bc magazine

PizzaExpress x JUST Egg Vegan Pizza

The assorted healthy / diet fads that are sweeping the web and restaurants both locally and internationally often obscures the fact that some people really cannot eat gluten, dairy, eggs etc. And it can be really difficult for those with dietary restrictions to safely enjoy a meal out with friends.

PizzaExpress has teamed up with JUST Egg to expand it’s vegan and vegetarian menu offerings with new pizza and pasta dishes. JUST Egg is a new mung bean based plant alternative to egg that is high in protein and cholesterol free. Like real eggs Just Egg scrambles nicely to create a light fluffy texture and it also works well in cooking as both a binding and emulsifying agent.

The two new vegan dishes are currently only available at the recently opened Pizza Express Lee Tung in Wanchai. The JUST Pizza ($138) is dressed with tomato sauce and topped with scrambled JUST Egg, crumbled vegan sausage, button mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, vegan mozzarella and fresh rosemary.

The JUST Spaghetti ($128) is made with a JUST Egg, mushroom, liquid smoke puree and tossed with chopped peppadew and parsley.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Pizza-Express-Just-Egg-Vegan-Pizza-Launch-14-August-2018/i-SFPLcCQ

Pizza Express Lee Tung

Shop G31, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai
Tel: 3164 1303
www.pizzaexpress.com.hk

Note: JUST Egg was previously known as JUST Scramble

hEat – Grand Opening @ 23/F QRE, Wanchai – 23 August 2018

Over 300 people celebrated the Grand Opening of hEat (23/F, QRE Plaza building, 202 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai) on the 23 August as the new outlet’s head chef Israel Isy showcased it’s menu including dry aged beef and seafood.
Click on any photo for the full image gallery.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Heat-Grand-Opening-23F-QRE-Wanchai-23-August-2018/i-4cLCdZ6

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Heat-Grand-Opening-23F-QRE-Wanchai-23-August-2018/i-R9zf2bF

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Heat-Grand-Opening-23F-QRE-Wanchai-23-August-2018/i-BkPdxKw

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Heat-Grand-Opening-23F-QRE-Wanchai-23-August-2018/i-hpRMpGK

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Heat-Grand-Opening-23F-QRE-Wanchai-23-August-2018/i-LqzLjP7

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Heat-Grand-Opening-23F-QRE-Wanchai-23-August-2018/i-HwrpW2Q

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Heat-Grand-Opening-23F-QRE-Wanchai-23-August-2018/i-RpRJPBd

Chip In, Wanchai

Sai Kung’s Chip In has opened a second branch on Queen’s Road East, bc went along to check out the fish and chips.

Fish and chips a simple yet iconic meal and sadly it’s impossible to find a good ‘English style’ option in Hong Kong. The best iteration recently was a pop-up called The Chippy three years ago in Chater Garden. There were rumours they were going to open a restaurant here, but as yet it hasn’t materialised.

bc hasn’t visited the Sai Kung outlet, so our comments are limited to the Wanchai branch. Service is polite and efficient, at the moment it’s cash only, with all meals being cooked to order.

The European and Atlantic cod shoals were decimated in the 1980s through over fishing, careful management in the decades since has seen stocks rise and this lovely tasty fish is back on the menu. Chip In serves it’s cod in two sizes small ($48) and large ($75) with a fair sized portion of chips and a side of either ketchup or tartar sauce.

The Atlantic cod comes pre-battered and frozen. The photo below is of the large portion, inside the batter the fish was perhaps 8mm thick – not exactly a ‘large’ piece of fish. The cod was hard, didn’t flake well and lacked flavour. The batter was thin, crisp and evenly cooked.

The chips are also cooked from frozen, some of ours were a little cold in the centre but the real problem was they were so bland and tasteless.

The menu also features calamari, chicken nuggets, bacon or sausage butty all $48 and served with chips.

While Chip In is a take-away / delivery outlet only, there are numerous small seating areas nearby to sit down and eat.

If you’re wanting fish and chips Chip In offers it, and while there’s nothing particularly wrong or bad about what they offer. Sadly it’s bland and not a meal you’re going to shout about to your friends or say I’ll be back for another portion tomorrow – which is more than a little disappointing as good fish chips are delicious.

Chip In Fish and Chip

164 Queens Road East, Wanchai
www.chipin.com.hk
Open: Weekdays 9am-9pm
Weekends 11am-9pm

Zero Waste Cook Off @ Pizza Express – 19 July, 2018

The theme of Pizza Express’s Cook Off 4 was Zero Waste and taking up the challenge were guest Chef Neil Tomes and Pizza Express’s Development Chef Dan Segall.

The cook-off took place on 19 July at Pizza Express’s new Sheung Wan outlet infront of invited guests and friends. First up was Tomes to talk about his Indian inspired creation – a Spiced Spinach and Ricotta Pizza.

Segall in contrast sort to ‘interpret’ the classic Hawaiian – his Beach Picnic Pizza replacing the ham with salami, jalapeños and buffalo mozzarella for a more spicy flavour.

You can try both pizzas at all Pizza Express restaurants from 23 July to 3 September and cast your vote online.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Zero-Waste-Cook-Off-Pizza-Express-19-July-2018/i-MmwrPpp

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Zero-Waste-Cook-Off-Pizza-Express-19-July-2018/i-SrwctNm

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Zero-Waste-Cook-Off-Pizza-Express-19-July-2018/i-n9XHfDZ

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Zero-Waste-Cook-Off-Pizza-Express-19-July-2018/i-rd567bS

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Zero-Waste-Cook-Off-Pizza-Express-19-July-2018/i-9HGx8KL

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Zero-Waste-Cook-Off-Pizza-Express-19-July-2018/i-5JPh3wM

Click on any photo to see more images

Confusion Plant Based Kitchen

After a few hiccups during construction Confusion Plant Based Kitchen is open in Sheung Wan and hopes to show that “Plant based cuisine is more than just salads and raw fruit. It can be an adventure in variety, a dance upon your taste buds.”

Confusion Plant Based Kitchen

103, Jervois Street, Sheung Wan

Hong Kong

Tel: 2563 3699
Open: 9am-9pm

www.confusion.hk
www.facebook.com/confusionhk

Vegan Pizza Launch @ Pizza Express Sai Ying Pun – 17 May, 2018

Pizza Express hosted a block party at it’s new Sai Ying Pun restaurant on the 17 May to announce the launch of a vegan pizza and a ‘dine and donate’ program which rewards those who donate dried food goods or unwanted clothes – to help those in need – with discount dining coupons.
Click on any photo for the full gallery.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Vegan-Pizza-Launch-Pizza-Express-Sai-Ying-Pun-17-May-2018/i-dMCFNhj

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Vegan-Pizza-Launch-Pizza-Express-Sai-Ying-Pun-17-May-2018/i-QPMVhtL

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Vegan-Pizza-Launch-Pizza-Express-Sai-Ying-Pun-17-May-2018/i-QC3zzdc

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Vegan-Pizza-Launch-Pizza-Express-Sai-Ying-Pun-17-May-2018/i-sNJMwMS

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Vegan-Pizza-Launch-Pizza-Express-Sai-Ying-Pun-17-May-2018/i-4XgZZQz

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Vegan-Pizza-Launch-Pizza-Express-Sai-Ying-Pun-17-May-2018/i-MxXhxzR

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Vegan-Pizza-Launch-Pizza-Express-Sai-Ying-Pun-17-May-2018/i-WRDJPqR

Björn Frantzén’s The Flying Elk to Open in June

Chef Björn Frantzén, the man behind the three Michelin star Frantzén in Stockholm and Frantzén’s Kitchen in Sheung Wan, is soft opening his second outlet in Hong Kong in June.

The Flying Elk is a ‘casual eatery’ offering dishes with a Nordic influence. Located at 32 Wyndham Street – the restaurant’s name derives from one of Sweden’s oldest folklore, which tells the tale of a gigantic elk adorning an ornate crown, flying over the forests of Jämtland.

The Flying Elk
1 & 2/F, 32 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
Reservations: [email protected], 2565 6788

New Spring Dishes at Pizza Express

PizzaExpress has added some new dishes to it’s Spring/Summer menu that feature ‘superfoods’ such as kale, quinoa and plant-based meat alternatives such as Beyond Chicken.

The new dishes include: Quinoa & Kale salad, Bresaola e Asparagi, Kale Pesto Beyond Rigatoni, Pollo Verde (Pizza dressed with béchamel sauce, basil pesto and topped with chicken, wild mushroom, rocket and parmesan), Spaghetti alle Vongole and Bresaola di Lombardia.

There’s also a couple of new desserts, a Summer Meringue and Torta al Limone. While the Giardiniera (top photo) has a very tasty new recipe that includes asparagus, roasted pumpkin, mushroom, roasted pepper, cherry tomato, olive, garlic, basil pesto.

Pizza Express are looking to reduce waste so plastic straws and individual wet wipes are now only available on request.

From now until 13 May 2018 take a photo of any of the new dishes and post to Instagram with the hashtag #PizzaExpressHK and receive a 15% discount coupon for any vegetarian items on your next visit.