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 @ 22 Ships

22 Ships 是一間在香港近年極受歡迎的新派西班牙小菜（Tapas）餐廳，常常大排長龍（等候時間要差不多兩小時），充分表現到西班牙菜在香港的名聲（Popularity) 和吸引力 (Fascination)。雖然不是正宗西班牙菜，但 22 Ships 的食物和裝潢都加料炮製，相當迎合愛吃西餐的顧客。菜式如 Squid & Salmon Paella ($148) 和 Iberico Pork and Foie Gras Burger ($158) 尤其出色，味道變化多端。不過餐廳地方偏小又吵，而且人多滿座時很擠迫，坐得很不舒服，無法集中地引人入勝。價錢也比較貴，晚餐要＄300到＄400一位。

22 Ships has been much raved about in Hong Kong (with its notorious line-ups up to several hours) showcasing the brewing popularity and fascination of the Spanish cuisine among Hong Kong "eaters".  Although the namesake of the restaurant is its address already, 22 Ship Street in Wanchai, 22 Ships is still hard to find due to the small size of the restaurant.  It is comprised of the main open bar taking up the center stage, surrounded by bar tables, and several small tables with a tiny al fresco dining area which is profoundly reminiscent of the pubs in New York.  Despite all the talk about how difficult it is to get a seat at 22 Ships (as it only allows walk-ins), me and my friend Chow Chow decided to go for an early dinner when she had to go into work that weekend.

Dinner @ 蘇浙滙 Jardin De Jade

蘇浙滙是一間很有水準的上海菜館，把正宗 (Authentic) 和現代 (Contemporary) 風格的上海菜揉合在一起。在香港想吃到有質素的上海菜，不妨試試蘇浙滙的香港分店。蘇浙滙本身是一間於上海頗有名氣的餐廳，我們每次到上海都會光顧的，想不到它居然在灣仔開了一家分店。雖然菜式有點不同，價錢也挺貴，但大部份都保持水準，最突出是酒醉膏蟹($488)，確實可觀 (Visual) 和可口 (Taste)，尤其不能錯過，其他招牌黑叉燒($88)和糟滑魚片($148)也各有傳統上海蘇浙風味，在香港很少見到，都值得一試。晚餐大概＄300到＄400一位。

It is a nice surprise to find the famous Shanghai-based Jardin de Jade (蘇浙滙) in Hong Kong as it is a restaurant that made a "wow" in the Shanghai dining scene, opening several branches in other cities in China.   It is not hard to understand why because Jardin de Jade combines authentic and contemporary Shanghainese cuisine in one setting and it is the restaurant we went to every time we visited Shanghai! 

Located in Wan Chai, the Hong Kong Jardin de Jade picks up where its other branches have left off--in traditional Chinese fine dining.  The decoration comprises of Chinese elegance and classiness without being overly extravagant.  Although the restaurant was quite small, it felt spacious enough with its limited number of tables, and the dining room was quiet for its diners to indulge in a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.  Brace yourself, however, for the prices here as they are not exactly budget-friendly, a typical dinner costs around $300 - $400 per head. 

(1) The 招牌黑叉燒 Black Barbecue Pork in Suzhou Style ($88) is one of the dishes that we liked that evening.  The BBQ pork itself was succulent and the taste was deliciously thick and amazingly rich.  

(2) The 酒醉膏蟹 House Special Creamy Crab with Wine ($488) the Magician's Girlfriend ordered impressed us in both its beautiful visual presentation and amazing taste perception. The crab roe, which is often eaten as a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, was plentiful and the meat itself was heartily tender and juicy.  The taste of Chinese wine was well balanced and brought the flavour of the crab to an even fresher level that kept lingering in our mouths.  Even though crabs were not C's favourite, he also felt that it was a stunning dish. 

(3) As a starter, the 黑魚籽煙燻蛋 Smoked Eggs with Black Caviar ($38/2 pieces) was delicate.  It had an attractive running yolk topped with the tasty cavier which proved to be a very good pair with the taste of the smoked eggs. 

(4) We all liked the 蝦籽紅燒獅子頭 Braised Meat Ball with Shrimp Seed in Brown Sauce ($108).  Served hot, the dish itself was very homey and comfortable.  The texture of the meat itself was soft and smooth. 

(5) This 糟滑魚片 Stewed Fish Fillets in Rice Wine Sauce ($148) was another one of our favourites.  The rice wine delightfully elevated the moistness and the lusciousness of the fish and we liked the accompanying beans and black fungus in the dish as well. 

(6) Finally, the must-eat item of the Shanghainese cuisine: the 蘇浙湯包 House Specialty Steamed Juicy Pork Dumplings ($68/6 pieces).  This dish was done perfectly and was very delicious.  But compared to other dishes, this one came to us as no surprise. 

Overall remarks:  Albeit the menu was different from the shops in Shanghai, it did not hinder the presentation or the delivery of its dishes.  Overall we enjoyed our dinner at the Hong Kong Jardin de Jade.  The staff was all very friendly and attentive to our needs.  However, we personally think that it was overpriced given the portion of the dishes (and the prices in Shanghai was a lot cheaper with a lot more food).  But it is definitely worth trying as the quality of these Shanghainese-dishes was close enough to what the stores in Shanghai offer and you can satisfy your Shanghainese cravings just by setting foot in Wan Chai! 

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

INFO

Jardin De Jade 蘇浙滙 (website)
Shop G3-4, G/F, Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Road, Wan Chai 灣仔港灣道30號新鴻基中心地下G3–4舖
Telephone: 3528 0228

Brunch @ The Pawn

位於灣仔的The Pawn絕對值得棒場，它的Weekend Brunch又一次表現出如何讓西方簡單的菜餚成為一個有品味（Tasteful)又休閒（Casual) 的享受。The Pawn 前身是一間建於1880時期的當鋪，很有歷史價值的建築。老實說，我們一直也覺得這間美麗的餐廳是給旅客觀光，所以這次在這裡吃C的生日Brunch，心裡還是挺興奮的。Weekend Brunch以傳統英國食物作主打，包括Eggs Benedict和Fish & Chips。 雖然菜式都很簡單，份量也不大，價錢也偏貴，但是室內環境卻真正融合了英式風韻和殖民地的色采，而且二樓設有露台，可以一邊看著街景，一邊進食，非常寫意。食物也很有水準，特別是那個Fish & Chips。Weekend Brunch 大概$100 到 $200一位。

We have never dined in this iconic building which was originally a Chinese pawnshop, so we could not contain our excitement when we had brunch at The Pawn last month.  The Pawn made a name for itself to plop us down in a "colonial" venue that's so obviously in quotes, we know that it must be as heartily tasteful and cultural as its antique exterior suggests.  The place has  long been lingering on our "to-go" list, but we often brush it off as another "touristic" restaurant.  Finally, we had an excuse to go there for C's birthday brunch. 

As a heritage building from the 1800's, The Pawn's weekend brunch menu offers some of the most traditional British dishes, including a variety of eggs dishes and its famous fish and chips.   Make sure you find the elevator at the side entrance (which was more modern looking than the storefront) that leads to the 2/F so that you do not have to hike up the flight of narrow steps.  We were seated indoor and the setting's tastefulness and minimalism resembled the casual atmosphere you can easily find in many British pubs.  It also has a cheerful outdoor terrace on the 2/F rendering an incredible view of Wan Chai and warm sunlight.  The weekend brunch menu is priced at around $100 to $200 per head. 

(1) C ordered a Poached eggs on toasted muffin ($85).  Popularly known as the eggs benedict, this is served with Hollandaise & gammon ham or baby spinach.  The birthday boy went for the gammon ham, which was deliciously tender.  The poached eggs were heavenly and once cut open,  the running yolk just melted instantly on the thin layer of ham.   The muffin just brought this dish further and it was a very satisfying dish. 

(2) The Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon ($95) is served on various kinds of bread: white, brown, granary or brioche.  The eggs were adoringly moist and the perfectly seasoned smoked salmon just gave a nice twist to our tastebuds, and we certainly wouldn't mind the simplicity of the dish. 

(3) British Accent decided to go for the traditional British signature fish and chips: Beer battered lemon sole with peas & chips ($180).   And it did not disappoint!  The finely fried fish had a fantastic aroma and texture.  Although it did take a while for it to arrive, it was worth it as the fish tasted very fresh and soft. 

(4) The Kedgeree Risotto ($185) was served with Smoked haddock, radishes, soft boiled egg.  It was a gentle-looking and enjoyable dish, but this dish could have trended a little more fully and now it was nothing to rave about. 

VERDICT

Overall remarks:  The Pawn's antique/modern style is one schematic tasteful showcase of the most traditional British dishes after another, rendered in an incredibly simple and minimalistic prestige dining experience.  We all felt that the service could have been better as the waitress sometimes forgot our orders, which made the experience slightly disappointing.   The simplicity and portion of the dishes may not justify its price, but the casual and historical atmosphere and the delicious British brunch dishes will surely bring us back! 

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

INFO

The Pawn  (website)
2/F, 62 Johnston Road, Wan Chai 灣仔莊士敦道62號2樓
Telephone: 2866 3444

Dinner @ Oolaa Petite

星街近年奇峰異起，不同種類的新餐廳逐一登場，而Oolaa Petite就是其中之一。是日為慶祝C的生日，和一眾友人於這裡吃晚飯。Oolaa Petite 的環境簡單寧靜，輕便而又優雅, 不會太吵鬧，坐在外面猶如身在外國街頭般寫意。但室內稍嫌燈光黑了點，看來比較適合情侶光顧。餐廳菜單以意大利菜為主，選擇蠻多，有薄餅(pizza)，意粉(pasta)，意大利飯(risotto)，還有其他肉類等等。可惜份量真的不大，真是明乎其實的Petite，男仕們可能不飽。菜式水準不俗，但以它的價格來說不夠驚喜, 未見出色, 價錢晚飯每位大概＄200至＄300。值得一讚是它不設有切餅費。

If you pass by Star Street and you haven't noticed the new dining scene there, you're not looking close enough.  It has been a delightful transformation at Star Street recently, turning old garages into hip and modern restaurants one by one.  One of these restaurants is Oolaa Petite run by Castelo Concepts.  

We went there for C's birthday dinner with Homa, Tee, Lesibian, and her boyfriend Martin.  Oolaa Petite is a sister restaurant of Oolaa which is located in Sheung Wan.  The restaurant comprises of a little outdoor area with high tables and an indoor area with large couches.  Though the atmosphere was perfectly quiet and peaceful,  whether it was intentional or not, we found that the uncomfortably dim and dark lighting to be more appropriate for couples to come here on dates.  

Unfortunately, the lack of lighting is just one of the cogs that evening.  We might have been inquisitive with the sporadic menu which featured Italian cuisine, including pizza, pasta, risotto and various kinds of meats.  Be aware of the portion, as the dishes were quite "petite" and they might not be as satisfying as they seemed.  Dinner is priced at around $200 to $300 per head. One bonus point is that Oolaa Petite does not impose a surcharge for outside cakes. 

(1) Martin ordered the Toasted Pita Dips ($90) with beetroot feta, tzatziki, hummus and chili tomato & capsicum as starter.   While the pita was expectantly soft and warm, the dips were quite nice providing a delicate and fresh flavour to the dish.  This was a nice starter to share. 

(2) We didn't adore the look of the Margarita Pizza ($110) at first but we were surprised by the fluffy and airy texture which proved to be both chewy and delicious at the same time. But we were hoping for a more fabulous taste of meatball and tomato sauce and it felt ultimately short of that.

(3) The Chicken & Asparagus Risotto ($125) was heartening and alluringly light but it could have been a tad bigger in size.  

(4) The US Certified Black Angus Sirloin ($390) 10 oz was one dish that C specifically looked forward to the most.  While the steak was gorgeously grilled and tasted fantastic, the serving was so smaller than we were hoping it to be and we had trouble to have more than two "bites" each. 

(5) The Penne Arrabiata ($120) with spicy italian tomato chilli pepper sauce was rather bland and the sauce was too mild to lift the flavours of the penne for us.

(6) Lastly, we ordered the Glazed Soy Salmon ($190). It was an outstanding dish, the salmon was superbly smooth and tender. The soy sauce was light and juicy, adding a sensuous twist to this wonderful dish! 

A special thanks to Homa who kindly bought the most beautiful and lovely birthday cake from Thomas Trillion! It was definitely the highlight of the evening! Thanks to everyone who came to dinner that evening! 

VERDICT

Overall remarks:  We are mixed about Oolaa Petite as its dishes could certainly be fine-tuned and we wondered whether the portions really justify the price.  But to its credit, Oolaa Petite is both unflappably casual and elegant and is definitely a welcomed addition to Star Street.  It's a pity that their dishes can't, or ironically do, live up to its name. 

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

INFO

Oolaa Petite  (website)
Ground Floor Shop 12 to 14 Regal Court, Star Street, Wan Chai

Brunch @ Madam Sixty Ate

入到十月，是C的生日月份，代表會有很多餐生日飯要吃了。有名氣的餐廳去過很多，但當CD族要去C期待已久的Madam Sixty Ate吃午餐時還是興奮無比！這趟Madam Sixty Ate之旅猶如置身愛麗絲的仙境或童話世界的糖果屋內，雖然菜式很簡單，但真的全都很奇妙又自成一格，別樹一織，成為芸芸高級餐廳中最印象深刻，是我們近來最欣賞的餐廳之一，特別適合愛奇特趣怪的朋友。餐廳是以一堆圍繞著這個女仕發生的奇異事情故事為主題，而它的食物就以古靈精怪的賣相見稱，用料很特別，又能把烹飪與藝術煮出新境界，菜式份量不大，價錢午餐大概每位＄200-＄300。

October is C's birthday month, thus, meaning there will be lots and lots of birthday meals coming up for us.  We have been to many high-class popular restaurants, but we still couldn't help but feel very excited when we visited C's long-awaited Madam Sixty Ate! What made it so special? 

Some restaurants are so quirky and fun that they are so deeply affecting as you are eating. Madam Sixty Ate is one of those restaurants. Located on Ship Street in Wan chai, Madam Sixty Ate does not have a big venue,  but the decor is anything but ordinary, filled with surrealistic paintings of animals, exuding both weird and modern sense of coziness as we immediately felt like we were in someone's living room, dining room and kitchen.  

The theme of the restaurant is based on the fantastic events surrounding a heroine, Madam Sixty Ate, and the dishes were inspiration of those fictional events happening to her. The food here was known for its strange and variable appearance. Chris Woodyard, Chef Director of the restaurant succeeds in expanding the artistic, or artsy, vocabulary of culinary, to explore both wonder and the food that makes wonder possible.  The portion of each dish is not big, weekend brunch is about $200 to $300 per head. 

(1) Each meal came with a complimentary loaf of bread and it was quite huge and full of fragrance with olives hidden in it. Even it did take a long time for the bread to come, it was very satisfying because you could still feel the leftover warmth fresh from the oven steaming from the bread.

(2) For the Eggs Benedict with Crunchy Hollandaise ($110), there's a choice of Cured Salmon, Pork Belly or Spinach. We chose to go with the Cured Salmon. Once we saw the dish, the first thing that came to our hungry minds was "Is this enough?"  But it proved to be remarkable because it was both a fantastic spectacle and an exquisite joyful taste. Not only were the poached eggs nicely cooked, the muffin was sweet like pancakes, which served perfectly with the cured salmon and hollandaise sauce. This attractive dish just made our hearts sing loudly!

(3) Another wonderful dish coming right from was the Pancakes with honeycomb, coffee cream and hot butterscotch sauce ($100). The beautiful taste of the smooth coffee cream, combined with the thick butterscotch sauce-soaked pancakes was just a match made in heaven, or at least the heavens. It captured the essence of pancakes and achieved such a "sweet" dish! 

VERDICT

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

Overall remarks: A visit to Madam Sixty Ate felt like a journey to Alice's Wonderland or  Candy House in fairy tales.  Although its dishes were simple,  each of them was truly quirky and fantastic, and at the same time it offered something wondrous and imaginative, comforting and intimate, the kind of restaurant that made you feel connected to it and left both of us impressed.  Among so many expensive restaurants, Madam Sixty Ate really stood out to be different and fun, sending us to a mouthwatering and dazzling neverland, if such a thing is possible. 

INFO

Madam Sixty Ate  (website)
1/F J Senses, 18 Ship Street, Wan Chai