Archive for category Review
Review – Yardbird, Hong Kong
The buzz around town recently has been the opening of this place called Yardbird tucked in a small street off Hollywood Road (behind The Press Room). The chef, Matt Abergel, previously at Zuma Hong Kong takes chicken to a new level. Although we were never huge fans of Zuma, we must say this was impressive. Their specialty is chicken and you can get yakitori with just about any part of the bird that you can imagine. They claim that their birds are fresh from the market every day.
When we tried to book a table, they said that apart from being closed on Sundays, they don’t take reservations. Seems like there are more and more places adopting this in Hong Kong. IMO, I’m not sure that it works here. People are impatient and this favors the patrons either living or working nearby. Nevertheless, we went early and managed to grab a seat downstairs next to the open kitchen. Our whole party had to be present before they could give us a table, so our friend had to wait at the bar on the ground level. The decor was neat and simple, but maybe because of the loft-like high ceilings, everyone’s conversation bounced off the walls left right and center. We almost had to shout to hear ourselves. Maybe we’re just getting old.
Yakitori notables were the Thigh (HK$38/US$4.87), which was very tender; the Oyster (HK$42/US$5.38) – the hip joint, named for its resemblance to an oyster and the Knee (HK$38/US$4.87), the soft bone. But the highlight were the Meatballs (HK$42/US$5.38), which were juicy, soft and tender. It went extremely well with the sweet soy sauce mixed with a delicious raw egg yolk.
Some non-chicken items were also very good. The Sweet Corn Tempura (HK$85/US$10.90) was excellent. Even better than Inagiku. Each individual kernel was crispy and sweet. Yummy. Another interesting dish was called KFC (HK$75/US$9.62), and from a restaurant specializing in chicken, you would think the obvious. But it’s actually Korean fried cauliflower with a hint of kimchi but not too spicy. To get your fiber, the Yardbird Caesar (HK$90/US$11.54) was very unique. An oriental twist to the Caesar salad, with deep fried anchovies and miso sauce.
Although stuffed, we still couldn’t resist the fragrant Chicken and Egg Rice (HK$128/US$16.41) with crispy skin and peas. And of course there’s dessert…Peanut Butter Ice Cream (HK$40/US$5.13), not really our cup of tea though. It’s kind of like foie gras ice cream, you either love it or hate it.
Overall, Matt has done a great job and we would certainly be back for more. There are still parts of the chicken that we haven’t tried yet.
– 18/20
Yardbird
33-35 Bridges St.
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
T: +852 2547 9273
E: info@yardbirdrestaurant.com
W: www.yardbirdrestaurant.com
Hours: 6pm till late | closed on Sundays
110913 Yardbird - Main entrance
110913 Yardbird - Table setting
110913 Yardbird - Matt Abergel
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Review – Ms B’s CAKERY, Hong Kong
Following the success of SEVVA, Bonnie Gokson recently opened Ms B’s CAKERY and their Crêpe Suzette Cake immediately caught our attention. Ordering was a bit cumbersome as we had to download a form and fax it back to them. However, their staff followed up first thing in the morning and ensured that the order was received. An online form would have been a better user experience.
We picked up our order at the prescribed time and the packaging was very chic as expected. Seemed like something you would walk out with from a boutique. The multi-layered cake was very nice, not too sweet and certainly had all the flavors of a Crêpe Suzette. The candied orange rind that topped the cake also added some zest if needed.
Now to explore the other goodies on their site…
– 18/20
Ms B’s CAKERY
39 Gough Street
Central, Hong Kong
T: +852 2815 8303
E: info@msbscakery.hk
W: www.msbscakery.hk
CLOSED ON SUNDAYS From 2nd Oct 2011, open all day Sundays.
110701 Ms B's CAKERY - Chic packaging
110701 Ms B's CAKERY - Crêpe Suzette Cake
110701 Ms B's CAKERY - Crêpe Suzette Cake
Review – Fa Zu Jie (法租界), Hong Kong
This must be the most obscure building in town. C, having worked in the Lan Kwai Fong (Hong Kong) area for more than 13 years had no idea this place existed. Even if you did know, the dark alley off the beaten track might make you think twice. But, as their owners insist, the surprise when you reach the restaurant is very rewarding. And we agree. Click here for a link to Google Maps to see their exact location.
Opened for just three months, the chef, Paul, was from an advertising background but loved cooking from a very young age. He aims to introduce French methods (his training) with traditional Shanghainese ingredients (his heritage). The other partners, Joe (also in advertising), contributed to the design elements of the restaurant and Chris, an ex-banker, served as the maître d.
Entering the establishment will wow you in its simple and clean design. A huge contrast to the dark alley entrance to the old building. With a maximum capacity of only 26, there are three tables in the main dining area that surrounds the centerpiece of the restaurant – the open kitchen. This gave Paul the opportunity to interact with us between courses, a nice personal touch. At the back, the owners enclosed the back courtyard area with a glass roof to provide a larger more private dining area. An adjacent outdoor area is a great place to lounge out before or after dinner. After touring the restaurant, we were given some old books… What??? To read??? Actually, the fixed menu (HK$538/US$69 per person, minimum of four) was hidden inside each book. A very unique presentation until they found out that they have to change the menu every month! The name for each dish was also very creative, often having left us to guess what we were to have next.
Our first course started with “Spring. Snow. Dutch Yellow.”, which translates to bamboo shoots with Hollandaise sauce and deep fried capers. The bamboo shoots were very soft and it felt like eating asparagus…very nice. The next course, “Treasure. Hundreds of them.” had nine ingredients finely chopped and arranged on top of a braised carrot. The fun was to guess all the nine ingredients for a round of Coke on the house. Unfortunately we couldn’t get the last two…Now we won’t give it away so don’t expect us to disclose it here. “Miss Quail. Mr. Sanuki. Wax Apple. Woflberry. All are Half Drunk.” was like drunken chicken, except that the larger quail from Australia was used instead. Cooked with eight year old aged Hua Diao rice wine (花雕) and served cold on a bed of Japanese Sanuki udon. Very good. The quail was cooked just right, keeping it juicy and very tender. The udon was nice and chewy, just how we like it. All half drunk as the menu described 
“North Atlantic Wild Scallop. Melting Ma Lan Tao. Shrimp Roe Oil.” was one of the easier to decipher items on the menu. The plump juicy scallops sat on a bed of mashed potatoes mixed with Kalimeris (ma lan tao/馬蘭頭)…a nice combination. “Diana Spicy Slow-cooked Beef. Wonton.” was also very tender. Diana is a friend of Paul’s and making subtle tweaks to her original recipe was a great success. The wontons were stuffed with pumpkin and onions to complement the pungent sauce.
We bought a bottle of 2000 Pichon Baron as they do not charge for corkage. However, they do offer a small selection of French biodynamic wines which are reasonably priced. The dinner concluded with a “Panna Cotta. Oriental Touch.” and for HK$50/US$6.40 extra, we tried their siphoned coffee to round off the evening.
We will be back to see how their creative minds tempt our taste buds with the new menu next month. And bring your cash as they do not take credit cards yet.
– 17.5/20
Fa Zu Jie (法租界)
1st Floor, 20A D’Aguilar Street
Central, Hong Kong
View location in Google Maps
T: +852 3487 1715
CASH ONLY
110420 Fa Zu Jie (法租界) - Entrance off D'Aguilar St.
110420 Fa Zu Jie (法租界) - Go through a dark alley
110420 Fa Zu Jie (法租界) - Walk up to the 1st floor
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Review – Bouchon Bistro Français, Hong Kong
In typical Hong Kong fashion, a slew of French bistros are recently popping up around town. First there was Chez Patrick Deli. This time, we went to Soho (Hong Kong) to try Bouchon Bistro Français. Not to be confused with Bouchon in Napa Valley by Thomas Keller. Opened for just 1½ months, the place was packed, even at 8:45pm…true Parisian style.
The ambiance gained full marks. Tight small tables all packed together intimately in typical bistro fashion. The buzz from the crowd also made you feel even more like you were in Paris. Unfortunately, the food was a bit disappointing.
We ordered the traditional bistro fare – escargots (½ dozen HK$78/US$10), steak tartar (230g HK$248/US$32) and steamed mussels (1kg HK$298/US$38). These dishes are the ultimate benchmarks for testing bistro food as pizza Margherita is for Italian cuisine. For the escargots, the garlic and herbed butter sauce was a tad on the bland side and that the snails seemed to be just added at the last minute didn’t help. They were tasteless and didn’t have enough time to soak up the flavors. However, dipping the warm, freshly baked bread into the butter was perfect. C had the mussels which was even more bland…maybe we’re getting old? Come on, don’t skimp on the garlic! The mussels were also pretty dry and hard. The steak tartar tasted OK, but it could have been a bit spicier though. We miss those restaurants where they mix it right in front of you. Of course it would be impossible in this small bistro, but shouldn’t they have asked our preferences first? And the beef was cut too thick and a bit tough. We did enjoy a nice bottle of 2004 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which seems to rightfully enjoy a strong presence in the local bistro scene.
Dessert fared better though. Their apple tatin tart (HK$68/US$9) was very nice. Although the generous portion of apples slightly overwhelmed the thin crust, it nevertheless was one of the better ones in town. C’s petit plateau (3 kinds) of fromages (HK$178/US$23) was not bad and she was happy that they had Livarot.
We later realized that they had just replaced the old chef with a new one who arrived just a few days ago. A second chef in 1½ months??? Despite the somewhat negative comments about the food, the ambiance got us and we still have high expectations for them. We hope that their teething problems will be sorted out very soon and will definitely give them another try in a few weeks.
– 19/20 ambiance
– 15/20 food
Bouchon Bistro Français
49 Elgin Street
Soho, Central
T: +852 2525 9300
W: www.diningconcepts.com.hk/bouchon
110419 Bouchon Bistro Français - Intimate ambiance
110419 Bouchon Bistro Français - Parisian decor
110419 Bouchon Bistro Français - Table mat
World’s Highest Hotel – The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong
We were invited to visit the Club Lounge of the spanking new Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong for afternoon tea. When we arrived at the ground level entrance of the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in West Kowloon, there must have been more than 20 people lining up just to get in. But with typical Ritz hospitality, free drinks were served to those in line. Luckily we were taken straight up to the 103rd floor to the hotel’s Reception Lobby and avoided the wait. The restaurants are located one floor below and we will be sure to come back and try the Italian, Tosca, very soon.
We were then quickly whisked up to the 116th floor, straight to the Club Lounge. On the center counter were some cheese, spoon sized appetizers and desserts to nibble on. There were also scones, oh yes, of course scones. We were seated at the Library Room, a comfortable and cozy environment perfect for a lazy relaxing afternoon. Great views of Stonecutters Island, Tsing Yi and Lantau Island in the distance. Numerous barges and ships dotted the busy Victoria Harbour shimmering under the late afternoon sun from the west. On the other end of the lounge, the Meeting Room presented stunning views of Hong Kong Island in a more formal setting.
A guided tour of the hotel took us to the Spa by ESPA on the same level, which had a HK$500,000/US$64,100 ‘organic’ art piece illuminating the reception area. We peeked inside one of the two couples’ suites and not only did it have its own shower and jacuzzi, there was a resting area with spectacular harbor views. Maybe we’ll spend our afternoon here next time instead. The swimming pool not only is the world’s highest, but has a huge video wall and ceiling allowing them to change the scenery or mood to suit any occasion. Pretty cool. We also visited the Junior and Premier Executive Suites. As expected, the views were spectacular and all corner rooms come with a telescope for guests to check out the city in more detail. Last but not least, we had to check out the highest bar in the world – OZONE. Serving Asian tapas and Japanese specialties on the 118th floors, this is also on our must-visit list.
A nice welcome return to the luxury hotel scene in Hong Kong since its departure in 2008. And with so many facilities to try, maybe the most effective way is to book a room and stay for a weekend
The Ritz-Carlton
International Commerce Centre
1 Austin Road West
Kowloon, Hong Kong
T: +852 2263 2263
W: www.ritzcarlton.com
110405 The Ritz Carlton - Signage on street level
110405 The Ritz Carlton - Floors 102 to 118 in ICC
110405 The Ritz Carlton - Reception Lobby on 103/F
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