Dinner @ Bug and Bee

想不到這家叫Bug and Bee的餐廳是在泰國有名的連鎖餐廳，主打新派fusion泰國菜式。在香港新開張的分店位於銅鑼灣，裝潢以蜂巢和泰國民族圖案為主，很有泰國街頭色彩。雖然人流不多，但是店裡桌椅放得頗亂，讓人感覺很擠逼。餐廳的菜式很創新特別，如Peachy Massaman Curry Ox Tail (with rice) ($88) 和 Mango Chicken Kiev ($62) 都製作用心，把不同的水果跟肉類揉合得驚喜無窮，一試難忘。服務態度友善，可是食物稍嫌不夠熱，且價格有點貴，晚餐大概每人＄200 到＄250。

With a name like Bug and Bee, the restaurant is memorable by default but never in a million years would we expect it to be a Thai restaurant, so it was certainly more surprising for us when we realized that it is actually a well known chain in Bangkok serving some interesting and creative Thai fusion dishes.  Foodie who loves Thai restaurants like Mango Tree and Greyhound Cafe may now flock to this cute Thai restaurant recently opened near our place.   As lovers of Thai food, we decided to go there for dinner on a slow Sunday evening because you know, we wanted to take a (small) break from our usuals and try something new. 

Bug and Bee is located right next to the extremely popular ramen place in Causeway Bay.  A 2-storey place with a yellow neon sign and large windows making it look like a giant beehive.  When we arrived at 6 p.m., the place was practically empty and we were allowed to choose our own seats, but the chairs and tables were placed in such a disorganized fashion that made the place seem a bit messy and cramped.  Once we opened the menu, we were completely amazed by the variety of appealing and original dishes and D was having a difficult time because there were just so many dishes we wanted to try.  Dinner was priced at around $200 to $250 per person. 

(1) Tom Yum Kung Soup ($88) is always a must for our Thai meals! The soup boasted a spicy but attractive flavours.  We loved the variety of textures and seafood ingredients to the soup.  But we just wished the soup could be warmer because the soup was simply not hot enough and this reduced the overall flavour of the soup! 

(2) There were several things to praise for the Peachy Massaman Curry Ox Tail (with rice) ($88)!  First, the curry was rich and indulgent and definitely spicy enough!  The ox tail on the other hand was incredibly soft and juicy, even though some of them had too much bone for C's liking.  The accompanying peach was fresh and sweet.  The different layers of the flavours for this dish really captivated us! 

(3) This Mango Chicken Kiev ($62) took a while to arrive, but it was certainly worth the wait! As if chicken wasn't good enough, the innovative twist they took was to fill alluringly tender and succulent chicken breasts with fresh mangoes and this dish was amazing beyond our imaginations! 

(4) The Tom Yum Seafood Fried Rice ($108) had a generous portion of different kinds of seafood including prawns and mussels but the flavouring could have been stronger.  We also thought we made a mistake ordering this dish right after we had the Tom Yum Kung Soup. 

(5) The Green Tea Tiramisu Crêpe Cake ($45) was an interesting cake sandwiched between sheets of crêpe separating each layer, creating a dazzling overall sensation.  But D noted that the cake was less impressive and sweet than he had expected. 

Overall remarks:  The dishes at Bug and Bee were far better than it was given credit for and they captured perfectly the variable nature of Thai cuisine when you're getting tired of the been-there, eaten-that typical Thai dishes.  But the restaurant needs more "buzz" given the expensive price tags and we wished many of the dishes could be warmer and bigger in portion.  This place doesn't appear to be popular, and that disappoints us because we really wanted to come back again.


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

INFO

Bug and Bee
456 Jaffe Road,Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣謝斐道456號
Telephone: 3460 4900

Lunch @ 和三昧 Wa San Mai

和三昧的日式鐵板燒（teppanyaki) 確實優異出色，難怪在香港那麼多年也能屹立不倒，成為了C家人大時大節指定的餐廳。位於銅鑼灣Sogo旁的東角中心頂樓，地方頗大，環境簡潔感覺舒適，還很巧妙地分為兩邊：一邊是日式定食，另一邊是鐵板燒。我們坐在窗旁的位置，能邊看鐵板燒，邊欣賞高樓大廈的景色。侍應跟廚師的服務態度友善，會主動替我們拍照，唯一美中不足是不能拍攝鐵板燒過程。餐廳有很多不同的鐵板燒套餐可供選擇，而我們點了商務套餐（Business Lunch Set) (＄520二人/$780三人)。套餐裡的每一款菜式也極之出色，尤其是美國牛肉薄燒，牛味相當濃厚，夾帶蒜絲和洋蔥，非常清盈爽口。我們後加的一客日本珍珠蠔 ($80/6pc)更是整餐的亮點，烤得質感幼滑無比，鮮味扣人心弦，是巧奪天工之作。午餐大概要每人＄250 到＄300。

The most remarkable thing about Japanese teppanyaki is seeing your food being cooked and transformed into one delicious dish after another in front of you with a few tricks and spectacles involved!  When it comes to teppanyaki dinners in Hong Kong, C's family loves going to Wa San Mai and that is why we felt that it was a perfect place to go for a special lunch last month because Michelins aren't just good or exciting enough! 

Wa San Mai is located on the 22/F next to the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay.  It is a huge place split into two sections: one for normal Japanese food, and the other is what we came here for--the teppanyaki!  Considering it was a Sunday lunch, the place was still quite packed and the earliest time we could get was 1:30 p.m.  By the time we were seated at the grill table, we were completely famished.  The place was casual yet elegant at the same time, with spacious seating and we were lucky enough to be seated next to a big window with a sunny view of the buildings in Causeway Bay.  

The staffs were very polite and attentive in helping us into our aprons (the aprons were to prevent us from being splashed by the oil) and the chefs were also professional and friendly (offering to take pictures for us on multiple occasions), although they invited us not to take pictures of the menu or film the cooking (to which we secretly and strongly objected to because we wanted to take as many pictures and footage as possible for the price!).  There are many sets offered for teppanyaki with a lot of different combos and we ordered a Business Set Lunch (＄520 for 2 pax/$780 for 3 pax).  After waiting for a while, we were thrilled to see our fresh and raw ingredients arriving next to the grill, ready to be cooked! Lunch was priced at around $250 to $300 per person.

(1) Initially we didn't know which dish to expect as our chef wasted no time and immediately placed multiple items on the grill and started cooking them at once, while she danced around the place. The first course, 北海道貝柱 Hokkaido Scallop, was D's favourite.  Each of us only got one piece, yet it was totally satisfying and juicy.  It was perfectly grilled to achieve an outstanding flavour and texture. 

(2) We love goose livers and we were more than happy to find that 法國鵝肝 Goose Liver was naturally light with an enticing flavour.  The goose liver was ultra tender and thoroughly grilled, creating one of the most alluring dishes. 

(3) The 酒煮蜆 Boiled Clam with Sake was another memorable dish.  The clam was wondrously sweet and fresh, further enhanced by the refined and bittersweet taste of the sake broth. 

(4) The 美國牛肉薄燒 US Sliced Beef was an exceptional dish. What amazed us was the thinness of the slice of beef, with garlic and onion fillings , offered a symphony of harmonious and unforgettable flavours. 

(5) At first we had no idea what 日本赤豚薑燒 Japanese Red Pork with Ginger Sauce was, and when we saw our chef started laying out thin slice of dough on top of the grill, we wondered even more.  The dish turned out to be a pork slices wrap and it was heartening. C noted that it was like a Japanese version of fried dumplings. 

(6) We decided to add an extra order of 日本珍珠蠔 Japanese Oysters ($80/6pc) which was simply phenomenal!  It completely showed off the the chef's skills again in handling fresh ingredients and turning them into wonderful scrumptious dishes.  The portion was generous and each oyster was grilled to perfection to bring out a delicate, delicious and superb flavour which left us in awe! 

Overall remarks: All the dishes at Wa San Mai are first-rate and the teppanyaki meals are just incredible.  Impressed, D said that "when they did it right, it was really spectacular!"  That is true! The chef at Wa San Mai was able to handle the cooking and the performance with masterful culinary sensitivity and timing, placing in front of us, simple yet fantastic and surprising dishes that are not to be missed - teppanyaki at Wa San Mai is an absolute and delicious tour de force!

Food: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Ambience: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Service: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

INFO

和三昧  Wa San Mai 

22/F, East Point Centre, 555 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣軒尼詩道555號東角中心22樓

Telephone: 2831 8989

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