[Review 5391] Fit for tycoons and celebrities @ 尚品薈 Le Pinacle

20/07/2016
尚品薈  Le Pinacle
西環西營盤干諾道西155號高樂花園7號舖及1樓102-107
Shop 7, G/F & Shop 102-107, 1/F, Connaught Garden, 155 Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Western District
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/fit-for-tycoons-and-celebrities-e2621003


Fit for tycoons and celebrities
2016-07-20  1324 瀏覽
The food here is quite pricey but it is top notch, I wouldn't mind dining here everyday if I could afford it.
This restaurant has been added to my list of favourites for Chinese.
Le Pinacle is huge and takes up the entire floor with so many big function rooms equipped with large screens and there is one room that features an open kitchen.

The main kitchen is big too with more than ten chefs there!

There appears to be an ex-actress 張沅微 as my friend tells me.

Anyway, started with a pot of tea which costs $20 per person, heated on a candle.
It was strong and fragrant.
Also on the menu, there are other fine Chinese teas to choose from.
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Elegant menu:
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++++++++
Tofu and beef soup:
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As you can see the coriander is grassy green which is fresh and it was not over cooked giving the soup a fresh coriander flavour.
It was a nice and light soup to start with.
++++++++
Lemon chicken:
I love lemon chicken and they did a good job with a crisp coating and  the chicken was springy in an appetizing lemon sauce that was not too sweet.
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Luffa and fish gas bladder in dried fish soup:
Again, another amazing dish, the luffa was fresh so it was plump and sweet bursting with juices and the fish gas bladder was tasty having absorbed the wonderful fish soup.
I loved this dish because it was healthy.
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++++++++
Stir fried noodles:
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Nicely done, each strand of noodle was evenly flavoured.
They give you the famous Yueyikkwan chili sauce which takes it to the next level.
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++++++++
Desserts:
Finished with the strawberry pudding, red date pudding and steamed egg with taro mash.
My favourite was the taro mash because it was not too sweet.
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After dinner, they offered to show me around the restaurant as it was not busy and it was so big that you can get lost!
You can see that they have invested heavily on the decor!!

[Review 5390] A new place to hang out @ Rhoda

20/07/2016
Rhoda
西環西營盤德輔道西345號維港峰地下
G/F, Upton, 345 Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Western District
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/a-new-place-to-hang-out-e2620979


A new place to hang out
2016-07-20  7989 瀏覽
Newly opened in June, RHODA is a thriving scene in Sai Yung Pun.
Headed by Yenn Wong of JIA and Nate Green from 22 Ships and Ham & Sherry.
The menu is big and vast serving the best of local ingredients available so the menu changes daily.

Equipped with a charcoal grill, they specialize in lots of grilled meats and seafood.

Here was what we had that night:

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Beer bread (Suntory dark ale), seaweed butter:
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The bread was a great start, it was yeasty light and airy.
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Wild Hereford beef jerky:
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The jerky was dry and chewy with a sweet taste to it.
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Chicken wings glazed with Xeres vinegar:
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Cooked over the charcoal, there was an aromatic charred crisp surface on the chicken with a lovely sticky sweetness.
+++++++
Cured New Zealand salmon, heritage beetroots, rhubarb:
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This was refresing with the crisp beets and rhubarb.
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Terrine of Middle White pig’s head & shoulder:
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The terrine was soft and silky like pulled pork.
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Hokkaido scallops, pink grapefruit, basil:
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+++++++
Brink’s farm free range chicken, spring onion:
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The roast chicken was flawless, it was juicy from all the way through from the white meat to dark meat.
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Snapper baked in kombu, oregano & lemon dressing:
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The fish was interesting because it was baked in Kombu which gives it a slight flavouring on the fish skin, while keeping the fish moist.
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+++++++
Maitake mushroom risotto, new season truffle:
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The risotto was quite strong because the cheese was quite prominent.
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Vanilla cheesecake, rhubarb, raspberry:
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I loved the rhubard and I am glad to see that a lot more restaurants are using rhubarb on the menu.
+++++++
Chocolate, mint, marshmallow:
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For dessert, finished with this delicious combination of chocolate, mint and marshmallows.
The marshmallow was lovely and gooey.
+++++++

[Review 5389] Selfie drinks @ Selfie Cafe

20/07/2016
Selfie Cafe
銅鑼灣勿地臣街1號時代廣場8樓Kiosk
Kiosk, 8/F, Times Square,1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/selfie-drinks-e2620025

Selfie drinks
2016-07-20  324 瀏覽
Selfie Cafe located on the 8th floor of Times Square has the latest coffee printing concept that is trending in the coffee art industry.
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The coffee printing concept works on teas as well so you are not limited to choosing coffee.
The teas are Taiwanese style with a thick foam cap which enables pictures to be printed on them attracting queues!~

As well as drinks, they print macarons and cakes.
It was a hot day so I chose a cold oolong tea.


It costs $59 as I was a non member and it was quite a tall cup.
Here was mine.

I poked the straw at the bottom of the picture so as I drank, the liquid would be drawn near the bottom leaving the face picture perfect with a v shaped jawline!
Anyway, as well as the gimmick, the tea tasted good so I was satisfied as a customer.

Macarons cost $398 for nine but now they only cost $298 according to their website so I got mine online.
You can also get two for $98.

I haven't eaten mine but I ate the buttercream filling in the middle which was quite buttery and not too sweet with some saltiness.

[Review 5388] Polynesian cocktail experience @ Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge

19/07/2016
Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge
中環威靈頓街52號Somptueux Central 3樓
3/F, Somptueux Central, 52 Wellington Street, Central
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/polynesian-cocktail-experience-e2619685

Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge is named after a Polynesian greeting meaning “kiss kiss”, Honi Honi.
They serve fresh cocktails in beautiful Tiki mugs concocted by seasoned drink connoisseur and partner Max Traverse.
I remember seeing photos of these beautiful Tiki mugs a few years ago but little did I know that they served mocktails as well.
Finally went because my friend told me that there was this wonderful mocktail drink that I should try.

When I got there I was greeted with this vibrant and exotic lounge.

There is a lovely area outside too.


My choice of drink was easy and I chose the Passion water, while there were endless choices for the cocktails, but we found ourselves scaling down the choices by the Tiki mug.
We found the Tiki monkey mug attractive so between the dead skull and the curse of the monkey, we ordered the curse because it was coconut based.
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THE CURSE OF THE MONKEY:
Pampero Blanco Rum, pineapple juice, Jax Coco coconut water, strawberry purée, jasmine syrup and strawberry liqueur

I took a sip and it was so delicious that I took another big sip!
The coconut taste is natrual and I loved the toned down alcoholic taste which made it really palatable for non alcs like me.
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PASSION WATER
Passion fruit purée, watermelon juice, a dash of lemon juice and apple juice

This was just as good because the fruit was strong and strangely the watermelon ended tasting like melon.
+++++++++++++
Although it was pricey, I don't mind paying for it because it is a drink that you will finish and not leave a drop.

[Review 5387] Relaxing lunch @ Otto Restaurant

18/07/2016
Otto Restaurant
銅鑼灣駱克道487-489號駱克駅16-17樓
16-17F, L'hart 487-489 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/relaxing-lunch-e2619608


Relaxing lunch
2016-07-18  309 瀏覽
Went here for lunch and the menu was straight forward, you can choose the business set or the lunch sets.

The lunch sets were good enough so I went for the pasta as I wanted something light instead of meat.


Started with the minestrone which tasted strong and the tomato in it was tart enough so I liked it.

The bread was topped with cheese and it was served warm which is how it should be.

Next was the linguine with clams cooked with fresh garlic and chili.

The chili gave it a nice fiery kick and it was strange because I was so sure I could taste coconut so I asked them if there was coconut and there was.
It was an interesting pasta because the hint of coconut gave it this oriental Thai touch.

Finished off with the creme brulee which was silky and smooth with a fragrant egg taste.

For drinks, I had my favourite Earl Grey tea.