An-tico Enoteca & Pizzeria (Hong Kong)

Stepping inside An-tico reminded me of NYC, the lofty atmosphere, the subway tiles, the high ceiling and the 1920’s style custom light fixtures made me feel right at home. It is rare for a Hong Kong restaurant to have such a huge space but all of WindyCity's restaurants especially the notable Dan Ryan's and Amaroni’s outlets in Hong Kong have huge space. An interesting observation is how all of Windy City's Hong Kong establishments are situated inside malls / venues that have a cinema. I wonder what was the logic or business decision behind that. Anyhow, thanks Barbra and her company for treating me to this meal and I do wish her to have a great trip to Guam in October!

Posto Pubblico (Hong Kong)

Christmas is approaching and in such a festive season, all sorts of gatherings often filled the December calendar with endless meals. For some reasons, out of the so many festive holidays during the year, Christmas seems to be the only one that truly fill the air with love. Be it romantic love, friendship love, security love or unconditional love,  it is the feeling of being loved that makes this holiday one most of us look forward to every year. At Posto Pubblico on a particular evening this December, their private dinner venue Posto Privato was filled with all sorts of love, including my love for good food! I have to admit, Mr. G from Posto Pubblico knows how to throw a good party!

Linguini Fini (Hong Kong)

Mochachocolata tried it, HK Epicurus experienced it, Dorothy is about to review it after her many visits. Many reviewed it on Openrice.com and I expect plenty more to come as well for this newly opened New York-Italian lofty restaurant named Linguini Fini. Reviews so far are mixed but it is only normal because we all have preferences when it comes to taste and we are all entitled to our own opinions as well. The key is once again in sharing in a way that truly expresses one's experience for others to enjoy or simply to provide information for readers. My approach has always been to share my experiences / adventures as factually informative as possible so readers can be their own judge. My first visit to Linguini Fini was a pleasant one thanks to the warm hospitality of the restaurant in letting me try out a great number of dishes beyond which my already expandable stomach can handle. There were hits and misses on my first visit (and Dorothy's 10th visits), but there are a few things this "lofty joint" truly stand out among similar establishment in my opinion.

Queen Margherita Pizza (Toronto)

Stepping into Queen Margherita Pizza (QMP) made me feel like stepping back in time for a moment with its name, its wooden door and the aged building exterior. However once I was greeted by a young, tall and stunning receptionist with such a welcoming smile, I know I am in for something ... different? The lower floor was quite cozy (aka small!) but a few steps up the tight and crackling staircase which can fit only one person and one way traffic, one will find a very large modern dining room filled with natural sunlight! Hello natural sunlight!!!

Assaggio Trattoria Italiana (Hong Kong)

We all have our stories to tell, be they romantic, humorous or just plain horrific. The point is, similar to food, stories are meant to be told and shared. Located inside the Hong Kong Arts Centre, this Italian Trattoria with views overlooking the harbour is a story of mixed emotions. By day, the dining room is flooded with natural sunlight and by night, the dimly lit atmosphere gives off such a seductive vibe that it’s hard not to imagine yourself as Giacomo Casanova having supper by the window.

Domani Ristorante (Hong Kong)

Back in Toronto, there are two annual food events, one is the Summerlicous and one is the Winterlicious. For 2 entire weeks during a specific period, food lovers in the city can have the opportunity to satisfy their cravings for special tasting menus at some of the favorite restaurants in town at a much lower price than usual. The New York restaurant week offers similar "food festival" as well. Now Hong Kong is having its first week-long Springalicious food festival starting 27 April - 3 May. You can check out the Restaurant List and Menu <here>, do check often because the list is growing. When I was in Toronto quite a number of years ago, I attended a few featured Summerlicous / Winterlicious high-end restaurants which offer three-course prix fixe menus valued almost 50% discount compared with the usual menus. When the event first started, it was an immediate success but as the festivals carried onto their 2nd / 3rd year, things started to change in my opinion. A common issue experienced by many diners (including myself) was how the food quality and proportion seemed to be watered down along with the special price. When I first heard of this Springalicious event in Hong Kong, I admit I had the same concern and I clearly expressed that to the organizer during a tasting session which I was invited to. I have to say my concern is less relevant at this point because I realized I cannot quite compare this with what is being offered in Toronto for a number of reasons: (1) Springalicious covers more than just Western cuisines but a wider selection such as Japanese, Thai and Chinese; (2) the price discount is not extremely huge in comparison (~ 25% - 30% off) which sort of translates to more standard proportions and more of a reason to maintain food consistency for the participating restaurants; and (3) more than just for marketing purposes, this festival can let some chefs experiment with their creativity with special menus dedicated for it. Of course the above is yet to be seen or proven, but I think it has potential to be something interesting for many years to come in the Hong Kong food scene.

Fat Siu Lau 2 佛笑樓餐廳 (Macau)

There are currently three outlets of Fat Siu Lau 佛笑樓餐廳 in Macau which serve so-called traditional Portuguese cuisines, but I would not call that authentic or by any means traditional per se because they are somewhat localized for many years already. My previous visits to the original outlet a year ago was boring and this visit to the newer outlet was utterly ... disappointing! I rarely use such strong words but it was not a good experience in my opinion. It is true that the restaurant has plenty of history to it but without good food or great services to offset each other, there isn't much history left to it. I have a feeling that the establishment / franchise has been expanding too rapidly over the last few years targeting tourists from all over Southeast Asia that the management has lost focus on its food.

Brat (Hong Kong)

I can be such a brat sometimes, perhaps it was the child within that makes me do foolish things at the wrong time, at the wrong place. It is often the learning process that matters right? My mom once said that I often play with my food when I was young and actually I still do but for a reason perhaps. At the newly opened hot dog shop Brat, I can't help but rearrange my food for the sake of the pictures. For those who know me well, I love hot dogs but in Hong Kong, it is quite difficult to find a good one indeed. I was quite excited to find familiar sausage names on the menu, namely, Italian and Gruyere sausages! So many I wanted to try!

Classified - Tai Hang (Hong Kong)

Like butter, there is never too much cheese! After my previous visit to Classified - Wan Chai, I have been thinking about the Oven-baked Mont d'Or a bit too often, perhaps once every other day? Once upon a sunny day, perhaps soon after Christmas I think, a few of us picked Classified - Tai Hang outlet to spend a relaxing early afternoon over some cheese and hearty food. Many would consider Christmas as a time to share love and catch up with each other's happenings, but I say this can be done anytime, anywhere as long as we are in the mood to do so. That was exactly what we did on this day because we felt like it, just because ... no reasons needed! A very close friend once told me his definition of friendship which often can be applied to relationship as well is when two (or more people) can sit there on the same table and able to withstand (or even enjoy) long moments of silence then the friendship / relationship has reached (or beyond) a point of love and caring in its rightful categories; familial, platonic (friendship), romantic and religious love. Do you agree? In any case, my love towards cheese would be ... sincere love perhaps? George Bernard Shaw once said, “there is no sincerer love than the love of food.”

Va Bene (Hong Kong)

I have to be honest here and as mentioned I am yet to appreciate the love for truffles, any sort of truffles for that matter, white or black, winter or summer truffles. It is quite true that perhaps I don't have enough opportunities to enjoy them due to the apparently low supply of them hence the relatively exclusivity to consume. I was very honored to be invited by Va Bene for a media tasting for their soon to launch Winter Black Truffles menu. It was my very first of such event, I mean Media Luncheon. I guess the FEAST event / blogger gathering was of similar nature right? In any case, I took on this invitation mainly because the word truffles came up and this would be a good chance for me try more (and meet more people as the same time). I considered this tasting as a  Black Winter Truffle Appreciation session more or less a personal fulfillment of some sort. Some may question on the true representation of my meal due to the nature of my visit and it is a valid argument which I cannot dispute. Feel free to adjust your expectation accordingly but all I can say is that I enjoyed my visit for what it was and had the chance to broaden my culinary sense regarding truffles.

Gold by Harlan Goldstein (Hong Kong)

By posting my Gold by Harlan Goldstein entry at this time,  I am expected to be yelled at by H and S because we have been planning to come since early Dec 2010. What do I have to say about my rudeness? any excuses? Well, (1) it was brunch that I tried so our upcoming "Golden" dinner at the end of Jan 2011 is still on! (2) as a gentleman that I am (*wink wink*), I have to do a quality assurance to ensure the upcoming experience would be a wonderful one! It was the least I can do to test it out first. (3) I wasn't detoxing HAHA.  Hope H & S can forgive me for what I intended to do. Harlan Goldstein should be a fairly familiar name for many local foodies and his name has been associated with many restaurants in Hong Kong whether he likes it or not unfortunately. Therefore, I should take this opportunity to clarify that Gold by Harlan Goldstein is the only one in Hong Kong that is under his helm, all others bearing his name are simply ... not. I read somewhere that he even said that "The only place you'll find the real Harlan now is at my new venture, Gold by Harlan Goldstein." Quite a bold statement by that just shows his confidence I assume? The following phrase I saw in one of the hanging pictures at Gold further reinforced my assumption: "Why go for Silver when you can go for Gold."

Harlan's @ The One

Last year I had a very memorable experience at The Parlour @ Hullett House TST and won my top spot in my Afternoon Tea No More 2009 award. This year before the end of it, I found the establishment that qualified for the Afternoon Tea No More 2010 --- Harlan's @ The One TST.  First of all, I was attracted to here because of the Jo Malone Afternoon Tea set as promoted. I heard about it from many friends as well asking me to give it a try. It sounded interesting enough right? If I am from Jo Malone, I would expect my business partner to help promote this special offering as well, however, guess what, I have to request for the special menu and what was funny was that .... well, let me pull it as follows: 

Jason: "Hi, I would like to check out the Jo Malone Afternoon Tea set menu." 

Staff: "Jo Malone?" 

Jason: "Yeah, the perfumes, fragrances, candles ... "

Staff: " [pauses] Oh, I think I know what you are referring too, wait a moment please ... " 

Great job! I would be fairly pissed if I am from Jo Malone. 

(P.S. - based on my knowledge, Harlan @ The One is no longer run by Harlan Goldstein himself even though the name remains. Harlan Goldstein can now be found at the recently opened Gold by Harlan Goldstein @ LKF, Central, Hong Kong)

Apsleys Restaurant (London)

Apsleys Restaurant at the Lanesborough Hotel is quite intimating to be honest. Located right across from Hyde Park corner, this hotel seems to be very exclusive from the outside, at least to me. Bentley and Lamborghini are the type of cars you would see outside the hotel on a daily basis. I was here for Afternoon Tea only so I wasn't sure how the Michelin 1-star status of this place really matters to my experience. I went to another Michelin starred resto in London and the experience made me wonder on the intention and the ultimate objective of being starred. Is the star(s) for the restaurant? the chef? or both? ... What does it mean to get one? Does it mean diners would enjoy the meal more for sure? I will discuss more on that on another post.

Jamie's Italian (London)

It maybe a chained establishment but it is one that I wanted to try for a long time. I am not a big fan of Jamie but I certainly agree that he has a special charm that made him who he is now. I am yet to verify the truth to the following but someone told me that Jamie’s Italian is a truly equal opportunity employer of which it encourages the management to hire handicapped individuals as well as those who wish to turn a new leaf after recent release from correctional institutions. If that is the case I truly admire his responsibilities to the community while aiming to deliver a great dining experiences at reasonable cost. On this very evening, we went to the Canary Wharf outlet for an early dinner.

Carluccio's (London)

With so many other choices, why did I pick Carluccio's? Well, very simple. We were hungry and it was close to where we stayed, that was the reason. If you pay attention when you walk around the city, you will find that Carluccio's is a rather large chain restaurant!!! My past experiences with chained restaurants in Hong Kong or other countries were not something worth noting but this one in London, I may return not necessarily for its so-called food quality but for its convenience. Don't get my wrong, both my visits (brunch and lunch on two separately occasions) were ... alright, unexciting and boring to be exact, but with its convenience, setting, atmosphere (which is more fitted for a casual yet rush meal), occasional visits may happen.

ABC Kitchen (Revisited)

My first visit to ABC Kitchen was a couple of months ago but on a different capacity. You can check out my first review here. This time around I finally got the chance to order the entire Roasted Suckling Pig since we have 6 people. Pictures will follow later. As mentioned before ABC Kitchen stands for A Better Cooking kitchen which offers a range of Continental cuisines including French, Italian and a bit or Portuguese.  Yeah, it is a mix of everything. Compared with m first visit, one thing I noticed was their menu which was updated quite a bit with a slightly increase in price. I guess that's normal for being popular. And they no long have set dinners, at least on the night we were there.

Duecento Otto 208

When I first steped into Duecento Otto 208, I truly thought I was at the scene of Sex and the City, at a restaurant somewhere in New York city. Why? Well, the decor was hip and trendy with beautifully decorated wall-tiles, but the key was the people, the crowds that were present at 7pm on a weeknights. For the brief stay I was there, the place was frequented by model like females and males as well. I mean many of the girls were either in 4" heels and ultra tight pencil skirts or 3" heels and really short skirts! As for guys, many were in tight jeans and pointy leather shoes with tight shirts that somehow lost the few top buttons. Were these good distractions elements for the rustic atmosphere? It is really up to your personal preferences and mood perhaps?

Basement Restaurant

I know it is not an acceptable excuse but I really cannot find the notes I jotted down for my visit to this restaurant. I have to be very careful with the notes from now on! Anyhow, a group of us gathered here for our friend J's birthday celebration and we enjoyed the meal very much because I remembered how we all left with smiles on our faces. Perhaps it was the wine or the ice cream cake that put the smiles on our faces but one thing for sure, we had a good time. Since I lost the notes, I am not going go into details of the dishes but treat this entry as a photo-journal. I think I will return later to make up for the review for sure.

Paisano's Pizzeria and Sub Shop

Pizza! Where can you find decent or NY-styled pizza in Hong Kong? A very good and tough question indeed! I am still in search of that plus it is rather hard to define what a good NY-styled pizza is, more towards personal preference but one thing for sure, those being served at Pizza Hut is NOT what we are talking about here. I recently came across this little pizzeria in Sai Kung famous for their 24" pizza!!!!

Carpaccio

Carpaccio is another venture from DiVino Group which operates Spasso Italian at Harbour City and the Divno Wine Bar in Central. Situated in the new iSquare shopping mall, the resto is quite easy to find if once you figured out which escalator of the the many to take from the street floor! If you feel lost finding your way in this shopping mall, don't panic, you are not alone.