[Review 321] Fried cheddar n Camembert cheese @ 嵐山料理

03/07/2009 嵐山料理
銅鑼灣摩頓台灣景樓6B號舖
Shop 6B, Bay View Mansion, Moreton Terrace, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/fried-chedder-n-camembert-cheese-e2008838

I love fried food, so was happy to see one that just specialises in fried take-out snacks.
Luckily I am not affected by sore-throats or any after effects and myths I hear about fried food from the Chinese ppl.

I ordered the fried cheese and prawn; both were covered in cutlet coating.
Next time I will try the fried oyster and banana fritters.
Personally I prefer tempura coating, but cutlet is ok too.

Each item comes with a few pieces of flat cut chips, which lightens out the snack a bit.
The prawn cutlet was ok, however I preferred the cheese. There were two types in the portion, Camembert and Cheddar cheese.

Cheddar tastes stronger, and Camembert is creamier and oozes out with a sharp taste from the white Camembert rind.

[Review 320] Laksa @ 馬泰 Ma Thai

馬泰 Ma Thai 03/07/2009
將軍澳重華路8號東港城197A舖
Shop No.197A, East Point City, 8 Chung Wa Road, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/laksa-e2008781

As mentioned in my earlier review, I would revisit this place to try either the Laksa or the Buk Ku Teh.
So this time I tried the Laksa, just to compare with the other places I had before.

For a bowl of Laksa, it was priced at $60, which is the average Laksa price in Hong Kong for a seafood one. As shown on the picture, the seafood, were the frozen ones as expected with no taste, boiled and placed on top of the noodles when served.

The prawns were the peeled types, which were convenient, the only draw back, is that it doesn’t have that prawn taste.

Anyway tasted better than I expected, the soup was much stronger, it was thick and full bodied, creamy, but not too strong of coconut.
The noodles were the thick white ones like spaghetti, they were soft and flavoured from the soup.
The tofu was slightly harder and chewier than preferred, the soup was not spicy at all, so anyone who cannot eat spicy laksa, can try it here.

For dessert I had coconut banana fritters, the batter was just right, light and crispy, inside with pureed banana, and topped with lots of desiccated coconut. The sweetness was acceptable.
Quite a good dessert too.

[Review 319] Cheap food sets @ 壹麵館 Eat Garden

壹麵館 Eat Garden 29/06/2009
將軍澳重華路8號東港城1樓181號舖
Shop No.181, 1/F, East Point City, 8 Chung Wa Road, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/cheap-food-sets-e2007800

This restaurant is always packed with people, and it never crossed my mind to try this place.

However, there were not many customers that day, so I gave it a try.

I entered the restaurant as you would normally do, however I waited for ages and no-one came to take me to a table.
After a while, someone finally took me to a table, and then I tried to order, but it turns out you have to go to the counter and pay for it then sit down.

After discovering that, I went to the counter and ordered a Laksa including a drink for $28.

Then after a while I was served it. I did'nt really expect anything from this place or expect it to taste good.
I think if I chose Instant noodles, it would have tasted better.
The Ramen was not even Ramen, more like Shanghai noodles.
The presentation could have been better, there was chilli oil spots splattered all over the rim of the bowl.

[Review 318] Curry in the busy little roads @ Sun King Yuen Curry 新景園咖喱小廚

Sun King Yuen Curry  新景園咖喱小廚
26/06/2009
灣仔春園街20號地舖
G/F, 20 Spring Garden Lane, Wan Chai
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/curry-in-the-busy-little-roads-e2007015

Never really noticed this shop, in the middle of Spring Garden Lane, walking on this street, there is no chance to pause or stop, all the people are like fast zombies getting from one end of the street to the other.

I only aroused interested in this restaurant when I saw pictures of crispy pork chops, curry sauce, and fried beef ho fun on OpenRice.

So I went there and ordered just that.

There was an empty table, so sat down, the waitress was a bit busy to take our orders.
Were given chopsticks and bowls, didn't expect to have to clean them, cos there was some dirt on the bowl.
The curry pork chop came pretty quickly, curry sauce is in a separate dish.
The pork was a huge cutlet cut in strips that almost covered the whole plate, still crunchy and piping hot, however I felt the pork was a bit fat like the neck part, and it was pink inside probably from the soda flour used to soften it up.

The curry sauce tasted very good, if you request for the curry to be less hot, the sauce is thicker and lighter in colour.
The beef ho fun, was nice too, but not salty enough, after putting curry sauce, it tasted better. The beef in it was nice and soft, just like the ones in UK.

Also there is a huge difference in eat in/take out prices.

[Review 317] Cute mini Kaya buns @ Toast Box 土司工坊

Toast Box  土司工坊
26/06/2009
銅鑼灣勿地臣街1號時代廣場B2 B219-B220號舖
Shop B219-B220, B2, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bayhttps://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/cute-mini-kaya-buns-e2006936

Finally got the Kaya buns that were advertised in the magazines a while ago $8 for 4 pieces. When I saw it from the magazine, it seemed quite a bargain 4 pieces for $8, usually the average bakery from this place are $7 or more.

When I saw the real thing, it turns out to be 4 mini buns, about 4 cm x 4 cm in size, which is equivalent to the amount of 1.5 buns.

Anyway the bread was mint coloured, and filled with Kaya filling, the stuff they sell in jars as well.

It was a bit sweet for me, if there was less filling or less sugar in the filling, then it would be better. But anyway it shows they are generous with the filling.

[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.