La Vache

Steak, bearnaise sauce, and unlimited fries?! Sounds like heaven to me. La Vache has been super hot since opening 1-2? years ago and I've been DYING to try this place. They only take reservations for 5+ people and I tried to go once for dinner with 4 people but the wait was ridiculous so I had to sadly wait for another time. This time we went for lunch and although we did make a reservation I think it is much easier to get a table during lunch time. The tables were half filled when I first arrived at 12:30 and the place slowly filled up but it did not seem like there would be difficulty in getting a table if you just walked in. La Vache pays homage to the famous Relais de Venise in Paris which serves just one menu of salad, steak, and fries (with their special sauce). The atmosphere was cute and you will be greeted with a large red neon sign as you walk in. I liked the cute little drawings on the menu and the paintings on the walls with the wine bottles in front. Service was also friendly and prompt.

I got a drink since the rest of my lunch party was not here yet... although it's not like I ever really need an excuse to get a drink :p 

Salad with Walnuts
The salad was fine, nothing special but the dressing was tangy and was a nice start to the meal. The addition of walnuts also gave it a nice crunch.

Entrecote Steak - Medium Rare and Rare
The steak was very tender and quite fatty - just how I like it. I usually prefer fatter cuts such as ribeye so this was perfect. Entrecote is approximately the ribeye section and I got it rare because it sits on a metal plate with a candle under. I loved the char on the outside and the bearnaise sauce was also yummy. One piece of steak was leaner than the others so perhaps if you prefer that you can tell the server. 

DROOL

Unlimited Fries 
The fries were SO good. They are on the crispier side and they were so delicious and I inhaled my first pile in a heartbeat. The second serving of fries was less fresh which was unfortunate but they were still very good. I loved dipping them in the bernaise sauce, ultimate fatty indulgence (apart from my usual fries and mayo)

Profiteroles with Ice Cream
I heard that there is a dessert cart during dinner service but we were given these profiteroles during lunch. It was a rather large dessert but a nice end to our meal. I think maybe one profiterole would have been enough as a small sweet treat to finish off the meal. 

Overall I loved La Vache!! The food was delicious and it was a really enjoyable lunch! I would love to come again for dinner with a group and indulge in wine and cocktails. Unfortunately it was a weekday lunch so we kept the alcohol level low. I will definitely be returning!

La Vache

48 Peel Street

Central

Hong Kong

La Parole

My mom has been on a recent little streak of trying new restaurants and I am very pleased about it! Usually her and my dad like to stick to tried and trusted restaurants and we will only sometimes try new places when I am a little more pushy. My mom told my dad and I about this new place that she really enjoyed called La Parole that apart from serving delicious food also has a charitable story behind it. According to the website:

"Every dollar you spend in La Parole, after deducting necessary expenses, will be contributed to Benji’s Centre. Benji’s Centre was founded in 2004, it is the first and only charitable organization providing specialized one-to-one professional speech therapy to children and teenagers from low-income families. Benji’s Centre is currently serving over 370 children and has helped over 1,900 children since its establishment."

I am always excited to try out and support a institution with a meaningful cause so we made reservations to dine there. The executive chef also has impressive accolades and graduated with a renowned French culinary school. Unfortunately, my dad and I were not as smitten with the restaurant as my mother. The food was actually good, but it just wasn't very memorable and had that "western food cooked by a cantonese" vibe to it. The presentation was also thoughtful and very detailed, but at times seemed a little confused as you can judge for yourself in the photos. I think that instead of doing french food, perhaps they could try out a more unique cuisine or concept since the Hong Kong dining scene is so competitive. While the dining experience was fine, I would not be particularly yearning for a 2nd visit. But if you are curious about this restaurant or want to support this cause, do come for a visit because you can tell that care and thought has been put into these dishes.

La Parole 

3/F

The Pemberton 

22-26 Bonham Strand

Sheung Wan

Hong Kong

Giando

I always remembered going to the Fleet Arcade to visit the bookstore to buy Archie Comics and try to sneak in Cosmopolitans when my parents were paying. That was a long time ago and now there is a sophisticated italian dining spot there: Giando! The location of Giando is a little bit out of the way of the usual hub of restaurants but easy enough to get to and definitely worth it! The view is lovely and the setting is also very pretty and bright. The chef-owner of Giando is Isola's former executive chef Gianni Caprioli. Y and I went for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed our meal there. I haven't returned since then but now that I am writing this review I will definitely make plans to go again, perhaps with my parents who really liked Domani by Pacific Place which recently closed. One special touch that took our meal to the next level was the free gelato. Y and I both picked a dessert and the chef told us that their gelato was really good and wanted us to try it. He offered to let us try it for free which was very sweet and thoughtful. The lunch starts with a buffet spread of antipasti then a choice of appetizer, main course, and dessert.

Antipasti Buffet Spread
The spread had a very sufficient selection of high quality cured meats, cheeses, and salads. Make sure not to get too full before the rest of your delicious meal comes!

Poached Egg with Crispy Pancetta and Fresh Peas Purée
The flavors of this dish was balanced very well and I loved the crispy pancetta against the fresh flavor of the pea purée. The egg's creaminess was also nice but may have made the overall dish a little bit too soft in terms of texture. But this paired with bread was a winner! Presentation was also pretty :) 

Mixed Fungi Risotto
This dish was executed perfectly. Each kernel of the rice had the ideal texture and the risotto was creamy and infused with the richness of the various mushrooms and fungi. So incredibly comforting and delicious!

Tiramisu
Once again another perfectly executed classic. Such a perfect cut of tiramisu also, so so pretty.

Pana Cotta with Mixed Berry Compote 
One of my favorite desserts! Such clean and refreshing flavors.

Gelato Selection
I don't remember what the flavors were but chef was completely right in saying their ice cream was worth trying. These were absolutely divine! So creamy and delectable. 

I am glad that I remember to make this post because now I definitely want to go back! It is a nice change from the usual lunch spots in Central and Causeway Bay and I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others! This review is rather old so I can't guarantee that the food is still good but according to recent reviews online it seems to have been able to maintain its high standards!

Giando

1/F

Fleet Arcade

Fenwick Pier Street

Wanchai

Hong Kong 

Xenri No Tsuki

This is a super old post which dates back to Feb 2013 because I remember I had this meal close to my Standard Charter Marathon and was carbo loading. The sushi at Xenri is decent, but not my favorite. I've also had lunch here and it is definitely not as good as Shin or Take. I also think that while the massive piece of uni is awe-inspiring and definitely has that wow factor for instagramming... it's really much too big and isn't really a practical piece of sushi at all. Although it is not my top spot for sushi, it is worth a try if the others are full or if you are in the area!

Uni down!! 

Whoops

Just in case the first picture wasn't enough

Xenri No Tsuki 

50 Jardine's Bazaar

Causeway Bay

Hong Kong 

Malis

When my parents and I first got to Phnom Penh, I didn't do my homework and research restaurants for us to visit. Luckily we found Malis in a travel book and we loved it! I don't have photos from our first visit but this was from my last lunch in Phnom Penh with A. It was the perfect farewell lunch and the food was once again very enjoyable. Malis is set in a beautiful location with a lovely garden and fountain outside. It is known in Phnom Penh to serve high class Khmer cuisine.

Golden Chicken Wings - Boneless Wings Stuffed with Peanuts, Chili, and Lemongrass
I thought this was a really cute idea and these did not disappoint. I wouldn't say they were a MUST order but they were very juicy and popping with flavor. The chicken was juicy and the filling was tasty and crunchy. The skin was also not overly fatty and was nice and crisp.

Green Papaya with Prawns - Spicy and Sour Green Papaya with Marinated Tiger Prawns
This may be a personal issue but I really disliked a specific flavor in this dish. This flavor was also prominent in vietnamese fresh rolls that I've had this another restaurant. I feel like it must be a specific herb but it reminds me of musty socks... like an old unwashed taste. The salad does seem fresh though and apart from the strange taste it was flavored well. The prawns were also well seasoned and crunchy. 

Green Beans - Long Green Beans Stir-fried with Shallots and Garlic
These were really good! Nothing special just regular green beans but they were perfectly crisp and very enjoyable in its simple preparation.

Vegetable Fried Rice - Fried Rice with Carrots and Scallions
A is a vegetarian so we asked them to prepare a vegetarian fried rice for us. Once again nothing special but it was executed very well. It was tasty while maintaining a fresh and clean profile. The rice was also not too wet which can be an amateur mistake.

I think I enjoyed the dishes I had with my parents more (the pork knuckle was DELISH), but this was still very enjoyable and I would definitely recommend Malis to friends who are visiting Phnom Penh. 

Malis

136 Street 41 Norodom Blvd

Phnom Penh

Cambodia