[Review 4278] Jamie was in Hong Kong! @ Jamie's Italian

26/04/2015
Jamie's Italian
銅鑼灣登龍街1-29號金朝陽中心2期Midtown 2樓
2/F, Soundwill Plaza 2 - Midtown, 1-29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/jamie-was-in-hong-kong-e2444819

There were queues and queues at Jamie’s Italian when it first opened but I wasn’t motivated to go because what is the point to eat rushed and the food is going to be rushed.
The menu is much better now compared to the opening because there are more choices.

I saw a FB event inviting people to participate in Jamie’s video so I decided to join it for fun.
It was really fun forming letters for aerial shots with an efficient well organized crew.

Here is the video of Jamie in Hong Kong and the aerial shots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEeNSaRf3W8

photos of the filming:

+++++
After Jamie’s visit to Hong Kong, I felt that it was about time I should check it out.

Here was what we had:
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
AMALFI LEMON & BASIL ICED TEA $35:
A blend of succulent lemon & basil
 0 讚好

The iced tea had a nice lemon taste with a hint of basil.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
SPINACH & TALEGGIO CROQUETTES $70:
Served with basil mayo
 0 讚好

I definitely liked this because it was filled with silky cheese, spinach with  velvety mashed potato.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
WORLD'S BEST OLIVES ON ICE $50:
With black olive tapenade & music bread
 0 讚好

The olives were iced hence the icy olive flesh refreshed your mouth as you ate it.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
CRAB & AVOCADO BRUSCHETTA $70:
Sourdough, fresh crab & avocado with apple,

This was a light crispy piece of sourdough topped with crisp tangy apple and fresh crab meat.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
BAKED CHESTNUT MUSHROOMS $80:
With smoked mozzarella, thyme & crispy music bread

Cheese lovers will love this, it was like eating a wafer thin pizza topped with gooey mozzarella and earthy mushrooms.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
FISH IN A BAG $170:
Fish of the day with clams, mussels, fennel, chilli, anchovies & cracked wheat, topped with fiery arrabbiata sauce
 0 讚好

The rice was so flavourful because it has absorbed all the flavours from the seafood and fish with a tangy tomato and herbs taste and the seafood was great especially the delicate fish.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
10OZ RIB-EYE STEAK $300:
10oz chargrilled rib-eye steak with wild mushrooms, peppery endive & funky chips

As I was too full, I didn't try this.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
LAMB LOLLIPOPS $220:
Chops grilled under a brick with a herby red onion salad, toasted nuts, yoghurt for dunking & polenta chips

The lamb was soft and tender without any gaminess.
Best yet were the pieces of polenta which tasted like potatoes with a grainy texture.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
TIRAMISÙ $65:
Coffee-flavoured trifle with orange mascarpone & chocolate

The orange mascarpone made a real difference because the citrus flavours and chocolate cake went really well together.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
TUTTI FRUTTI LEMON MERINGUE PIE $85:
With limoncello & crunchy pistachio brittle


The lemon base was lovely and tart and the meringue on top was really thick and gooey like marshmallow making it sinfully delicious.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 4277] I wish the fries were better @ Le Cornet Belge

22/04/2015
Le Cornet Belge
半山蘇豪伊利近街63號地舖
G/F, 63 Elgin Street, Soho, Mid-Levels
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/i-wish-the-fries-were-better-e2444486

I was really excited with this new place because of the Belgian snacks, fries and there was a good choice of sauces.

Improvements:
Staff should ask what sauce the customer wants because I was not asked and I thought it was self service but it was not.
The Friccadelle and Mexicano were too salty but according to a Belgian, he said that they should not be that salty.

The fries were a disappointment because you can get these fries anywhere.
The sauces could have saved the day but as they didn't ask which sauce I wanted, they just gave me ketchup by default!
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The bill: $91

[Review 4276]Oily croquette!~ @ 蕃滿門 Tomato Club

25/04/2015
蕃滿門 Tomato Club
太古太古城道18號太古城3樓大食代308號舖
Shop 308 Food Republic, 3/F Tai Koo Shing, 18 Tai Koo Shing Road, Tai Koo
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/oily-croquette-e2444375

Got this spinach and potato croquette and it was really oily.
They should have called it spinach and bacon croquette because it is misleading as I thought it was vegetarian.
The taste was ok, but it was too sweet and the coating was too oily.

[Review 4275] Thai dinner by the harbour @ Namo Avant Thai Restaurant

24/04/2015
Namo Avant Thai Restaurant
尖沙咀麼地道68號帝國中心G18號舖
Shop G18, Empire Centre, 68 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/thai-dinner-by-the-harbour-e2444258

Thai dinner by the harbour
2015-04-24  3911 瀏覽
I don’t normally dine in Kowloon but tried this place because of the lovely harbour view and vibes.
It is a popular spot for people nearby to have drink afterwork.
Anyway, we sat inside and tried some items on the spring menu.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Pink basil:
 0 讚好

This was made with a sweet concoction of pomegranate, Thai basil, guava syrup, lime juice and egg white.
The drink was sweet with a lovely basil in the taste to give it more dimension.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Tuna tower:
 0 讚好

This was a nice starter with tuna tartare and creamy avocado dressed in tangy lime dressing that made it moresh.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Coffin bay oysters:
 0 讚好

The oysters were big and fresh.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Chicken charms:
 0 讚好

I loved these pieces of fried chicken because they were crispy and coated in mild spicy sauce that was slightly creamy.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Lobsters in two ways:


The lobster was served in two ways, one was made into Tom Yum Kung soup but unfortunately it was too salty.
The other was served in a egg cream curry which was delicious with rice because the lobster was springy and the curry sauce was just perfect with the rice.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Banana-mundi:

This was barramundi wrapped in banana leaf hence the name banana-mundi,
The fish was delicate and silky surrounded in aromatic herbs and fragrant sauce.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
chiang mai ribs:

As well as the fish, the ribs were good because the curry sauce was really tasty and there was also light pumpkin puree that gave it some sweetness.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Ticky-lice:
 0 讚好


I ordered this because of the tri coloured layers of sticky rice, there was a layer of purple glutinous rice, then coconut glutinous rice and pandan glutinous rice which was sweet and satisified my dessert cravings.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

[Review 4274] Eat like an official! @ 禮賓傅 Lai Bun Fu

24/04/2015
禮賓傅 Lai Bun Fu
中環安蘭街18號5樓
5/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/eat-like-an-official-e2444257

When I first heard of this restaurant, I really fell for it because the pronunciation is the same as the Government house 禮賓府 so I was a bit surprised that the public could go in for food.
Anyway, it turns out the name of the restaurant is 禮賓傅 which is still pronounced the same but the last word means Master.
Although the name is slightly different, it is still related to the ‘Government House’ because this place serves dishes that were served to officials at the ‘Government House’ because Chef Chung previously catered for government officials there.
Chef Chung has previously prepared dishes for world leaders such as President of PRC Xi Jinping, Premier of PRC Li Keqiang, Prime Minister of Russian Dmitry Medvedev, and former President of PRC Hu Jintao, former President of the United States George Bush and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher.
Lai Bun Fu is themed with elements from colonial days with Chinese antiques and British bits and pieces.

I was really lucky to try their Saturday brunch, which is a 4-course brunch costing HK$368 which has dishes that were served to the government officials.
For a more luxurious experience, diners can choose Free-flowing Prosecco, Italian Bellavista NV Cuvee Brut priced at HK$518, or French Jacques Picard Brut Champagne at HK$618, and unlimited juices and soft drinks at HK$398.

 0 讚好

The SATURDAY four course brunch includes three gourmet appetisers, main course, rice or noodles, and dessert.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Among the three appetisers to choose from are Sesame Prawn Cutlets on Toast, Deep-fried Breaded Crab Claw, Sautéed Minced Pigeon with Lettuce Cup, Peking-style Roasted Chicken, Deep-fried Prawn Mousse Stuffed with Shunde Milk Chips, and Deep-fried or Steamed Egg White Dumpling with Fungus and Mushroom.
 0 讚好


From the six above I liked the prawn toasts because you will be surprised to find a layer of foie gras in between!
My second favourite was the dumpling filled with diced mushrooms and fungus and another good one to choose is the minced pigeon.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Soup (a la carte item):

The soup that day was preserved vegetables with eel which had an interesting strong white peppery taste and it was my first time having eel soup.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
The main dish is a choice from the following:
Stir-fried Vegetarian Shark Fins with Shredded Abalone and Scrambled Egg,
 0 讚好

Fresh Crabmeat Stir-fried with Egg White and Milk,

Deep-fried Crispy Angus Beef Brisket with Curry Sauce,

Scrambled Egg with Prawns,
Sautéed Spring Beans with Diced A4 Japanese Wagyu Beef,

Stir-fried Fish Maw Shallot (for an extra HK$90),

half portion of Sifu’s Crispy Chicken with 5 Flavour Condiments (for every 2 diners).


All the dishes above were damn good! So it would be hard to decide hence I suggest going with more people especially the chicken because the five sauces are modern and fruity with roselle, blueberry, red beancurd, green tea salt and lemon!
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
For the main course it is a choice of Fried Rice or E-fu Noodles with Abalone Sauce.

Both were good but I preferred the rice because it was tastier and had quite a lot of ingredients in it.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Lastly, brunch ended with dessert which was a light coconut sago that was not too sweet.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
As well as the brunch menu, the a la carte is also served.

At the end, we were given a lovely crystal filled pen which will go in my crystal filled pens collection!

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