Hong Kong - Morihachi Yakiniku

Once I stepped out of the elevator, I was instantly greeted by the familiar aroma of delicious sizzling beef. I’ve been to Morihachi a few times before and I keep going back because of their good quality food and great value-for-money. The environment is super casual and you are pretty much left alone to grill your own food at your own pace which really works for me. Morihachi is known for beef and seafood, but they also offer an array of different items such as ramen, fried rice and sushi. Drinks are also cheap here. A glass of white will only set you back $38. We decided on the 4-person dinner set between the five of us, with an extra order of marinated beef short ribs.

Starters: Black Truffle Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Yogurt Salad and Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crab and Avocado Rolls (not pictured)

 Wagyu Beef Salad

 Starting from bottom left, clockwise: Selected Morihachi Style Short Ribs (嚴選汁燒和牛肋骨), Rock Oysters in Italian Herbs and Butter (意式香草牛油青殻岩蠔), Shrimps in Rock Salt (鹽燒花竹蝦), Ox Tongue in French Dijon Sauce (法式芥茉籽牛舌), Agu Black Pork (Thick Slice) with Rock Salt (厚切沖繩Agu 岩鹽燒)

Center: Hokkaido Matsuba Crab Legs (特上松葉蟹腳), Pot Marinated Chicken in Salt Lime Sauce (海鹽青檬壺漬雞腿肉)

A4 Saga Wagyu Beef Rib Eye (佐賀A4 極上和牛肉眼)

Extra order of Morihachi Style Short Ribs

 Vegetable Platter with Herbs and Butter

Japanese Wagyu Beef Fried Rice

Dessert: Strawberry Milk Pudding (not pictured)

Verdict: The bill came to around $250 each including one drink each and service. Solid meal with attractive prices, for both food and drink. Come with a date (they have booths) or book the private room for a large party to enjoy the casual grill-it-yourself environment without having to shout over your food to talk. It can get quite hectic in the main dining area. I think the quality of beef is quite decent at Morihachi, but serious beef fans can find higher quality beef and a larger variety of cuts at Futago. You can read my review here.

Extra info: Morihachi (Central location) has two seatings: 7-9 and 9-late. They also offer all-you-can-eat on more than 100 items and free-flow sake, wine and beer on weekends for $288 per person. 

I recommend: Morihachi Style Short Ribs, Hokkaido Matsuba Crab Legs, A4 Saga Wagyu Beef Rib Eye

Morihachi Yakiniku
Address: 3/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong
Phone: 2581-1933 / 2591-1816
Website: www.morihachi.com.hk

Hong Kong - Manzo Italian Steak House

I had dinner with 3 of my classmates one weeknight, and I suggested we try Jamie's Italian. I told them it would probably be an hour wait only if we went at 6:30pm. I was so confident we could get a table if we went "early" that I didn't make any back-up reservations. We arrived at Midtown Plaza 2 in Causeway Bay at 6:25pm and there was already a queue (apparently people starting lining up at 5:30pm). And it wasn't even the queue for a table. It was the queue to get a ticket to queue for a table! We were told by the dude giving out tickets that it would probably be a 3 hour wait in total. I love Jamie but it seemed excessive to wait that long, especially since he wasn't even physically there. Guess I will go when the hype has died down a bit. We went up to three other restaurants in the same building but there were no more walk-in seats available anywhere. Defeated, we headed to Times Square. Fiona suggested Manzo. We arrived before 7 pm and were the first ones there. The decor was casual, with wood furniture and white walls. I had never eaten at Manzo before, so I did a quick search online and found that it is part of the Dining Concepts group (of Bistecca, Lupa, Bombay Dreams and the anticipated Bread Street by Gordon Ramsey). 

Cold Cut Platter ($198 for 3 kinds): We picked (L-R) Bresaola Air Cured Beef, Speck Smoked Proscuitto and Finocchiona Fennel Salami. My favourite was the salami, which had the perfect balance between fat and meat, and a delightful hint of fennel. The bresaola was a bit on the chewy side and the prosciutto lacked in pork flavour. The portion size was reasonable.

 

Grilled Thick Cut Bacon with Salsa Verde ($108): The bacon was sizzling hot when it arrived. The salsa verde (green sauce which includes parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil) was tangy and refreshing, which was nice against the fatty caramelised bacon. Interesting combination overall.

Spaghetti with Sauteed Shrimps and Green Peas ($188): I liked how the pasta was served in a cute pan. It made it easy to share the dish. The spaghetti was al dente and tossed in a lemon-garlic-butter sauce. The shrimps were sweet and the frisee kept the dish light and fresh with its bitter notes. We all enjoyed this dish.

Bucatini with Crab Meat, Spicy Tomato sauce and Basil ($198): This was not as good as the previous pasta. There was too much pasta and not enough sauce, therefore the dish was under-seasoned. The tomato sauce wasn't spicy, nor did I taste the crab meat. However, I liked how the basil brightened up the dish.

"Guanciale" Braised Beef Cheek in Red Wine with Stewed Vegetables ($228): I should've taken a better photo of the beef! It was so tender that you could eat it even if you had no teeth. The beef soaked up all the robust flavours of the red wine and vegetables. There were hints of rosemary and black peppercorn. The vegetables were soft and added sweetness to the dish.

Tiramisu Cake with Almond Gelato ($68): Hong Kong style tiramisu made without the strong coffee liquor (or maybe there was liquor but I didn't taste any) paired with almond gelato. The cake was alright, but could've been more moist. The gelato was creamy and rich, but I didn’t think it paired well with the tiramisu. Lemon Meringue with Honey Gelato ($68): Yum! This was delicious. The pie had just the right balance of sweetness and tartness. The lemon curd was silky smooth and the crust was buttery. It could've been more crisp though. I liked the generous helping of meringue on top and the sweet honey drizzle. The honey gelato went well with the lemon, but in my opinion the pie was fine on its own.

Verdict: Decent and hearty dishes. The meat dishes were definitely better than the pasta dishes. In hindsight, I should've tried their steak given that it was a "steak house".

Manzo Italian Steak House
Address: Shop 1104, 11/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson St, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Phone: 2735-3980
Website: http://www.diningconcepts.com/manzo/index.php

London - Barrafina

This was my second time at Barrafina. The last time I visited their Frith street location I had to wait for almost an hour, but it was totally worth it. They opened a second location in Covent Garden so maybe the wait time will be better now for dinner! This time we went around 215pm for lunch on a weekday and we didn't have to wait at all. The restaurant was basically one long bar and everyone sat on bar stools. There were also two tables outside for larger parties. We were seated at the counter. It was a bit difficult to talk amongst four people but that was expected. Our server was very helpful and didn't try to hurry us even though it was almost time for last order. 

Ham Croquetas: Had this last time while I was waiting in line. One of the best croquets I've ever had! The coating was crispy and thin (but not greasy at all) and the inside was velvety smooth with the perfect ratio of potato filling to ham.

Gazpacho (Specials): Yes another gazpacho! This was better than the one from Ron Gastrobar. It was light and refreshing, with dominant notes of tomato and cucumber. I liked the creamy cold texture.

Tuna Tartar: The tuna was marinated in Asian flavours like soy sauce and sesame oil. However they were a bit too heavy-handed with the soy. The avocado helped tone down some of that saltiness.

Gambas al Ajíllo: Delicious rendition of this well-known dish. The prawns were fried to a perfect garlicky crisp and I could eat the shells of the body. The garlic didn't leave an overpowering aftertaste in my mouth.

Langoustines with Saffron Alioli (Specials): This was our favourite dish. The langoustines were so plump and sweet and just cooked through. The langoustine heads were full of delicious juices. The alioli had a nice heat to it but the langoustines were delicious enough on their own and didn't need the alioli.

Baby Gem Salad with Anchovies and Smoked Pancetta: The lettuce was dressed with a tangy shallot vinaigrette and topped with crispy pancetta and anchovies. This tasted exactly how it looked. Great way to get your daily dose of veggies!

Stuffed Squid with Girolle Mushrooms (Specials): The squid was tender and had a nice char to it. The stuffing however was unmemorable. I remember I had dip the squid in the aioli from the langoustine to add flavour.

Grilled Quail with Alioli: The skin was crispy and the meat was tender and juicy. The quail could've used a tiny bit more seasoning. I slathered the quail with the saffron aioli from the langoustine (again) because it was more fragrant than the aioli that came with the quail.

Verdict: Great food and great ambiance. You can try a lot of dishes with the tapas sized portions! I would probably stick to the a la carte menu, unless something on the specials really catches your eye. Come early to avoid long waits, and best to come with 2-3 people max. I've heard great things about their tortillas, so I'll be sure to try them next time.