Inaniwa Udon Nabe

Date of visit: 13^th September 2010

Inaniwa Udon Nabe @ Elements

For a family dinner I picked this restaurant as Elements is accessible and is one of the better restaurants in Elements. It was a Monday and we were seated in one of the rooms for more privacy (not that we needed it, we were only five!).

menu

soy milk hot pot set ($160x2)

left: cabbage, assorted fungus and...

soup base... 

hot pot set is listed on the menu as $160 per person but since minimum order is two, the minimum charge is $320.  came with a plate of assorted vegetables and a plate of assorted seafood/meats. we also decided to add another plate of seafood ($95), cabbage ($15) and shimeji mushroom ($12) 

the soup base of soy milk was milky white and wasn't pure soy as I imagined it might be. There's definitely some dashi in there since it had the 'umami' taste - pretty enjoyable. 

the plates that came with the set included Japanese sliced pork loin, clams, salmon, and in the bamboo stick is some minced chicken, which you slide cuts of into the boiling pot. 

the other plate had cabbage, Japanese bean curd skin, black fungus, fresh and enoki mushrooms. 

the plate of extra seafood (not photographed) had two large prawns, scallops, salmon and some shellfish.

as the broth got evaporated or divided into bowls the waiters refilled the pot with stock. ingredients on the whole were fresh, particularly memorable were the broth, minced chicken and the slippery smooth bean curd skin (really different in texture to ones we get locally), as well as the large prawns. 7.5/10

Inaniwa udon in hot soup with Hokkaido crab meat ($108)
the broth is very thick, so we were warned. come to think of it, it may have been the enoki mushrooms that made the broth become so viscous, rather than some form of starch being added. i like thin and slightly thickened soups so I quite liked this. There wasn't much crab meat to justify the extra $4x, but price aside the noodles were really good - thin, slippery and slightly chewy - my favourite! 7.5/10

Inaniwa Udon in Tomato and Pork Bone Broth with Japanese Pork ($108)

The udon noodles were again good, though I didn't care for this broth. I was expecting something heartier but all this was was sour tomatoes and sliced pork in a broth which tasted very pedestrian. for me the noodles didn't match the broth at all. (ps. very subjective, because dad clearly liked this bowl of noodles better than the crab meat one above). 5/10

Inaniwa Udon in Hot Soup with Prawn Tempura ($108)
This would probably be my favourite style of serving these udon noodles - in a very simple Japanese shoyu-based stock. I know that the best way to enjoy these noodles are probably having them served cold and you dip them in the sauce/broth, but I much prefer hot soup noodles, so provided you don't let the noodles sit so long in the broth, the texture of the udon remains intact (read: eat quickly!). the tempura shrimps were crunchy, but then again they were quite small and I'm not sure whether it justifies $48... I loved these noodles so much I just might have to go back soon and be open-minded about trying their cold varieties! 8.5/10

Homemade Squid cake ($65)

a must order - i don't think i've had anything like this before, and these slices of squid cake were bouncy and had tiny bits of squid meat for a variation of texture. seasoned very well too, so no sauce was needed. 8/10

Cheese Rice Cake ($48) 

these cute little rounds of mochi had a molten cheese centre, and were crispy on the outside, whilst the mochi layer was hot and only slightly chewy, the cheese melted easily in the mouth. they were fried really well to achieve the crispy exterior minus the oily/greasy taste. after a plate we decided we needed another one too =P 8.5/10

Cross section of the cheese mochi...

if i remember correctly everything was polished off! we all really enjoyed this meal.... i wonder when my next visit will be?

Food: ♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥
Price: $$$ (about $200 per head)
Inaniwa Udon Nabe Japanese Restaurant
Shop 2004, Elements,
Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2196 8989

Sang Kee

Date of visit: 13^th September

Sang Kee Congee @ Sheung Wan

I woke up with a craving for something soupy...and thought of Sang Kee. I dragged my poor brother out with me to Sheung Wan, promising him some good congee (though I had never been). After getting slightly lost in the unfamiliar streets I finally found Sang Kee (there are a few branches around the same area, but each specialise in something different e.g. rice vermicelli or beef brisket). Sang Kee Congee was small and full at 11am, but we were just arriving as some were leaving, and were seated amongst other grandpas and grandmas quietly slurping their huge bowls of congee....and we knew we had arrived somewhere special.

shredded pork and century egg congee $25 (large)

a piece of century egg... 

Lean pork and century egg is a common and popular combination, and Sang Kee's made for the best version I've had (which I can remember). the consistency of the congee was perfect - thin and rice is cooked to the point of being only tiny particles left. I couldn't detect the use of cornstarch or other thickeners either. The ingredients gave the plain congee flavour, and it was slightly salted so it was really enjoyable on its own. 

fish belly and sliced fish congee (yu-lam and yu-wun) $32 (large)

There was plenty of fish belly (i.e. fish attached to bones) in this big bowl of congee, which was much plainer and loaded with spring onions in comparison to the lean pork-and-century-egg-combination above. The fish itself, being white, does not impart much flavour to the congee so the bowl of soy sauce is there for diners to dip the fish for more 'taste'. The consistency of the congee is the same as above - thin, with the rice 'broken'. 

From the two the pork and century egg definitely outshone the fish belly/sliced fish congee, though both are indeed different and had equally good congee base. 

pan-fried fish (dace) cakes $10 

These pan-fried fish cakes were a disappointment (at least, on my visit any way), and don't think I would order them again on a next visit. Fish cakes itself were soft and all I could taste was oil.... i.e. the fish cakes were a sponge which absorbed way too much oil! (ps. should have ordered those fried dough sticks/crullers instead!)

Fish cakes aside Sang Kee definitely did not disappoint and those huge bowls of congee provided a filling and comforting breakfast. 

Food: ♥♥♥♥

Service: ♥♥

Price: $

Sang Kee Congee 

G/F, 7-9 Burd Street, Sheung Wan

Tel: +852 2541 1099

Naozen

Date of visit: 6^th September

Naozen @ Lan Kwai Fong

D really likes Japanese food, so I suggested we try out Naozen for lunch. We went at 2pm, and were promptly seated at the sushi counter/bar. We were given the menu, and soon decided on the grilled fish and sashimi lunch ($190), and the grilled beef with teriyaki sauce lunch ($160). 

lunch menu

appetizer (cold)

dried tofu, bak choy, dashi

salad

cherry tomatoes, shredded cabbage, carrots, house dressing

soup

miso, dried tofu, seaweed

balanced and not too salty, Naozen's incorporated dried tofu rather than the normal chopped silken tofu. 

steamed egg

shrimp, crab meat, ginko nut, spring onion

despite the air bubbles on top, this chawanmushi was silky smooth and very tasty - umami indeed!

sashimi

yellow tail, lean tuna, sweet shrimp, snapper

 cuts were fairly small. one of the slices of akami (lean tuna, left) was really veiny... but sweet shrimp + hamachi were sweet and reasonably good.

grilled fish

miso-grilled cod, rice, pickles

aside from cod, one can choose salmon, mackerel or pacific saury as the grilled fish main, but the cod was buttery-smooth and cooked to perfection. the rice was also very well executed japanese pearl rice grains - sticky and plump!

beef teriyaki course

steak with mustard on side, rice, miso soup, pickles

steak is cooked to alsmost well-done in most japanese restaurants - why don't they ask the customer what they want first?? anyway, it was not as tender as a result. rice was same as the set above. 

dessert
sliced orange
sweet, fresh and cold - couldn't ask for more =)


All in all Naozen provided a quality and delicious filling lunch. Shall return soon (hopefully)!

Food: ♥♥♥♥

Service: ♥♥ (If only the single waiter didn't run around the restaurant!)

Price: $$$

Naozen

G/F, 21-25 Wellington Street, Lan Kwai Fong

Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2877 6668

Green Waffle Diner II

Date: 4th September 2010

Green Waffle Diner @ Soho

This is my third time here, but I didn't mind at all. My previous two visits were good enough to warrant another visit, and this time I brought three hungry dining companions! 

"steak and egg hash skillet" ($8x)

mushroom, onions, peppers, potatoes, chopped medium well steak and a poached egg

there was quite a lot of steak cubes in this. my friend proceeded to down the entire thing as well. 

"country skillet with sausage" ($7x)

peppers, onions, potato cubes, tomatoes, chopped sausage and two poached eggs

definitely for potato-lovers. not a lot of sausage, so a fairly meatless dish. the poached eggs cooked perfectly and the onions + peppers were sweet and tender. seasoned very well as a whole, yumm..

"Pit beef sandwich" ($68)

salad, fries, roast beef and cheese sandwiched between a burger bun

this was my order. the salad was not fresh at all- tip of the leaves were greying and didn't have the usual brightness in fresh mesclun mix. beef sandwich wasn't huge (size of a double cheeseburger from HK Mc.D's) but actually really filling, the beef was surprisingly moist and perhaps even 'juicy'. the cheese sauce could have been better, perhaps using a deli swiss cheese? the bun could also be lighter - it was small and dense. 

"chicken and waffles" ($70)
probably my favourite of the four savoury dishes we ordered today. chicken drumsticks were cooked so well! tender chicken meat on inside and crispy crunchy brown coating....lovely! waffle was an original flavour, light and crisp like how it should be. 

"bananas foster waffle" ($52) 

original waffle, dollop of cream, choice of chocolate ice cream,  chocolate sauce, sliced banana, cinnamon, golden syrup 

this was a champion combination - the three of us love cinnamon so this dessert was naturally a winner for us. waffle was crisp and light as always, chocolate ice cream was not bad (we could've chosen movenpick), and the bananas were tender and sweetened by the syrup and cinnamon. my only complaint would be the presentation of the bananas, and perhaps real whipped cream would've went better with the waffles (like the really light cream in cafe causette!). otherwise, a must-order if you love cinnamon! 

also worth mentioning were the fact that the unfriendly waitresses last time were not present this day, and instead there were two friendly waiters. however, they failed to serve water again...until we asked and even gave us hot water because they ran out of cold!

Food: ♥♥♥1/2 

Service: ♥♥♥

Price: $$

Green Waffle Diner

Shop 3 G/F Kar Ho Building, 35-39 Graham St, Soho

Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2887-9991

♥ Robuchon

Date: 19th September 2010 

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon @ Landmark  

In celebration of an early birthday, I chose Robuchon for our family lunch. We were seated at the centre of the bar, so I had a full view of the chefs working the lunch hour =) 

 Whilst mum and dad chose the three-course lunch set, the tasting menu was calling out to me... 

bread basket, one of these between two.

brioche was my favourite, and the bacon bits-studded roll came in second. 

l'amuse bouche - "bacon royale" 

bacon mousse, some brown bacon sauce, bacon foam and a toast with bacon fat on the tip. 

sinful but every bite was worth it! 

mum's starter of "l'encornet"

sautéed calamari with eggplant caviar, vanilla and tomato sauce

egg plant was soft and luscious, calamari was slightly chewy and seasoned very well

dad's starter of "le saumon"

marinated salmon with truffle oil, "Ratte" potato vinaigrette and curry tacos

didn't get to try this as dad gobbled it very quickly! 

first dish from tasting menu - "le caviar osciètre"

caviar, lobster jelly, crab meat on bottom.

this was one of my favourites, from the presentation to the textures and flavours of this dish.

second dish -"la langoustine"

crispy langoustine papillote with basil sauce

this dish was a kind replacement of the foie gras which I am against eating, and this simple langoustine (mini lobster if you will) wrapped in thin filo and deep fried was so good, easily another one of my favourites. the langoustine was so fresh and had so much of its natural crustacean flavours retained that I don't think I've ever had it this good....!

third dish -"l'oursin"

sea urchin jelly/cream on bottom, three pieces of sea urchin topped with edible gold, wasabi emulsion

to be honest I have never really loved sea urchin, but this dish was pretty awesome. the cream/jelly on the bottom carried a light sea urchin flavour, topped with the really fresh sea urchin and the emulsion which was had a hint of wasabi only, never too pungent.

fourth dish -"le homard"

maine lobster, carmelized cauliflower puree, tamarind cream sauce

lobster was fresh and juicy, but incomparable to the langoustine above, the cauliflower puree was light and smooth, and  went well with the tamarind scented sauce. 

fifth dish -"le bar"

salmon roe sitting on a piece of sea bass in a pool of herb sauce. 

the sea bass skin would've been better if crispy, but the whole thing was definitely good eaten together. the fillet was slightly over-cooked, but the caviar and herb sauce rescued the dish: I love herbs so naturally I loved the sauce, and the salmon roe bursting in the mouth with the sea bass provided the lean fish with some moisture.... my brother thought it was pretty epic when all three components were eaten together!

sixth dish -"la piece de boeuf"

japanese beef seared to medium with its natural jus.

very simple, but the fatty beef was not tender enough for me despite being bloody in the centre . this was my least favourite savoury dish! 

the beef came with a side of fried potatoes was surprisingly good, even for non-potato-eaters like my brother and I. these were fried in butter and coated with salt and herbs which made them flavourful, juicy, and most importantly were cooked till tender. 

mom's main - "le pigeonneau"

roasted bresse pigeon, turnip rounds with shredded turnip, crunchy peanuts and honey-orange sauce. 

The pigeon is not well-done, so if you don't want it red you must tell the waiters first. the meat was wonderfully tender, only slightly gamey in a good way. turnips were well-cooked and tasty too. Ma loved this! 

dad's main - "le bar" 

seared seabass, caramelized shallots, red wine vinegar sauce 

this time I remembered to ask dad for a bite, and the skin was wonderfully crispy (my sea bass should have been like this!) and the fish was cooked perfectly, so it was tender. The sauce was slightly sour and was sooo yummy with the shallots and fish -  I really do love vinegar... 

dad's sea bass came with a side of Robuchon's famous mash. This little pot of potatoes was sooo rich, smooth and creamy at the same time both my brother and I, despite normally hating potatoes found ourselves finishing half the thing for dad. 

after savouries... we were ready for dessert!

First dessert - "la perle"

green apple flavoured sugar, diced green apples and cream filling, salted caramel cream dots

genius - we loved the presentation and the green apples inside were the freshest I've had, and nothing was too sweet despite the ball being made of sugar. 

second dessert - "la symphonee chocolatee"

white circle on top is an edible white chocolate, chocolate mousse on top of a prune/date compote. 

chocolate mousse was actually two layers - a dark richer thicker mousse and a lighter chocolate mousse on top. the complete opposite of the"la perle", this dessert is lovely rich and definitely for chocolate-lovers. however as I'm no fan dates/prune I would've preferred another fruit, maybe a tart berry?? 

mum's dessert - "la figue"

fresh figs, crumble, vanilla ice cream, crispy wafer chips which are I think passionfruit-flavoured

this dessert is not exactly like the menu, but I think this one was better than the menu-stated version with the almond cream.. 

the figs and crumble are warm, whilst the ice cream cold. figs were softened and yummy, crumble was light yet buttery. The ice cream was speckled with vanilla pods, and really good. the wafer provided a crispy texture and a tangy contrast to the ice cream and fig.

dad's dessert - "tiramisu"

glass with coffee flavoured cake topped with white coffee-flavoured mousse, chocolate ice cream

this version of tiramisu was wonderfully light and was definitely my favourite out of the desserts we had. coffee and chocolate are both my favourite foods and flavours, so this was heaven!

by the time desserts came the kitchen had packed - even the sous chefs had disappeared, and so i guess they forgot our petit fours.... a little unforgivable but I was satisfed with our desserts anyway... now for our cuppa to end our meal: 

foam was lacking and not done very well, drink was reasonable but no where near mandarin oriental's!

thank you dad for a memorable lunch!

Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Service: ♥♥♥♥

Price: $$$$$-$$$$$$

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon 

Shop 401, The Landmark, 

Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2166 9000