Grappa's, Italian restaurant, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay HK

 This decent Italian restaurant once again told that a real pizza is much cheaper than those by Pizza Hut (HK$108 vs. 198).  What's more, a nice salad with fine ingredients is more healthy than those salad bar with a small plate for stunt man show.  I tried a very nice rissoto with very fresh grilled seafood at just HK$148!.  The whole meal is just HK$300 something.  *Grappa's made the pizza in a bite size.  Good to eat it in an elegant manner.

Front with the skyscrapers

 

Pret A Manger, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay HK

This sandwich deli is my favourite and regular visit whenever I am in London. Their dolphin friendly tuna is still impressive to me on how the tuna was caught in order not to affect the food sources for dolphin. When Pret A Manger landed Wanchai 8 years ago, I visited once and stopped it due to its unreasonably high price. Even when this shop had a branch in Taikoo Place, I didn't check it out. Until lately I got told a sandwich plus a mocha just cost around HK$40 something, I felt like I had to try it. I really miss their sandwich and their house signature pickled. What's more, they use some quality cheese and all in solid wheat bread. That's what we call a sandwich! Their mocha is also very pleasant and some very fresh milk is used. Unfortunately it is opened during office hours. The only time I can come here is Saturday noon time, but will miss their hearty soup which is served from Monday to Friday.

Pokka cafe, Jusco, Kornhill, Quarry Bay, HK

It's sometimes to ask a kid over 10 years old for what their favourite food is. My nephew insisted on getting a mushroom soup (photo 4) and pan fried rice patty with chicken (photo 8) from this restaurant. I can say these 2 are the best out of all the others. Didn't mean the others are no good. The mushroom is awesome with a light touch of truffle oil in a fresh made cream soup base. The pan fried rice patty was very nice but unfortunately the chicken wasn't well done enough. I somehow got a 5 course beef filet dinner set with a pumpkin beet root soup (photo 2), scallop salad (3), beef filet (6), ice cream (9) and the superb Blue Mountain coffee. Only the Blue Mountain coffee is already HK$79, but this whole set is just HK$168. BTW, I was told that only this branch of Pokka at Jusco Kornhill is worth trying.

Nha Trang, Tai Koo Shing, HK

When the old Vietnamese restaurant closed down and the decoration partition had the name "Nha Trang" on it, I asked Nha Trang Wanchai if that's a genuine branch. I got a fond answer "yes". So much looking forward to this new branch. Unfortunately just only a month after it's open, some scandalous news broke out that a group of people got food poisoning and it was found out the shop put some food outside the back lane of the shop. The good part is that I can come here without waiting in line since the news broke out.

After the try, I will only come here again for the beef broth noodle and the Bun (dried noodle with sweet sour fish sauce). Those are still kept at Nha Trang's standard. The cucumber was sliced too thin that it lost the original aroma. The squid is a bit too overcooked. The fish cake is so so.

Old map of Quarry Bay and Causeway Bay HK

Went to the HK coastal defence museum and saw the old maps of some parts of HK. Photo 1: Alrich bay is Shaukiwan. Quarry Point was where the Tai Koo dock and now Tai Koo Shing. Photo 2: East Point was East Point road (leading to Excelsior hotel) and Morrison Hill was a hill.

 

Agne's b cafe lpg, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay HK

Took a pasta set with a linguini with seafood tomato and an iced mocha. Recommended to try mocha or any choco. related drink. Its choco. is in an elegant aroma and smooth in texture. The linguini is also in an elegant fresh tomato and the pasta is also fresh with egg and flour aroma. The food and the drink do go in the same mood of its fashion mode. Good for a light refreshing lunch during weekend.

土樓三弄 Hakka cuisine highlight (八月芳), Xi Yue (a Maxim's restaurant), Quarry Bay HK

Maxim's has been improving gradually on their food and service quality. Occasionally the group introduces certain specific Chinese cuisine. This summer season they highlighted a number of Hakka dishes. As I went thru' the menu, my first choice is this one "pickled yam" (photo 1) - a very long lost friend (that I only had it in my school time). When it was served on the table, the sesame on it was really original. This is the classic pickled and it's almost a forgotten recipe. Photo 3: salty chicken. 4: turnip, fish ball and smoked chicken casserole. 5: peppered pig's knuckle. 6: steamed rice with yam. 7: red date yellow wine sweet. 8: pumpkin crispy cake. All these are pretty good, especially the casserole, pig's knuckle and yellow wine sweet.