End of An Era

I always feel we didn't appreciate Roganic enough for what the restaurant and the team brought to the local dining scene since their opening  in 2019, breathing a new life into our old concept of "fine dining" with a more casual, no-nonsense approach that's quite unique at that time and has since become more a commonplace. 

Ephernité

I just stumbled across Chef Vanessa Huang and her restaurant Ephernite on social media a few months ago, but that alone has convinced me to pay the restaurant a visit when we made a quick return to Taipei in late July, our second time this year. Given the restaurant only opens during dinner service, we went on the first night we arrived in town after settling down quickly at our hotel just a few hours before. 

Second Visit

On the whole nothing much has changed since my last visit to The Cristal Room 6 months ago, well, except now they are bestowed with a star in the latest edition of Michelin Guide. It's well-deserved, by the way, and certainly helped their cause to become one of the hottest restaurant openings in town in recent times. 

Hidden Gem in Gangnam

My friend G introduced me to Summer who's a food and travel writer based in Seoul, and we met up at her restaurant Onyva in Gangnam District one night while I was in town for work. Many describes Gangham District lined with multi-level designer boutiques as "Beverly Hills" of Seoul, with the main throughfare Apgujeong bearing the nickname of "Rodeo Street". Onyva was located just one block behind the busiest section of the street, which turned nice and quiet at night when the shops are closed. 

Macau Sushi Trip

Did take a bit of convincing for me to go to Macau for a quick trip just for one meal but it's a quick trip that I didn't regret making - I'm talking about the sushi dinner I had at the new Sushi Kissho at Raffles just a month ago. Sushi Kissho is the latest outpost by Chef Masaaki Miyakawa, who has a few sushi-ya under his name including the 3-star namesake restaurant in Sapporo. Handling the day-to-day cooking at Sushi Kissho were chefs Norihisa Maeda, Hironori Satake and Mitsutero Sasaki while he would make occasional trips over. 

Weekend Brunch at Grissini

I had a lovely weekend brunch recently at Grissini of Grand Hyatt when they invited me over at the newly renovated private room. There's no better time to visit on a perfect sunny day with sunshine beamed through the floor-to-ceiling window... felt like I was at Amalfi Coast with a glass of Aperol Spritz in hand. And I reckon the long table was just perfect for a cozy day time function with privacy.  

Zest x Mizumi

There’s a sense of déjà vu when I dropped by Zest for a special lunch hosted by Chef Konishi with guest chef Hironori Maeda from Mizumi in Wynn Macau back in early June. I just came back from a week-long holiday in Kyoto and Osaka, but with this meal I felt like I was back in Japan once again. 

The Magistracy "Private" Room

Décor of Magistracy Dining Room definitely appeals to certain type of people – those who read and dreamed all about the Victorian era glamor or binge-watch on Downton Abby, for example. Probably same can be said about their style of dishes but to a lesser extent; after all old-school British cuisine never got a good reputation even to the locals. That mixed impression set the tone of my mood as I set foot into the restaurant – now in its second year of operations - for the first time recently and checked out their latest menu, reinvented by Chef Alyn Williams who just came on board. 

Soigne

Soigne looked more “industrial” than I imagined and I didn’t know what gave me such impression when I visited the restaurant for dinner one night, whether it was the location in the lower floor of an office building, the bright white lighting or the open kitchen with light color decor that felt like a lab, or the quiet dining room with furniture that looks more like corporate office.

Strong Contender

Work brought me to Seoul for a few days in January and I did find time to check out a few restaurants on my free time. I was quite looking forward to the trip because it's literally been decades since I last set foot in Korea, but then I wasn't as excited when I knew Korea is freezingly cold at this time of year. (one morning the temperature changed from -6C the previous day to -2C and they called this warm - go figure)

New Hokkien Place

New restaurant openings in this area were not common let alone a decent one, so Ming Pavilion came as a welcoming addition when they opened their doors inside Island Shangri-la. The restaurant specializes in Hokkien Cuisine from Fujian Province, surprisingly another rarity in local dining scene.

Speakeasy in the Alley

"Do you serve any food?" It's probably a bit rude to walk in to the bar and immediately ask for food, but then we were desperately hungry (and thirsty too, but in this order) after the concert late evening so we got to have our priority straightened out first. 

the mind blowing logy

Our short trip to Taiwan was about eating and drinking as much as about concert-going - well, almost. But with us focusing on Taipei alone we got time to visit a few of the best restaurants in town, places that I have always wanted to try.  

The New Two Star in Town

It’s somewhat an unplanned, “serendipity” moment when we got to eat at a restaurant the same day they were elevated to two Michelin stars. My whirlwind Macau stay in March (the first of the three trips I made to the town that month) concluded with dinner at The Huaiyang Garden at The Londoner. 

Silks House Taipei

We made a quick hop downstairs for dinner at Silks House on our first day in Taipei. I ate at all other dining outlets during my previous visit last year except this one so felt like I finally completed the full circle. 

Regent Taipei Encore

“I felt I am right at home…,” this may be a little bit of overstatement as we were checking in to Regent Taipei at their top floor Tai Pan Lounge, but I did feel totally at ease to stay in the familiar ground when we spent a few days in Taipei in early April. I was there for a quick stay back in October during our whirlwind tour of Taiwan, but this time, two of us got to spend more time with this legendary hotel right in the busiest district in Taipei. 

Bombana Macau

I ate at Bombana Macau on one of the Macau trips hosted by Galaxy Macau I had back in March. Have always heard comments comparing their Macau outpost (which has one Michelin star, by the way) to their “mothership” restaurant in Hong Kong (which has 3) so I am glad to try this for the first time. 

Zest for Special Occasion

We picked one of the places we haven’t visited for a while on a night we celebrated a special day of ours. Last time I was at Zest was a few years ago not long after they first opened and before the pandemic times. 

Wing, A Few Months Ago

This is a throwback post to one of the meals we had at Wing in recent months. Chef Vicky never failed to wow us with some of the best executed Chinese dishes in town no matter what occasion we came here for, and this time there's no exception when we came with a couple of friends. 

Feng Wei Ju

My last visit to Feng Wei Ju was definitely before COVID, so I am glad to make it back during one of my recent Macau trips in March. A quick ride in the car get us from our hotel in Cotai to the restaurant in 20 minutes, located in the older part of Macau inside Starworld Hotel. I felt the décor didn’t change much since my last visit, with the casual vibe typical of just about any Chinese restaurant, but this time they set us up in one of their private room at the back so it’s kinda nice. 

Glamping in Chiba

Almost all travelers to Tokyo have been to Chiba Prefecture just right next to the city – after all that’s where Narita Airport is located. But this time we decided to stay one night in Chiba Prefecture for our glamping adventure.  

Many Short Stays

March was my month of many short trips with hops to nearby towns for leisure. And that included 3 separate brief stay in Macau all courtesy of Galaxy Macau. I drove on the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge for the first time, getting us from home to hotel in less than 2 hours with a more pleasant drive that I expected. I still do prefer the ferries as far as Macau transport option goes, but at least now we have a choice to go by "land" if we so choose.

The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic

Combining the view to die for on top of Gloucester Tower with the most glamorous décor filled with Baccarat pieces scattered inside the open dining area was The Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic, the newest (and arguably the hottest) restaurant in town sitting inside the Forty Five restaurant complex. Also remarkable was the open kitchen which sit right next to the dining room with no boundary in between, giving a home-like atmosphere to the otherwise elegant, almost condescending space.

Night in Yokohama

We made an unusual detour to our Tokyo trip with a stopover in Yokohama before driving further east into Chiba Prefecture, and it was our first time driving in Tokyo too, taking out a rental car for the latter part of our trip. 

One to Watch

At the Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau ceremony last month, there were no happier faces than chefs Romain and Adrien, whose restaurant Racines has gotten its first Michelin star in the 2024 Guide. I had the chance to dine at the place just a few months ago and this certainly came as no surprise, given how much I enjoyed the meal at this small bistro-style venue in the quiet Tai Ping Shan Street neighborhood in Sheung Wan. 

Rooftop Teppanyaki

Forty-five has quickly become the talk of the town with a few fine restaurants opening in quick succession in this complex spanning multiple floors on top of Gloucester Tower. I had a chance to visit two of their outlets in March, starting with Kaen Teppanyaki in one Monday evening.  

Petrus' Seasonal Menu

We forgot how nice the view was from Restaurant Petrus until we got up there and paid a visit a couple months ago to check out Chef Uwe’s winter menu. And the food too, at this legendary restaurant with a legendary chef at the helm. 

Tempura Kaiseki

Just as Yakitori Hirako which we visited was no ordinary Yakitori place, Tenmasa that we went the next day was no ordinary Tempura place either. 

20 Courses of Chicken (and Sake)

“Take one sip after eating and swallowing. The best time is 5s after the food is gone from your mouth. Do not drink in 2 sips”

We have seen chefs being super particular about timing, portions and steps – for example, Chef David Chang’s recipe for his signature Soy Sauce Egg at Momofuku calls for the eggs to boil for exactly 6 minutes 50 seconds – but this is perhaps the first time we have seen chef being THIS particular about how his dishes are to be consumed. 

The Strings

We stayed in the district of Shinagawa for our last Tokyo trip in November. While Ginza or Shinjuku were our usual choices as far as location is concerned, I wanted to give a shot to this IHG property called The Strings next to the train station. 

All About Dried Tangerine Peel

You couldn’t help but feel the passion Chef Li has for his favorite ingredient Dried Tangerine Peel (陳皮) whenever he started talking about it. From the different types of tangerines that were used, to the way they were prepared in his hometown of Xinhui 新會 in Guangdong Province near Guangzhou and Shunde (which arguably produced the best dried tangerine peel), to how they were dried and aged and different flavor and aroma profiles developed, Chef Li is like a living encyclopedia for these all. And a few months ago, he even came up with a Dried Tangerine Peel-themed special menu at his restaurant The Legacy House at Rosewood Hong Kong, which was quickly sold out.

Ankoma

Sometimes it's refreshing to see new chefs coming through from independent restaurants - one of which was Frankie Wong who headed up this interesting French-Japanese restaurant inside a commercial building at Hart Avenue in TST. 

Old Friend at a New Place

I visited Nobu Hong Kong for the first time a couple of months ago. Yes I have been to Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurants quite a few times but somehow this branch right at home eluded me for so long. Anyway, happy to make amend for this when the restaurant reopened at now The Regent at almost the exact same spot in the building when it was still called The Intercontinental. 

The Perfect Repeat

I wasn’t planning to come to Tokyo in such quick succession but then when Chef Daniel suggested that I should come visit again during the Shanghainese hairy crab season after my meal in September and “you wouldn’t regret it,” I was like, sure, why not. And just as important was this time I came with the missus. Coming in for lunch this time and I found the dining room during day even more charming, with the mild sunlight beaming in from the window, and this time I got to sit at a table properly for the whole meal with our friends CXB and KC which happened to be in Tokyo and booked to eat there on the exact same day. 

Flavor of the Sea

I am in a serious backlog as far as blogging is concerned, so that means I will keep each post brief until I managed to catch up. We went for an easy sushi meal at Umi in Minami-aoyama on our day of arrival in Tokyo – not the usual choice I know given some argued the place has lost its sparkles given they lost both Michelin stars in the past few years, but who kept track of those anyway. 

Somewhere New

We picked Sushi Muto in Nihonbashi for lunch purely because they are one of the few sushi-ya that opened on Sundays and the location worked well for our tight itinerary (we made a reservation to go visit Shibuya Sky right after and need to be on time). And with the restaurant located in a commercial building right behind the famous Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store we managed to have a quick shopping session before we went up for our meal.

The Mascot Dinner

It took some major convincing for me to skip out of a lavish party next door for a cozy dinner at an exclusive venue, but at the end I think it’s well worth it. 

Feuille x Lasai

I am not surprised when the name Feuille often came up whenever the question about the best recent restaurant opening in town popped up. They seem to go under the radar when they opened in Spring 2023, but since then they did attract quite a following for its straight-forward, vegetable-focused French cuisine in a casual setting. 

One Last Meal in Shenzhen

We started our dinner at Gem Garden slightly earlier than usual so we could catch our ride back to Hong Kong at reasonable hours. Spending a weekend in Shenzhen without a taste of Chinese food seems strange but we had a good time trying different things, but then we were glad we finished with something more traditional in our last meal. 

Weekend Brunch American Style

There’s definitely a modern American chophouse vibe at Stonesal, the Shenzhen restaurant we stopped by for lunch on the second day of my weekend trip. The 2-level structure on the ground level of a commercial building in Nanshan District featured a large meat aging room, a well-stocked centerpiece bar in the center of the dining area, a spacious patio with the perfect view of the park right outside, the open kitchen laced with state-of-the-art equipment, and a few private rooms carefully decorated in various themes… all of these spelt upscale and quiet luxurious, something I didn’t quite expect to see in our neighboring town up north. 

The Trip That Keeps On Giving

Another eye-opening meal awaited at Fumee not far away from where we stayed for the evening. Through door at the entrance on the side of the stone and wood façade inside the lower level of an office building in Nanshan District on the west side of Shenzhen, we were led into our seats at the long bar counter in front of the kitchen studio, where part chefs, part owners Janet and David and their teamwork and where culinary magic was created. With the natural style décor with dark wooden color theme, I felt like sitting in a modern hut in the forest but with a soft ocean breeze, well suited for the contemporary cooking style using ingredients from land and sea that Chef Janet specializes at.

Venturing Up North

Spending the weekend in Shenzhen turned out to be quite a revelation for me. While most people travelled to our neighbor north to the border in the hunt of bargains, we went in search of some finer things with many new restaurants and hotels opening even before and during covid that easily rival those of similar caliber in town. 

Old School Classics

Few months ago I had a chance to check out Hong Kong Cuisine 1983 in Happy Valley and tried some of the exquisite Cantonese dishes by Chef Silas Li. Tugged away in the side street of the quiet Happy Valley neighborhood, the cozy restaurant up on the first floor in a commercial building does have a speakeasy feel to it with classy traditional decor. 

White Truffle Treat

I knew we were onto something quite special when I saw a large white truffle sitting in a jar on our table as I walked in to Castellana the other night. I visited the restaurant earlier this year but happy to be back, this time with a few friends and during the prized white truffle season. 

Old Face, New Place

I admit I did find it a little surreal when I saw Chef Manav in his new chef outfit at a new restaurant. His departure from his last gig a few months back certainly took many by surprise, but his new restaurant, Leela, on the other side of the harbor, is promising and represents quite a change in culinary direction and style. 

Mono Unplugged VII

My first business upon returning from a weeklong trip in October was to drop by Mono for the collaboration event between chefs Ricardo and Juan Luis Martinez of Merito from Lima (as part of the “Unplugged Series” at the restaurant now in its 7th edition)