Turkish Delights at Hong Kong's caffè HABITŪ

Good news! April marks a month-long collaboration between Hong Kong's caffè HABITŪ and award-winning Turkish Airlines, one of my favorite international airlines!

For a limited time, caffè HABITŪ is serving up two Turkish dishes to delight you, as well as four dessert and coffee pairings, designed by Turkish Airline's flying chef, Denizhan Dağdelen.

I was invited to sample the menu two weeks ago and was impressed with some of the offerings. 

Fantastic dessert: Macchiato and sacher mousse

Being the dessert fanatic that I am, my favorite item from the special menu was the macchiato and sacher mousse. Paired with a nutty Yunnan Grade AA coffee, the refreshing strawberry and mango flavors really came through. What pretty presentation as well! I felt a little guilty destroying the layers, but the taste was completely worth it! Definitely a dessert to enjoy during this warm April month in Hong Kong!

Steamed sea bass with dill

Another menu item I enjoyed was the streamed sea bass with dill. Wrapped in paper and served with grilled red pepper, it's the lighter of the two main dishes on caffè HABITŪ's Turkish-inspired menu. The mild taste of lemon and dill makes this an ideal lunch to fill you up without weighing you down, perfect for preventing those post-lunch snooze attacks.

Traditional Turkish meal: Shish kebab

The most Turkish-like option on the menu is the shish kebab. The traditional lamb skewer is served with grilled tomato and green pepper, along with Turkish-style rice flavored with sultanas and cinnamon. This definitely brought me back to my days of dining al fresco in the backstreets of Kadıköy when I was living in Istanbul! Due to the heavier flavors, this fares better as a great dinner option after a long day at the office.

Priced at $228 HKD for the sea bass or $248 HKD for the shish kebab, both only offered at caffè HABITŪ the table restaurants, it's a great price for a tempting taste of Turkish flavors, especially since it comes with a Turkish dessert and coffee pairing!

The dessert and coffee pairings (without the meal) are available for $78 HKD at all caffè HABITŪ outlets across Hong Kong.

These Turkish delights can be enjoyed during the month of April only so don't miss out! Afterwards, the menu will only be offered on Turkish Airlines' business class flights in and out of Hong Kong, which isn't a bad excuse to fly...

© Connie Hum 2012

The Monogamous Chinese

The Monogamous Chinese, a new up-market Chinese restaurant located in Hong Kong's Soho district, specializes in authentic Sichuan and Beijing cuisine. By hand-making all of their noodles and dumplings, as well as preparing all sauces in-house with imported ingredients from the famed provinces, The Monogamous Chinese stays faithful to the tradition and preparation of each dish, hence the name.

The Monogamous Chinese's walls decorated with commissioned modern Chinese artwork

Several weeks ago, I was invited to dinner by The Monogamous Chinese. Fearing for the well-being of my stomach ulcers (they often flare up when I eat spicy foods), I was apprehensive about eating an entire meal of Sichuan's famed spicy dishes. Eventually, my inner foodie decided that I couldn't miss an opportunity for a sampling of The Monogamous Chinese.

Vegetable spring rolls

The dinner started off with lightly-fried vegetable spring rolls served in Communist memorabilia. The spring rolls were quite standard, but the serving dish was a nice decorative touch. The sweet and sour dipping sauce was a good amount of sweet to balance out the sour, something increasingly rare as I find most restaurants tend to over-do the sweet to sour proportion.

Wok-fried tofu

Next was the wok-fried tofu with homemade scallion sauce. The exterior had a light crispness and the inside tofu held its soft consistency. I avoided the scallions and chili peppers, but found the bite-sized cubes well salted for my liking, even without the extra seasoning.

Sichuan style noodles, or dan dan mein

The Sichuan style noodles in spicy peanut sauce, also known as dan dan mein, had quite a kick in its thick and creamy sauce. It was the first dish that I had to eat in small portions to allow my taste buds respite, but I enjoyed the entire dish before the next course came out.

Deep-fried black-bone chicken with Sichuan chili peppers

The Monogamous Chinese's signature dish is the deep-fried black-bone chicken with Sichuan chili peppers. The peppers packed quite a punch! I could only handle a few bites of the chicken as the peppers really set my mouth on fire! Darn my ulcers!

Ice cream souffle balls

By the end of the meal, my dinner companions and I all needed some help in cooling our taste buds. Thankfully, The Monogamous Chinese offers ice cream souffle balls as the perfect remedy. As most of you may know from my desserts addiction, this was my favorite course of the night. The ice cream hadn't turned into an oozing mess in the frying process and the sugar coating added that extra bit of sweetness. A great way to end the meal!

Happily well-fed dinner companions

Overall, The Monogamous Chinese keeps its promise of providing diners with authentic Sichuan cuisine. The atmosphere is casual and the decor vibrant and fun, the perfect combination for impressing out-of-town guests.

Most dishes were rather tame, which was good for me and my ulcers, but those looking to blow smoke out of their ears may be slightly disappointed. Of course, there will be plenty of Sichuan chili peppers left over from the black-bone chicken if you need more heat.

The Monogamous Chinese, 59 Caine Road, Central, Hong Kong

(852) 2523 2872

© Connie Hum 2012

Comilonas: Private Kitchen Dining

When I lived in New York City, I absolutely LOVED having friends over for good food and wine. My monthly dinner parties were some of the best nights I had with my friends and certainly some of my best memories of New York City as a whole.

When I moved to Hong Kong, a city notorious for its tiny living space and even tinier kitchens (never mind the fact that I don't even have a functional kitchen in my apartment), dinner parties became non-existent for me.

After hearing about a number of private kitchens in Hong Kong, my heart skipped a beat. I could (in a way) have dinner parties again! Sounded great to me so I started looking into the various private kitchens before deciding upon Comilonas.

"Home" grown cooking at Comilonas

Located in a converted apartment in a rather obscure and unassuming residential building in Sai Wan, Comilonas specializes in Catalan food. Lovingly run by husband and wife duo, Chef Lluis from Barcelona and Carrie, a Hong Kong native, the dining experience at Comilonas was charming and completely homey.  Their enthusiasm for sharing authentic Catalan food was evident and created a fantastic dining experience. Even my non-foodie friends enjoyed the special attention that Chef Lluis and Carrie paid to presenting the food and explaining the preparation and traditions behind each dish.

Chef Luis and Carrie making sure we were enjoying our meal

To start the meal, Chef Lluis demonstrated how to use a porró, a traditional wine pitcher typical of the Catalan region. For the inexperienced drinker, the basic goal in using the porró is to pour wine through the narrow spout into your mouth from as far as your arm can reach without spilling the wine on yourself. Trust me, it was even more difficult than it sounds!

Trying my best not to spill from the porró

I found most of the tapas served at Comilonas remarkably tasty and reminiscent of the Spanish food I ate during my time traveling in Spain. Here are some of the more outstanding dishes I found on the menu at Comilonas:

Chorizo in wine sauce

The chorizo in wine sauce was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The chorizo was the perfect amount of salty and the red wine sauce was simply divine. So good in fact, that I emptied a whole basket of bread sopping up the rich and flavorful sauce!

Black ink rice paella

I love black ink anything and the black rice paella was no exception. This dish was absolutely perfect from the distinctive yet subtle briny taste of the squid ink to the rich, buttery cream mixed in right before serving. I couldn't get enough of this dish and good thing it was served in such a generous portion because this black ink rice paella was certainly popular with my friends too!

Caramelized orange with vanilla ice-cream

The caramelized orange with vanilla ice-cream was the ideal sweet to end the meal. The orange slice overlaid on top was expertly caramelized to a hardened crisp, sweetly complimenting the mild tartness of the orange underneath. I almost died and went to heaven when my friend Johnny, who does NOT eat dessert (seriously, who doesn't eat dessert?!?) offered me his.TWO caramelized orange desserts! Who cares about being a little piggy when the dessert is this good?

By the end of the night, my friends and I were in high spirits from the combination of delicious food, good company, unique interaction with Chef Lluis and Carrie, several shared bottles of wine (did I mention there was free corkage?), and the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of Comilonas.

Friends and I enjoying our meal at Comilonas

Enjoying a meal at Comilonas was just like having friends over for dinner, but with better cooking than what I could have ever made back in my Manhattan apartment. The experience of having a shared meal with friends in a homey place was exactly what I wanted and for $380 per head, that's a small price to pay, especially given that a meal of this caliber can easily cost two or three times as much anywhere else in Hong Kong.

Comilonas is currently closed for the month of February, but according to their website, will re-open in March with new dishes on their menu. I'm already eager to go back and can't wait to see what new recipes Chef Lluis and Carrie will be cooking up!

Comilonas, Flat 22, 1st Floor, Yip Cheong Building, 4-16 Hill Road, Sai Wan, Hong Kong
(852) 9863 2270

© Connie Hum 2012

Wine and Dine at The Press Room

Last week, I attended The Press Room's "Tour de France" tasting event to celebrate the newly launched menu and the restaurant's exclusively French wine list. Located on Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, The Press Room is an all-day bar (rejoice!) and casual brasserie that serves French-European comfort food using only the freshest, quality ingredients.

Upon walking into the bright, airy, open-spaced dining room, I immediately loved the The Press Room's atmosphere. The wide windows in the dining area allowed for plenty of light into the room, but surprisingly, the noise from the street didn't make its way in. The warm lighting, provincial paintings and plush leather seats instantly transported me back to the laid-back bistros in France that I used to haunt.

The tasting event started with a phenomenal tuna tartare served over a creamy avocado salsa, which is always a winning combination in my book. It was a gorgeous dish to look at and an even better appetizer to devour. The tiny slices of chilli pepper hidden within the avocado gave the tuna tartare an occasional and unexpected kick. Extremely well done.

Although I'm not a fan of beetroot, I have to mention The Press Room's beetroot carpaccio appetizer that my neighbor, the Hong Kong-based foodie e_ting, enjoyed. The colors were stunning and the ingredients were crisp and fresh. It was everything a good salad should be.

My main course of rosemary marinated lamb chops with mixed bean salad and mint pesto fell a little short of my expectations. The meat was cooked a bit too long, leaving certain areas of the lamb chops slightly tough and chewy. The mint pesto was pleasant, but no unique flavors were gained from it. I was hoping for a more interesting flavor to surprise me from the lamb chops, but the dish proved to be rather ordinary.

At this point, I suffered a bit of food envy for the chargrilled spatchcock e_ting had ordered. My mouth watered at the mere whiff of the garlic butter, lemon and thyme that smothered it. I was lucky that e_ting offered me a portion of her massive plate to try. The chicken skin was crisp and full of flavor. Although the portion I tried was tender and juicy, e_ting mentioned that the breast was dry. The meat could have been further infused with the flavors that made the skin so amazing, but I did enjoy my small tasting!

I enjoy wine, but I wouldn't classify myself as a wine-person. I can distinguish between which wines I like and which ones do not suit my personal palate, but I can't even begin to discuss individual grapes, robustness or acidity so I'm not even going to try. Luckily, The Press Room Group's wine director and sommelier, Kavita Devi Faiella, was on hand to offer her expertise on the three wine pairings. 

I enjoyed the Couly-Dutheil "Melodia" 2010 Sauvignon Blanc served earlier with my tuna tartare, but I was quite taken with the Deux Montille 2008 Pinot Noir, served slightly chilled. It was the perfect pairing for my main course and I wished I didn't have to leave the luncheon to return to work, else I would have enjoyed a couple more glasses!

Full of food and slightly inebriated (there already had been at least two glasses of wine with my lunch so far!), my second stomach had to take over when the desserts were served.

I'm not usually a fan of citrus desserts, but the BEAUTIFUL lemon meringue tart (a Press Room signature dessert) caught my eye. The meringue was gorgeously executed and I felt a little guilty for having to destroy it in order to taste it. As a lover of sweeter desserts, the tartness of the lemon meringue could have been better balanced with a sweeter filling, but the rich, buttery pastry convinced me to forgive and helped me thoroughly enjoy this glorious dessert.

As many of you know, I am a dessert person. A sweet end to any meal will always make or break my overall experience of a restaurant. The desserts at The Press Room perfectly encapsulate my general impression.

In short, The Press Room serves beautifully plated food in a casual and open environment. There are pleasant flavors present in each dish to delight, but on the whole (save my tuna tartare), I felt there was just one element missing to pull out all the stops. Service was attentive enough without being intrusive. The major draw for me personally will be the impressive French wine selection. I can definitely see myself giggling over glasses of wine with friends at The Press Room on any given lazy Sunday afternoon.

*The Press Room just announced weekday three-course prixe-fixe lunches starting at $138! Main course options are rotated weekly. This, I like!

Jorge de Silva, Head Chef at The Press Room

The Press Room, Ground Floor, 108 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
(852) 2525 3444

© Connie Hum 2011

Highlights from Hong Kong's First Restaurant Week

It's no secret that I love food.You can imagine my excitement last month when I heard that Hong Kong was going to launch Restaurant Week 2011 in mid-July.

Unfortunately, I regret to report that I was slightly disappointed by the first Hong Kong Restaurant Week. Although a good number of restaurants were participating, only a few were on my "top list" of places to try in Hong Kong. Undeterred and always happy to eat, I made my way to several Hong Kong Restaurant Week meals and had a few lovely meals.

Here are some of the highlights!

BEST OVERALL MEAL:
Bloom of Lily & Bloom 

From the moment I walked into Bloom, I was instantly enamored with the industrial meets country-cottage aesthetic that, strangely enough, recalled the days of Prohibition era speakeasies. Maybe it was all the iron fittings in contrast next to hanging pots of plants and candles, I'm not sure. Perhaps I'm not really describing it accurately, but whatever. Bloom looked amazing and I loved it!

My ceviche appetizer was slightly less citrus-y than how I normally prefer it, but a great way to start my meal, nonetheless. Unfortunately for me, it came in a rather small tumbler. I suppose a small helping does exactly what an "appetizer" is suppose to because it certainly did whet my appetite for the rest of my meal!

The main course of tender pork medallions was deliciously accompanied with a plum compote. At first glance, I was afraid that my unnaturally large stomach wouldn't be completely satisfied but the serving size proved to be just perfect. I was very happy by the time I had polished off my plate!

But of course, there's always room for dessert!

The dessert of white macadamia nut cookies with warm chocolate sauce was, no doubt, the highlight of the meal at Bloom. The cookies were crisp around the edges and soft in the middle, had just the right number of macadamia nuts, and that chocolate sauce! Warm and richly decadent, I was practically drinking the chocolate once I gobbled down the cookies!

The entire dining experience at Bloom was a fabulous one. The service was excellent and the food was an absolute delight. I'd definitely come back to Bloom! Besides, I saw their hamburgers. I'm DEFINITELY coming back!

HONORABLE MENTION
Cafe Deco Bar & Grill

Another dinner I was looking forward to was Cafe Deco Bar & Grill for the stunning views overlooking Hong Kong from Victoria Peak. Unfortunately, the night of my reservation was filled with rain and mist that overshadowed all of Hong Kong. Luckily, the main course of wok-fried tiger prawns and trevally with a citrus glaze and was tasty and pretty enough to distract me from the poor views. By the time I had thoroughly enjoyed my main, the clouds temporarily lifted and I was able to catch my view of the Hong Kong skyline. A very lovely dinner! 

All in all, Hong Kong Restaurant Week fell a bit short of my expectations, but it still provided a couple of stand-out meals and dining experiences. I'm hoping to see new improvements and developments at the next Restaurant Week as the event gains popularity.

Have YOU got a Restaurant Week or top-notch dining experience to share?

© Connie Hum 2011