[Review 3023] Dinner at The Boss @ 波士廳 The Boss

16/12/2013
波士廳 The Boss
中環皇后大道中58-62號振邦大廈地庫
LG/F, Peter Buliding, 58-62 Queen's Road Central, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/dinner-at-the-boss-e2336055

Thanks to The Boss for inviting me to try their dishes.
When I recieved their invitation, it was before they were recommended on the Michelin list.

The location of this restaurant is extremely convenient and close to the MTR station on Queen's Road Central.

This restaurant is owned by a horse owner which is why they have pictures of horses on the walls.

It would be great if they had a mini media player showing silent videos of the horses in action.

Before I made an appointment, I analyzed their menu and it appears that they specialize in high end dishes such as Bird's nest, Abalone and Sea cucumber.

Each set meal has at least one of those items on the list.

Anyway we tried set meal A and changed two dishes to the noodles and lettuce:
+++++++++++++++++++
Chilled shrimps in Shaoxing wine:

The shrimps were peeled which was convenient, and the wine was lovely and strong that the prawns had soaked the wine resulting in a nice alcoholic taste.
+++++++++++++++++++
Boss Appetizers
Aubergines in sesame sauce, black fungas in vinegar, stir fried mushroom with truffle

The appetizers were really nice especially the black fungas in vinegar which had a tart taste with a gentle spicy kick.
The earthy mushrooms were further enhanced by the truffle dressing paired with sweet baby asparagus tips.
+++++++++++++++++++
Braised bird’s nest & bamboo piths with superior soup

I loved this golden soup because it was crammed with lots of bamboo piths and birds nest.
+++++++++++++++++++
Braised pomelo skin and black mushroom with shrimp roe

I have always liked braised pomelo skin which is mushy and complemented by the delicious Chinese gravy, on the side there was a piece of premium black mushroom (tin bak gu) which has a white scored top.
+++++++++++++++++++
Sauteed prawns with salty egg yolk

The prawn was beautifully presented with cereal and a block of rice crispy cracker on the side.
The crispy salted egg yolk coating complented the springy prawn nicely.
+++++++++++++++++++
Stir fried noodles with black truffle

This was delicious plain stir fried noodles with black truffle and beanshoots.
Each strand was uniformly coated and flavoured with black truffle.
+++++++++++++++++++
Baked Chinese lettuce casserole (home made shrimp sauce, yellow bean sauce)

I loved the shrimp sauce's pungent smell and the lettuce was fully flavoured with shrimp sauce and yellow bean sauce.
The lettuce was cooked just right, not too crispy or too soft.
+++++++++++++++++++
Sweet apple soup

The meal ended with delicious sweet apple soup that was not too sweet with lots of lovely soft diced pieces of apple in it and Chinese almonds.
+++++++++++++++++++
The Boss is really nice and flexible and allows you to change dishes on the set menu subject to a price difference.
A nice place for quiet gatherings with attentive staff.

[Review 3022] Cacao Barry cake @ 美心西餅 Maxim's Cake Shop

14/12/2013
美心西餅 Maxim's Cake Shop
柴灣小西灣道10號小西灣廣場地下8號舖
Shop 8, G/F, Siu Sai Wan Shopping Plaza, 10 Siu Sai Wan Road, Chai Wan
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/cacao-barry-cake-e2335785

Thanks to Maxim's PR agency for this cake.
The cake is called Cacao Barry which is made with Cacao Barry chocolate.
Cacao Barry is a brand of chocolate founded by Charles Barry in France in 1842.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Cacao Barry:

It was a Bailey's chocolate mousse cake.
Inside the cake there is a layer of Bailey's mousse, white chocolate mousse, dark chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse and a crispy chocolate base.
The outside of the cake is covered in dark chocolate sauce.
Although the cake looks quite small, you could actually get 14 decent sized slices from it.

The taste of the chocolate was really strong but slightly too sweet, it tasted like coffee even though there was no coffee in it.
The cake stayed in shape when it was sliced unlike some other cakes that collapse when you slice them.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 3021] Fresh sashimi at Okinawa Dining BRIDGES @ Okinawa Dining BRIDGES

14/12/2013
Okinawa Dining BRIDGES
銅鑼灣開平道1號Cubus 6樓
6/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/fresh-sashimi-at-okinawa-dining-bridges-e2335763


Thanks to D for inviting me to try this restaurant with two great people.
OKB is located at The Cubus with spacious tables and chairs suitable for families and gatherings.
There is a sushi bar where diners can see the sushi chefs prepare the food.

Here was what we had:
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Appetizers:
From left to right was cucumber with miso, stewed whelk and sweet potato puree with prawn on top.
The appetizers were light to start off with.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sashimi platter:
Next we had a huge sashimi platter with fresh sashimi.
My favourites were the sweet botan shrimps, tuna and salmon.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Stewed belly:

A nice slice of pork belly that was stewed just right with a soft texture and an even distribution of fat.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Soup:

The soup was fruity because it had thin shreds of yuzu peel in it. A great soup to help digestion.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Wagyu beef:


The beef was set alight giving the beef an extra flare in taste.
It was really soft and tender with an even fat marbling complemented by the rich gravy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sushi:

The sushi was freshly prepared and tasted great with their freshly grated wasabi.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Udon:

A nice bowl of warming al-dente udon with delicious braised pork.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Deep fried prawn heads:

The prawn heads were delicious, they were lovely and crispy and the matter in the head was tasty.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Fruit sashimi:

This consisted of apples and pineapple on a bed of crushed ice.
The apples were crispy and sweet.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 3020] Rockin' views of Lion Rock and old kowloon @ Lion Rock

13/12/2013
Lion Rock
旺角太子道西193號帝京酒店3樓
3/F, Royal Plaza Hotel, 193 Prince Edward Road West, Mong Kok
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/rockin-views-of-lion-rock-and-old-kowloon-e2335599

I have previously been to La Scala which was years ago. Royal Plaza Hotel looks really different now.
Lion Rock is new and when I was invited, the name reminded me of Lion Rock Hill.
When I got there, I was greeted with a grand entrance with a beautiful view of the Lion Rock.

There are big glass panes with a clear view of Lion Rock and the surrounding areas such as Kowloon City, the tall building near Broadcast Drive.
I don't know why but when I sat there admiring the view, it made me think of old Kai Tak airport and Hong Kong in the 1960s shown on TV.

In the middle, it over looks a railway.
Perhaps my perception is weird, but I kept thinking that the tracks led to the past.
It seemed like a past life was connected to the Kowloon area or perhaps that weird "Below the Lion Rock" song has somehow brainwashed me to think that what I see in that area is old Hong Kong!!

Anyway, we tried two tea sets:
The Truffle high tea and the Christmas High tea.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Christmas High Tea:

-Mini turkey and bacon burger
-Black truffle puff pastry chipolata sausage roll
-Twins ham rolls with cranberry sauce
-Snow crab legs with fennel salad cup
-Mini smoked salmon Wellington with caviar
-Scallop and tomato shooter with champagne jelly
-Christmas fruit cake
-Pecan pie
-Christmas cookies
-Apricot and chestnut log cake
-Lemon tart
-Strawberry panna cotta

There was a nice assortment of sweet Christmas bites, my favourite was the pecan pie and Christmas fruitcake.

The crab legs were nicely done and easy to eat without needing to remove the shell.
The burgers were nice and juicy and the salmon wellington tasted like a delicious salmon puff.

The Christmas log cake was really nice, it was light mousse with layers of apricot and chestnut mousse that was not too sweet.
For the savoury items, the sausage rolls with caviar were as nice as the sausage rolls in the UK and the scallop shooters were great because the tomato salsa beneath it was spicy and tangy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Truffle afternoon:

-Black Truffle Chocolate Cake
-Black Truffle Crème Brulee
-Rainbow Cake
-Hazelnut Mille-Feuille
-Strawberry Tart
-White Chocolate
-Cheese Cake
-Coconut Mango Mousse Cake
-Blueberry Financiers
-Raisin Scone
-Smoked Salmon with Black Truffle and Sour Cream on Wheat Bread
-Egg Salad and Black Truffle on Toast
-Lobster and Mango with Black Truffle Sandwiches
-Mini Wagyu Beef Burger with Black Truffle
-Deep Fried Vegetables and Black Truffle Spring Roll Black
-Truffle Braised Escargot Tart

The black truffle chocolate cake was really interesting, strong dark chocolate mousse infused with black truffle and the blueberry financiers were amazing because there were so many blueberries in it.

I loved the creme brulee because it was silky and smooth, and there was my favourite clotted cream to go with the scones.

The savoury platter was great especially the salmon sandwich because it was salmon wrapped outside the bread and not presented like the usual sandwich.
The escargot tarts were good too.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 3019] Fine Chinese food @ 凱悅軒 The Chinese Restaurant

12/12/2013
凱悅軒  The Chinese Restaurant
尖沙咀河內道18號香港尖沙咀凱悅酒店3樓
3/F, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/fine-chinese-food-e2335239

It was my first time dining at Hyatt thanks to LT and Hyatt.
Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha Tsui is conveniently connected to the MTR and K11 mall so you don't have to get wet or get too hot from walking outside.
The tables at this restaurant are spacious and nicely spaced out with some nice compartment seating on the side too.

Here was what we had:
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Chilled abalone
sweet and tender abalone.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Crispy salt and pepper tofu
The tofu was really addictive, the coating was crisp and light gently flavoured with spices while the inside was piping hot silky tofu.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Roast pork
When I picked them with chopsticks, I could already feel how soft they were and they were thickly cut slices too which were satisfying.
Each slice was soft, meaty and tender and they were gone in a flash!
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Eggplant with soy glaze and garlic
The eggplants were light which was complemented nicely by the thick tasty sauce.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Traditional snake soup
I was so lucky to have snake soup here and the first bowl this year too!
It had so many goodies and the texture of the snake was similar to canned dace fish.
The thinly sliced ginger and orange peel made the soup livelier with some crunch.
I did not use the condiments because it tasted good already.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Clay pot lobster ginger vermicelli
This was really amazing because the lobster meat was springy and sweet. The meat came off the shell easily.
The glass vermicelli beneath was GOLDEN and clear, each strand was evenly flavoured too.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Stir fried diced Japanese saga beef with organic black garlic

I didn't realise this was the most expensive dish that night but the beef cubes were soft, sweet and tender complemented nicely by the fruity pieces of fermented black garlic.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Smoked chicken in jasmine tea leaves

Before I tried it, I could smell tones of Jasmine coming from the chicken. As I ate it there was a sweet jasmine taste as well as the chicken.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Simmered pea shoot superior broth

Pea shoots are always my favourite and here it was simmered in delicious Chinese ham soup which had a lovely salty flavour.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Fried white and red rice seafood with shredded dried scallop

I was quite full when I got to the rice, but each grain of rice was distinct and fully flavoured.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★