[Review 1666] Cube Square and Fried mushrooms in Wan Chai @ 暖粒粒 Cube Square

18/07/2012
暖粒粒 Cube Square
灣仔柯布連道3號地下
G/F, 3 O'Brien Road, Wan Chai
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/cube-square-and-fried-mushrooms-wan-chai-e2246148

This branch used to be located in Hung Hom but it was too far and not near any MTR stations.
http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=74025

I was glad they opened in Wan Chai and was planning to get some snacks from there especially the fried mushrooms.

However I prefer the choice at Hung Hom because they had fried soft shell crabs and the pieces of chicken had fried basil leaves as well.
(source: gaganoodle) - basil
http://static4.openrice.com.hk/UserPhoto/photo/3/2L0/00IDFCF5AAE32EE05D6FE6m.jpg
(source:Ilovedisney) - soft shell crabs
http://static1.openrice.com.hk/UserPhoto/photo/3/2KQ/00IBFG3626082CFF2ACD31m.jpg

I was also attracted to the Hung Hom branch because they had eight seasoning powders: chili, seaweed, lemon, cheese, wasabi, plum and more.

However after I ordered the mushrooms I found out that they did not have the lemon seasoning or the cheese
Also the staff who was frying the mushroom was severely sick, he was constantly sneezing and coughing!
I was so afraid my mushrooms would turn into poisonous mushrooms!!!

Anyway, the mushrooms were Ok, juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, I only had a few in case they were infected!
Hope that staff gets well soon LOL!!

On my next visit, I hope that they will have the full condiment range and the soft shell crabs.

They had fried chicken drumsticks as well but it was hard to notice because it was right on the top!

[Review 1665] Good and cheap vegetarian dishes but rude service @ 珍豆漿

18/07/2012
珍豆漿 (已結業)
灣仔灣仔道181A地下
G/F, 181A Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/good-and-cheap-vegetarian-dishes-but-rude-service-e2246146

Being vegetarian can be expensive especially when the places serve processed vegetarian items such as soybean patties and similar items.

Some of the Chinese style vegetarian dishes are really unhealthy especially the soft tofu puffs in sweet and sour sauce, curry sauce etc.

I have always wanted to try this place but you have to battle with the busy traffic, air pollution and smokers before you get there.

I like the variety at this place and the prices are fairly inexpensive.

Before coming I called to make an order but as the it was noisy on their end and they couldn’t hear they just slammed down the phone which I thought was a rude.

Anyway, went there another time and ordered the spare ribs with preserved vegetables and rice and I also wanted to get the prawn dumplings however it was discontinued so I changed to some other vegetable dumpling.

When I started eating it, people who did not know this dish was vegetarian asked if it was spare-ribs so they must have looked like spare ribs.

Overall it was really nice and oil free, however the preserved vegetables were not washed and there was plenty of sand in it and the rice had a piece of man made fibre/hair.

hair in the centre of the pic!
As for the dumpling it was fairly nice with sweetcorns and mushrooms inside.

[Review 1664] Gateaux Roule vs Juchheim's baumkuchen @ TASTE

18/07/2012
Taste (已結業)
將軍澳坑口重華路8號東港城2樓228-228A舖
Shop 228-228A, 2/F, East Point City, 8 Chung Wa Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/gateaux-roule-vs-juchheims-baumkuchen-e2246139

Before Juchheim opened in Hong Kong, this shop was opened quite a few years ago but I never bought any cakes from there.
I am quite surprised this shop is still under operation because I don't often see people buying from there.

But since I have already tried Juchheim's I decided to try Gateaux Roule as well which is cheaper and as you can see you get a whole cup filled to the lid for $24!!
They had green tea, chocolate and original flavours and they also had Rolls which were dipped in icing sugar.

I chose the chocolate one.
The cake was not as soft as Jucheim's but I preferred Gateaux Roule's chocolate taste, but both brands did not wow me and I would not buy both again, however the packaged one at 7-11 tastes much better probably because of the caramel latte flavour and the softness.

[Review 1663] Summer dishes at Telford Recreation Club @ 德藝會 ClubONE Telford

18/07/2012
德藝會 ClubONE Telford
九龍灣德福花園P13-14號
Units P13-P14, Telford Gardens, Kowloon Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/summer-dishes-telford-recreation-club-e2246137

I was really lucky to be invited by a local magazine to attend a dinner at Telford Recreation Club to try out the summer dishes.

I have not heard of this place before and after dinner they gave us a tour of the club and it turns out a lot of filming took place here.

The dinner was held in the Grand ballroom, which was really grand just like its name.
It had tall ceilings, a nice stage and a grand carriage on the left.
Anyway the food served today was designed for summer and it was refreshing and light that it consisted of seafood.

The menu consisted of (Quoted exactly from the menu):Mango salad
Sauteed sea cucumber in teriyaki sauce
Double boiled sharks fin soup and assorted dried seafood and sugar cane
Deep fried fresh garoupa served with strawberry sauce
Baked abalone in tomato cup
Braised wintermelon with prawn and tobiko
Poached crispy rice with assorted seafood
Baked coconut with egg white
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mango salad:
The presentation was fun, it looked like there was a face and I liked the way the tobiko and dragonfruit was separate from the salad.
I had the salad first because it was sweet and towards the end I started adding some tobiko to balance out the sweetness with its natrual saltiness.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sauteed sea cucumber in teriyaki sauce:
This was surprisingly nice because the teriyaki sauce was just right and not too sweet.
There were also aubergines, bell peppers and lotus roots as well as sea cucumber.
The lotus root and aubergine was really nice with the teriyaki sauce.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Double boiled sharks fin soup and assorted dried seafood and sugar cane:
When I saw the menu I looked at it twice when I saw sugar cane because I have never seen it in soups.
The soup was sweet and nice and there were shark fins in it, which is rare these days.
As well as that there was fish maw, sea cucumber, chicken feet. Although the soup was sweet I could not taste the cane sugar taste but it tasted natrual and not cloyingly sweet.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Deep fried fresh garoupa served with strawberry sauce:
 0 讚好

When it was served it reminded me of fish and chips. It was interesting eating the deep fried garoupa because in UK it is usually cod and haddock. The garoupa had a softer texture.
The strawberry sauce was contained in a really small cute glass cup with diced strawberries in it as well.
The chef here is really good because so far the sauces were not too sweet.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Baked abalone in tomato cup:
Usually abalone is served with gravy, but this one was baked with cheese.
The abalone was slightly chewy but otherwise the onion and celery cream sauce inside the hollowed out tomato was nice.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Braised wintermelon with prawn and tobiko:

This was fun to eat and it was nice and light, and best of all the prawn was gutted but the orange roe was still attached to the prawn and it had green pakalana flower buds in the soup and tobiko topped on top of the prawn.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Poached crispy rice with assorted seafood:

This was my favourite, the soup was really sweet which I initially thought was due to the scallops however found out it was sweet because it had cane sugar and imperatae and the soup tasted really natural.
The crispy rice was the best and makes it different from other boring soup rices.
Interestingly the menu did not say the soup had cane sugar but it was mentioned in the dry seafood soup.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Baked coconut with egg white:
When it arrived I was stunned to see a piece of puff pastry on top!
It reminded me of an upside down egg tart with the tart base now being the lid and the egg white being the egg tart filling. The egg white was really nice and the texture was so silky.
The egg white was interesting because you could actually taste strong coconut in it and it was really fun to eat.
Again the the chef was really good the sweetness was just right.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Review 1662] Lemon and French Vanilla froyo @ Yoppi

17/07/2012
Yoppi
中環士丹利街10-12號地舖
G/F, 10-12 Stanley Street, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/lemon-and-french-vanilla-froyo-yoppi-e2245925

Most froyos tastes the same these days and alot of new Froyo places are closing and opening fast.
I only try them these days if they have unique toppings or unique froyo flavours or a unique taste.

Anyway, Yoppi has stores internationally from Thailand to USA.

The froyo that I came for was the Lemon and because it was self service I chose French Vanilla as well.
For toppings, I just chose jelly, mochi and strawberries.
I tried the Lemon froyo first because if I had the sweet vanilla first then it would make the Lemon taste extremely sour.

The lemon was really nice and strong, it was citrusy and tasted nice as a froyo.
As for the French vanilla it was sweet as expected and it was nice with the chewy mochi and fruits complimenting it.

The Bill HKD19

[Review 1661] Prawn roe gravy with tofu!! @ 金源小館 Your Restaurant

17/07/2012
金源小館 Your Restaurant
灣仔大王東街3號大旺樓地舖
G/F, Tai Wong Building, 3 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/prawn-roe-gravy-with-tofu-your-restaurant-e2245900

There are so many signature dishes to try here such as the the Shandong style chicken and Vinegar pork chops.
This time I resisted the temptation and tried the Tofu with prawn roe sauce which is also another signature dish.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tofu with prawn roe sauce

There were two types of tofu in this, the normal tofu and the tofu balls which are hollow in the middle, after the tofu balls are cooked, the tofu balls collapses into a soft chewy piece.
I really like this dish because the bland tofu gets its flavouring from the rich prawn roe gravy and the prawn roes in this dish are so generous!
In every spoon there are so much prawn roes in it that you can't see the sauce adhereing it together.
After eating most of the dish, you could see there was so much prawn roe left in the sauce!!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tofu pudding

Although the other desserts here are amazing, the complimentary silky tofu is also amazing.
The tofu is the silkiest I have tried and it is so light that it floats on top of the syrup which is light and not too sweet.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Review 1660] To love Indonesian food with passion @ 我愛峇里島 I Love Bali

17/07/2012
我愛峇里島 I Love Bali
此餐廳已易手經營 ( 巴里島之夜 & 基隆街五號)
旺角登打士街36號恆威商業中心14樓
Hanway Commercial Centre, 36 Dundas Street, Mong Kok
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/to-love-indonesian-food-with-passion-e2245896

I have always wanted to try this place but I hardly go to Mong Kok and it was also on the 14th floor which was scary for me.

But when you see the surroundings its quite relaxing so you forget where you are.

I was invited to try their dishes in January but I never got round to it until recently.
Since then I found out that they serve Melemen which is a Turkish dish of Scrambled eggs, a dish I wanted to try at I love Istanbul as well.
As well as that I was attracted by their menu because there were so many items with Pandan as well as avocado desserts and milkshake.
There was one particular dish that puts people off by the name which was Stinky beans and prawns but I came here especially for it because I like trying new things and I was curious how it would smell.

Basically they wanted people to try the dishes anonymously so it would be a fair review as they do not know who is trying their dishes until they ask for the bill and disclose themselves that they were invited.
I was intending to try the desserts because I love avocado and pandan but on my first attempt I could not find it.
I found it on a second visit to Mong Kok and since I did not have dinner I ordered the mains as well.

Anyway sat down and the owner gave me some fish crackers which looks like uncooked noodles.
If you have been to Indonesian snack shops you would have seen them before.
The fish crackers were really light and will not fill you up, the fish taste was really strong.

Ordered Melemen, Sambal goreng udang Petai and Avocado sundae + icecream.

They had a few choices for rice but I chose plain rice because I wanted to taste the scrambled eggs and stinky beans.
As shown on the menu, the rice was free.

As well as that, the fruits are also free and according to the previous reviews I really like the way they serve exotic fruits and not boring apples and oranges.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Melemen

I have always wanted to try this and I am glad I did not have to walk over to I love Instanbul and here they also serve the Turkish aubergines with yogurt too!
The scrambled egg was really nice, there was lots of herb but the herbs were not that strong.
The owner told me all the herbs that was used in this dish but I could only taste the black pepper, onions and tomato.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sambal goreng udang Petai

When it came you could smell strong shiitake mushrooms which is was interesting, the stinky beans actually costs more than the prawns even though the prawns look big and expensive.
The beans were lightly cooked locking in the rich vitamins and amino acids.
When these beans are eaten fresh there is no foul smell and the prawns were amazing especially the prawn head and it was also cooked with tiny dried shrimps to enhance the prawn flavouring even more.
The beans and prawns were cooked in a spicy sauce which is really spicy but if it got too hot they gave you iced cucumbers to sooth the spicyness.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Avocado sundae + icecream

I love avocado and apukat and this had apukat at the bottom so I picked this one.
The texture of the icecream was really nice, it was similar to Turkish ice-cream which is really elastic and there were bursts of ice in it which was really nice.
As well as avocado it was topped with walnuts as well.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tamarind icecream

This was interesting because I have never tried Tamarind ice-cream or the real fruit but I know Tamarind is a tangy fruit.
The icecream was refreshing because it was slightly sour. They should also make a Sorbet version too because Sorbets are refreshing.
In UK we call it Sorbet (pronounced the French way Sore bay) however the Americans call it Sherbet hence the reason why the people in Hong Kong didnt know what I was talking about until I mentioned Sherbet, but on Wiki it is actually listed as Sorbet.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For desserts I really wish they did Pandan ice-cream as well because the other Pandan items need to be ordered in advance but icecreams can be refrigerated for a long time and served any time.
It would be really good if they had a Pandan sundae with Pandan icecream, Klepon and small pieces of banana and pandan cake in it and even Jackfruit ice-cream!
It would be fun if they had jackfruit ice-cream served with a piece of real jackfruit and same with Tamarind because not many people have seen the fruit before or reuse the tamarind pod and use that as a dish to hold the tamarind ice-cream or part of the pod as decoration because I dont know how big the pod is.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
But next time I will remember to order in advance for the Pandan cake and try the Klepon as well.