Passionately MSG Free at [Hans 漢斯]

Ever since I started blogging, my motto on my profile has always been [★☆Eating good food is partly luck, @ da right place, @ da right time and moment the food is served. Food should be eaten at appropriate temperatures too, as they taste different at different temperatures, especially when it is hot, you can't really taste the real taste.]

I feel that HK in particular, it is very hard for food to taste good the second time round hence I rarely go back to the same restaurant twice and most meats aren't fresh.

It seems that HK has too many options as well but in the UK, you would probably return to that joint once a fortnight due to choice if you live in a small town and the fact they can keep the food consistent.
Belgos/Nandos are very good examples, I used to go often and then I went back a few years later and everything still tasted the same.

Anyway, back to the food at Hans.
I noticed this joint because of their food bags which were brown and sturdy unlike the typical white ones with a nice logo so I decided to check it out for lunch. When I got there, the decor was modern and simplistic.

The lunch menu and pricing was reasonable for QB as all the restaurants in that area cost around $60-$70.

I liked their healthy concept as no MSG or colouring is used. All their ingredients are prepared for each session and if any ingredients remain, it will not be used for the next session so they can maintain quality and freshness. Tried the curry and BBQ pork with tofu.

The curry was really fragrant with a strong coconut taste while the sauce was rich and thick in consistency which went well with the rice.

My roast pork was fantastic, even though I came a bit late, the roast pork was soft and lean.
The colour was brown as they did not use any red colourings.
If you have seen people roasting char siu, quite a lot of colouring is used!!! I also chose this because the dish had soft and silky tofu which is delicious with rice. The soy sauce was not too sweet so everything was in harmony.

I can't wait to come back to try the dinner as it is quieter and portions are bigger while the menu is slightly different.

[Hans 漢斯]
G/F, 939 King's Road, Quarry Bay
Tel: 25600023

Shake Shack is finally in Hong Kong

Just 10 days ago, the atrium of IFC was transformed into Madison Square Park, NYC for a pop up event.
Now Shake Shack is here to stay and serve burgers from the 1st of May on the 4th floor of the IFC.

The menu was really exciting because they have Frozen Custard (which is nothing like English custard.)
The custard is similar to ice-cream but with eggs added with a denser consistency.
As well as Frozen Custard, they are famous for Shakes and Burgers.

I tried Shack burger which has lettuce, tomato, 100% all-natural Angus beef patty and Shack sauce.
The green leaf lettuce they use is frilly and decorative which makes it instaworthy.

On my first bite, I appreciated the salt because it brought out the beef so well and the tomatoes and lettuce all blended in.

The secret also lies in the burger bun they use. The burgers are served on a non-GMO Martin’s Potato Roll which absorbs more sauce than wheat starch buns while it doesn't get soggy.

The crinkle cut fries were optional but the cheese sauce is a must because it is a blend of cheddar and American cheese sauce.

To finish, I had the milkshake which was so damn good because it was not cloyingly sweet.

Before leaving, the hand washing machine is the best thing and possibly the first burger joint place in Hong Kong to have it.

It really cleans the oil off and dispenses cleanser first, then water to rinse and finally a paper towel will pop out for you to wipe your hands dry.

I don't know if they have this on the HK menu, but they have ShackBurger® dog biscuits in the US!

To round it off, I am definitely coming again because HKD50 for a burger is quite reasonable and the size isn't too big to put you off it and at the end I know I can leave with clean grease free hands is fantastic.

[Shake Shack]
Shop 4018, 4/F, IFC,
1 Harbour View Street, Central

A stylish way to spend Happy Hour

After trying the Singmalay Tea treats, I almost missed a stylish Happy Hour if I didn't see this glam poster on the way out.

I have to admit, I was lured back by the digital promotion near the concierge.
At the Lobby Bar Counter, there were these beautiful ceramic Qipao figurine jars.

There are four signature cocktails to wow you!!

I tried the Beer Milkshake while my friend had the China Lady:
The Beer Milkshake was a fun concoction of Chocolate Ice Cream, Porter, Milk, cream, chocolate sauce and topped with an Oreo.

The China lady was very feminine and Oriental with Chinese liquers like Shochu, Plum Wine, Lemon Juice, Maple syrup, Pasteurized Egg White and and Cucumber.

I definitely enjoyed my girly time here and can't wait to come back to try the Pina-Kale Ada and Singapore Sling!!

+++
[Lobby Bar and Lounge]
Lobby Level, Hotel Jen Hong Kong,
508 Queen's Road West, Hong Kong
https://www.hoteljen.com/hongkong/westerndistrict/taste/bars/signaturecocktail/

[Cafe Malacca] Singmalay Tea Treats

[Cafe Malacca] located at Hotel Jen is a popular place for Singaporeans and Malaysians to hang out because you get the real deal there.
They are now serving Singapore and Malaysian Treats during Tea Time so it was a good opportunity for me to try all these treats which I have not tried before, these treats are also on the A la Carte menu so next time I know what to order.

Starting with the Savouries, there is Pie Tee, Chwee Kueh, Murtakbak and Curry Puff, moving on to the sweets, there are Kuih Dadar, Kaya Toast and Durian Pudding which comes with Kopi-O or Teh Tarik for $288 with an extra 10% service charge.

All the savouries were equally as good but my favourite had to be the Chwee Kueh which is like savoury rice pudding topped with preserved radish and sambal sauce.

It was my first time trying the Murtakbak and it tasted like a stuffed square puff pastry balanced by the pickles on top.

Moving on to the sweets, the creamy durian pudding was amazing and the kaya toasts are always my favourite because I love pandan, just like the Kuih Dadar pandan crepe rolls filled with coconut.

To finish off, the Kopi-O and Teh Tarik were a perfect ending.

I am so glad I tried this and the Tea Set is great way of sampling these Singmalay delights if you are new to it!

[Cafe Malacca]
2/F Hotel Jen,
508 Queens's Road West, Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong

Veg Indian paradise at [Sangeetha - 新意達]

I eat quite a lot of Indian food because it is one of my favourite Cuisines.
Recently I have started exploring Vegetarian Indian food when I realized there are quite a few in TST.
When I walked into Sangeetha, I was impressed to see that they make their own snacks because I normally buy these at Indian shops.

The menu was impressive and there was so much to choose from.

For Vadas, there was a good variety like Onion, pepper etc and the milkshake range too.
Started with the hazelnut milkshake which was very sweet.

It was really difficult making my mind up because every item was different and something I wanted to try.
Started with the onion vada which was crispy with lots of onions in it.
I was so glad I had this because most restaurants serve plain vada.

Next was the Idiyappam which is similar to rice vermicelli with coconut chutney and curry. The pairing of these were great as it balanced the fieriness of the spices.

Next was the Uttapam whichi is like a thick pancake with lots of peas in it. It was crisp on the surface with juicy sweet peas popping in your mouth.

For carbs, I had the fried mushroom rice and Sichuan fried noodles.

In my opinion, Indian fried rices and noodles are far less oily but then I am biased because I love long grain Indian rice which is fluffy and soft!
I really liked the fried rice because there was crisp lettuce in it which gave it a refreshing mouthfeel. The Palak Mutter was spicy but great with the rice.

Overall, this was the best experience because the staff were very patient and expat friendly so I will be coming back again.

[Sangeetha - 新意達]
UG 1-5 & 31, Wing On Plaza, 62 Mody Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

[Ebisoba Ichigen] has landed in Hong Kong

Ichigen is a famous ramen joint from Japan with its signature broth made with small shrimps.

There are 3 types of seasoning, miso, salt and soy sauce and 2 types of noodle to choose from.
The basic noodles come with a slice of roast pork, half an egg sprinkled with pretty pink crispies made of flour mixed with red ginger and prawn broth.
The broth was rich with unami as expected with a slight bitterness which hung to the noodles well.
Also had the BBQ pork rice which is exclusive in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the pork was tender and moist drizzled in this sweet and spicy sauce.

The prawn riceball is also a must order, rich in prawn flavours.

I felt that it tasted like firm lotus leaf wrapped rice infused with prawn flavours.

As a tea lover, I finished with oolong tea.

Expect long queues for the time being.
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[Ebisoba Ichigen]
Shop B-F, G/F, Yan King Court,
119-121 Queen`s Road East, Wan Chai

Sweet dinner at [Warren]

Dined here because a friend said he would be in the kitchen.
I don't know how long he has been cooking but Kits dishes were quite good.

The set dinner had a sweet theme to it, all the courses had some dessert element in it.

For appetizers had the Black Truffle Scallop Eclair and  Fried Foie Gras with Mashed Apple Sauce with Fig.
++++++++
Black Truffle Scallop Eclair:

The sweet scallops were topped on a light puffy eclair complimented by the fresh cucumbers and truffle.
++++++++
Pan-Fried Foie Gras with Mashed Apple Sauce with Fig: Although I am bored of foie gras, this one was well executed because the texture wasn't oily paired nicely with he dried apple slice and fig sauce.

+++
Next were the French Onion Soup and Lobster and Tomato Soup:

+++
Lobster and Tomato Soup:

The tomato soup was a surprise because it was tomato consomme which tasted like tomato essence so I really liked it.

For mains, had the duck and Lobster. The presentation of the Sous vide French Duck Breast was really colourful.

++++

My Lobster Thermidor and Lobster Souffle was fun. The lobster souffle was a fluffy savoury souffle with lobster pieces at the bottom.

++++

Finished with the Daily Dessert Platter (+$80) which includes their light creme brulee cheesecake and double chocolate cake.

++++

[Warren]

Shop 1, G/F, The Warren, 9 Warren Street, Tai Hang

Tel: 23925121

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Louis XIII Cognac x [100 Years] by Pharrell Williams

On November 13th, LOUIS XIII Cognac premiered "100 Years", A Song We’ll Hear In A Century, But Only #IfWeCare About The Planet. "100 Years" is a first-of-its-kind musical composition created by Pharrell Williams and not set to be publicly released until the year 2117. LOUIS XIII and Pharrell's partnership is the result of a mutual dedication to the environment and an appreciation for its fragility.

This artistic project expresses the delicate relationship between nature and time, and the long-lasting effects humans have on their environment. LOUIS XIII is familiar with those effects, as it must always think a century ahead: each decanter of LOUIS XIII Cognac represents the life achievement of generations of Cellar Masters.

Pharrell’s exclusive track is engraved on a unique clay record made from the rich soil of Cognac, France. It is being kept in one of LOUIS XIII’s cellars in a custom, state-of-the-art safe. The safe has no code and no key, as it will unlock automatically in November 2117. But it is also water-soluble, which means the world’s only copy of “100 Years” will be destroyed if our neglect for the earth leads water levels to rise up.

I was really honored to attend this event witness Vincent J. Géré, Louis XIII Asia Pacific Director, unveil the unique safe storing Pharrell’s "100 years" exclusively displayed at this event.

A close up of unique clay record made from the rich soil of Cognac, France.

Mr Géré also explained the delicate relationship between LOUIS XIII and Time, and how each decanter of LOUIS XIII represents the life achievement of generations of cellar masters.

I tried the prestige LOUIS XIII and can't agree more with Mr Géré, that the Cognac is like walking into a big Cathedral, you cannot see everything in one go, but you see and taste more after taking more sips.

These beautiful Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac Crystal Glasses by Christophe Pillet make the sweetest toasting sounds!

https://www.louisxiii-cognac.com/en/100Years