Hong Kong - Thanksgiving at Cafe Causette

Ooey gooey cheesy bread

San Daniele Ham, Burrata, Beetroot Crisps, Peach, Rye Croutons, Candied Walnuts

Warm Ricotta, Lavender, Honeycombs, Walnut, Wood Sorrel, Figs

Cured Beetroot Salmon, Salmon Caviar, Potato Crisp

Pumpkin Soup

 Classic Roasted Turkey, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce

Honey Glazed Ham, Roasted, Pumpkin, Potato

Slow Braised Pork Cheek, Mashed Pumpkin, Red Wine, Gravy

Roasted Potato, Creamed Brussels Sprout, Glazed Carrots
 

Salted Caramel Layer Chocolate Cake

Classic Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Chocolate Tiramisu

Apple Pie, Ice Cream

Review: A non-traditional Thanksgiving meal with my girls - thanks Yuls for picking the restaurant! Thanksgiving isn't huge here in Hong Kong, but a lot of restaurants do have Thanksgiving-themed dinners during that week. Cafe Causette offered a buffet style multi-course meal, served tableside. You can order refills for any dish, which they will bring to your table. We started with warm cheesy bread with pesto dipping sauce. The appetizers arrived promptly. The classic combo of San Daniele ham and creamy burrata was elevated by the warm caramelised peaches and the crunch from the candied walnuts. The beetroot-cured salmon was beautifully presented alongside the ricotta, lavender, olive oil caviar and fresh figs - such pretty colours! All the flavours worked well together. We also had traditional Thanksgiving turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce, honey glazed ham and sweet potato mash. The turkey and ham arrived at our table pre-carved. The turkey was surprisingly moist, and the honey ham was tender and had well-balanced flavours of sweet and savoury. As for the desserts, I liked the pecan pie with its perfect buttery crust the most. Each serving was very generous and we were too stuffed to order any refills. The leftover turkey and ham (being el cheapo of course I took everything home) made a great breakfast sandwich the next morning. I am thankful for great friends and great meals, as always.

Cafe Causette
Address: M/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong
Phone: 2825-4005
Hours: Mon-Sun 6:30am-11:45pm

Hong Kong - Kaya Korean Restaurant

Double-size Marinated Beef Short Ribs

 Spring Onion Salad (came with the short ribs)

Ox Tongue

Marinated Chicken

Cucumber Soju

Seafood and Spring Onion Pancake

Sliced Pork with Lettuce Wrap

Pan-fried Rice Cake in Spicy Sauce

Beef and Homemade Noodles Hot Pot

Review: Kaya’s new location is in Midtown Plaza II, half a block away from its original location. The decor remains similar – bright lights, wooden furniture and sizzling grills. The new location is undoubtedly more spacious and comfortable though. The marinated short ribs were delicious. The sweet soy marinade was spot on and the meat was juicy and tender. I loved the short ribs wrapped in lettuce leaves and smothered with gojuchang spicy bean paste and raw garlic. I had to brush my teeth extra hard and use a lot of mouthwash that night, but it was worth it! I usually stick to beef at Korean BBQ, but my brother ordered the marinated chicken and it turned out to be delicious and flavourful. Definitely a great alternative to beef. I also enjoyed the beef and noodle hot pot. The bowl of warm peppery broth with chewy noodles and sliced beef was the perfect ending to the meal. For drinks, I liked their cucumber soju. It was light and refreshing yet strong enough to give you a buzz. The service was spotty at times. We ordered lettuce for our beef and had to remind them three times before it finally arrived. That aside, Kaya serves decent Korean BBQ in a comfortable setting, and I look forward to my next visit.

I recommend: Marinated Beef Short Ribs, Marinated Chicken, Beef and Homemade Noodles Hot Pot

Kaya Korean Restaurant
Address: 9/F Midtown Soundwill Plaza II, 1 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Phone: 2838-9550
Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-11:30pm

Hong Kong - Tai Yuen Seafood Restaurant

It was a beautiful sunny day and we decided to go to Lamma Island for our seafood fix, away from the hustle and bustle. Tai Yuen is located in Sok Kwu Wan bay of Lamma Island. It is one of many seafood restaurants located on First Street near the ferry pier, and most of them have tanks full of fish and shellfish designed to attract customers. We chose Tai Yuen because Boyfriend's family has been coming here for years and they love the seafood here. The restaurant is outdoors but covered, and you can look out into the bay while you eat. It's quite a beautiful and calming scene. Before you sit down, you are invited to look at the fish tanks to see what fresh seafood they offter that day before ordering. Alternatively, you can just order the set menu (which includes a few signature seafood dishes, vegetables, fried rice and tofu pudding).

 Salt and Pepper Squid 椒鹽鮮魷: This is Tai Yuen's signature dish, and justly so. The batter was so crisp and had a nice kick from the black pepper. The squid inside was perfectly tender. A sweet and sour sauce was provided as a dipping sauce, but the squid was flavourful enough on its own.

Black Bean Razor Clams 豉椒蟶子: Normally I like my razor clams steamed with garlic, but black beans proved to be a worthy match. The deep, savoury and slightly bitter flavour of the black beans contrasted well with the sweet and fresh razor clams. I still prefer the garlic method though.

Steamed Abalone 蒸鮑魚: The mini abalone were steamed with ginger and spring onion to enhance their natural flavours. The abalone were very tender and easy to remove from their shells.

Their Steamed Fish is always perfectly cooked. The meat on the fish was firm and sweet, complemented well by the soy sauce and cilantro/green onion mixture.

Crisp and sweet Bak Choy

Sweet and Sour Pork 咕嚕肉: We get this every time. One of the best sweet and sour pork dishes I've had! The pork was encased in an incredibly crispy shell, tossed with pineapple and bell peppers in a sweet and sour sauce. The pork was lean and the shell didn't leave behind a greasy aftertaste.

Verdict: Tai Yuen serves up delicious and fresh seafood at its waterfront location. Service is prompt and attentive. The casual and lively environment is great for big groups and families. Afterwards, walk off the meal on easy hiking trails that snake through the island.

I recommend: Salt and Pepper Squid, Steamed Abalone, Sweet and Sour Pork

Tai Yuen Seafood Restaurant 泰苑魚翅海鮮酒家
Address: G/F, 15 First Street, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island
Phone: 2982-8386
Hours: Mon-Sun 10:00am - 23:00pm

Amsterdam - Ron Gastrobar

I was in Amsterdam 3 weeks ago with Nene, V and JC. We had made reservations for lunch at Ron Gastrobar the day we arrived, but we were too jetlagged to make it. We instead changed the reservation to dinner the next night. Ron Blaauw closed down his eponymous fine-dining restaurant (2 Michelin stars) last year and re-opened it under the name Ron Gastrobar, serving food with a totally different concept. The new casual dining establishment quickly earned a Michelin star this year. I was excited about this restaurant since it was helmed by a reputable chef, and also because we had been stuffing ourselves full of Belgian fries, croquets and waffles since arriving in Amsterdam. We were all eager to have non-greasy fast food. 

The ambiance was hip and lively. The bar was colorfully lit while the rest of the place was a bit dark. Perfect place for drinks.

We were seated next to this meat locker fridge thing. They didn't have any other tables available because of our last minute reservation change. Throughout our meal, servers would come over to retrieve steaks. It was quite inconvenient as V had to get out of her seat to let them open the door each time. They apologised profusely every time though.

The menu was pretty straightforward. All dishes were 15 Euros (about HK$155) while desserts were at 6 Euros. Our server told us we should pick at least 2 dishes per person. 

Three Oysters in Shallot Vinaigrette: Can't remember what oysters they were, but they were briny. The vinaigrette was tangy and fresh.

Pan fried langoustine with leek, onions and chorizo sausage: 15 euros for one langoustine. Quite a small portion I would say. The chorizo sauce was very salty, but it proved to be a nice dipping sauce for the sweet roasted veggies. The leek was very buttery.

Green gazpacho with salad of green asparagus, avocado, cherries and fresh almond: I love gazpacho. This one was light, with green pepper being the dominant flavour. There was a bit of heat from the garlic, and I liked the nice pops of sweetness from cherries. The presentation was beautiful. Loved the flowers.

Now what could be in this cute little pizza delivery box?

Disappointment. Pizza with Oosterschelde lobster, ajo blanco, sumac and spring herbs from our garden: The base was a very hard piece of pita bread which was almost impossible to cut through. The ajo blanco (white garlic soup) tasted like regular mayo, the lobster was rubbery and the herbs on top did nothing to rescue the dish. Oh and this was 20 Euros. When cut into 4, each portion was bite size only.

BBQ spare ribs with homemade sambal, smoked beet and horseradish: This was one of the better dishes of the night. I couldn't taste the smoked beet but I can tell you this was a damn good piece of char siu (Cantonese BBQ pork). The meat was sweet and salty, and it melted in my mouth. The crispy bits on the top were a nice touch too.

Crispy fried sweetbread with Boemboe Bali and apple sauce: One sweetbread only! However, it was well seasoned and had a nice crust. The sauce was sweet and paired well with the sweetbread.

Sushi made of young spring vegetables from our own garden, inspired by Alain Passard: Alain would be horrified to know such "food" items have been "inspired" by him. Here and here are what his creations look like. I am rarely this negative about food, but I must make an exception. These were cold blobs of sticky sour rice with the consistency of toothpaste or glue. JC said, and I quote, "Whoever created this dish was not in their right mind". The beetroot was flavoured with strong white pepper, and the avocado was sour. The sauces on the side of each mush didn't compliment the toppings. It was just a horrible concept from start to finish. It would've been better if they had served a normal salad instead of attempting to be creative.

USA Black Angus: According to the menu, this came from the same supplier as Peter Luger in New York City. The supplier must have stiffed Ron somehow because this steak was far from what I remember having. It was under-seasoned and had lots of chewy connective tissue parts in it. It also could've done with a better sear.

However, the steak was served with bone marrow, fries and Béarnaise sauce: The bone marrow was delicious. It was served on top of a spicy tomato confit which cut through the richness of the marrow. Fries were good and the creamy Bearnaise added flavour to the bland steak.

Complimentary mini ice cream cones to end our night. These were peanut butter with a caramel sauce.

Verdict: There were definitely more good dishes than bad, but the bad ones were so out there that the overall experience was affected and points were docked. However the ambiance was fun and it would be a great place to go for drinks and maybe get one or two dishes to go with your drinks. But whatever you do, please don't order the "sushi".

Ron Gastrobar Amsterdam

Address: Sophialaan 55 hs (entrance), terrace on the Amstelveenseweg, Amsterdam
'Phone: +31 (0)20 49 61 943 
Website: rongastrobar.nl
Reservations: By phone, email or online