[Review 3139] Morton's of Chicago (Macau) @ 莫爾頓牛排坊 Morton's The Steakhouse

30/01/2014
莫爾頓牛排坊 Morton's The Steakhouse
路氹城金光大道望德聖母灣大馬路澳門威尼斯人度假村酒店大運河購物中心1016號舖
Shop 1016, The Grand Canal Shoppes, The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Estrada do Istmo, Coloane-Taipa
https://www.openrice.com/zh/macau/review/mortons-of-chicago-macau-e2344178

I have always wanted to dine at Morton's of Chicago but the one in Hong Kong is inconvenient and there are other temptations around the area.

Decided to dine at Morton's so that I could also visit The Venetian.

If it was not this restaurant, I would not set foot in The Venetian again!!!
The mall was extremely annoying and big, every place looked the same.
There was a shortcut via the Casino but they kept checking me for ID to prove that I was over 21.
They had digital kiosks with floorplans but most of them were not working.
(Compared to the City of Dreams, every digital kiosk worked perfectly and the place was so much more comfortable and modern).

After frantically walking in that maze for an hour, I finally found it!

Finally sat down!!

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Onion bread:

The onion bread was served and it was lovely and warm.
It was soft with a nice bread texture and it was slightly sweet.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Maine Lobster Cocktail:


There were not many pieces of lobster but it tasted fresh and sweet which was the main thing and the meat was springy.
It tasted great on its own that I did not need to use the sauces.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sauteed Spinach & Button Mushrooms:

I loved the spinach, it was not overcooked nor undercooked with a crisp crunch flavoured by the rich mushroom juices.
The mushrooms were lovely and earthy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake:

The crab cake was divine, it was 100% crab meat that was sweet with a hint of natrual saltiness.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
For desserts there were so many options that they had a sample tray to show people.
On the tray, there were:
-Fresh Raspberries or mixed berries
-Key Lime Pie
-Carrot Cake
-Double Chocolate Mousse
-Creme Brulee
-Cheesecake

The first dessert menu they gave me had no prices, so I asked for one with prices.

In the end I chose the souffle
Grand marnier souffle:

The souffle came with as bowl of sauce about the size of the souffle.
I did not use the sauce because it was really sweet and the souffle was already sweet.
The souffle was hot and foamy with a strong orange peel taste.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 3138] Japanese Tea ceremony at Yamazato @ 「山里」日本餐廳 (已搬遷)Yamazato

29/01/2014
「山里」日本餐廳 (已搬遷)Yamazato
路氹城「澳門銀河™」綜合渡假城澳門大倉酒店2樓200號舖
Shop 200, 2/F Hotel Okura Macau, Galaxy Macau™, COTAI, Coloane-Taipa
https://www.openrice.com/zh/macau/review/japanese-tea-ceremony-at-yamazato-e2344108

To be honest, I was attracted by this pearlescent ball.
I found out that this room was used for Japanese tea ceremonies so I booked the tea ceremony to experience this lovely tea room.

When I arrived, I was given a sheet of instructions about the tea ceremony and how it is conducted.
It does not matter if you don't read it because the Japanese lady will instruct you again inside.

After you have read the instructions, you are given some Japanese wagashi before going in the room because the tea is going to be bitter.

I found the wagashi a bit sweet, one of them had red bean puree and the other tasted like compacted sugar powder.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Entering the tea ceremony room:

Before you enter, you have to wash your hands using the Japanese bamboo ladle.

When you get inside, there are some Japanese teaware.

When you are inside comfortably (I actually found it uncomfortable because I can't cross my legs or kneel properly).
The Japanese lady starts the tea ceremony and makes you a cup of tea which you drink.

She will then pass the bowl to you which you turn clockwise and then drink it.
When you drink it, she will instruct you to make some noises when you drink.
After you have finished, you wipe the bowl with your right thumb and then use the tissue provided to clean it.
Lastly, you turn the bowl over to appreciate it.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Japanese tea:
I found the Japanese tea quite nice, it was much nicer than the bitter ones because it did not have any grassy taste.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Then it was my turn to make some Japanese tea. The green tea powder has already been placed into the bowl, so all you have to do is get some water from the container and pour it in the kettle and get the water and pour it in the bowl.
After I did that, I had to mix it with their special Japanese tea brush.
Japanese tea (MADE BY ME):
I did not mix it too well and put too much water because it tasted quite bland.
The temperature of my tea was much hotter so I preferred the one she made.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

The tea ceremony costs MOP230 plus 10% service charge and lasts for approximately 40 minutes.
Available from 1500-1800 (Tuesday to Sunday)
Advance booking is required.

[Review 3137] Cronuts from Delicatessen Corner @ 假日美食店 Delicatessen Corner

29/01/2014
假日美食店 Delicatessen Corner
尖沙咀彌敦道50號金域假日酒店低層1樓
Level B1, Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hong Kong, 50 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/cronuts-from-delicatessen-corner-e2344097


To be honest, I was not here for the cronuts. I was after the【Zürcher Geschnetzeltes】.
A Veal or Beef dish cooked with Mushrooms and Cream, served on the side with a fried Potato Roesti.
However, the table outside only had set lunches and dinners so I did not know they had an a la carte menu as well.
Inside the restaurant, there is a delicatessen corner selling sausages, sandwiches, cakes and cheeses.
Since they had cronuts, I decided to try them even though they were invented in the USA and not by the Swiss.

There were four flavours for cronuts:
Chocolate and yoghurt crisp

Cinnamon:

Raspberry crisp:

Pineapple crisp:

I suppose it is not really worth dining there because the cronuts cost $22 takeaway and if you dine there they cost $32 each with a 10% on top.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Chocolate and yoghurt crispy deli cro-do:

Interestingly, instead of calling them cronuts, they called them cro-do using the first part of the donut word.
The cro-do was pretty disappointing, it was oily, rancid and chewy and the crispy yoghurt pieces on top were dehydrated and chewy just like freeze dried apple pieces.
The cream in the middle was sweet and sickly.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 3136] Back for my favourite fish @ 家樂小廚粥麵茶餐廳

29/01/2014
家樂小廚粥麵茶餐廳
將軍澳貿業路8號新都城中心1期地下G25-26號舖
Shop G25-26, G/F, MCP I, 8 Mau Yip Road, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/back-for-my-favourite-fish-e2344093

Came here again just for the steamed flounder.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Soup:
The soup was carrot and pork soup and tasted how it should.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Steamed flounder fish:

On my previous visit, it was flounder with black beans and green spring onions.
However it was pickled vegetables this time which made it quite salty.
Other than that, the fish was tender and comes off the bone easily.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Clay Pot rice:

It stank when it arrived, the ceramic pot was really smelly.
Luckily I did not put the soy sauce in because the soy sauce was full of oil which can be seen on the reflection.
The preserved sausages were not as good as other brands because they were really oily and had lots of fat in it.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 3135] Learn to be independent @ 天然豚骨拉麵專門店一蘭 ICHIRAN

29/01/2014
天然豚骨拉麵專門店一蘭  ICHIRAN
銅鑼灣謝斐道440號駱克大廈A座地下F-I舖
Shop F-I, G/F, Lockhart House, Block A, 440 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/learn-to-be-independent-e2344092


I have always found the culture in Hong Kong to be weird, people can’t be alone and if your quiet people think your stuck up!
What amazes me is that girls always have to go to the toilets and anywhere together and on public transport pairs/friends always have to sit next to each other even if it means holding up the queue.
Then you get these mature looking women who have these cartoon voices that sends chills down your spine!!

Anyway, at Ichiran, I am surprised why people still bother going in groups because when you dine there, the tables are solitary cubicles and private.
I loved dining here because you can appreciate and really taste the noodles without any distraction.
The menu is simple, there is only one broth, so all you have to do is choose the hardness of the noodles, the broth strength, whether you want green spring onions and garlic and how spicy you want it to be.

When the noodles are ready, they open the mini blinds infront of you and place your noodles on the table, after that they close the mini blinds leaving you in privacy.

Here was my ramen
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Strong broth, hard noodles, green onions, garlic with pork:
I liked the way the spoon was designed so that it can stand on the edge of the bowl.
The broth was really nice and there was a strong pig's liver taste, just like the famous liver noodles at Wai Kee in Sham Shui Po.
The broth was creamy and savoury but expect to be thirsty afterwards.
The noodles were my favourite thin Hakkata noodles and the spoonful of chili sauce in the middle was quite hot.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Tofu:
I ordered the tofu which must have been missed, but luckily the mini poster reminded me so I ordered again.
When it arrived it was two small tubs of tofu.
According to the poster, one is an appetizer and the other is dessert served with syrup.
Tried it without syrup and it tasted like a savoury gelatin pudding with a strong tofu taste.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Dessert tofu:
After adding syrup, it became dessert.
The taste was ok but I preferred it plain.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
They had refillable water to drink but it was icy cold.
Overall, the experience here was good but I would only come again if there is no queue just like this visit!
◎ⓢⓤⓟⓔⓡⓢⓤⓟⓔⓡⓖⓘⓡⓛ◎

[Review 3134] Breakfast burgers are the best @ Triple O's by White Spot

29/01/2014
\Triple O's by White Spot
灣仔港灣道25號海港中心1樓121號舖
Shop 121, 1/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/breakfast-burgers-are-the-best-e2344090

At Triple O's, the only burgers I like so far are roast beef, prawn burger and the fish burger.
Recently I tried the all day breakfast burgers which taste even better.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sunny Start Combo:

Fried egg, crispy bacon, melted cheese & Triple “O” sauce on a toasted bun.
This burger was so nice because the bacon was 100% crunchy and salty that it flavoured the egg and toasted bun complimented by the gooey melted cheese.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
The Champ Combo:


Sauteed mushrooms & melted cheese in a folded omelette topped with fresh tomatoes and Triple “O” sauce on a toasted bun.
Similarly the mushrooms in the omelette were the star of the show which had an earthy juicy taste.
I preferred the omelette because the egg was tastier and if you order extra bacon it would taste fantastic having mushrooms and crunchy bacon together!!!
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Hash brown:


The hash brown was big but unfortunately it was too oily, next time I will order chips instead.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 3133] Great curries @ 拋餅皇 Prata King

29/01/2014
拋餅皇 Prata King
灣仔晏頓街1號安定大廈地下C舖
Shop C, G/F, Anton Building, 1 Anton Street, Wan Chai

https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/great-curries-e2344088

Spotted this new joint after visiting this new bar opposite the road.

Previously it used to be a Thai joint which has now moved to Jaffe Road.

Prata King specializes in Roti pratas but as I was hungry I had the curries with rice.

The choice is simple, you can either choose Pratas, Curries with Pilau rice, plain rice or plain pratas.

For Pratas, there is a choice of plain, egg, banana, potato, chicken, cheese and queema.

For curries, there is a choice of chcken, beef, mutton or mixed vegetables paired with pilau rice, white rice or plain prata.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Mutton curry with pilau rice:

I loved the taste of the curry because it was not too spicy and the mutton was so soft with pieces of green pepper and tomatoes in it.

It reminded me of lamb casseroles at school and there was something about the taste of the curry which tastes like pub curries.

There was also a dash of cumin in the curry which took away the gaminess of the lamb.

The pilau rice was also delicious, it was fluffy and soft, every grain of rice was long.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Beef curry with white rice:

The white rice was disappointing because it was not Indian long grain rice.

Basically the curry tasted the same as above but with beef instead.