*** Wai Kee - 維記咖啡粉麵

62 and 66 Fuk Wing Street & Shop D, 165-167 Pei Ho Street
Shamshuipo
Kowloon, HK
深水埗福榮街62號及66號地下及北河街165-167號地下D號
Ph: 23876515
7am-8:30pm

excellent
-

good
豬潤麵

average
-

poor
-

price: <50pp>

value for money: 2 1/2 $$$

豬潤丁

comments
b says the 豬潤 is very "潤" and very 爽口. r says not the "綿" type of 豬潤 so may not be every 豬潤 fans' favourite and a bit over-cooked. b will be back to try their famous 咖央多士. r won't be back.

**** Lung King Heen - 龍景軒

Level 4, Four Seasons Hotel
Finance Street
Central, HK
中環金融街8號四季酒店4樓
Ph: 3196 8880
12noon-2:30pm; 6pm-10:30pm; Sundays & public holidays 11:30am-3pm & 6pm-10:30pm

excellent
龍皇帶子餃 (lobster and scallop dumplings)
鮑魚雞粒酥 (baked whole abalone puffs with diced chicken)
crispy shrimp dumplings with goose liver
deep-fried glutinous rice sesame dumplings flavoured with green tea
桂花糕
流沙紫米圓

good
steamed shrimp and garoupa dumplings with black truffle
chilled mango and sago cream with pomelo

average
小龍包 (steamed shanghainese pork dumplings with crab meat)
baked salmon tartlets with cheese and onions
叉燒酥 (baked bbq pork puffs in honey)
蝦餃
炸子雞
荷葉飯 (steamed fried rice with diced abalone wrapped in lotus leaf)
hot and sour shredded pork with golden noodles

poor
-

price: 300-400pp for yumcha

value for money: 3 $$$

鮑魚雞粒酥

龍皇帶子餃

流沙紫米圓

comments
excellent overall, but because they've been given 3 michelin stars, we've been tougher in assessing their food so "average" items above may actually be "good" elsewhere, and "excellent" really means excellent or absolutely delicious with lots of yumyumyum. very disappointed in the 荷葉飯 which was not even close to 北苑 (in sydney) standard. 炸子雞 wasn't bad, the skin was really crispy but the chicken was way too salty. there's no need to have 小龍包 and 蝦餃 at lung king heen - they aren't any better here than elsewhere. 龍皇帶子餃 was really really good - lots of lobster & scallop wrapped in a 菠菜皮. the desserts we've given excellent ratings to are definitely all must-trys! the deep-fried glutinous rice sesame dumplings flavoured with green tea is a crispy green tea shell on the outside filled with lots of black sesame. the green tea flavour gets a bit lost (which is perfectly fine with b). the 桂花糕 was very cool and refreshing. perfect summer dessert. 流沙紫米圓 was also a pleasant surprise. very very very very very good place to go for yumcha, but pricey!

**** The tomato noodle place - 勝香園

Junction of Mee Lun Street & Gough Street
Central/Sheung Wan, HK
中環美輪街2號排檔
8am-5:30pm (Sundays closed)

excellent
檸密脆脆

good
番茄 通心粉/麵(丁)/米粉 and your choice of toppings

average
-

poor
-

price: <50pp>

value for money: 3 1/2 $$$

檸密脆脆

comments
b could eat 檸密脆脆 every day. crispy bun layered with condensed milk, lemon and honey. yummmmmm ... tomato noodles are what this place is famous for, so a must-try. not given an excellent rating as the tomatoes used are on the sour side of the tomato scale, so not to everyone's liking. (we've had non-sour tomato soup rice/noodles in yuen long which are better). but definitely does make a 'homely' meal, and great washed down with ice cold (glass-bottled) coke in cold weather. b's choice is the tomato 麵 with beef. r recommends tomato 麵 with spam and sausage. also - be prepared to wait. the ladies at this store are not the most efficient, and food is prepared upon order.

**** Le salon de thé de Joël Robuchon

Shop 315, The Landmark
12-16 Des Voeux Road
Central, HK
中環德輔道中12-16號置地廣場 315 號舖
Ph: 21669088
8am-10pm

excellent
le foie gras à la mangue (fois gras & mango sandwich topped with finely chopped nuts)
le sandwich jambon gruyère (ham, gruyère cheese & mustard baguette)
le brownie aux noix (walnut/chocolate brownie)
la tarte au citron (lemon tart)
high tea set

good
la focaccia garnie (chicken and egg focaccia)

average
-

poor
-

price: 150pp for lunch; 330 for high tea set from 3-5pm

value for money: 3 1/2 $$$

fois gras & mango sandwich topped with finely chopped nuts

ham, gruyère cheese & mustard baguette

walnut/chocolate brownie

high tea set - savoury items (front to back):
norwegian smoked salmon and caviar sandwich
tuna and fresh mache pave
lobster sandwich flavoured with tarragon
premium ham with mustard seed sandwich

high tea set - various pastries

high tea set - various pastries

high tea set: home made natural, lemon & raisin scones
with Devonshire clotted cream and home made strawberry jam

comments
recommended by irene. excellent pastries, desserts and savoury items. very french, very delicious. fois gras and mango sandwich (with nuts on top) is very very good - but mango flavour may be lost or too strong, depending on your luck. unbelievably delicious walnut/chocolate brownie. so very good. and only $8 a pop. high tea set is also good value. items are tiny (and perfectly created) but there are many of them so you do fill up.

*** H One

Shop 4008, Podium Level 4, ifc
(next to Four Seasons Hotel)
Central, HK
中環港景街1號國際金融中心商場2期4樓4008號舖
Ph: 28050638
12 noon - 2:30pm; 6:30pm-10:30pm

excellent
sea bass
home made spaghetti with swordfish, capers, olives & basil

good
complimentary bread basket

average
chef's counter (appetizer bar) - includes salad, antipasto, parma ham, pizza & sushi (!)
dessert surprise

poor
-

price: 400pp for lunch (including non-alcoholic drink each & 1 bottle of acqua panna to share)

value for money: 2 1/2 $$$

complimentary bread basket

home made spaghetti with swordfish, capers, olives & basil

sea bass

dessert surprise

comments
b's home made spaghetti was very good, definitely not of the pasta-from-a-packet variety. al dente, very tasty, much like the good pasta dishes you find in italy - all in all very 正宗. r's sea bass was also surprisingly good - perfectly cooked, tasty but not too much. dessert surprise was not too sweet but not really that special (or surprising). actually, couldn't quite tell what it was. there was vanilla icing on top of a chocolate layer of something of a mousse-like consistency, then we couldn't quite figure out what the other mousse-like layers were. appetiser buffet was ok, but not anything special either. will return to try more traditional italian dishes.

* Dog Lovers - 熱狗狂熱

Shop E, G/F, Pao Woo Mansion
77 Wanchai Road
Wanchai, HK
灣仔灣仔道77號-179號保和大廈地下E舖
Ph: 51831988
8am-8pm

excellent
-

good
-

average
wedges

poor
jumbo sausage
crispy cheese sausage
drinks selection

price: <50pp

value for money: 1 $$$

comments
very disappointing. the "crispy cheese sausage" was not crispy nor cheesy. r's jumbo sausage tasted exactly like the jumbo sausage you find at 7-11. there are many choices of sausage here, but variety does not mean quality. nor value. ok perhaps we have been spoiled by harry's @ woolloomooloo (see below). but still, this place is quite bad. and what kind of hot dog place closes at 8pm on a saturday night?

THIS IS WHAT THEY SHOULD BE AIMING TO ACHIEVE:
classic harry's hot dog de wheels (with no peas please) from sydney, australia

*** Ku-suya En - 吉酒家えん

1/F, Golden Dragon Centre
38-40 Cameron Road
Tsimshatsui
Kowloon, HK
尖沙咀金馬倫道38-40號金龍中心1字樓
Ph: 34282500
6pm-2am; Sundays 6pm-12midnight

excellent
-

good
wagyu beef all-you-can-eat shabushabu

average
-

poor
-

price: 400pp (includes 90 minute all-you-can-eat shabushabu & unlimited soft drinks) - note that this is a promo price.

value for money: 3 1/2 $$$

comments
recommended by san. all-you-can-eat deal includes kobe beef as well as sashimi (including very fresh good quality salmon sashimi), yakitori (including 豬頸肉), 豬軟骨, 炸魷魚, vegies, tofu etc. lots of choice. 60pp for unlimited soft drinks or 150pp for unlimited alcohol. 90 minutes is enough to be really really bao.