Antipodeaness

When this place opened last year, I had high expectations and there were so many items I wanted to try.
But everytime I got there, it was always closed.

It was finally open on this visit and there were only two items I tried because the rest weren't launched yet.

The items I wanted to try were:
Chicken Mushroom & Tarragon Pie
Cheese Strata with Prosciutto, Basil & Spinach
Breakfast Ravioli drizzled with Creamy Sage & White Wine Sauce
Shakshuka with handmade pita bread
[Shakshuka is a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions, often spiced with cumin]

This was the menu they were serving.



The menu may have changed by now because I tried this in October 2013~

While I was waiting for the food, I took photos of their cute salt and pepper shakers and ketchup bottle.



★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Rolled up spinach omelette:


This was a rolled-up spinach omelette with goats cheese & dried tomatoes on a slice of toasted sourdough!
The omelette texture was really interesting just like a swiss roll.
It was soft, moist and fluffy with strong spinach taste which went nicely with the goats cheese.
I don't know how the spinach omelette was made, but it took alot of effort and time!
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Louise Slice $20:
The Louise cake is an old fashioned New Zealand favorite consisting of a thin layer of cake or biscuit topped with raspberry or plum jam, coconut meringue and then baked in the oven.
I got it because it was really similar to this British jam and coconut slice.


It tasted quite similar to the one I had at school but it was too sweet.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

NUR = Light and Nourishing by Nurdin Topham

NUR! NUR! NUR! A new concept restaurant which is nourishing, light and gastronomic.
NUR meaning Light in Arabic which is why there are so many light-bulbs in the restaurants and the Chef himself is called Nurdin.

Head Chef Nurdin Topham is a British chef who has worked for almost 20 years’ with Raymond Blanc as well as the best restaurant in the world, NOMA.





The restaurant is really down to earth with a lovely porch, sitting area and home grown herbs which can just be plucked to eat.

For food, there are three different set dinners, LIGHT (a 6-course set dinner for HKD788) or a FEAST of 9 courses for HKD988.
Vegetarians are not left out either because they serve a Vegetarian set too.

We tried the LIGHT set which was fabulous in presentation as well as taste.

Here is what was in it.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Jasmine kombucha :

This was fermented tea with a lovely Jasmine taste. If I wasn't told, I couldn't tell it was fermented because the taste was so pleasant.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Canapes:

A light starter of nourishing vegetables with cute beetroot tacos with watercress cultured cream, baby sweetcorns, carrots with carrot powder and cumin.
Everything on the plate was edible including baby sweetcorn tassels.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
OYSTERS Gillardeau oyster, cucumber, wasabi:

The oyster was half poached which gave it a semi raw but slightly cooked texture.
It was paired with wasabi foam, cucumber pearls and seaweed which went together surpisingly well.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
SALMON Irish organic salmon, beetroot, smoked butter milk:

It had almost every colour on the plate and the stripes on the beetroots were striking.
Each piece of beetroot was fresh, crisp and sweet and the salmon was just divine.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Zen Organic Garden Vegetables:

The salad was colourful and fun to eat because we were given chopsticks for it!!
At the bottom of the bowl, there was a strong cheesy paste which gave the salad an extra kick.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Poached Japanese Taiyouran egg:

The egg was poached so beautifully and it looked like burrata cheese.
Inside, the yolk was perfectly fluid which went nicely with the tasty quinoa beneath it.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Home Made 10 Grains Sourdough with Natural Yeast:
The sourdough was soft and I loved the proper sour tones it had complemented by the earthy mushroom butter.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Roasted Chicken Thigh & Breast Roulade:

The chicken roulade was the best of both worlds, succulent chicken breast wrapped in tender chicken thigh meat on the outside, paired with a crunchy melody of Romanesco broccoli.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Bitter Chocolate, Orange & Hazelnut :

The chocolate was amazingly silky, it was like having chocolate sorbet flavoured nicely with a twist of orange and nutty hazelnuts.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
As a conclusion, the FEAST would be a better option for those with bigger appetites and I wish there were more choices for tea.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Address: 3/F, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
Telephone: 2871 9993
Email: Reservation@nur.hk
www.nur.hk
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Cheap but not edible cakes

Sunny Boulangerie et Patisserie (Jordan)

Sunny Boulangerie et Patisserie looks promising from the outside but when you go in, the cakes and breads are Chinese style.
There are other branches in Hong Kong but this is the only branch that has a cafe area serving teas and coffees.


I was attracted by the orange cream carrot cake which cost $32, when it was brought over, it was three slices!!
I thought $32 was per slice/piece as the label says because in the cabinet, it was already sliced into three slices, so per piece meaning one of those slices.



★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Orange cream carrot cake $32:



Anyway, the cake looked quite genuine with lots of carrots in it.


However it was dry and hard. God knows how long it has been in the cabinet.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Numi Aged Earl Grey $13:
The organic tea was only $13 per cup. How cheap!!



Unfortunately, the cup containing hot tea gave off toxic plastic fumes which made the tea undrinkable.
I did not drink the tea
Seriously, these cups should be checked or confiscated by the health department or whatever department is responsible.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Taiwanese pork chop with rice at 炊豕店

炊豕店 (Causeway Bay)

Most people who are not from the New Territories are attracted to this place because of the retro decor and green floor tiles.








★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Pork chop and rice:


The pork chop was succulent and juicy which was not too salty.
Beneath the pork were tasty pickled vegetables which gave the rice a lovely flavour.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
As I am not a fan of Taiwanese food, it didn't really impress me and it was expensive.
It is also annoying that this restaurant has a minimum spenditure per person.
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Starbucks Vanilla cream frappe

Needed something icy to cool down so contemplated on the green tea frappe or the vanilla cream frappe.
Since I tried the green tea, I decided to try the vanilla.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Vanilla cream frappe:

Basically it tastes like a vanilla icecream milkshake but it is not that creamy with lots of cooling fine ice crystals in it.
As I was really hot, I loved all those ice crystals, but I found it a bit too sweet.
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Easter brunch with lamb carvery at Wild Grass

There is nothing more than a perfect roast with potatoes!!!

At Wild grass, they are doing a great carveries which is served from 12am-3pm.
The Easter selection which is served until the 21st of April 2014 is slightly different to their Saturday and Sunday carvery.
It features a great range of fish and meat including fish, chicken, beef and lamb!

Fresh spring lambs were flown over from UK's Sandon Lodge Farm in Essex and butchered by a special guest from UK for this event.

The Easter brunch includes a choice of starters, meats from the carvery and an Easter edition dessert.

Easter brunch menu with some but not all photos:
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
A choice of starters:

Cream of Tomato Soup w/ Goat Cheese Toast
Marinated prawns w/ Steamed Potato Salad, Lime Juice & Zester

Panfried Smoked Salmon w/ Horseradish, Poached Egg & Salmon Eggs


Smoked Haddock Arrancini Kedgeree w/ Organic Poached Hen Egg & Hollandaise Sauce
Organic Poached Egg Benedict w/ Cured Bacon
Huevo Rancheros: Organic Egg Sunny Side Up Baked w/ Chorizo, Tomatoes & Avocado

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Crown Onion Roasted Rack of Lamb

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Beef:

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Lamb belly:

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Sea Salt & Garlic Roasted New Zealand Lamb Leg w/ Rosemary

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Roasted Organic Chicken w/ Rosemary & Garlic

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Confit of Lamb Shoulder with Garlic and Thyme

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Whole Oven Baked Wild Icelandic Halibut w/ Vermouth & Thyme

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Sides:
Swedes in Butter

Steamed Cabbages w/ Parsley Cream Sauce

Roasted Potatoes w/ Onions

Cauliflower w/ Cheese,

Penne w/ Tomato Sauce & Pecorino Cheese
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A choice of desserts:

Selection of Cheeses w/ Fruits, Nuts & Homemade Fig Jam

Home baked Hot Easter Cross Bun with Dairy butter, Chocolate Egg filled with mascarpone topped with apricot sauce, anzac biscuits with pistachio and sour cream, coffee brownie and berry compote.


★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
I loved the brunch because there was a meat for everyone, the lamb's belly was the best, it was soft and gelatinous. The belly was really interesting because the gaminess of it was actually really nice and not like the usual gaminess that doesn't taste nice.
The only thing I wished for would be mint sauce.
As well as the meat, the roast potatoes were divine, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
Wild Grass is on Arburnot Road next to this wacky restaurant called Salon 10!!!





The restaurant environment is relaxing and great for gatherings with children.




★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
The 3 Course Easter Brunch Menu cost $368/Person + 10% Service Charge

Add $238 for All You Can Drink for 3 hours: Prosecco, House Wines, Beer, Juices, Soft Drinks PP

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

Wild Grass:

1/F, 4-8 Arbuthnot Road, Central