Elephant Grounds

Elephant grounds has been opened in Central for a while but I never really liked that location because it was so tiny. I heard that they have a new location in Star Street and it is now one of my favorite places to hang out. The location is super airy and bright and I love working/grabbing a coffee there. It does get quite busy during lunch times (especially during the weekend!) but it is a perfect location to hang out during off peak hours.

The food is also yummy and there are a lot of wholesome options such as donburi bowls and poke bowls. Their menu changes at 2:45 pm so make sure you time yourself accordingly!

Tuna Poke - Sweet Chili Soy, Green Onion, Tenkasu, Furikake, Radish & Onsen Egg
My friends loooove this poke bowl and I think it is very well made but quite expensive (~145?) given the price of other poke places popping up all over the city!  

Miso Black Cod - White Miso Marinade, Torched Miso Mayo, Shimeji Mushroom, Snap Pea, Nori Potato & Carrot 
This dish is both delicious and beautiful! The serving of fish is a little small and I don't like how it is broken into random little pieces but the taste is very good. It is a TINY bit too salty but overall I enjoyed it. I think since it is quite strong in flavor, it would go very well with rice. 

Yeah we had a lot of poke lovers that day haha 

Ebi Mayo - Tempura Shrimp, Cabbage & Housemade Mayo Sauce This dish is part of their "sharing plates" and is quite a large portion! This dish is tasty but can be a little heavy and isn't my favorite out of the menu. 

Matcha Latte 
I loveeee their matcha latte! It is incredibly smooth and strong in milk and matcha flavor. 

Aburi Short Rib Donburi - 36-Hour Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs, Onsen Egg, Fried Garlic Chips, Pickled Ginger, Corn, Green Onion & Furikake 
I did not try this but my friend said it was really good! I think the addition of the pickled ginger is really smart to off set the richness of the short rib. 

Torched Salmon Donburi - Cured Salmon, Sake Soy, Pickled Cucumber, Onsen Egg, Mixed Leaves & Onsen Egg 
This dish was perfect for lunch! I felt like I was getting the perfect serving of veggies, protein, and rice. Everything complemented each other well both in terms of flavors and textures. 

It can get really packed here but I think it's a super comfortable location for some yummy eats!

Elephant Grounds

8 Wing Fung Street

Wan Chai

Hong KOng

Earth Cafe

Earth Cafe is a super cute cafe in Manhattan Valley with delicious offerings such as avocado toast and frittatas in a bright and sunny interior. They also have some outdoor seating for when the weather permits. It is a perfect spot to catch up with a friend over coffee or to get some work done alone.

Goat Cheese, Walnut, and Honey Croissant
This was absolutely heavenly. The croissant was flakey and buttery and the filling was just perfection. The tartness of the goat cheese was paired nicely with the sweet and gooey honey and the crunch of the walnuts completed this dish. 

Earth Cafe 

2578 Broadway 

New York

NY 10025

Two Hands Cafe

When I am not busy shoving my face with steak and fries, I like to fill my belly with some healthy wholesome foods. I have had had my eye on Two Hands for a while and finally found the perfect chance to try it out with my dear friend from Phnom Penh. I haven't seen A since working together at the WHO last summer so it was such a lovely catch up date. I wasn't feeling something sweet for lunch so I have not tried their beautiful acai bowl yet even though I am obsessed with acai bowls. The cafe was super cute and I had a great time here!

Zoe's Market Bowl
Oh my this was so hearty and delicious! The flavors were so sweet and fresh and there was such a lovely combination of textures also. I also added a side of bacon which was just the cherry on top. It was so yummy and I also felt so nourished and healthy after. Perfect meal whenever but especially after a workout! 

The cafe was super cute and I had a great time here! I will definitely be back. 

164 Mott St

New York 

NY 10013

ARTillery

One thing that I've been very surprised about Phnom Penh is it's amount of healthy and organic eateries. I initially was a bit unsure about going to Artillery because I usually am not the most keen about these healthy places that place special emphasis on organic healthy produce because I am not a huge fan of salad and that also usually means meat free (oh no). BUT it has actually become one of my favorite places to do lunch in Phnom Penh and I'm really glad that I tried out this place. The menu actually does contain some meat options but I actually prefer the vegetarian dishes. The falafel and hummus is DELICIOUS and the bruschetta is also very yummy. The atmosphere is super cute and bright and I always have a good time here.

Herb Falafel - Served with Hummus, Babaganoush, Salsa Verde, Pita Bread and Salad 
The falafel is different than the ones most people are used to, they are much more pureed and lack that grainy and robust flavor. However, I still really like Artillery's rendition and the hummus, salsa, and babaganoush are all excellent. The falafels taste like little hummus croquettes, they have a soft smooth center and a thin crispy outside layer. Some may prefer the more authentic version where it is more dense and bolder in flavor, but I still really enjoy the falafel here! Some people who are extra careful has also chosen not to eat the salad but since I have trained my tummy with years and years of street food nomming I eat everything in sight and have not been sick at all :D

Live Bruschetta - Fresh Bruschetta with Raw Tomatoes, Shallot, Lime, Basil, and Himalayan Pink Rock Salt. Served on Toasted Bread rubbed with Garlic 
I don't really know why they call the bruschetta live... maybe to hype up how very fresh it is? But either way this is SO fresh and bursting with bright flavors that I don't really care about the silly name. You are presented with perfectly toasted bread and a mountain of tomatoes that are all cut up into perfect little pieces with just the right amount of seasoning. Of course being the graceful person that I am I accidentally flipped the entire bread upside down onto the table after a few bites..... 

You can add homemade sweet potato and taro chips! Super yummy

Basil and Garlic Hummus - with vegetable dipping sticks and warm pita bread 
Mmmmmmmm the hummus is soooo good here. I usually hate carrot sticks but these were actually quite agreeable with me. 

Raw Carrot Cake
This was very interesting but probably not something I will order again. It was a very very dense carrot patty with intense spices. I appreciate the creativity, but I much prefer real carrot cake with an obscene amount of cream cheese frosting! 

Overall I think Artillery is a lovely place for a healthy and delicious lunch. I have been there maybe 4-5 times already and I will definitely be returning! There are two locations in Phnom Penh and I have been going to the BKK1 outlet. 

ARTillery 

Street 278
#13B

BKK1

Phnom Penh

Cambodia

Urth Cafe Again

Urth Cafe is a classic favorite and is a place I always make a point to go to when I am in LA. The food is always fresh, delicious, and hits the spot. We came to Urth for our first meal back in LA after driving from Joshua Tree after a night of camping and it was definitely what I needed. I thought I was going to die driving through the desert because we forgot to turn on the AC (.... I know). It was definitely a relief when we finally got back to civilization and I was ready to eat some glorious food.

Quiche of the Day with a Fresh Salad
T and I were choosing between a quiche lorraine or a more healthy version and we choose the healthier version which contained tomatoes and rosemary? The quiche was scrumptious - the crust was buttery and flakey and the filling was rich and flavorful. The salad was fresh and sweet and went perfectly with the quiche. Yum yum yum.

Arugula Salad with Burrata and Heirloom Tomatoes 
I love every single component of this dish. Arugula is one of my favorite types of veggie for salads and heirloom tomatoes are just the best. And burrata, do I even need to explain? Get this salad, it's looovely.

Urth Cafe
Various Locations 

Bo-Lo'Gne Cafe

As many of you know, I work in the boonies (Shatin) therefore no one really ever wants to find me for lunch :( but on this happy Thursday C came to find me because she was at school earlier and her campus is located relatively close to my workplace! Bo-Lo'Gne Cafe has been on my "to eat list" but that was for its Central location. C and I found out that there is also a Shatin location so we decided to give it a try! Bo-Lo'Gne Cafe is a japanese cafe and bakery serving "Yōshoku" which is Japanese style western cuisine, japanese curries, sandwiches, and desserts. One of my favorite things to do is to comb through the menu before going to a restaurant so I already knew what I wanted when I sat down.

Corn Potage 
We got the lunch set where a soup and salad was included. The corn potage is a very popular soup in Japan and is essentially cream corn soup. This was quite creamy and comforting and I'm glad it was served in this little cup as a huge bowl would be too heavy! 

Mixed Vegetable Soup/Borscht 
Decent. Nothing mind blowing but not bad either. 

Spaghetti in Salmon Cream Sauce 
The spaghetti was a tad too soft for C's and my taste but that is because we usually prefer very al dente pasta. Since this is Japanese revamped pasta it is understandable that is it cooked to this softness. The cream sauce had a nice strong salmon flavor and C remarked that it had more salmon flavor as compared to other restaurants. The amount of salmon was decent and there were also bits of sauteed onion which went well with the entire dish. A yummy and satisfying dish! 

Loco Moco (Hawaiian Bowl)
Loco Moco is a native Hawaiian dish and consists of rice, a hamburger patty, fried egg, and brown gravy. This hamburger patty was meaty and had a nice flavor. Overall the food of this restaurant was quite sweet and savory which made everything quite appealing to the palate and comforting. A fried egg is always a win in my book and the gravy also went well with the rice. The kiwi was a bit gross in my opinion. Another thing was that there was a huge amount of rice and a rather tiny patty in comparison. I understand that is more economical but it would be nice if there was a bit more meat and sauce to go with the mountain of rice! 

Tonkatsu Sandwich
We were quite stuffed at this point but this dish was definitely the highlight of the meal. The bread is soft, doughy, and lusciously buttery. The bread had the texture of a croissant and had a lovely sweet flavor. The tonkatsu was crispy and not too greasy. The lettuce provided a much needed fresh crunch to the glorious sandwich and we also asked for some mayonnaise to fully satisfy our fatso cravings. This is definitely something I want to indulge in again! 

Bo-Lo'Gne Cafe

Shop 112

New Town Plaza Phase 1

18 Shatin Centre Street

Shatin

Hong Kong

Greyhound Cafe

I've realized that a majority of my reviews are relatively favorable, but this does not mean that it is because I am easily pleased. It is because I've been lucky enough to have visited a lot of quality restaurants and also because I always do my research before visiting a new place. Greyhound Cafe gathered a good amount of buzz when it first opened and I've passed it numerous times while going home from the gym in IFC yet I never got around to stepping foot inside. I was meeting A for a casual dinner one night so suggested that we check it out. Greyhound came from Thailand and is supposedly very popular there, I am not sure how good it is over in Thailand, but the Hong Kong Greyhound was a complete disappointment!

Greyhound Famous Fried Chicken Wings
According to the menu, there is a legend that once someone dropped an entire batch of these chicken wings into sand but since they were so good they just dusted them off and continued nibbling. Whoever thought of this legend must have been crazy because I definitely did not even enjoy them regularly much less covered with sand! The wings had a faint taste of fish sauce and was way too over fried. The meat has lost all its moistness and the wings were just little dried up sticks. 

Spaghetti with Corned Beef and Fresh Chilies
This dish sounded very delicious in concept, but in reality it was terrible. The pasta was undercooked and the corned beef was very dry. The chili flavor was nonexistent. 

Phad Thai with Fresh Prawn
This dish was actually decent. Nothing special just regular pad thai. Definitely not the best phad thai I've ever had either. 

Crispy Sweet Corn with Crabmeat 
This was another dish that was acceptable. The corn and crabmeat patties were pipping hot and went well with the sweet chili sauce. Although this was not bad, it is not something I would specially come back to Greyhound for just to eat. Also, as the dish cooled, the patties felt too starchy and was not good anymore. 

All in all, this was not an enjoyable dining experience. The service was also very mediocre. The waitstaff were not rude, just not properly trained. I feel that Greyhound is only able to get away with this quality of food because of its prime location. I have heard that certain dishes are better but Greyhound Cafe is definitely not a place I am keen to return to!

Greyhound Cafe

Shop 1082

Podium Level 1

IFC

Central

Hong Kong

LGB

I was walking around IFC with Y one day and we decided to have a quick snack. Macarons sounded very good so we popped into LGB for a quick bite. The macarons are definitely not the best I've had but they are very decent.

LGB Cafe

Shop 1106

IFC

Central

Hong Kong

翠華 (Tsui Wah)

One of my favorites. Delicious whether after a night of hard partying or a casual meal during the day. Tsui Wah never disappoints.

Fatty satay beef noodles

Cafe Lavande

I've been trying to look for a cozy cafe that was not Starbucks or Pacific Coffee in Hong Kong, sadly these type of businesses face a daunting struggle in a busy city such as Hong Kong. Most people do not care for these type of establishments and many close after opening for a few months due to high rents and lack of demand. Cafe Lavande is a gem amidst the hustle and bustle of Central and makes you feel as if you have entered a quaint cafe in the countryside of France. The size is a little too small for comfort (always very close to the barista/waiter) but overall the decor is very charming and it has some decent coffee and food. There is also outdoor seating but since it was summer we opted to go inside to enjoy the air conditioning, but I believe the outdoor seating to be extremely lovely when the weather is more permitting.

The interior of Cafe Lavande

A charming but small space

Foie Gras Pate Salad
The salad had a very generous amount of pate and the salad greens were fresh. Nothing mind-blowing but it was a enjoyable afternoon snack. 

Iced Lavender Coffee
The coffee was topped with little bits of lavender along with some lavender syrup. I've always loved floral flavored foods such as rose macarons and lavender ice cream so I was really excited to try this lavender coffee. The coffee was decent but I would have liked it more if the lavender flavor was stronger. 

Cafe Lavande 

4 Prince's Terrace 

Mid-levels

Hong Kong

Urth Cafe

Imagine your ideal cafe, filled with fresh wholesome foods, delicious organic drinks, and the best green tea latte ever... welcome to Urth Cafe. Urth Cafe is an organic coffee company serving only the highest quality coffee and food with various locations in LA. This is not the first time I've been to Urth but since my last visit I make sure that I pop by this amazing cafe each time I visit LA. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, I always prefer the outdoor seating.

Japanese Green Tea Latte
Best green tea latte ever. The flavor of the green tea is very strong and aromatic and you can tell that its high quality tea. The milk is rich and creamy along with the right amount of foam on the top. The drink is delicious and comforting. Another great this is the beautiful patterns and artwork they do on top of the drink with the foam. 

Mixed Berry Fruit Tart 
My friend and I have been eyeing this fruit tart the last time we visited Urth but we decided we were too full to try it. This time we were shamelessly staring at it again and decided we had to try it. The crust was delicious and the custard was sweet and creamy. The fruits on top were very fresh and looked lovely. Delicious! 

Sprout Sandwich with Sprouts, Onions, Avocado, Cheese, and Hummus 
This sandwich is the perfect example of how incredibly simple ingredients can result in an amazing meal. That is as long as the ingredients are of high quality and fresh! Essentially spring on a plate! The only complaint was that they ran out of the bread I wanted and this bread was a bit large so it was slightly difficult to eat. Other than that I loved it! 

Urth Cafe

267 S. Beverly Drive 

Beverly Hills 

Los Angeles

California 90212