GF, 47 Elign St, Soho Central, Hong Kong.
T: 25259544
www.enoteca.hk/c.htm
On a hot and balmy Saturday evening we made our way from Kowloon to Hong Kong island and up the mid-level escalators to Enoteca on Elign. We found this restaurant purely by chance through google when looking for somewhere to eat. I checked out Trip Advisor and other sites which had really good reviews for this place and the tapas menu looked great, so I called up and booked. This was the best decision as even when I called up they didn't have a table till 9pm!Good sign!
Top tip: I have learned from experience that when you are in a city that you don't know well and you want good food, always find a place and book in advance! Many times in the past have I wandered around and around trying to find a decent restaurant ,only to end up in a touristy hell hole with high prices, poor service and mediocre food- never again!
Enoteca is located in the ex-pat area of Soho, on Hong Kong island and up the escalators. Elign Street is a busy area packed with restaurants. We found Enoteca in the nick of time, as just as we took our seats a tropical downpour ensued! My foresight to book was well rewarded as we were given the best table in the restaurant, right at the front under the canopy and overlooking the street, a great place to people watch and enjoy the summer evening. The rain didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the place, I just moved my chair round and we were dry and happy. Enoteca was very busy but the service was excellent for the whole evening, the wait staff and manager were very attentive and friendly.
The drinks menu was extensive and we settled on a bottle of Spanish Rose which on a steaming hot night was light and refreshing .
The tapas menu was mouthwatering and an ideal light choice for a hot evening. It was a difficult choice but we settled on Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, the Fried Squid special , Wild Mushrooms, Risotto balls and Seared Tuna Loin.
Each dish as it came was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented, I could not fault a thing.
A constant stream of people came in to Enoteca looking for a table, those without bookings were made to wait, one couple waited for at least thirty minutes! This place was popular and was frequented by local ex-pats and tourists alike.
Although we had planned to move on to a bar after dinner, the restaurant was so comfortable and the weather so bad that we just stayed there all night drinking and chatting.
I can't wait to go back to Enoteca on Elign next time I'm in Hong Kong, everything about it, the food , ambiance and service were second to none. I would highly recommend this excellent tapas bar, just make sure to book to avoid disappointment!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Birdman Eating, Melbourne
238 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Melbourne, 3065, Australia.
http://www.birdmaneating.com.au/
Birdman Eating in Fitzroy was recommended by a local Melburnian for brunch catch up. We arrived and the place was heaving, there was a wait for a table but thankfully we only had to wait for 5-10 minutes. The table we got was a table for two but we were three, as I could see the food looked delicious I could cope with the lack of space.
The breakfast menu was very different from the standard brekkie fare offering an array of unique options including baked eggs various styles, home-made crumpets with leatherwood honey, coco pops, coconut quinoa porridge and welsh rarebit!
I decided on the baked eggs with eggplant served in a hot skillet, this was extremely delicious and very filling! My companions had the grilled kippers with fried potatos and horeradish sauce which were devine and the corn fritters. Our neighbouring table had the crumpets which I thought looked very good!
The cafe giveaway postcards designed by local artists, I took a really cool card home which I now display.
The whole vibe was quite trendy but comfortable and down to earth. There are a great range of cafes in the Fitzroy area, but with its quirky and unusual menu and quality ingredients, I can see why this cafe is so popular. Despite the lack of space, I would definately head back here to try other options.
http://www.birdmaneating.com.au/
Birdman Eating in Fitzroy was recommended by a local Melburnian for brunch catch up. We arrived and the place was heaving, there was a wait for a table but thankfully we only had to wait for 5-10 minutes. The table we got was a table for two but we were three, as I could see the food looked delicious I could cope with the lack of space.
The breakfast menu was very different from the standard brekkie fare offering an array of unique options including baked eggs various styles, home-made crumpets with leatherwood honey, coco pops, coconut quinoa porridge and welsh rarebit!
I decided on the baked eggs with eggplant served in a hot skillet, this was extremely delicious and very filling! My companions had the grilled kippers with fried potatos and horeradish sauce which were devine and the corn fritters. Our neighbouring table had the crumpets which I thought looked very good!
The cafe giveaway postcards designed by local artists, I took a really cool card home which I now display.
The whole vibe was quite trendy but comfortable and down to earth. There are a great range of cafes in the Fitzroy area, but with its quirky and unusual menu and quality ingredients, I can see why this cafe is so popular. Despite the lack of space, I would definately head back here to try other options.
Brunetti Panetteria, Melbourne
194- 204 Faraday St, Carlton, Melbourne, 3053, Victoria, Australia. http://www.brunetti.com.au/
I stumbled across Brunetti in Carlton and it truly was an unexpected pleasure. The Panetteria is a very authentic Italian cafe selling almost every delicious and naughty treat you could ever imagine! On a Saturday morning the place was buzzing with people and conversation and it was a large place so despite it being packed we were able to find a seat. 
The range of delicious sweet treats is astounding, Brunetti have a cioccolateria with hundreds of handmade chocolates as well as the amazing array of cakes for every occasion. I am not into coffee but I could make a guess that it was very good judging by the volumne of customers!
Brunetti Panetteria has four locations in Melbourne; Carlton, Camberwell, City Square and Fitzroy.
I stumbled across Brunetti in Carlton and it truly was an unexpected pleasure. The Panetteria is a very authentic Italian cafe selling almost every delicious and naughty treat you could ever imagine! On a Saturday morning the place was buzzing with people and conversation and it was a large place so despite it being packed we were able to find a seat. Not only is there brunch hot food available, but also the most delcious pastries and savoury options. After much deliberation, I had a frangipani crossiant which was sweetly delicious and my companion had a toasted foccacia with ham and cheese - again amazing.
The range of delicious sweet treats is astounding, Brunetti have a cioccolateria with hundreds of handmade chocolates as well as the amazing array of cakes for every occasion. I am not into coffee but I could make a guess that it was very good judging by the volumne of customers! I can't wait to come back here to sample some of the other delicious treats!
Brunetti has just opened a new panetteria in trendy Fitzroy which I am looking forward to checking out on my next trip to Melbourne.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Bobby Chinn, Hanoi, Vietnam
77 Xuan Dieu St, Tay Ho District, Hanoi, Vietnam.
http://www.bobbychinn.com/
Owned by celebrity chef, Bobby Chinn, the restaurant is housed in an old colonial multi-storey building near Hanoi’s West Lake. Although I had never heard of Bobby Chinn be
fore I went to this restaurant, apparently he is on Discovery channel Asia where he hosts a food and travel show.
The interior décor is stylish with lots of interesting art work and a sheer curtain to break up the spaces and create a more intimate dining experience. The ground floor houses a fashionable lounge bar with dining on the 1st and 2nd floors.
The menu offered a good range of Vietnamese and Western cuisines and some fusion dishes. The mood lighting was so low that the waiter bought out a magnifying glass with a light for reading the menu! The quirkiness of the menu made for interesting reading, including a dessert called ‘I am on a diet= $00’
and a side of ‘The waiter will say ‘You are beautiful’ on a regular basis’. It really is true, the girls behind us had this and we were wondering why the waiter kept hitting on them until we saw this item- very weird!
The dish I had was really delicious, Vietnamese style chicken and ginger claypot with rice for my main dish and an eggplant salad to start. Our group also were given a complimentary small starter and dessert, which was a nice touch.
Other menu options chosen by my fellow dinners included Steak fillet mignon; Red curry with prawns and sticky rice and Salmon claypot- all deemed to be very good.
The waiters and staff were very friendly and personable. The price tag was hefty at Dong 500,000+ each (about NZ$50 at the time), expensive for Vietnam, although to be expected as this is quite a famous restaurant. However in my experience there are just as good if not better restaurants in Hanoi for half the price!
So come to Bobby Chinn if you are feeling flush and want good food and service made by a semi-celebrity! Definitely not for the backpacker crowd!
http://www.bobbychinn.com/
Owned by celebrity chef, Bobby Chinn, the restaurant is housed in an old colonial multi-storey building near Hanoi’s West Lake. Although I had never heard of Bobby Chinn be
fore I went to this restaurant, apparently he is on Discovery channel Asia where he hosts a food and travel show.The interior décor is stylish with lots of interesting art work and a sheer curtain to break up the spaces and create a more intimate dining experience. The ground floor houses a fashionable lounge bar with dining on the 1st and 2nd floors.
The menu offered a good range of Vietnamese and Western cuisines and some fusion dishes. The mood lighting was so low that the waiter bought out a magnifying glass with a light for reading the menu! The quirkiness of the menu made for interesting reading, including a dessert called ‘I am on a diet= $00’
and a side of ‘The waiter will say ‘You are beautiful’ on a regular basis’. It really is true, the girls behind us had this and we were wondering why the waiter kept hitting on them until we saw this item- very weird!The dish I had was really delicious, Vietnamese style chicken and ginger claypot with rice for my main dish and an eggplant salad to start. Our group also were given a complimentary small starter and dessert, which was a nice touch.
Other menu options chosen by my fellow dinners included Steak fillet mignon; Red curry with prawns and sticky rice and Salmon claypot- all deemed to be very good.The waiters and staff were very friendly and personable. The price tag was hefty at Dong 500,000+ each (about NZ$50 at the time), expensive for Vietnam, although to be expected as this is quite a famous restaurant. However in my experience there are just as good if not better restaurants in Hanoi for half the price!
So come to Bobby Chinn if you are feeling flush and want good food and service made by a semi-celebrity! Definitely not for the backpacker crowd!
Wild Lotus, Hanoi, Vietnam
55 Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
http://wildlotus.com.vn/en/index.asp
Wild Lotus is located in a charming colonial townhouse in Hanoi. Enter through a small unassuming gate to a garden courtyard, cross over the beautifully lit lotus pond and ascend the steps to the huge front door of the house. Inside, the décor is a modern take on classic Vietnamese style with a Buddha and lotus flowers over a small indoor pond and low-lighting. On the night we dined it was very quiet but this didn’t affect the quality of the food or service.
The menu is Vietnamese traditional style with some modern twists. To start was the banana flower salad which was light, fragrant and fresh. Followed by Pork loin with cashew nuts, vegetables and rice and Stir-fried Chicken and mango. All dishes complemented each other well and show-cased the best
of Vietnamese food with their flavoursome and fresh essence.
http://wildlotus.com.vn/en/index.asp
Wild Lotus is located in a charming colonial townhouse in Hanoi. Enter through a small unassuming gate to a garden courtyard, cross over the beautifully lit lotus pond and ascend the steps to the huge front door of the house. Inside, the décor is a modern take on classic Vietnamese style with a Buddha and lotus flowers over a small indoor pond and low-lighting. On the night we dined it was very quiet but this didn’t affect the quality of the food or service.The menu is Vietnamese traditional style with some modern twists. To start was the banana flower salad which was light, fragrant and fresh. Followed by Pork loin with cashew nuts, vegetables and rice and Stir-fried Chicken and mango. All dishes complemented each other well and show-cased the best
of Vietnamese food with their flavoursome and fresh essence. The dessert was one to be missed as my mango sorbet was pure ice in the middle and had obviously been in the bottom of a freezer for too long!!
Strangely at 9.15pm we were the last customers in the restaurant and the staff were packing up and leaving! I was told by my fellow diner that Vietnamese people like to eat early and so restaurants close up by 9pm.I thought this odd seeing as a lot of foreigners frequent the restaurant.
The cost was very reasonable at approximately NZ$50 for two including drinks. Half price of Bobby Chinn restaurant, but better food in my opinion!!
All in all, Wild Lotus is a real treat of excellent food in beautiful surroundings. Treat yourself to a top class restaurant in Hanoi, without breaking the bank.
The cost was very reasonable at approximately NZ$50 for two including drinks. Half price of Bobby Chinn restaurant, but better food in my opinion!!
All in all, Wild Lotus is a real treat of excellent food in beautiful surroundings. Treat yourself to a top class restaurant in Hanoi, without breaking the bank.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Singapore Airlines/Star Alliance Gold Class lounge, Terminal 2, Singapore Changi Airport
The T2 Singapore Airlines lounge for Star Alliance Gold class members, can get very busy especially at peak travel times. When I was last there it was morning and was full to the rafters with business travellers.
As always when a lounge is busy, the newspapers and magazines are few and far between and staff have hardly enough time to refill the food before it is gobbled up by hungry and greedy travellers! Despite the hustle and bustle, it is still pleasant enough. The food selection was good enough for me with boxed cereal, croissants and juice satisfying my breakfast requirements. They also have Asian options such as congee, noodles, curry and dim sum. The cups here are tiny and really not big enough for a good cup of tea or coffee.
The tables are cleaned and cleared regularly, there is wireless internet, massage chairs and clean toilets with showers.
The highly annoying thing about Singapore airlines lounges is that they never call the flights, there is probably a good reason for this as there are so many SIA flights departing that they would be disturbing you constantly with announcements. However, it does leave you a bit on edge about leaving to get to your flight and you sometimes go too early to compensate or late because you forget! Beware of this, as if you are used to lounges where your flight is called, you could be in danger of missing your flight while awaiting the non-existent call.
Staff, however are happy to let you know if the flight is on time and what time you should leave to get to the gates, but you do have to ask as this information it is not offered to you.
All in all, the T2 Gold class lounge is not bad but not the best I have experienced.
As always when a lounge is busy, the newspapers and magazines are few and far between and staff have hardly enough time to refill the food before it is gobbled up by hungry and greedy travellers! Despite the hustle and bustle, it is still pleasant enough. The food selection was good enough for me with boxed cereal, croissants and juice satisfying my breakfast requirements. They also have Asian options such as congee, noodles, curry and dim sum. The cups here are tiny and really not big enough for a good cup of tea or coffee.
The tables are cleaned and cleared regularly, there is wireless internet, massage chairs and clean toilets with showers.
The highly annoying thing about Singapore airlines lounges is that they never call the flights, there is probably a good reason for this as there are so many SIA flights departing that they would be disturbing you constantly with announcements. However, it does leave you a bit on edge about leaving to get to your flight and you sometimes go too early to compensate or late because you forget! Beware of this, as if you are used to lounges where your flight is called, you could be in danger of missing your flight while awaiting the non-existent call.
Staff, however are happy to let you know if the flight is on time and what time you should leave to get to the gates, but you do have to ask as this information it is not offered to you.
All in all, the T2 Gold class lounge is not bad but not the best I have experienced.
Air New Zealand (Koru) lounge- Auckland airport
The Air NZ lounge at Auckland airport, is looking pretty swish of late after a recent upgrade. The stylish refit encompasses different zones including a TV lounge, internet room, quiet area as well as the regular seating area.
The zones are differentiated by varying colours and styles of chairs. I really like how they have made the lounge quite eclectic in their chair types, shapes and sizes which were incidentally very comfortable. Toilets are modern and clean with shower rooms and sweet smelling soap and hand lotions. The paint colour scheme is a modern white with stylish wooden globe style lampshades.
The food choice hasn’t changed and is not bad as far as lounge food goes although they need to get mugs, a small cup is not big enough for a cup of tea!
The magazine and newspaper selection is pretty good too.
Overall, I find Air NZ lounges extremely comfortable, with pretty good food, magazines and wifi internet and of the lounges I have experienced, Air NZ Auckland ranks among the best.
The zones are differentiated by varying colours and styles of chairs. I really like how they have made the lounge quite eclectic in their chair types, shapes and sizes which were incidentally very comfortable. Toilets are modern and clean with shower rooms and sweet smelling soap and hand lotions. The paint colour scheme is a modern white with stylish wooden globe style lampshades.
The food choice hasn’t changed and is not bad as far as lounge food goes although they need to get mugs, a small cup is not big enough for a cup of tea!
The magazine and newspaper selection is pretty good too.
Overall, I find Air NZ lounges extremely comfortable, with pretty good food, magazines and wifi internet and of the lounges I have experienced, Air NZ Auckland ranks among the best.
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