Gastronomic Delights in Hong Kong

I spent last weekend in hong kong with my sister and mother.  They invited me for some quick bonding time and I took this chance to do some shopping and to dine at good restaurants.  But this time around, I want to sample dishes that won't just satisfy me, I want dishes that would delight me.

Let me share to you my list.

1. Hutong

              Cuisine:   Beijing 

              Location:  28th Floor, 1 Peking Road

              Prices:    approximately HK$500 - 800 per person

              Attire:  Cocktail dresses 

           Let me start by saying , if you want to impress your date, bring her to Hutong.  Upon entering this place, you will be greeted by dark interiors that are only lit by red lanterns.  Wooden furnitures speak of old China and even the bathroom was not spared to transport us all back to ancient China (Imagine having no doorknobs to lock the bathroom door and no modern faucet to wash your hands).  The architecture of the place is very dramatic.  It's basically a dark place and the only lights are coming from the city's night lights visible in the large glass windows all around the place, punctuated with romantic red lights from the paper lanterns hanging above the tables.  The 

food is no less impressive.  They have infused modern twists to the otherwise tried and tested chinese menu.  Roasted duck became crispy duck, reminiscent of our famous lechon kawali.  Spicy prawns were prawns sauteed in flavorful variety of chili not found in manila.  They are not just adventurous with traditional cuisine, they excel on their brave efforts.   This is one restaurant where it would be appropriate to steal a sweet kiss from your date without feeling shy about it.  The place just demands it.  So, if you want to seal the deal, prepare to spend a few more bucks than usual and I can almost guarantee a happy ending.

        Oh please, reserve well in advance.  

  2.    NOBU 

            Cuisine :  Japanese

            Address:   Hotel intercontinental in Salisbury Road

            Prices :  approximately HK$1000  per person

            Attire:  Smart Casual

      I know the price is gastronomical.  But I can also assure you that their food will also bring you to new heights.  For Japanese cuisine lovers, this is a "must" place.   It is rare for me to find chef who prepares meals that would make me guess to no end what ingredients they used that resulted to such unique and yet exquisite taste.  Let me give you an example.  I started with Spinach Salad.  I expected Spinach and some dressing.   What came out was a normal enough looking Spinach salad.  But when I took a bite of it, I detected hints of blue cheese (and yet, not exactly blue cheese) and some bits of bacon (this came to me after 72 hours of wondering) that you can hardly guess

 because the bacon was broken into very small pieces, similar to the size of rock salts, and was thrown in very sparingly.  The rock prawn salad is another must.  Most chef just rely on the natural sweetness of prawns.  This dish, however, threw in some hints of lemon and some other ingredient that resulted in rock prawn salad that tempts the mouth for more.   I embarrassingly got most of it.  Good thing I'm just with my family who understands my bouts of gluttony.   Gindara is wonderfully done.  Lobster tempura was nothing fancy. But their steak made me close my eyes in sweet surrender.   Oh man, the steak literally melted in my mouth like freshly churned butter.  It transforms any man into a beast whose instincts comes into fore in the face of such goodness.    

My choice of beverage is this cocktail drink that mixes champagne with sake. I always like this combination.   Too bad, the name escapes me, but it sounded like Saketini. 

3.  The Press Room

         Cuisine:  French Brasserie 

         Address:  108 Hollywood Road

         Prices:  approximately HK$400

         Attire:   Casual

        This french brasserie was recommended to me by the Hong Kong bankers.  This edgy and modern restaurant is the answer to many expats in the area.   They serve simple continental fare in a no nonsense comfortable atmosphere.  Their edge is that they use the freshest ingredients and offer a wide selection of good wines.   I had scallop salad, and was it a yummy treat for me in that busy mid noon.  My brother in law had their lobster sandwich before and swears by its goodness.  This place is great for lunch with friends or casual dates (unlike here in Manila, where casual dates would mean meeting in starbucks.  Casual dates can still be impressive without the intimidating setting.  But it does not necessarily mean being cheap.)  

4.   Cafe Cova

         Cuisine:  Afternoon Tea

         Address:  High end malls

         Price:  HK$150  per person

         Attire:  Casual

        I am not fond of cakes.  But I make the exception when I find the time to have an afternoon tea at Cova.  After shopping nonstop at the mall, this classy italian place brings refuge to our tired feet.  Cake is truly truly wonderful here.  My favorite is the Mango Cake , but the Tiramiso cake is not a far second.  I never finish a slice of cake in Manila , but I can eat both cakes in one sitting. 

5.  Butao Ramen - Universal Noodles

       Cuisine:  Ramen 

       Address:   Lan Kwai Fong, Central

       Price:  HK$80 per Ramen

      Attire:  Very very casual

 

      This small and obscure ramen house only has four items in their menu and they are all ramen:  classic, spicy, squid-ink, and the other I do not understand.  The place is not conducive for eating and pleasant conversation.  It is hot and in need for some ventilation.  Nevertheless, this unassuming ramen house ALWAYS has long lines outside its place.  So, I chose to stand in line as well.  The waiter gave everyone a piece of paper.  Each diner needs to decide the following: which of the 4 ramen to order, the hardness of the noodle, the type of noodle, the richness of the broth, the spiciness of the broth, the condiments inside the noodles, chinese cabbage or spring onions?, with or without pork, which part of the pork.  Each question strives to bring you the most perfect ramen suited to your taste.   And boy, did they deliver.  Now I fully understand why locals choose to line up early to dine at this ramen house.   The noodles itself are yummy.  The broth is so flavorful and rich.  And do not ever miss ordering the extra egg (even if you are watching your calorie intake)  ORDER THE EGG.  They marinate the egg in Sake, Miren and some soy sauce, steamed in an already cooked rice (to make sure the steaming of the egg will be very very slow)  This results in a very soft, super yummy, major major yummy egg.

      This is the best ramen in Hong Kong, and that kind of claim is not to be taken lightly.  

 

             

** I wanted so much to dine at Tim's Kitchen.  I heard high praises about this michelin star restaurant.  Unfortunately, I was outvoted.  My companions preferred to shop than to eat.  Oh well....  this is for my next visit to Hong Kong. 

Finding Refuge in Salon de Ning

One shitty day, I decided to have an afternoon tea at the Pen.  I was hoping the orchestra would play a medley of broadway musicals, but as expected, I was not that lucky.   I was not particularly hungry, but if for other girls, they derive satisfaction in retail therapy, mine is dining in swanky places and listening to good music.  After munching on mango scones and plain scones with generous serving of clotted cream (that would totally freak out my cardiologist), I was not appeased.  The day is still early.  It's a little past 5 in the afternoon.  I don't want to go home and be in the vicinity of any psychotic homo sapiens.

I have always wanted to try Salon de Ning.  Even when it was still being constructed, it looked interesting to me.  I was just initially hesitant because the interiors were quite manly and the cigar store located adjacent to it ,only reaffirms my suspicion.  But having a shitty day means being braver than usual.  So, I went inside and was greeted with interesting artifacts.  The interiors were designed with dark wooden panels and dark green wallpapers.   Floor was an interesting mix of black and white.  Chandeliers have black crystals in it.  Humongous candle sticks are everywhere.  Leather seats adorned the place.  But my personal favorite are the private alcoves located along the sides of the lounge.  I chose one of the corner alcoves and stayed there with my friend.  Music was interestingly diverse from dark gloomy tones to romantic overtures, to cuban marches to the more popular jazz and pop.  But somehow, the diversity is charming; the experimental combination of tones is welcoming to the lounge guests.

For this difficult day, I chose Patron Anejo.  With 40% alcohol content, served in small quantities, this premium tequila drink offers its drinkers a unique blend of aged tequilas.   In my younger days (and poorer days too) , I frequent Padi's Point and Tia Maria's, and I used to order shots of  Jose Cuerva Gold.  But now that Im 20 years older, my taste in drink has gone several notches higher.  And Patron Anejo is truly the drink to have for tequila shooters like me.

My friend ordered White Turkey, a bourbon drink that has 50.5% alcohol content.   Both of us instantly smiled in that very contented way, upon taking our first sip of our chosen beverages.   And we laughed because we both realized that what the afternoon tea didn't provide us , was readily indulged by our alcoholic drinks.  Misery loves more miserable companions.   And this seemed true for both of us on that day.  It was our luck that the bar has happy hour at 5:30- 7:30.  Yipee!

We saw some friends drinking nearby, had quick chats and went on to enjoy our night.  My friend couldn't resist: he had some cigars.  I played my carcassonne on my Iphone (nerdy right? but what can I do? I don't smoke).   Instead of talking about our day, we almost spent the whole time talking about how interesting Salon de Ning is.  It doesn't strive to be intimidating so it is free from being pretentious as most bars in manila are.  It is down-to-earth, real and very comfortable.  The volume of the music is just right.  No trying hard teeners around, only mature, highly individualistic members of our society, and that is what I prefer.  The night would have been perfect with a sleepover at one of the rooms above.  I still remember how comfortable the beds in Manila Pen are.  But no, this is not one of those nights.   After two Patron Anejo and double Bailey's Cream, I declined to have any more.   I am of this age, when you know when to stop drinking and just enjoy what you had.  I have enough alcohol in my blood stream to be smiling throughout my ride home but not too much that I will get a headache the morning after.

Happy birthday to us! And many many thanks for dropping everything to accompany me on this day when there seemed to be no end to my misery.  I missed being with my friends in Singapore but who would have thought I found a kindred soul in you as well.  And at this late stage of my life , finding a real friend is truly a treasure worth keeping.