Dinner @ Grand Hyatt Steakhouse

位於灣仔君悅酒店的Grand Hyatt Steakhouse 是一間與眾不同的扒房，裝潢充滿奪目的高雅藝術氣息，到處也放了不同的油畫和雕塑，暗暗的走廊跟迷宮似的dining rooms，令人仿佛置身於一座美麗古堡的地牢內 (Dungeon) 進餐。雖然訂座分開了兩個時段，但是服務非常用心。主打的牛排Rib Eye 14 oz/400 g ($390)確實精巧非凡，Medium Rare的肉質溫軟而多汁，又不會有太多肥肉，顯出餐廳的精彩功力。其他菜式如Seared Maryland Crab Cakes ($280) 跟 Washington Apple Crumble ($95 for one) 也各有獨特水準，值得一試。 這次我們來這裏吃晚餐慶祝聖誕，晚餐要大概每人$600到$800。

Grand Hyatt Steakhouse, named after the 5-star hotel it is nestled in, is a traditional steakhouse that simultaneously exudes a fine sense of decorum.  Dim lighting, various art works/pieces, and long corridors opening into different dining areas, the restaurant glows with life and is designed to disorient you, making you feel like you are dining in a Medieval-times dungeon!  Among the hotel restaurants, Grand Hyatt Steakhouse was an upmarket venue that offered a rare, unique and fun dining experience for our Christmas dinner this year! 

Primarily known for serving steaks, Grand Hyatt Steakhouse is also famous for its selection of meticulously prepared appetizers and desserts using only the freshest ingredients.  Reservations at the restaurant might not be exactly "customer-friendly", as bookings are divided into two periods: one starts from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the other from 8:45 p.m. and we opted for the latter one. 

The entrance of the restaurant might be a bit difficult to look for as Grand Hyatt hosts many restaurants within the building, but the service was mostly friendly, responsive and enthusiastic (often recommending what their favourites were).  Particularly when they agreed to offer a complimentary polaroid photo service for us!  A dinner typically costs around $600 - $800 per head (without drinks), but the plush dining experience will be able to justify the hefty price tag. 

(1) The Seared Maryland Crab Cakes ($280) which was served with sauce remoulade was a must-have winning appetizer!  Deliciously warm and crispy on the outside, these beautifully presented crab cakes had a texture that was near impossible to find elsewhere.  Once cut open, the wonderfully fine and delicate strands of crab meat made it difficult for us not to stuff ourselves with them! 

(2) We decided to share a Rib Eye 14 oz/400 g ($390) and we ordered it to be done medium-rare.  The gorgeously cooked rib eye completely lifted our spirits further.  The texture of the meat was exquisitely tender, fresh and juicy, and was done perfectly beyond reproach.  The waiter also kindly introduced us to various kinds of mustards to go with the beef, adding extra adoring flavours to the dish (C's favourite was the one with Cognac!). 

(3) The Grilled Chilean Sea Bass ($260) D ordered was served with roasted tomato coulis and it had a wonderful, delightfully light taste that complemented the beef nicely.  However, as a standalone dish, it could use some light seasoning that would better accentuate the fish's naturally beautiful taste.  Having said that, the sea bass was beautifully fresh and delicate. 

(4) We ordered Thrice Cooked Duck Fat Potato Fries ($95) as a side, and it was absolutely mouthwatering.  But we found it to be a bit expensive for its portion, and we were unable to tell the difference between the duck fat potato and simply potato fries. 

(5) As a dessert, we ordered the Washington Apple Crumble ($95 for one) served with vanilla soft ice cream.  The waiter  highly recommended this dish to us and stated this was his favourite. The apple crumble was definitely tasty but not as mind-blowing as the ice cream! The ice cream was so light, airy and refined that we couldn't help but wanting more.

  
Overall remarks:  Grand Hyatt Steakhouse glowed with its refined and sophisticated ambience, its earnest and assuring service, and its delicious and thrilling dishes which did not allow any failure to live up to its status and name as a "Steakhouse".  Although the restaurant is a bit on the expensive side and bookings could be improved, Grand Hyatt Steakhouse is an elegant restaurant hiding in a beautiful dungeon that is worth your discovering! 

Food: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Ambience: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Service: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

INFO

Grand Hyatt Steakhouse  (website)
2/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai 灣仔港灣道1號君悅酒店2樓
Telephone: 2584 7722

Dinner @ 雲陽 Yun Yan

雲陽是在銅鑼灣時代廣場食通天最新開張的餐廳，主打摩登跟傳統四川菜，但跟它以前位於尖沙咀的前身雲陽閣相差很遠。地方明顯地比之前的地點小了很多，服務態度也令人失望，而它如School Food般的裝潢像是要吸引年青的客人，但是環境風格很不統一，失去了以前的華麗 (elegance) 和舒適 (comfort) 感覺，顯得弄巧反拙。它的名菜如水煮牛肉 Poached Beef Slices in Chili Broth ($138)雖然也保持水準，但分量跟賣相也大不如前。 晚餐要大概每人$200到$300。

Yun Yan is a surprisingly dull and tedious reincarnation of its hearty and elegant predecessor, Yunyan Sichuan Restaurant, which was known for its traditional Sichuan dishes (located in Miramar Shopping Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui).   Newly opened at Times Square in Causeway Bay, Yun Yan is described to add on a few hip and modern twists to its Sichuan cuisine.  Being fans of the previous restaurant, we were very excited to be its first customers. 

To our horror, we immediately noticed Yun Yan was nothing like the restaurant we once knew.  Despite the ambience was more stylish and casual, with dim lightings and bar tables, the space was noticeably small and narrow, unlike the spacious room and bright lighting in the former shop.  The decor did not match the cuisine which was meant to offer a soothing space for gatherings.  Yun Yan did not lack ambition in aiming to attract younger and more contemporary customers, but the new shop felt like a downgrade and it failed to render the same ambience of elegance and comfort that won our hearts in the first place. 

 The service was instantly disappointing upon arrival.  The staff was unenthusiastic and impolite.  We booked a table at 8 p.m. but we were told when we arrived that we had to sit at the bar because we didn't specify we wanted a table.  And then we were told to wait for an "unknown" period of time after being treated as one of the fellow "walk-ins". We were finally led to our seats at 8:30 p.m. by an unfriendly waitress. Dinner was priced at around $200 to $300 per head. 

(1) We started with the 魚香茄子酥 Puff Pastries filled with Eggplant in Chili Garlic Sauce ($38/4 pieces).  The dish itself was delicious with a balanced and well-judged taste of eggplant and chili garlic. 

(2) The 蒜泥白肉 Sliced Pork in Spicy Garlic Soya Sauce ($68) did not excite us in its appearance, nor did it wow us in its taste.  The dish was mediocre and the taste was all right but it was nothing near refreshing for the price we were paying. 

(3) The 鐵板雞汁鍋貼 Sizzling Minced Pork Dumplings with Chicken Stock ($38/4 pieces) was nothing more than ordinary dumplings, and there was nothing special about this dish.  Having said that, it was an acceptable dish if you were looking to fill your stomach. 

(4) The highlight of the evening would be the 水煮牛肉 Poached Beef Slices in Chili Broth ($138), which was, we think, its signature dish.  The dish tasted spicy enough, and while we did not doubt the authenticity of its recipe, it was slightly smaller than what we used to have and the beef slices had been harder to find than before.  The price, on the other hand, was more expensive.  

Overall remarks:  Despite its lavish decorations, its attempt to "modernize" its dishes, and its admirable dedication to Sichuan cuisine, Yun Yan became so indistinct that it was tedious to sit through and did not bear any semblance of what made its predecessor so fascinating and memorable and stand out from other restaurants. (We do not need a "School Food-style" Sichuan restaurant!) Thoroughly disappointed by its (failed) transformation and renewal, we are sorry to say that we do not plan to be stepping foot in this restaurant any time soon. 

Food: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Ambience: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Service: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

INFO

雲陽 Yun Yan  (website)
Shop 1001B, 10/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣勿地臣街1號時代廣場10樓1001B號舖
Telephone: 2375 0800

Dinner @ CIAK In The Kitchen

CIAK In The Kitchen 是國際名廚Umberto Bombana在中環Landmark新開的意大利餐廳，主打簡便實惠的意大利菜。一如他的姊妹餐廳8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo，餐廳的概念來自意大利電影和文化風格，有Open Kitchen Stations同時又像意大利的市場擺放不同的Produce，且到處也掛上了不同的經典電影海報，猶如置身外國一樣，很豐富多采。雖然它的食物份量不大，而且也不便宜，但是主菜如Pizza Piccante ($160)實在美味，Mozzarella芝士用得出色，餅皮做得很鬆軟。其他甜品如Passion Fruit Tart ($35)和Gianduja Chocolate Bar ($58)也有水準，各有吸引力。這次和Tee來吃生日飯，晚餐要大概每人$300到$400。

Italian food is supposed to be the food for the people.  Yet many Italian restaurants in Hong Kong are set to establish its fine-dining and Michelin-starred status with no feeling for people (especially when it comes to the price) .  CIAK In The Kitchen, a highly anticipated and recently opened restaurant in Landmark Central, is Umberto Bombana's new love child in Hong Kong.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the chef, he is the man behind the Michelin-starred 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo.  CIAK In The Kitchen in many ways aims to bring the casual and affordable Italian food back to the people. 

We went there before 7 p.m. on a Friday night for Tee's birthday celebration and was informed that the dining area was already fully booked.  We were seated at the area near the entrance (which was equally comfortable and cozy).  The young and enthusiastic staff was certainly friendly and helpful. 

The decor was contemporary and stylish, the ambience was artful and cute, complete with an open kitchen that has multiple food stations serving different dishes, grocery market items and produce placed around the wall cabinets, and nostalgic and classic movie posters everywhere (although Marilyn Monroe was not strictly-speaking an Italian star, kudos for using the poster for the iconic La Dolce Vita!).  Dinner costs around $300 to $400 per head. 

(1) The King Prawns and Zucchini Fetticine ($220) looked so enticing and attractive when it was served, but we were a little bit disappointed.  While the pasta was firm and moist and the taste was sharp and distinctive benefited from the freshness of the prawns, we felt that the restaurant could be more generous with the portion of the pasta and its ingredient for the price.  We cannot say that this pasta was a notch above the other ones we have had in other places. 

(2) We ordered a pizza called Piccante ($160) served with spicy N'Duia salame and mozzarella, and it definitely was accomplished and delicious.  We found the pizza dough to be light and airy, and Tee especially liked the large amount of mozzarella cheese used in this pizza which was tangy and exciting! 

(3) For desserts, we discovered we could order from the display window counter near the entrance which offered more varieties than the menu.  The Birthday Girl picked the Passion Fruit Tart ($35) which was a bundle of joy in a light and exotic way against an interesting texture of the crunchy crust! 

(4) The restaurant kindly gave us a Gianduja Chocolate Bar ($58) on the house for the Birthday Girl! This chocolate cake was addictive, with its thin, velvety texture which was buttery without being overly filling. 

Overall remarks:  CIAK In The Kitchen gets everything softly and quietly right and it gives us a half-tarnished, half-burnished vision of the food market/diners of early 1960s Italy, just dreamy and casual enough, rather than laden with false nostalgia.  Although the environment is casual and chill, the space suffers from being too enclosing with no windows in the dining area and low ceiling.  The portion can definitely be bigger and the price might not be exactly affordable, but it's still a remarkable, cool and hip place! 

Food: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Ambience: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Service: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

INFO

CIAK In The Kitchen (website)
Shop 327-333, 3/F., The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road, Central 中環皇后大道中15號置地廣場中庭3樓327-333號舖
Telephone: 2522 8869

Dinner @ 潮江春 ChiuChow Garden

 潮江春在香港可以算得上是老字號，我們小時都去過很多次（當年還在中環交易廣場）。這間歷史悠久的餐廳的中環分店現在位於怡和大廈地庫，以優異的潮州菜馳名，不讓其他新派的潮州餐廳專美。這麼多年沒去過，這次因為D的朋友們從紐約來一起去試，果然沒有令人失望，還是保持水準。雖然菜式都很簡單和傳統，沒有加料變奏，但這樣更能顯出潮州菜的精髓 （Essence) 和滋味（Authenticity)。它的火功鹹菜胡椒豬肚湯（＄118）非常出色，白胡椒的麻辣味很可口，十分適合冬天喝。此外，它的杏片奇味蝦球($148) 和碧綠珠菜川椒雞($98) 都是潮江春的拿手小菜，味道一流可口，值得推介。價錢以中環來說很合理，晚餐大概＄200到＄300一位。

Everyone (including C) seemingly loves Chiu Chow cuisine these days during the winter time.  The endearing and exciting Chiu Chow cuisine in Hong Kong can perhaps be traced to one of the well-known Chiu Chow restaurants-- ChiuChow Garden.  It serves tons of hearty and comfort traditional Chiu Chow food, but it's not done in the innovative, contemporary way, and that's the joy of capturing the essence and authenticity of Chiu Chow dishes.  As D's friends just flew in from New York to visit for a few days, we decided to bring them there for dinner. 

Located at the basement of Jardine House in Central, ChiuChow Garden worked this particular cuisine the old-fashioned Chiu Chow way, and that included the calming and simple decoration, and a brightly lit, casual setting which was perfect for gathering for a large group.  Our only complaint might be that the staff could be more attentive.  Dinner was priced at around $200 to $300 per head which was not expensive compared with the norm for dinner in Central.  

(1) The first course we ordered was 蒜片牛仔粒 Stirred-Fried Diced Beef with Garlic ($68). Thanks to the tenderness and juiciness of the beef together with the accompanying sauce, this dish was bright and refreshing. The fried garlics on the beef were deliciously crunchy and added an interesting flavour to the dish. 

(2) C specifically requested the 火功鹹菜胡椒豬肚湯 Pig's Tripe Soup with Salty Vegetables & Pepper ($118) which delivered a lasting impression, with the perfectly enticing taste of spiciness from the white pepper.  White pepper is apparently good for your stomach, and this traditional soup was therefore perfect in winter as it kept our stomachs warm for a long period of time.  But our dining companion, Dev, noted that it was too salty for his liking. 

(3) The 杏片奇味蝦球 Sautéed Prawns ($148) D's friend Romo ordered was served with almonds and in mayonnaise dressing and it was an epic dish that night.  The dish not only had an attractive appearance but the deliciously creamy mayonnaise dressing certainly boasted a distinctive, utterly alluring taste to the adoring prawns! 

(4) The 碧綠珠菜川椒雞 Sautéed Sliced Chicken & Vegetables in Chiujew Sauce ($98) was another classic that was sheer deliciousness.  The chicken was fantastically grilled with a flavourful aroma.  The spicy Chiujew sauce was an excellent match with the dish.  D's other friend, Tong, was surprised to discover the deep-fried crunchy vegetables were edible, which further elevated the appeal of this dish!

(5) The 潮州家鄉煎蠔烙 Pan-Fried Baby Oysters with Scrambled Egg  ($88) was another one of our favourites that evening.   The fresh oysters made the omelette more gooey and pleasantly moist than we expected. 

(6) Lastly, the famous Chiu Chow style dessert 鴛鴦水晶包 Steamed duo crystal dumplings ($28/4 pieces) arrived.  It was comprised of lotus or red bean in the middle.  Although they were very filling and sweet, they were definitely worth the last inch of our stomach. 



Overall remarks:  Dinner at ChiuChow Garden was a melting-pot of dazzling, shimmering, and classic Chiu Chow dishes.  We all thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at ChiuChow Garden, especially D's friends who were impressed by the delightful and classic Chiu Chow dishes that perhaps you could only find in nowhere but here!  

Food: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Ambience: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Service: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

INFO

潮江春 ChiuChow Garden  (website)
UB2, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place,,Central 中環康樂廣場1號怡和大廈地庫2層
Telephone: 2525 8246