Dining In

We are spoiled with choices for places to eat at The Rosewood Hong Kong and needless to say, we were well-fed during our 2-night stay at the property.

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)

Post Concert Yakitori and Cheese

We were desperate for food the moment we stepped out of the Cultural Centre after a classical concert on a Friday night, and I remembered there's this new bistro/bar which just opened in TST East just a few weeks ago. So after a quick phone call to make sure their kitchen is still open this late  (we wanted some hot food), we hopped on the bus and made a quick ride over for a late night supper.

Wine and Cheese Night with the Master

Recently I was lucky to score a seat at a wine tasting session featuring Jancis Robinson. Well it's purely coincidental - I don't usually read the email newsletter of this local wine retailer who hosted the event but somehow I saw their promotional leaflet in my inbox, then have my fingers fast enough to register online immediately before it's sold out.

Even for me not being a big wine person, Jancis Robinson need no introduction. A renowned wine critic/reviewer, bestselling book author, newspaper columnist, TV presenter and a master of wine, Ms Robinson also regularly publishes wine ratings which were considered one of the most authoritative in the industry.

Char Siu and Whisky Challenge

The stage was set at our friend’s house for another weekend afternoon of eating and drinking – with 10 plates filled with Char Siu, or Cantonese barbecue pork, at one table, and 10 different bottles of whisky at another. A few months ago we tried to settle the long-standing question of where to find the best Cantonese roast goose in town by running our own blind tasting session, and this is the sequel as we tried to do the same for char siu, another local favorite.

My Mac Attack

Many could probably vouch that Macaroni and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food of all. In whatever version you are familiar with, whether it's from the iconic blue box made by Kraft that most people grew up with, or as the sidedish of choice at fastfood joints, or the more upscale version served in bars and restaurants using proper cheeses (the grown-up version so to speak), this simple combination of ingredients and flavors - the warm elbow pasta, mixed with the creamy cheesy sauce, certainly brought satisfaction in the stomach and warmth in your heart and soul.

Quick Meetup at On Dining

After a quick exchange of emails before the end of last year, a few friends of ours decided on a mini get-together over wine and cheese at On Dining Kitchen on a Friday evening in January. Our friend JC is a regular of the restaurant so we left that to her to sort out the booking and other arrangement.

Over the Monday blues at Chesa

Wanting a good, casual meal to cheer us up over the Monday blues under such erratic weather, we swung by Chesa at The Peninsula last week. It almost seems like the restaurant didn't change a bit for as long as we remember, with the same dark decor, wooden wall and ceiling resembling an Alpine chalet, with almost the same menu featuring classic Swiss dishes. We felt that's just the refuge we needed to chill and relax.

Celebrating Le French GourMay

When it comes to a place to chill after work, or for a casual late evening nightcap without loading up for a full-blown meal, Caprice Bar is certainly the one on top of our "to-go" list. Not so much of "the best kept secret" anymore, as it's often packed, this place at the Four Seasons offered consistent snack and small bites in a luxurious yet cozy environment, while turning down a notch from the formal dining experience at the proper restaurant next door. Of course, needless to say it also offered one of the best cheese selections in town - something we always order every time we are there.

One Cheesy Evening at On Dining Kitchen

After a few messages being exchanged in one of the gourmet meetup group I was in, we managed to get a table at On Dining Kitchen and Lounge last Monday, with one and only one thing in our minds - Cheese!

The Mis-calculating Upper Modern Bistro

We dropped by Upper Modern Bistro in early July for a casual weekend brunch with friends. Charlotte and I enjoyed a good meal the first time we were here a couple months back, so we decided to come back again, especially knowing Jeremy Evrard, the former manager at Caprice has joined recently to lead the front of the house team with his excellent cheese selections now available on their menu.

Normally I would love to spend the next 200 words exclaiming and praising the excellent food we had, from the cold gazpacho soup to the 63-degree egg with toast and belotta ham and the icecream "sandwich" dessert. They were all neatly constructed and stunningly delicious. And OMG - the cheeses that Jeremy has selected for us were so sumptuous that it's heavenly. It does seem to be a perfect place to spend a lazy weekend afternoon. Too bad that's not the end of the story...

(Vegetarian) Cooking at home: Cauliflower au gratin

I was asked to do a recipe series for some vegetarian dishes for a local magazine recently. Given I am not a vegetarian myself, I found it a bit ironic but nonetheless I wanted to take this up as a challenge, to come up with something decent yet easy to make for fellow home cooks. At the end I made a 4-course dinner with salad, pasta, main and dessert which can be done within one hour if you prepare some steps in advance - at least that was the plan.