[Review 316] Final stop for snow flake ice @ 糖百府 Tong Pak Fu

25/06/2009
糖百府 Tong Pak Fu
銅鑼灣渣甸街38號地下
G/F, 38 Jardine's Bazaar, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/final-stop-for-snow-flake-ice-e2006729

Although this is the first one to open in hong kong serving snow flake ice, the long queues deterred me to come, finally another branch has just opened in Hong Kong, so I had to take this opportunity to try it before the congestion starts.

I feel fortunate I didn't go to the Mong Kok one and queue for it, because after trying 6 dessert houses including this one, I felt that other places offered more choices.

The only thing I liked was their mini white flour balls (tong yuen), cute in size and rather chewy, unlike the ones I had at Mr Sweetheart, which were rather soggy.
However the white pearls here were too soft, and less chewy.
I also tried the Aiyu jelly, it was light and melts in the mouth, not as firm as Fangfiona describe, but probably due to the ratio of ingredients when making of it.

I just felt their "pick your choice" forms could be printed better, the Chinese characters are all blurred together. (see pic)

For menu design, Mr Sweetheart must be praised for, as the menu has clearly been given thought to it, also it has English as well.

In terms of portion size, quite reasonable, and texture was reasonable.
However the one in Yuen long called "min min bing" is just like ice-cream, and not worth travelling for it.

Lately, the two at TST, China Town and Sweet C. C are quite good too, also with plenty of choice, both serving taro flavour, the one at China Town is white, and the other one is purple.

[Review 315] New fish burger @ Triple O's by White Spot

25/06/2009 Triple O's by White Spot
金鐘金鐘道88號太古廣場二座LG1地庫009號舖
Unit 009, LG1, Basement, Phase 2, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty

https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/new-fish-burger-e2006725

Came here to try their new fish burger, initially I didn't want to try it, because on the picture the batter looks rather thick.

Initially thought it was slightly over priced for $42 for a single burger, however comparing it to the others at Triple O's, they all cost around $4x for just a burger alone.

The burger was presented as shown, with a lemon wedge on top.
I wasn't impressed unwrapping it, there was tartar sauce on the wrapping so I got tartar sauce all over my fingers.

The burger looked rather big and daunting, anyway, I squeezed the lemon onto the fish.
Then started eating it, tasted really nice, surrounded with tartar sauce, the batter was slightly overcooked, and the edges were rather too hard. Luckily not too greasy and sickening.
Impressed by the chunky juicy firm Cod fish as it didn't taste like frozen stuff.

[Review 314] Could be another choice @ Gastrobox by Okapi Cafe

Gastrobox by Okapi Cafe
22/06/2009
西貢萬年街67號
No. 67, Man Nin Street, Sai Kung
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/could-be-another-choice-e2006011

Wanted to try this place for a long time, was attracted by the wooden black doors and grand logo.
I was expecting high quality food from its design and menu range.

However I felt that top quality could probably be reached by ordering their most expensive items, because the set meals offered, could be offered by similar restaurants nearby and probably cheaper. I couldn't find anything distinguishing itself from other restaurants.

The tortellini tasted good, but this is really a ready made item, that is just baked and their sauce added on top.

The beef was rather tough and had lots of tendons in it, the vegetables that came with it were onion rings and broccoli, which i thought was not that balanced. Not even a potato to be seen.
The soup was OK and light.

[Review 313] The best place for snowflake ice @ 甜蜜子甜品店 Sweet C. C. Dessert

甜蜜子甜品店 Sweet C. C. Dessert
22/06/2009
尖沙咀柯士甸路15號金巴利大廈地下H舖
Shop H G/F., Kimberley Mansion, 15 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsim Sha Tsui
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/the-best-place-for-snowflake-ice-e2006007

Firstly, i think I might be biased, because I like taro flavoured desserts, and not many places have it.

The standard of this one and China Town is quite good, both located in TST. But I preferred this one more, because apart from the usual toppings, you can also add mini puddings to it, such as mango pudding, milk pudding, green tea pudding, champagne peach Jelly etc.

As for the toppings range, there was a lot of variety from small crystal pearls to large crystal pearls. They also had my favourite black sugar jelly bits.
Usually I dont like the big pearls found in the Taiwanese drinks, a bit irritating to have to chew and drink at the same time, but with the desserts, it make its fun, to have cold ice in your mouth and something to chew at too.

Overall, everything was presented nicely, and the portion was decent, at least I felt full for the first time after eating a dessert.
The milk pudding was nice and creamy, and the green tea pudding tastes the same as the one in China Town, except here its present in a pudding form, and in China Town, its cut up into squares.

[Review 312] Reasonable Shanghai dishes @ 金滬庭京川滬菜館 Shanghai Restaurant

金滬庭京川滬菜館 Shanghai Restaurant 21/06/2009
將軍澳重華路8號東港城1樓160-161號
Shop No.160, 1/F, East Point City, 8 Chung Wa Road, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/reasonable-shanghai-dishes-e2005658

Among all the Shanghai cuisines in Hong Kong, this one is quite recommendable to foreigners, firstly it has a English menu with pictures, and frequently there will be foreigners eating there, so quite well established in that community.

I eat here quite frequently, so I will not review the little dragon buns, or the noodles etc.

In addition to the regular items, I ordered sliced abalone in mustard sauce, which is just canned abalone. For $54 is it a bit pricey, it is a rubbery texture you get from the cans. Also it is not in mustard sauce, there is a separate dish of soy sauce with wasabi for dipping.
To me if it was mixed in a creamy mustard sauce, it would taste much better.

As well as that I ordered the Sea cucumber and fish maw with prawn roe.

This dish was very delectable, rich and thick brown sauce, very pungent of prawn roe covered the sea cucumber and fish maw. The sea cucumber could have been softer, and the fish maw was perfect. Both the sea cucumber and fish maw are quite plain itself, so it tasted good with the strong sauce.

After I finished the dish, there was still sauce left, and so put some of my noodles in it, and made my noodles tasted so good as well.

The waitress was a bit annoying, because she was just about to collect that dish, and I said to her, its not finished, but she still tried to take it, I had to say it to her three times to stop her collecting it, or else I wouldn't of been able to put those noodles in that sauce.

[Review 311] chinese food gathering @ 彩雲軒 Chou Wan Hin Seafood Restaurant

彩雲軒 Chou Wan Hin Seafood Restaurant
21/06/2009
尖沙咀廣東道30號新港中心3樓 3/F, Silvercord, 30 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsuihttps://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/chinese-food-gathering-e2005647

Rarely go for chinese food, unless its a gathering, so not much to comment, ordered the usual roast pork, roast duck, etc.

The only thing I liked here was the egg white dish, a shanghai imitation of crab, very smooth and tasty, very good to have it with rice.

Also ordered the dungbor pork which was on promotion, it was a tiny portion served in a cute bowl. Frankly I dont know why the Chinese eat that, plain fat to me. In fact a large piece of fat.

The cumin beef skewers were ok, but the beef had too much fat in it, I would have preferred lean beef on skewers.
The roast pork was ok, the skin was crunchy, and the meat was lean.

[Review 310] Ramen salad @ Yoshinoya 吉野家

21/06/2009
將軍澳厚德邨厚德商場1樓135號舖
Shop 135, 1/F, Hau Tak Shopping Centre, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/ramen-salad-e2005635

The Yoshinoya salmon and roe rice bowl always tastes consistent, the only draw back is that it is not available as a take out item, which is understandable as the fish roe may go off.

I also tried their noodle salad side dish, which is ramen topped with fish roe, and shredded cucumber. I was expecting some sauce to pour in, it turns out the sauce is already mixed in, a light coloured thick sesame Japanese mayonnaise at the bottom.

Didn’t really taste that good to me, but if you like grounded sesame, it should be OK.