[Review 2448] Purely organic alchohol @ Pure Bar + Restaurant

18/04/2013
Pure Bar + Restaurant
中環蘇豪荷李活道32號建業榮基中心2樓
2/F, Kinwick Centre, 32 Hollywood Road SOHO, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/purely-organic-alchohol-e2293104

Thanks to Pure dining for inviting me to try their Sous Chef Chetan Kohli’s 2013 menu which includes organic alchohol.

Pure dining is part of the PURE fitness group so it makes sense for a fitness social bar to offer healthy drinks.
The tantalising new cocktail menu includes signature favourites made with 100% fresh organic ingredients and alcohol.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Strawberry energizer:

Made with fresh strawberry juice, vodka and orange juice.
As a non drinker I really liked it because it was light and refreshing.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Cucumber Martini:

Made with lime juice, cucumber juice and vodka.
The colour of this fun and appetizing and the cucumber juice was soothing.
Compared to the first drink, the alcohol tasted stronger.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
rare tuna with egg nori & lump fish caviar:

The tuna and lump fish caviar was a nice canape to start with.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
chorizo & shallot bruschetta:

The Chorizo was covered with cheese on top and the shallots and chorizo was delicious and spicy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
truffled popcorn shrimp:

This was my favourite, the coating was crisp and light with a hint of truffle.
It seemed to be everyones favourite because it was gone quickly.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Ostrich meat balls:

Initially I thought they were beef balls but they were made from ostrich meat which was even nicer.
They were spiced with my favourite cumin.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Cucumber with salmon mousse:

This was my favourite, refreshing cucumber to go with rich and velvety salmon mousse on top.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Toast with liver mousse:

Lastly this was my favourite and the liver mousse was velvety matched with the crispy toast.

[Review 2447] Creme brulee shake @ 冰雪皇后 Dairy Queen

18/04/2013
冰雪皇后 Dairy Queen
新馬路大三巴街19C號國匯大厦地下E號舖
Shop E, G/F, Edf. Kok Wui, 19C Rua de S. Paulo, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro

There are four branches of Dairy Queen in Macau but only two are listed on OpenRice.
I have tried to add the other two a few months ago without success so I cannot write the review for that branch.

This was my second visit to Dairy Queen because I got addicted to it.

This branch has no seating and it is near the famous landmark.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Creme brulee shake:

The creme brulee was thick and delicious and the sweetness was just right.
I loved the creamyness and the caramel taste was strong.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 2446] Free herbal tea to prevent colds and flu @ 恭和堂 Kung Wo Tong

17/04/2013
恭和堂 Kung Wo Tong
將軍澳貿業路8號新都城中心3期1樓125號舖
Shop 125, 1/F, MCP Discovery, 8 Mau Yip Road, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/free-herbal-tea-to-prevent-colds-and-flu-e2293079

Earlier I walked past the Wan Chai branch and they were giving out free herbal teas to prevent colds and flus.
(picture shows Wan Chai branch with herbal teas ready for people to take).
Anyway, I took one and drank it as a normal drink, it was pleasant with a slight bitterness.
Later I was in different area so I went to the nearest branch to see if they were doing it too and they were.
However this branch was not promoting it and you had to ask to get it.
As for the taste, the drink at this branch was not as strong as the Wan Chai branch.
But anyway, Thanks to the generosity of Kung Wo Tong for giving people free herbal teas.
You can get yours at any branch from 1-2pm and 7-8pm.

[Review 2445] Mini meat mountain pile for lunch @ 民聲冰室

17/04/2013
民聲冰室
筲箕灣筲箕灣東大街135號地下
G/F, 135 Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/mini-meat-mountain-pile-for-lunch-e2293038

After trying the Tai Hang branch, I went to the Shau Kei Wan branch to see if there was any difference.

It was much bigger than Tai Hang and you can dine there more comfortably.
I did not try the famous meat patty before so tried it here.


★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Mini meat mountain patty with salted egg:


For lunch they serve a smaller version which was great because the full portion is too big.
The smaller version was much more manageable and there was more salted egg in ratio to the meat patty which was good.
The salted egg is basically cracked on top the patty and steamed, and the lovely egg white is all over the edges of the patty.
It tasted nice but I was not really wowed by it because I have tried better meat patties before. The egg white and the meat patty eaten together tasted the best and the salted egg yolk was nice and starchy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Chicken in soya sauce:


The pot was huge making the portion look big.
I felt that the soy sauce was too sweet and salty.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 2444] Mini Yorkshire puddings @ Yorkshire pudding

16/04/2013
Yorkshire Pudding
中環蘇豪士丹頓街6&8號地舖
G/F, 6&8 Staunton Street, SOHO, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/mini-yorkshire-puddings-at-yorkshire-pudding-e2292847

Although this place is heavily decorated in a British theme serving my favourite Yorkshire puddings, it failed to make it on my priority list.
This restaurant reminded me of Limehouse in WanChai.
I only tried it because I was at a tasting nearby.
I ordered the mini Yorkshire puddings.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Mini Yorkshire puddings:
When it came I was surprised there were four of them.
They were very crispy and reminded me of BLT's popovers.
The taste was slightly disappointing because they did not taste as good as the Yorkshire puddings at Delaneys and the gravy did not taste meaty enough.
The yorkshire puddings were too eggy and not as yeasty and chewy as the ones at Delaneys.
There was not enough gravy to finish off the Yorkshire puddings.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Nice glass for the water


★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Menu

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 2443] OpenRice annual dinner 2013 @ 怡東軒 Yee Tung Heen

15/04/2013
怡東軒 Yee Tung Heen
銅鑼灣告士打道281號香港怡東酒店2樓
2/F, The Excelsior Hong Kong, 281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/openrice-annual-dinner-2013-e2292646

Thanks to OpenRice for organizing this event held every year.
This was my second year attending.
Each course was paired with wines from Marks and Spencer's my favourite food store in Hong Kong.
Although I do not drink, I tasted them and appreciated the colours and smells of each wine.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Marks & Spencer Sparkling Burgundy:
Diced beancurd with spicy salt and marinated pork knuckle:
The diced beancurd were neatly stacked on the plate surrounded by pork knuckle slices.
It had a nice crisp coating with smooth and soft tofu in the middle seasoned by the spicy salt on the coating.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Marks & Spencer Crow's Fountain Chenin Blanc:
Sliced braised live abalone with oyster sauce and Japanese soya sauce:
When the oysters came, there was dry ice beneath so it was surrounded in lovely smoke.
I am not sure what flowers they used but the flowers looked like pansies.
I preferred the abalone cooked in oyster sauce because the soya sauce one was a bit sweet.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Double boiled soup with tea tree mushrooms, sea whelk and caterpillar fungas:
The soup was rich and served at the right temperature.
It was nice how the soup was presented in a tea pot and served like Chinese Tea.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Marks & Spencer Secano Estate Pinot Noir Rose:
Crab claw steamed with egg white and Chinese wine:

The crab was cooked just right with fragrant Chinese wine.
It would have been nicer if the wine was stronger.
The egg white at the bottom tasted the best because it had absorbed all the essence from the crab and wine.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Marks & Spencer Contino Rioja:
Sauteed King prawn in supreme soya sauce:
The King prawn was huge and meaty.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Marks & Spencer Crozes Hermitage:
Mini squash pot with Australian Wagyu beef and vegetables:

The presentation of this was really cute and the meat inside it was sweet with delicious pine nuts.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sauteed kale with ginger:
This was a huge kale stalk carved like a flower.
The pairing of ginger and kale was nice.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Fried rice with assorted seafood:

The rice had lots of seafood in it but the taste of the seafood could have been stronger.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Marks & Spencer Malmsey Madeira:
Dessert platter:

There were three items on the dessert platter and this one was my favourite because it was light and dreamy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

See you all next year and the future gourmet pros and gourmet elites to be.

Thank you to all my fellow openricers for support, there are too many names to list here so I have not in case I miss any out.

[Review 2442] Coffee+lover = Lucky four leaf CLover @ 幸福小路 Clover Lane Cake Cafe

15/04/2013
幸福小路 Clover Lane Cake Cafe
北角和富道126號
126 Wharf Road, North Point
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/coffee-lover-lucky-four-leaf-clover-e2292645

This coffee house has been opened for a few years but since I am not a coffee drinker I never went in.


The earlier choice of cakes they had did not attract me until the recent reviews when I saw the Green tea latte which is said to taste better than the Green tea latte at Sinmei's.

I finally went there just to try the green tea latte and noticed this cake called the Haru so I tried that as well.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Haru:

This was green tea, earl grey and blackcurrant with a macaron on top.
The cake was very sweet so pairing it with green tea latte was not that good.
Next time I should order tea with it.
The green tea layer and earl grey tasted really nice because it was a nice combination of earl grey and green tea together.
The blackcurrant layer on top ruined it because it was too sweet and the taste was so strong that it demolished the green tea and earl grey taste.
I was surprised with the macaron because it was filled with jam.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Green tea latte:


I tried this before eating the cake and luckily I did because the cake was sweeter than the drink.
So after I ate the cake, the latte tasted milky and the taste was not as nice as before trying the cake.
Overall the green tea latte was quite nice but the temperature of the latte was not hot enough.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★