Brunch @ Oolaa

近年上環成為不少熱門新餐廳聚集的地方，Oolaa不算新餐廳，但是作為一家主打悠閒週末早午餐（Weekend Brunch）的餐廳，的確很有水準，且環境舒適，猶如置身外國般寫意，值得推介，成為我們最喜愛吃Brunch的地點之一。Oolaa分為兩邊：一邊是可供訂座的餐廳，另一邊是可隨意Walk-in的部分。 早餐菜式如Eggs Benedict ($110)及Oolaa' Big Breakfast ($120)，賣相與味道也奇佳，確實優異。其他菜式也不俗，但當然不及美妙早餐。雖然有些外籍侍應完全沒笑容，但是星期六中午也座無虛席，可見Oolaa的吸引力。午餐大概每人＄150到＄200。

After looking at apartments in Sheung Wan a few weeks ago, we walked passed Oolaa when D said he had never eaten there before.  It's been a while since we have come to Oolaa, so we decided to come here for a weekend brunch with D and Sher.  Although the vast Sheung Wan neighborhood has begun to show ripples of gentrification with many new and hip restaurants popping up, Oolaa remains to be one of the affordable and casual brunch diners that is emotionally sincere and culinary focused and continue to be an extremely popular spot for weekend brunch. 

Located on the ground floor of the very expensive apartment building, Centre Stage, Oolaa is divided into two sections, a restaurant section for eating in and a walk-in section consisted of communal sofa seats where you can order from the counter or from the restaurant menu.  The room immediately renders a elegant and decent American ambiance.  The restaurant section was completely packed with a variety of customers and we were glad that we made a reservation one week before.  With the amount of customers, the service however lacked the level of attentiveness and friendliness we would expect (some of the female waitress didn't smile at all!). There was a breakfast-focused menu and a normal a la carte menu.  Brunch was priced at around $150 to $200 per person. 

(1) The Eggs Benedict ($110) C ordered came with smoked salmon and buttered baby spinach was one of the best options at brunch. The place certainly mastered some of the most perfect poached eggs in town which were round and huge with the well-executed runny yolks.  The salmon and spinach both had very clear and enjoyable flavours, smothered in a delicious and satisfying hollandaise sauce! 

(2) Oolaa' Big Breakfast ($120) that D picked was served with 2 eggs, pork sausages, smoked bacon, roast Roma tomato, baked beans, mushrooms, home fried potatoes & toasted sour dough.  Anyone who was still sleepy on a Saturday morning would definitely wake up for this dish.  While the French toast was satisfying, the scrambled eggs also had a pleasing runny texture.  On the other hand, the meat of the dish, bacon and sausage, were both well-grilled and not overcooked. 

(3) Sher didn't want breakfast food and chose the Wagyu Spaghetti Bolognaise ($150) topped with shaved parmesan and served with garlic bread which was very generous in portion.  The dish had a strong and attractive aroma of the wagyu beef and tomato sauce, and the rich taste was equally delicious and alluring, making you want to have more than one bite.  The pasta was also delightfully fresh and we all like its texture!

(4) Finally, we had the Mango Crumble ($65) topped with vanilla ice cream to end our brunch with.  Although it took quite some time before its arrival (due to the baking time), the  dessert was fantastically tasty and pleasant while the mango was fresh and sweet! 

Overall remarks: As fans of weekend brunches, all of us were definitely impressed by our brunch at Oolaa.  The dishes and the environment were both breezy and casually tuned at Oolaa, which captures the essence of what a good relaxing weekend brunch means beautifully.  D noted that the place reminded him of the high-end brunch places in New York.  Despite the service was slow and unprofessional at times, you can certainly feel at ease and find amazing, wonderful brunch here.  Apparently, after this brunch, every one of us would like to find an apartment in Sheung Wan so that we can stick to Oolaa for weekend brunch in the future. 

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

INFO

Oolaa
G/F, Centre Stage, Bridges Street, Soho, Sheung Wan 上環蘇豪必列者士街聚賢居地下舖
Telephone: 2803 2083

Dinner @ Jaspa's

Jaspa's是一間價錢合理，環境舒適的西式餐廳，主打多國菜（包括意大利及西班牙菜）。 位於跑馬地的分店更像一家感覺親切熟悉的社區餐廳（neighbourhood restaurant)，服務態度友善，桌上還提供蠟筆給小客人在餐桌的畫紙上畫畫。它的 Fettuccine Carbonara ($130)可觀可口，芝士和煙肉的分量比例處理得相當好，值得推介。可惜其他菜式如Pizza等都只是過得去，水準參差。要注意餐廳每週一和週二也有"half-priced dinner"優惠，所以晚餐每人只需大概＄100 到＄150，是不錯的西式餐廳選擇。

When our friend, Lil, visited from Singapore last month and requested a budget Italian meal (consisting of pizza and pasta), we wonder what quality but affordable Italian restaurants fit into those requirements in the heart of Hong Kong.   When we didn't have to look at the prices, it was always tempting to think of the Michelin-starred restaurants.  But those are expensive and hence, out-of-the-question.  So it's a small blessing that Jaspa's, a modern fusion western restaurant chain, offers a very reasonably priced menu and has multiple locations in Hong Kong.  We went on a Monday night and were pleasantly surprised to find out that Jaspa's was doing "half-priced dinner" for its main dishes every Monday and Tuesday. 

Located on a quiet slope in Happy Valley, it was a long walk from Causeway Bay (about 20 mins) and it was certainly not easy to find, but we were happy to arrive at the colourful signboard of Jaspa's. It was not a big space, but with its large windows, Jaspa's had a charismatic and homey neighbourhood feel. The lighting was comfortable and the staffs were welcoming. We were excited when we saw that crayons were provided for us to draw on the paper sheets on the table. With the special discount, dinner was reasonably priced at around $100 to $150 per person.

(1) Since Lil was super hungry, she decided to order the Nachos ($100) to start with.  Although it was not part of the "half-priced dinner" deal, all of us were completely over the moon when we saw the huge portion of nacho chips and the generous toppings of cheese, avocado, sour cream and salsa sauce.  The nachos were sheer deliciousness and the combinations of toppings were an excellent symphony of flavours, hitting all the right notes! 

(2) The Fettuccine Carbonara ($130) was served with pancetta bacon, cream & parmesan Cheese and it was a truly satisfying dish. The taste of the carbonara was just beyond reproach, with the right amount of cheese and ham.  To our amusement, the dish successfully balanced the level of softness and bounciness of the pasta and its generous portion made it a delightful and pleasant main dish. 

(3) The Linguine Salmon with Provencal Sauce ($150) served with fresh salmon infused with tomato sauce and fresh herb was not everyone's favourite.  C found that the pasta was a bit too soggy perhaps due to the under-temperature oil.  The salmon was also a bit too scarce to find underneath the linguine. 

(4)  For pizzas, we ordered the All you can Meat Pizza ($135) with ham, sausage, salami, pepperoni and meatballs with mozzarela and oregano.    The pizza crust seemed to be a bit burned and dry.  The toppings formed by layers of different kind of meat were in want of some nice seasoning and Es found that it was filling but not particularly tasty. 

(5) The Parma Pizza ($145) with fresh rocket and basil was another disappointing pizza. The pizza dough could be more airy and moist.   Sam also thought that the taste of the pizza was overwhelmed by its high degree of saltiness.  The parma ham did not have the unique succulent taste we were expecting.  Instead,  we were all in need of a glass of water after having a slice of it.  

Overall remarks: Dinner at Jaspa's is casual, comfortable and laid-back, though it's a shame that not all of its dishes,  particularly its pizzas, are as fantastic as the environment.  But for the price it's charging, perhaps this could all be forgiven.  It is not the most delicate and traditional Italian fine dining restaurant; it is a family western restaurant that sits in your neighbourhood that could win your heart, not because of what you eat, but because of what you don't.  It's there that Jaspa's aura, that sense of coziness and heart-warming colors, is full on display.  Ultimately, we were happy that Lil was satisfied both cuisine-wise, budget-wise and of course, tummy-wise. 

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

INFO

Jaspa's
G/F, 18 Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley 跑馬地藍塘道18號地下
Telephone: 2575 7730

Brunch @ BRICKLANE

Brick Lane 本是倫敦東邊的一條以印度菜聞名的街道，所以當知道這餐廳以BRICKLANE為名，但卻不是主打印度菜，而是英式早午餐（English Breakfast），也大感相當詫異。餐廳的裝潢很有英國特色風味，牆上的單車佈置頗有心思，令人感覺十分悠閒寫意。但是它的菜式如Egg Benedict with Scottish Smoked Salmon ($98) 和Pancakes ($78) 等就平平無奇，更遠遠不及真正的英式早餐般傳統多變的味道。它的 All Day Breakfast（＄88) 不會令人失望，是最有水準的一道菜。雖然BRICKLANE的理念是要把傳統英式菜帶來香港，可惜現在看來純粹宣傳技倆，不理想之處很多，希望可以好好改善。午餐要大概每人＄150 到＄200。

When we first heard that BRICKLANE was opening in Hong Kong serving English breakfast  dishes, we were definitely very skeptical.  The name of the restaurant, "BRICKLANE", refers to a street in East London which is famous, not for English breakfast diners, but for Indian curry houses.  So we thought it was a misconception that the English breakfast dishes brought by BRICKLANE would be anywhere near representative of the true Indian dining scene of Brick Lane in London.  But BRICKLANE is dedicated to take the iconic landmark in London and turned it into a popular and cute English diner that highlights the best and worst English breakfast dishes for Hong Kong. 

First opened in Tsim Sha Tsui, BRICKLANE opened its Hong Kong Island branch in the quiet Citic Tower in Admiralty which was a good news to most Island people. The layout of the restaurant is laid-back and stylish, complete with a bicycle on the wall, a patio area, and a bar/cake counter.  It was almost reminiscent of the airy and comfortable coffee houses and diners you would find in London. The staff were all very welcoming and friendly.  Brunch was priced at around $150 to $200 per person. 

(1) We started off with Egg Benedict with Scottish Smoked Salmon ($98).  The place provided a wide selections of toppings for egg benedict such as Gammon Ham, Parma Ham, and Corn Beef.  You can also choose to add extra toppings such as Black Truffle Paste or Caviar. The English muffin was deliciously thick and buttery, and the smoked salmon was flavourful and juicy.  However, the poached eggs lacked the runny yolks which were essential probably due to being overcooked which is a common error made by many undertrained chefs.  Sadly, this was quite fatal to the whole dish and render the taste to be subpar. 

(2) The All Day Breakfast ($88) may be ordered with 3 choices of food and D went with Bacon, Hash Brown and Mushrooms.  This combination was utterly satisfying.  The bacon was beautifully grilled on the surface without being too oily but keeping its softness and tenderness.  The scrambled eggs were marvelously runny and smooth.  The hashbrown and mushroom were also delicious.  This definitely hit all the right places on our taste buds and was ultimately an authentic and substantial English breakfast combo. 

(3) The Pancakes ($78) were the most disappointing dish of them all.  They were unattractively ordinary, and each slice was cold and not fluffy at all.  D commented this was even worse than the ones he had at McDonald's, which might very well be true. 

Overall remarks: BRICKLANE might feel contrived, artificial and its dishes needed improving, but it didn't have to be.  It is hard to dislike the restaurant because of the casual and laid-back London atmosphere it successfully re-creates, which was certainly not like Brick Lane in East London.  It was an interesting concept, but their opportunities to offer alluring dishes were repeatedly squandered when the lack of cookery skill could be overlooked and replaced by its ambiance. BRICKLANE could have been so promising, which makes the final result really mediocre. 

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

INFO

BRICKLANE
Shop 404, 4/F., Citic Tower, 1 Tim Mei Avenue, Admiralty 金鐘添美道1號中信大廈4樓404號舖
Telephone: 2363 2500

Lunch @ School Food

在銅鑼灣時代廣場的School Food由開張至今吸引了不少人遠道前往，是近來最多人龍的餐廳之一，等候時間長達2小時。School Food主打菜式跟大部份韓國餐廳不一樣，它的店名源自是韓國學校門外受學生歡迎的傳統韓式街頭小吃如Kimbap（韓式壽司）和Topokki（韓式年糕），而這些小吃正正是這間餐廳受歡迎的原因。它的韓式壽司 (Mari) 的確款式出眾，且每碟製作得很有心思，如校園花卷 Blooming Mari (HK$62) 和烏卒卒卷 Squid Ink Mari (HK$68) 都很有韓式地道風味，值得一試。其他菜式如地獄辣醬年糕 Street Topokki (HK$62)真是如菜名般辣，特別適合愛辣人仕。午餐要每人大概＄150到＄300。

If you are looking for the next glamorous fine-dining Korean restaurant, this is not it.  In fact, it is the opposite - it is small, crowded and noisy.  Located on 13/F in Timesquare's Food Forum, School Food doesn't advertise glamour in any way, which is a complete deviation from the traditional norm in Hong Kong.  But at the same time, it is one of the most raved about restaurants in the city right now with its unbelievable line-ups (for up to 2 hours waiting time) and it seems like the entire Hong Kong misses "school". 

The name "School Food" refers to the little food stands outside Korean schools selling popular Korean street food to students like kimbap ("seaweed rice") and topokki. The restaurant was decorated like a modern school canteen, thus it was small and cozy with wooden desks and chairs. After the failed previous attempt with C's friend Timon to the restaurant, we came with Jen at 11:40 a.m. before it's opened, and we were surprised to see that there's already a line-up outside. After about a 20-minute wait, the restaurant was finally opened and we were allowed to be seated.   As its first customers, we were told by the staff to pick our own tables. Despite the long queues, the service was polite, attentive and efficient.  Lunch was reasonably priced at around $150 to $300 per person. 

(1) We started with the Street Topokki (HK$62) which was made of Korean soft rice cake in red soy bean paste.  The texture of the soft rice cake was authentically tender and moist, however, the spiciness was definitely too overwhelming for us to handle.  Although we were warned about the level of spiciness when we ordered, this degree of hotness was beyond our imagination and it was definitely recommended for spice-lovers!

(2) The Blooming Mari (HK$62) was filled with deliciously marinated bulgolgi beef wrapped in rice and egg, which was alluringly flavourful and nicely sweet.  Whilst the presentation was gorgeous, the taste of the dish was also light and homey with a bit of Korean flair! 

(3) We ordered the Squid Ink Mari (HK$68) which proved to be another enticing dish.  The creamy rice in black ink colour and and fried calamari rolled in roasted seaweed boasted clean but attractive flavours.  The mixture of different flavours elevated the richness and freshness of the dish, making it a dish to be remembered! 

Overall remarks:  School Food is dedicated to capture the essence of the authentic and traditional Korean street-style food and ambiance.  The portion of the dishes was also quite generous for its price.  If you are still convinced that it wasn't worth lining up for hours, at least try it for their take on kimbaps as these seaweed rolls (or "Mari") certainly reign as the most creative and fascinating comfort food you would find in Hong Kong -- they are the "School Food" you don't want to miss. 

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

INFO

School Food 
Shop 1302, 13/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣勿地臣街1號時代廣場13樓1302號舖
Telephone: 2480 3666