12 Places To Dine In Hong Kong

I'm sure all of you know that I've been to HK countless number of times cause well, my parents are from HK. Everytime I go back I have a list of places that I want to visit and as I grew older, that list have been expanding and growing. Now I'm trying to tick off the places that I've dined at in this little (or long) checklist of mine and I thought it'd be a good idea to share with you these places.

Gardin Bistro & Patisserie

I did all my homework before going to Bali and one of the cafes that I really wanted to check out was Gardin Bistro & Patisserie because of the layout of the place. It's design is similar to that of a glasshouse so think of lots of greenery and glass windows.

Now you see what I mean when I say that they're pretty much a cafe in a glass enclosure.

Because of its design, Ben and I felt super relaxed and at ease throughout our whole meal. Oh and coupled with the fact that the service there was super good, we had a very good impression of Bali from our first meal in that country! The waiters were asking us what country we're from and even offered to help us take a photo!

 

We got pretty good seats next to the glass windows cause it was quite empty when we arrived. I actually made a reservation before coming to Bali but I guess you don't really need one if you're going on a weekday. You could also choose to be seated outdoors but that's a smoking area plus Bali's weather is pretty hot so we decided to stay indoors.

They had really cute salt and pepper shakes and tissue holder as well!

We were pretty much spoilt for choices when we were deciding on what to get for lunch. We also wanted to save some space for desserts cause how can you go to such a place and not have cakes right? So we got an appetiser and a main to share.

Gardin Sauteed Chicken (RP 65 000)

I really felt like having chicken that day and so we ordered this. It's topped off with crushed peanuts, coriander puree, honey and soy reduction. It's pretty much like a mixture of chickens in all forms hahaha. There's chicken satay, white chicken and soy chicken. Our favourite would have to be the soy one (darkest coloured one) cause the taste was really strong and vibrant.

Grilled Salmon Fillet (RP 148 000)

And Ben decided on the main cause I chose the appetiser. This was the bomb. I've nvr had such good salmon in my life (I'm not exaggerating) and the mash potato was a bonus for a potato lover like me. We both tried a mouth and looked up at each other and our expressions were priceless haha!

I can't rmb what this was called what it's basically like chocolate covered cornflakes stuck together with almonds in between here and there. I chose this cause I thought the texture would be interesting. Plus, it's pretty much photo worthy.

Red Velvet Cake

Both Ben and I preferred this to the other dessert we got. Trust me when I say I've had some pretty bad red velvet cakes in my life and this just did red velvet cake justice. There was just a right balance of cream cheese and cake. Not too much, not too little.

Vanilla Latte (RP 45 000)

Coconut Water (RP 38 000)

Nothing much for the drinks but just to show you a photo of what we got (:

Overall, all I can say is what a wonderful way to kick start our Bali trip. I even managed to take all my ootd photos outside of this little cafe because it's exterior was just as pretty as its interior. Design is definitely something important to me and this just beats all the cafes I've ever been to. In fact, Gardin Bistro is definitely on top of my list of cafes to go to in Bali. Do check it out if you're planning a trip to Seminyak and I promise you, it won't disappoint!

Gardin Bistro & Patisserie - Jl. Petitenget  No. 106

"People will travel anywhere for good food - it's crazy."

Rene Redzepi

喜喜冰室

When I was in Hong Kong, I went out with my cousin there who told me about this really interesting place to dine at. It's called 喜喜冰室(Match Box) and what's so interesting about it is that its design is very similar to a cafe you'll find in Hong Kong in the 70s. And so of course I had to check it out!

Here's the exterior of the shop which I thought was really cute just cause of the bike parked there haha! Anywho, it's conveniently located at Causeway Bay so it's a good place to drop by if you're there. In fact, right next to 喜喜冰室 is I.T. which Vanny and I spent a good hour at. Their Christmas sales are just too good to give a miss!

菠萝火腿($55)

The thing about the place is that their menu is in traditional chinese so it was quite a chore to read it. Ended up just looking at the photos to decide what to get! This is what Van got and honestly, we didn't really know what it is. There was a short description of what it is below its name but all we could read is honey hahaha! Well so I asked Van to describe what she was tasting and she said there's an half cooked egg, warm pineapple, ham, cheese, pancake, tomato and honey. Yeah it's a really weird combi but somehow it worked! As quoted from her, it's "uniquely weird" and "doesn't seem edible but nice". Haha! We were both staring at the dish half the time cause it just seems weird but Van still managed to finish it. Something new and interesting for a change.

黑白多士($19)

I ordered this because I've never seen such a french toast before. The usual ones in Hong Kong are those with pork floss, peanut butter, milk. You know, the typical kind. And so I decided to give this a shot! For some reason, it didn't hit me that it's black sesame when I saw the photo hahaha. Okay so I only realised that when I tasted it and it was pretty decent! Plus HKD$19 is only SGD$3.20. That's insanely cheap! It's even a dollar cheaper than a cup of tea there. I was laughing at Van cause her tea itself was more expensive than my lunch alr.

喜喜冰室 was quite packed when we got there but we didn't have to wait for seats. Everyone just ate really fast cause that's how cafes in Hong Kong works. Everyone eats insanely fast cause of the fast pace lifestyle over there haha. I do recommend checking this place out if you're visiting Hong Kong cause the food it serves is quite unique and different! (:

喜喜冰室 - 銅鑼灣加寧街8號海倫大廈地下

"Food is everything. Food, friends, family: Those are the most important things in life."

Zac Posen

The Coffee Academics

Heyse and I were really interested in trying out cafes in HK and so that's what we did after our friends left and we had some time to explore the country. We googled 'cafes at Causeway Bay' because we wanted to go to the F21 there and I'm not exaggerating when I say we saw 'The Coffee Academics' all over google. TCA is about a 5mins walk from the MRT but you probably would need Google Map to guide you to it.

The staff at TCA can understand English which is definitely a bonus for us. I can speak Cantonese but I really prefer using English to communicate so no issues if you're a tourist! In fact, lots of the customers there were tourists.

Heyse and I were pretty impressed by their menu (as you can evidently see on Heyse's face hahaha). They had a seperate menu for set dinners as well which included all day breakfast. So basically that menu has a column for ala carte and a column for set (inclusive of a drink). We didn't get that cause the all day breakfast frankly looks kind of pathetic. Hahaha the photo was just not appetising so we decided to get from their main menu.

Our Famous Curly Fries with Dip Trio (HKD $58)

How can you give this dish a miss when it has the words "Our Famous" in it. It's like labelled as their trademark item, screaming in your face. The 3 dips are honey mustard, house smoked ketchup and curry mayo. Heyse and I don't usually like our fries with sauces but if it's sitting right there, might as well give it a shot. And the results? LOVED IT! Yes, I approve of the naming of this fries. My favourite dip was the ketchup one and Heyse really liked the curry mayo one. A really good dish to share and to kick start your meal.

Stuffed Potato Skins with Bacon, Onion and Cheese (HKD $88)

We only realised we were having a mainly potato meal after placing our order. Luckily for us, we both really like potatoes hahaha! I wasn't expecting the sauces underneath the potato so it was really interesting to try it. The sauces here are ketchup, avocado and ketchup. I'm not a huge fan of avocado but it wasn't too bad. I definitely would recommend the fries over this but go on ahead and get this if you're a potato fan!

Churros

I can't rmb the exact name and price of the churros but I definitely remember how good it was! The ice cream in the middle is coffee flavoured. Not a huge fan of the ice cream but definitely am for the churros! It's the best I've ever had. Chewy, hot, full of cinnamon. Yummmmmm. Just remember to eat it before the ice cream melts all over it and it becomes soggy! 

Iced/Hot Caffe Mocha ($48)

A trip to a place called The Coffee Academics wouldn't be complete without a cup of coffee would it? Heyse and I both got the mocha and our conclusion was the same: it's insanely sweet! I'm quite a sweet tooth but towards the end, it was too much for me. It's quite dumb actually but TCA had monthly specials but we only saw that poster after we ordered our drinks. I'm definitely gng back there to try it because the Christmas special looks soooooo good. It makes me all warm and fuzzy just looking at the photo!

Oh and TCA also learn from coffee of other countries so they offer a range to cater to your taste. I only can remember that there was one inspired from Okinawa. If I'm not wrong, it's called the brown sugar coffee. Either brown or red (if there's such a thing hahaha). It's really interesting and I definitely reccommend TCA if you're looking for cafes in HK!

-Added-

Paid TCA a visit with Vanny as well and just to add on some of the new things that I had(:

 Christmas Special

Just a little up above, I was mentioning how I'm going to go back to TCA and try their Christmas special and so I did! Everything warm and fuzzy goes into this drink. It kind of reminds me of the phrase 'Sugar, spice and everything nice' just cause of the sprinkles, marshmallows and chocolate on top. Just like the drinks you see on Tumblr! This was the drink of the month for December and it's uberrrrrr perfect for the festive season.

Brownie with Ice Cream

This is just the bomb. Beats the churros hands down in my opinion. Get this if you're paying TCA a visit and I'm sure it won't disappoint! The brownie was nice and warm, coupled with the Gelato ice cream and chocolate syrup? Perfection. Oh and I really like how the brownie is quite big and has just the right amount of chocolate. You know how some brownies are too hard/too chocolatey/too overpriced for the size, well this isn't like the terrible brownies I've had in the past. So I'd definitely recommend this!

The Coffee Academics - 38 Yiu Wa Street

"I had some dreams, there were clouds in my coffee."

Carly Simon

SELA Restaurant

 (Food Tasting Event)

A few weeks back, SELA invited me for a food tasting event over at their restaurant. This happened during my exams actually but it just so happens that for that week, my exams ended on the day of the food tasting event so I could go! I keep telling myself that it's fate cause I wouldn't have been able to make it otherwise hahaha. Anywho, I brought my sister along with me cause food is always good when the company is nice(:

SELA just opened recently in July actually and it is a modern European restaurant. Featuring a spread for lunch and dinner that represent the essence of European cooking with an exclusive grilled Tapas menu, SELA has a wide range of wines to select from - all the better to go with the wide range of wines to select from! Well I didn't try any wine (still can't drink hahaha) but other bloggers seem really pleased with it! They also offer Japanese craft beers which are really hard to find in Singapore! I was talking to the owner of the restaurant and he said that only around 5 restaurants offer it so you definitely have to check it out.

 

 

 

 

The last photo features the Japanese craft beers if you're wondering how it looks!

I also got to find out a little more about the main chef at SELA from the owner. Head chef, Mohammad Shahrom, has been a chef for 7 years who specializes in gourmet European cuisine. In fact, he won 1st place in a cooking competition, Tutto Italiano in 2007, and was sent on a study trip to Italy. He believes that good European food does not necessarily have to come from a European chef and constantly works on improving his skills. A really friendly person who you should say hi if you drop by!

 

Grilled Asparagus, Poached Egg, Parma Ham

This dish was 1 of the 2 starters that were served. What I love about this dish was definitely the asparagus. I'm not a huge fan of vege (as most of my friends know) but this is different. Paired with the poach egg, it's just perfection. Just imagine the yolk falling all over the asparagus and ham. Thinking about it makes me hungry!

 

Carpaccio of Scallops, Thia Fish Sauce Chilli Dressing

And the 2nd starter. Personally, I don't find the chilli too overwhelming or strong so you don't have to worry about it being too spicy or anything like that. The scallops are thinly sliced, perfect as a starter to kick start your meal! Definitely a good one to share but just do note that it won't be really filling. 

Herb Crusted Lamb Rack, Braised Red Cabbage, Banana Shallots, Lamb Jus

For all the lamb lovers out there, this is definitely for you. The meat is really chewy and tender that'll pretty much leave you craving for more. I'd advice to share it though cause it is actually quite filling despite its appearance. I know that some ppl don't really like the taste of mutton so you might not find this to your liking if you fall under the category. Don't fret though cause there are other dishes that are equally good!

 

Baked Miso Chilean Seabass, Edamame & Sweet Peas

This is the other main that SELA offered for their food tasting and it's my absolute FAVOURITE  bold, underline, italicised, highlight hahaha. I'm not even that big of a fan of seafood but this is definitely special. The seabasss is even nicer than the lamb rack in my opinion and definitely my favourite dish for the day! Get this get this get this if you're gng to SELA!

 

Seared Duck Breast, Saute Parsnips and Mushroom, Sze Chuan Pepper Sauce

The owner was really very nice and told us that we could order extra dishes in case the food wasn't enough and of course, we did hahaha. The 4 of us decided to order 2 more dishes and here is 1 of them. Coming from Hong Kong, duck is one of my favourite dishes and we always eat it all the time so I did have high standards for this! And of course, it didn't fail to make me a happy diner hahaha! Funny story but I actually didn't know the white circle thing you see in the photo are onions. So I ate it and just cringed. Not a very smart move haha.

 

Slow Braised Kurabuta Pork Cheek, Potatoes and Carrots

And here's the 2nd extra dish we ordered. Is it just me or does it not really look like pork? Hahaha but it definitely tastes as good as pork gets! I know the main attraction of this dish is the pork but I must say, I really, really loved the potatoes. The main dish is only as good as the accompanying ingredients right? I pretty much ate 3/4 of the potatoes (sorry all my dinner buds that day!) cause it was that good. Definitely should give this a go.

Salmon Skewers, Grape Relish

I'm a huge huge huge fan of such cooked salmon. Funny how I don't like raw salmon at all but love this to bits. It's under SELA's selection of Tapas and in my opinion, I prefer this over to the other tapas they offered that day (next photo). Both are good but smth about this just appealed to me. I'm pretty sure it's the way it tasted. Did you know that the sea salt (the base/ 'plate') is delivered all the way from the Himalayas? We asked the owner what can't they just sprinkle salt over. Apparently, he wanted the salmon to 'soak in' the salt so that the dish will fully absorb the taste. Super interesting right! I don't actually know any other restaurants which does this. I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for tapas.

Miso Squid, Sweet Peas, Salmon Roe

And the other tapas we got to try out. The squid is really chewy and I thought that it was quite an interesting combi to places squid, peas and salmon roe together. A special pairing and it definitely worked. 

Gula Melaka Creme Caramel

Time for my favourite part of dinner! DESSERTS! *throws pompom, confetti, table, chair, everything in the air* SELA is an European restaurant but they preserve traditional asian flavours if you would call it. And that's why, there's the Gula Melaka Creme Caramel! It was so good, we asked for seconds. So yup, the 4 of us shared 2 of this dish (Thank you to the owner and chef for preparing it for us!)

Lemon Cheese Tart

I also loved this and would loved to have seconds. Unfortunately, this came after the Gula Melaka Creme Caramel and we were all pretty full by then. There is the right amount of sourness that you would expect in a Lemon Tart but it definitely wasn't too sour. You can definitely finish this all by yourself cause it isn't a lot as compared to the Gula Melaka Creme Caramel. So I'd recommend the one above if you're looking to share desserts whereas this if you'd rather have dessert by yourself (:

If the above dishes aren't to your liking, no worries cause SELA frequently update and change their menu. My sister and I were quite shocked when we heard cause we've nvr heard of such a concept before. The team at SELA strives to keep their menu refreshing and will spend time learning about new dishes so that they can offer them on their menu. You might be thinking now, does this mean my favourite dish will be gone?!?! Well, nope! They will keep the more popular dishes (such as the Gula Mela Creme Caramel which is totally a reason why you should try it cause it's their best selling dessert) so that you can still enjoy them (:

Their operating hours are

Monday - Saturday: 11.30am - 2.30pm

                                 5.30pm - 11pm

Overall, a very pleasant experience and my sister was saying that she'd totally bring Rifdi there one day cause it's 2 mins away from his office. If you're planning to take public transport, you can take an MRT to Cityhall and walk to SELA. It's right opposite Raffles Hotel, super convenient to get to. You can find out more at SELA's website or their facebook and even email them at enquiry@restauramtsela.com.sg. Let me know if you do drop by and rmb to say hi to the friendly staff over there!

SELA Restaurant - 32 Seah Street

                               S188388

"If music be the food of love, play on."

William Shakespeare