希戈餐廳 (尖沙咀)

I seem to have visited a lot of steakhouses in close succession recently and the amount of red meat I have consumed has been off the chart, but that doesn't mean when Hugo's comes up as a suggestion for dinner I would decline...

Inside the Hyatt Regency, Hugo's gives the feeling that you are dining in a room dating back to the medieval times with the timber crossbeams across the ceilings and the iron-wrought chandeliers. The open kitchen is right by the front of the entrance where diners can watch the chefs in action while being serenaded by the guitarist whose lilting strains were quite perfect for the restaurant's ambiance.

Once shown to our cushy booth, a bread basket was served. Garlic bread, baguettes and a crusty roll, I liked the baguettes ideal for smearing with my butter, but the garlic bread could have done with a little more salt.Spying Fin de Claire on the menu was something we had to order since they are one of our favourite types~ They were cool and sweet with a textural crunch which can only come from the freshest oyster.Looking like a fresh garden, our salad of king crab arrived with big chunks of the crustacean centered in the middle while scooped domes of avocado and tomato were arranged as a ring around it. All the ingredients were fresh, but they were some obvious brown spots on the avocado which was not the most attractive.Steak tartare was served at the table, mixed and seasoned to your taste pending your level of spice tolerance. The raw beef was tender with no hint of gristle and while I enjoyed my first few mouthfuls, the saltiness of the sauce became a little overwhelming. Steak tartare is normally paired with thin crisp pieces of toast or chips, but our toasts were not brought to us until we asked and even then they were too thick to be considered a good pairing with the tartare.Again prepared by the table was our lobster bisque, watch for the huge flame as the chef ignites the cognac in the pot and if you want to take a photo better get your camera ready unlike me who was too busy gawking at it and by the time Mr. C reminded me it had gone out =.= The bisque was stomach warmingly hot, but the dollop of cognac cream was a little too much, making it overly creamy.Yes I ordered fish at a steakhouse which may be blasphemous for you carnivores out there, but I felt like something lighter. Originally wanting cod fish, I had to replace with sea bass since it had sold out. I opted to have it oven cooked rather than grilled as I was after more of a moist mouthful. It was a lovely cut of bass, tender and juicy, but the scattering of tiny prawns outshone it. Really good~ I just pity the person who had to peel them.Mr. C chose scallops which looked a little plain and dry with angry markings from the grill. Although soft, they could have done with some sauce.I really recommend the fries, not your shoe string type these were piping hot with a wonderful crunchiness. Served atop a burner, they won't get cold any time soon.Peering through the dessert menu, Mr. C pointed out that Hugo's serve some really traditional French style desserts. With that said he settled for the crepes suzette while I was content with an apple tartin.

Once again the crepes suzette were prepared table side (hi again chef *wave*), with a flaming finish from the pour of Grand Marnier. It wasn't the most attractive looking dish with the watery sauce and rapidly melting ice-cream, but the crepes were moist and thoroughly drenched in alcohol making for quite a strong mouthful.My apple tartin was a stunner. It required a short waiting time, but so worth it~ Topped with caramelised apples encased in a light flaky pastry, one bite of this with the vanilla-bean specked ice-cream left me speechless... So good and I loved how Hugo's were so generous with the ice-cream as there is nothing worse than finishing all the ice-cream and being left with just the tart.And to end, a smoking bowl of chocolate bon bons as our petite fours~Service was attentive, a little erratic at times, but at least all our dishes arrived on a timely basis. I know I will want to come back for that amazing apple tartin and having steak next time wouldn't hurt too ;)

Flint (金鐘)

Thank you to Open Rice and Flint Grill + Bar for inviting me to their tasting~

I had previously visited the restaurant once prior to the event, but this post will focus on the actual tasting.

Flint Grill + Bar is up on the fifth floor of the JW Marriott hotel, occupying the space that used to house its predecessor California. Guests are greeted by an open bar area at the entrance where they can enjoy a few pre-meal cocktails which are prepared right in front of you, but even if you were not planning on having a proper lunch/dinner there, they more than welcome you to relax at the bar while having something to nibble on from their bar menu.

We sampled one of their signature cocktails the 'Distinguished Patron'. A concoction of gin, raspberry and thyme syrup, lemon juice and egg white, it poured out as a pretty coral pink but I found the gin to be quite strong overpowering the rest of the ingredients with the barest hint of sweetness in the aftertaste.Some snacks from the bar menu were prepared on the adjoining table, an assorted cheese platter all laid out attractively in a criss cross manner and placed next to it was a potted terrine with foie gras. Wooden trays of hand cut slices of Iberian ham seemed very popular while glass jars of marinated olives topped with Cantabrian anchovies looked quite rustic. My favourite however would have to be the cheese and Iberico ham croquettes which were freshly fried, a crunchy shell releasing a warm gush of cheesy goodness when bitten into.Moving through to the restaurant we passed by the sommelier table. Here the sommelier's expertise comes into play as he makes recommendations as well as giving advice to guests on wine pairings for particular dishes.

As for the restaurant itself it dominates a big open space seating up to 146 pax. Two private rooms are sectioned off to one side from the general dining area, with two long tables facing the kitchen acting as chef's tables where a tailor made menu can be organised for guests. Based on the design concept of clean, modern lines the overall tone of the restaurant is classy yet casual.

Once seated appetisers from the 'pantry' were served. Burrata with heirloom tomatoes and arugula salad. Slicing into the burrata released a creamy flow of liquid which is how all good burrata should be. Creamy and soft it had a delicate chew which I adore and if only it was paired with balsamico vinegar it would have been perfect. The tomatoes however did not seem readily in season as they were bland with no real tomato flavour, the green type in particular was immensely hard.Next was a salad of organic beetroot scattered with crumbled goats cheese. Beetroot and goat's cheese are a familiar pairing as the sharpness and gamy flavour of the cheese is tempered down by the subtle sweetness of the beetroot. I loved the beetroot here, all rich and juicy, but the goats cheese was surprisingly strong , quite overpowering in fact. Although it is specially imported from Italy, I am not too sure if the flavour would agree with the majority of the local audience.Tuna tartare was the seasonal crudos served that afternoon. A two layered tower of chopped avocado and finely minced tuna topped with glistening pearls of salmon roe. The avocado was perfectly ripe with a buttery texture, but the tuna unfortunately was not chilled enough.Thinly sliced cured salmon paired with crisp flaxseed toasts was full of natural fatty oils, melting effortlessly in the mouth. The small spoonful of caviar added a touch of luxury, but the overall dish could have done with a little more salt.

Main courses started arriving beginning with some items which they term as 'Classic'. A whole Boston lobster cut in half baked Thermidor style. Smothered in a creamy sauce, the lobster meat was firm, sweet and still tender despite being baked in the oven.A gorgeous looking pot pie was served next~ Pillowy puff pastry covered a steaming stew of veal cheek cooked Osso Bucco style. So tender and immensely flavourful the pieces of veal were a pleasure to eat, yet the best part for me was soaking up the sauce with the buttery pastry and just enjoying the richness of the combination. I highly recommend trying this~!From the grill, we started with a slab of Nebraskan rib-eye which was aged in-house for 63 days. Cooked to a bloody medium rare it was quite lean, an ideal cut for those that like a slight chew in their steak. Although the natural flavour of the beef was a little bland, the sauce specially made from 32 different herbs and spices helped enhance the overall taste.Slicing into the black pork chop from Berkshire revealed glistening moisture held within the meat making for a surprisingly juicy mouthful. The pork itself was a little strong in flavour 'sou', but the surrounding crust of fennel lent a fragrant touch making it more pleasant.If meat does not suit you, their option of grilled seafood is a good alternative. A variety of fruits de mer including fish, lobster, scallops, red tiger prawn and mussels, it looked pretty impressive. I was unable to eat much of this, but I can say the scallops were lovely, velvety soft and cooked perfectly.Side dishes~ I know that meat is always the main event, but sides are where the fun and variety comes in. We had fries, creamed spinach, mushrooms and steamed asparagus. Fries are always a crowd pleaser and we were served a bucketful~ Shoestring style and sprinkled with rosemary and Old Bay seasoning, the ones on top were nicely crunchy, but towards the middle they became disappointingly soggy. My favourite was the creamed spinach. Dark green leafy spinach bathed in a luscious cream sauce, this was heart stopping... So good~And for dessert...A twist on an American favourite- Smores~ a marshmallow layer, torched over a chocolate tart paired with graham biscuit ice-cream. Quite chocolatey with a hint of bitterness from the burnt marshmallow.

Key lime cheesecake was the prettiest dessert served. Decorated with assorted fruits and sugar jellies it looked as if it should be served during the throes of Spring. The cheesecake was not cheesy nor tart enough, rather it was quite sweet, but the ice-cream was refreshing leaving a subtle hint of ginger lingering on the tongue.

The banana trifle certainly lay within the zone of comfort food~ Layered with banana rum cake, cream, sliced banana and drizzled with dulche de leche, it was not too sweet and just so easy to eat spoonful after spoonful...

To end, a chocolate souffle~ not the most attractive I have seen, but the flavour was spot on. Paired with a light hazelnut cream, it was dark and seductively rich. The intense cocao flavour would satisfy any chocolate craving.

Thank you once again and I will certainly be back for the veal cheek pot pie~!

深井咖喱寶 (西環)

Kennedy Town is not a familiar area for me, in the three years I have lived in Hong Kong I have only been there once. If not for an invitation by the owner of The Clay Oven to try their Indian cuisine, I wouldn't know when I would next venture into Kennedy Town.

It's not hard to miss, a bright yellow sign illuminating the entrance. Walking in, a waft of Indian spices invades the senses and looking around at the Indian styled accessories and pictures decorating the restaurant it seemed a little cheesy, but appropriate for the ambiance.The owner brought over the menus and looking through they do have quite a wide selection of dishes. I knew that I wanted curry that evening so that was easy for us to choose, but when asking for other recommendations the owner suggested we try the tandoori dishes as well as their garlic naan bread which are cooked specially in their clay oven to achieve a more authentic flavour hence the restaurant's namesake.

Our drinks soon arrived mango lassi for me and young coconut for Mr. C. Both good choices to prepare for a spicy meal ahead. My mango lassi was nicely thick with a sweet sour flavour, but you should drink it quickly while it's still cold as it does not taste as pleasant at room temperature.Rather than normal papadums, we were given masala papadum as a complimentary starter. A base of crunchy papadum freshly fried with a smattering of chopped raw garlic, herbs and tomatoes. Nice herby flavour with a slight tartness maybe from vinegar, quite good.When Mr. C picked the tomato soup I gave him a puzzled look. Tomato soup? At an Indian restaurant? Despite his assurance that it would be good, I was still skeptical when it arrived since it looked so ordinary, but after my first spoonful I finally understood. Unlike your normal tomato soup, this had curry flavours mixed into it making for a rich, fragrant combination where the texture was just the right thickness. Really good~ I would recommend this.The cucumber raita looked refreshing on the menu and the spoonfuls of chilled sweet plain yoghurt and diced cucumbers was lovely and cooling especially as a palate refresher between bites of tandoori chicken and curry, but towards the end the sweetness of the yoghurt became a little overwhelming especially as the yoghurt reached room temperature.Our tandoori chicken arrived all sizzling and aromatic on a hot plate. Coloured the usual orange tinge, the chicken was nicely tender, but the flavour was quite bland if there had been more salt in the marinade it would have been much better.My long awaited curry soon arrived~ Lamb vindaloo and prawn masala. Vindaloo is the spiciest curry available up to four chillies worth of heat and it looked the part with its eerie dark red colour. Deeply flavourful with tender pieces of braised lamb, despite the slow burning of the curry increasing with every mouthful it was strangely addicitive.If you are not the type for spiciness, the masala curry is a good alternative. Stewed with tomatoes, onions and capsicum there is more depth to the flavour with a subtle underlying sweetness. I liked the curry, but the prawns were another story altogether. Frozen prawns that were not the freshest, they had a distinct fishy taste with some already at a mushy stage, disappointing.To accompany the curry, naan was a must order for me. A big portion with bits of garlic sprinkled on top, it did not have the strong garlicky flavour I was hoping for and it could have done with more time in the clay oven, but it was still fluffy enough for soaking up the curry.Mr. C always needs his rice and when he asked for steamed rice, the owner came back with a bowl of pullah rice for us to try instead. Coloured yellow by tumeric and saffron the basmati rice was cooked to a dry sightly chewy texture with a heady flavour from cumin seeds. I enjoyed this more than the naan.They only have two options for desserts either ice-cream or gulab jamun a traditional Indian fried cheese dumpling which is soaked in syrup, but we gave these a pass since we were already pretty full.When we asked for the bill, they brought it over with a large container of sweets and anise seeds as mouth refreshers which was a nice touch.I was not expecting much, but a few of the dishes at The Clay Oven were more than decent. I do not know if I will be back since the location is inconvenient for me, but the invitation was appreciated.

Westwood Carvery (中環)

Remembering that I had Westwood Carvery on my restaurant to-try list could not have come at a better time when I was looking for somewhere casual to calm my prime rib craving~

Tucked away on Wo On Lane in Lan Kwai Fong it is a small space with a seating capacity of around 20 persons max. I went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and it was not as full as I thought it would be with only a couple of tables occupied.

Paper menus were already laid out as part of the setting and as I was seated the server directed my attention to the board listing their recommendations and the fish of the day. I was not so much interested in the fish as meaty goodness was calling to me~ Although the braised beef short rib and baby back pork ribs looked highly enticing on the menu, I was here for the prime rib sandwich~ Offered in two sizes, regular and Westwood sized, I ended up with the regular after confirming with the server that it would be enough for me.

Arriving not long after on a long plate, generous cuts of prime rib layered on hand rolled ciabatta accompanied by shoestring fries rolled in herbs and an apple for dessert.Wonderfully tender, the pattern of layered beef made for a hearty mouthful while the horseradish spread on the bottom bun was quite subtle in flavour. The sandwich also came with a bowl of jus derived from the cooking process for dipping in, but there was no taste except for an oiliness that I did not particularly like. If it had been paired with a thicker savoury sauce then it would have been perfect.Service was attentive too, the server came around half way throughout my meal to enquire how my food was and when I had nearly finished she thoughtfully placed a small paper bag for me to take my apple with me as I am pretty sure from her experience she knows that most customers would be unable to fit it in after such a filling meal.

Immensely satisfying, it kept me full all the way till dinner time with no need of snacking at all~

深圳東海朗廷酒店-爵吧（Duke's） (福田車公廟)

Having stayed at The Langham for more than a few times, we had never tried Duke's. Passing it every time we go to T'ang Court and being only able to glimpse briefly at the darkened interior, we finally decided to have dinner there before heading back to Hong Kong.

Decorated like a luxurious lounge rather than a normal grill house, the dim lighting coupled with the cushioned couches and chairs made for a cozy yet classy setting. Perfect for having a couple of drinks with friends/business associates or even an intimate meal for two.The menu is not vast, but is separated into two separate books. One lists a nice selection of tapas for appetisers, while the other sets out the more substantial items of steaks and seafood.

We were feeling pretty hungry, so we ordered a variety of tapas to keep our stomachs happy while waiting for our main course. The portions were surprisingly generous, four to five pieces depending on the dish.

Cute loaves of rosemary infused brioche were placed before us soon after ordering. Very fragrant, pillowy soft, but unfortunately they were barely warm, with the base actually being cold.The crispy calamari caught my eye, arriving as five rolls of neatly scored squid, they were lightly fried with barely a hint of greasiness. Nice, especially with the accompanying creamy tartare sauce.Seared scallops with pineapple held hints of Thai flavours. Just a little overcooked, but the heat from the spices and sweetness from the paper-thin slice of pineapple helped to whet the appetite.The crab cakes were presented in a different manner to what we were expecting. Rather than uneven mounds of crab meat, they were cubes of minced crab meat again with a touch of Thai spices. Quite similar to Thai fish cakes actually with a bouncy texture.Prawns in olive oil were really fresh, medium-sized with a firm texture that crunched on the first bite. They were chilled with a light tang from the lemon juice mixed with the olive oil.And then it was prime rib time~ well for me. Australian beef, slow roasted for six hours this is Duke's signature item. When asked how I preferred my prime rib, the server does mention the chefs roast it to a standard medium (x5) which was perfect for me. If however it arrives too pink for you, they are more than happy to cook it more well done. The meat had a nice chew to it, with just enough edges of fat to intensify the flavour. I would have enjoyed this even more if the accompanying gravy was more savoury though. Still good though. If I was not so interested in the side of roast potato and vegetables I would have most likely finished the entire portion.Since I chose the prime rib, Mr. C chose to have the Australian beef tenderloin. Charred nicely, it had a solid beefy flavour and was actually more tender than the prime rib, but I still preferred my choice more.So the saying is true, it never hurts to try something new and I am really glad we tried Duke's this time~