Monday, August 28, 2006

Bon Appetit

Venue: Style very much alike to my living room. Dim lighting with a lot of cloths (similar to Le Blanc) hanging here & there. Not exactly the same as what u c in their website. Private room avail.

Dishes :

- http://www.bonappetit.com.hk/menub.php
- Pumpkin Tomato Soup: cold soup (mainly strawberry sauce with some other thing) in a cold peeled tomato served with hot pumpkin soup. Pretty interesting. <3.5>
- Goose liver
- Parma ham <2,>
- Mussel baked with garlic <3.5,>
- Duck with red wine sauce
- Fried half chicken in white cream sauce <3.5,>
- Angel hair with escargot in white cream sauce <3,>
- Dessert: 'Flaming Snow Mountain' <2>
- Rose Tea <3.5,>

Other info:
- no charge on water; rose tea unlimited refilled
- cash only
- only 3 garlic bread served for 2. They cud serve at least four for 2 persons right? Chez Moi is much better in this regard. They serve a small basket fully loaded with well prepared garlic bread !
- Sue (the waitress) is very friendly & 'talkative' (in the good sense).
Expenses: $320 per head

Conclusion: A good choice with enuff quantity without spending too much. If you look for very 'gwai lo' style, that is not the one. In a way it is quite HK style. If u wanna impress someone without spending too much, this is the one. Given the money spent, it will be very harsh to request better quality food.

Click to see

Xi Yan

I finally went to prestiguous private kitchen Xi Yan. A minimum of six mainly serves Chinese fusion. Each pays $360. The food itself is not expensive but the main emphasis is on the sauce & the way they prepare. The portion is more than enuff.
AL Ranking: 4/5
Dishes Tried:
Appetizers:
- Peeled Tomato
- Spring Sprout
- White Carrot
Main:
- Si Chuan Beef Stew
- 'Saliva' Chicken
- 'Dou Mei' boiled with rice sauce
- Soup
- 'Silver Snow' fish with steamed sticky rice & 'dou si'
- Fried pork
Some other info:
- Seafood menu served also which charges around $500 each
- Drinks has to be ordered separately at additional cost. Chinese tea $15 each.
- The speed of serving is quite efficient.
- Clean, sufficient space with nice simple decoration
- Hygience washroom
- Minimum Six

Click to see

One/F Oyster Restaurant

銅鑼灣摩頓台5號百富中心一樓

Dishes Tried:
Veal with Tuna Source: so so
3 Franklin Bay + 3 Tasminia Oysters: Fresh.... $18 each.... good deal..... Around 6 choices of oysters to choose..... NO BELON..... sori~~~~
Duck Liver Risotto: My frd said it was nice
Clams with Luiguine: $118... small portion.... too "watery" ... I wud rather pay $88 in Al Dente for its vongole
AL Ranking: Pass. There is nothing really wrong with this one but there are things in life that you just dont feel right. Example 1: we were greeted with 2 toasts (one with baked tomato & one with fried mushroom) as pre-appetizer. They tasted ok but they were served with a big A la carte plate. Isnt it weird? Cant they be served with a smaller plate for God sake? Example 2: we had the olive oil bottle on our table but we were never served with bread further after the toasts. Example 3: In ordering, I wanna try the shells. The order is for 4 shells. Since I ordered 6 oysters, i asked if I can have half portion. The waiter said no. Well well... it's ok.... After the oysters, i found I want more & decided to order the shells. The waiter asked me if I wanted the cold ones or the hot ones. I confimed to have the cold ones but instead they get me the hot ones. The waiter asked me if I would like to give a try in a non stop fashion & my reply was the same for 3 times in a row - no, no & no. The waiter also told me this was the last order (I guess to persuade me to go for it, a trick or a tactics) & my reply was still a no.
Conclusion: Not a particularly pleasant dining experience & this is not a real Italian restaurant. Spent $500 for 2 & didnt have dessert & tea ~~~~~~ Wud i go again? The answer

Click to see

食肆分類 (2)

一試無妨:


- La Fleur : 蘑菰湯有水準,其他一般。兩位是夜消費五百 (沒喝酒)。
- Cafe de Paris : 很有法國 feel,因為餐桌距離
擁。青口不俗,需要訂位。
- CRU (Soho) : 夠碟頭,味道一般。早餐不錯但食齊吟多樣就好貴。
- 囍宴 : 三五百蚊位食 D 高手烹調
價但價錢平的食物,值唔值就真係見人見致。雖然預約咗,但唔係熟客就要預俾人放飛機。


可以再去:

- Chez Moi (CWB) : 鵝肝烹調得宜,但勿叫牛排,除非你有朱咪咪嘅牙力! Garlic Bread 有心機整,見微之處如此,必屬佳品!


彫,勿去!

- Frying Pan : 全天候早餐 concept 好但出品差,澳洲牛奶公司好食好多!

- Tao Coffee & Juice (Sogo) : 結賬時,我同賓藉伙記講這是我有生以來喝過最難喝的一杯咖啡。他回應說 : 「$127,please.」


冇特別,可去可唔去:

- Le Blanc : 裝修似小弟家,我煮得好食過佢。

- Bon Apetite : 二流享受,不去也吧!

Monday, August 21, 2006

Bangkok

Pls refer to
the 5-min hand-draw map for your reference:

 

1.  Cheap Hainan Chicken Rice (Patunam area, on the far left of the map):
you can have late nite snack, hainan chicken rice and other Thai "Dai pai dong"
stuffs. 
 
2.  The cafe inside Montien Hotel (right across from
Patpong the strip bar street): good hainan chicken rice set
 
3.  Crepe and
Co.: a brunch place, with crepe, waffle and all kinds of breakfast and
nonbreakfast stuffs, nice tropical hangout but no good for raining days;  very
packed on weekend..
(http://www.crepes.co.th/)
 
4. Sonnie: relaxing in the
afternoon, Maki lunch, Sushi pizza, OH MY GOD ROLL, King’s roll, Queen’s
roll.
5.  Kuppa: cheese cake
6.  Montien Hotel on Surawong (right across
from Patpong): higher class Hai Nan Chicken Rice
7. Thipara (Peninsula Hotel): good Thai food
8. Bann Khanita (traditional, well known to
hk tourists, 2 branches):
> > A.
Sathorn, close to Saphan Taksin BTS, ferry from peninsula;
> > B. Sukhumvit Soi 23.
9. Gallery Cafe: heard its pretty good and not expensive,
it has a spa too i heard.  u can take ferry from Peninsula to Royal Riverview
Sheraton and it should be walking distance.  have conceirge to verifiy
address.
10. Soi Texas
Town ("yau-wa-lat")>: Seafood, sharkfins, bird nest, etc.

11. 泰國素拉翁傑魚翅餐廳 (Surawong Road, parallel to
Silom Road): famous as HK stars like to go there. Closest BTS station would be
Chong Nonsi station and though walking distance, recommend taking taxi unless u
have map.  Get detail info from Conceirge.  a bit more expensive then the
regular in Chinatown but well worth it.  much better taste.  recommend the
cheaper price shark fins, abalone on rice and goose webs with/without noodles.
dont serve bird nest here though.
地址:294/3-4 Surawong Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
電話:(66) 2236 1747, (66) 2236 7716
營業時間:10:30 - 22:30
12. Le Pre Grill (Western):
3-course lunch for 260 baht
73/2
Lang Suan Soi 4, Bangkok
(66) 2-253
5919
Close on Sundays
10-15 min walk from central chidlom.  very cheap lunch.
better than going to eat at the Food Loft on top of Central Chidlom.
13. Auberge DAB (French)
G/Floor, Mercury Tower
540 Ploenchit Road,
Pathumwan,
Bangkok 10330
Tel: (66-2) 658-6222-3,
Fax: 658-7892
(Right across from Central
Chidlom (shopping mall), a french restaurant, exp dinner, but very cheap
3-course lunch set.  think a lunch set there should be around THB 300-400.  its
famous for its truffle soup, which is like THB350 each, served in an expresso
cup.  the truffle soup costs as much as the 3-course lunch set.)
After dinner:
Night Bazaar: Wireless Road (corner of Wirless Road and
Rama IV).  hard to miss as it currently has a big ferry wheel there.
Millenium Hilton: 5-10min taxi ride from
Peninsula.  go top floor to threeSixty for drinks, better than sirocco in my
opinion, esp when raining.  if u go early, check out the pool called "the beach"
on 4(?) floor and the lounge outside ground floor restaurant, which overlook the
chaophraya river.  nice view.  u can still check it out at nite to feel the
decor.
Sirocco: good to go up and
see what it is.  the best part is the first step outside before u walk down the
stairs to the open bar.  thats about it.  should go if never been there.  but
remember, u dont really have to drink if u dont feel like, no one knows… i
always take ppl up there, feel the atmosphere, see the view, walk around the
open bar, take pix and then walk back out after a while… no one know if u
drink or not, thats the best part.  and drinks or not, its your choice, but DONT
EVER EAT THERE!  if u really want to eat, go upstairs and eat at Mezza Luna, its
expensive but its more worth it.  like all majore western restaurants, lunches
are always much better deal than dinners.
Sonnie, Playground, Soi Thonglor: (not far away from Emporium.  get off
Thonglor BTS station and take taxi there.  if taxi driver doesnt know where
Playground is, tell them Volkswagen on Thonglor, its across from it.) this is
one of my favorite place.  it serves maki (rolls).  I love this place, there is
this Cafe Kuppa next to it, and u can order its thick crust cheesecake and have
them deliver to Sonnie if u want.  or you can simply walk over after meal and
have another round of thai spaghette or fancy thai dishes there before dessert.
my favorite dish at Sonnie: Sushi Pizza, Oh my god don, their japanese styled
spaghetti like at Te in Central.
Playground is a hip building that has cute things though u might find
those things in HK, like Dmop stuffs and loft cute gifts, books and magazines
etc.  but the big big bean bags in the middle of the building can be fun.
Sonnie cafe: across from Emporium if u shop
there.  just walk across the road using the BTS station on 2nd floor of emporium
and walk down the stairs on the right hand side on the other side of the road
and find Sukhumvit 39.  it should be the first small street on your left and
Sonnie should be like 3-5 min walking distance on your left hand side.
(02.2608386).  its the original one, but REMEMBER:  they serve lunch strictly
between 1130-1400.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

荔灣艇仔粥之憶 - 王亭之

荔灣艇仔粥之憶 - 王亭之

天時暑熱,不禁想起廣州荔枝灣的艇仔粥。賣粥的艇插一枝黃旗,十分醒目,以便遊艇上的客人叫船娘呼喚。
那些粥艇獨沽一味,賣艇仔粥就艇仔粥,連油條都不賣,所以遊艇上的船娘叫買十分方便。「蝦記,五碗」,簡單清趣利落,永不出錯。她們都相熟,憑叫聲就知道是帶金的艇,抑或是帶娣的艇叫買,粥艇穿梭送粥,碗碗新鮮熱剌。
正宗的艇仔粥,用魚骨熬粥,乘熱入碗,灼熟生魚片與鮮蝦仁,至於魷魚鬚則事前已經灼熟,加上已熟的炸豬皮(名為 「浮皮」)、叉燒片、海哲絲、蔥絲、芫茜,再臨時加上一大把炸花生,攪一攪,讓作料與粥混和,然後再加一匙羹炸香的蝦子,那種滋味,如今只能在夢裏尋求, 因為即使在香港避風塘,也吃不到如斯鮮美甘香的製作。
這樣的艇仔粥,有咬口,而口感則款款不同。吃叉燒與魷魚鬚時,帶韌;吃海蜇絲與炸花生時,帶脆;吃浮皮與魚片時,帶爽,都沾上炒蝦子的鮮香,吃時十分佩服其選料配搭的匠心。
艇仔粥很難家庭製作,光是熬魚骨粥已經無法可比,因為斷没有他們那麼多的魚骨,所以王亭之未吃此粥已四十餘年,比「余致力」還久。
加拿大多倫多星島日報
2006年7月12日


Wednesday, July 12, 2006

闊佬炒飯- 王亭之

王亭之前來溫哥華小住,人請王亭之飲茶,去一家三層樓金碧輝煌的酒家,叫一碟名為「闊佬炒飯」的瑤柱蛋白炒飯。飯來,灰白色,王亭之心知,此即起鑊用油既少,又不勤於洗鑊之過,見其色不由作悶,於是悄悄起座,溜出去吃粥。

今時今日,王亭之於飲食已甚不合時宜。既稱甜品而不甜,既稱為炒而無油,都為王亭之所厭,是故除熟店外,不敢光顧。

其實,「闊佬炒飯」即是香港人「保健」的先河,怕蛋黃有膽固醇,是故唯用蛋白,但又要賣錢,便加一些瑤柱絲。如此設計,十分不合飲食文化,瑤柱帶韌,豈能用來炒飯?若為了炒飯而將瑤柱久久浸泡,則瑤柱已少鮮味,倒不如光用蛋白來炒,加一小撮炸香的甫魚絲,反而冶味。

當年在香港陸羽飲下午茶的闊佬,喜歡吃甫魚淨麵,除甫魚絲外,還有十粒八粒小魚泡,走過油,吃時香脆,抑且魚泡有滋陰之效,這才可稱為闊佬的飲食,此豈「闊佬炒飯」所可比者耶。

不過有闊佬吃過王亭之的「膽固醇炒飯」,用龍蝦膏、蝦子、蟹子、鹹蛋黃、膶腸來炒,吃過大為讚賞,說言:「亭之,此始為真正的闊佬炒飯!」

加拿大多倫多星島日報

2006年7月11日