Long Lunch on Boxing Day

At our last outing to Ando a few months ago I did tell myself we needed to go back soon when dinner service was resumed (we went on the first week the government banned all dine-in after 6pm) Turned out 5 months on we were back to square one in terms of dinner lockdown, but at least we did make it back to Chef Agustin’s restaurant for another meal on the Boxing Day. Call this part of our holiday celebrations with friends. 

High-end Celebration

Ozone may not be the first venue people had in mind when they talk about dining outlets at Ritz Carlton Hong Kong; after all with two Michelin-starred restaurants (Tosca and Tin Lung Heen) and the ever-changing and glamorous afternoon tea at the lounge all under the same roof, it's easy for people to think of Ozone as more a spot for drinking rather than eating. But I have to say, for the few occasions I came here to eat I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of dishes and the overall dining experience. Kudos to Chef Rafael’s team inside the Ozone kitchen.

Festive Recipe Re-interpreted

Loh Bak Goh 蘿蔔糕, or as CYY calls it, “Robert Go”, is one of those festive dishes we eat during Chinese New Year. Made with shredded white radish (or turnip or daikon) plus a number of other ingredients in a rice flour-based batter and steamed in a deep dish, the dish symbolizes growth (with the word “goh” 糕 sounds like high, or 高 in Chinese). It's often called "Turnip Cake" in English or as Singaporean would say, "Carrot Cake" - but regardless of names, they are all referring to the same thing.

Cooking at Home - New Year Eve Dinner

A few friends came over for dinner on new year eve - it has become kind of our tradition to have a get-together on this day every year and this time I decided to go a little more elaborate on the menu, especially when my friend j told us he's bringing his prized champagne to share with us.

Chinese New Year Celebration at Chesa

We usually stay away from eating out during the holidays, especially to places that offer any sort of celebration set menu (often an euphemism of overpriced, under-delivered food that was prepared in advanced and in bulk by junior staff unwillingly stuck in the kitchen while everyone's away on holiday) But when our friend asked us to join she and her other friends for dinner at Chesa at The Peninsula during Chinese New Year, we went and had a blast - well, literally.

If you ask me to name one local restaurant that's good enough to impress while casual enough for everyday dining, Chesa could be one of those I had in mind. And whether you are a regular customer or an occasional one like us, you always feel like you are treated like royals - something of a rare breed these days, even for many top-notch hotels or restaurants around town.