Etsu Sushi

Ok so these photos are seriously dug up from the depths of my phone and probably over 2 years old. I had a dinner with A at Etsu Sushi one night and totally forgot/didn't bother to make this post. The food was Etsu was fine, but nothing spectacular that would warrant a trek to Tin Hau. The restaurant also felt quite worn out and old. Some dishes were interesting such as the grilled scallops with truffle and the DYI toro rolls, but not memorable enough for me to pick Etsu over my usual favorites of Take, Shin, or Kuu. The quality and price was decent, but I would not return for a 2nd visit! However, this could be a good choice if you are/live in the area.

Etsu Sushi 

23 Tsing Fung Street

Tin Hau

Hong Kong

Liberty Private Works - Christmas 2013

Liberty Private Works is one of my favorite restaurants in Hong Kong (perhaps in the world!) and I know I am always in for a top notch treat whenever I score a reservation at this Hong Kong hotspot. Unfortunately this post was from a while back and therefore I don't think I can provide an accurate review of each dish but what I do know is that everything impeccably prepared and absolutely divine. Chef Vicky is such a magician with the flavor profiles of each dish and the presentation is always spectacular. Thank you T for treating me to such an amazing Christmas meal and thank you Chef Vicky for once again delighting my palate and giving me that extra truffle and extra mochi :)

Not pictured: the classic tuna and uni dish

Oyster by Angelica

Blue Lobster, Black Trumpet, Lomo, Clementine

Local Market Fish, White Anchovy, Romaine, Piquillo Peppers

Egg, Truffle, Parmesan, Caviar with supplemental Alba White Truffle

Rabbit, Spaghetti Squash, Goji Berry, Pistachio

Venison, Cherry, Salsify, Gingerbread

SO beautiful

Strawberry, Coconut, Champagne, Pink Peppercorn

 More mochi please!

So cute! 

Unfortunately I was barely in HK this summer and was unable to grab a meal at LPW. I will make sure I come again next time I am back!

Liberty Private Works

26/F

Stanley 11

11 Stanley Street

Central 

Hong Kong

Sushi Shin

One of my favorites :)

Chelsea Market

T and I went to Chelsea Market when he visited last year and we loved it! I can't believe it took me so long to visit such a NYC staple. It was lucky that we went during a weekday because I hear that it gets really crowded on the weekend! I don't think I would have enjoyed it half as much if it was super packed. We had tacos, lobster, clams, oysters, sea urchin, oyster po boys, and also clam chowder/lobster bisque. The food was so yummy and it was also such a interesting space to explore. I also got a beautiful handmade necklace that I wear all the time. I also uncharacteristically did not have any dessert but I saw a ton of delectable selections of sweets. I will definitely be back!

Chelsea Market

75 9th Ave

New York

NY10011

USA

Afternoon Ten at the Ritz Carlton

I love afternoon tea so I was super excited when we finally decided to go to the Ritz for tea. The setting was old school posh and the food was yummy. The sandwiches were not particularly memorable (but they were good!) but those scones were absolutely fabulous! They were HUGE and so buttery and delicious. I would definitely go back just for them! The service was a bit lacking at first but I think that they were a bit understaffed. Overall it was an enjoyable afternoon tea but I am excited to try out other options in NYC!

Star Lounge

The Ritz Carlton 

50 Central Park 2

New York

NY10019

USA

Friends the Restaurant

Friends is one of the most famous and popular restaurants in Phnom Penh. It is also started by Mith Samlanh and is a training restaurant for Phnom Penh's marginalized youth, similar to Romdeng. It is rated #2 of restaurants in Phnom Phnom by Tripadvisor so I clearly had a certain level of expectation for the. As much as I wanted to support this restaurant due to its good cause the food was simply a huge disappointment. I understand that the food is not cooked by famous chefs but it was just not enjoyable! The atmosphere was cute and was filled to the brim with tourists and expats, the service was also friendly. You could tell that there was a lot of effort put into the plating and the servers were also very sweet, but the food just did not taste good which was a shame.

Crispy Zucchini and Cheddar Fritters
This was a good start to the meal. The fritters were hearty and well flavored. The outside was nice and crispy. Unfortunately the rest of the dishes did not fare as well.

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus with Crispy Wonton Wrappers
I did not try this as K who is vegetarian was very hungry and we did not want to eat her food :)

Honey Garlic Pork and Beef Meatballs on Pandan Noodles
This was probably the worst dish of the night, and sadly one of the dishes that I was most looking forward to. The meatballs were heavily glazed with this sickeningly sweet and gloopey sauce and the pandan noodles were soft and tasteless. The flavors just did not work and it was a major disappointment.

Romdeng's Yummy Stir-fried Red Tree Ants with Beef Filet and Holy Basil
J and I decided to be adventurous and try the tree ants! It is my first time eating ants and it was quite interesting. The ants were rather large as you may be able to see in the picture below. After we got over the initial thrill of eating ants... we were then forced to try and eat the rest of this pile of food. The amount of beef was actually quite shocking and the amount of herbs was also overwhelming. This may be a personal preference but I really didn't enjoy the flavor profile of this dish and could only take a few bites of it. The beef was also very lean (quite typical of Cambodian beef).

Creepy crawliessss 

Taro and Sweet Potato Fries with Tom Yum Mayonnaise
Ugh, once again something that I was looking forward to but which totally disappointed me. You all know I love fries to death, and these were horrible. They were not crispy at all and the insides were in this awkward state of half cooked/powdery. Meh.

Sandan's Grilled Fish Filet with Green Mango and Red Onion Salad
This dish was decent. The fish was nice and tender and the mango and onion salad was refreshing. Nothing to rave about though. 

Overall, Friends was a big disappointment. I really admire the charitable work that the restaurant is doing, but unfortunately the food just did not live up to expectations. If someone REALLY wanted to come back, I would probably be hesitant but I could try other dishes. But if it were up to me I would not come again. 

Friends Restaurant

#215 

Street 13

Phnom Penh

Cambodia

Antonio

I've had my fair share of Portuguese food while in Macau but none has ever really made me want to return. It was never really bad, but just not particularly memorable. This all changed when I went to Antonio after the Splash pool party. The food was EXCELLENT. I remember the food I had with my parents once was also yummy, along with the birthday meal with Dd and Ss for their birthday two years ago. But this may easily be the best Portuguese food I've had! The meal started off however, on an awkward start because the restaurant seemed to be in the process of moving to a new location. So we went to the old location which was a dark and empty room and thought our friend R was kidnapping us or something haha! We were then led to the new restaurant where the atmosphere was absolutely lovely. The service was great and they brought our food out promptly because we said we were in a hurry to catch the ferry. It was an extremely enjoyable meal and I will definitely be coming back!

Arroz de Pato à Portuguesa - Portuguese Duck Rice 
Mmmm this was so good. The rice was so flavorful and the perfect level of doneness. It has absorbed all the duck flavor and the shredded duck at the bottom was tender and rich. A must order! 

Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato - Sautéed Clams with Garlic, Coriander, Olive Oil and White Wine Sauce
This was a favorite amongst our group. The clams were so sweet and flavorful, they were also juicy and plump. Everyone was moaning and making strange noises when they dipped the bread in the juice and A even said she wanted to wash her face in the broth. I would probably order two next time. 

Gambas ao Alhinho - Prawns with Garlic Sauce
The prawns were crunchy and the garlic flavor was robust but not overpowering. It was good but not my favorite of the meal since I was busy shoving my face with the clams and rice. 

Leitão Assado (Inteiro) - Roasted Suckling Pig served w/ Home Made Potatoes Chips, Salad and Sliced Orange
This was delicious but similar to what you would get at other restaurants. The skin was sinfully crispy and the meat was succulent and juicy. A tad tooooo much fat but something to expect when ordering suckling pig. 

Galinha à Africana com Batata Gratinada e Salada Mista - African Chicken with Garlic, Onions, Chili, Ginger and Desiccated Coconut Sauce, served with Gratinated Potatoes and Mixed Salad
The sauce was thick and flavorful and I thought this was yummy! M mentioned that the chicken was a bit dry but my piece was ok! The gratinated potatoes was also decadent and creamy. 

Antonio was the perfect meal for us hungry hungry people after a pool party and we all left with happy tummies to the ferry pier. I would definitely recommend this to other people and I look forward to return on my next visit to Macau! Thanks R for booking and taking us there :) 

Antonio
Rua dos Clerigos No. 7
Old Taipa Village
Taipa
Macau

Yakiniku Futago

Futago is a popular yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) from Tokyo where there are more than 20 outlets. Futago means "twins" in Japanese which refer to the founders of the restaurant who are twin brothers.  I was excited to try this place and it was really yummy but I wish I was not drinking sake and shochu like water because the 2nd half of the dinner was definitely quite hazy. I didn't even take the obligatory shot of the beef and uni dish that everyone loves to instagram! But no worries because I will definitely be returning. The meats were very yummy and the prices were also very reasonable. The atmosphere is also comfortable and the waiter was friendly and I definitely give him props for being able to not get too annoyed at these 4 ridiculous drunk girls and helping us take lots of pictures :)

Yakiniku Futago 

Shop B

G/F

1-5 Irving Street

Causeway Bay
Hong Kong