[Review 1965] 2012 Jump into Autumn series - Dark Cherry tart @ 星巴克咖啡 Starbucks Coffee

05/11/2012
星巴克咖啡  Starbucks Coffee
金鐘金鐘道88號太古廣場1樓131號舖
Shop 131, 1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/2012-jump-into-autumn-series-dark-cherry-tart-e2267750

Walked past to see if there were any new items and they had the autumn series.
The autumn series had these cute mini bagels, Dark Cherry tarts, Molten chocolate cakes (which McCafe is now serving as well) and the cinnamon, pear and muesli yoghurt cup.
I got the cherry tart because I love dark cherries.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Dark Cherry tart:
Basically it was a chocolate coated butter short crust tart base filled with a thin layer of chocolate cake, cherries and covered with cream and a cherry on top.
The tart was really delicious and the sweetness was just right.
It was really good there were more cherries beneath the cream because cakes with cherries do not often have much cherries in it.
I just felt that there was too much cream so I scraped some of it away.
If it had been freshly whipped cream it would have been perfect or if the crust was not so buttery because the buttery flavour was a little too overpowering.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 1964] New flavour ★ Mint leaves and chocolate ★ @ Häagen-Dazs

05/11/2012
Häagen-Dazs
中環蘭桂坊德己立街24號地下
G/F, 24 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/new-flavour-haagen-dazs-mint-leaves-and-chocolate-e2267749

Walked past and was attracted by their new "black and white" chocolate fondue sets with the heart handle so stopped and had a look inside.

I was not intending to get any ice-cream as I have had ice-cream nearly everyday but I spotted the Mint leaves and chocolate which I had not seen before so I tried that.
 0 讚好

I asked them if it was exclusive to the LKF branch and he said is was a new flavour.

Since I had a $50 cash coupon I decided to get two scoops.

For the other scoop I was going to choose the cookies and cream but after going to the tasting at Haagan Daz they talked about pairing and what flavours would taste nice together.

Eg Green Tea + Lemon sorbet = Lemon Tea

In the end I chose the Baileys to go with the mint chocolate and the combination of the two were quite nice.
Also Baileys has a mint version of the liquor too.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★


L: mint choc R: Baileys
Mint leaves and chocolate:
Although the colour was not green there was a fresh mint taste which was not artificial or tasting like toothpaste.
The flavour reminded me of the mint ice-cream by Walls and I loved the pieces of chocolate.
So far I think this is the best flavour.
Baileys:
This used to be my favourite but now the mint flavour is my favourite. After having the mint icecream, the Baileys tasted quite nice with gentle hints of the melted mint icecream just like the Bailey mint liquor version.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 1963] The Namkee revolution to a greener future @ 南記粉麵 Namkee H

05/11/2012
南記粉麵 Namkee H
中環域多利皇后街5-8號地下
G/F, 5-8 Queen Victoria Street, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/the-namkee-revolution-to-a-greener-future-e2267726

I have probably dined at NamKee about three times after they rebranded from the traditional shop because I am not a fan of these Chinese noodles especially the thick rice vermicelli.

I dined at Namkee just for the spring rolls and if you are not a local it is hard ordering there because there was no English and they rush you with your order.

The new NamKee H denoted by an extra H in the name is modern and has more choices.
Anyway, when I read the reviews for NamKee H, I loved the new decor and the green theme.

The menu is also simpler and has English, there is a wider choice for broths too, the normal NamKee was just not my style.

Although none of the noodles were my cup of tea, I came here especially for the tomato broth and tofu cutlet balls which are new items and not available at the ordinary Namkee branches.

The ordering style was much more relaxed and they explain to you how to order and the different broths and choices available.

At every table there is an ipad with full internet service so you can check out the reviews on this place or plan where to eat afterwards or whatever you want to look at.


The condiments at the table were also labelled.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Unsweetened soy milk:
It truly was unsweetened however the soy milk was quite watery and the soy bean taste was weak.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Coffee:
The coffee blend they used was Movenpick.
I do not drink coffee so I cant comment.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Vermicelli in tomato broth:
I do not like this type of vermicelli but I did not like the other noodles so I picked this so that it could absorb the tomato broth.
The tomato broth was quite nice and natrual however the tomato taste could have been stronger and more sour.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Thick noodles in spicy and sour broth:

I was surprised both the noodles and soup were good, the spicyness was just right and the noodles were nice and soft.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Romaine lettuce:


The lettuce was tender and was blanched just right. The taste of the lettuce was enhanced by the soup.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Spring rolls:

As always these taste the best, prawn patty wrapped in bean curd skin.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Beef belly:
Delicious beef in strong marinade.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Tofu cutlet balls:
As expected I really liked it because there were pieces of carrots in the tofu patty.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Photos of the restaurant:

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 1962] A brilliant new revolution has evolved in Sai Kung @ Revolution Gallery Cafe

05/11/2012
Revolution Gallery Cafe (已結業)
西貢西貢大街1號地下
G/F, 1 Sai Kung Tai Street, Sai Kung
http://openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/a-brilliant-new-revolution-has-evolved-in-sai-kung-e2267724

While I was walking in the lanes of the old part of Sai Kung, I was instantly stopped by seeing the decor through the windows of this restaurant.
It was an amazing place to stumble upon.
The decor was so similar to China, this is what China looks like in my mind especially Shanghai and those hot water vacumn flasks.
When I looked at the menu it was even more amazing. Had it been Chinese food I would have tried this place later when I was bored, but it was Mediterranean food so I just had to go in even if it was just for dessert.

I wish I stumbled on it earlier before I had my lunch, but the lunch I had that day was really satisfying but I was still hungry.

The dessert choices were brilliant and Mediterranean too.

They had: Home-made cassata icecream, Turkish creamy fruity cardamon rice dessert with orange zest and the cake of the day was lemon cake with yogurt.

I really wanted the icecream, but i have had icecream seven days in a row.
I also wanted to try the turkish dessert but I wasnt sure how sweet it was because the rice pudding I tried at Istanbul was too sweet so i tried the cake.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
lemon cake with yogurt HKD48:

The lemon cake tasted like the lovely buttery cakes in UK and it had a prominent lemon taste so I loved it.
It was complimented by natrual yogurt which was sour and it made the cake even more delicious because it balanced out the sweetness of the cake.
Frankly I have always loved eating Natural yogurt with sweet cakes.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Restaurant pictures
Usually I do not post so many restaurant photos but this place is so cool and fit for filming.
When I asked for the bill, they used this really cute gold thing, those Chinese gold nuggets to keep the receipt down.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

[Review 1961] Sushi One has landed in the hot New Territories @ 一寿司 Sushi One

05/11/2012
一寿司 Sushi One
將軍澳重華路8號東港城1樓183-185號舖
Shop 183-185, 1/F, East Point City, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/sushi-one-has-landed-in-the-hot-new-territories-e2267690

Tried this place because I have not tried the TST branch.
After analyzing the menu it seems the food is rather over priced, most of the decent items were quite expensive which you can get cheaper elsewhere.
The cheaper items were mainly imported items.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Inanaiwa udon hot:

The udon was slightly too soft but apart from that it tasted like tagliatelle.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Inanaiwa udon cold:

I was surprised the broth was well chilled so the temperature of the noodles were really icy. The difference between this one and the hot version is that this one has salmon roe and grated ginger in it.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Grilled octopus tako balls:

Basically these are the same as the tako balls you can buy elsewhere, they taste the same, but since they cost more here they are not so burnt and fresh oil was used.
It also had pickled ginger on top which made it taste better.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
seared sea urchin sushi with salt:
The sea urchin was not so fresh.

seared salmon with lime and salt:
The taste of the salmon was quite average, the taste of lime and salt was not prominent.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Steamed egg:

Average steamed egg and the seafood did not seem fresh and there was lots of MSG in this.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
oyster in Western style:

The oyster was quite dry but the sauce they put on top was tomato and herbs hence "western style"
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Grilled squid patty:

This squid patty had no squid in it at all, it was pure flour only flavoured with squid.
It reminded me of those cheap squid balls, and prawn balls that you can buy in the supermarket which do not contain any seafood at all.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★