Served on Ceramics

Honeymoon Dessert

2010-12-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

Most people dismiss Chinese desserts as boring; and when I hear that, I use Honeymoon as a good example to refute that point. Honeymoon Dessert started in a seaside village called Sai Kung in 1995 and since they've rapidly expanded throughout Hong Kong and China. Different people crave different things on the menu, but for me it's the mango pomelo sago soup. I have never had one that tasted better. Other favourites are the sesame dumplings in ginger soup, or thai black glutinous rice with coconut and mango.
This is an essential part of any visit to Hong Kong.

*****

Roscioli

2010-12-02T04:57:00.000-08:00

Rome's signature dish is spaghetti carbonara, and you will find one of the best at Roscioli restaurant. The restaurant has a well stocked deli with a selection of fresh mozarella cheeses, other cheeses, and fine cured meats. As an amuse for our meal we got a small mozarella topped with bottarga di tonno and olive oil. Roscioli is a few steps from the Campo di fiori market. Reservations are recommended since there is limited space in the restaurant and it's a popular spot for lunch. There is also a bakery (where you can get a much cheaper lunch, of around 5 euros) across the street.

****

Hutong

2010-11-28T06:51:00.000-08:00

Hutong is one the few Michelin starred Chinese restaurants. The sparse number of stars awarded to Chinese restaurants isn't reflective of the the sophistication of Chinese food, but just the bias of the Michelin system, which is heavily focussed on US, Europe and Tokyo restaurants. Hutong is owned by the aqua group, and boasts a magnificent view of the HK harbour from 1 Peking Road. Book in advance since this is a popular spot for treating clients and out of town guests. My favourite dishes are the crispy mutton, served with a spicy soy sauce, and the drunken razor clams. We also ordered the signature chili soft shell crab which was too spicy for my taste; I suggest requesting less chili.

****

New Orleans

2010-11-28T06:07:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in such a long time and I realised that my trip to New Orleans last year definitely needs a post. Little did I know that New Orleans was not like the rest of the US and had a very distinctive taste and culture. My most memorable meal was my first one. Drago's grilled oysters. I still think about them to this day. Those gigantic oysters, freshly shucked, topped with a parmesan and breadcrumbs and grilled over a charcoal flame bbq. These are served with a piece of bread, which is used to soak up the oyster drippings.

The oysters are 5 stars *****

Other memorable places were:

Jacques-Imo's cafe which serves real 'nawlin'' food; a mixture of creole, cajun and french cuisine. Dishes woth trying are the shrimp etouffee, fried grits among others.

****

Cafe du monde's biegnets - deep fried dough covered in excessive amounts of powdered sugar.

***

Commander's Palace - Haute New Orleans food served in an old victorian house in the garden district. Order the Banana's foster served at your table.

***1/5

Lola's cupcakes

2010-11-28T05:58:00.000-08:00

Met a friend in Selfridges in London and couldn't resist Lola's cupcakes. I ordered 3 mini versions of the cookies and cream, peanut butter and carrot cake. If only they had a place like this in Amsterdam. I noticed the other day that the Bijenkorf has started to sell cupcakes but they aren't very tasty. The frosting is too sweet and they all taste the same.

Bussia

2010-11-28T05:08:00.000-08:00

Bussia

I chose Bussia for a work-related dinner last month because of it's location and it's high score on iens. I had never been there before but from all the reviews it looked like a safe bet. The restaurant is located in the nine streets of Amsterdam, in the Jordaan area, a good spot for out-of-town guests.

I can't remember the description of each of the dishes that we ordered. Most of us opted for the 4 course meal, with either a risotto or pasta as a primi, and fish or steak as a secondi. The food was beautifully presented and most of the dishes seemed inspired. I think the next time I go, I will order a la carte since the pasta dish left something to be desired.

***1/5

Reestraat 28

1016 Amsterdam

020 6278794

belgian endive with serrano goat cheese pillows

2010-02-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

Made an easy salad for dinner with belgian endive, avocado, apple, and little pillows of serrano ham filled with goats cheese. The dressing included honey, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Topped with roasted pumpkin seeds for some crunch!

Au Petit Fer à Cheval

2010-01-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

A nice place for lunch in the Marais, Paris - Au Petit Fer a Cheval. We ordered the Petit Fer a Cheval salad which has just about everything in it (belgian endive, selection of hams and cured meat, bread topped with goats cheese, apple slices and greens). And an order of foie gras which left me feeling quite gluttonous. I'm not eating fois gras anymore because I only recently found out how cruel it is.

Cibreo Trattoria

2010-01-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

Cibreo is one of landmark restaurants of Florence, serving traditional florentine specialities like the one pictured above - stuffed chicken neck (not my favourite).

Florence - Cannoli

2010-01-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

My favourite Italian snack/dessert would have to be the cannoli. A crisp pastry with a sweet ricotta cheese filling.

In de Keuken

2010-01-02T09:34:00.000-08:00

In the Keuken on Utrechtsestraat is an undiscovered gem of a restaurant. The food is inspired, beautifully presented and the service is great. This combination is few and far between in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, I went a few months ago so I can't remember the exact description of each dish. I do remember that we were served a spectular amuse (pictured below), and we had a choice of a 4 or 5 course dinner. I ordered the 4 course, and each dish was innovative and the flavours worked. The staff were also extremely helpful with wine selection, and spoke at least 5 minutes for each wine at each course. This was something that my burgeoning wine afficionado boyfriend greatly appreciated! Overall, 5 thumbs up and will definately go again. They do need to place spotlights on the food so that I can take photos that will do the food justice.

In de keuken,

Utrechtsestraat 114

1017 VT

Amsterdam

Telefoon: 020 - 6167414

*****

Japanese home cooking

2010-01-02T09:27:00.000-08:00

Appetizers for my last Japanese dinner. Tofu with sesame sauce, topped with julienned o-ba shiso leave and edamame, and scallop sashimi with a filo crown and an onion soy dressing. These are super easy appetizers to prepare - they involve almost no cooking so it's a low-stress way of keeping the appetite at bay before the main course.

Moscow

2009-09-26T02:46:00.000-07:00

Borsch and Blini's with red caviar.

Mantoe

2009-09-26T02:04:00.000-07:00

Afghan food in the Jordaan, Amsterdam. The restaurant is named after a small pork dumpling, wrapped in a thin sheet of pasta. It looks a lot like a chinese shu mai, and is probably etymologically related since the Chinese word for dumpling is mandoe, and the korean word is mandu. The food had many mediterranean influences also, with the yoghurt and tomato dressings, and of course chickpeas coming as an appetizer. The restaurant does not provide a menu, instead a multi-course meal for under 30 euro's. Unfortunately, when we went, we were served our meal alongside another couple. And finally at the last dessert course they were given chocolate poffertje's together with their sherbert and I found this pretty unfair. Everything about the meal was great except for the fact that our neighbouring table got extra service and food! We tried to figure why that happened, the natural assumption would be that those patrons knew restaurant staff. But that wasn't the case and it was simply unfair treatment. So for that reason, even though I pass the restaurant every week I would be hesitant to go there again.

Poffertjes

2009-09-26T02:01:00.000-07:00

My favourite dutch food. Little mini-pancakes topped with a dollop of butter and sprinkled with icing sugar.

Grilled seabass

2009-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

This makes me feel pretty lucky. My bf made this for dinner a few nights ago and I think this meal exceeded both of our expectations. I told him that he's not going to feel that good eating this at restaurants anymore. He got 2 fresh whole seabass from the market (2 for 6 euros!), stuffed them with rosemary, and seasoned them and grilled them in the oven. Served with oven baked potato wedges and rucola salad.

Green papaya salad

2009-07-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

I found a Thai grocer in our neighbourhood and made myself some green papaya salad.

1 lime

3 vine ripened tomatoes

3 sprigs of thai basil

1 green papaya

1 chili

4 tables spoons of peanuts

2 tablespoons of thai fish sauce (not fish sauce from Alberthein)

1/4 tbs of shrimp paste (optional)

2 tablespoons of dried shrimp

1/2 tsp of sugar

1 clove of crushed garlic

Shred the green papaya first, I did this manually which took about 30 minutes! I have a little shredder now so this should take 5 minutes now. Combine the remaining ingredients, except the tomatoes, basil and peanuts, in a mortar to make the dressing. Add the shredded papaya, bruising it with a pestle, and then add the tomatoes. Mix in the basil and peanuts at the end. This is one of my favourite things to eat and I'm very glad that I can make it at home.

Marius

2009-07-23T13:28:00.000-07:00

Another good find in Amsterdam. Marius is located close to Oude Houthaven, west of central Amsterdam. I had heard that the chef was from a michelin restaurant, and later read that he was from Chez Panisse in Berkeley; the restaurant known as the birthplace of California cuisine. The menu, handwriten in barely legible script changes daily and there is a focus on fresh, seasonal produce. The choice is between some stand alone restaurant specialities or a seasonal set course. I had the vitello tonnato, a veal and tuna combination found in most Italian restaurants. It was the best vitello tonnato I had eaten. For the main course, I chose the lamb, which came highly recommended - apparently the chef 'Kees' has a house in Friesland and the lamb belonged to his neighbour. I guess the way the waitress said it meant that I should order it right? Other than the food, the service left something to be desired. We were told over the phone that we would have a table outside and we were very bluntly refused it when we arrived. Luckily for me, many service details are lost on me since our waitress was also quite condescending about the wine selection. You can't have in ALL in amsterdam! The food was fantastic and I'll leave it there, and I do recommend it. And I forgot to mention the chocolate nemesis. I was sold on the name and it didn't disappoint.

Visaandeschelde

2009-06-13T05:10:00.000-07:00

The name of the restaurant is a mouthful for non-dutchies but don't let it deter you because they have, to the best of my knowledge; the best seafood in Amsterdam. We started our meal with oysters, followed by a decadent lobster, foie gras and truffle salad. My boyfriend ordered the tuna starter, which was marinated in soy sauce, served with an avocado puree and king crab foam. For the main course I ordered the halibut, which was presented beautifully with a black and white non-colour scheme. However, I think I should've ordered something else because the flavours were a bit too light for me in this dish. I always find myself regretting the main course and wishing I had ordered 2 starters because they're less conservatively flavoured. Finally, I ordered dessert, while the rest ordered a cheese plate to 'close their stomachs'.

****

http://www.visaandeschelde.nl/

We spent a lot eating here but this was because of the wine, etc. It is possible to get a 5 course menu for 55 euros.

The photos were taken with my iphone, which doesn't do the food justice!

Higashiya

2009-04-05T05:29:00.000-07:00

Higashiya in Nakameguro. Beautiful tea house

Kyoto style kaiseki in Tokyo

2009-04-05T05:17:00.000-07:00

The human diet perfected

*****

Under the bridge spicy crab

2009-04-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

****1/5

Guylian Cafe

2009-04-05T05:08:00.000-07:00

Guylian cafe in Sydney.
***

Jimmy Liks

2009-04-05T05:01:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Liks in Sydney
****

Omangu

2009-04-05T04:59:00.000-07:00

My aunt made some o mangu, from sweetened bean paste.

Tokyo!

2009-04-05T04:57:00.000-07:00

My favourite city in the world.

Tonkatsu

2009-04-05T04:53:00.000-07:00

Tonkatsu in Mark City in Shibuya

***

Coffee

2009-04-05T04:47:00.000-07:00

Seems to be perfect everywhere in Australia. From Noosa.

Burgerfuel

2009-04-05T04:43:00.000-07:00

The best franchise from New Zealand. Unfortunately, the photo was taken too late. Note the kumara fries with aioli dip.

Burgerfuel
****1/5

Stillwater at Crittenden

2009-04-05T04:38:00.000-07:00

Stillwater
****

Dinner for 6

2009-01-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

We invited our friends over for dinner on one of the coldest nights I've experienced in Amsterdam. My bf and I prepared a salad with seared tuna, spinach, tomato, pine nuts, shiitake mushrooms and a soy ginger vinaigrette with sesame seeds. For the main course we made duck breast again, this time with a more refined recipe for the sauce; a red wine reduction with blueberries. This was served with couscous and baked pumpkin. Was delicious!

Christmas dinner

2009-01-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

We went to Albert Cuypmarkt to get the ingredients for our Christmas dinner. We ended up with scallops, which was used as an appetizer; scallops with baby spinach and mint pesto with crispy prosciutto pieces. And then for the main course we made duck breast with a red wine sauce with mashed potatoes, and a light spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette. This was one of the best meals my bf and I have made together and made for an amazing Christmas.

Antwerp mussels

2009-01-17T04:24:00.001-08:00

Mussels from Brussels, well Antwerp. We spent the Sunday afternoon visiting the Flanders Fashion museum for a Margiela exhibition then ate a bucket of steamed mussels with celery and onion matched with some Belgian beer. The night before we had some delicious stewed pick cheek with frites. I can't remember the names of these places unfortunately!

mint and pea risotto

2008-11-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

Mint and pea risotto with crispy proscuitto!

Canvas

2008-11-29T09:24:00.000-08:00

Very nice atmosphere and I think the cocktails here looked pretty good, but the food wasn't the best.The photos are pretty bad, I had to use the flash because it was so damn dark- but it only revealed the food was worse than I thought! I think this would be a great place to meet friends for a nibble and a drink, but I wouldn't recommend having a nice dinner here.

**
Wibautstraat 150, 1091 GR,
Oost, Amsterdam
(020) 716 38 17
25 euros per person

Hotel de Goudfazant

2008-11-29T08:23:00.000-08:00

We had a Thanksgiving dinner with some new friends in Hotel de Goudfazant. Named after a Jacques Brel song, Hotel de Goudfazant is a fine restaurant in an unpretentious setting- an industrial warehouse in the desolate Amsterdam Noord opposite a refinery of some sort. I ordered a 3 course dinner which consisted of a warm salad with lentils, pheasant (goudfazant translates to golden pheasant), apple, croutons and a pesto. My main course was pork with brussel sprouts, sweet potato in a thick red wine reduction (i think), and lastly I had a speculas cake with ice cream. They update their menu frequently and I'm already looking forward to the next time.

****
http://www.hoteldegoudfazant.nl/
Aambeeldstraat 10 H
1021 KB Amsterdam (Noord)
telefoon: 020 - 63 65 170
set dinner of 3 courses, 30 euros

Entresol

2008-11-29T07:33:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend took me here to celebrate our anniversary and he made a good choice! The restaurant is small and cosy, with only a few tables and therefore attentive staff. We ordered the set of 4 courses, starting with a salmon appetizer (salmon tartare and cucumber), and a crab cake. The main course was roast chicken which was delicious; it was served with a cabbage dumpling stuffed with something that couldn't be translated (which is really annoying because it was the best part) and then a prune mille fieulle. I highly recommend this place for a romantic dinner. This is one of my favourites in Amsterdam.

****
Geldersekade 29,
Amsterdam,
phone: (020) 623 79 12
Set dinner around 30 euros

Akitsu

2008-11-29T07:17:00.000-08:00

This one is a winner! I haven't tried many Japanese places here in Amsterdam, but this one is good enough to counter my cravings. We ordered sukiyaki (japanese hotpot) with a japanese beef upgrade. We also ordered some spicy tuna and california rolls and a sashimi salad. Lekker!

****
Rozengracht 228-230
1016 SZ, Jordaan,
Amsterdam (020) 625 32 54
40 euros per person

Rosario

2008-11-29T06:56:00.000-08:00

Another restaurant around the corner from our house. I heard from 2 seperate people that Rosario was one of their favourites so we went there to try. The main courses were good, but not particularly exciting and didn't require much imagination to create them. All the ingredient were fresh and were of a high quality. The fish, beef and duck were prepared nicely, but considering they charge well over 40 euros for 3 courses and some of the food was a bit uninspired (particularly the desserts) I was a bit disappointed.

http://www.rosario.nu/RosarioUK-content.swf
Rosario
Peperstraat 10
1011TL
0206270280

Pho 14

2008-11-29T06:44:00.000-08:00

Vietnamese has become, in my humble opinion, the new Japanese food; healthy, exotic and extremely delicious. On a recent trip to Paris, my mum who lives in Japan and myself (living in NL) spent the whole 4 days seeking out the best Vietnamese food. It makes sense that with the established migrant population, the best Vietnamese food outside of Vietnam would exist in Paris. We waited in line for a taxi to the chinatown district and then waited in line outside the restaurant. It was worth it!

Pho 14
129, Avenue de Choisy

Metro: Tolbiac

Greetje

2008-11-29T06:21:00.000-08:00

This is longest I've neglected my blog. So here goes.

Dutch food has never been known for being particularly exciting, but there is a restaurant about 20 metres away from our place in Amsterdam that made me realise that it could be something else. You won't find croquettes, frikkadels and other deep fried mystery meats in a compartmentalized wall. Instead, Greetje tries to add a new twist to quintessentially dutch flavours (my favourite was the licorice ice cream). The menu includes some interesting game meats, like partridge, dove (I didn't order that one because I knew I would feel a bit guilty about eating the peace bird), and also braised stews.

We ordered the taster appetizer, which came on a tiered platter and included blood pudding with apple compote, old amsterdam cheese crisps, a herring soup, grilled frisian sugar bread with duck pate and apple syrup, and some cured ham. I ordered the partridge for the main course which I wouldn't recommend, simply because the meat wasn't tender. For desert we ordered another tasting platter, which included the licorice ice cream and a stick of licorice root, creme brulee, rice pudding and of course vla! A good place for people that want to try good traditional dutch food.

http://www.restaurantgreetje.nl/
Restaurant Greetje
Peperstraat 23-25
1011 TJ Amsterdam
Tel: 020 - 77 97 450
40 euros per person

Midori

2008-09-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

A 20 person queue outside a restaurant is a usually a good indication. Tokyo is known for having the best sushi and we were able to find a good spot in Shibuya. We ordered maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), toro (fatty tuna), anago (salt water eel), and scallop. Honestly, I was never a big fan of toro- I always thought it a tad pretentious when people say they like toro- since it's the most expensive cut of tuna. And it's always gaijins that say how much they love toro. But I take it back now, because I couldn't stop ordering it. The stuff melts. The anago (my all time favourite) was also incredible.

This is a reminder to myself to go to Tsukiji market on my next trip.

Tel: 03-5458-0002
1-12-3, Dogenzaka,
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Shibuya Mark City
*****

Katsuichi

2008-09-08T10:04:00.001-07:00

A friend introduced us to this great tonkatsu spot in Shibuya. Tonkatsu is what my bf calls a japanese schnitzel. We ordered a pork filet tonkatsu which is less fatty than the standard version. Tonkatsu is served with a simple cabbage salad, finely shredded and topped with a light soy vinegrette. This is supposed to help with the digestion of the deep fried pork. The tonkatsu itself is topped with tonkatsu sauce which has a worchester base. This place seems to be run by the proprietor, and eating here felt a lot better than going to a more accessible chain restaurant.

Katsuichi
Tel: 03-3461-1371
Located at: 2-28-1, Dogenzaka,
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Open: 11:00-14:00, 17:00-22:00
Lunch: around 1000 yen
****

Plate of Pie

2008-09-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

Plate of pie is a 24 hour spot at the first floor of granbell hotel in Shibuya. We went there for an easy breakfast. It seemed that half of the menu wasn't available, and I'm not sure if it was because we were there too early (10am). I ended up ordering the mont blanc, and a friend ordered the breakfast set which had a nice omelette, half a sub, and a salad.

**1/5
03-5459-4100
15-17 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0031, Japan
under 1000 yen per person

Mikura

2008-09-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Sake served in a bamboo container.

For our last night in Tokyo we went for Kaiseki, we were wondering around Shibuya's Mark City and stumbled upon Miku ra. They offered 3 kaiseki meals, and of course we couldn't read the menu but decided for the medium priced option, which was around 7000 yen. The meal consisted of several courses and I don't think I photographed all of them, since the dessert is missing. We started with some sweet potato and flamed grilled peppers with eel and cucumber jelly. Then we had the sashimi plate with white fish (not sure what kind) and octopus, with chili daikon. Then we had our hot pot, with tofu, fish and seasonal vegetables, and which came with some glutinous rice and miso eggplant. Our main course was a choice between grilled fish and eel, with some rice balls. Then came the noodles, some cold udon, and then dessert.

This was a great spot for a romantic date, and the service and ambiance was impeccable.
Mark City Shibuya 4th floor
03 5459 4011
*****

Kanetanaka-so

2008-09-07T03:44:00.000-07:00

If you're in Japan do not leave until you've tried kaiseki. I remember a while back I read a newspaper article that described it as 'eating lines of poetry'. The best kaiseki is from Kyoto, the cultural and historical capital of japan, however provincial towns with food specialities can also serve exquisite kaiseki. The best way to experience it is in a Japanese inn, or ryokan, where the meal is served in your room, after a hot spring bath.

Unfortunately, Tokyo isn't the best place for it, and especially if you have an idea of what to expect, you can be disappointed easily. My first kaiseki for this trip was at the Cerulean hotel restaurant, kanetanaka-so. The meal started with an appetizer course, which usually consists of grilled fish, beans, then a sushi course. The main course was an omelette, some deep fried morsels and some stewed vegetables which was extremely disappointing. Then we had an udon course and finally a dessert. Overall, the food was not up to par, and the restaurant could use a renovation since there was something missing in the atmosphere.

03-3476-3420
26-1 Sakura-gaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8512 Japan
**1/5
6000 yen per person for lunch

Jou mon

2008-09-07T02:51:00.000-07:00

The best yaki- tori I've ever had. We went to Jou mon for a 4am feed after a night out in Roppongi. The menu was extensive, and we ordered omakase, ginko nuts, zabuton (recommended by the waiter- beef that melted in your mouth), some ramen, iberican ham and gouda cheese, edamame and fresh peach juice sho chu. The restaurant atmosphere was great, it had a modern izakaya feel. We had to remove our shoes (as you do in most Japanese places) and all the tables were pitted. This was the best way to end a night and a much better option than a kebab, chips and falafel which is all you'll find in Europe.

3500 yen each
5-9-17 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
106-0032
03 3405 2585
****1/5

Tokyo!

2008-09-07T02:27:00.000-07:00

We were in one of my favourite cities in the world, Tokyo for a week at the end of August. I had missed good Japanese food terribly, since it doesn't seem to exist at the same level in Europe. Out of all the food I've eaten, I would have to say Japanese is the human diet perfected.

A Tavola

2008-09-07T01:03:00.000-07:00

We were exploring our neighbourhood and came across A Tavola, a small authentic Italian restaurant. We ordered the usual, octopus and carparccio as a starter and then whole fish and steak with truffle oil. The carparccio was a hefty portion, with slightly thicker slices than usual, but was delicious. The octopus had a light citrus dressing and would be a better option for a lighter meal. For the fish of the day they offered a salt baked or foil baked whole fish, of which my boyfriend opted for the foil baked. I'm not exactly sure the effect of baking in a salt encrusted shell, but i imagine the juices are kept inside. My steak was also good, although it was covered in about half a cup of oil. Overall, the service was not particularly attentive, perhaps due to being understaffed. Even on a monday night, the restaurant was full, and there were only 2 waitstaff covering about 15 tables. But simple gestures such as presenting a menu or offering a drink within the first 15 minutes is pretty important when it comes to a 50 euro meal.

Kadijksplein 9, Amsterdam
1018 Amsterdam
020 625 4994
50 euros per person
***

salmon with sesame dressing

2008-09-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

I made salmon served with chinese noodles and shitake mushrooms fried with soy sauce and mirin, and a radish leaf salad with sesame dressing.

Meerzicht Boerderij

2008-09-07T00:47:00.000-07:00

Meerzicht Boerderij is a family style pancake house in a nature reserve in the outskirts of Amsterdam. They have a big selection of pancakes, which are made in a conveyor belt style. They aren't as tasty as some of the other pancakes that I've tried in elsewhere in Holland, but considering that we were in a hurry, we were happy we got our meal quickly.

Koenenkade 56, 1081 KG, Buitenveldert, Amsterdam
**1/5

Sama Sebo

2008-09-06T23:59:00.000-07:00

Sama Sebo is a popular Indonesian restaurant located on the P.C. Hooftstraat. We ordered a rice table for 5 which was probably 2 times more food than we needed. We were given plaintains, fried chicken, beef curry, bean curry, pickles, 2 types of rice with shrimp wafers. The food was good, although a bit overwhelming since too much food was served too fast.

P.C. Hooftstraat 27
1071 BL Amsterdam
020 662 81 46.
***

Lieve

2008-09-06T23:29:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Lieve is Belgian restaurant on the Herengracht of Amsterdam. Once you enter, a waiter escorts you to the bar and introduces the restaurant concept. There is a choice between 3 dining styles, living room, belgian baroque and gastronomisch. Based on our choice, Belgian Baroque, the table was set and the food was served accordingly. The waitstaff were extremely helpful and had no problem explaining everything in English. The restaurant also offered a beer and wine tasting menu, of which our group ordered wine. For the starter we were given 8 dishes, all served on tiered stands at the center of the table. Some of the dishes were better than others, for example the smoked salmon with goats cheese and cucumber ice, and whitefish carpaccio. The main course consisted of 6 dishes; various meats, a shrimp pasta and a quiche, all served with belgian frites and mayonnaise. Finally the dessert consisted of 8 dishes shared between the four of us. At this point we were all full but we gave everything a try. Each dish was not the most exciting, especially had it been served on it's own, but based on the atmosphere and service I would highly recommend this restaurant and definately go again.

Herengracht 88
1015 BS Amsterdam
020-6249635
****

Market mushrooms

2008-09-06T04:05:00.000-07:00

I hardly ever bother cooking with chicken because it's boring, but when I passed them in the supermarket, I decided I should give them a chance. I ended up panfrying some chicken filets and topped them with wild mushrooms and goats cheese and rosemary. My first mistake was that I panfried the chicken- roasting with skin would've been a better option. Second, I don't think goat's cheese matches with chicken. The mushrooms with butter and rosemary were very good though. I bought the mushrooms from a cute mushroom stall at the saturday niewemarkt farmers market.

Le Marais

2008-08-03T10:19:00.000-07:00

Took my bf out for dinner to celebrate buying a house in Amsterdam! We went to Le Marais, a restaurant I had been to about 1 month ago. This is definately be a place that we shall visit often since we will live around the corner. We ordered dutch oysters, which were delicious and a charceuterie plate. For the main course i had sea bass with some kind of roast capsicum citrus sauce. My bf had the lamb rack with red wine reduction and provencale vegetables and potato gratin (a bit too heavy for summer, but the red wine reduction was delicious). The service is also excellent, it's a restaurant that has recently opened so the chef and staff were extremely attentive.

****
$35 per person
Jodenbreestraat 144, 1011 NS, Nieuwmarkt
(020) 428 04 88

raspberry scones

2008-08-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Made some scones for sunday breakfast, served with raspberries and clotted cream. I know it's supposed to be for afternoon tea, but it's also perfect for breakfast.

Goats cheese salad

2008-08-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

We made a quick salad, with mixed greens, mandarin oranges, fried leftover mushrooms, and fresh herbs, grilled goats cheese and rosemary. My bf made a perfect dressing, with mustard, honey and olive oil.

green curry

2008-08-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

I found some of the cutest eggplants at the chinese supermarket, and made some green curry with jasmine rice served on a banana leaf!

Lux

2008-08-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

Lux rotterdam is supposed to a favourite of Rotterdam's most famous resident, Rem Koolhaus. The restaurant decor is a bit of a throw back to the 80's, very reminiscent of the kind of restaurant you would see in American Psycho, with a lot of black and white art deco motifs. The food is excellent, I ordered a raw beef dish, which was essentially like a carpaccio but with thicker slices of beef. My bf ordered the octopus, which was delicious. There is also an antipasti cart with a selection of 20 different antipasti which you can mix and match yourself. For the main course i ordered duck with rosemary and capers, and my boyfriend ordered fish of the day (I'm terrible about fish names- I can't remember this one). But he loved it and ordered it again a few days later. We also ordered a side peperincino salad.

's-Gravendijkwal 133, 3021 EK,
West/Delfshaven, Rotterdam

****
40 euros per person

Food Party

2008-07-13T04:44:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me a link to the most hilarious/weirdest cooking show. Check out Thu Tran's recipe for buffalo wing stuff buffalo turkey on her website. Right now I'm looking at her latest post on krispy kreme donut bacon cheeseburgers.

http://thutranthutran.wordpress.com/videos/

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couscous

2008-07-10T12:20:00.001-07:00

My bf made a couscous salad with courgette, feta, olive, raisins, and seasoned with garlic and cinnamon and parsley.

Oliva

2008-07-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Went to Witte de With in Rotterdam for an Italian dinner at Oliva. The interior of the restaurant was light with an open kitchen. The menu started with a brief paragraph on how they only use organic ingredients and offered the option of a surprise set dinner. Instead I ordered a veal steak with a cereliac mash topped with a courgette flower. My bf ordered the lobster with seafood pasta. The food was beautifully presented, and the ingredients were top quality, but there was something missing, perhaps little bit of seasoning that would've cemented the dish. We ordered a chocolate panna cotta with stracciatella ice cream which was perfect.

***1/5
Witte de Withstraat 15a
Rotterdam
Telefoon: 010-4121413

goat cheese salad

2008-07-10T11:47:00.001-07:00

Made some medium rare steak on the grill with an endive, rucola, tomato salad, topped with goats cheese and toasted pinenuts. A healthy fresh dinner for summer.

Dizzy Jazzcafe

2008-06-25T13:57:00.001-07:00

Dizzy's is a Jazz cafe in Rotterdams s'Gravendijkwal. I'm not sure of the exact schedule but they have a live jazz session a couple of times a week. I think the bar is also used as a venue for other types of music. My bf loves the burger there, which is too massive for me to navigate myself. I opted for the cheese ravioli with tomato sauce. There is an outdoor seating area which is perfect during the warm weather. This is a good place for a weekday catch up with friends.

**1/5
010 477 3014
s'Gravendijkwal 127
Dinner is about 12 euros per person and drinks are about 2 euros.

Vendel at Motesplats Osterlen

2008-06-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

I attended a friends wedding in Osterlen, the south of Sweden. It was a midsummer celebration, which is a big day for people in Scandinavia, particular the Swedes and Finnish. The day marks the summer solstice which is the longest day of the year. That night, the sun set at 11pm, and even at 1am the sky wasn't completely dark, and you could see shades of purple orange light in the horizon. The wedding reception was held at Vendel, a highly awarded restaurant linked to the Motesplats Osterlen hotel. We were served a summerish appetizer, steamed tomato with lobster, asparagus and scallop. This was drenched in a fragrant basil dressing offered as a shooter on the side. The main course was roast duck served with a steamed cabbage roll with potato and foie gras. Finally for dessert, we had a coconut custard with fondant chocolate and summer berries. All the ingredients were seasonal and regional.

****
Örum 52, 276 40 Löderup
0411-55 66 88

Xie

2008-06-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

To celebrate a few good things last week, we went to Xie, a chinese french fusion restaurant in the Montevideo building in South Rotterdam. We had an 8 course set meal and the attentive service was the best I've experienced in Netherlands (finally!). We started with a herring amuse, then steamed oysters with a fermented black bean sauce, spring rolls with curried chicken and cabbage and a sweet chili sauce, gazpacho with scallop and tuna with a sesame crisp and peking duck. For the main course we had fish stir fry with cashews and a sichiuan chili sauce, and fish steamed in banana leaves with a cream sauce on a bed of couscous. The dessert, which we noticed differed at every table, was a mandarin creme brulee with pistachio ice cream.

****
40 euros per person for the set dinner
Otto Reuchlinweg 1166, 3072 MD, Zuid, Rotterdam
(010) 485 65 72

Summer Strawberries

2008-06-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

I am not convinced that this is summer based on temperature, but the long days and the seasonal fruits and vegetables are a sure indication. I found these strawberry tarts in the quaint little village of Harmalen.

A Proposito Trattoria

2008-06-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

A Proposito Trattoria is a straightforward Italian restaurant close to Rotterdam Central Station. We ordered standard Italian fare, such as carparccio and seafood risotto, and my bf ordered a tuna dish. The good points about this restaurant is that the food is good, reasonably priced and they located in a convenient spot for people that work in the center of Rotterdam. The service from the waiter was good, although we had to wait for our table despite making a reservation and then another 20 minutes to look at the menu (on a chalkboard).

50 euros for 2 ppl
***
Weena 505, 3013 AL, Centrum, Rotterdam
(010) 213 23 34

Annemiek and Paul

2008-06-06T03:14:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's just my bfs friends, or all dutch people, but everyone here seems to cook incredibly well. It's intimidating and I feel the pressure to hone my culinary skills. It's a stark contrast from Hong Kong where the most difficult thing about having dinner was deciding where to go. In Holland a lot of living is done at home, and this is conducive to becoming well acquainted with your kitchen. Last night we had fresh home-made capsicum pasta with mushrooms, parsley, parmesan shavings and walnuts, together with a home made walnut basil pesto. I heard Annemiek milling the pesto in a mortar and pestle while we were nibbling on bread - which means its the freshest pesto I've had. We also had a mozzarella cheese salad, with capsicums, arugula, tomatoes, pine nuts and a balsamic vinaigrette.

I also went home with a new toy.

Soit

2008-06-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

Celebrated a friends birthday at Soit in Rotterdam; a place among the best restaurants in Rotterdam. The restaurant has a warm atmosphere, with rustic wooden tables and a big dining room with a glass roof. It doesn't get dark in Holland until around 9.30 pm, so we sat below natural light while enjoying our starters. I ordered thin slices of seabass with lashings of bechamel cream sauce and fried onions and parmesan. For the main course I ordered an organic steak with roquefort sauce served with tomato tarte tartin. The steak was tender and cooked to perfection. Another friend ordered the scallops which we all fought over because there was only one portion left when we arrived. This was a problem which was obviously related to us making such a late reservation. Unfortunately, we missed out on dessert because we were running late, but I can recommend the molten chocolate souffle.

's-Gravendijkwal 136b
3015 CC Rotterdam, Netherlands
+31 10 4363114
****
www.soit.nl
40-50 euros per person including wine/ drinks

Okonomiyaki

2008-05-27T06:03:00.001-07:00

My care package from my mum arrived last Friday. She sent me furikake, all the okonomiyaki ingredients, koya tofu, japanese curry and some sushi things. When you live overseas you have to rely on your relatives for these things. The following day I felt inspired to represent Osaka and made one of my favourite Japanese dishes. I made Okonomiyaki which we ate off the teppan (hotplate) and it was delicious!

Ingredients
Finely chopped cabbage
pickled ginger
yama imo okonomiyaki flour made into a batter with dashi
tenkasu (tempura bits)
dried shrimps
eggs

Toppings
Okonomiyaki sauce
QP mayonnaise
Katsuo (dried bonito)
ao nori (seaweed)

Greenwoods

2008-05-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

Greenwoods is a 'gezellig' tearoom on Amsterdams Singel canal. We had a few extra minutes on our parking meter so we stopped in for a quick bite and were very pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious, made with love and excellent value for money. The burger according to my bf, was the best he's had in a long time. It was served on rustic soda bread with a tomato salsa and only cost a little over 5 euros. I ordered a chickpea and parsley soup and scone. I highly recommend Greenwoods if you're looking for something easy while in Amsterdam.

***1/5
Greenwoods
Singel 103
1012 VG Amsterdam
020 6237071

Micro - Cocoon Club

2008-05-27T04:38:00.000-07:00

Was in Frankfurt last weekend and went to Cocoon club, possibly the best designed club in the world. The decor and sound system were state of the art. The club is a complete nightlife experience and houses a michelin star restaurant called Silk and another fine dining restaurant called Micro. During the visit we were treated to a dinner at Micro where the hosts took care of the ordering. The meal started with a selection of bread and goat cheese and a parsley pesto. The chef also served an amuse; a rhubarb soup with asparagus foam (fancy restaurants love foam). We had a selection of sushi (spicy tuna, california and philadephia) and some pizza as an appetizer, and at this point I was already starting to get full. The sushi was good- certainly the best that I've tasted in Europe. We were then given a choice of 4 main courses; salmon, the micro burger (a signature dish), some pasta or schnitzel. I opted for salmon for the main course. The desert was a simple chinese inspired lychee jelly, again served with foam and some berries. Overall, the service was excellent which was a welcome treat especially coming from Holland. (Yes, dutch service is appalling)

Micro Restaurant
Carl-Benz Strasse 21
Frankfurt
+49 (0)69 9002 0200
****

cupcakes

2008-05-19T06:23:00.001-07:00

Got carried away this weekend making royal icing sugar flowers and used them today on my vanilla cupcakes with rose buttercream frosting.

Ceviche

2008-05-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

Had a craving for some ceviche and had a somewhat disappointing experience at a local mexican restaurant so I decided to make them myself. The recipe consists of lime juice, garlic, chili, cilantro, mint, avocado, vine tomato and scallops.

Barcelona

2008-05-19T06:06:00.001-07:00

We went to Born district in Barcelona which is just next to the Ramblas. Unfortunately, I can't remember what the name of the restaurant, but it came highly recommended by our guide. I ordered squid with arroz negro (black rice) that was flavoured with squid ink and had a slightly crunchy texture. We also tried a tapas place for lunch the following day; Lonja de tapas. There we ordered patats bravas, some tuna marinaded in soy with almonds, and some calamari.

Lonja de Tapas
Placa Universitat 5,
933 176 488
around 15-20 euros per person.
****

Trianon Pizzeria (Napoli)

2008-05-08T02:50:00.000-07:00

The two things one should try in Naples are the pizza ( it originates from there) and the layer pastry which is the Italian answer to the croissant. First, the pizza. Most of us have tried some 'out there' pizzas, the most exotic that comes to my mind is the crocodile pizza or floridian (chicken/apricot/cream cheese and rosemary) from One Red Dog in Auckland, New Zealand. There are also the Asian interpretations of pizza where corn and seaweed are standard toppings. And of course the American versions which differ geographically, my favourite is the chicago style deep dish pizza from Pizzeria Unos. In comparison, the original margherita pizza is very simple, and almost bland. Pizza's are topped with tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella and frugal helping of basil. We ate pizza in a few places, and the one I recommend is Trianon, a 3 story eatery that was founded in 1923. Unfortunately we ordered the wrong thing, we should've ordered the margherita D.O.C so if you go there order the right thing!

Napoli also has several characteristic pastries, and the one that was suggested was the layer pastry, which was filled with custard and dried fruits. The pastry itself looks like a sea shell with all it's ridges.

***
Pizzas range from 3.5 euros to 8. We were surprised at how cheap they were.
Pizzeria Trianon
Via Colletta Pietro, 46
80139 Napoli (NA), Italy

+39 081 5539426

Rivlin - Jerusalem

2008-04-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

On a brief trip to Israel, we visited Jerusalem for the day and were taken to an excellent Italian/ Mediterrean restaurant called Rivlin. Jerusalem, is by far the most amazing place that I've visited. The old city was the starting point for 3 major religions that are constantly in strife for so many reasons that don't need to be mentioned in a food blog. But despite all the conflict, there is harmony within the 3000 year old city, and you will find the intregity of each culture and religion remains intact.

Rivlin is in a pedestrian area and most evenings there are markets, something worth checking out before or after dinner.

****
7 Rivlin St. Jerusalem
Phone:
972-2-624-7979

Kinugawa

2008-04-14T02:21:00.001-07:00

I like the cultural exchange between Japan and France, there are some clear similarities between the two. A bit of convergent evolution- both countries have very similar attitudes towards food and art and what they produce is completely different but reflects the same ethic. Kinugawa is a great Japanese restaurant in the center of Paris, on Rue de Thabor. They have a pretty traditional menu, sushi, tempura, black cod, grilled beef and shabu shabu. Worth going if you want to eat real japanese food.

***1/5

Angelina's tearooms

2008-04-14T02:11:00.001-07:00

This was the most decadent hot chocolate I've ever had, and next time I will be sure to share with a friend. It's basically melted chocolate soup served with cream. Angelina's tearooms is on rue de rivoli, so it's easy to get to when you're exploring Paris. I also ordered smoked salmon with pancakes, and my friend ordered beef tartare, and be warned that the portions are large. They have a great selection of pastries and with it's classic interiors, you feel like you're getting a true parisien experience.

****

Pierre Herme

2008-04-14T01:54:00.000-07:00

New wave macaroons. If Laduree is too traditional, there's Pierre Herme- the new pastry chef who was trained in Japan, and incorporates challenging flavour combinations into his creations. The signature - Ispahan is rose, lychee and raspberry. I also tried a few other flavours, the classic pistachio, olive oil (which had a slice of olive in the center), passion fruit filled with milk chocolate, white truffle and hazelnut and jasmine. Some are also sprinkled with irridescence which makes it more to look at. Be ready to wait in line- we managed to get into the shop just before closing, so I missed seeing all the pastries on display.

Willow tearooms

2008-04-08T05:31:00.000-07:00

Willow tearooms is in the center of glasgow, in an old charles rennie mackintosh building. The afternoon tea is traditional, actually not great compared to what you can get elsewhere. For example, they had cucumber white bread sandwiches and I didn't realise people still ate those. But the frothy hot chocolate with a chocolate flake was delicious.

http://www.willowtearooms.co.uk/

Wooden Table

2008-04-08T05:14:00.000-07:00

This marks one of the few times I've been to fortress hill after living in HK for over 20 years. There's an avenue with big sidewalks and a few restaurants dotted along. If you are in the neighbourhood, or if you live in the area, it's and easy spot and the food is good and priced well.

1/F 180 Electric Road, North Point
(between Fortress Hill and Tin Hau MTR)
Tel.: 2570 3939
***

Spoil

2008-04-08T04:54:00.001-07:00

Spoil cafe is a tiny little spot in the Star Street area in Wan Chai. We went to try out the chiffon cake with honey comb - which came highly recommended. But it turns out there were other signature dishes- the mushroom risotto. Unfortunately the lighting doesn't allow for clear photos. But I have bought a small tripod so hopefully that will help.

G/F, No. 1, Sun Street,
Star Street Precinct, Wanchai,
Hong Kong
(852) 3589 5678
http://www.starstreet.com.hk/eat-drink-be/detail/?id=616
***1/2

Bo Innovation

2008-04-08T04:24:00.001-07:00

Bo Innovation is run by the demon chef (Alvin Leung) and was featured on Anthony Bourdains 'No Reservations'. He is known for his 'extreme cuisine' and when a friend told me about the lobster sorbet, I thought this restaurant must be tried. I only had a chance to eat lunch there, since the dinner degustation menu can run at least $1000 per person. Lunch was a mere $160 for 3 courses so it is worth trying. There is a choice of 2 dim sum to start with, and then a choice of some main courses. I had the duo of chicken- chicken wrapped in lotus leaf, and roast chicken served with a reduction. We also ordered an extra appetizer; some foie gras with miso sauce which was delicious. The dessert was a simple (small) rose/ lychee foam. There are not many places in HK that break so many boundaries with flavours and cooking as in Bo Innovation. I have had mixed reviews on the dinner, which is expensive and some say it is over the top with what it's trying to do with food. But I highly recommend trying the food there, for the experience.

Bo Innovation
Upper Ground Floor
32-38 Ice House Street
Central, HK
Tel: 852-2850-8373
http://www.boinnovation.com/
****

Zinc

2008-02-29T08:03:00.001-08:00

Zinc is a quaint little restaurant in Veerhaven, Rotterdam. The restaurant appears to be a family business, run by the son of the owner of Z&M, another good restaurant located around the corner from Zinc. They use mostly fresh organic ingredients and the results are evident in the quality of the food. As an amuse they served a onion confit soup with thyme and for the appetizer we ordered a beef carpaccio and a salmon carpaccio (pictured). There were also vegetarian options for the dinner set. For the main course I ordered a braised duck leg, served with wilted spinach with an orange sauce (delicious). During the dinner, the waiters serve creamy mashed potatoes - a custom which fits in with the cozy atmosphere. The kitchen is also completely exposed, as are the walls and lamp shades. For dessert, I ordered the ricotta pie with cherries which wasn't too exciting. I did try the amaretto parfait which would've been a better choice.

Zinc
Calandstraat 122
3016 CB Rotterdam
tel 010 43 66 579
****
27.5 euros for dinner (not including wine)

Home cooking

2008-02-29T07:53:00.000-08:00

Since I've started living in Holland I've realised that I've never eaten this much at home for at least 4 years. In Holland, people seem to like staying at home and entertaining at home. I can understand why, since it's so cold outside that I prefer to stay in also. But I also have some new pressure to improve my cooking skills since it's become unfamiliar territory. One of my attempts at cooking was a grilled tuna steak, marinaded with soy sauce and mirin, and served with arugula, tomatoes and cucumber with a matsutake mushroom japanese dressing. Very happy to find that the tuna was from Sri Lanka.

Birthday cupcakes

2008-02-29T07:32:00.000-08:00

Made vanilla cupcakes with matcha (green tea) buttercream frosting for my boyfriends birthday. Both the recipe for the vanilla cupcakes and the matcha frosting were found on the chockylit internet blog. I scoured the internet for recipe ideas and found some delightful cupcake blogs.

Below are some links- there are hundreds but these are my favourites.
chockylit
cupcakes take the cake
cupcake rehab
cuppacakes
crumbs and doilies

Pannekoeken

2008-02-29T06:48:00.000-08:00

After a late night in Nijmegen, nothing seemed more appealing than pannekoeken for Sunday brunch. Pannekoeken are the dutch equivalent of pancakes except much better and possibly one of my favourite things in dutch cuisine. The pannekoeken house that we found served a large selection of savory and sweet items, such as cheese, tomato, apple, syrup, cinnamon, raisins and plain. They also made poffertjes but not on Sundays so we missed out on those.

Each pannekoeken is around 6-7 euros
****

Buffalo Wings!

2008-02-14T02:23:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I crave buffalo wings, a taste for which I acquired after living in the US for over 4 years. While I was there I used to go on pursuits for the best buffalo wings and I found that every shop had a different recipe and every person had a preference. I personally like then drenched in a lot of sauce. There are a few places in HK that serve buffalo wings, Dan Ryans, Union (pictured- they have signature wings which mean they're special), and a few others like archie Bs in Soho.

Union bar and grill
Shop 1009
IFC central
2295 1808
***1/5

Le Gouter

2008-02-14T01:54:00.000-08:00

Hong Kong's answer to the absence of Laduree. Instead we have Le Gouter in IFC. The hot chocolates are divine, available in two varieties, dark chocolate and milk chocolate. They also have an excellent selection of macaroons and tarts.

Le Goûter Bernardaud
Shop 2028-29
2295 3955
***1/5

Rice paper

2008-02-14T01:20:00.001-08:00

Rice paper is a M.A.X concepts restaurant, part of the maxims group- the biggest restaurant empire in HK. Maxims is an old chain, responsible for the cake shops in the MTR stations and traditional chinese restaurants like peking garden, and cityhall. In the past 10 years they've been opening theme restaurants that are far from the original HK dim sum experience. Restaurants like Thai Basil, pearl on the peak, mezz, miso and rice paper have opened under the maxims umbrella. Surprisingly, they serve good food and the restaurant interiors are nicely designed. So the test was to see how well they make vietnamese food. We ordered Pho, which received a nod of approval from the vietnamese people on the table ( all one and a half of them). The rest of the food did not. I enjoyed the soft shell crab roll, and pomelo salad and the beef dish served with rice noodles and vegetables. The food here is slightly commercialised but still tasty, and far better than Song.

Shop P413-418, Podium 4, World Trade Centre,. Causeway Bay
2890 3975
branches in TST and Festival Walk.
***

Mandarin cake shop and clipper lounge

2008-02-14T00:55:00.000-08:00

The best cake shop in HK by far. The cake shop displays it's chocolates, cakes and baked goods as if it were jewelry, lit up and encased in glass. If you work in Central, I recommend going here to pick up a mid week lunch (crab empanada or quiche). Otherwise, it's a great place for birthday cakes (as JILL did for mine) and girly get-togethers. On the same floor is the clipper lounge, renowned for it's afternoon tea set. We enjoyed a three tier tea time delight, complete with scones, rose petal jam and cream. I enjoyed the tea set, although my friends weren't as impressed. Some of the cakes and sandwiches were dry, probably because they had been sitting out for a few hours.

Press Room

2008-02-13T04:14:00.000-08:00

The press room is one of the few places in HK that has brunch food. Press room appears to be modeled around a new england restaurant complete grand high ceilings, chalkboard menu and an oyster and seafood bar. The menu is extensive and includes breakfast staples such as pancakes, waffles and french toast, lunch items like hamburgers, salads, and sandwiches. I have to say, the service here isn't great and the food isn't exhilarating, but unfortunately there are not many sunday brunch options in HK. (Picture above - chicken arugula salad)

***
952 2525 3444
108 Hollywood Road, Central Hong Kong

Le Voyager

2008-02-13T03:42:00.000-08:00

Le Voyager is a charming french restaurant that seats about 20 people in the middle of Soho. This is not fancy french food served by waiters in crisp white shirts and long black aprons. Instead it's run by 2 french men from Brittany. I always feel like I'm getting an authentic french experience, they serve at a relaxed pace, the menu is one page long with a few price changes inserted by means of a bic marker and the receipts are also hand written in french cursive.

My favourite dish is the snails, which is served straight out the oven and drenched in hot garlic butter. They also specialise in mussels which I have never tried. I also like the steak, served with a blue cheese sauce and a delicious cheese gratin. The desserts aren't particularly exciting, just the typical creme brulee (a large portion) and another brittany dessert. If you are still hungry after this, I would probably recommend crossing the road and trying out Sift. The meals at voyager are always concluded with a vodka/ caramel shot, compliments of the owners.

***1/5
G/F, 49 Graham Street, Soho, Hong Kong
2525 2624
$300 per person

South Indian

2008-02-13T03:04:00.000-08:00

South indian food- you know you're in a real city when they sell good south indian food. I discovered this place because my normal south indian fix, Woodlands is undergoing renovations. Branto's is not as clean as Woodlands, but the food and menu are similar. I recommend the thali ( a selection of curries and condiments served with rice and chapati or puri), and the paper masala dosa (a crispy savoury crepe the size of a newspaper with curried potatoes in the center and served with a chilli coconut sauce, and a curry sauce). The menu is vegetarian so a good place to bring those annoying vegetarian or vegan friends.

Branto's
1/FL, 9 Locke Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
2366 8171
under $100 per per person

39A Gough Street

2008-01-23T20:16:00.001-08:00

Thai fusion. The signature dish here is by far the thai beef salad made with a wasabi dressing and no one should leave the restaurant without trying it. Other excellent dishes include the soft shell crab, deep fried with shredding lemon grass, and topped with cashews and chilis. We started our dinner with fish balls with blue cheese filling, and unusual combination but one that worked. We went through several traditional thai curries (red and green), grilled prawns, some vegetables and another beef dish mixed with bread crumbs (not my favourite). If you're a fan of thai food, this place is worth trying since there is some imagination and creativity that has gone into the usual thai menu. The restaurant is run by a lovely lady who always remembers us and helps with recommending dishes.

****1/5
43 Gough street, Noho
2581 3303

Sushi Hiro

2008-01-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

One of the best places for authentic Japanese food. A favourite amongst Japanese people in HK because they serve traditional food. That means they don't serve miso soup with corn. There are 2 floors, one has a sushi bar and is called sushi hiro, and the other has a tempura bar and is called ten yoshi. Both have the same menu but sushi hiro is the preferred spot. The dinner here is usually a bit expensive, can cost around $600 per person but I highly recommend it since the quality of the food is excellent. It's not a pretentious trendy Japanese restaurant like Zuma or wasabisabi instead sushi hiro has traditional charm.

10/F., Henry House, 42 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
2882 8752
****1/5
Lunch set $120 and up.

complete deelite

2008-01-22T22:21:00.000-08:00

after lunch we got cupcakes from complete deelite.

$15 per cupcake.
the pictures speak for themselves.

Baci

2008-01-22T22:11:00.000-08:00

The good thing about being on holiday is that you can take advantage of the lunch specials, essentially the same food but at a cheaper price. The other day I went to baci in Lan Kwai Fong and had the lunch set. This included pumpkin soup, a main (pasta, pizza or fish) and tea and coffee. I ordered a fettucine with pork bolognese and my bf ordered a pizza (pictured), pesto, arugula, ham on a tomato sauce base pizza. The crust is thin and crispy and pretty good.

Baci
2/F
1 Lan Kwai Fong
Central
Tel: (852) 2801 5885