[Tristar Kitchen] twinkling bright in Shatin

Fell in love with Tristar when they first opened in CWB so I decided to try this one instead of the new branch at Wanchai because the menu offers more here!!

Since I travelled all the way to Shatin, I decided to try the Taiwanese steamed buns and Shaved ice as well as the noodles!
On the menu, they offer you a choice of three different noodles including thick and thin because some people can be quite particular about them.
Just like the celebrity kiki noodles, they have thin and thick.

For noodles, ordered two alcoholic ones: hua diao wine and the Kavalan Single Malt Noodles.

The Kavalan Single Malt Noodles were a shock as I didn't realize there would be flames!!

First they torch the beef slices so that they are cooked then they add some malt and flambee the noodles.

Compared to the standard beef noodles, the whisky gives it a sophisticated aroma and malty taste to the broth and the malt that they sprinkle on top enhances the taste even more.

As for the [hua diao wine beef noodles], the broth was on the sweet side and I chose the thin noodles so that it would absorb the broth.

For snacks, had the Taiwanese steamed buns which was filled with soft gelatinous beef and preserved vegetables.
The buns were soft and pillowy with satisfying beef in the middle drizzled with sweet gravy.

For dessert, finished with the shaved ice.

I didn't realize it would be that big and you also get extra condensed milk and brown sugar syrup on the side which I didn't use as it was sweet enough.

There are eight toppings to choose from but this was confusing as not all are shown at the counter and the menu doesn't clearly specify which 8 to choose from.

The shaved ice was surprisingly good because the brown sugar syrup that was already on there tasted nice and when it got slushier, the taste was refreshing.
I appreciate the quality brown sugar syrup they used as it wasn't cloyingly sweet and addictive. Overall, it was worth my time checking it out.

Improvements: English descriptions would be helpful on the Menu!
DISCLAIMER: I haven't been to Taiwan before so I am only commenting on the taste.

[Tristar Kitchen 三星台菜食堂]
Shop 128, 1/F, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin

[Nara Thai] Cuisine lands in Shatin

Wherever you are in Hong Kong, it is quicker from your location to travel to Nara Thai Cuisine than to fly to Bangkok. [Not to be confused with this other one in TST]

Nara Thai Cuisine is a famous restaurant from Thailand that has received the best restaurant award every year since 2007! How could I not try it when I was at Mimila earlier that day.

Began with the appetizers: Prawn carpaccio, Salmon carpaccio, Thai Fish cakes, Green mango salad with Thai sausage and North Eastern pork balls with lettuce.
[Prawn carpaccio]

[Salmon carpaccio]

[Thai Fishcakes]

I liked the way the pork salami was diced and made crispy as everything went together nicely in the [Green mango salad with Thai sausage].

To my surprise, the [North Eastern pork balls with lettuce] stole the show among the appetizers because they were crunchy on the outside while it was moist in the middle packed with fiery kick, hence the lettuce mellows the fierness.

There is always soup in the Thai Cuisine such as coconut chicken, tom yum kung etc. Tried the tom yum kung which was refreshing with a prominent herb flavour while the lemongrass was not too strong.

The Soft Shell Crab Yellow Curry with Butterfly Pea Rice, Jasmine and Roti Prata is great for sharing, the best thing is the curry as it was thick yet light, great with the rice or roti.

The Grilled Pork Neck is also worth ordering as it was lean and meaty.

The Fried Butterfly Pea rice with Crispy Fish and Thai Herbs was really photogenic, while the egg turned out to be the star of the show as it was salted egg.

Nara is also famous for noodles especially the [Ayuthaya boat noodles with Beef] which come in a strong beefy broth infused with herbs.

They also had the [Rainbow soup rice noodles with fish fillet], another noodle that has become popular in HK.

For dessert, the [Nara Coconut ice cream with assorted Thai sweet condiments] was a brilliant experience as you are presented with all these sweet toppings to add on the coconut icecream.

Finished off with this photogenic butterfly pea tea drink!

A video of the Ice Butterfly tea changing colour:

Overall, I really like the food and hope there will be another branch coming to the city.

[NARA THAI]
Shop 507, 5/F, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin
Tel: 31881138

In love with Malaysian Mimi noodles at [Mimila]

There is an abundance of Singaporean food in HK but not many options for Malaysian food.
Discovered this place as I was in Shatin.
What led me here was the escalator that is a travelator to begin with before it ascends into an escalator.

As I was curious, I took them and it led me right into Mimila as it is the first shop that greets you when you get off the escalator.

I loved the baby blue theme and modern bar table by the kitchen.

Mimila is a Modern Malay noodle joint according to the menu and the desserts were captivating as well as the noodles.

Before indulging on the desserts, I had to get a noodle which is the star of Mimila. There are two types, soup or tossed noodles. For May, they are doing Laksa Chicken Rice which looked tempting on the menu as the rice and laksa are separated so the rice doesn't get soggy

I had the tossed noodles with prawn roe dry mimi noodles.

As well as prawn you can choose Spanish white pork slices or White Pepper Ribs for a more Malaysian twist to it.

I was really pleased because I love thin noodles and they serve prawn roe noodles which give it an even more prawny taste. I forgot to take a picture of the hot soy sauce but a few drops to the noodles made them wonderful as the chili in it gave the noodles a lovely spicy flare.

For drinks, I had the Barley Lemon water which was comforting and not too sweet.

Now to the desserts which were equally as good as the noodles. I absolutely love fragrant pandan chiffon cakes and here they serve it with whipped cream and desiccated coconut which makes it taste even fantastic.

The durian Swiss roll was sold out so had the durian cheesecake which was also good.

Definitely coming back again for the other noodles.

[Mimila]:
Shop 704, 7/F, New Town Plaza Phase 1, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin
Tel: 24789398

goo goo gaa gaa ! My first baby food review

I have always wanted to try this one and only restaurant in Hong Kong that serves food for babies.

However this restaurant is in Shatin where the mtr does not go but since I had a tasting in Shatin I decided to kill two birds with one stone.
Initially I was iffy about going to a tasting at Pxxxx Dexxxxx because Shatin does my head in and it is always packed with people but then it was a new year thing so i went.

Anyway, this is my first official review on OpenRice for baby food because this is the only restaurant that is listed which serves it.
I have tried other baby food brands and the Japanese brands taste much better than Western brands.

To be honest, I love baby foods because I can vaguely remember how it tastes back then and my tastebuds were not fully developed then.

There are more exciting flavours now than before, so why not try it!
Perhaps one day, you can get Premium baby food flavoured with truffle!

I was expecting the Baby Restaurant to be closed because on openrice it is listed as opening from 11am-4pm.

Since I was curious I went there and I was really lucky it was still open.

Near the entrance there is a list of baby meals.

It costs around $29-$35 per meal which is about the same as adult meals.

The meals are classified in a few categories:
5-6 months
7-8 months
9-11months
12 months
12+ months

I decided that $35 was a bit expensive for a baby meal so I chose the $29 one.
After you order, you are given a ticket to pay at the counter outside which takes FOREVER!~!

I couldn't understand what the hell was taking them so long!


After I paid I passed the receipt back to the woman, and it took a while to get served because she was looking for the baby and I tried bashfully to explain to her that I was ordering it for fun with weird mothers looking at me!!

At first I did not know what the square cavities on the table were for.

But then I realized they were for the babies.

They basically have pouches of baby food and heat them up when people order them.

As well as baby food, there is a difference in baby languages.

Western Baby Language: goo goo ga ga
Chinese baby Language: Don't know!

Western dog bark: woof woof
Chinese dog bark: woa woa

Anyway, tried the Set meal C which has sweetcorn soup, congee with fish and milk pudding:

+++++++++++++++++++
WESTERN BABY review:
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sweetcorn soup:

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Congee with fish:
goo goo
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Pudding:
goo goo ga ga
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
+++++++++++++++++++
ADULT review:
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Sweetcorn soup:
I didn't like it because it lacked sweetcorn taste and the taste was too milky.
The temperature was cold as well.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Congee with fish:
This was delicious and it had tiny silver fishes in the congee.
You could taste the food and congee without the taste being too bland or salty.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Pudding:
The texture was really smooth and silky and the sweetness was just right.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
After trying it, I wanted to order another one but sadly it was 7pm already and they were closed.
I really regretted not ordering this one as well.
Those rice balls look really cute.

Perhaps baby food could be fed to the elderly or people who have swallowing difficulties because congee is tasteless to them.
The baby food pouches come in so many other tasty options such as udon and other heavy meals made into baby form.


Baby Restaurant (Sha Tin)