[Review 1949] Part Two: The world of Xiamen treasures @ 廈門風味阿珠小吃店

03/11/2012
廈門風味阿珠小吃店
土瓜灣美景街44號安福大廈
G/F, No. 44 Mei King Street, To Kwa Wan
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/part-two-the-world-of-xiamen-treasures-e2267271

The food here was so delicious I had to come back and try the other items and an excuse to go to Hoi Kee Walnut dessert shop because the branch at MK is not as good.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Xiamen style stir fried vermicelli


I ordered this because it is different to the the Xiamen noodles served at Chinese Cafes. The ones served at Chinese cafes have ketchup and taste sweet.
The vermicelli was delicious, there were pieces of egg in it which was similar to the stir fried noodles served in the Chinese takeaways in UK.
There were pieces of julienne carrots which balanced out the savourness and the eggy taste.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sweet taro croquettes

Last time I tried the savory taro croquettes with meat inside, this time I ordered the sweet version.
The shape looks like a slim croquette.
I tried them piping hot and I tried them when they cooled down.

They tasted better cooled down because the texture was like mochi and the outside was delicate and crispy just like the edges of a meringue.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Xiamen style spring roll

Ordered this by accident because I thought it was the fried one.
It was the other spring roll version which was wrapped by thin pastry with fillings.
Initially I did not think it would taste nice because I tried something similar at this Singapore restaurant.
The fillings in this were so delicious and warm, there were lots of vegetables, and there were even dried oysters too which gave it a nice marine taste and deep fried crispy vegetables too.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Noodle omelette

This was similar to the stir fried vermicelli but it was an egg cooked in a pan with noodles cooked on the top, so there is an egg base at the bottom and on top it is noodles.
There were delicious dried shrimps in the noodles which gave it some extra depth and the surface of the noodles were crispy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Xiamen style deep fried miniature wontons

This time tried the fried version and they were also delicious, they were delicately crunchy and the inside filling was delicious pork.
It came with chili sauce which tastes like tomato ketchup with chili.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Xiamen style octopus

Ordered this again because I did not get to eat the head last time.
The head is the most delicious part but the tentacles were not bad.
Although it doesnt look good on the photo it was lovely and creamy.
Actually this dish was the best and I wouldn't mind having it all to myself.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 1948] Creamy congee and salty prawns @ 一粥麵 Super Super Congee & Noodle

一粥麵 Super Super Congee & Noodle
將軍澳貿業路8號新都城中心2期UG樓001-003號舖
Shop 001-003, UG/F, MCP Central, 8 Mau Yip Road, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/creamy-congee-and-salty-prawns-ssc-n-e2267266

Felt like getting some congee so came here instead of Ocean Empire because the food there is oily.
There is another branch in Tseung Kwan O, but the air conditioning there is even more cold.
The air conditioning here was quite cold but they had lids to cover the food so at least there is something to keep it warm.

The sauces here are self service which is good.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Dried Oyster and pork congee:
The congee tasted really creamy and milky which was not what I was hoping for.

You can not taste the dried oysters in the congee so I believe they have a separate pot for plain congee and whatever flavour congee you order those ingredients will be added when you order.
There is some slight dried oyster flavour in the congee if you leave it long enough.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Stir fried soy sauce noodles:
The noodles were slightly dry but the soy sauce was not too strong or salty which was good.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Prawns with thick noodles:
The thick noodles itself were ok, but the prawns on top were extremely salty.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Rice rolls with dried shrimps and spring onions:
I was not expecting silky smooth rice rolls but the surface of these felt lumpy.
The rice rolls were not even al-dente.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Soup:

MSG soup.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 1947] Caramel biscuit single scoop icecream @ Häagen-Dazs

02/11/2012
Häagen-Dazs
銅鑼灣謝斐道532號地下
G/F, 532 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/haagen-dazs-caramel-biscuit-single-scoop-icecream-e2267204

Used my Coupon and got a single scoop of Caramel biscuit at the HD branch near the WTO.
As usual Häagen-Dazs' icecreams are smooth and silky, the flavour I got this time was caramel and biscuit which had generous pieces of biscuits and caramel swirls in it.
The caramel taste was lovely and intense.
Next time I will try the caramel leche.

[Review 1946] Sticky toffee pudding icecream @ Lab Made 分子雪糕專門店 Lab Made Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Laboratory

02/11/2012
Lab Made 分子雪糕專門店 Lab Made Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Laboratory
大坑布朗街6號地下
G/F, 6 Brown Street, Tai Hang
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/sticky-toffee-pudding-icecream-lab-made-e2267203

When Lab Made first opened they had Sticky Toffee pudding at that time which I missed.

I have been trying their new flavours every time they changed their menu in which some were new flavours and some were repeated.
They finally repeated the Sticky Toffee pudding during the 9th to the 21st October so I was able to try it finally.
They also had super lemon meringue which I have tried, and the other two were Oreo and Mango and pineapple yoghurt.
For halloween they had: muddy graveyard (chocolate and oreo), bloodbath (strawberry cheesecake), lemon and ribena yogurt and baileys.
I hope there will be some more interesting and fun flavours coming up.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Sticky toffee pudding icecream:
As I expected it was delicious, there were pieces of sticky toffee sponge amongst the ice-cream.
It basically tastes like melted thick cream with pieces of sticky toffee sponge and the sweetness was just right.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 1945] Dreamy apple pie tea and BLACK curry @ 夢見屋 Yumemiya

01/11/2012
夢見屋 Yumemiya
尖沙咀彌敦道63號iSQUARE國際廣場3樓304號舖
Shop 304, 3/F, iSquare, 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/dreamy-apple-pie-tea-and-black-curry-e2267121

Initially I wanted to try this place for the new pasta which is offered just for autumn, after I looked at the menu I found out there was apple pie tea and tiramisu coffee so tried that as well.

Luckily I tried apple pie tea because it turned out to be best item.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Pasta with porcini mushrooms in demi glace sauce:


When it came the colour of the sauce was not as dark as the product shot and the amount of porchini mushrooms was disappointing because they put other mushrooms in the pasta as well.
However the mushroom taste was strong, the porcini mushrooms were really soft.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Black curry:

The black curry was interesting. The spiciness of the curry does not hit you immediately but it comes really slowly.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Apple pie tea:

I loved this drink, the cinnamon was strong. I tried the apple tea first before mixing the cream.
After I mixed the whipped cream, the drink was so delicious, it was light and frothy.
The drink was different to what I thought it would be. Initially I thought it would be milk tea with apple syrup but it turned out even better.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Tiramisu coffee:

The coffee was too sweet.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 1944] Happy meal with a Batman toy figure @ 麥當勞 McDonald's

01/11/2012
麥當勞 McDonald's
北角和富道21-53號和富中心地下G20號舖
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/happy-meal-with-a-batman-toy-figure-e2267120

Got the Happy Meal because someone wanted the McD's Batman (launched in the US in 2011) so chose the Hamburger set which was the cheapest set at $15.

The hamburger was the most basic item on the Happy meal menu and most probably the first hamburger you ever ate in your life unless you lived nearer to a different burger chain than McDonalds.

The hamburger at this restaurant had a flame grilled taste, however there was not much sauce so it was quite dry.
Anyway it still brings back memories of eating a hamburger as a kid, unwrapping the hamburger which made a crisp paper noise.

[Review 1943] One bowl of noodles or one bowl of congee? @ 一碗

01/11/2012
一碗
銅鑼灣謝斐道500號地下
G/F, 500 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/one-bowl-of-noodles-or-one-bowl-of-congee-e2267118

This shop was opened about a month ago but as I am not really a fan of Chinese food I wasn't really bothered about trying it.
Walked past again and the bright white decor attracted me like how it did the first time, so this time I decided to try it as there was not many people inside.

Most people dine in restaurants that have long queues but sometimes I go for the quieter places because I am not rushed to order and the food quality is not sacrificed for speed.

They specialise in noodles, congee and glutinous rice.


★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Dried shrimp rice rolls:

Although this took a while to arrive, it was presented quite nice and it came with soy sauce and the other standard sesame sauce and bean sauce.
The rice rolls were a tad too soft but with the dried shrimp and spring onions it tasted ok.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Noodles with pork trotters:

When it came, you could tell the broth was quite strong so the noodles tastes nice after absorbing the broth and becoming soft, however the pork trotters were rather salty.
It was also difficult eating from this bowl because of the shape and size and the trotters could have been cut into smaller pieces.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Snack platter:

This was a platter of six snacks: 2 pieces of fried wontons, 2 pieces of fried dumplings and 2 pieces of fried dace balls.
Fried wontons:
In comparison to the dumplings it was much smaller.
Fried dumplings:
The dumplings tasted quite nice and the prawn filling inside was quite fresh.
Fried dace balls:
As usual these have grounded bones in it but it tasted better deep fried as well because it was not so fishy and it came with clam sauce too.
The clam sauce tasted like clams in fermented beancurd (fu yue).
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Hot ginger and barley drink:
The taste of barley could have been stronger but the ginger was nice and warmed you up.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Overall, the food here just tasted how it should but I thought it was quite expensive.
I also tried their oyster sauce which was not the Lee Kum Kee Brand but it was quite nice dipping it with the snack platter items and the rice rolls.
On the table there were various of other sauces too.