Old School Cantonese Plus Wine

Yixin Restaurant probably wasn’t the first I had in mind in terms of good, traditional Chinese restaurant, but of the few times we visited, whether that be that at the old shops or its current location in Wanchai, we found it more than decent.

Izakaya With a Bang

It seems like an oxymoron when they decided to name their Japanese Izakaya style restaurant “Silencio” (after a Latin jazz song apparently – just FYI), but then one might argue it’s somewhat appropriate given they do have a jazz band performing live at the dining room every evening. That’s just part of what made this new place in Lan Kwai Fong unique and fun as a place to hang out, eat and drink.

Almost a Total Repeat

It’s been over 2 years since we last ate at Shun Tak Fraternal Association, so we were happy to re-join our friends H and A for a long overdue encore dinner there recently. Coincidentally, we were seated at the exact same spot as last time, a small but comfortable private room which were more than adequate for the six of us. Even the menu was similar, with a few of their signature dishes originated in the area of ingredient-rich Shunde not far away from here. But as we were told that the original chef has left since our last visit, there were subtle but noticeable difference in cooking style with the new team even when many of the dishes were a repeat from our last visit.

Birdie

I have been itching to check out this new yakitori place named Birdie at a new building that seemed to have sprout up out of nowhere in the middle of Central. A few friends have eaten there and liked the food, so we finally managed to get a booking to go one late evening on a weeknight.

Siesta Fiesta

There’s a sense of déjà vu when we went for the weekend brunch at La Rambla a few weekends ago. The nice spread of savory and sweet Spanish dishes at the counter did remind me of the good old Catalunya in Wanchai with their sumptuous weekend buffet before it closed down a couple years ago. Of course, such resemblance was hardly a coincidence given both restaurants were operated by the same group.

One could think of La Rambla as a “down-to-earth” version of the old Catalunya –  one were the somewhat remote location that needed a detour and the dark and hip décor which resembles more of a club.  La Rambla is right inside ifc mall in the heart of Hong Kong (taking up the spot where the popular Isola Italian restaurant once was), and the bright and spacious interior with the ocean view made it a perfect spot for anything from a casual meal to family gatherings.

But one thing remained the same – their weekend brunch menu was as sumptuous as ever. We already walked past the long charcuterie “station” as we were seated to a table at the far end of the restaurant, filled with Jamon, chorizo, cured meats, cheeses and anchovies. On the other side of the table was more cold tapas and salad served pintxos style, many of them bite-sized pieces served like an open-faced mini sandwiches. And right outside the open kitchen was the egg and grill stations with different huevos, meat and seafood dishes delivered straight from the kitchen. I particularly liked the small bowl of slow-cooked egg (done in the waterbath) served with potato espuma for the smooth texture and hearty flavor – a different rendition of the classic Huevos Rotos. I also thought the gazpacho with king crabs would make the perfect first course on a hot sunny day with the cold and refreshing soup mixed with tangy and umami flavor.

And all the while we were checking out the buffet spread, a few hot tapas arrived at our table. Of course the Bikini sandwiches were not to be missed, with truffles, jamon and melted cheese served inside a thin toast made this a perfect snack any time of the day. So was the bombas – filled with smashed potatoes and meat, deep-fried with batter and served with brava sauce on top. I would have ordered a few of those until I was reminded that more food was coming our way.

The menu also came with a choice of paellas AND main courses, both made to order and served in family style. One couldn’t go wrong with the classic paella, cooked with a rich sofrito mixed with bits of pork belly and topped with clams and squids. It sure was mouth-watering. I personally could live with a slightly crispier skin for our suckling pig main course, done in the traditional Segovian style and served with sautéed mushrooms, but nonetheless the meat was juicy and tender.

Desserts were equally amazing. No churros, in case you were thinking, but instead there were cakes and sweets served in small glass bowl (those crème catalana was to die for!). The cheesecake was an interesting one too – baked in mini pan with melted cheese inside with a slight savory-sweet flavor and served hot with chocolate sauce on the side. Towards the end of our meal they also brought out the icecream cart and did the sundae with vanilla cream custard flash-frozen using liquid nitrogen for the extra smooth texture, with toppings of our choice. That sure was a crowd-pleaser.

I resisted the temptation of going for the open bar option, which included a good selection of wines and cocktails on unlimited pours, but instead went for a good old Negroni plus the fresh juices at the Juice Bar. Just wanted to stay relatively dry after a night of drinking the previous evening and that turned out to be a wise choice, as otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to stay sober enough for all these wonderful dishes.

(The meal was by invitation)

When? April 14 2019

Where? La Rambla by Catalunya, Shop 3071-73 Level 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central

Menu Highlights? Bikini sandwich with Truffles, Jamon and Cheese

Web: larambla.hk