炭姬

前菜: 牛タン
前: 鶏串焼 - ささみ梅
後: ししとう焼き
左: プチトマト黑豚パラ巻き
右: 長ネギ黑豚パラ巻き

炭姫, 8/F., Continental Diamond Plaza, 525 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

蟹肉湯麵 - 2

再做了一次蟹肉湯麵, 我實在喜歡這種奢侈的美味。
做這個麵其實沒有技巧可言, 不過是拆蟹肉時要花點時間和心機。
上次用的是清淡的麥芽湯麵, 今次則配上鹽味拉麵。選上鹽味湯底是因為它比豉油或味噌湯底淡味, 所以蟹的鮮味不會被蓋過, 反而帶出冬天時較合適的香濃口味。

新鮮拆出的蟹肉和蟹膏。
今次下的蟹肉和蟹膏較上次多一點。

蟹肉湯麵 - 1

Galler's corner

Lower left: Chocolate helmet
Lower right: White chocolate ice-cream
Upper: Filter coffee

I posted this photo not because this set was particularly delicious. It is because of a piece of my memory about London.

It was drizzling outside. Mr. Lee and I just walked out from the Victoria and Albert Museum, and he suggested to have a visit to the Harrods. We were attracted by this chocolate bar in the Harrods, so we sat down and ordered our afternoon tea sets. This was Mr. Lee's set, the photo of my set was lost and not recoverable.

Galler's corner, Harrods, 87 - 135 Brompton Road Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom

Cérés Boulangerie et Pâtisserie

Cérés Boulangerie et Pâtisserie is one of the pastry shops I visit most often since it's near my home, and more importantly, their cakes and pastry are delicate and lovely. Although it is small, but it is regarded as one of the best pastry shops in Hong Kong. I prefer small bread shops than chain stores because the small ones have more rooms to do some special stuff.

Price for the cakes is a bit expensive, but their appearance and taste make it worthy. If you have a chance to visit the shop, you will be impressed by its decoration - it looks more like a jewellery boutique.

Berries' passion

Cérés Boulangerie et Pâtisserie, Shop No.19, Fuk Lo Tsun Road, Kowloon City, Kowloon, Hong Kong

千疋屋

天保5年(1834)創業之果物専門店。

フルーツカスタード (Fruit custard)

千疋屋 (原宿店), 東京都渋谷区神宮前1-11-11

Beurre aux truffes

This black truffle butter is a combination of two best food of the world: beurre d'échiré and black truffles.
Beurre d'Échiré is considered as the best butter by many chefs and gastronomers. The ivory colour and the fragrant of milk was so appealling. And the texture was soft. That is why this butter is regarded as 'la crème de la crème'.

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - 2

I was a bit surprised that L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Hong Kong) wins 2 Michelin stars - as I think it deserves one. Just feel that this restaurant is not on that level yet. The decor and service are not the top of the town.

As compared to Caprice (another 2 Michelin stars winner in Hong Kong), Caprice's service and environment are far better. But still, food is the most important factor. The food and presentation of L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon win my heart while the other aspects need improvement.

Alaskan king crab with lobster jelly and potato cream.
Thick sliced beef fillet with green asparagus and girolles.
Apple marmalade with caramel ice cream and chocolate mousse.
Petits fours.
Looks like lovely jewels, cute!

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Shop 401, The Landmark, Central, Hong Kong

Porcini Consommé

Porcini is famous for its complicated meaty fragrance and the smooth texture. Some people call it as 'the meat of mushrooms'. It is one of the most expensive mushrooms because of its superior taste. I cooked this porcini consommé with Italian porcini as the smell is stronger than the produce from Yunnan.

The ingredients are just simple:
1. Dried Italian porcini
2. White peppercorns from Thailand
3. Fleur de sel (sea salt)

Dried Italian porcini
White peppercorns from Thailand

Like all other mushrooms, the mud and sand must be carefully removed when you process the the porcini.
Soak the porcini in hot water, and use the remained liquid at a later stage. The white peppercorns are used to spice up the consommé slightly.

As the creamy texture of porcini makes the soup spills out very easily, it is suggested to look at the stockpot from time to time to see how things are going. And since consommé should look crystal clear and light in texture, the soup needs to be filtered (I did it twice).
Lastly, sprinkle fleur de sel, and add a couple of large porcini slices.

I think it's nice to have a porcini consommé in cold days - the consommé is strong but nice to smell, the texture is slightly thick and the peppercorns give you some hotness. It's easy to make some.

Caprice

This is a lunch to celebrate that I'm making money again and so will have cash inflow to support my eating habits. Eat great is important!

The elegant interior.
Duck leg confit and foie gras terrine with remoulade vegetables in hazelnut dressing.
Crispy pork belly with vegetables and green curry in natural jus.
The pork was very juicy and tender; the skin was crispy, at the same time the thin layer of gelatinous fat beneath was well preserved. However, the choice of vegetables did not match the pork well - the taste was not refreshing enough to balance the fatness of the pork.
Blueberry Napoleon (left) and vanilla custard pudding (right)
I knew how crispy was the pastry of the Napoleon when my fork touched its first layer. Though there was loads of blueberry cream inside, the feeling was very light.

Will share more pictures later.

Caprice, Four Seasons Hotel, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong

Scrambled egg with wild nameko mushrooms

Used 3 large free-range eggs and wild nameko mushrooms (滑子) in this dish. I prefer using free-range eggs as they taste better and their colour is more appealling when cooked. The gelatinous feel of nameko mushrooms made a good match with the texture of semi-cooked eggs.

Scrambled egg with wild nameko mushrooms

Same ingredients, but taste varies - mushrooms with adjusted egg

服部珈琲舎

大正二年 (1913) 創業之老舗喫茶店。

名物1: 野菜カリーライス
名物2: 珈琲

服部珈琲舎 , 東京都豊島区南池袋1-27-5

彩食酒宴

縞鯵（しまあじ）刺身

彩食酒宴, 2/F, Plaza 2000, 2 Russell Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

居酒屋 元気一杯

A rejuvenating, re-energizing dinner at 居酒屋 with Alli.
What can be better than enjoying great food with your good friends?

前菜
烏龍焼酎 & 桃サワー
パイクー味噌煮
稲庭うどん
牛鍋
焼き鳥: ネギみそ焼, 手羽先, とり皮

居酒屋 元気一杯, 4/F, Miramar Shopping Centre, 132-134 Nathan Road, Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong

Via Quadronno

Another lunch at Via Quadronno on a bright and sunny day. I started with a refreshing tomato soup.

For having Italian food, this restaurant is always a play-safe choice. I like Via Quadronno much more than Cova Caffè Ristorante.
Tomato soup
Mushroom and parmesan cheese risotto

Via Quadronno, Level One, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong

宮島牡蠣

浜焼牡蠣
焼牡蠣おかか

広島県廿日市市宮島町, 表参道沿路

Fresco

Hokkaido. To name their best food, the first one that most people think of is seafood, and the next is milk products. And people do not normally think of having french cuisine in Hokkaido - but I did! This french restaurant, Fresco, uses only local produce in their dishes, so I thought it would be an interesting new experience to taste Hokkaido from a view of french cuisine.

For starter (clockwise): duck liver toast, pickles and steamed haricot vert, home-made cold cut of pork, preserved eggplant and red pepper, salmon with dill sauce.
Vegetable soup.
Grill rib eye steak, fried mushrooms, baked potato and pumpkin.
Mini cream puff, panna cotta, meringue and chocolate dipped candied orange peel.

Fresco フレスコ, 北海道余市郡赤井川村

Ox tail stew with potatoes, pumpkin and purple onion

A very autumn cuisine which followed closely to the gastronomic calendar.
I've used the seasonal produce in this stew: potatoes, pumpkin and purple onions. The yellow / orange / brown tone of the stew echo the changing leaves and landscapes around us and epitomize the tastes and aromas of autumn.

Ox tail stew with potatoes, pumpkin and purple onion.
Enjoy.

Aqua Roma

A dinner with Kathryn at Aqua Roma.
The starters, spaghetti and other main dishes were just so-so. There were an uncontestable harbour view and a stylish interior, but the 'hip music' was a bit disturbing.

I was more interested in their desserts and grappa.

Pineapple carpaccio with a ginger truffle honey foam and Cantucci biscotti
Grappa Stravecchia

Aqua Roma, 29 & 30 Floors, One Peking Road, Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong

ボタンエビ

超特大子持北海ボタンエビ

すし廣

Another dinner with Mr. Lee.
We chose to have おまかせ, which means 'sushi chef's selected choice'. And here are what we had:

ぼたんえび頭も
刺身: 海神蛤, しまあじ, 中トロ, ぼたんえび
炙大とろ
うに
イカ卷, ウニ卷
ネギトロ卷

すし廣, 10/F, Henry House, No.42 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong