first it may not be, second it will not be...

michelle's it is. (paraphrasing a famous, old motto)

if there's such a thing as the most consistent restaurant in hong kong, i would say it has to be m at the fringe in central. in this city where new restaurants come and go before you even notice their existance, and counting on food quality in some places can be like playing russian roulette, michelle's little dining oasis atop the hustle and bustle lan kwai fong stood out against the rest since its opening in 1989.

my love affair with this place started in the summer break after my sophomore year, and since then it's become a place with a lot of fond and interesting memories for me personally. whenever i return, i always feel like i am home. our last visit came this past wednesday, when we celebrated mrs m's birthday (aka daibun). nonetheless, it feels like we were simply finding an excuse to have a good night out rather than to celebrate a special occasion. this evening, i ordered oxtail and ox-tongue terrine, cutely named "head to tail", to start and braised mustard rabbit as my main course. of course, as it's always been, the food never dissappoints. despite the variety of dishes that we collectively ordered, the verdict was unanimous.

and it's almost a crime for anyone to skip dessert here... mr and mrs m tried the grand dessert platter which has a "tiny" bit of everything - more than enough for two - and i ordered the "it takes two to mango" - a hot mango souffle and a cold mango sorbet. what a way to wrap up the evening.

when it comes to naming the best restaurant in town, surely and certainly m will be among those i have in mind. already look forward to next time we visit by the time we walked down the stairs and hailed the taxi home.

details:
when? august 1 2007
where? m at the fringe, 2 lower albert road
occasion? mrs m's birthday
menu highlights? everything!
drinks? chateau laydet-figeac 2000