Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Sodam Chicken- Korean fried chicken :)

Ready to savor some worthy Korean deep fried in the heart of this city? 
We have picked 3 chicken options at this new comer and ranked acording to our liking!

Second runner up: Seoul baked chicken ($158)
If you are not the type of foodie who loves deep fried battered chicken,  this would be a considerate option you can pick at Sodom chicken. Tender meat with a thin chicken skin  (without much skin after the baking process); well it sounds healthy huh? What wows us is the garlic salad dressing that gives a flavour





1st runner up
To get a stronger flavour, and more overwhelming crispy battered skin, Honey Garlic Fried Chicken ($188) can certainly solve this first world problem. The sauce with a smack of garlic and an unexpected hint of moreish sweetness that raise our appetite.It would be a big plus if the flavour can be more explosive-sweeter and sourer so that the our "we-want-more" desire is able to last til the last piece of chicken. 

Winner
Our palate simply get wowed from the 1st to last bite of this chicken mountain with diff cuts (蜜糖芥末香葱炸雞-$188). Amazingly juicy & tender; marinated a bit, with crispy skin on the outside. Its house made secret sauce is the soul of the dish, with a hint of choking mustard that goes along so well with honey. Spring union also add some chocking yet refreshing heat to the dish.


Sodam Chicken also serves Korean snacks and hotpot, and various special drinks along side the basics. We opted for the Kimchi Toppoki, priced at $148 which is perfect for two, with generous serving of fish cakes, rice cakes and instant noodles. Flavorful, a perfect carb dish after devouring the whole chicken dish; familiar flavor as what you can get at every Korean store in Hong Kong though.

If you got a friend who can't stand spicy food, here is another option for him/her: Fish Cake soup ($160) with clean veggies broth. We all first worried if the broth would lack of flavor according it its color but it has proved we were ALL wrong. Sweetness of cabbage was amazing; and you can even drink it after such a heavy meal. Unexpectedly we find it interesting!

For drinks, we picked Passionate Love and Kiss me honey special drinks ($58)which the portion is as big as our face! Beer is no longer the only option at deep fried chicken restaurants. These special frizzy drinks visually attracted us with the ice lolly and floral decorations and at the same time quench our thirst.


Make sure you’ve made a reservation before you get there!

Monday, April 11, 2016

Japanese meet western cuisine newly housed around Sheung Wan: Fingerpint

Freshly housed around the corner of Sheung Wan, right behind the busy Queen’s Road Central, Finger Print dishes up Japanese-meets-western cuisine in a stylish, cosy squeeze.  Entrance is not as expensive as I thought (quite reasonable), priced at $180-240 for a 5 course menu ( appetizer, salad, main, rice & noodles, and Dessert) and all of its well thought out and presented dishes are well done.
I love the ambience quite a lot. A whole set of mirror along the wall simply gives us an easy yet luxurious sense of space. The only two seats near French window is amazing, allowing gentle sunlight passing through while watching the life out on the road. And for smokers, you are able to enjoy a luxurious cover outside the restaurant even it’s raining ( thanks to that well thought outdoor shelter and few ashtrays on the tiny bar table.
Salad
To start with, we had its signature Fingerprint Salad at $110 with a mix of lettuce, tomato, a mouthful of crab meat and unexpected oriental veggies in sesame name, followed by a  trio of appetizers, decently presented, including prawn cocktail , slices of sashimi and Burdock Stick tempura, which is like the root of veggies, with look and taste healthy. 
Soup

It’ then followed by an amazing seafood-based steamed soup served individually in a “teapot”. Clear broth that exudes a very mild and delicate essence of the ocean. Serve yourself with the amount that you prefer, and don't forget those scallops, prawns and fish inside! A perfect way to get our palate ready for the upcoming dishes!



Rice
Who doesn't want some sashimi and rice at a Japanese fusion restaurant? This assorted sashimi rice (with salmon, roe, tuna) has appeared to cater to these more delicate tastes! It’s 188 at dinner set or a la carte at $100)

Mains
I opted for pan fried New Zealand Lamb Rack ($240) which is medium with a perfect pink. My partner picked something more adventurous, based on the name of the dish on the menu-buttered pork with whisky sauce. Marinated in an oriental way, pork exuded a mild sweetness from Whisky that amazingly enhanced the meat flavour without overpowering it. However I like the main course with a piece of meat and few garnish is far less - maybe we expected something that wow us as its appetizer did.


Next came to our table was a pot of chicken rice shared by two of us. All the broth essence has been soaked into the rice, that gave a very delicate flavor to the rice, sprinked with a pint of fresh spring union with a hint of freshness.

Dessert
Our meal was completed with a satisfying Red bean soup rice cake ($40), and today’s ice-cream ($50)Rice cake was slightly burnt outside that add complexity to this tiny plain dough smothered in a sea of red bean paste (texture’s a bit heavier than soup).


Verdict: a great new dine out spot with friends; worth a try for this innovative Japanese western fusion cuisine. The ever changing menu for every night is quite surprising, made good use of seasonal ingredients which without doubt, speaks for themselves. No 10% Service Charge (relax, their service is superb!)

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Lily & Bloom- creative fusion elements built on classic dishes

It’s all about the right ambiance when it comes to having an intimate conversation. Sipping on refreshing special drinks seems an ideal start of our evening, along side moreish bites. Before moving forward to our mains, we opted for Three grapes and A Cup ($140) with grapes, white wine, Hennessy vsop, elderflower and infer, celery bitters.


We warmed up our palate with Char Broiled Miso Parmesan Oysters ($388). French oyster are so fresh that it shouts loudly itself. The East meet west feast started with the Pan Seared Foie Gras ($188) served with traditional Chinese dried tangerine peel that has lifted the freshness of the whole dish.

Next came the pea shoots & Onsen Egg ($108) with black garlic, soy and brown butter.  Slurped up the egg and the veggies that reminds me of home makes me feel soothing.


For mains, we had Five Spice Baby Back Ribs, with sweet soy ginger glaze,and pickled ginger slaw ($288). It's full of tropical flavour. Rubs are tend to be lean, full of flavours and tropical marinates. 

The up coming dish "Grilled Natural Ribeye Lettuce Wrap ($383) has brought us to a tropical country. Scallion and ginger sauce was a highlight of the dish, bringing us amble flavour from the Orient. Pick a piece of lettuce and wrap the beef in perfect pink with some pickled carrots which we couldn't stop salivating over ; simple yet scrumptious.

 It’s good to see Lily & Bloom fusion steak with Vietnamese style wrap; but it was not a great thing we were hoping for, when we saw the overly finely cut lettuce in rectangle shape mainly for solely visual enjoyment; the remainings were all gone. Other than that, everything is fine.


We were all surprised by the Local Seafood Carbonara- with fresh uni, lightly grilled abalone and Chinese smoked oyster ($388).That sounds odd in the combination of ingredients, yet each hand made papadelle pasta was perfectly plumped by the seafood broth, embellished with Chinese dried seafood and the fresh urchin. We were impressed!




Our meal concluded with Iberico Pork Wonton in olden Broth ($168) that combined Classic chinese wonton soup with spanish delightsChicken broth was cooked with Spanish Iberico ham, that exudes a stronger aroma and flavour thanks to the bigger portion of fat while the thin dumpling skin encased juicy pork filling that was a beautiful balance of soft and savoury in every bite. 



Our meal concluded with Cream Brulee ($83) topped with mango, pomelo and mandarin orange ($83). Creamy and hot; contrasting with the crispy top and the refreshing fruits on top.

Verdict:
With all these restaurants popping up built on traditional and classic food, it’s refreshing to see one that master fine dining skills yet focuses on creative oriental fusion that you seldom see in Hong Kong. A restaurant that is full of surprise. Worth encore!

*Set menu available at $688 per person (10% service charge applies)


A hot new thai restaurant that hit the street of TST: Erawan Thai





A hot new restaurant has hit the street of Tsim Sha Tsui with a feast for the eyes and taste buds that crave for Thai cuisine!

Starting off with a tropical welcoming shot which is an interesting blend of lemonade and lemon grass foam and then a glass of Ocean Wave ($68) with lychee and pine apple flavor and classic Erawan Thai Premium ($68). The wide selection of cocktail are refreshing in nature; not too strong in alcohol; tailor paired with Erawan's hot and spicy dishes.


With a group of 4, we ordered Erawan Thai Premium Platter ( fish cakes, vegetable Spring Rolls, Shrimp Cakes, Pork Neck and CHicken Rolls) ($248). Freshly deep fried; hot and crispy skin and moist inside. We appreciated the generous selection of tangy plum sauce, BBQ and sweet & sour sauce that fit in everyone's taste buds.

Stir-fried Cabbage Sprouts with Crispy Pork ($98)- time for some veggies- cabbage sprouts are cut into mini bites, well seasoned with typical thai stir fried sauce.

We all loved the Pork Neck with Vermicelli in Clay Pot ($148)- it would be a crying shame if you dined here without. The sizzling pot keeps the vermicelli hot while creating all the visually amazing steam once the pot is uncovered. Vermicelli has a great texture and full of flavor; with just the right amount of sauce.



Needless to say, the award winning seafood dish were a big hit with our group. Fried Crab with Tom Yum Paste (seasonal price) serves a mouthful of succulent crab meat which was the soul of the dish. Flavours are lifted up with its sweet and herbal sauce. Don't waste that! We all dipped that with Naan and cheese ($58). Yum!





To quench our seafood thirst, we also ordered Fried Tiger Prawns with Spicy Thai Herbs ($388). The wow size of prawns has impressed us at first sight; so as its fresh pepper and herbs that accompanied the dish. We actually enjoyed the crunch and even finished the delectable shells which has all the flavors from the herbs and garlic, while popping fresh pepper into the mouth was no longer a challenge as we found interesting in texture with a hint of mild spiciness and sweetness!


My personal favourite was the Steamed Groupa ($348)with Lime, garlic and fresh chili sauce at a metal fish pot. Never have I tried Groupa in thai cooking method- at this size. The simmering soup is a tad spicy, accompanied with some interesting thai tangy herbs that lift up the freshness of this dish. a tad spicy.

Our night ended with Ka-Nom Wan Ruam (Dessert platter with Pumkin custard, mango glutinous rice, Layer sweet pudding, coconut and sago pudding)- ($168 for 4-6 ppl) that showcased all the traditional thai desserts at the perfect temperature and texture.


Friday, April 08, 2016

A new burger and brunch joint in Tai Hang:




Relaxing lunch options abound across tai hang and B2 is a great new addition. This restaurant serving a wide selection of burgers and BIG dishes sits quietly at a corner of the street that was filled with garage. With great sun light, we all loved sitting at the first table right at the entrance which overlapped between the restaurant and the outdoor area.

Be sure to sample the housemade salmon  & salmon caviar spring roll ($68 for 5 psc) which give us a mouthful of fish meat and crispy spring roll, with a refreshing mango dip. 


For mains, we opted for a memorable selection for burger lovers in Hong Kong- perfect pinkish New Zealand beef sirloin 250g served with honey pommery sauce ($128). Juicy and amazingly thick patties can't stop us gorging on the whole burger. Keeping the portion size of UK, all fries aside was a welcoming sight; as was the Blueberry Pineapple smoothies ($48) with sugar free yogurt and honey that makes you feel healthy!


Next came the classic fish and chips ($108). We upgraded the fish from NZ Sole fish to Pacific Halibut with an extra $20. Crispy batter and moist fish meat. Classic meal with a big portion of fries.

And we wash the meal down with a cup of latte which would have met our expectation of brunch if caffeine is stronger. ( but well it's not a coffee shop; at least now we got a cup of coffee)

If you are looking for something special, take a look at its Monthly special items, e.g. Lamb burger with mint sauce etc. During happy hour, all food at 20%OFF from 3-5pm; all drinks 20% OFF from 3-8pm.