Three Meals in Three Weeks

I happened to eat at Shanghai Fraternity Association on three different occasions in the month of April with three different group of friends. Tasked with sorting out the menu for each of the dinner, I managed to go through quite a number of dishes in this clubhouse restaurant known for classic Shanghainese cuisine even with a handful of new dishes (not new on the menu per se, but items that we haven't ordered here before)

Familiar Guest Chef Appearance

Seeing Chef Alex Fargas at his guest chef gig at our clubhouse reminded me of the time when i was the "guest chef" at his restaurant La Paloma in one Sunday a few years ago. They have been running this series for a while, bringing in guest chefs for a period of time with special items available either in a la carte menu or themed dinner, and they proved to be hugely popular. 

Dealers' House

We had yet another Cantonese dinner at another clubhouse in Central last month (after this, this and this which happened earlier). Our friend T managed to organize this for our big group and sorted out the menu before-hand. We didn't know what else is in the clubhouse of "Institute of Securities Dealers" but the dining area is no different than just any typical Cantonese restaurant. 

Eating as a Sport

It seems peculiar the only facility "The Sports Club" has is a restaurant at their clubhouse - I guess unless they considered eating is indeed a sport activity. 

Anyhow, their restaurant, located in their clubhouse in Central and accessible only by members and their guests, is known for the repertoire of old-school Cantonese dishes. We were there early last month tagging along our friends B and J who are a member there. 

Clubhouse Dinner Ep 2 - Private Chiuchow Kitchen

"The Hong Kong Chinese Importers and Exporters Association" was not exactly the type of sign you expect outside a restaurant, but that's where we were eating the other night at the clubhouse of this old trade union (still in operation, by the way). There were actually a few similar places around the area, with the clubhouse restaurants serving decent food to members and guests alike, and for this, their specialty is Chiuchow cuisine. 

Clubhouse Dinner Ep 1 - Classic Cantonese

HKUAA (Hong Kong University Alumni Association) Restaurant remained one of the most approachable "members-only" dining establishments that offered more-than-decent and reasonably priced food in town. We went there for dinner a few weeks ago, haven't been back for a year or so because of pandemic.

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.  

Borgogno Dinner

I couldn’t recall having been to Cipriani before, so I supposed that’s part of the reasons we signed up for the wine dinner at the restaurant the other day featuring wines from the Borgogno Winery right in the heart of Barolo.

New Gig in the Old Clubhouse

We went along with our friends H and A for dinner at Derby Restaurant at the Hong Kong Jockey Club recently, checking out the tasting menu by their new chef Francky Semblat. Chef Francky shouldn't be an unfamiliar name for many who stuck around long enough, with him being a rare few holding the helm at a Michelin 3-starred restaurant in the region, being the executive chef at Robuchon Macao (first the Robuchon a Galera when it first opened in 2001 and later Robuchon au Dome across the street until 2015). 

Food Pairing Experiment

After a few messages exchanged, turned out we were having dinner in a group of 9 people over 3 separate tables on a Sunday evening at Shanghai Fraternity Association Restaurant, a rare occasion these days given we were not allowed to have a table more than 4 people at a restaurant.

Bottomless Dimsum

I quite like the idea when Hong Kong Land decided to open Centricity, a dedicated space in one of their commercial buildings (Chater House) completed with meeting space, lounge and F&B outlets exclusively for their tenants and their staff. With space at a premium and there's never enough places for coffee and quick bites in the area, this is certainly a welcoming addition. 

Dish that cannot be named

It's true we often come to Shanghai Fraternity Association for their hairy crab dishes during the fall season, but there are more to that in this private dining club which has become one of the places we visit regularly throughout the year - sometimes it's for many of their simple, home-style Shanghainese dishes which I crave for every now and then, and sometimes for something more elaborate. 

Time for Hairy Crabs

Outside of white truffles, I would say hairy crab is one food ingredient that I relate most to the coming of the fall season. And glad we got to share our first hairy crab meal this year at our favorite Shanghainese restaurant with some friends we haven’t seen for a while. We always thought Shanghai Fraternity Association is a place perfect for casual dinner gatherings in the area, and their food has always been decent.

Hairy Crabs at the Club

Turned out it's a blessing in disguise that our annual crab feast at Shanghai Fraternity Association was pushed back for an extra week this year because of some scheduling conflict, as the Shanghainese hairy crab season was also delayed by some government bureaucracy, so we barely caught the early part of the season even with the later date. It's already the third year we joined our friend C and A who organized this friends' gathering at their home club famous for the exquisite Shanghainese cuisine. (previous ones in 2015 and 2016)

White Diamond Dinner

Price for white truffles this season has been ridiculously high this year (low production due to uncooperative weather), so that means I had to be frugal and thought twice on where I put my truffle money on - First World problem, I know. I have always heard the restaurant at Hong Kong Club serves one of the best valued white truffle menu in town so it's too big an opportunity to miss when a group I am (somewhat) associated with was organizing a dinner there.

Farewell our "Cafeteria"

Last Saturday we said goodbye to Butterfield’s, the private social club at Taikoo Place owned by its landlord Swire, which we have been going since we moved into the neighborhood. Over the years we came here often enough that it’s almost like the "cafeteria" for us, whether for meeting up with friends over something more proper or just for a casual home-style bites, so we were a bit sad when we got the news that it's closing down to make way for a different, soon-to-be-revealed concept as part of Swire's remodel plan of this office complex.

Members-only Home-style Cantonese

You are unlikely going to see HKUAA Restaurant being listed as one of the best restaurants in town, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn't. In fact, I have always put them as one of those restaurants that are well-worth a detour despite not having a star, and from my few previous visits, the place never disappoints with solid and consistent execution of tried and true classic Cantonese dishes.