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.

The Chicken Specialist

We are always on the lookout for new Japanese restaurants but this one caught my eyes in particular, promising an omakase experience with a chicken tasting menu ("Tori-kappo" is the term they used to describe the concept)

Ryota-san's Special Menu

It's a no-brainer when our friend C asked us whether we would like to get together at Ryota Kappou Modern, a restaurant that he frequented, let alone he offered to arrange everything, booking out the private room and sorting out the menu with chef-owner Ryota Kanesawa prior to our meal in early August. 

First Star of 2021

It just so happened Arbor was the first starred restaurant we visited in 2021 – a few weeks ago we went online to check the earliest availability for a table at the restaurant and January 2 it was, fell conveniently in the first weekend of the year. And of course with the dining restriction still in place the booking for 4 people became 2 adjacent tables separated by a partition – they already did the best they could to make us feel like sitting together. 

Hidden Gem

We came across this little Italian restaurant in a commercial building in Causeway Bay and decided to give it a shot for a dinner celebration. I love the simple interiors - modern, cozy with comfortable lighting with tables well scattered across, and the quiet ambiance well suited for the fine dining style of the place.

Two Tables

The Front of the House team at Caprice did a fine job of making special arrangement for us to eat at their restaurant recently. With the government rule still in place restricting a maximum of 8 people per table, they managed to set up two "separate" tables of five inside their private room so we could "eat together". And all these were done at a rather short notice – kudos to them for being accommodative.

Free Corkage Night

It’s hard to say no to Free Corkage promotion offered by restaurants when it presented a perfect opportunity for a friends’ night out on a weeknight and an excuse to pop open some of our own bottles. I have been to Theo Mistral at Intercontinental Grand Stanford at TST East a few times since the change of concept and renovation a few years ago and it’s one of my favorites in this neighborhood.

Not So Little Anymore

We went on an impromptu dinner date on a Monday evening at Chef May Chow’s Little Bao at its new branch at Causeway Bay (their flagship restaurant, I was told). They have been hosting their friends and families for trials before they officially opened later this month, and we were glad they considered us as such so we could get a sneak preview of the new venue and the new menu before the crowd sets in to this ever popular joint.

Gen Creative

We followed our friend and fellow Instagrammer deeseebeaucoup's IG post and booked for dinner at this casual Taiwanese restaurant called Gen Creative. This 2-year-old restaurant was often mentioned as one of those new establishments following the latest trend of combining western cuisine with local ingredients.

Crabby Feast

The crab feast at Shanghai Fraternity Association has become some sort of ritual for us during the hairy crab season, courtesy of our friend A and C who asked us to join them and their other friends every year. We always made the best effort to make sure we could join, clearing up our schedule, pushing back any travel plan if needed – well, you got the idea.

Meat Craving Satisfied at Beefbar

Sometimes restaurant names can be deceptive, but not so much with beefbar, except the fact that it's not exactly a bar but a proper modern steakhouse on Ice House Street in Central specializes in, of course, beef. I am not a steakhouse person, often preferred to enjoy the big slab of meat at the comfort of my own home in pajamas and slippers rather than having to suit up for a formal meal outside. But I was curious to check out this place after hearing all the positive reviews since opening late last year.

Middle-of-the-pack Italian

We came to check out this new Italian restaurant called Involtini in Causeway Bay for our regular BYO gathering on a Friday evening. Naturally we decided to pop open a few Italian bottles to go with our meal.

The restaurant is located at the fringe of the buzzing Causeway Bay in a new commercial building. It’s a bit hard to find and a bit of a hassle to get to, thanks to the slow elevator. The restaurant was compact, with bar and open kitchen on one side, then scores of dining tables on the other. I thought it’s comfortable, but definitely not the place you want serious business conversations or an intimate date to pop the question or something.

Dinner with a bunch of oldies

The idea of a special themed BYO dinner just came towards the end of our last BYO gathering at the end of August. This time it's been decided that the theme was going to be "Wines before 1990", and someone in our group came up of the idea of hosting the dinner at an equally old-ish restaurant The China Club. (Technically speaking the club was only opened in 1991 but the building itself - the Old Bank of China Building - certainly went way back, so that counts!)

A Pretty Average Kaiseki Dinner

I succumbed to my Japanese food craving to squeeze in a meal at Nadaman, in between my two trips to Japan in quick succession. It's not my first visit to the restaurant, located on the second floor of the Island Shangri-la Hotel, but if I remembered correctly, only the first time I was here for dinner. 

Countertop Fine Dining at Wagyu Takumi

Wagyu Takumi was one of the restaurants in town that I have always wanted to try but never came around to, so this time we made a conscious effort to come check it out as part of the birthday celebration for my wife. The restaurant is part of the restaurant complex which also houses Gin Sai and Rozan in a quiet Wanchai neighborhood, with a rather discreet entrance located on the side street.