Hong Kong - Tabibito

The first and last time I went to Tabibito was during its soft opening. The dishes were alright, but nothing stood out. I hadn't been since, until I saw on my friend’s Instagram that they had begun serving mentaiko pasta for brunch. As you may know, mentaiko pasta is one my all-time favourite dishes, so I had to go try it!

Tabibito is located at the end of Po Hing Fong in Sheung Wan and can be a bit of a walk if you are taking public transportation. However, it's worth it. We went around noon on a Saturday and it was empty, so come early if you want to beat the brunch rush hour. Tabibito serves traditional brunch items like sausage and eggs, and non-traditional items like kimchi fried rice (getting that next time!) and ox tongue sandwiches. They also have daily specials, like sliders and mac n' cheese when I went.

Ox Tongue Sandwich: Tender pieces of grilled ox tongue with mustard, mayo, chopped boiled egg and pickles sandwiched between toasted bread. It might sound like a strange combo (to me at least), but it worked. It tasted like a classic egg salad sandwich but with ox tongue, yet the ox tongue wasn’t overpowered by the creamy and tangy egg mixture.

Super Banana Pancake: This reminded me of Tokyo Banana, a banana custard treat from Japan. If you’re a fan, you will love this pancake. Tabibito’s version puts a healthy portion of delicious silky banana custard inside a banana pancake. I could eat the custard all day long! The pancake had a nice crust while remaining fluffy on the inside. It was served with a side of maple syrup and half a caramelized banana.

Mentaiko Pasta: One of the best mentaiko pastas I’ve had in Hong Kong. The sauce was rich and creamy, full of umami and slighty spicy. The portion of pasta was generous and they didn’t skimp on the mentaiko. Each pasta strand was slathered with it. I also loved the shisho leaf, which cut through the richness of the dish.

Verdict: Delicious comfort food from around the world with a Japanese flair. I’ll be going back to try their "normal" brunch food and of course, to get my mentaiko fix. My only complaint is that their tables are quite small so you may have to play tetris to fit all your dishes on there. Keep in mind they only serve their brunch menu on weekends. They also do not take reservations for brunch.

I recommend: Super Banana Pancake, Mentaiko Pasta

Tabibito
Address: G/F, 20 Po Hing Fong, Sheung Wan
Phone: 2547-2833
Website: www.tabibito.com.hk
Hours: Tue-Fri 6pm til late, Sat-Sun brunch starts 11:30am

Hong Kong - Trattoria Queen Hollywood

As you may know, Japanese and Italian are two of my favourite cuisines of all time. When you combine the two, scrumptious things happen. Trattoria Queen Hollywood serves exactly that: delicious Italian cuisine influenced by Japanese flavours and ingredients. It's a small cozy restaurant, with about 15 seats on the main floor. The kitchen is semi-open, so customers can see their food being prepared and plated. The menu is quite small, but I think that's a great way to focus on a few signature dishes and make them perfect. 

Amuse bouche: Pork pate with a sprig of dill sandwiched between two rice paper crisps

Japanese Vegetable Bagna Cauda: Bagna cauda literally means "hot bath" in Italian, and is a warm dip for vegetables typically found in Piedmont, Italy. Here, seasonal Japanese vegetables were provided. 

This dish was served similar to a fondue. You dip the vegetables into the warm homemade sauce made of anchovies, garlic, olive oil and butter. I loved the stark contrast of the cold sweet and crunchy vegetables against the warm salty anchovy.

The sauce was served in an oil burner to keep warm.

Spaghetti Vongole with clams, mussels, squid and dried mullet roe: This dish was made using Dassai, a top quality Japanese sake, instead of traditional white wine. The seafood was extremely fresh and plump. The sauce was light and briny, not like your usual sweet and creamy Japanese style pasta. The dried mullet roe added depth and umami.

Pike Eel Agnolotti in a Mushroom sauce with Summer Truffle: Agnolotti is a type of pasta from Piedmont that is similar to ravioli, but square, smaller and thinner. This homemade pasta was filled with Pike eel and tossed in a mushroom sauce and a variety of fresh mushrooms. The eel had an almost meat-y flavour and texture, which paired really well with the earthy mushrooms. The sauce was fresh and light, elevated by the fragrant truffles.

Homemade Panna Cotta and Chocolate Cheesecake with Yamazaki Whisky sauce: Possibly one of the best panna cottas I've had! The smooth texture was just spot on. The creamy panna cotta practically dissolved in my mouth. The whisky sauce was sweet and had the distinct fruity aroma and bitter aftertaste of Japanese whisky. This went well with the rich dark chocolate brownie (it said cheesecake on the menu but it was fudgy and chewy like a brownie).

Verdict: I can't wait to come back again. I'm a huge fan of Japanese Italian food and Trattoria Queen really hit the spot. They use high quality ingredients and strive to highlight those ingredients, not drown them in a lot of cream which can happen in Japanese-Italian cuisine. They also offer complex flavours and you can tell the dishes were thought through and executed well. The restaurant itself is cozy and comfortable, and the service was attentive. 

I recommend: Japanese Vegetable Bagna Cauda, Spaghetti Vongole, Panna Cotta

Trattoria Queen Hollywood
Address: G/F, 258 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
Phone: 2559-6077

Hong Kong - Brew Bros Coffee

One of the (few) perks of being unemployed is being able to enjoy a late breakfast out on a weekday. Recently, I visited Brew Bros which opened recently in Sheung Wan. It's a cute small cafe on Hillier Street across from La Rotisserie. They serve breakfast food items like bagels and eggs all day, and they source their coffee beans from Melbourne.

Their latte was pretty good

Smoked Salmon Bagel with Cream Cheese: The bagel came with rosemary potatoes and a side of salad. Generous portion of smoked salmon, but the bagel was a bit too hard. The potatoes had good flavour, but were cold. The salad was dressed with a splash of balsamic.

Brew Bros Brekkie: This breakfast platter consisted of eggs on toast, smoked salmon, rosemary potatoes, a side of salad and baked beans. The scrambled eggs were very creamy and the bit of truffle on top was a delicious touch. The baked beans were not bad. Again, the potatoes were cold, but overall a hearty breakfast. 

Verdict: Not my first choice to go for breakfast, but if you are working in the Sheung Wan area, it's a decent place to get your coffee fix. Avoid the bagels.

I recommend: Eggs, Coffee

Brew Bros

Address: Shop F2, LG/F, 33 Hillier Street, Sheung Wan

Phone: 2572-0238

Website: https://www.facebook.com/brewbroscoffee