Second Act

I extended the stay in Macau in late April with a second night at the Wynn Palace just a short hop away. Not much have changed since our last stay here (too many years ago) with the iconic floral ferris wheel art installation sat in front of the hotel lobby, and I felt we were completely spoiled by the Wynn PR team’s hospitality when I realized they put us up in the mega spacious Parlor Suite, completed with walk-in closet, powder room, two bathrooms and a jacuzzi tub. It was just perfect as I ended up spending quite a bit of time staying in to finish up some work (yes, someone still go a full time job to do) 

Tea on a Boat

We could not have asked for a better week to enjoy the short cruise along Victoria Harbour on a remodeled Star Ferry with the legendary afternoon tea served by The Peninsula team.

Champagne and Dimsum

The Champagne-Dimsum gig at Ho Lee Fook seems like a deal too good to be true - one Sunday every month Chef ArChan and her dimsum specialist sous Winson introduced a brunch menu full of dimsum items and other dishes with unlimited refills, plus one bottle of champagne per person from their wine list. Yes, that's one full-sized 750ml bottle that each could pop open and share at the table. 

Happy Auor

I was curious how Chef Edward Voon’s new restaurant Auor would fare before we went for dinner one Saturday a few weeks ago. To be honest, I knew little about his cooking style or food with my only experience being a dinner tasting at his previous restaurant once a few years back. Turned out, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Ando x Krug

“Just pop by for a dinner with some friends and some champs,” those words were all that’s needed for me to take up the offer for another night at Ando. Not just another night actually, or not just “some champs”, but with Chef Agustin preparing a special menu to pair with a few fine bottles of Krug. 

Casual Degustazione

Remarkably, we saw a few new restaurant openings despite all the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. Testina was one of them, a modern trattoria-style restaurant at the corner of Lyndhurst Terrace with collaboration with the team from the popular Trippa in Milan and chef Marco Xodo hailed from Bombana Shanghai. 

Keeping the Tradition

We managed to keep our “tradition” of eating at Caprice during this past Lunar New Year long weekend. We have been eating out much less these days so this did feel like an even more special occasion.

Champagne x Chef

I know I shouldn't have expected less when the ever elegant champagne house of Krug created an event for the launch of their new 2008 vintage, converting the space adjacent to Wanchai Pier into a whimsical theme with jaw-dropping harbor view to show forth in the background. Somehow they still managed to go beyond my imagination. 

Onion Crossover

The other day I took the afternoon off from work to join a few friends on a champagne “run”… to be exact, a Krug run when we went from places to places drinking and eating. It’s part of their annual (and now global) campaign by the champagne house working with a few chefs in town (as Krug Ambassadors) to each create an unique dish with a common ingredient theme, to go with their champagne, that goes without saying. This year that ingredient is Onion, and I am glad to go along with a group of friends to visit some of those chefs and checking out some of those dishes (and more).

Cuisine from the East

We came to learn more about Chef Samaira's food for the first time at a pop-up event last year, and since then, have seen this home chef turned professional bloomed with a few more popular cooking events under her belt. Recently I was invited to try her food again, at her latest gig at Tatler Dining Kitchen, where she presented a refined East Indian menu with champagne pairing by Perrier-Jouet. 

Longest Spell

This is perhaps one of the longest spells between our visits to Caprice for as far as we could remember, with the last one came right after Chinese New Year almost 6 months ago. Not that we haven’t tried, but it’s almost impossible to book unless you plan way ahead. Anyway, we were glad that they managed to squeeze us a table for a “quick and simple" lunch on weekend afternoon in July. 

Somewhere New

"This is so unlike the Jockey Club" was the comments everyone had when we ate at their new venue called Pinnacle, which opened only a couple of weeks ago. At its onset, the place looked more like a trendy nightclub when we were escorted up the elevators and through the bouncers (I mean the Maitre'd counter) at the door to our table.  

New and Old

I certainly didn’t mind coming back to Hoi King Heen at Intercontinental Grand Stanford twice in one week as I was able to check out some of the new dishes by Chef Leung during my second visit, which came in early May. The restaurant may be better known for some of the more classic-style Cantonese dishes and consistent execution, but veteran chef Leung Fai Hung and his team never stop innovating and come up with delightful new dishes every now and then to keep their menu interesting. 

More Wines Than Food

While we were still waiting for our turn to check out Batard in Sai Ying Pun, with their waiting list now extended to 3 months plus, we went to visit the wine bar by the same group on the other side of the harbor at K11 Musea a few Fridays ago.

Dinner Plus a Late Night Distillery Visit

We were surprised to see Hop Sze Restaurant completely packed when we walked through the frosted glass door late evening. This cozy neighborhood restaurant always attracted quite a following, and even more so given it's the second week in almost 3 months when we were allowed to dine out at night and people flock to enjoy the newly-granted freedom. 

Last Day of Freedom

It just seems appropriate that I commemorate my last day of freedom (for a while – at least that’s the plan) with a lush breakfast at the Landmark Mandarin. Among many places that offer decent, proper breakfast in town, Somm at Landmark Mandarin stood out as the venue with a cozy and sleek ambiance with food and drink slightly different than the others. 

Pre-Christmas Brunch

We never need any excuse to eat out any day, any time of the week, but we thought we would have our little pre-Christmas celebration over at the Sunday brunch at Landmark Mandarin Oriental in early December. I always enjoy the ambiance of MO Bar during the day, which felt like a little oasis right next to the busiest street in town and inside the busiest shopping mall, and even better was the Christmas decorations that’s already set up weeks ago bringing a sense of joyous mood.

Swansong Dinner

Sichuan Lab might easily be overlooked by passers-by with its dark decor resembling more like a night club and the nondescript, unmarked entrance next to a serviced apartment building across the street from a park and in the middle of the Wanchai wet market district. But it's always noticeable by any Sichuan food lover for its non-compromising take of classic cuisine with its chef in helm considered one of the most authoritative voices in the local culinary scene, especially in the subject of authentic Sichuan cuisine.

First of the Decade

Thought we would treat ourselves to a serious breakfast to kick-start the new year and decade. I have always wanted to try the morning menu at the new Somm at Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Central, so I made a booking to go check it out on January 1.

Cheesy Dinner

It's probably more common to see a winemaker or sommelier joining us for dinner rather than a fromager, or cheesemonger, but recently I got such an experience with Francois Bourgon of Fromagerie Xavier co-hosting us at Epure in TST for a special cheese-themed tasting dinner prepared by its Chef Nicolas Boutin. I guess I could call myself a cheese lover but definitely not an expert so it's an excellent opportunity to learn more from someone who's a specialist in his trade (and a decorated MOF because of that)