Springtime on the table

We had the pleasure of joining our friends P and G for a dinner at Godenya during the Easter long weekend. There’s no better place to enjoy the dinner served in traditional Kappo style with unique sake pairing by Chef Goshima Shinya. P called this his favorite season to visit the place, and I can understand why with the menu filled with seasonal sansho flowers and sansai, both known for its distinct, season-defining flavor and aroma. 

Yakitori in the hood

One evening we decided to check out a new izakaya in our neighborhood with a heavy shade of doubts. Decent dining establishments have been few and far between near our home, let alone a Japanese restaurant, but turned out the place was far better than we expected.

Lunch at Forty-Five

I was glad to visit The Merchants, the new Shanghainese restaurant in Landmark, on a clear day. This new dining venue, called Forty Five and as part of the complex on top of Gloucester Tower some 45 levels high, offers the sweeping view of Central, harbor and the Kowloon skyline, either through the window in the dining area, or at the rooftop bar (to be called Cardinal Point) that will soon open. Even just for the view is a legitimate reason to pop by for a visit. 

The Standard Bearer

We realized it's been more than one full year since our last visit to VEA... don't know what happened and how time just flew by but we quickly made amend by making a booking to go one evening a couple of weeks ago. And we managed to catch up with Chef Vicky "in residence" in between his overseas trips. 

Top Notch Home-style Meal

A few friends and I got together at Yong Fu a few weeks ago. It's one of those nights when we don't really have a preference of what dishes we wanted, so we left it to the restaurant's recommendation with a combination of new and old dishes. 

Best one without a star

We hop to Juxing Home (聚興家) a few MTR stops away in Mongkok for lunch on Sundays every now and then whenever we have a bigger group and want something slightly more than just a casual meal. While the place is often packed with customers at nights (it's also known as a popular late night hangout spot for chefs), during the day it's much quieter and hence more comfortable (with the food just as good)

Dinner in Time Warp

Felt like walking into a time warp when we joined our friend KC for a dinner in an old-school restaurant inside one of the public housing estates. Choi Hung Estate may be better known as a popular hotspot for IG snapshot these days for its iconic rainbow colored facade (Choi Hung meant "rainbow" in Cantonese hence the design followed its namesake theme when it's first built in the 1960's) but this is also a tight-knitted community with 10000 or so residents completed with schools, markets, and shops for everyday needs. 

Marco x Lorenzo

It's barely 3 months since Rosita officially opened but they already hosted a number of special dinner events at this new space specializing in homestyle Latin American dishes. Their latest one paired Chef Marco with Lorenzo Antinori, one of the most popular mixologists in town for a special menu with cocktail pairings.

North Point Private Kitchen

It's no secret that I enjoy the food at this no nonsense neighborhood eatery in North Point, whether that be for their Cantonese roast (including their exceptional roast goose) or other family style Chinese dishes. So one Sunday last month we booked out their private kitchen just across the street and check out their "tasting menu". 

Unagi and Izakaya

We have long anticipated the opening of Uza, the new concept by our friend Anthony with the name a combination of Unagi and Izakaya which also described what this establishment does - a casual Japanese pub (izakaya) specializing in eel cuisine (Unagi). He first tested this at a pop-up event 2 years ago (which I enjoyed) and finally managed to open its doors after some delays (partly because of Covid) and my friends and I went to visit recently.