bc magazine

Barfly: Iron Fairies

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There are many bars and restaurants but not many like Iron Fairies, whose origin lies in a children’s tale of the same name written and published by miner, designer and author Ashley Sutton. Stepping through the Iron Fairies portal is like stepping into another world of the type you see on television, in the cinema or in your imagination.

https://youtu.be/3M7LDAStQbg

Iron fairies 22 sept 2016 (https://youtu.be/3M7LDAStQbg)

Resembling a furnace room, there so much going on your eyes don’t know where to look, perhaps when it’s full of drinkers the experience will be different but the feeling of entering another realm was compelling on our visit. The ceiling of butterflies whispering and flowing like waves. The low cast iron tables inset with candles and mounds of iron fairies to resemble fires. The six furnaces that dominate the bar, the walls of iron working tools, the bundles of fairies dust… A smorgasbord of stimuli that are not pictures or printed wall designs as you’d expect, but real and physical and reward close inspection.
It must be a bitch to dust and keep clean.

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With live music, crafted cocktails Iron Fairies is going to be one of the places to be, but to enjoy and appreciate the wonders of the this part of the Iron Fairies world – there’s books, a website and bars in Bangkok and Tokyo – go when it’s less busy, read the tale, wonder on the identities of the twelve fairies and their tales of love and life.

Iron Fairies
LG/F, 1-13 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong (the entrance portal is around the corner and down the stairs)
Opening hours: daily from 6pm – 3am

Megabites: Dub concept by SAAM

The graffiti clad exterior of Dub is deceptive, for inside the space that used to be SAAM new chef Kaleb Davis has worked to combine the ethos behind his 5star hotel experience with the relaxed friendly street vibe of New Zealand where the Hong Kong native grew up.

The result, in combination with long term friends Bibiana Ling and Alex Gardner, is a relaxed comfortable 25 seat venue that offers a small but varied menu of comfort food. But expect the menu to expand as Kaleb and Alex experiment with the latest in food preparation ‘toys’, from restaurant owner Catering Depot, in their new kitchen.

Dub invited bc to sample some of the dishes on their soft opening menu. Upon arrival we were served with a 3 roll bread basket which included a tasty squid ink roll that went nicely with the herb butter. All the wines are available by the glass.

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For starters we had the quail scotch egg; quail eggs wrapped in homemade pork cheek sausage meat and then breaded and cooked and served on a bed of horseradish. A nice twist on the traditional scotch egg, with the diced cut pork cheek having a lovely texture and offering good strong but not overpowering flavours to start; with four halves to a portion there’s plenty to go around.

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Served with sourdough toast slices, the tartare is fresh and fairly spicy with the mix a little heavy on the onions and capers – which might not please those who prefer a more full meat tartare. The flavour is good and the portion size enough to share.

The menu currently consists of six main dishes Wagyu Beef & Pork Cheek Rissoles ($228), Crispy 24Hour Pork Belly ($228), Charred Spring Chicken ($228), Lamb T-Bones 140oz ($298) 1/2 Breaded Red Mullet Fillets ($198) andGoats Cheese Tortellini ($178). Fellow diners were effusive and vocal in their enjoyment of the pork belly and tortellini options.

bc tried the wagyu beef and pork rissoles served on bed of orzo pasta risotto with a smoked tomato sauce. Orzo pasta is a short cut pasta shaped like a rice grain, and makes for a risotto that’s a little different to that your taste buds are expecting. The wagyu beef and pork cheek rissoles are cooked pink and full of flavour with the meat juices enriching the risotto. A very enjoyable dish, although the smoked flavour of the tomato sauce was barely noticeable amidst the other strong flavours of the rest of the dish.

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bc can’t remember seeing lamb served locally as a T-bone steak before and the concept is intriguing and tasty – here two t-bones are served with beautifully roasted potatoes. But it’s a dish that’s a work in progress, the two t-bones were cooked rare, almost blue for the thicker one, making the meat difficult to remove from the small bones. While Dub has a street vibe, it’s not the sort of place where you feel comfortable picking up and chewing the bone to get at that lovely flavour. The sweet wine sauce served on the side was nice but overpowered the meaty flavour of the lamb. A slightly thinner cut of t-bones, maybe an inch thick rather two inches and the option to have the ‘t-bone’ steaks cooked to ones preference would let this dish shine.

There’s a range of sides including: Mac n Cheese Arancini ($68), Truffle Fries ($58), Eggplant and Buffalo Mozzarella salad ($128). While the dessert options include Pecan Pie ($88), Mango Creme Brulee ($88) and Apple Tarte Tatin with Salted Caramel Ice-cream ($88)

Dub is a friendly relaxed place with efficient but un-obtrusive service. The dishes are familiar but with a twist, the flavours complex but not so that you can’t relax over a meal. Portion sizes are good, and plated with care. There’s an understated attention to detail that promises more to come as Kaleb becomes comfortable with his kitchen and that subtle difference between working for someone and being Chef and Owner of his own restaurant.

Dub concept by SAAM
51d Graham Street, Central. Tel: 2645 9828
www.dubhongkong.com

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Dub-Food-Tasting-10-August/i-SDS6snL

Mangiare Pre Opening Party – 21 August, 2016

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Luca Piazza hosted a pre opening party for his new Italian street food outlet Mangiare, located in Kennedy Town, on 21 August. A great afternoon was had by all.
Click on any photo for the full gallery of images.

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Mangiare: 45-55 Cadogan Street, Kennedy Town. Tel: 2336 3375
www.mangiarehk.com

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Mangiare-pre-opening-party-21/i-XD6fmkw

Megabites: Hooters

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Launched in era when using sex to sell didn’t attract widespread social media scorn, for a generation of people Hooters name alone will conjure images of busty waitresses in their ubiquitous bright orange shorts. So what does Hooters bring to Hong Kong in 2016? In truth not much, the current marketing pitch is that it’s a family restaurant. But it’s just a sports bar, all-be-it one that appears stuck in the 80s. The walls of the downstairs bar area are festooned with TV screens, while beer taps protrude from a surfboard. The waitresses uniforms which used to raunchy are now positively tame compared some of the shorts, tops and yoga gear you’ll see girls wear on the streets today.

Social media’s invasion into every part of our lives, paired with quality camera lenses on mobile phones has seen an explosion in food porn. Especially locally where it seems impossible for people to eat a meal or enjoy a drink without taking multiple photos and sharing them with the world. Restaurants, bars and cafes have responded and regardless of the taste or flavour of the dish, outside of traditional local outlets, your food is likely to be presented to look great in a photo.

Hooters food just doesn’t generate that ‘ummm that looks tasty’ vibe when it arrives at the table – unlike many similarly priced and cheaper restaurants in the area. In fact for a restaurant famed for ‘American sized portions’ several of the dishes showcased at the media tasting looked more than a little lost on the big white plates.

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The 225gram Western BBQ burger ($178) might have cracked the mustard a decade ago but burgers in Hong Kong have moved on – which has been great news for burger lovers, even at the increased prices. I want to like it, it’s a big patty, has visible amounts of cheese and bacon but the patty isn’t freshly ground beef, lacks any flavour and is cooked to an even grey. And there the price $178!

It’s saddens me to say, because I like a good burger, that in the taste stakes a Butchers Club burger (one of the best local burgers around, and not quite half the price) is to a Hooters’ burger, what a Hooters burger is to basic $10 McDonalds hamburger. Really disappointing.

What will attract some is that you can choose the sauce that many of the main dishes – including prawns, wings, chicken – are cooked in. There are thirteen sauces and three dressings options. For each 5 pieces ordered you can choose a different sauce, so for example if you order 10 boneless chicken wings you could have 5 cooked in 911 and 5 in BBQ.

Hooters original buffalo shrimp (12/$170, 24/$330) are tangy and pretty good to enjoy with a beer while watching sport. Similarly the chicken wings are massive compared to many around town, but you pay for them. As you do with the 220gram ribeye at $388, which comes with 9 chips and half a cherry tomato.

The nachos are uninspiring and really pricey ($158-188) for what despite the large plate is a pretty small portion. There are far better nachos around.

So many of the dishes, prices excepted, would have been deemed pretty damn good a decade ago. And it’s easy to see why Hooters is popular in Thailand, Vietnam, China etc. But bar/pub food and customer expectations in Hong Kong are different today and what we were served at the media preview really doesn’t compare well with what’s currently available around Hong Kong.

There will be the usual voices bitching about exploitation but the ‘Hooters girls’ seem happy, whether their vibrant energy and effervescence will be enough to see most customers return more than once is questionable. There are no real sports bars in Central anymore, and beyond the name that will certainly attract a number of patrons but to succeed in today’s very competitive market as a restaurant, they’ll need to up their game.

This may sound overly negative as they’ll probably make million$, but for the price I want a little more from my bar/restaurant these days. However for those looking for an 80s style American Sports Bar there’s no need to power-up the DeLorean, Hooters is your place – have fun, but respect the ladies by keeping your hands to yourself.

Hooters
43-55 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 2399-7773
Opening hours: 11am-2am. www.hootershongkong.com
Opening Soon.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Hooters-Media-Preview-27-July/n-dqB2cD/i-VCBwC45/A

La Magia de El Celler de Can Roca – 9 August, 2016

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La Magia de El Celler de Can Roca – a Roca brothers masterclass organised by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by BBVA. Joan, Jordi and Josep the three brothers behind the world’s number one restaurant Celler de Can Roca are in Hong Kong as part of their BBVA World Tour 2016.
This is the third year that the restaurant in Spain closes for a month and the whole team of 32 travels the globe visiting 5 cities to cook, teach, explore, research/learn and let people who can’t visit Spain sample their amazing cuisine. Quite amazing to the hear them talk about food, their inspirations and the creative process.
Click on any image for the full gallery of event photos

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Megabites: Buffets and Bubbles

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Lots of tasty choices this summer including a Brazilian themed buffet at Cafe Renaissance and bubble parties for your kids at Frites.

Brazilian Buffet @ Cafe Renaissance
In Hong Kong we can enjoy cuisines from around the world, there’s surprisingly few restaurants offering South American fare. In celebration of the Olympics, Café Renaissance in Wanchai is expanding it’s regular lunch and dinner buffet to feature a rotating selection of popular Brazilian dishes.

Curated by Brazilian Guest Chef Lucio Mauro the indigenous menu includes Arracacha soup with shredded chicken, black eyed peas beans salad, palm heart spaghetti with avocado salad, chicken conquetes and cheese balls salad.

The hot entree section includes prawns with cassava and coconut rice, a delicious Feijoada- which is a black bean stew with sausages and pork. Or try the Escondidinho (beef jerky and potato) that’s a popular dish from Northeast Brazil.

Barbecue in Brazil is known as Churrasco, Hong Kong law doesn’t allow charcoal cooking inside, so the beef, lamb and chicken Churrasco are cooked traditionally but using an electric grill instead.

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Brazil has lots of tasty desserts including: Brigadeiro (a truffle ball with a rich chocolate flavour), beetroot chocolate cake, coconut pudding with prune sauce and minute tapioca with dulce de leite are served on weekends.

All Cafe Renaissance’s regular signature buffet dishes are still availalble including Australian oysters, steamed live Boston lobster, sashimi, sushi, grilled and roasted meats and over twenty desserts plus cheese and ice-cream

The Brazilian Lunch Buffet is served 12-2:30pm Monday to Friday ($308) and 11:30am-2:30pm on weekends ($338). The Brazilian Dinner Buffet 6:30-10pm daily: $568 from Monday to Thursday and $588 from Friday to Sunday. The price includes free flow of chilled fresh juices, soft drinks and in the evening a special Brazilian mocktails will be served at night.
Cafe Renaissance: Renaissance Harbour View Hotel, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai. Tel: 2584 6871

Bubbles @ Frites
FRITES is hosting children’s Bubble Parties every Saturday and Sunday until the end of July to entertain youngsters while their parents relax and enjoy their lunch. The free bubble sessions lasting 30 minutes are at 2pm and 4pm while there are other children’s activities happening across lunchtime. For more details visit www.frites.hk

Megabites: Ee Da Le

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When I first heard of Ee Da Le by Harlan Goldstein I hadn’t a clue it was Italian, all that came to my mind were musical notes and possibly opera.

The logo for Ee Da Le sees the name spelt as three words almost encouraging you pronounce them separately. It’s only when you merge them you realise the name Ee Da Le or rather Eedale is how many Chinese pronounce Italy!!

A bubbly Harlan Goldstein greeted guests invited to a lunchtime preview tasting a day before the public soft opening.

The decor is understated yet has this rich Italian operatic touch and feel to it with ruby red velvet curtains, extravagant light shades, a tile looking floor that isn’t and all the small details that you don’t really see unless you look closely. The 58 seat restaurant features a long open kitchen to observe and smell the chefs hard at work. There’s also a full bar where you can enjoy a cocktail while waiting for your table.

On arrival, we were served with a plate of cheese bread, which looked like cute mini loaves accompanied with a green salsa verde dip which was made with pickled onion, pesto, white vinegar and parsley. The bread was quite firm, with a nice cheesy taste. Dipping it in the salsa verde mellows the cheese out nicely.

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A selection of anti-pasti dishes arrived next including a tomato bruschetta, a scallop carpaccio and Mama’s Meatballs.

The Pomodoro, slices of tomato bruschetta $32/piece, were light and crispy and heaped with fresh tomato that had a tangy punch to it.

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Mama’s Meatballs ($108) are made with veal, beef and pork sausage smothered in Sunday gravy. These meatballs were amazing because they were lean and velvety yet soft and moist, while the delicious Sunday gravy made the meatball experience complete as it was meat juice mixed with tomatoes and fragrant herbs like bay leaves.

The Crudo di Mare ($168) was quite summery; the scallops were drizzled in citrus topped with sea urchin, sun-dried tomatoes and anchovy, which gave it some bolder flavours.

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Moving on, we had the Char-grilled Sicilian Octopus ($168) served on a bed of mash (potato crema) topped with olives and a baby gem lettuce heart. The octopus tentacle was infused with herbs yet it still tasted like it was straight from the sea with that firm springy texture.

The last dish, Madam Chu’s Signature Linguini with Red Prawns ($428) was stunning. A vibrant linguini in a thick orange sauce served on a black plate with an edge that looked like the surface of the moon replete with mini craters.

If you look closely, you can see generous pieces of small dried shrimps, which give the linguini such a strong salty prawn flavour. The prized red prawns add sweetness through the essence that comes from the prawn head. A truly rich linguini, which can get quite heavy for one so it is best shared.

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For dessert, we finished with Affogato ($68), which came with smoke coming off it, and then hot espresso was poured on top. The intense chocolate flavour, contrasted with these strong coffee bits, Amaretti crumble and Tahitian vanilla gelato.

Ee Da Le’s team are still finding their feet in the new kitchen as the workmen complete the finishing touches, yet the food is beautifully cooked and presented. We’ll be back for more of Mama’s meatballs and to explore further the extensive menu.

Ee Da Le
3/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central. Tel: 2896 1838
Opening Hours: 12-3pm, 6-11pm
www.eedale.hk www.facebook.com/eedalehk

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2016/Ee-Da-Le-21-July-2016/i-9kt7vKZ

Photos: Jayne Russell

Harlan Goldstein’s Back!

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After a year travelling and exploring new tastes and flavours Harlan Goldstein is back as Ee Da Le, the first of four new restaurants with new partners ZS Hospitality, opens today. Hong Kong’s own ‘celebrity’ chef is not to everyone’s cup of tea. Over the years though he’s built a strong personal brand and a solid coterie of loyal customers and staff because not only is he a good chef he’s also very good at genuinely ensuring that the people who matter feel needed, welcome, important… as required.

While not every restaurant he’s opened has been either a critical or commercial success, the menus have usually been solid and the decor interesting if not extravagant.

At our tasting lunch, a trailer to the launch of Harlan III (this is Harlan’s third group of partners) it’s difficult to tell if the man has mellowed. The passion, ambition and desire are clearly still there with solid thoughts and ideas for the future – it’s fascinating and invigorating to listen as Harlan talks through the concepts and themes of the upcoming outlets as well as the ideas behind Ee Da Le.

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Every now and then though, it was like an alarm went off inside to reminded him that he was chatting to journalists and ‘celebrity chef Harlan’ would make an appearance and the comments become more rote and filled with soundbite cliches voiced somewhat unconvincingly from a man who appears a little nervous, not that he’d ever admit it, about opening night.

To use a cliche there are lots of people around who like to talk the talk, but few who can walk the walk. Harlan is one of those who’s passionate about food and has walked that talk into a series of fine restaurants over the last 20 years. So with Harlan the three-quel opening into a fiercely competitive market, we’ll leave the final word to the man “I’m back baby”.

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