Balalaika @ LKF

What are the key elements of Russian food? I am not too sure, that was why I paid this famous outlet a visit to give it a try myself. One of the famous gimmick of this restaurant / chain is the vodka cold room where you can enjoy a glass of vodka (or other drinks) inside a huge transparent fridge. Yeah, you are right, based on the way I describe it, I really don't find it all that interesting. Anyhow, I do find it interesting that how come there are so few Russian restaurants in Hong Kong? I know there is one newly opened in TST at the Butterfly on the Prat hotel and there is one in the SOHO area as well. The bottom line is that there are very few.



The transparent vodka room / fridge is situation right at the entrance so you would not be able to missed it. The decor and environment is pretty nice but I doubt it is of authentic Russian decor even with the Matryoshka (nesting doll) on the shelf along the bench seats. The only thing that reminded me of anything Russian was the live band playing at the end of the dining hall. I am not expert in Russian music but it sounded Russian enough to me!



While waiting for my friends, I was going through the drinks menu and wanted to order a so-called Russian drink called Medovuha which consisted honey horseradish and lemon juice. When placing my order, the staff informed and warned me that this drink is not for everyone because it tasted like Chinese Herbal Oil which you apply onto your body joints whenever needed. The staff offered me some for tasting and yes it tasted ... interesting, not exactly what i call a refreshing drink but I actually enjoy the aftertaste for some odd reasons so I ordered it anyhow. (my friend tried a sip afterward and her description was the same as the staff warning, tasted like Chinese Herbal Oil ... HAHA) ... but hey, it was worth trying !!! (be warned though!)



(1) Piroshki (Salmon / Mushroom / Vegetables)
They were freshly made for sure because they were HOT ! The bread was puffy and well prepared but somehow they reminded me of buns sold at Maxim bakery or Maria's. Among the three ingredient choices we ordered, I like the salmon and mushroom the most especially the mushroom because mushroom is known to generate moisture but the diced mushroom inside the bun remained relatively dry. They must be consumed as soon as served to get the best of out them.



(2) Country Sausage with Sauerkraut
I love sausage, any kind in fact. I must try some German restaurants soon! Anyhow, the skin country sausage was very crisp and the meat was lean without much fatty or greasy feel to it. However, while it was rich in flavor without any sauce, it was rather salty. Eating it with the sauerkraut would help a bit definitely. (I thought sauerkraut is of Germany origin? humm ... )



(3) Salmon and Mushroom Vol au Vent with Sour Cream
The main focus on this dish should be the pastry puff under the slices of salmon. IT was very puffy and crisp even with the sauce poured over it. There were no surprises on the salmon but the spinach was pretty good in terms of flavors especially together with the sour cream sauce.



(4) Pelmenis
I should have listened to my friends regarding this dish but I am a pretty stubborn person and without trying it for myself, I would not be satisfied even if it means I am wrong. So dumplings they were for sure. If weren't for the mayo sauce on top, this dish can be disguised Chinese dumplings. The only other significant difference I found was the meat which was rather tough compared with the Chinese style. Either it was incorrectly prepared or it was simply how it was done traditionally. I am not expert in Pelmenis but I will try to find out more. I wonder if Pelmenis have any Chinese origins / influences; maybe it was a traditional dish of the southeastern Russian Empire (or even further back in history) which was close to the boarder (or overlapping boarder) of the Middle Kingdom. Hummm .... southeastern Russian Empire .... northern Middle Kingdom where it is famous for dumplings ... hummm .... I wonder.



(5) Blinis - Duck Meat and Cream Spinach
This traditional Russian pancake dish was a delight in my opinion with the soft and tender duck meat wrapped by the thin pancake layer. The highlight of this dish was the sauce in my opinion. It was the cream spinach sauce that added the extra flavors to the whole dish. A dish worth trying.



(6) US "Kurobuta" Pork Rack & Shashlik
How can one come to this restaurant and not order this item for its presentation? It was a feast for the eyes. The torching touch added a slight grilled taste to the food which was nice. The pork was better than I expected in terms of tenderness because usually when I order pork chops / rack, they are often too dried and too tough to chew. Here they did a pretty good job with it. The seasoning / spices used were just right, job well done in my opinion.



(7) Napoleon
Don't be fooled by menu for its desserts, they were actually not bad at all. Not really of traditional Russian desserts but good enough to end our meal on a happy note. Although the pastry puffs were not as crisp and puffy as expected but still above average. The custard was surprisingly not too sweet at all. Not a traditional style of Napoleon which I like but a fair dessert indeed especially with its presentation.



(8) Apple Strudel
The upper layer of the strudel has been caramelized! A nice touch indeed, resulting in a crispy texture along with soft and warm apples inside. The decorated sauces were a nice touch indeed but a bit too sweet in my opinion.



(9) Apple Crumble
A freshly baked apple crumble, the dish was still very hot. Flavor was very nice, the crumbles on top were crisp and favorable indeed. While the apples were soft but the apple mixture / filling inside was overly sweet. Some cream would be nice as well.

Even after this meal, I am still not sure about the key elements of Russian cuisine, I think I should continue my food quest in search of more Russian cuisines in Hong Kong.

Likes:

• Blinis - Duck Meat and Cream Spinach - Wonderful sauce!
• US "Kurobuta" Pork Rack & Shashlik - great presentation and pork surprisingly tender and juicy as well
• Apple Strudel - caramelized top was a nice touch for taste and texture

Dislikes:

• Pelmenis - Chinese dumplings?
• Country Sausage with Sauerkraut - very lean but a bit too salty
• Apple crumbles - very crunchy oats / crumble topping but apple filling a bit too sweet.
  

Avg Spending: HKD 300 - 500 per person

Balalaika
Penthouse, LKF Tower,
No. 33 Wydnham Street, Central
Tel: 3579 2929
http://www.kingparrot.com/

The Flying Pan @ SoHo

It was 11pm and after having several rounds of drinks at the M Bar as part of our Happy Hour session, it was time for something to eat. At this hour, many places were closed so that left us with only a few choices in the area. My last visit to this place was about 2 years ago and it was about them to pay them a visit. I could not help but to compare this place with the Brunch Club because of their All Day Breakfast; however, they are of different style in my opinion. Flying Pan is more American Neighborhood Diner style while the Brunch Club upscale Beverly Hills joint. The Flying Pan reminds me of Denny's in the US and Canada.



Although it was 11pm, I did not have any coffee the whole day, just a cup of Hot Chocolate from La Maison du Chocolat earlier the evening so I ordered the bottomless coffee! The coffee was very weak but I had no expectation to begin with so I was okay with it and since it was late anyhow, a weak coffee would be good. I just needed the coffee to complete the whole all day breakfast experience.



(1) Eggs Oscar w/ Shrimps & Asparagus
When it comes to egg Benedict, I would usually order smoke salmon but tonight I felt like having something different. I am glad I ordered this instead because it was very nice. The use of shrimps and asparagus were new to me especially in a egg Benedict but since I am in love with both ingredients, I found it to be a nice match. Although the hollandaise sauce was rather too rich and thick, I was happy with it because I come here to get the comfort food feeling and this kind of cuisine is suppose to be rich in flavors and slightly filling or possibly relatively greasy in my opinion. And by the way, the poached eggs were surprising well prepared without overcooking the egg yolk. (almost forgot to mention: while the poached eggs were good, the English muffin was ROCK SOLID!! ... rather disappointing)



(2) The Flying Pan
My friend ordered the Flying Pan which resembled an English Breakfast only lacking a few items like the baked beans. I did not try any but it looked very "comfort-ing" indeed especially the bacon !



(3) Ultimate
This waffle dish was pretty heavy on the cream but I was not ready for dessert since I was still having my egg Benedict for breakfast! Ice cream / dessert shall come later, the night was still young! (or was it? I am getting tired already, a sign of aging!)



Likes:

• neighborhood diner style decor
• a place to get some comfort food (looking more for the whole dining experience than the actual food quality in my opinion)
  

Dislikes:

• really weak bottomless coffee
• it is rather greasy, beware for those on diet ...
• rock solid English muffin!
  

Avg Spending: Around HKD 100 per person

The Flying Pan

G/F, 9 Old Bailey Street,
Soho, Central
Tel: 2140 6333

M Bar

After my House of Chocolate venture at La Maison du Chocolat, my friends finally completed their long day of work. We headed to the M Bar at the top floor of the Mandarin Hotel. It was my first time and I was surprised I did not discover this pretty location until now. The place was not big but it is cozy enough to spend a relaxing evening over a few drinks with a few friends.

Compared with other near by places for Friday Happy Hour, this location has the ambiance, the decor and of course the nice view which many lacked. (Sevva has the view as well but in order to enjoy the whole view, you you have stand outdoors which I am not a big fan of during this summer weather!)

Ever since I was introduced to the single malt Lagavulin, I am in love with it. It was extremely smokey in flavors but very smooth at the same time. It is very hard to describe but I enjoyed it very much. Note: It is very difficult to find it Hong Kong for some reasons, very few, and I mean very very few bar / lounges in Hong Kong (even for hotels) carry it. Therefore, if you so happens to see it on the drink menu, do give it a try especially you are starting to enjoy whiskey. Try the 16-year-old first, I do not dare to try the higher vintage because (1) the ever so high price tag !! (2) I might enjoy it too much that I cannot go back to the basic 16-year-old one; and/or (3) I might be able to appreciate its sophistication or smoothness yet at this stage.

Likes:

• Very attentive service with very friendly staff (all of them end conversations with a nice smile)
• Decor+ view
• Frequent renewal of snacks (chips and nuts)

Dislikes:

• Not enough sofa seats but too many high / bar table seats.

Avg Spending: HKD 200 - 300 per person

M Bar
25/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong,
5 Connaught Road Central, Central
Tel: 2825 4002

La Maison du Chocolat @ Prince Bldg

I needed some smiles, something to cheer myself up on this Friday evening. We always look forward to Friday because it is the start of the weekend but it is also only two days away from Monday, the start of the work week as well. Maybe I am just being a bit too pessimistic sometimes that's why I needed chocolate to be more optimistic !!! When I passed by this place, it somehow reminded me of Jin's entry on NoKA Chocolates and it made me want to have some really nice chocolate while waiting for my friends to get off work. Therefore, I slowly walked into the House of Chocolate. Among the newly opened stores of this franchise, only this location and IFC's have drinks to serve as well as sitting area. The sitting area is under the escalator, close to the store and this little corner is actually a nice location because usually very few people would pass by this area.



(1) Hot Chocolate Caracas
It was a blend of full bodied cocoa. The hot chocolate was very rich but not too sweet and it was thick and silky smooth. Why is it thick? Simple: it is because this is NOT HOT MILK CHOCOLATE drink, it is plain and pure HOT CHOCOLATE for PURE ENJOYMENT. In my opinion, one small cup us good enough because it was pretty filling and satisfying at the same time. The thick texture may remind you of chocolate sauce but of good quality and HEY, I am not complaining at all, I was simply enjoying every last drop of the sinful hot chocolate!



(2) Maracuja Island
I forgot how it was described on the menu but to me it was as dome shaped chocolate mousse layered cake topped with banana and coconut, lime and passion fruit cream. It was rich and wonderful. Chocolate needs to be rich in taste in my opinion. The citrus flavor of the lime and passion fruit cream went well with the chocolate layers and provided a refreshing taste to it as well. The coconut provided a contrasting texture to the cake, the crunchy coconut together with the soft chocolate mousse were mouth watering indeed !



This apparatus below resemble the logo of this place and i checked it out to see what it is used for and called. Apparently, it is made of granite stone and it is called a Metate. The traditional process is to heat the Metate up with a small fire underneath and crush the cocoa beans into a paste with the large stick.



NOTE: they serve with a very nice and sturdy plastic tray (see picture) but it turns out they don't need it back!!! ... meaning not recyclable or there is no intention in doing so. Eco UN-friendly for sure. I had the urge to bring it home for my own use because it is better than throwing it away. However, it would be weird to carry the little tray around to go for drinks right? Therefore, I had to close my eyes and blindly throw the plastic tray into the garbage bin.

Likes:

• Hot Chocolate Caracas - the rich and thick pure melted hot chocolate, what's not to like about it?
• Maracuja Island - a wonderful combination of flavors and texture, although slightly too sweet in the center.

Dislikes:

• Still trying to think of one ... other than the fact that they are not as Environmental friendly with the plastic tray as I imagined.

Avg Spending: Around HKD 100 per person

La Maison du Chocolat
Shop 109, 2/F, Prince's Building,
10 Chater Road, Central
Tel: 2801 4122

Union J

I really liked the name of this restaurant, maybe because my name starts with a J or it is because one of my dreams is to open a restaurant of my own, hopefully with my name somewhere in it. Apparently there is a little history behind the establishment of Union J. The two main chefs here, Eric Johnson and Jason Casey, both are veterans at Jean-Georges Shanghai and together they head to Hong Kong to open a restaurant, hence the union of the Johnson and Jason. Union J it is! Humm ... what should I name my restaurant if my dream can come true someday ... humm ... ...



It was lunch time during a busy weekday but the place seemed less crowded than I expected. KC did a review on this place before with and took a picture of the blackboard which I found to be very interesting, so I got to take a picture of it as well. (I think I got the same table as KC from the picture taking angle ... haha) I really enjoy the environment especially with the flooding sun lights, it is certainly a rare to see such great sun shines in Hong Kong.



While waiting for my friend to arrive, the staff recommended me to try their house soda. I ordered the grapefruit one and not bad at all but I would recommend to have it without the ice or just straight from the bottle would be good enough because the fruit flavor is not very strong and the ice would dilute it even further. For lunch, they offer a variation and combination of set lunches but I am very surprised that they charge EXTRA for the BREAD ! Okay, it is Home Made Sourdough which is rare in Hong Kong but still not a justifiable reason to charge extra at such an Establishment in my opinion.



(1) Steak tartar with Cherry olive tapenade
Presentation was very nice and the steak tartar was well prepared. However, the dressing used was a bit too strong in my opinion and covered the true taste of the steak tartar. I did not try the cherry olive tapenade with the steak tartar but I like the egg yolk which complimented the steak tartar very well! A great combination in terms of flavors and texture. Try to eat with the toast as well for a different experience as well.



(2) Miso Roasted pork belly with salad and picked vegetables
Not exactly what I expected in terms of presentation but it looked nice anyhow. The roasted pork belly was not served in pieces but in slices. It is very difficult to describe its texture because one would expect it to be tender and chewy maybe but it turns out to be VERY soft to the point that it simply melt in your mouth. Whether it was the right way /texture for such an item, you can be the judge for yourself. I personally prefer such slices of roasted pork to be a bit more chewy instead of melt-in-your-mouth sensation.



(3) Fresh shrimp burger with spicy mayo
I love shrimps so it was an easy choice for me. I was expecting the shrimp patty to consist of diced or mince shrimps but to my surprise it was actually of little whole shrimps. Very nice indeed and with the spicy mayo it was a good match. Since the patty was rather loose, it was best to eat with fork and knife in my opinion. The fries were nice but still not up to the standard of The Press Room in my opinion. On a negative note: the flat snow peas were COLD ! Maybe it was meant to be served cold but I dun like it cold the way it was because a few of them were still warm so I assumed they should bot be served COLD ! (Maybe I was wrong, but I prefer it WARM)



(4) overnight red wine beef cheek
Honestly, I prefer the red wine beef cheek here than The Press Room's. It was very soft and melt in you mouth just like the one from The Press Room but here, it has a very strong beef flavors to the meat which I loved. The sauce was thick and rich, and together with the pomelo bits it created a good contrast with the sauce and the meat. Nicely done!



(5) 70% Chocolate cake with Sichuan pepper ice cream
This was an interesting dessert for sure. The reference to Sichuan Pepper ice cream was the key factor that made us order this dessert. (Of course the 70% Chocolate cake as well ... haha) The chocolate cake was very rich not not too sweet. It seemed like a molten chocolate cake because the center of the cake was slightly melted and soft but not to the point with chocolate sauce flowing out. As for the ice cream, if I did not know it was of Sichuan pepper flavor, it tasted just like any other ice cream but just a bit "herb-y." But in any case, it was a wonderful dessert to end the meal with and certainly put a smile on your face on the way back to work. (the smile did not last long though but long enough until afternoon tea time when I had some more chocolates.)



Argh ... Jackson and Jason were checking the bookings near the entrance when we were about to leave and we greeted briefly BUT I FORGOT TO ASK THEM TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH US ... how stupid was I !! ARGH !!! ....

Likes:

• Decor / Environment / Atmosphere
• Overnight Red Wine Beef Cheek - soft with strong beef flavor!
• 70% Chocolate Cake - dark, rich and soft !

Dislikes:

• Cold flat green beans
• Miso Roasted pork belly - the texture was too soft for my liking

Avg Spending: HKD 200 - 300 per person

Union J
1/F California Tower,
30-32 D'Aguilar Street, Central
Tel: 2537 2368

Kanoka Udon 香之香讚歧烏冬

It is true. It's true that sometimes a meal is more than just a meal, it comes with history and memories. The layout and decor of this relatively new restaurant reminded me of the wonderful moments I had in Japan back in the winter of 2001. Those were the memories to be treasured. Unfortunately, my sense of happiness ended as soon as I sat down.



This place has a local / neighborhood restaurant feel to its decor with diners sitting along the side of the long table and a long service aisle in the middle. I was assigned at the very end of the long table close to the serving window next to the kitchen. I overheard the the staff talking about the many missing orders they have but I did not really pay attention to the issue until it happened to me. Another restaurant management chaos ! (Keep reading for details)



(1) Oden
The various Oden selections were to be ordered in a per item basis so I ordered some of my favorites such as Stewed Fish Cake, Konnyaku (the black thing), Stewed Egg, Chikuiwa Roll and Fish cake with Burdock. Before I go into the quality of this dish, o my ... first, the oden arrived without the soup, then I called him back for the missing soup. He acted without being surprised that he forgot to pour the soup. When he returned with the soup inside, I realized he missed an item, the Konnyaku! Of course I called him back once again to inform him about the missing item. He simply nodded and slowly walk back to the oden stove with his head held high up as if he is having a personal moment out there in space, outer space ! Wake up dude !!! THREE separate trips for a bowl of Oden with just 5 items!!!!! SIGH ... Now as for the food quality, the soup was COLD and weak in flavors! okay, fine ... room temperature but still not acceptable at all. I don't even want to go into the quality of the individual items because all of them seemed to be over-stewed or simply being left in the soup since early afternoon. I also overheard the diners beside me that they had to remain the staff 3 times for a glass of orange juice. Maybe 3 times is the charm and that is the magic number.



(2) Kamaage Udon (Cold)
Alright, the Udon was not bad, pretty chewy but the dipping sauce was disappointing. It was very weak in flavors.

Likes:

• Decor and Atmosphere

Dislikes:

• Service, Service & Service (not a very good first impression, not sure if I should give it another chance or not ... )
• Oden - room temperature soup (I considered it COLD)
• Inexperienced staff.

Avg Spending: Around HKD 100 per person

Kanaka Udon Restaurant
Shop 116, 1/F, Site 8,
Wonderful Worlds Of Whampoa,
7 Tak On Street, Hung Hom
Tel: 2954 1886

Katong Laksa Prawn Mee 加東叻沙, 蝦麵

I had a sudden craving for Laksa this afternoon and with my friend's recommendation for this outlet in Wan Chai, I decided to give it a try. Since there are a few items I wanted to try in addition to the laksa, I decided to call up my friend (around 5:30pm) who works nearby to join me on this little food venture on a Tuesday evening. With such short notice, my friend actually said yes and together with my friend and her mom, the three of us headed down soon after work.



It was not as crowded as I expected when we arrived around 7pm, so we can actually pick our seats. The restaurant is of a very casual but cozy style with relatively strong air conditioning (which is good!). Before I forgot, I have to give this place two big thumbs up for their impeccable services! Not only was the service very attentive, it was detailed and responsive as well, way beyond my expectation. Read on and you will see what I mean.



(1) Laksa Supreme
(with Prawns, cockles Fish Cakes, Egg, Shredded Chicken, and dried bean curd) According to my friend who introduced this place to me, one of the rare items in the laksa is the cockles (鮮蚶 ) which is not a common ingredient you find in Hong Kong while it is standard in laksa served in Singapore or Malaysia. I liked it. Anyhow, back to the rest of the laksa! Based on my humble knowledge, a so called traditional laksa should consist of a mixture of clear and "oil" noodles but what was served consisted of only clear noodles. Almost all laska I tried in Hong Kong use only one type of noodles. Nonetheless, the clear noodles served was slightly chewy and together with the moderately spicy soup, it was delicious! I only wish the soup was a little bit more thicker, richer and with more coconut sauce / paste. Alright, at this point I need to talk about its great service! While I was serving the laksa to my friend and her mom, I was being very careful because of the possible splashes of the soup when serving the noodles. The staff came over and asked me if I need a big napkins to protect my pretty white shirt from the possible splashes. Wow, I did not expect such detailed observation and responsiveness from the staff, I was, and I am still, surprised and greatful to get such services.



(2) Hainanese Chicken
It looked tasty but it was actually relatively light in flavors and was a bit dry. However, if you eat with the skin, then you can get more flavors out of it (together with the various standard sauces)



(3) Beansprouts and "Tung Choy"
A simple and delightful dish of vegetables without much oil. Simplicity is the secret formula sometimes.



(4) Pork Ribs Soup with Herbs 肉骨茶 (Bak Kut Teh)
At this point, our plates and bowls had been replaced by cleaner sets because our plates were full of chicken bones and the next serving was the Bak Kut Teh. Again, unexpected service level. The soup was hot and the taste was strong but lacked a bit of the Chinese herb flavors I heart for. Sabah's Bak Kut Teh has a very strong Chinese herb flavors in my opinion.



(5) Singapore Satay
Not sure why they called it Singapore Satay, maybe of some secret ingredients from Singapore in the sauce? Anyhow, we ordered 3 skewers of chicken and 3 of beef. It was hot off the grill because I almost brunt my tongue eating the chicken skewers. I prefer the chicken over the beef because it was more tender and the seasoning / spices used complimented the chicken better than the beef when eating without the sauce which was a bit weak in flavors by the way.

Likes:

• Service, Service and Great Service
• Laksa - not bad, would be better if the soup was thicker and with more coconut sauce.
• Singapore Satay - especially the seasoned chicken skewer

Dislikes:

• Not enough Chinese Herb flavors in the 肉骨茶 (Bak Kut Teh)
• Hainanese Chicken - relatively weak in flavors (unless you eat with the skins)
  

Avg Spending: Around HKD 100 per person

Katong Laksa Prawn Mee
Shop D1, G/F,
155 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai
Tel: 3168 2478