Duck & Waffle in IFC has closed its doors this month, another victim of the government’s dining restrictions where restaurants have hours and capacity limits – but landlords are still allowed to charge full rent.
It was tasty while it lasted…
Duck & Waffle
Shop 1081, 1/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central – CLOSED
Tel: 2267 6338
Image: Duck & Waffle
Ruby Tuesday are on a tear with the opening of a third new restaurant in less than a year. The success of the new style restaurant in K11 Art Mall saw the opening of a first Ruby Tuesday in what could be considered a very local market: Po Lam – Tseung Kwan O. The new outlet in Tuen Mun builds on those successes while incorporating new Covid protections and innovations to ensure the safety of customers and staff.
The Tuen Mun branch, located on the ground floor of Trend Plaza, is smaller than the other new outlets but incorporates the outdoor seating which has proven very popular among customers. While it may be a little hot (or wet), there are no fans, to sit outside in summer. The outdoor tables will surely be in high demand as the weather cools.
The feel of the new branch is a little darker than the bright openness of K11, the more notable difference though is Ruby Tuesday’s first open kitchen in Hong Kong. It’s not fully open, but offers diners the chance to see the kitchen crew in action and also a chance to see that Covid protocols are being observed in the kitchen and that the staff member tasked with keeping the broad swathes of stainless steel shining clean is on task.
As for the food, a new Express set lunch (available only at TKO, Po Lam and Tuen Mun) offers meals at prices similar to local chain outlets. And the staff were working hard to ensure that diners could enjoy their meal during a lunch hour.
It was steaming hot the day bc visited Ruby’s in Tuen Mun so we sampled Ruby’s range of (delicious) smoothies and iced drinks – the highlight being Ruby’s Passion a mango smoothie topped with passion fruit puree, the tartness of passion fruit reigning in the sweetness of the mango. The coffee frappuccino with ice cream was basically flavourless liquid and a disappointment compared to the rather nice one we enjoyed previously at K11.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210625-11pro-Ruby-Tuesday-Tuen-Mun-/i-7ZdJJw2
On a personal note, I don’t really see the point of trying to create ‘fake’ meat and have always found the results disappointing. Discussing this recently, a friend offered a suggestion, don’t think of Impossible as fake meat, think of it as something like tofu which can be prepared and enjoyed in many different ways. Seen and eaten in that way, it’s an enjoyable and textured alternative to meat. Ruby’s Impossible quesadilla was tasty and filling, while the newly added Butcher’s Steak offered a meaty and flavourful reminder that there really is nothing like meat.
bc hadn’t noticed it on the menus in previous visits, so we can’t say if it’s new, but several menu items had a Keto symbol to help those on that food plan.
One of the many small changes in recent years that have re-energised the brand locally and made it an enjoyable place for lunch and dinner where the food tastes as good as it looks.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/20210625-11pro-Ruby-Tuesday-Tuen-Mun-/i-7qGnSjF
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Location: Shop 39-40, Level 1, North Wing, Trend Plaza, Tuen Mun
Tel: 3598 3098
Ruby Tuesday have a new outlet in Trend Plaza, Tuen Mun. It’s the chain’s seventh restaurant and the third new location opened in the last year.
Commenting about the new outlet Ruby Tuesday Managing Director Leslie Bailey said “We have taken every lesson that the COVID-19 Pandemic has taught us and incorporated it into our new restaurant design. In addition to the standard water and air-filters, we’ve also taken the extra precaution of adding a state-of-the-art Philips UV Disinfection System to filter and clean the air circulating in the restaurant.”
Location: Shop 39-40, Level 1, North Wing, Trend Plaza, Tuen Mun
Tel: 3598 3098
Hong Kong has 11 entries in ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021‘ with local Cantonese restaurant The Chairman replacing last year’s numero uno Singapore’s Odette in top spot.
The very subjective list is compiled and voted on by over 300 ‘leaders’ in Asia’s culinary field including journalists, food critics, chefs, restaurateurs and culinary experts.
Quite how it can pretend to be remotely objective this year when travel and dining out have been extensively curtailed… But congratulations to the local restaurants listed.
The local restaurants in this year’s ‘Top 50’ are Vea (16), Neighbourhood (17), Belon (25), Caprice (28), Otto e Mezzo Bombana (33), Amber (37), Ta Vie (38), Mono (44), Lung King Heen (47) and Seventh Son (48).
The only Macau entry is Wing Lei Palace in 50th spot.
Just in time for Christmas Ruby Tuesday have opened a new outlet in Metro City, Po Lam.
Ruby Tuesday Managing Director Leslie Bailey talked about the new outlet “Ruby Tuesday, Metro City Plaza, Po Lam is our largest restaurant by size. We’ve made every effort to ensure that the dining experience is first-class and our talented local designer has created a space that evolves throughout the day; whether alone, together, or as a family, we provide you with a [really] comfortable dining experience and our team will provide you with quality food, served with passion, in an environment, we take pride in.”
“We have taken every lesson that the COVID-19 Pandemic has taught us and incorporated it into our new restaurant design,” Bailey continued. “In addition to the standard water and air-filters, we’ve also taken the extra precaution of adding a state-of-the-art Philips UV Disinfection System to filter and clean the air circulating in the restaurant, thus reducing the risk of any secondary infection. You will find two automated handwashing and sanitization stations. With the children’s station at a lower level to encourage children to focus on washing their hands properly.
Over the holidays it’s BYO – Bring your own alcohol – until the liquor licence is approved.
Ruby’s Festive Platter Set( $798) includes: Honey Glazed Ham Hock, Lamb Shank, Boston Lobster, Roast Pumpkin & Chestnut Soup (2), Smoked Salmon and mulled wine (2 glasses)
Location: Shop UG020 – 021, UG/F, MCP Central, Tseung Kwan O
Tel: 2154 1318
Following the announcement in the United States that Ruby Tuesday restaurant chain was entering what’s known as Chapter 11 Bankruptcy to ‘restructure’ it’s business.
Managing Director of Ruby Tuesday in Hong Kong Leslie Bailey released the following statement today 8 October:
“Ruby Tuesday Inc. in the US has filed for bankruptcy protection as it seeks to stabilize its finances during the pandemic. Do know that this does not affect Ruby Tuesday Hong Kong, we are an independent franchisee, and although we all share the pain of the COVID-19 pandemic, this event in the US does not impact our restaurant operations in Hong Kong.
We opened two new restaurants last year, and one in January this year. In addition to this, and to underscore our commitment and belief in Hong Kong, we continue our expansion and, we will open a new flagship restaurant before CNY.”
Ruby Tuesday Hong Kong have five restaurants in Hong Kong: Causeway Bay, Quarry Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan, Kowloon Bay
Joe Bananas, a Hong Kong institution, turned 21 on the 29 September, 2007
Click on any image or here for the full gallery of photographs.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2007/Joe-Bananas-21-Anniversary-29-Sept-2007/i-c4Lwb9W
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Rick’s Cafe celebrated another awesome year on the 15 December, 2003
Click on any image or here for the full gallery of photographs.
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2003/Ricks-cafe-anniversary-15/i-pqWc7cp
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https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2003/Ricks-cafe-anniversary-15/i-sgP4gcz
https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2003/Ricks-cafe-anniversary-15/i-PhWQj84
