[Review 6814] New hotel buffet on the block @ The Farmhouse 咖啡廳

30/08/2018
The Farmhouse 咖啡廳
北角北角邨里1號香港維港凱悅尚萃酒店西座2樓
2/F, West Tower, Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong, 1 North Point Estate Lane, North Point
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/new-hotel-buffet-on-the-block-e3144964

The Farmhouse is the latest new hotel buffet on the East side of Hong Kong located inside the new hotel near North Point MTR station.
The Farmhouse is quite spacious with two sides to the buffet.
Near the entrance, you will find the desserts, seafood, sashimi and drinks counter and the best thing is that they offer fresh juices where you get to choose fruit/veg from the counter.

There is a rotating freezer with lots of icecreams to choose from.

On the other side, you will find the cooked section with curries, foie gras, Hong Kong style snacks such as fish balls and dimsum etc, so the buffet is pretty comprehensive.

Not many buffets have yoghurts, but the do here.

To summarize, it is a nice place to get together with a good mix of options from HK local street snacks to international fare.


Hong Kong streets snacks:

Seafood:

Dimsum:

My favourite had to be the freshly made pancakes filled with quality tart cherries.

I was really glad they had babybel cheese too!

[Review 6813] Tristar twinkling bright in Shatin @ 三星台菜食堂 Tristar Kitchen

31/08/2018
三星台菜食堂  Tristar Kitchen
沙田沙田正街18號新城市廣場1樓128號舖
Shop 128, 1/F, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/tristar-twinkling-bright-in-shatin-e3144504

Tristar twinkling bright in Shatin
2018-08-31  216 瀏覽
Fell in love with Tristar when they first opened in CWB so I decided to try this one instead of the new branch at Wanchai because the menu offers more here!!
Since I travelled all the way to Shatin, I decided to try the Taiwanese steamed buns and Shaved ice as well as the noodles!
On the menu, they offer you a choice of three different noodles including thick and thin because some people can be quite particular about them.
Just like the celebrity kiki noodles, they have thin and thick.
For noodles, ordered two alcoholic ones: hua diao wine and the Kavalan Single Malt Noodle.
The Kavalan Single Malt Noodles were a shock as I didn't realize there would be flames!!
First they torch the beef slices so that they are cooked then they add some malt and flambee the noodles.
Compared to the standard beef noodles, the whisky gives it a sophisticated aroma and malty taste to the broth and the malt that they sprinkle on top enhances the taste even more.
As for the hua diao wine beef noodles, the broth was on the sweet side and I chose the thin noodles so that it would absorb the broth.
For snacks, had the Taiwanese steamed buns which was filled with soft  gelatinous beef and preserved vegetables.
The buns were soft and pillowy with satisfying beef in the middle drizzled with sweet gravy.
For dessert, finished with the shaved ice.
I didn't realize it would be that big and you also get extra condensed milk and brown sugar syrup on the side which I didn't use as it was sweet enough.
There are eight toppings to choose from but this was confusing as not all are shown at the counter and the menu doesn't clearly specify which 8 to choose from.


The shaved ice was surprisingly good because the brown sugar syrup that was already on there tasted nice and when it got slushier, the taste was refreshing.
I appreciate the quality brown sugar syrup they used as it wasn't cloyingly sweet and addictive.
Overall, it was worth my time checking it out.

Improvements: English descriptions would be helpful on the Menu!
DISCLAIMER: I haven't been to Taiwan before so I am only commenting on the taste.

[Review 6812] Kamameshi Rice @ 岩鹽日本料理 Rock Salt Japanese Restaurant

30/08/2018
岩鹽日本料理 Rock Salt Japanese Restaurant
銅鑼灣波斯富街99號利舞臺廣場16樓A舖
ShopA, 16/F, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Percival Street, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/kamameshi-rice-e3144314

Rock Salt is famous for serving the Kamameshi rice and there are 10 choices to choose from.
Kamameshi means "kettle rice" where Japanese rice is cooked in an iron pot called a kama.
The rice at the bottom of the pot gets slightly burnt and this is the best bit as the burnt rice tastes really good infused with other flavours.

Originally, the Kamameshi rice was eaten in a big community from a huge pot but this has been scaled down to individual portions.

I ordered the Hiroshima Oyster Rice in Kamameshi because oysters have a strong taste which should infuse in the rice nicely when cooked.
[Hiroshima Oyster Rice in Kamameshi]

When it came, the lid is still on.
You have to wait for the sand timer to finish.
After it has finished, the Kamameshi is ready to eat.
As well as oyster, there were other goodies packed in the rice which made it delicious such as mushrooms, chestnuts, little fishes, shredded omelette, edamame beans and spinach.

Also had the Mashed potato with Purple potato salad and Grilled Duck and scallion skewers.

The mash was filling and I love Japanese mash because of the mayonnaise they use.
On top there was mashed purple potato, tobiko and sweet red beans which made it colourful.

The duck skewers were meaty.

Finished with Pineapple Lime Soda which was to my liking as it was very refreshing especially with crushed ice.
Will return as I saw some captivating donburis!

[Review 6811] Could be tastier @ 禮賓閣餐廳 W.Welcome Restaurant

30/08/2018
禮賓閣餐廳 W.Welcome Restaurant
銅鑼灣銅鑼灣道3-17號國泰大廈地下1-2號舖
Shop 1-2, G/F, Cathay Mansion, 3-17 Tung Lo Wan Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/could-be-tastier-e3144227

Could be tastier
2018-08-30  131 瀏覽
As I was in the area, stopped by for dinner.
Had the 557 Singaporean Style noodles where you get a choice of vermicelli or flat rice noodles.
I wasn't sure what to expect because the English on the menu says Singaporean style while the Chinese says Malaysian charkwaydeo!!!
When it arrived, it was Singaporean!!!
The noodles were packed with lots of beanshoots, ham and egg but it was frankly very bland.
Chili sauce helped to make it better.

[Review 6810] Hokkaido melon series @ 聖安娜餅屋 Saint Honore Cake Shop

30/08/2018
聖安娜餅屋  Saint Honore Cake Shop
將軍澳貿業路8號新都城中心2期1樓1144號舖
Shop 1144, 1/F, MCP Central, 8 Mau Yip Road, Tseung Kwan O
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/hokkaido-melon-series-e3144212

Hokkaido melon series
2018-08-30  37 瀏覽
I was captivated by the Hokkaido Melon cakes series.
One of the larger cakes actually looks like half a rock melon!!
I was deciding to get the dessert cup or the melon roll but ended up getting the cup because of the jelly at the bottom.
The taste was ok but the melon cake layer was a bit artificial so was the jelly.
Overall, not a bad dessert.

[Review 6809] Snappy staff @ 丸作食茶 Onezo

29/08/2018
丸作食茶 Onezo
銅鑼灣禮頓道138號希雲大廈地舖
G/F, Haven Court, 138 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/snappy-staff-e3144148

Snappy staff
2018-08-29  376 瀏覽
I was in the area so stopped by for a drink.
Taiwanese tea is getting boring these days because it all revolves around fruit tea, milk with brown sugar and bubble tea.
I fell for this one because it confused me, I suppose the confusion makes it successful as you are trying to guess whether it is trying to be Japanese or Taiwanese with the pearls.
From a distance, it looks Japanese, but when you go in, you will see the pearls being made there and it had the words Taiwanese pearls to distinguish that.
I am not fond of pearls but the ones here were different.
They had sesame pearls, cactus pearls, caramel pearls etc.
I got the latte with three different pearls which is actually tea according to the Chinese description.
Unfortunately, I didn't know it was tea until I tried it.
Overall, I didn't find the tea or the pearls exciting as the taste was just the usual Hong Kong style milk tea taste.
 0 讚好

The staff were super unfriendly so I definitely won't be back.
When I gave her the receipt to collect the drink, she just snatched the paper off me.

[Review 6808] Possibly the last bowl of noodles @ 永華麵家 Wing Wah Noodle Shop

29/08/2018
永華麵家 Wing Wah Noodle Shop
灣仔軒尼詩道89號地下
G/F, 89 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/possibly-the-last-bowl-of-noodles-e3144058

Possibly the last bowl of noodles
2018-08-29  1282 瀏覽
As they are closing down, decided to pay them a last visit.
Unfortunately, I forgot to order the thick noodles as you don't often see thick noodles served that are made using the bamboo way.
The noodles were very slippery to pick with chopsticks and very hard to chew.
I liked the tiny wontons which won't fill you and somehow it didn't give me the wow factor again as all I could taste was strong sesame oil.
On another visit, I had the pomelo skin and bamboo pith soup which was brilliant but way overpriced.