Orka Restaurant & Specialty Cafe (中環)

While the food was okay and the service was friendly, I'd like to mention that the restaurant cancelled the discount promoted through openrice without informing us.  It even opted not to inform us in advance when they called us the day before to confirm the booking.  It was until we got seated that night and they passed us the NYE menu (which was comprised of the usual dishes but, of course, in a higher price) and told us, "tonight we have a special menu and so no discount on everything".
We had two sets, including one with beef wellington ($438 + $198) and the other plant-based option ($398).   With a glass of coke, the bill eventually came at around $1,200, which was actually a nice bargain considering that the food was of big portion and the service was warm. 
It was just the way the restro handled the discount issue that upset me, especially disappointing when I found out they remarked in the system that I had been "Absent" from my reservation.  Such a pity as this kind of operation simply would drive your guests away, regardless how good your food/service is.

Good luck.

Tivo (西環)

好耐冇寫食評了，今次本來都冇打算寫，所以食物冇影相，但發生左一件事，忍唔住上黎寫幾句。

我用tablemap卜左位，食左個brunch。呢間Tivo環境好好多人提過，地點其實都好搵，當然而家有地鐵就更方便。(sorry 本身冇打算寫食評所以食物冇相）

我地兩點食，weekend所以係brunch menu。menu 都好多選擇，價錢大約九十至一百二三十左右，但就冇餐，不過有水任飲。食左open toast sandwich with mushroom spinach avocado $108，好味，有d沙律菜on side. 用料好新鮮，而且有三大件，感覺豐富。試左朋友既scrambled egg with salmon and toasts.  蛋好滑同埋唔油，smoked salmon有五塊左右，味道正常份量好okay. 仲試左朋友既eggs benedict, 可揀salmon, ham or mushroom, 佢揀左mushroom. 兩大件，處理得幾好，唔油，而且用料真係新鮮。有朋友食左big breakfast, 冇試但個樣都好靚。

總括黎講食物唔係平，正常brunch價錢，但用料份量都令人滿意，而且蛋都處理得好，唔油。

真正驅使我寫呢篇食評既係Tivo既服務！我用tablemap卜位既，但今朝收到個email話餐廳發出，話我取消了預約！但我尋日食左啦。咁我d積分咪冇左！打去問，接聽的waitress 雖然唔係即刻幫到手，但好有耐性地了解成件事，仲好有交帶地話下晝覆我，最尾仲主動話我知佢叫ceci, 有咩可以搵番佢！講真，而家正常的服務員都唔多，咁有交帶的就真係好少見（可能我運氣差啦）。雖然而家件事未解決，但反而對呢間餐廳多左一份好感。其實當日已感覺唔錯，朋友遲到，我一個傻傻等，waitress行過會同你笑下，感覺好親切。西環新餐廳好多，好多都好型，但服務就… 只可以講對外籍人士較多笑容啦。

而家度度都人多，生活又緊張，放假都想同朋友舒舒服服食下野，輕輕鬆鬆咁傾下偈。搵到一間食物、環境同服務都好既餐廳，當然要推啦！

多謝呢位叫ceci的server!

Edible Arrangements (佐敦)

I was looking for something special (and yummy) as a belated birthday surprise for P, whose birthday was in early June. Originally was in search of a nice birthday cake, but P is on diet (afterall, who isn't) and good cakes are normally too large for two of us. Hmm ... really racked my brain, till I saw this at a friend's fb photo. An edible flower bouquet, sweet and unique, fresh and healthy. I am not particularly fond of Americans but okay, this time I'd admit that I like this US company's idea a lot.

Things are made really handy as you just have to go to their website and pick the style (and flavours) you prefer. Basically I just started from the size (I looked for something not too large), then the fruit combination (P doesn't quite like orange and banana), last, any special features (I didn't want those teddy bears nor balloons, but I found the cinnamon-flavoured chocolate dipping interesting, and P loves chocolate. And I was intrigued by the daisy shape pineapple). So this is it, the Harvest Delicious Daisy.I ordered it on a Friday afternoon and payment was made online by credit card. Just click click click, simple and easy. Before you check out and pay, they offer you options for adding additional apple wedges or numbers to your chosen product, at costs from $15 to $25 per piece/number. You may also add a teddy bear or a balloon as well. Quite a flexible arrangement.

Delivery would cost another $140 (varied by location) and so I chose to pick up at their Nathan Road shop. The shop is located between Yau Ma Tei and Jodan, quite easy to get spotted if you walk along Nathan Road.

I arrived at 1630 hrs, as remarked at my order. The shop was large and warmly decorated but I was not greeted by anyone. The shop was empty. I walked past the reception counter and there was a big "kitchen cum pantry". The door was not closed. It was clean and spacious inside, and I could see three staff members inside, quite idly.

Then a man came out and asked if I was there to pick up orders. I showed him the print-out receipt and then he went inside and back with my Daisy pot. It was nicely wrapped, and seemed firm and fresh (chilled). The man carefully put a cardboard base around the pot (so to make it stand more steadily) and put the whole thing into a plastic bag, then dropped a few packs of dry ice inside.

The whole process was smooth, and I must say I have nothing to complain about, other than no advice was given on how the pot should be kept to remain its freshness. The man just "silently" got his job done and passed me the nicely wrapped pot.

And so I left with the Daisy Pot, in less than five minutes, and funnily in silence.

We got 15 minutes to unwrap the plant before a movie  Here came the first peep ... Quite the same as the photo showed. Not bad.

Fruit was nicely and firmly arranged on the pot, and while unwrapping, the fresh sweet smell of the fruit and and a hint of the cinnamon made this surprise even more successful! P liked this a lot and the fact that I surprised her got me thrilled as well

The "pot" in the end was a mug instead of a "vase" as shown in the photo, but it was okay, as it said on the website that the shape and colour of the container may vary.

I got this at HK$498 but they seemed to have increased the price - it's HK$528 now.

勝博殿日式炸豬排 (銅鑼灣)

勝博殿 2013-02-24 ….. 一篇過晒期既食評。

渣打馬拉松話咁快就已經過左幾個月，諗番都好似唔係好耐之前既事﹗第1次在香港跑全馬，心情興奮。結果當日天氣清涼唔太曬，成就了我的PB (sub-4真的是超額完成﹗超開心)。不過，除左多謝天公做美，我亦應該鳴謝勝博殿。點解﹖就因為佢碗飯。

其實比賽前朋友已經問我比賽後想食咩。清晨6點40分出發，預計要跑4小時20分，即11點左右可以完成賽事。11點既銅鑼灣選擇其實唔係太多，而我又好唔想飲茶。之前為減重食少左飯，諗起一個地方食到好味既日本米 (又可揀麥飯)，仲可以任添飯既好地方，就係勝博殿喇。講真，跑到一半頭腦空洞元神出竅時，我都係同自己講，我要食飯﹗我要添飯﹗就係咁，呢碗飯不斷支持住我，成42.195公里，仲比預期時間快左超過廿五分鐘，係咪要多謝佢呢。

期待總是美好既，咁究竟，係唔係咁好食呢﹖

梳洗完慢慢行到餐廳，都未到12點。結果要等一陣。太早喇，人唔多，除左我地只有一個日本家庭。夠鍾喇，入得去喇﹗餐廳0係地庫，行0個幾級樓梯真係唔野少﹗內部裝修清雅，以淺木色為主。丼吉the one 店廂房會有布簾私穩度較高﹔勝博殿既雖然都係一隔隔既卡位但唔上到頂，所以感覺上較casual，但就好適合一家大細或三數知己。當日午飯時間，確實係一家大細既多，而且仲要超過七成都係年輕日籍夫婦帶住小孩，氣氛溫馨熱鬧，感覺唔錯﹗坐低即刻見到吉豬店既標準配件 — 食椰菜絲沙律既麻醬同柚子汁，另外有濃濃既豬扒汁，仲有七味粉 (應該冇乜人用﹖)。沙律醬個樽口設計特別，唔會倒到周圍都係。枱面非常乾淨整齊，唔知去到最後一輪食客又會唔會仲係咁乾淨呢﹖

因為等左一陣，開始識肚餓了。我地一人揀左個定食，都想試下唔同既野。落單之後好快已送上椰菜絲沙律同漬物 (有青瓜同醬瓜)。勤快既店員為我地介紹醬汁，仲提我地漬物同沙律都係可以添既。好野﹗開動﹗漬物夠凍，青瓜同醬瓜都好爽脆，而且唔會太鹹，對我黎講真係好好既餐前小食。椰菜絲沙律切得幼細，當然係新鮮而且唔會水冷冷。不過，菜就唔算好甜。但加上香口既麻醬同酸甜開胃既柚子汁，一樣非常滋味﹗主角出場喇﹗我地叫左一個黑豚豬柳定食，另一個係炸豬柳卷拼盤，每個餐都有麵豉湯同燕麥飯。另外有一小碗黑白芝麻。即刻趁熱飲湯先。湯既味噌幾香，唔會死鹹。合格。但0係大阪馬拉松之後食0個間吉豬，個湯搵細粒蜆仔做，味噌香、豬肉香中帶點鮮甜(仲可以任添架)，呢個湯味道就略為單一。

飲完湯，麼打手磨芝麻先﹗黑芝麻加白芝麻，一磨就聞到芝麻香，加埋濃濃既豬扒汁，好香呀。食一口黑豚豬柳，粗粒油炸麵包糠既脆漿脆但唔硬，看似粗線條但鬆化非常。脆漿貼服咁包住豬肉，保留到肉汁，而且有豬肉香味，好味。 記得之前一次去丼吉，豬柳炸得香脆但肉好乾，而且邊位係整條脂肪，相信係肉既選材唔太好，令人失望。雖然兩店既炸漿唔同，但勝博殿今次既出品就夠熱、夠脆，鬆化唔油、有肉汁又唔肥，有水準﹗一口豬柳，一口香黏又有咬勁既麥飯，大滿足﹗

再黎既係豬柳卷拼盤，六件豬柳卷分別係包住露筍、紫蘇烏梅、芝士。紫蘇烏梅係少食既口味﹕紫蘇香味唔太突出，烏梅味道稍稍帶酸，醒胃消膩，唔錯既組合。露筍則爽甜，其實味道唔太夾吉豬，可能店方可以試粟米或蘑菇﹖而最濃味既要算係芝士豬柳卷﹕芝士半溶，確係惹味。不過就好易會膩… 就好似平時我地會食火腿芝士飛碟，或者火腿炸包，但唔會有火腿芝士炸包，就係因為會好膩。豬柳卷既特色在於係吉豬中加多點新意，但因為夾左其他野，豬味反而被搶，所以都唔會用好上等既豬肉。我其實鍾意傳統既多0的，可以食到豬肉香嘛。曾經聽過人講跑馬拉松前做carbo-loading 食左八碗飯﹗我呢﹖最後我只係添多大半碗飯，已經好飽。跑馬拉松，something simple but difficult。無受傷咁完成一個全馬，做到自己滿意既成績，食左餐好味既午飯，開心滿足得不得了。快樂，原來可以唔使太複雜。

其實，店方可考慮同渣馬合作推比賽日特別套餐呀，唔使跑友次次食點心嘛﹗

三木韓國料理 (尖沙咀)

其實尖咀滿佈韓國餐廳，唔計韓國街那區，單是堪富利士道一帶已經有數間。以前很喜歡錦城，很喜歡它的道地風味 (見我將肉燒得亂七八糟，韓國老闆會肉緊地搶筷子，著急地用不純正的用廣東話說﹕「唔係咁架﹗」，繼而忍不住幫手燒肉﹗)

不過不吃牛之後硬是覺得吃正宗韓燒有點浪費，除大夥朋友聚會，只會到food court梨花園吃豆腐泡菜窩止癮 >.< 這晚癮起想去韓雅林吃部隊窩，不過朋友試過三木唔錯，話要帶我去試。

人不多不用等位。二人坐一個四人卡位，很舒適。店頗大，八成都是四人卡位。店內光猛乾淨，抽風明顯做得好。不是錦城、純子那樣的家庭式小店，但又不是新羅寶那種，算是中間路線吧。朋友早到已點菜，可以等食﹗八小碟前菜已經到左﹕我最鍾意西蘭花，朋友飛佛是魚仔。八小碟陣容頗鼎盛，但其實味道只是普普通通，尤其是泡菜不香不夠辣，有點失望。

叫了豬腩片同八爪魚燒烤用，加配生菜及麵醬。另外還叫了一個泡菜煎餅。朋友想飲酒，所以叫了一瓶真露。豬腩片同八爪魚先來，豬腩片切得工整，片片粉嫩，看上去非常對板﹗八爪魚則浸在醬汁中，只可以說分量都幾多。開動了﹗燒好的豬腩片，閃著油光 … 加上麵醬同生菜同吃，爽身不油膩，好味道﹗比較少於韓燒點八爪魚，其實醬料幾香幾惹味，肉質新鮮不靱，不錯呢﹗

泡菜煎餅很快亦已到 (不好意思忘記拍照)。煎得剛好，而且不太油膩。可惜泡菜味道不突出 (又是泡菜出問題﹗)，有點淡口。不過熱辣辣，我們一人四件好快KO了整個煎餅﹗

吃著燒肉，喝口真露﹔聊聊這、笑笑那，好幸福的感覺。三木，食物可以但不算突出，服務只是聊勝於無 (比較錦城那種家庭式的親切，絕對有被放逐荒島的感覺 … 但又反而樂得清靜)。不過，可能是燒肉+酒精的魔法吧，我倆過了愉快的一個晚上。

其實，選對了人，吃甚麼食物，也真的不重要。

沒有受到不禮貌的對待，但服務真的非常麻麻。吃到一半我們已差不多把前菜吃光，便請服務員「追加」。服務員只是冷冷的問要加哪一種，還頗重語氣的說本身是不可再添的 (突然優待我們﹖哈哈，謝謝)。我們要了波菜 …. 結果，那波菜到我們走都沒有出現。話說回來，韓式餐廳一般在飯後都會送上水果、熱薏米糖水又或是紅棗水，一來是為了清清口腔，二來也是親切服務的一部分。三本就沒有做這些「小動作」喇。其實可以考慮多走一步、多做一點吧，這些都不是甚麼貴價東西嘛。

結論是，此cool 不同彼cool，這個korean 真 冷 淡 ﹗