Spoonful

For the first two nights in LA we stayed at very interesting house with a homeowner named Tari. The house was seriously one of a kind with a trampoline, stripper pole, dance/yoga studio, and even a tight rope... We found this peculiar property on Air BnB and found Tari to be extremely friendly and welcoming. Tari initially asked if we wanted vegetarian food for lunch but that was politely shot down so we decided to eat at a cute little southern restaurant called Spoonful instead. Our server was very sweet and made us feel very at home at the small eatery. The menu was also quite enticing and it was a miracle that we didn't over order (my specialty).

Country Chili with Cornbread
The chili was rich, meaty, and of the perfect consistency. The flavors were spot on and it was really comforting and enjoyable to eat. The corn bread was some of the best I've ever had, it was moist and the sweetness of the corn really shone through. The cornbread along with the rich chili made a delectable combination. Yum! 

mmm golden goodness

Fried Chicken Plate with Collard Greens and Macaroni and Cheese
The chicken was super juicy and tender and was encased in a very well seasoned batter. The batter was perfectly crunchy and not overly greasy. The collard greens were a little bit too salty for my liking but it was interesting as I barely ever eat collard greens. The mac and cheese was quite decent and very cheesy and hot. I suppose the sauce could have used a more flavorful cheese as it wasn't very distinctly flavored but it was still tasty. 

Shrimp Po'boy with Sweet Potato Fries
This sandwich was delishhhh! The shrimp was large and juicy and was deep fried (yes I know this was definitely a fatty meal). The spicy remoulade gave the sandwich a nice kick and everything just went together so well to create a bomb sandwich. The sweet potato fries were subpar however as they weren't crispy enough.

The food was very decent and I enjoyed my lunch here. However this wouldn't be a restaurant that I would specifically want to return to when I am in LA as it wasn't mind blowing. But if you are in the area and want some quality southern food do stop by!

Spoonful

3413 Cahuenga Blvd W

Los Angeles 

CA 90068

USA

Disneyland Resort

Wahoo!! I don't care that I have a ton of old Hong Kong reviews that I have yet to complete, I am going to write my LA reviews first :D My LA/Vegas trip was seriously a trip that had it all and I had such an amazing time with such wonderful friends. I really hope that I will be able to embark on such a trip again soon. Each day was filled with super fun activities and although it was a bit tiring at times I'm so glad that I was able to maximize each day.

I was super proud of myself for kicking jetlag in the butt, the way I did this was to hustle over to Disneyland right after landing. I surprisingly was not tired at all during the entire day of fast passes and Minnie Mouse ears and woke at a healthy 9 am the next morning. This post isn't exactly a review of the food in Disney... I'm sure you don't have sky high expectations of the food offerings at amusement parks but the pictures are pretty drool worthy nonetheless. Enjoy!

Was quite a shock when I first saw the size of this plate... slowly readjusting to American servings! 

This is actually AMAZING. This delectable concoction is made up of sinfully sweet pineapple juice with pineapple ice cream. Heavenly! 

World of Color, easily one of the most beautiful shows I have seen. Brought back so many childhood memories and apart from the lovely nostalgia the show itself was just so well done and moved me to tears at certain points. A MUST WATCH if you are at Disneyland.

I can't stress enough how magical Disneyland will always be to me, and I'm sure to many many others. Such a happy first day :)

Disneyland Resort

1313 Disneyland Railroad

Anaheim

CA 92802

USA

Ronin

Oh god this was such a old post I desperately need to vigilantly update my blog. Ronin is the 2nd restaurant from Yardbird's Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang and is named after their son. Yardbird is hands down one of my favorite restaurants so I was super excited to finally nab a spot for dinner here with H. Unfortunately I was not blown away by Ronin and probably will not be planning to return any time soon. The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't extremely good either. While Yardbird focuses mostly on chicken, Ronin aims to serve up the city's freshest seafood with interesting flavor combinations. Unlike Yardbird, Ronin does take reservations up to 7 days in advance by email. There are also walk in seats available. The restaurant is quite hidden and it takes one a little time to find it as all you see as your approach is a neutral sliding door with no sign. The space is rather small and is decorated simply. Service is great as always with friendly waiters who are very knowledgable and helpful regarding the menu.

Shigoku Oysters, Red Shiso Vinegar
The oysters were quite fresh and sweet but there weren't any special addition to the oysters which stood out. The red shiso vinegar did have a nice tart flavor yet was not too different from the regular mignonette that you put on oysters. I could order these oysters at any decent seafood restaurant. 

Tai Sea Bream Sashimi, Karasumi, Yuzu
The sashimi was a bit too hard for me but this could be due to personal preference. The texture of the fish was just not to my liking, I also felt that the yuzu zest was a tad overpowering and this dish was also not overly impressive to H nor I. 

Flower Crab, Mitsuba, Uni
This dish, while very anesthetically pleasing, was not equally impressive on the palate. The amount of crab was very decent and it had a clean sweet flavor, yet once again it did not offer any level of innovation or particular flavor combination which left a mark on me. The overall flavor was relatively bland. 

Smoked Silver Beltfish Tempura
This was probably my favorite dish of the night. The sea bream was light, fluffy, and encased in a delicate and crispy batter. The seasoning was just right with a wonderful smokey touch and each piping bite of tempura was thoroughly enjoyed. 

Unagi, Kinome, Chirashi, Rice
This dish was also quite enjoyable but like I said previously, it did not contain any exciting additions. The eel was grilled perfectly and the rice was also seasoned well, yet if I wanted to order unagi rice I could just go to any reputable japanese restaurant and order that instead of putting in more effort to get a reservation at Ronin.

Kogashima Beef, Maitake, Egg Yolk
I believe that this is a dish that is very popular in instagram and is the definitely of food porn. Yes, it looks pretty damn amazing but unfortunately the beef was simply too fatty and the dish severely overly salted. A friend had suggested that I get the beef to be cooked to medium which is usually a sacrilege to me but now I understand why she told me to do so. The beef is very very fatty and therefore at this level of rawness it simply feels soft and unappealing in your mouth. This may have been slightly better if you had a large bowl of rice but not too enjoyable if eaten plain. I feel like if this was cooked more and less salty it could be quite good as all the elements for a delicious dish is there. 

Overall, Ronin did not meet my expectations. Perhaps I was too excited since I am such a big fan of Yardbird. Dishes were not bad, but just did not impress me enough to warrant a second visit.

Ronin

8 On Wo Lane

Central

Hong Kong

Steik World Meats

As you all know, I am a steak kind of girl. Give me a huge slab of meat medium rare and I'm a happy happy child. My classic favorite is Bistecca but I've also recently discovered the amazingness of Blue Butcher. I have always utilized food blogs but with the rise of Instagram I am now always finding delectable new dishes and openings through Instagram accounts. One picture that particularly caught my eye was a US prime rib of beef on the bone from Steik World Meats in TST. H and I decided to give it a try as reviews were quite decent and it would also be nice to get out of the central bubble since going across the harbor is such an adventure (haha).

Unfortunately, the meal was a sore disappointment and I would not be returning anytime soon. I don't think the food was terrible, just very sub-par with a pretty hefty price tag.

Crab Cake 
I thought this crab cake was not too bad but H really disliked the addition to carrot which I must admit is a bit strange. The crab cake had a significant amount of shredded vegetables and although the amount of crab was also decent and the execution of the dish was done well it made the dish less enjoyable. 

Foie Gras and Assorted Pate
The foie was not fragrant at all and the other meat pate was not particularly enjoyable either.

Actually forgot which soup this was... but it was also just normal.

Dry Aged US Prime Rib of Beef on the Bone
This piece of meat was what I have been waiting for. I will admit that the flavor of the meat was quite nice but the texture was really just all right. The flavor was good but not spectacular either enough to make up for the texture. It was not juicy or tender enough. Definitely not something I would trek to TST for.

Service was also absolutely off the mark. Dessert was plopped on our table when we were not even done with our steak. We were also the last ones at the restaurant and servers started clearing away other tables noisily and was also starting to chat casually amongst themselves... That is completely unprofessional behavior and H and I were pretty annoyed at this point. 

It's actually lucky for them that this dining experience is quite old so I have forgotten some other agitating details which made the dining experience less than enjoyable. Do yourself a favor, stick to Bistecca or Blue Butcher next time if you are looking for some amazing steak.  

Steik World Meats

Shop 314

K11

18 Hanoi Road

Tsim Sha Tsui

Catalunya

As you can probably tell from my previous posts or from personal experience, Hong Kong is all about hype. There is always a hot new restaurant that people are dying to try but only a few reach the level of buzz that Catalunya created. Catalunya has been packed from day one and this can be attributed to stellar reputation of its sister restaurant Catalunya Singapore and also to the background of the executive chef. The executive chef is Alain Devahive Tolosa and has worked with the legendary Ferran Adrià of El Bulli. Such strong culinary backing is definitely a strong selling point and have Hong Kong foodies excited way before the opening of Catalunya.

Catalunya Tomato Tartar
This dish was one of the most interesting and innovative dishes of the night. The tomato tartar had the texture of meat and it was such a pleasant surprise to our entire group. It had a robust flavor and it went perfectly with the crispy bread. 

Avocado and Lobster Roll
The avocado was beautifully ripe and creamy and enveloped the generous portion of lobster. This dish was quite good, but not particularly memorable. The presentation, however, is quite whimsical and cute.

Cantabrian Anchovies
Nothing much to say here haha, pretty decent anchovies for you anchovy eating folk.

Ham, Cheese, and Truffle "Bikini"
This is one of the most raved about items from Catalunya. Although this was delicious, I don't think I would pay this price for such a simple dish that I can easily make at home. Despite this fact, it was very delectable and I could nom on this all day.

Cod Fritters 
Many in our group did not enjoy this as they thought it was a bit heavy or salty (I forgot) but I think this was quite ok. It was a bit on the heavy side but the fritter was well done and was very hearty. Perhaps it would be better if each fritter was smaller and a little less dense. 

Jamon Iberico Croquette
The croquettes were lovely and crispy on the outside and fluffy on it inside. Solidly made croquettes but perhaps some aioli would make it even better (it would make anything better mmm).

The Other Spanish Tortilla
This item was raved about in my dinner party. I usually would go crazy for this type of dish but for some reason I was not particularly amazed by this. It was executed perfectly though for once you cut through the thin yet still tender egg layer the cheese and fluffy potato mixture oozes out gloriously. Perhaps I was not in a very eggy mood (which is VERY rare) but while I enjoyed this dish I was not madly scooping away at seconds. I do recommend that you get this though as it was delicious.

"Estrellados" with Chorizo
This is a very hearty dish for those who like chorizo. It reminds me of a breakfast skillet with the potatoes, egg, and meat. I am not a huge fan of large chunks of potato so I did not take too many bites of this. 

Lobster Rice
The rice was cooked perfectly and was smothered with a rich lobstery sauce. The presentation was also very appealing with a half lobster plopped atop the rice. 

Pineapple Roasted with Spices 
I was a bit judgmental as to who ordered this pineapple when it first came but I quickly realized my mistake when I took my first bite. The grilling allowed the pineapple to attain a caramelized sweetness and the spices accentuated the natural flavor of the pineapple. Yum!

Lamb Shoulder 
The lamb was roasted to perfection with the meat so tender that it was falling off the bone (sorry very cliche food blog line over here). The seasoning of the lamb was quite basic but it allowed for the flavor of the meat to shine. 

Mediterranean Red Prawns 
I did not try this dish so no comment!

Traditional Suckling Pig "Segovian Style" D.O. Teruel
Hello babe on a tray! The whole suckling pig display may be a tad disturbing for most but it was so so yummy. This dish was served the traditional way which mean chopping the piggy up with a plate... how that tradition came about I can't even begin to hypothesize. The pig was one of my favorite dishes of the night! The meat simply melted in your mouth and had a lovely thin layer of fat. The skin was thin and crisp and the seasoning was spot on. A MUST order if you are here. 

Torrija - Soft and Sweet Warm Bread with Smoked Milk Ice Cream
Ahhh this was SO delicious. I am a sucker for bread pudding and this dessert was just amazing. The bread was tenderly soft and creamy and the outside was caramelized to a crispy perfection. The ice cream was delectably sweet and the chilly coldness went perfectly with the warm bread. The serving should be much much bigger because I could not stop eating this!

Cheese Flan
I don't have very vivid memories of this dish but it should be quite decent. It was smooth but the flavor of cheese was not too apparent.

Rice - Cream Rice and Milk Pudding
This dessert was another perfect ending to our meal. The rice pudding was lusciously creamy and divinely sweet. 

Catalunya was a enjoyable dining experience but I do not think it deserves the insane amount of hype its been receiving. I would want to return again when I have the craving for high quality spanish cuisine but I wouldn't make a massive effort to try and score a reservation. Most of the dishes were executed extremely well yet I was not BLOWN away to the extent that I felt like I had to tell all my friends to go and try it as soon as possible. Nevertheless it is definitely a restaurant that I believe has staying power as it does serve very solid food in a sophisticated environment.

Catalunya

Guardian House

32 Oi Kwan Road

Wan Chai

Hong Kong

Mango Tree

Ughhh I've been so shitty with updating and now I have an avalanche of restaurants backlogged. I just got back from LA and therefore there will be a TON of exciting reviews coming up! The trip was so amazing and I was so happy that I got to revisit old favorites along with trying out some new exciting restaurants.

I've been to Mango Tree's branch in Causeway Bay and thought it was quite enjoyable. I decided to check out its other branch in Elements with V and am happy to announce that both branches served the same decent quality of food. The one complaint I have is that each dish was a bit luke warm and should have been much hotter. Flavors and execution were all well done except for one dish which was terrible.

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls 
These rolls were super bland and lacked both flavor and texture. Even when drenched in sauce these were boring and unappealing. The rolls were basically mushy dough rolls and V and I were only able to eat one before giving up on this dish. 

Crispy Shrimp Cakes
Shrimp cakes are one of my favorite things to order at a Thai restaurant and these were quite good. I wouldn't say they are the best I've had as they could use a little more seasoning and was a bit too dense but overall they were quite good. 

Black Cod Curry
Cod is one of my favorite types of fish and this was smothered in a rich and creamy curry sauce. The fish was buttery and juicy. The serving was actually quite massive to our surprise. This dish was very good but like I mentioned previously was not hot enough. 

Pad Thai
The presentation of this dish was what caught our attention at first. The egg wrap was beautifully done and the pad thai was very delicious. The flavors were spot on and the texture of the noodles were also great with just the right amount of bite to it.

Mango Tree is a very solid choice for a quality Thai meal. Prices are a bit higher than most Thai Restaurants but the food quality and ambiance definitely sets it apart as a higher end Thai dining establishment. 

Mango Tree

Shop 2032

Level 2

Elements 

1 Austin Road West

Tsim Sha Tsui

Hong Kong