Nouveau Flavours
Sadly, it’s all too rare to find a local restaurant in which the chef has a passion for his work. More often than not the food gives every impression of being a by-product of the restaurant’s moneymaking process. So, after a week of insipid meals recently, it was a pleasant surprise to lunch at Tuscany by H (58-62 D’Aguilar St, LKF, 2522 9798). For those that don’t remember or keep up on the gossip, Tuscany by H is run by Harlan (Big H). Though Harlan’s, G Bar and H One in IFC are not. Confused? We are too, so you’re not alone. At Tuscany by H a new three-course lunch menu ($198 + 10%) features an appetizer buffet, a choice of main courses – the truffle mascarpone tortellini, wild mushroom bolognaise is delicious – dessert and tea/coffee. Big H’s $500 “Cheer Up Dinner Experience” is a five-course feast with dishes like jumbo sea scallop carpaccio-layered eggplant tart, Tuscany seafood soup, roasted barramundi orzo pasta and garlic clams stew, baked organic chicken breast with chorizo and tiger prawns and charcoal-grilled US super prime rib-eye with black truffle mash. The a la carte menu and blackboard specials feature a range of Big H’s signature seasonal specials.

The first floor of California Tower in Lan Kwai Fong used to serve up fine French cuisine, but now in the newly opened Union J (2537 2368) it serves ‘new American’. The term coined by Eric Johnson and Jason Casey, the creative chefs behind the project, does their cuisine no justice. Far from being bland and mass produced, the three a la carte menus, which rotate weekly, and are presented as small dishes – green asparagus, soft egg, crispy potato; kanpachi sashimi, soy, raspberry, sesame yoghurt; large dishes – hanger steak with duck fat fries; black cod, coconut salad and wild rice (delicious); black lacquered duck with parsnip date salad; and desserts – ABC ice cream takeaway, creamy crunchy chocolate rice pudding. New dishes and their ingredients are chalked up on a blackboard adorning the dining room wall. Three prix fixe lunch options at $98, $118 and $148 include two courses, soft drink and tea/coffee. Interestingly Union J also offers a rotating mix of home-made fruit sodas, and fresh fruit bases to serve with their spirits.

It is almost impossible to walk past the window display featuring a giant ostrich dressed in a little hat in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui without wanting to venture into Initial Fashion Café (46 Cameron Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2311 4223) for a look. This is the café where food meets fashion. Lounge around, enjoying the tranquil atmosphere, in beautiful plush seats while having something to drink. The house sodas are definitely worth a try, our favourite being the lemon and honey ginger ($38). If you feel like grabbing a bite you can choose from seafood pastas and typical European meat dishes. We tried black-ink spaghetti with seafood and mushroom sauce ($88) and linguini with sea clams and white wine ($88). Both came in large portions, generous with the seafood. The mushroom sauce was well seasoned and blended wonderfully with the flavours of the scallops. But we did miss the taste of white wine in the linguini dish; it was possibly overpowered by the exuberant number of clams on top of the pasta. Those with a smaller appetite might choose one of the appetizers listed on the menu. We highly recommend the shrimp mashed potatoes with cream, served with cream French toast ($38), a heavenly delight. For dessert we had homemade waffles with ice cream ($38). Although the texture of the waffles was a bit tiresome, the flavours of the fresh berries and the strawberry ice cream made up for it.

Huge square wooden tables seating 12 are a notable feature of Box Thai-Modern Eating (1/F, Shui King Court, 4-8 Arbuthnot Rd, Central, 9123 6049). They are fun for a party or to get to know new people. If you are not a big fan of such communal dining, you can always eat more privately at the bar table by the window. The menu offers traditional Thai cuisine with a modern twist – that is not to say it is fusion but here and there you will find some Japanese or Chinese touches. As a starter we tried the smoked fish salad ($60). The fish rested on the salad greens, which in turn were creatively dressed on the plate, so that we could fully experience the mild flavours of the fish with the sharp taste of the lettuce; a successful combination. This was followed by stir-fried pork with lemongrass, kaffir lime and chilli ($65), a dish perfect to share with friends but not too eat alone if you wish to keep to an acceptable cholesterol level. As a main course, we had grilled chicken with Thai-style sauce ($135); not all that original but nevertheless very tasty.

Rick’s (51 Elgin St, Soho, 2810 6106) a Mediterranean, mostly Greek, restaurant had literally just opened when we barrelled through its doors determined to try everything within our reach. The Greek music grabbed our attention straight away and, once inside, we felt as if we were in the middle of the set of Mama Mia, though without the singing, thank goodness. On the ground floor it’s surprising how easy it is to forget the hustle and bustle a few metres away and surrender to the Mediterranean way of life with its tasty food and coffee. The delicious grilled feta ($68) and souvlaki lamb skewers ($68) are great for sharing, and ordering lots of entrees is always a good way to try as many different things as you can without filling up too quickly. If you’re after something simple, the white pizza with olives ($113) will surely satiate.

Tucked in right next to Wanchai station, Ay-Tu Flour Rice Noodles (120 Hennessy Rd, Wanchai, 2393 4100) is a Taiwanese takeaway perfect for grabbing a bite to eat on the run. With a store in Mongkok already, the spread into Wanchai looks to be successful judging by the substantial queue each time we walk past. It is good news for Ay-Tu Flour Rice Noodles who also have two eateries in Shenzhen and plans to open others in Japan. All noodles are served with brine intestine, garlic, coriander and black-rice vinegar. The standard size ($12) is excellent for an afternoon snack, while the large ($18) is almost guaranteed to fill big eaters. Garnishes to choose from include crab ($6), scallops ($6) or brine pig intestine ($4) for the more cultured. Looking into your takeaway container, you might not realize how much effort goes into these noodles but the sauce actually takes a good 96 hours of TLC before it can be shared with the hungry people in line. Once it gets that far, though, it is quick and easy, so next time you’re hungrily skulking around Wanchai station, snack-a-la-taiwan!

Although it has just reopened under the same name as its predecessor, Al Bistro (35 Cameron Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2369 3189) is under new management and with quite a different vision. Every corner of the space has been carefully considered, every drink carefully concocted and every meal sampled by everyone involved for the best possible service. And it seems to have paid off. With plans underway to open up the restaurant for live music and perhaps a DJ, Al Bistro could be great for a night out, especially on Thursdays when all frozen cocktails are only $38! The berries martini and the mojito are heavily recommended and the food is definitely worth a try. Linguini sautéed with bay clams, garlic, chili peppers and sweet basil ($128) keeps up with the competition while the ossobuco, braised veal shank with herbs, white wine, tomatoes and gremolata ($188) is one to come back for.

Outrageously American, Dressed (Shop No 1, G/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen’s Rd East, Wanchai, 2893 4848) is on its way to taking over the world. Highly stylized and organized, this salad bar, part of an American chain, means business and seems to be cornering the market expertly, steadily expanding in a time of economic downturn. Having successfully infiltrated the IFC, Dressed has now opened a shop in the QRE building in Wanchai. Green plastic chairs and the stark floor space come across as impersonal, emphasizing sanitized efficiency, yet the seats are surprisingly comfortable and, once you have a salad in front of you, the place seems to warm up. With the choice of delicious chef-designed salads (somewhere between $58 and $88 depending on what you chose), salad sandwiches ($48) and, if you’re feeling particularly creative, salads of your own design ($58 and up) allowing you to pick your greens, chose four toppings and a dressing, there’s something for almost everyone. It’s all very tasty and healthy in that American way, but the outlet closes at 9pm which makes it useless for dinner or even a snack in the evening.