rods hanging from the high ceiling of the Amber's dining room, Andy and I joked that if an earthquake hit Hong Kong at that very moment, we would have nowhere to hide! With limited seating, 60 diners to be exact, this restaurant offers a sense of space to each guest. The service is attentive and very friendly. The best part? You don't have to be super dressed up to get in! There's no particular dress code. We were dressed semi-formally, but as we entered the dining area, we saw a man with just jeans and a college hoodie (okay, maybe that's a little too casual, but that man did get away with it alright!)

The tasting began after a glass of wine and champagne. We started off with some crispy amuse bouche and croquette. The thin crispy mini rolls were warm and flavorful. Some had mousse emerging out while others had more of a heavy and creamy filling. We were also served a creamy pumpkin veloute with an airy chestnut foam. Next, came the famous and rich foie gras lollipop with beetroot and ginger bread. The foie gras was coated with raspberry jelly and served on a wooden stick. All in all, they were all perfect starters for what's to come...

One of our first main dishes was the Hokkaido Sea Urchin and Caviar - probably my favorite dish at Amber. The waiter introduced three types of crispy seaweed waffles to pair along with the sea urchin and caviar. The presentation made this dish memorable - a sea urchin shell elevated by a bowl of ice with a shiny caviar shell spoon on the side. Chef Ekkebus further enhanced this combination with a layer of lobster jello before crowning it with a quenelle of caviar and a gold leaf. Are you salivating yet?

Our next dish, the confit of salmon was enclosed by a globe of smoke! I watched in awe as the waiter removed the cover from my plate and immediately, I could smell the smokey aroma. It was the perfect smell to accompany the Tasmanian salmon, which was creamy and delectable. The dish came with avocado, horseradish and granny smith apple.

Next came the Brittany Divers Scallop seared over black truffle coulis, lardo & belotta ham tartines toasted hazelnut sabayon & kabocha pumpkin gnocchi. The Langoustines was seared with cauliflower, capers and langoustine reduction with brown butter. It was these complex yet beautifully balanced flavors that truly showed the style of Amber and its team of chefs.

My second favorite dish of the night was the Kagoshima Wagyu Beef along with oven roasted puree of shallots. Yummy!! The dish also came with a twist when they presented a similar side dish, but with a small amount of creamy soup mixed together. In addition to all the food, we also added another dish of pan seared foie gras - unfortunately, nothing too special, but yummy nonetheless! After all, there's nothing as to too much foie gras in my book :-) Not to mention, we had another bottle of sweet white wine to go with it!

For desserts, I opted for the pineapple and yogurt dessert while Andy chose the French Farmer Cheeses. He also got the Blood Orange Sorbet with florentine's & confit zest. While I ordered my Abinao 85% Chocolate, also a fancier name for chocolate souffle with cacao sorbet. The souffle was dark and rich...but remarkably not heavy at all!

Just when I thought was the end of the meal, I looked up and saw a big chocolate cake topped with a piece of gold flake. On the plate said, "Happy Birthday Pam" Awwww :-). Another year older and another great meal to remember!

VVG Bon Bon

2012-02-04T11:15:00.000-05:00

VVG Bon Bon
No. 13, Lane 161, Dun-Hua North Road, Sec. 1
Taipei, Taiwan
Tel: (02) 2711-4505

Rating: 3/5

Cute and chic, VVG Bon Bon is your real life "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory." Filled with various kinds of sweets and rows of cakes on display, it's no wonder girls come here as a getaway from reality. VVG Bon Bon is the restaurant chain's third venue (aside from VVG Table and VVG Bistro). VVG Table offers more organic and "healthy" dining whereas VVG Bistro serves delectable brunches. However, they all serve more or less the same type of foods.

VVG Bon Bon is the venue known for their desserts. While I was not nearly impressed with their cupcakes, I did think it was a nice place for a chit chat. The plating of course was all very well done and I did enjoy their drink menu, where I ordered a mixed berry soda. The marshmallow chocolate cake was moist and surprisingly not overly sweet! The white blob beside the cake (shown below) is vanilla ice-cream.

Overall, I would certainly recommend this girly dessert room. Perfect for families, girls, dates and birthday parties! There's more to just sweets here - they also sell other adorable and random items (i.e. candles and little bags). A short and sweet (pun intended) entry...hehe, see you next time!

Princess for a Day!

2011-11-24T07:31:00.001-05:00

Victoria Garden Afternoon
2F, 49, Fuxing S. Road,
Sec. 1, Taipei City
Tel: (02) 2771-0998

Happy Thanksgiving!! Ever since I moved to HK, I have regretfully brushed aside this food blog of mine. I know it's mainly laziness on my part, but when you work six days a week...blogging (aka: sitting in front of the computer typing up about food you can't have) doesn't sound all that appealing anymore! However, with my upcoming trip back to the states, I have decided to get back into the swing of things! I've been dining here and there in the past few months and I can't wait to share my experiences with you! Not to mention, I can't believe my last update was in July?!

Today, I would like to share with you a hidden afternoon tea shop located in Taipei called: Victoria Garden. I first discovered this place over the summer where I spent a month of my time back home in Taipei. Before you continue, please note that the tea shop is a "girly girl" type place, so don't be shocked by the pink girly colors and decorations around the room. Once you step in, there's no doubt that every girl becomes brainwashed to thinking they've stepped into dreamland. Everything from the decor to their silverware look like something a fairytale princess would use.

Those princess bar chairs were my absolute favorite!

We dined here on a weekday (early dinner) and even so, there was a small group of people lined up outside the tea shop. Luckily, I made reservations so no wait time for us! The food and cake was nothing spectacular though, so if you are looking for some gourmet food, do not come here.


Dinner Tea Set

We ordered the dinner tea set and it came with assorted cookies, cakes and fruits on the first layer, with sandwiches and simple h'orderves on the second layer. The last layer included fresh green salad and two huge Chinese pork ribs. I thought the tea set was only OK. I also ordered their rose cappuccino and the only complaint there was that the coffee was warm, not hot!

The iconic Princess Strawberry Tart

For desserts we had their famous "princess strawberry tart". The custard in between was soft and not too sweet. I really liked it with the strawberries. Did I also mention the gorgeous presentation for their desserts?!

Overall, the service was good and the food wasn't too bad. It's a fun place to dine and if you're up for a unique experience, I would highly recommend this place! I would come here again just because it is such a getaway from reality!

Lau Pa Sat (Singapore)

2011-07-07T04:55:00.011-04:00

Lau Pa Sat
18 Raffles Quay
Singapore 048582

Rating: 4.5/5

Black Pepper Crab

One of the oldest hawkers in Singapore, Lau Pa Sat (formerly known as Telok Ayer Market), is another tourist hot spot you do not want to miss. Along the entrance of Lau Pa Sat are numerous stalls selling BBQ chicken wings, BBQ prawns, and Satay. It's quite impossible to pass through these stalls without ordering a plate or two of their satay or BBQ - the smell alone will make you salivate! For snacking purposes, one can choose to eat one's way from stall to stall or grab a seat inside the victorian-shaped dome for more options. For us, we took the easy way out and went straight for the restaurant, Ming Yen, located right at the entrance of Lau Pa Sat (aka: a one stop shop). Since it was our last night in Singapore, we wanted to review a few of our favorite dishes as well as try out some new plates.

Our first dish was the Black Pepper Crab: very similar to the chili crab, but the black pepper crab is cooked in a thick gravy of black pepper. It is also a little spicier than the chili crab.

Delicious Butter Prawn

Butter Prawn: prawn dipped in egg yolk and butter and then fried to a golden yellow color. For someone who doesn't like shrimp, it tasted delectable!

Next, we went for our favorite Stingray - delicious as usual. The stingray comes in different sizes of $10, $12, and $15.

The oyster omelette was "meh". This time they added a hot sauce paste on top of the omelette. It tasted very normal, but was probably also the least oily plate on our table.

After our meal, we stopped by one of the stalls for a plate of satay. Be sure to order some rice cake along with the peanut sauce to go with your satay! For drinks, one must try Singapore's teh tarik - there's a famous stall at Lau Pa Sat that sells teh tarik right along the street (it is the only drink stall so just follow the long line - it will lead you to the right direction).

Food in Singapore can get pretty heavy. Many of their dishes are cooked with a lot of oil. A week long vacation was perfect for my belly. This concludes the trip of my Singapore eating adventures (phew...that took awhile to update). I hope you are living vicariously through my blog :) Taiwan and Thailand eats are next!

The Satay Man doing his thing!

Maxwell Food Centre

2011-06-24T06:09:00.011-04:00

Maxwell Food Centre

Cnr South Bridge Rd. and Maxwell Road

Maxwell Road Singapore 06000

Rating: 5/5

If I've learned anything from my time in Singapore, I've learned that shabby-looking hawker centers = ridiculously amazing food. Even without the extra frills such as nice silverwares, air conditioner, and fancy decor...Maxwell Food Centre is worth every sweat (especially in the 90+ degrees weather) and minute of your time. Besides the great variety of food stalls available, Maxwell is conveniently located in the heart of Chinatown. A wide selection of Chinese goods and touristy gifts are placed around the area; and not to mention, a big Indian temple that is right across the hawker center. The food quality at Maxwell is great, and the service is surprisingly fast and friendly!

Even Bourdain loves his chicken rice!

Hainanese Chicken Rice is a dish of Chinese origin. Immigrants from Hainan Island brought chicken rice to Singapore many decades ago, and over the years it has become a national icon! Silky smooth poached chicken on top of fluffy rice infused with chicken stock -- a Singapore signature. The fragrant rice is cooked in chicken broth with ginger and garlic, accompanied by three different sauces: chili sauce, ginger puree, and dark soy sauce. There's no rule as to which sauce goes with what, dip them however you'd like!

There's noway you can survive an entire meal without some refreshments! We tried the usual: sugar cane w/ lime and lychee drink. Both tasted great, but I would still stick to sugar cane. I definitely reached my sugar cane drink quota that week in SG :-P. The Singaporeans are also quite clever with their packaging - plastic bags are used to their fullest potential! Talk about saving money and the environment.

Bak Kut Teh is a herbal pork-based soup chock full of pork ribs, garlic, and spices. The soup can also be accompanied by you tiao, or deep-fried dough. When you dip the you tiao into the soup, it soaks up the pork-based soup -- giving foodies a different experience / taste. Personally, I like the soup without the you tiao.

Oyster Omelette (Singaporean Style): Mixed with eggs, small oysters, chopped spring onions and chives, the oyster omelette is slightly crispy, but not too oily. While also a popular dish in Taiwan, the Taiwanese version is a bit more slimy, where starch is mixed into the egg batter, giving the resulting egg wrap a thicker consistency.

Overall, prices are extremely affordable (approximately $3 ~ $4 per dish). The service is quick at most stalls and the cleaning staff are consistently on top of their jobs. Overwhelmed by the amount of decisions at Maxwell? Here's a rule of thumb: head to the stall with the longest line.

Makansutra Gluttons Bay

2011-06-19T10:50:00.013-04:00

Makansutra Gluttons Bay Pte. Ltd.

8 Raffles Avanue

#01-15 Esplanade Mall,
Singapore 039802

Rating: 5/5

Somewhere between my stay in Hong Kong and New York, I made a quick detour trip to Singapore aka food heaven. Aside from their strict rules & regulations and insane obsession with cleanliness, Singapore is known to be one of the most diversed places. The diversity of their people also reflect the foods they serve: Singaporean, Indonesian, Japanese, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese.... the list goes on! Fast food in Singapore is also widely known. I'm not talking about Mickey D's or KFC, but food courts and hawkers (night markets/stalls). Our first hawkers' market stop was at Makansutra Gluttons Bay. So tasty and unforgettable that we spent both lunch and dinner here!

Satay: Succulent strips of beef, mutton, chicken and pork skewered, grilled, and complemented by cubes of rice alongside a spicy peanut sauce.

Barbecued Stingray: Smothered in sambal (a chili based sauce) and served on banana leaf. Remember to squeeze the lemon to give it that extra tangy taste! This is one of my favorite Singaporean dishes. A bit on the oily side, but extremely flavorful. Goes great with rice!

Singaporean food can be very heavy, especially in a tropical climate like SG. Thus, it is no wonder that drink stalls are always packed. Two of the most common drinks I ordered while there were the coconut juice (straight from fresh coconuts) and fresh sugar cane drink with lemon/lime. Very refreshing.

Singaporean shaved ice w/ durian paste (dessert): What makes this dessert unique is the durian paste. The durian is a unique tropical fruit that can be either deliciously wondrous to some or intensely disgusting to others. Personally, I do not like the smell, taste, or look of this 'king of fruit', but the durian paste mixed with condensed milk, red beans, and other sweet goodies didn't seem so bad! However, I'd still leave the *perfect* shaved ice to Taiwan ;)

Fried Carrot Cake: Little cubes of rice flour and radish rapidly fried to crispy perfection. The black is sweeter than the white variety. Some of the best carrot cake in town can be sampled at Makansutra Gluttons Bay and Newton Food Centre. The dish is also very delicious and great with steamed bun/bread. Dish is not as salty as it looks!

Seafood Fried Rice: With all the sauces and flavors, a plate of seafood fried rice is necessary! Standard seafood fried rice.

Fried Man Tou: Fried steamed buns (originated in China) can be eaten alone or paired with other dishes. Tastes best when dipped in sauces (i.e. crab sauce).

Chili Crab: Crabs cooked in a tangy, spicy sauce of sweet and sour. The black pepper crab is another well-known dish in Singapore. Although I like both styles, the chili crab's sweetness is more flavorful in my opinion. The thickening flour and egg ribbons give the sauce a thick and gooey texture. As mentioned earlier, dip the man tou (toasted buns) in the sauce and I promise you'll be yearning for more!

Chicken Wings: Glazed honey sweetness on the outside and juicy chicken meat on the inside. A plate that was made to serve four people, but we managed to finish everything (along with the other dishes) with only two people.

I would highly recommend this hawker center. Along with the great food, it is also conveniently located right next to the Esplanade Shopping Mall, a great skyline view of SG, and their newest hotel/architecture - The Marina Bay Sands...this place is great for families, gatherings, and even dates. Best of all, it is open until 2am, which is perfect for those who crave those late night munchies!

More SG adventures to come..Stay tuned!

Macaron Parlour

2011-06-08T08:12:00.006-04:00

My personal favorite: Candied Bacon with Maple Cream Cheese
Photo Credits: Macaron Parlour's Website

Summer is here and the flip flops are out, which also means that I've been enjoying myself much more than trying to keep up with this blog. Hence, this is going to be another long overdue entry.

When my cousin visited Hong Kong in March, she brought along a box of French Macarons which were made by her friend, who owns a macaron shop called Macaron Parlour. I've always loved macarons, even the fake ones they sell in Taiwan (will talk more about this next time), but ever since my macaron encounter in Paris, my taste buds have become a bit more picky than they used to be. After trying a few of Macaron Parlour's macarons however, I can say that they make one of the most unique and original macarons I've ever tasted, with each macaron carefully handmade and spread with fillings that are beyond the traditional flavors. The shop makes adventurous flavors such as: Candied Bacon w/ Maple Cream Cheese, Caramel Fleur de Sel, Cinnamon Pistachio with Morello Cherries, Coffee, Sesame, Peanut Butter Cup, S'Mores, Thai Chili...and many many more for the curious taste buds.

A Macaron Rainbow :)

My ultimate favorite is the Bacon with Maple Cream Cheese - a successful incorporation of something salty and sweet packed into one bite size heaven. The macaron shells are made perfectly, smooth in texture and crispy and chewy when bitten. The fillings are not too sweet either. Another favorite would be the Caramel Fleur de Sel: buttery cream that melts in your mouth just after the first bite. There are some flavors in which I couldn't decipher, though. For instance, the blue colored earl grey macaron that looked & tasted more like blueberries. Perhaps it's the colors, but it can get confusing!

You won't want to miss out on these fun flavored goodies. Visit them at the Hester Street Fair on the lower east side and try them out for yourself! Otherwise, you can order online on their website: http://www.macaronparlour.com.

Herb-Baked Eggs Recipe

2011-05-19T16:42:00.109-04:00

A few days ago while surfing through the Food Network, I came across a *Herb-Baked Eggs* recipe on the Barefoot Contessa show. Super ecstatic about the simplicity of the dish, I decided to give the recipe a try, while also adding my own twist to it ;)

Ingredients:

* 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

* 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

* 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

* 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

* 1 tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

* 2 tablespoon of milk

* 3 organic eggs

* Freshly ground black pepper & sea salt, to taste

* Toasted bread (or brioche), for serving

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 4-6 inches below the heat. Combine the garlic, thyme, chives, and Parmesan and set aside. Place 2 tablespoon of milk and 1 tablespoon of butter in the gratin dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl, but make sure to keep the yolks whole! Carefully pour the eggs into the gratin dish with the milk and butter. Sprinkle the top of the eggs evenly with the herb mixture and Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle with salt and pepper (not too much!).

Next, place the dish back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked.

The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds and serve hot with toasted bread. I simply love the slight herb taste that is mixed into the eggs. If only cooking is always this easy!

Spoiled for the day, dinner at Caprice!

2011-05-11T11:48:00.008-04:00

Caprice

Podium 6, Four Seasons Hotel

8 Finance Street

Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +(852) 3196-8888

Hello foodies! I can't believe I've been in Hong Kong for almost three months now! I've been enjoying life and exploring Hong Kong's culture, architecture, fashion, and of course, their restaurant scene. There's so much going on here that I just can't seem to keep up with everything! To make up for my lack-of-updates however, I wanted to share with you my recent experience at Caprice, a classically elegant French restaurant that is located inside the Four Seasons Hotel. The restaurant is led by Chef Vincent Thierry and his team of 25 chefs. The team works 7 days a week to create innovative dishes with 80% of their produce coming from France (air-flown 3 times a week). With their seamless quality, service, and three Michelin Stars under their belt, they have definitely earned this honorary title fair and square. Of course, this doesn't mean that the restaurant is light on the wallet - Caprice may be one of the most expensive meals that I've had in my life (second next to Per Se).

Since reservations were made in advance, we were seated at one of the corner tables, which also had an awesome window view of the harbor!

I might have mentioned in my previous entries that I love the idea of open kitchens - not only can you watch the chefs in action, it also shows that there's nothing to hide - it's all about the food and nothing else. The open kitchen at Caprice is situated right in the center of the restaurant. As you can see from the picture, dangling strings of small crystals surround the kitchen area to create a sparkly and bright lighting. The rest of the dining area are also lit by these gorgeous, Chinese-inspired Czech crystal chandeliers.

To start off, we had a choice between four types of buns. My favorite ones were the olive bread as well as the croissant roll..mm, buttery. The servers were very attentive and friendly - they came instantly whenever we needed them and were constantly on their toes. For drinks, we shared a bottle of red and I also tried their lychee martini. Their red wine was nice, but the lychee martini wasn't the best - a bit too sweet, in my opinion.

For our amuse-bouche, we were served with three bite-sized hors d'oeavres. One of them consisted of fried potato with foie gras (tasted like very high-end hash browns). Unfortunately, this meal took place so long ago (2.5 months, to be exact) that I forgot the ingredients for the other two (oops!).

Instead of choosing the tasting menu, we went straight with the a la carte option. We had the Pâté en Croute: wild game, foie gras and green leaves in black truffle dressing. The various chunks that you see were made from venison, pork, pheasant and foie gras. The gelée on the side was made with wild game consommé. Very delicious, especially with the gelée!

I was excited about our second appetizer, Périgord Black truffle Tart with poivrade artichokes and aged parmesan emulsion, because I was craving truffles. However, the dish was only so-so, I'd much prefer shaved truffle as opposed to huge chunks of it. The thin plates of truffle were way too overwhelming and therefore, less flavorful than I hoped it to be.

Our third and last appetizer was the Scallop Seaweed and Nori - a very Japanese-inspired dish. The scallops were very fresh and topped with a dab of caviar. The nori were not thin sheets of seaweed that we're used to, but very finely mashed seaweed that's neatly placed next to the scallops. I would recommend this dish!

For my entree, I had the Périgord Milk-Fed Veal with Grenaille Potatoes, Green Peas and Sucrine Salad. Every entree came with a silver plated dome cover - it made the entire experience ever so medieval/royal. The veal was soft, tender, and juicy. The veggies on the sides were well also well seasoned and marinated with herbs and garlic.

My bf got the French Beef Rib Eye with Gratin Dauphinois and Wild Mushroom Pastry in Merlot Wine Sauce. The meat was exceptional and even more tender than the veal. Everything about it was perfect - even the spaghetti carbonara on the side. If you like huge portions - this is the dish for you!

After a satisfying meal, the waiters came out with a complimentary dessert: Pineapple with crumble and coconut & Pina Colada Sorbet. The sorbet was a nice dessert after a heavy meal; and the pineapple and pina colada was also a nice mix.

Rather than ordering the cheese platter (which, by the way, is HUGE) - we ordered the Guanaja Chocolate Soufflé with Cactus Flower Jelly and the Citrus Cocktail Sorbet Pistachio Profiteroles with Cranberries, Sicilian Ice Cream and Warm Berry Sauce. Both were great desserts that fills the tummy.

We ended the meal with a drawer of complimentary chocolates and coffee/tea. I would highly recommend Caprice for its food, ambience, service...and just an overall phenomenal dining experience :)

Overall: 4.5/5

I do not heart Joël Robuchon (HK)

2011-03-26T04:34:00.004-04:00

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Shop 315 & 401, The Landmark,

Central, Hong Kong

(852) 2166 9000

Rating: 2.5/5

L'amuse bouche - Robuchon's version of "amuse bouche"

Valentine's Day was a spontaneous one. Unlike many couples, we didn't have our whole day planned, nor did we make reservations 12847 days prior to this Hallmark holiday. Instead, while walking aimlessly around Hong Kong's central, we walked randomly into Joel Robuchon for lunch. Located in The Landmark, the restaurant is composed of two main colors: red and black, which set a tone of boldness and character. We sat at the regular dining area, which I thought was more private and comfortable. However, you can also opt to sit at the bar area which is noticeably more casual and chill.

Duck Foie Gras Terrine

Their lunch menu was extensive, with different combination starters and entrees to choose from. We went with the set that included soup, appetizer, entree, and desserts for $640HKD. Like any other French restaurants, the waiters came in with a basket filled with a variety of complimentary bread. I particularly liked the bread with bacon bits. Prior to our appetizer, they served a palate cleanser which consisted of three layers: foie gras mousse, pumpkin and corn puree. To eat this dish, you would dip the crispy crouton, straight into the three layers of flavors; and the rest could be scooped up with a spoon. The taste of it was very light but flavorful - there was also a really nice pumpkin aftertaste that I liked. For our appetizer, I got the scallops (served cold) while my boyfriend got the Duck foie gras terrine with figs marmalades and spices. My scallops were light, but a little below my expectations. I couldn't really taste anything - I thought the dish needed a pinch of flavor. The duck foie gras terrine was standard and best paired with bread to avoid the heavy and fatty taste of foie gras (although the figs also served as a good complement).

Row of scallops

We had two choices for soup: foie gras ravioli in warm chicken broth or broccoli soup. We both decided on trying the broccoli soup, but while my boyfriend liked the soup, I didn't enjoy it at all. I always had the impression that a vegetable soup will prepare your stomach for a heavy meal (which we were about to have), but unfortunately, the broccoli soup at robuchon failed to do so. For starters, the soup wasn't hot enough for me. I did not expect to drink lukewarm soup, especially from an upscale restaurant! Secondly, the soup literally tasted like raw broccoli thrown into a blender (boyfriend agreed). In my opinion, they could have at least cooked the broccoli and then blend it - that would have given this dish many more points! It is the raw aftertaste that really threw this dish out of the window. As a person who usually finishes her food, I could not get myself to finish the broccoli soup - and mind you, the soup was cup-sized!

For our entree, I ordered the Smoked Pork. Prior to ordering, the waiter warned me about a "strong" taste/smell to this dish. Knowing that my taste buds are naturally inclined to stronger tastes, I told the waiter that it wouldn't be a problem. WRONG! I didn't know the definition of "strong taste" was equivalent to a smokey, urine-smelling aroma (I apologize for the explicit description). Moreover, the meat wasn't tender; and I wasn't impressed. On a brighter note, the mashed potatoes on the side was awesome! The potatoes tasted like it's been whipped 109834 times - very refined, buttery, and soft. Too bad the serving was so teensy-weensy (if you ever go, ask for more as they scoop the mashed potatoes right in front of you!) that I had to steal my boyfriend's portion as well. The steak that my bf ordered was made much better than my pork - the meat was tender and juicy; and it was nicely sauteed. I guess the meal wasn't a total failure after all.

For desserts, we were given the option of a cheese platter, à la carte desserts, or two choices from the dessert cart. The bf chose a strawberry dessert with ice-cream (I know, manly - huh?) Inside the tall, martini glass was freshly whipped cream, cake crumbs, and an ultra thin and crispy biscuit. The ice-cream was placed inside a half-cracked egg shaped bowl - super cute! As for me, I chose two desserts from the dessert cart, which had pretty decent selections, too. In the end, I picked the lemon tart (topped with gold flakes and a mini macaroon/raspberry) and a bowl of fruit. To end the meal, we ordered coffee and tea - with complimentary macaroons and sparkly golden sugar balls.

I wouldn't say the experience was a complete disaster, but it wasn't the best food either. The Joël Robuchon in Vegas has been getting raving reviews, but the branch in Hong Kong definitely does not live up to its hype. Perhaps it's because they specialize in their desserts. It's fair to give this restaurant another try since I've only experienced their lunch menu. I would come back here for their a la carte menu, which may be better than their set menus. Furthermore, I would order a full side dish of those delicious mashed potatoes!

Locanda Verde "Green Inn"

2011-03-23T05:57:00.009-04:00

377 Greenwich St
New York, NY 10013
(212) 925-3797
www.locandaverdenyc.com/

The spacious and beautiful kitchen @ Locanda Verde

Although we dined here two months ago (Yes, it's been that long - my computer crashed and it took me awhile to retrieve all my pictures) I still want to dedicate an entry to Locanda Verde as it left us with a very memorable dining experience. Ever since my cousin started to work at Locanda Verde, the restaurant has been on top of my "to-dine" list. Disgracefully, it wasn't until we actually did our research did we realize that the restaurant is a highly rated and popular dining spot in NYC! As one of Robert De Niro's capital ventures, Locanda Verde, formally known as Ago, is run by executive chef and co-owner, Andrew Carmellini. Reservations are definitely recommended as the restaurant fills up fast - even on the weekdays and before dinner hours! Luckily, I had inside connections (ok, my cousin was the one with the connections) and we were able to squeeze in on a Tuesday at 5:45pm.

Famous Lamb Meatball Sliders - hold your drool!

Despite the freezing rain (remember, this was back in January), we braved the weather and headed to the restaurant. The inside of the restaurant was warm and beautifully designed. It felt like a high-class night club; minus the tight crowd. We were led to the bar area where we ordered a few drinks to start - I had some sort of peach tea mixed with a small dose of alcohol. For a non-alcoholic person, it was weirdly satisfying. Along with our drinks were complimentary assorted nuts for guests to munch on while we waited for our tables to be ready.

Once seated, we noticed the open kitchen right next to the bar area. We watched the entire crew work seamlessly together to prepare the perfect meal - I love open kitchens! We were given warm bread with olive oil as dips. For starters, we ordered their signature Lamb Meatball sliders with caprino and cucumber (yay to no pickles!). The mini-burgers were deliciously tender and juicy. Moreover, the slider sauce didn't sog up the buns as they were evenly spread and seasoned. The caprino was melted underneath the meatball. The cheese wasn't overpowering, but just enough to make it a remarkably enjoyable meatball slider! The dish also reminded me of the meatball sliders from The Little Owl in West Village - both delectable and heavenly! Unfortunately, there were only two sliders between the two of us, which made me slightly sad as I craved for more! In addition to sliders, we also ordered their other signature dish: Sheep's milk ricotta - my foodie partner enjoyed this appetizer because the ricotta had a good creamy texture that wasn't too overwhelming. It was like cream cheese, but a much lighter and fluffier version; and without the strong, gamey taste.

Looking pleased with the chicken & potatoes on the side

Our first entree came as a complimentary dish from the chef (VIP status, yo!!) Regrettably, I was too excited about our complimentary dish that I completely forgot the dish's name (clearly, not an experienced VIP). The pasta was cooked al dente and mixed with clams. The serving size was enough to cleanse our palate for the next dish.

Our main entree was the Fire-Roasted Garlic Chicken (for two) which came in as a whole plate of different chicken parts. The chicken was well-seasoned with garlic and herbs rubbed on the skin of the chicken. While I usually prefer dark meat over white meat, the chicken at Locanda Verde was so well-cooked that even the white meat tasted juicy. We were able to taste the garlic flavor at every single bite. Along with the garlic chicken, my cousin also suggested a side of Crispy Garlic Potatoes with cheese. These cubed, bite-sized potatoes were fried to perfection and piping hot. The potatoes, along with the red wine, complemented the chicken very well, I'm glad we ordered it!

Free desserts for two - we were pampered silly!

Just when we thought we couldn't eat anymore, the waitress came out with three fully plated desserts! (moral of the story: knowing someone in the restaurant business can get you fat) In spite of being full, I immediately grew another stomach and began to dig into dessert heaven. We finished the dinner off with coffee and tea.

In general, the food was delicious, the service was exemplary, the price was not absurdly expensive...and it certainly doesn't hurt if you know somebody who works there ;) Highly recommended!

Overall: 4/5

NYC Restaurant Week: JoJo

2011-03-02T08:53:00.006-05:00

JoJo
160 E 64th St

New York, NY 10021

Tel: (212) 223-5656

http://www.jean-georges.com/

JoJo is a cute restaurant tucked in the streets of the itzy ritzy Upper East Side. It was my second time at a Jean-Georges' establishment; and while his restaurants are usually more modern and spacious, JoJo was very different from the usual restaurant scenes that I've been to. Walking in, I felt like I was visiting someone's townhouse - there were two floors in total; and we were seated on the first floor. The cuteness of the place made me want to squeal. I was swept away by the gorgeous decor. Yup, swept away! Like a Princess who just found her castle. This was the second spot we visited during Restaurant Week and I must admit that the quaint decor and Victorian-styled furniture played a huge factor when I booked a table at JoJo's.

The service was attentive and friendly. We encountered some issues at the beginning, though. The hostess couldn't find our reservation and we had lost our reserved table. Turned out there was a glitch in the system as the restaurant had placed my original reservation for the following night instead. Ugh, I know. Thankfully, the hostess was able to squeeze in an extra reservation for us..and all is well again!

The food was great - we had the Butternut Squash Soup, a great dish to fight off the frigid weather. The soup was creamy, but light enough to finish. Even though it was Restaurant Week, it was still relatively quiet and private, which I liked. The seats were pretty small and tight-spaced. The tables for two felt like a small coffee table - very petite and cute, but also very cramped!

For the entree, I had the Salmon (served with mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts and truffle vinaigrette). The salmon was cooked medium rare and was soft, moist, and flavorful. If you want something light to balance the creamy soup - this is the dish you'd want to get! The truffle vinaigrette gave the salmon a tangy flavor - this helped avoid the blandness that may sometimes be of concern with lighter dishes. I really liked the mashed potatoes as well - soft, creamy, and fluffy. My foodie partner on the other hand, ordered the Chicken topped with mango salsa, with polenta fries on the side.

While we were hesitant of ordering a chicken entree, we were greedy people and wanted to try every different dish on the menu so we went ahead and ordered the chicken. Bad move! The chicken was not good. How did they mess up the chicken? It was moist on the outside, but rather dry on the inside and flavorLESS. It was quite a disappointment considering this was the only other dish that was offered besides the salmon on the Restaurant Week menu. You'd think they'd be more selective with their dishes?

For desserts, we shared the Passion Fruit Pavlova and the supposedly famous Chocolate Molten Cake. There was no doubt that I completely ditched the passion fruit dessert and dodged right in for the chocolate molten cake. My poor food partner was left with the healthy..fruity..dessert...while I barbarically dug my spoon into the warm oozing chocolate. Needless to say, one dish was destroyed while the other one was left half-eaten/ barely touched. It was clear which dessert was the better one ; )

I've been told that due to popular demand, JoJo now offers lunch and dinner specials all year round! I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the cheaper deals and dine at JoJo. The atmosphere of this place is gorgeous - dressed with heavy curtains, chandeliers, and different patterned wallpapers - JoJo makes a unique spot for fine dining with the girlfriends and/or boyfriend!

Overall: 3.5/5

NYC Restaurant Week: Morimoto

2011-02-17T02:52:00.003-05:00

Morimoto
88 10th Ave
New York, NY 10024
Tel: (212) 989-8883
http://www.morimotonyc.com/

I've been wanting to go to Morimoto ever since..f-o-r-e-v-e-r! I remember talking about visiting the restaurant a few years back with a couple of friends, but our plans never worked out. SO! when the 2011 Restaurant Week list came out, I knew this was going to be my chance to get affordable (and good) Japanese food......ok, and mayyybe get a chance to meet the Iron Chef himself.

Morimoto's Tuna Tartare

Coconut drink - A++!

The interior of the restaurant is really chic and modern - suitable for young professionals, students, as well as the elderly crowd. Since it was restaurant week, the place was (no doubt) bustling with people. Prior to our food, I ordered a non-alcoholic coconut drink topped with basil. Highly recommended for anyone who loves coconut!

Even though we wanted to take advantage of the restaurant week prices, we couldn't help but look through the menu at other available options. As an extra side, we ordered the Tuna Tartare which was cleverly presented and super delicious! The sauces were laid out nicely on a rectangle wooden tray which included: fresh wasabi, sour cream, seaweed puree, chopped up green onions, avocado, and little rice cracker balls. We certainly attracted a lot of wandering eyes when this dish came out. The tuna itself was very fresh and light. I really liked the combo of rice cracker balls and seaweed puree with the tuna.

The lunch prix fixe they offered came in an oversized bento box. We ordered the waygu and black cod bento box set. The set came with miso soup, fresh salad, fried tempura w/ some sort of creamy sauce, and sushi/sashimi. Unfortunately, the portions were a little tiny (I'll admit that I can eat more than the average girl, but believe me when I say the portions were definitely on the smaller side). I felt bad for the big hungry man across from us. Poor dude. The waygu beef was a little too salty, ordinary, and again...too small of a portion. The black cod on the other hand was great - with just the right touch of sweetness.

The dessert served was a Green Tea Coconut Panna Cotta with berries on top. Taste was good, but nothing spectacular. The service was great considering our waitress had many tables to juggle due to restaurant week. Judging by the Tuna Tartare off the restaurant's original menu (not restaurant week menu), I would come back here again to try their other mouthwatering dishes!

Overall: 3.8/5

Blue Ribbon Brasserie

2011-01-15T15:47:00.004-05:00

Blue Ribbon
97 Sullivan St
New York, NY 10012
Tel: 212-274-0404

On a Thursday night, my foodie partner and I ventured our way to South Village. We had read about Blue Ribbon and wanted to give it a try. We arrived at the restaurant around 6:45pm and were seated immediately. The place is the perfect spot for dates and small gatherings; the environment is warm and exudes a cozy ambiance. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly - he recommended a dish that I would definitely not miss out on: Beef Bone Marrow and Oxtail Marmalade served with warm toast. The oxtail marmalade tasted like a chunk of warm, gooey, fatty...goodie, to say the least. The marmalade mixed with the beef marrow spread on warm toast was like I died and went to food heaven. We finished the entire plate between two people (meant for three) with no problem!

Their raw oysters (from the east and west coast) were decent - the dish came with three types of sauce. I am unable to pinpoint it exactly, but I think I'd prefer east coast oysters more than west coast oysters. They're both delicious, though. I would recommend this dish if you're unsure of what to order and want to play it "safe" : )

My partner and I shared the entree: Hanger Steak with wild mushrooms and onion rings; and they were nice enough to split the portions for us. The steak wasn't extraordinary, though so I personally wouldn't order it again. I would love to try their Roasted Duck next time.

As for desserts, we ordered the Creme Brulee and it was delicious!! Blue Ribbon officially holds the best creme brulee award (so far) on my list! The dessert was a little bit chilled - which made everything more intact and less heavy when consumed. I don't like my creme brulee served room temperature/warm because that tends to bring out the extra sweetness which I don't like.

They also have a wide variety of wine selection. We ordered a bottle of their red wine for $80 - in terms of ROI, it was much more worthy than ordering by the glass. Overall, the experience at Blue Ribbon was wonderful and I am happy to say that I'll be going back in a few days!

Overall: 4.5/5

Fast Food @ Pommes Frites

2011-01-09T21:48:00.003-05:00

Pommes Frites
123 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10003

One of the many guilty pleasure foods located on St. Marks -- fries -- not just any type of fries, but authentic Belgian fries! Pommes Frites is a frequent craving that I often share with my friends. The hole in the wall is open until 1:00am on weekdays and 3:30am on weekends - not too difficult to spot when you see a bunch of college kids crowding infront of the shop. There aren't many seats available on the inside, but the cramped atmosphere makes it intimate and cozy.

The portions of the fries come in three sizes: regular, large, or double. Personally, I think the regular size is good enough for two people to share (unless you are replacing your dinner with these fries, I don't think the large or double is necessary). The sauce menu is quite extensive, and what makes this place so special is that you can dip the fries in honey mustard mayo, curry sauce, peanut satay sauce... My personal favorites are: mango chutney and pomegranate teriyaki mayo. My partner really loves their wasabi mayo, but I thought it was okay..not highly recommended. Either way, it's going to take me a numerous trips for me to try all of the sauces.

The last time I visited the shop, they had their special truffle fries, which I tried - not impressed. I couldn't tell the difference between these "special" fries apart from the regular. Overall, the fries are hot and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The secret? They are fried twice - they are cooked first and then fried to a golden crisp the second time. Yummmm...

*Sauces are $1.00 each; and 3 sauces gives you a better deal of $2.50

Cheese Dukbokki @ Arang

2011-01-08T16:38:00.002-05:00

Arang
9 W 32nd St
2nd Fl
New York, NY 10001
Tel: 212.947.3028

I've always loved spicy dukbokki (spicy korean rice cake), but when a friend told me about the flavor of Cheese Dukbokki I knew I had to visit the place that served it. The eatery happened to be in the bustling alley of K-Town, in a restaurant called Arang. First, I wouldn't recommend the restaurant for any of its korean dishes except for their cheese dukbokki because their prices are pretty steep and simply not worth it. Not to mention they were so stingy about their banchan (korean side dishes) - I think we were only given 3-4 banchans compared to the usual 6-7 you might get in other korean restaurants. At first I thought the waiters were being racist because we were not Korean, but when a group of Korean girls at another table received the same treatment, we knew the restaurant was just being cheap.

Arang has a couple of variations for its dukbokki - we went with the Kimchi/Pork Cheese Dukbokki - delicious! The dukbokki was served on a cast iron hot plate, with a thick layer of cheese blanketed on top. Obviously, if you don't like cheese, this dish will not appeal to you. The other dishes we ordered were: Japchae (Korean noodles stirred in sesame oil with various vegetables and beef) and Jo-gae Tang (Korean clam soup). Good, but not exceptional. I would only come back here for their cheese dukbokki : )

We went to Arang for an early dinner; so the service was decent - we didn't have to wait for a table etc... The restaurant is opened even after hours (for clubbers and late nighters). It seems like the restaurant gets their business mainly from the late night munchers, but I could be wrong.

Cheese Dukbokki: 4/5

Robert Restaurant

2010-12-28T21:04:00.001-05:00

Robert
2 Columbus Cir

Manhattan, NY 10019

(212) 299-7730
http://www.robertatmad.com/

Robert Restaurant is hidden all the way up on the 9th floor of Museum of Design and Art. The modern and futuristic interior design sets this place apart from other restaurants. The view is spectacular as you can get a very clear and whole picture of Columbus Circle. It was my first time here and we ordered the lunch prix fixe for $29, this was quite a bargain considering the location of the restaurant and everything else that came with it (appetizer, entree, and dessert).

My appetizer was the soup of the day: Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon and it was really good! The other option was salad, but the weather felt too cold for it. The dash of cinnamon gave the soup an extra flavor and opened up my appetite. For my entree, I ordered the Potato Gnocchi with assorted vegetables and grated cheese. The dish was too oily in my opinion and kind of bland. I wouldn't order it again.

My foodie partner ordered something much more delicious (in my opinion): Strip Steak with string beans and tater tots on the side. The meat was tender and sliced with the perfect thickness. The portions aren't huge, but big enough to satisfy your cravings. As for dessert, we had the choice of cake or ice-cream, in which we chose two scoops of ice-cream: Raspberry Sorbet and Vanilla Bean. The service was accomodating and attentive - we didn't have to wait long for the food and our water was always filled. On a side note - make reservations if you want to sit by the windows / see the spectacular view : )

Overall: 3/5

Soba-ya

2010-12-20T01:33:00.003-05:00

Soba-ya
229 E 9th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 533-6966
http://www.sobaya-nyc.com/

Came here originally for Soba-ya's handmade soba noodles, but ended up falling in love with their tuna tartar and mountain yam (with uni, wasabi, and shredded nori). Since it was a cold night, we decided to go for the Kamo Namban Soba: a hot dish that is topped with sautéed duck & green onion. The soba was only ok; and the duck meat was rather difficult to chew. I wasn't too impressed. I think the hot soup made the noodles softer, and I'd much prefer to have my soba al dente. I'd recommend ordering from the cold menu next time as that is what they are known for.

Our Tuna Tartar on the other hand, was great as it had two of my favorite ingredients sandwiched in between the fresh tuna: mountain yam and avocado! Not everyone enjoyed the pairing of the tuna tartar, but I personally liked how the three ingredients mushed together. It was flavorful, but not overpowering. Our other appetizer, Uni Tororo Sea Urchin & grated Mountain Yam was another light and flavorful dish. In Japanese cuisine, mountain yam is usually eaten raw and grated - the texture is sticky and slimy. Mountain yam is also considered to be one of the most important and commonly used Chinese herb and medicine repertoire. Although I am personally not a big fan of uni, I loved the taste of uni and mountain yam together. The strong taste of the uni was balanced by the lightness of the mountain yam - a perfect combo!

Since we had grabbed street food earlier, we didn't have enough stomach room for dessert. I completely regret this as I heard they had some pretty unique desserts available (including homemade ice-cream).

Overall: 3.5/5

Totto Ramen

2010-12-17T17:41:00.001-05:00

Totto Ramen

366 W 52nd St

New York, NY 10019

My absolute favorite ramen eatery thus far! This place is well worth the long wait (yes, even in the frigid cold). I've been here three times already and I just wish I lived right next to Totto Ramen. If you're wondering, this place is owned by the same people at Yakitori Totto on Broadway and 55th. My cousin found this hidden eatery and I've been raving and telling everyone about it ever since. For one thing, their soup base is one of the best I've ever tasted and it's made with the perfect balance of saltiness and creaminess. The service here is also very quick and the staff are friendly and helpful. I love this place!

I would suggest anyone who hasn't been to Totto to order their Totto Chicken Paitan Ramen - the chicken based broth is delicious and flavorful. Their straight homemade noodles are cooked al dente style and topped with scallion, onion, char siu pork, and a nori (dried seaweed). I would encourage those who don't have a cholesterol problem to order an extra seasoned hardboiled egg to go with their bowl of ramen. Their Totto Spicy Ramen is also very good and not at all as spicy as it looks to be. If you are daring enough, you can try the Totto Extreme Spicy Ramen which is 4X spicier. I personally haven't had the guts to try it yet, but mainly because I don't want the spice to overpower the amazing broth! The Totto Miso Ramen is made with Koji Miso and ground pork. The noodles are not straight, but wavy and topped with a seasoned hardboiled egg, scallion, onion, bean sprouts, and their famous char siu pork.

On the other hand, if you are a vegetarian or on a light diet this may just be the perfect spot for you, too. Totto serves two vegetarian ramen (one spicy and non-spicy): with mushroom, avocado, and seasonal vegetables. I've never tried them, but I've heard great reviews!

For the sides, I would highly recommend their Broiled Char Siu Pork - their char siu pork are to die for and seriously melts in your mouth like warm chocolate candy. If you sit on the stools/bar table area, you'll see that the cook uses a mini blow torch on each pork belly before serving. The pork is served with the right amount of residual fat, with juices dripping out from the sides..delicious! I wasn't a huge fan of their Shinachiku Mayo (bamboo shoots and yuzu citrus mayo) - too plain and nothing out of the ordinary. Considering that they charge $4 for the dish, I wouldn't recommend it.

The prices here are reasonable: $10 - $11 for a bowl of ramen (much better than paying a premium at Ippudo). In addition, everything served at Totto is MSG free. However, like any other small ramen shops, this place accepts cash only and only seats approximately 20 people. It is recommended to bring a small party, otherwise you'd be waiting forever!

Overall: 4.5/5

Minca Ramen Factory

2010-12-17T15:05:00.004-05:00

Minca

536 E 5th St
New York, NY 10009

Minca is another ramen gem in NYC. The restaurant is not as fancy as Ippudo, but it accurately portrays the small and quaint old ramen establishments in the alleys of Japan. In my opinion, I think Minca is in between Ippudo and Totto Ramen - the broth is thick and creamy like Ippudo, but not as oily. I also like how the place is small and unpretentious: when a place is not decorated, you know it's about the food and only the food.

While the soup was thick and flavorful - it does get kind of heavy after awhile. The soup, especially with the noodles, was way too hearty for me. However, if you like your broth creamy and rich - this is the place for you! The two pieces of pork were delicious, and the best part of the meal. The pork literally melts in your mouth. We ordered the #2 Minca Sio Ramen (with pork & chicken broth, salt & roast garlic flavor and thin noodles) and #3 Basic Ramen (with pork broth, salt & roast garlic flavor, and thin noodles). The noodles were okay for my taste, but my eating partner thought it could be a little softer. The plus side to their ramen is that everything is MSG free.

We also ordered the pork gyoza. It was good and authentic - no sauce needed! This place is cash only; and can be a bit far from the subway station. Overall, a reasonably priced and good ramen shop, but not my favorite.

Overall: 3.5/5

'Tis the Season for HOMEMADE Food!

2010-12-10T22:12:00.006-05:00

Jennifer and William's cozy apartment :)

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the food. Last week, my cousin generously invited the family over to her place for a small foodie gathering. Needless to say, the meal was delicious!! I thought it would be too much of a waste if I didn't share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Arugula Salad (w/ apples, marcona almonds, currants, and lemon vinaigrette): I was beyond ecastic when I saw this dish! I'll be honest, working and going to school in NYC has not allowed me to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. The greens paired with the apples, currants, and lemon vinaigrette was refreshing and added a bit of tangy + sweetness to the overall salad. The lemon vinaigrette was so fresh and light, and it suited the Arugula Salad perfectly. Not to mention, the marcona almonds added an extra 'crunch' to the dish.

Leek Bread Pudding: Oh my. So good. I could eat this forever! This is definitely what I call comfort food or "I-deserve-to-eat-this-because-it-is-exam-week-and-I-deserve-to-be-treated" food : ) I've never made leek bread pudding before, but I'm pretty sure butter was involved in the making of this dish. The bread pudding tasted very rich, but wasn't overwhelming.

Orange Braised Fennel: Another delicious and seasonal dish. Slightly sweet and zesty - a great dish to start off with.

Brussels Sprouts (with bacon and parmesan): I've never had brussels sprouts with bacon and parmesan, but it turned out to be a great treat! I didn't feel guilty about eating those bacon bits and parmesan cheese...I mean, they're mixed with brussels sprouts! Brussels sprouts = veggies = healthy! It might be the bacon or cheese, but surprisingly I didn't taste the bitterness that I usually taste in brussels sprouts that night. Score!

Crown Roast of Pork (with herb and garlic rub): YUM. The meat was so juicy and tender - it was beyond words! The roast pork was flavorful and the herb and garlic rub really topped it off nicely. The dish tasted as good as it looked. We also had the pork with red pickles - a first for me!

Strawberry Cake (with cream cheese frosting): Artificial strawberry cake with homemade cream cheese frosting and strawberry jam. The cake was mini-sized, and oh-so-cute! It tasted really good, too! The cream cheese frosting paired nicely with the jam and strawberry cake.

Matcha Cake from Lady M: Once again, Lady M hit it right on the spot! The cake was very nice and airy - not too sweet or rich in flavor! The perfect way to end the night :)

Doughnut Plant

2010-10-31T12:36:00.005-04:00

379 Grand St

New York, NY 10002

www.doughnutplant.com

Yum!! Doughnut Plant (along with Mister Donut in Asia) are now listed as my favorite doughnut stores. This place is incredible, where else can you get a doughnut that is 2X the size of a regular doughnut? It's too bad that the place is a grab-and-go kind of deal, otherwise I'd sit there and munch on the sweets all day!

Although serving doughnuts all day can be a pretty rough job, the person who works at Doughnut Plant is very cheerful and friendly! While the name says Doughnut "Plant", it really isn't a plant at all..more like a Doughnut Hole...with limited space and wiggle room. There's not a whole lot of selections when it comes to the number of doughnut flavors available, but the ones they make are certainly unique and must I add, delicious! We ended up taking out a whole box home:

Creme Brulee doughnut: Smaller than your regular donut, but not disappointing in taste. The filling inside is not too sweet, and very satisfying!

Coconut Cream: Simply fantastic - with light coconut cream on the inside and coconut shavings glazed on top. Oh, the indulgence!

Blackout: Chocolate cake doughnut with chocolate filling inside. Pretty standard. Nothing much to rave about this one!

Jelly Doughnut: Square doughnut with a jelly center - the raspberry jelly is great. The jelly is sweet and tangy all at the same time. Yum!

Fresh Blueberry: No blueberry fillings on the inside; just on the top! A regular sized/shaped doughnut :D

White Peach Doughnut: My very first *peach* squared doughnut. Similar to the fresh blueberry, but a little bit sweeter in taste. Not bad!

Overall, I would say that the coconut cream doughnut is by far the best doughnut flavor out of all the flavors I tried (so far). We also ordered a small cup of coffee and chai tea. Both were "bleh". I wouldn't recommend the hot chai tea - it was way too sweet. The sweetness did not pair well with the donuts...sweet + sweet = headache!!

Overall: 4.5/5

Cafe Landmark HK

2010-09-18T21:56:00.003-04:00

Cafe Landmark
Level 1, The Landmark,

16 Des Voeux Road Central,

Central, HK

Located right inside a mall, Cafe Landmark is a restaurant that is hard to miss. Smacked in the middle between luxurious stores such as Dior, Gucci, and the Harvey Nichols department store, the open environment of the restaurant makes it a great place to take a break (possibly from shopping) and enjoy some good food. A few of their signature dishes include: beef carpaccio, lobster linguine, and their fresh crab meat au gratin. I would highly recommend their lobster linguine, the chewy linguine mixed with a light but savory and creamy white sauce will definitely be the highlight of your Cafe Landmark experience. In addition, each plate comes with a half baked lobster - perfect for those who are big seafood eaters. Their crab meat salad and cesar salad w/ salmon and a pouched egg are also good appetizers that are light and delicious to the taste buds. Another dish that I would recommend for foie gras lovers would be their spaghetti with foie gras. Slightly heavy with the meat and foie gras, but worth a one-time try.

Cafe Landmark's signature afternoon tea is also a must-try. Personally, I prefer their afternoon tea set over the ones served at the Peninsula Hotel, but then again, that highly depends on personal preference. The mall can get pretty crowded (and noisy) which is a con when dining here. I wouldn't say this is a restaurant for HK locals though, more so for tourists.

Overall: 3.5/5

Small Eats @ Sevva

2010-09-11T15:47:00.007-04:00

Sevva
Prince's Building 25th floor
10 Charter Road, Central, Hong Kong
(852) 2537-1388
http://sevva.hk/

Patio view from Sevva

Just take a look at the wide selections of cake!! What is there not to love? I'll admit, I came here particularly for the Marie Antoinette Cake (notice the resemblance of the cotton candy vs Antoinette's hair). The cake is dressed with colorful macaroons and shiny metallic colored candy balls. The cake is a pistachio sponge cake with fresh fruits layered in the middle. There's three sizes to all of their cakes: Darling Size, Standard Size, and WOW Size. We ordered the darling size and between just two people, we finished almost 3/4 of the cake (!) and we took the rest home. Maybe it's the heat and amount of cake SEVVA had to make that day, but I definitely felt like the cake tasted better after being refrigerated overnight. On a side note, I only had two bites of the cotton candy - it was way too sweet and messy. The colored candy balls were also pretty for decoration, but a PAIN to eat!! They were too hard to chew and takes forever to melt in your mouth. Taste: 3.5/5

The staff at Sevva also suggested their well-known "Crunch Cake" -- which is somewhere between a sponge and an angel food cake, with chunks of caramelized meringue on the top.

The 360 view is beautiful and I would even consider sitting at the terrace during the Fall/Spring for a different view/feel. There's a restaurant in SEVVA too, but I heard it wasn't worth the money.

Dim Sum..Disney Style!?

2010-09-02T12:04:00.011-04:00

Crystal Lotus
Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel,
(Hong Kong Disneyland)
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
(852) 3510-6000
http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com/

I knew I had to pay Crystal Lotus a visit when I heard about their famous Disney styled Dim Sum located inside the gorgeous and elegant Victorian Disneyland Hotel. The first thing you'll notice infront of the Crystal Lotus restaurant is a computer-animated pond, where electronic fishies dart out of the way as you walk across the floor (pond). What a great touch! Only available for lunch on the weekends and public holidays, the restaurant offers Dim Sum unlike any other HK restaurants, dim sum dishes inspired by Disney characters! The mix of modern and traditional Chinese decor makes the restaurant appealing to both the young and the old. Embellished by lotus flower chandeliers, crystals, high wooden chairs and decorative fixtures on every dining table makes dining at Crystal Lotus a truly regal experience.

Disney Dim Sum:

Mickey's Seafood Glutinous Pancake

What's Disney Dim Sum without the iconic Mickey Mouse head? The Seafood Pancakes served with hot sauce is adorable to look at, but unfortunately, not so much to eat. The pancakes were a little bit on the hard side: my guess being that the pancakes were probably put in the mold longer for a more defined Mickey shape. Nevertheless, they are oh-so-cute!

Mickey’s Double-layer Turnip and Taro Pudding

Yet another signature dish is the double-layer turnip and taro pudding..also Mickey shaped! These were surprisingly delicious. The combination of turnip and taro made a winning team - the taro kicked up the flavor and softened the spongy turnip..it's difficult to solely eat taro and turnip separately now. They belong together, like husband and wife.

Three Little Pigs Barbecue Pork Bun

Next in line is the storybook classic: "The Three Little Pigs", and you could probably guess what was inside the pigs...yes, bbq pork! So clever, right? I've never had this much trouble eating my pork buns, they were just too cute to be devoured! The taste of the pork was very standard, both juicy and tasty.

Little Green Men Pork and Vegetable
It isn't all Disney without some Disney Pixar action! When our next dish came, everyone went, "Ooooooh~" Yup, they are the little green aliens from Toy Story! Inside the little green men were..well, green vegetables! These vegetable buns were great to look at, but even better to eat! However, I wished they had more veggies in the buns because it seemed like most of it was dough.

“Chicken Little” Steamed Lotus Seed Puree Bun

So cute. SO PRECIOUS! When these came in, I knew these steamed buns in the basket represented "labor of love". The intricately detailed eyes, eyebrows, beaks, and up to chicken little's spectacles were all carefully made and styled by the chefs at Crystal Lotus. It is all love I tell you....Love♥! I had tons of fun dissecting each part of chicken little, which were all made of flour. Inside the bun, was lotus seed paste mixed with egg...perfect for the mooncake season!

Non-Disney Dishes:

Steamed Vegetable Dumpling

After the intial "Disney dishes" we still had an appetite for more food, so we turned to the traditional menu and ordered a few non-Disney dishes. The first order was the vegetable dumpling. For the non-Chinese, this dish may look rather scary at first glance. Shouldn't veggie dumplings be either white or green? Not in Disney! These unusual vegetable dumplings are made out of gold colored dough - to represent the color and shape of the old currency in China! However, despite its cool design, I didn't like the taste of the dumpling skin as it was too sleek and shiny for me.

WonTon and Fish Maw in Clear Soup

A traditional Cantonese soup, the clear soup was very light and tasty, and also great for the skin. Being Asian, it's always nice to have some warm soup after a big meal.

Glutinous Ball with Creamy Custard

This is the BEST dessert, ever! I've never had glutinous ball in the form of a liu sha bao before, but it is one of Crystal Lotus's signature dishes. With sugared peanut powder sprinkled on the outside of the warm, glutinous ball, once bitten, the creamy custard comes gushing out like warm lava. Very, very satisfying. A must try.

Steamed Asian Pear with Honey

My mom actually made me this dish a few months back (when I was coughing nonstop). Pears are considered very healthy and excelled for fevers, cough, and stomach ulcers. Sweet almonds w/ honey are supposed to lubricate the intestines and temper coughs and asthma. This is a yummy and healthy dessert; and is another one of Crystal Lotus's signature dishes.

Disney isn't lying when they say they're the "happiest place on earth" - the staff here are impeccable with their service and not to mention happy all. the. time! As cheesy as it may sound, it felt great to be in a place surrounded by warmth and happiness. Crystal Lotus is a great place to dine with friends, family and your significant other. Trust me, this is not a place where you nor your camera would want to miss!

Overall: 3/5