R&B - Hong Kong

Date of visit: Saturday, 12 July 2014














Review: This meal was from summer, but the food was too photogenic for these photos only to sit around on my hard drive and not shared. Though, photogenic might be the only positive adjective I could use to describe my experience at R&B. Let's begin with the stingy-portioned Fisherman's Chips (1st picture). I'm a fan of thin-cut fries, but these were weirdly thin and soggy. Elote (3rd picture) was all looks and little substance. It was very messy to eat and sadly not worth it. It's hard to go wrong with anything baked with cheese but R&B did, the Clams Dynamite packed too much salt. The French Dip sandwich (2nd last picture) could have been alright... if I could look past the sad and soggy bun. The biggest disappointment of the day, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Eggs Benefit (last picture), was basically stringy meat on dry biscuits. There were jalapeno bits in the biscuits but the whole dish was too dry for the flavours to blend and for the spice to give it all a kick.

While I really wanted to like R&B for its bright airy loft-like (aka hipster-y) space, it's hard to believe this place is called R&B (short for Research & Bakery, according to the restaurant) for reasons other than initialism wordplay. Has the chef been researching on how to make bland lemonade and mediocre food? Aesthetics is indeed important, but flavours are what keeps customers returning for more.

Rating: 2/5


R&B
3/F, Pacific Mansion
172-174 Nathan Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong

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OVOCAFE - Hong Kong

Date of visit: Sunday, 6 July 2014

If you're active on the foodie side of Instagram, you should have seen pictures of people slurping spaghetti, posing with their all day breakfasts in a garden / greenhouse setting. Yes, I'm talking about OVOCAFE. A new(-ish) vegetarian cafe located in OVO store, part of the redevelopment project of the Grade III Historic Building Wan Chai Market.

The menu is very simple. One page of food and one page of drinks. There is also a cake display with some cakes to choose from.

Truth to be told, when I first saw pictures of this place, I was worried about all the seemingly plastic faux plants... poking my skin whilst I was trying to eat or the dust deposited would trigger allergic reactions. But no, there wasn't too many plants, and most of them seemed real! They, along with the high ceiling, made the place pleasant and very colourful.

OVO teamed up with Felix Wong, the man behind two of my favourite coffee places (Cafe Corridor and Coffee Assembly) to develop OVOCAFE. So it's only natural that the drinks menu of OVO resembles that of Cafe Corridor. 8pm was too late for coffee, so we both ordered the Apple Passionfruit Smoothie ($45), a drink I had ordered and loved at Cafe Corridor. They looked exactly the same, except for the container they came in.

Linguine with King Oyster Mushroom with Miso Sauce ($68) - this dish took 洋食 to a whole new level. Thick slices of king oyster mushroom, seaweed, nutty miso... on linguine. While I wouldn't call myself a big fan, there's no denying this was innovative and special.

Mixed Vegetables with Goat Cheese Wrap ($50) (front) - by mixed vegetables did they mean mixed salad leaves? I'm not a vegetable-bashing 8 years old, but how could I not hate salad leaves in hot pressed wraps? They make great wraps/sandwiches soggy and so bitter. Other than the cooked lettuce problem, the wrap was crispy and stuffed with plenty of goat cheese. Bengali Sweet Potatoes ($48) (back) - a generous amount of yellow and purple sweet potato chunks covered in this curry syrupy sauce. This was extremely addictive, especially when hot. We couldn't stop even when we were full... It would be a crime to throw these away.

Rating: 4/5

In a nutshell: Great food in a pretty cafe. Perfect for any occasion - light work lunch, coffee and cake with yourself, dinner with a group of friends... Not only would you have a lovely meal, you would win plenty of likes on Instagram!


OVOCAFE
G/F, 1 Wan Chai Road
Wan Chai
Hong Kong

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Camper's - Hong Kong

Date of visit: Saturday, 5 July 2014

My mother and me are creatures of habit, frequenting the same restaurants even if the queues are only getting longer and the portions smaller. Though we live near the increasingly-happening Soho East, we have never dined at the many restaurants in the area. On a Saturday night we decided we should stop going to the same place (for a weekend at least) and headed to Camper's, a Japanese eatery tucked away in a street of garages. Our "curiosity" and "bravery" were well rewarded with some awesome hearty home-cooking!

Slow Cooked Pork Cartilage ($29) - in my head, pork cartilage is a chewy business. Think pork cartilage in noodle soup from Ajisen Ramen and Tsui Wah. Lots of people love that, I don't. I prefer this slow-cooked version from Camper's. There's just something magical about slow-cooked braised meat: succulent with a flaky texture and intense flavours, sitting in its own glaze... In this case, the tough cartilage had broken down into this gooey goodness. And it's only $29!

Beef Ribs in Black Sesame Curry with Mixed Rice ($63) - I eat plenty of curries, but black sesame curry is something I'd never heard of. Though lacking in a distinctive sesame flavour, it gave the curry a dark, almost blackish tone. As for the meat, it's my favourite - braised beef ribs! They could have been more generous with the rib pieces, but they were generous indeed with the vegetables. There was even sweet potato pieces in the rice. Reminder: don't eat this on a date! Unless your date is into black teeth and black bits inbetween teeth...

Hiroshima Oyster Curry with Mixed Rice ($66) - I had been craving oysters so my mother got this to share with me. From the photos it's clear that this, compared to the black sesame curry, was lighter and runnier. Personally I prefered the Beef Ribs in Black Sesame Curry, but this was tasty as well.

They charge $3 per person for tea. Sort of a strange practice... You could pay extra for juice instead but I'm not sure if refill is available.


Rating: 4.5/5

In a nutshell: Healthy and unpretentious Japanese home-cooking that your wallet will love. I especially appreciate the shop's motto of healthy eating. There's even a dish called 1-day Mixed Vegetables Curry to help you meet your 5-A-Day. I will be back!


Camper's 坐忘
13 Pan Hoi Street
Quarry Bay
Hong Kong

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85 South / Coco Espresso - Hong Kong

85 South

The amount of Discovery TLC I watch is embarrassing. While I no longer glue myself to the TV every Sunday from 12nn, sometimes I find myself watching TLC food shows on Youtube at 2am. You know what these shows are like - "Best Ribs in America", "Man Vs. Burgers"... And the worst part is, however much you crave juicy tender pulled pork or fall-off-the-bone ribs, you know you won't be eating that when you get up, chain restaurants' offerings simply won't do the job.

But times have changed. 85 South opened in Kau U Fong November last year. But can their stuff satisfy my carnivorous cravings?

Lemonade came in a Solo cup. It would be great to wash down my greasy meaty plate with a tall cool cup of acidic sweet lemonade, but this cup at 85 South was too watery and bland for my liking.

BBQ Tray Combo ($100) (front) - the difference between a BBQ Tray and a BBQ Sandwich is that there is 1/3 lb of meat and two dollops of red slaw in the BBQ Tray (as opposed to the BBQ Sandwich's 1/4 lb and a single dollop and it comes with a bun, duh). As someone who could happily finish 10 oz of steak on her own, I thought 1/3 lb, translating to roughly 5 oz of meat would be nothing. But that was a little mountain of pulled pork! I didn't regret my decision to order a Tray though, because that red slaw was glorious. I love coleslaw, even the bad supermarket kind, so I may be biased when I call this tomato-based slaw out of this world. But it really was something awesome. The chips, apart from the funny flat shape, were nothing special. And the layer of oil sitting at the bottom of the tray was rather unappetising. As for the BBQ Chicken Sandwich Combo ($85) (back), I did steal a piece of chicken from Lae. It was moist and tender and full of barbecue flavour.

Rating: 2.5/5

In a nutshell: Sorry, 85 South, I don't think you're good enough to compete with the contenders from my late night TLC food porn session. While I still about the sweet and tangy red slaw every now and then, I guess I have to look elsewhere for my protein cravings.


85 South
6-10 Kau U Fong
Central
Hong Kong

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Coco Espresso

Cold brew / cold drip coffee seems to be the beverage of the year (cold drip is a subset of cold brew). I have yet given BLACKSHOT Coffee a shot (pun intended), but I went to Coco Espresso, another brand offering this sweet and mellow liquid gold.

Cold Drip Coffee - Colombia Finca Santuario ($55, refill $48) - Classic was sold out so we got Colombia instead. According to the barista, Colombia Finca Santuario coffee is quite acidic and harsh. Scientifically, cold brew coffee is less acidic than hot brew: when you brew with hot water, acidic oils are released by the grounds (yay for chemistry). I noticed even if the cold brew coffee is still acidic, it is a mellower, fruitier kind of acidity, almost like alcohol. I would be happy to swap my beloved Taffy Apples cider for a bottle of this at happy hour.

With cold drip coffee becoming more and more popular, Coco now offers five kinds of cold drip - go check them out.


Coco Espresso
G/F, 197 Queen's Road Central
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong

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This Fortnight in Eating (30 Jun - 13 Jul)

When I first started this blog, I envisioned a place where I document my eating adventures with pictures and as few words as possible, aka "let pictures do the talking". This explains the tagline "an eating log". But rambling on and on is my second nature. I find it hard to not talk when there's so much to talk about! Each long-winded post leaves me with little time for others. And I have accumulated a long list of less memorable / less writable places.

Say hello to This Fortnight in Eating! A new feature to this ever-changing blog. It's a compilation of snapshots from my restaurant / bar visit, happening every two weeks.


Mori Sushi 森壽司

Hokkaido Kaisendon 北海道魚生飯 ($98) - possibly the best thing that can happen during lunch break. The sashimi tastes fresh and there is more of it than rice. It's true there is only a small bowlful of rice (you can ask for more but it isn't going to make a difference) but the oily fish and sticky rice (along with the zensai appetiser, miso soup and ice-cream mochi) will fill you up pretty nicely. I have been for more than five times and I still want to go back. Be warned though: service isn't the best and you're advised to book two days ahead.

Sanche Modern Korean

Bossam ($138) - this is my favourite among the three dishes we ordered that day. I love Korean food and I love how Sanche does it with a twist. And it's impressive they do it all in the tiny corner in the restaurant they call kitchen.

Sevva

This reminds me of something I have read in a rooftopping article - "the coolest views are often from lower buildings nestled in between the tall ones."

Forgot what I have ordered... but it's the first time I have eaten a passionfruit.

Posto Pubblico

Linguine Vongole ($145 set lunch) - my first time having linguine alle vongole in red sauce (rosso). Loved the sauce, the big clams and the generous portion.

Frey & Ford

A few years ago there was a budding artisan sandwich craze. There were shops selling mini hot dogs and sandwiches. Memorably, a tiny shop in Wan Chai, 'wich, shut their doors before I could pay a visit. Frey & Ford is the only shop that is still around. Mind you, it isn't a sandwich shop, it's a "sandwich boutique". They sell "petite sandwich creations" which are actually "a work of gastronomic art that pleases both the tastebuds and the eye". Yes, I'm stealing sentences directly off their website.

Set A ($58) - this included three petite sandwiches and soup/salad. I got the French Onion Soup, Salmon Sandwich Cake, Bruschetta of Tomato Salsa and Parmesan and Peking Chicken Pocket Rockets. There was a generous amount of onion in the soup, which made me happy. But the sandwiches failed me. Like jewellery in jewellery shop, the "work of gastronomic art" sat under the glass patiently waiting for your purchase. But unlike jewellery, bread would go stale and dry. And that's why these sandwiches were. It's a shame though, as I really like the concept of artisan sandwiches.

BO-LO'GNE

Deep Fried Pork Cutlet Sandwich ($?) - this place used to be pretty famous for their Danish bread. In recent years, with more bakeries selling Danish bread and "trendier" bread, BO-LO'GNE seems to have gone off the radar. Their bread was still good, but this sandwich was disappointing. The pork cutlet was too thin and dry, the breading was detaching...

BEP Vietnamese Kitchen

Pho Tai ($68) - BEP is Nha Trang group's latest concept, or you can refer it as it the hipster sister of Nha Trang. It's more expensive but in my opinion, it tastes better. The broth of my Pho Tai was distinctively clearer and more flavourful than that at Nha Trang... but MSG level was the same. Can I get some more water please?

Taco Chaca

Nachos (?) - it doesn't look like it would taste good does it? I may be biased because I had just had some world-class nachos over at Dicken Bar a few weeks before.

Baja Fish Taco ($58) - was there even fish? All I could taste was flour tortilla (weird because it said "corn" on my recipe) and guac and lemon juice.

Ping Pong 129

Who would have known under this unassuming door...

... it would be a gintonería? I know nothing about gin, but the long stairway and high ceiling and industrial hippiness of this place speak for itself.

La Terrazza bar & grill

La Terrazza is positively reviewed by the online community. So when we headed to Shatin one Sunday to run some errands (I hadn't been there for almost five years!), we decided we would go there for lunch. But disappointedly, bread was the best part of the meal...

The mussels were surprisingly not bad, but the spaghetti was soggy! I thought with the concept of "al dente" being more and more common, soggy pasta would only exist in cha chaan tengs nowadays. Apparently I was wrong.

La Terrazza operates under the Maxim's group. Its menu reminded me a lot of another Maxim's operation, Simplylife Bakery Cafe - salad, pasta, chicken burger, beef burger, roast chicken, steak... but Simplylife does it so well while La Terrazza does it so bad, it would surprise me they have the same parent if I hadn't known already. Simplylife's Beef Burger is my go-to choice when I'm feeling extremely hungry and want to play safe. This burger? It was awful. The bun was exactly the same as the oatmeal rolls I used to buy from the supermarket for school lunch. The burger patty was... wait, was it even a burger patty? Not meat-flavoured plastic? It was dry and dense from over-handling and over-compression.

Greyhound Cafe - Hong Kong

Date of visit: Wednesday, 25 June 2014

My neighbourhood mall underwent a massive renovation this year. There was a change of layout and an injection of new blood. It was hard bidding farewell to shops I grew up with, but when I knew "Greyhound Cafe" was opening in a quiet corner of the mall, I was excited!

I had always wanted to visit Greyhound Cafe. So in the opening week, we decided to give it a try. My dad went in person to make a reservation. Apparently Greyhound was "fully booked before they even opened". Wow, OK... Then, my mum, ignorant of my dad's failed attempt, went to reserve a table too. She was told they'd stopped take bookings but several tables would be available for walk-ins. When my mum asked for the best time go for a table, the smug manager said "forget it, I'll put your name on our list" while making it sound like he'd just done us a big flavour. Seriously, Greyhound, making it difficult for your customers isn't going to make you a better restaurant.

After all that drama, it would be interesting to see if Greyhound lived up to its own idea of being an elBulli reincarnation or the new NOMA.

Who doesn't? You aren't that special, Greyhound Cafe.

Spaghetti Cha Cha Cha ($128) - not gonna lie, this was really good. Squid ink spaghetti cooked "to the tooth", a generous amount of seafood (relatively to the amount of spaghetti). I like that there was green peppercorns. And it was spicy, I love spicy.

Mini Pork Ribs ($108) - while this might resemble leftovers from Chinese family meal the night before, it was actually pretty good, especially with the tiny lime and ginger cubes. Presentation issues aside, the portion was... small. The last time I checked lettuce was still cheap. Nevertheless the fermented tofu pork rib was a joy to eat on its own... or maybe I was just really hungry?

Fusilli Phad Thai ($98) - I like to think I'm an innovative cook. One of my weird creative ideas is to make pasta the Asian way, like Shanghai fried pasta. This dish reminded me why I never actually cooked up an Asian pasta - it wouldn't work... nor would overcooking your pasta help. The fusilli in this dish was too soft and didn't blend with the phad thai flavour at all. Kids, when you think you've got an ingenious original idea that no one's ever thought of, there may be a reason why it isn't already out there in the market.

Greyhound Famous Fried Chicken Wings ($68) - their signature dish, also the reason why Greyhound Cafe opened in Hong Kong (Deborah, Nicolas Tse's mother, was so impressed with these wings she decided to introduce Greyhound to HK). Normally I'm not a fan of chicken wings, but the meat of these wings fell of the bones cleanly. The fact that they had been previously deboned (or semi-deboned because only one of the two bones had been removed) made them even easier to eat. Question though: where do they source chicken wings so tiny from?

Rating: 1.5/5

In a nutshell: Truth to be told, the food was above average (avoid the Fusilli Phad Thai though). But portion size was strikingly small and I could get food of the same quality in more satisfying quantity for less money. I'm also spitefully docking 1 star for that ridiculous reservation incident. Go for the hype if you really want, but I doubt you will make a return.


Greyhound Cafe
Shop 007, G/F, Cityplaza,
Taikoo Shing
Hong Kong


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Kau Kee / Wafffle! - Hong Kong

Date of visit: Wednesday, 25 June 2014


Kau Kee 九記牛腩

(I made a short visit to Kau Kee again yesterday and got the Beef Brisket Ho Fun ($40). It was a bowful of disappointment in my face - oily soup, chewy brisket and soggy noodles. Not sure if it's the Ho Fun version or if it's just a bad day for Kau Kee. Every restaurant has its good days and bad days, but this is just sad. Note: the following glowing review is based on my visit on 25 June 2014.)

Lots of spring onion for me!

In any city, there is a distinction between places that tourists go and places that locals frequent. Very rare will there be an intersection of the two worlds. In Hong Kong, Kau Kee is one of those places. At the big round table shared with five other eaters, you may be slurping away with a guidebook-reading tourist who doesn't speak a word of Cantonese, a white-collar worker from Central, or a local trekking uphill just for a bowl of perfection.

I'm no beef brisket connoisseur. But the brisket at Kau Kee is pretty damn good. Chopstick-tender and flavourful. Though there were noticeably a few tough pieces, the broth was too good for me to complain about the bad apples. It didn't look as nice and light as it was, but it makes the Beef Brisket Yi-Mein at Kau Kee the noodle soup of the summer season.

Beef Brisket Yi-Mein ($42) - pro tip: order yi-mein instead of the ho fun.

Rating: 4/5

In a nutshell: The Beef Brisket Yi-Mein will tell you why Kau Kee is loved by locals and tourists guidebook authors.


Kau Kee 九記牛腩
21 Gough Street
Central
Hong Kong




Wafffle!

On the other hand, dessert was disappointing. After Kau Kee, we hit up Wafffle! for Liege waffles, the denser, chewier, bread-like sister of the more common Brussels waffles. Apparently Wafffle! makes waffles fresh from dough imported from Belgium in their state-of-the-air machine... But when we visited, they simply heated up pre-made waffles in a waffle-maker. The taste of the waffle was below my already-plummeted expectation - it wasn't caramelised enough on the outside and was stick-to-your-teeth chewy on the inside...

Wafffle! Devil (waffle with Belgian chocolate) + Vanilla Ice-Cream + Speculoos ($36) - j'oublie que j'ai mangé un mauvais waffle en Belgique... (??? French always fails me so please feel free to correct me)

Rating: 1/5

In a nutshell: You can make tastier waffles by putting packaged ones into the toaster. Add a scoop of ice-cream if you're feeling fancy.


Wafffle!
Shop B, G/F, Tin On Sing Commercial Building
41-43 Graham Street
Central
Hong Kong


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MANA! Fast Slow Food / Elephant Grounds - Hong Kong

Date of visit: Tuesday, 24 June 2014


MANA! Fast Slow Food

MANA! is the temple of the local clean eating community. It really does resemble a temple with all the exotic-looking sculptures. There are two types of people you see here, namely: yoga-pants-wearing, health-food-jargon-speaking type, and pseudo-healthy-eating type that believes a healthy resting heart rate comes from munching "health food" once in a blue moon. I belong to the latter.

"Healthy food" is slowly becoming a food category... By that I mean when I hear "healthy food", images of $50-bottled-juice / $200-superfoods-salad spring to mind. I certainly see the appeal - in the short run: guilt-free goodness that fills you up without post-meal drowsiness, in the long run: healthy body, mind and soul!!! However, the Eat Clean movement is getting too much. I love my boiled broccoli and steamed spinach more than most things, but I'm just sick of seeing EAT CLEAN YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT Pinterest-y posts on my Instagram feed every day. I can't pinpoint the reason why photos of wraps and shakes from MANA! are popping up everywhere. Is MANA! really such a great lunch place? Is there a extremely high correlation between the love to share and the love to "eat clean"? Or people "eat clean" only to tell the world? OK, digression's over.

MANA! Bliss Flat (full $75, half $45) and Babylon Shake ($55) - all flatbread is topped with Zaatar, a mixture of herbs and spices used in Eastern Mediterranean. A taste I quite enjoyed. In Bliss, there is avocado, hummus, cucumber and spinach. Babylon Shake is made by blending banana, figs, tahini, soya milk and cinnamon.

An arm's length of flatbread wrap... When we were placing our order,  Chak and me were repeatedly saying "why would people order half a wrap that's definitely not enough!" Little did we know the flatbread wrap is huge (almost double the size of a Pret wrap)... lesson learnt. 

I can see why MANA! is addictive. It's like a Pret addiction - tasty food that makes you think you're down 3 lbs instantly and feel good about yourself. But let's not kid ourselves - you aren't going to feel refreshed and slim down by eating a footlong wrap for lunch. I like the food at MANA!... For the flatbread, they are generous with the fillings and the flatbread itself tasted really great. But after consuming half a flatbread, it got bland and the house hot sauce wasn't spicy enough to give it a kick. As for the shake, it's just shakes from a cafe... I may go back for half a flatbread, but is this place worth the songs of praise from everyone on the Internet? Considering the price, let's just say I'm disappointed.


Rating: 3/5

In a nutshell: It's only a light lunch if you don't go overboard with your order. Clean eating may make you (feel) lean and mean, don't forget it comes with a hefty price tag.


MANA! Fast Slow Food
92 Wellington Street
Central
Hong Kong

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Elephant Grounds

This coffee shop is located in the new hip lifestyle store WOAW*. I love all things elephant. I love the sharp orange paper cups. And most importantly, I wanted to try cookies hand-made by the inspirational Joyce Cheng (see Homie Cookies).

* It had only been opened for half a week when we visited a month ago (I'm a bad blogger). There were two other customers going for coffee in our 30-min stay. Passed by during lunch today - full house! That's the importance of social media / word of mouth / cool Instagram pics in action.

Seating is limited to an indoor bar and an outdoor high table with stools. We stayed in the air conditioning (of course!) and watched the barista working the shiny nuova simonelli.

Elephant Grounds Ice Coffee ($36) and Homie Cookies ($20 each) - the coffee came in a tiny glass jar, with a Titanic-sized iceberg in the middle... I may drink a lot of coffee but I'm not good at judging the taste professionally. We shared the White Chocolate Chip Matcha Cookie. $20 may be expensive for a cookie but this is totally worth it. The Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel is more chocolatey than salted caramel-y, but still soft and awesome. I can eat half a dozen of these bad boys for lunch!

Hihi elephant!

Flying coffee cups!

Rating: 4/5

In a nutshell: Awesome cookies. The patio is great for the cooler autumn months ahead.


Elephant Grounds
11 Gough Street
Central
Hong Kong

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Unar Coffee Company / Zai Fe - Hong Kong

I love coffee. I'll even go to great lengths to say I cannot live without it. That's not to say I can't function without my morning cup, nor will I suffer from terrible incurable headaches if I forego my daily dose of caffeine. But I love the taste, the idea, the culture and the social aspect of coffee. A cup of black coffee can always calm me down. And "why don't we get coffee?" is the secret code for my instant friendship.


Unar Coffee Company

Unar started out as a tiny hole-in-the-wall (literally) in Tai Hang. The only seating area is the bench outside the shop. You see Unar when you see people standing around sipping coffee and exchanging conversations in the sun. A few months ago, Unar opened a Shop 2 in Star Ferry Pier (Tsim Sha Tsui side). This second outlet has definitely inherited the feel of the Unar in Tai Hang. Take-away coffee, a bench, hipster vibe... except that the main colour of Shop 2 is white, as opposed to black of Shop 1.

One of the best storefronts I have seen

Iced Regular Coffee ($35) - forgot how this tasted, but I clearly remember I enjoyed it, along with the spectacular skyline of HK Island. If you're adventurous, Unar serves interesting options such as Iced Cucumber Caffe Latte and Hot Ginger Caffe Latte. So next time you're in Star Ferry Pier in TST... don't run for ferry, enjoy Unar coffee!

Unar Coffee Company - Shop 2
Shop KP41
1/F, Star Ferry Pier,
Salisbury Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong

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Zai Fe 齋啡

I've always liked my coffee black. When I found out an indie coffee shop, named after my favourite beverage, was opening near my home, I couldn't contain my excitement. Zai Fe is a tiny espresso bar tucked away on a quiet street in Quarry Bay. It's a small space, but the shop is oozing coolness (if not pretentiousness). I wasn't surprised at all to learn that the brains behind Zai Fe is an artist, a fashion guru and a coffee producer. There seems to be lots of principles and philosophy behind the brand. Principles and philosophy that I support. And you'll be seeing me at Zai Fe again and again, munching on artisan baked goods and enjoying the friendly service.

Zai Fe ($21) - according to the menu, the shop's "standard shot is everyone else's add an extra". This means that there are two shots in my tiny cup of coffee, but it's funny considering I found my cup to be slightly weak for my liking... next time I'm getting the triple-shot Long Black.

Probably my first time seeing Vegware packaging. All items here are served in 100% renewable or recycled materials.

Double Chocolate Muffin ($28?) - the muffin was wrapped nicely in parchment paper and came in an environmental-friendly paper bag (paradoxical, if the goal is to save the earth then why not skip the cool packaging?)... the price may be a bit steep for a muffin but this is not a conventional muffin! This is a moist chocolate cake in a muffin form. I was going to have a bite then I ate the whole thing...! The baked goods at Zai Fe are freshly baked by local artisan bakers every day. It's surely great to support local, but it's even better when local is awesome.

Zai Fe 齋啡
22-28 Finnie Street
Quarry Bay
Hong Kong

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