Burgers in Lan Kwai Fong: Stormies

Stormies probably isn’t very well known for their burgers, nor should they be.  On the contrary, if you’re walking down the streets of Lan Kwai Fong on any given Friday or Saturday night you’ll know Stormies is a great spot to grab a pint and meet new people.  Every weekend the place has a crowd inside and the crowd outside fills the street most nights.  (Good thing they close the streets on weekends.)

I wish I had a camera so I could share with you the confusion I had from this burger.  First of all, I may not have said it yet so I’ll say it now:  When I’m having these burgers I always order (if possible) a mushroom & cheese burger so that I can have something similar to compare all of these burgers with.  With that said, Stormies offers cheese and mushroom for a few extra bucks so once again that is what I ordered.  Once again my burger come to me with the top and bottom separate (typical burger presentation.  Only this burger has a nice little surprise, instead of the mushrooms being slices, they were quartered.  This gave the burger a little extra juiciness which was quite nice.  My burger was also cooked to a perfect medium which I was very happy about.  But this is where our little story takes a turn for the worse…

My poor, oddly shiny, burger bun was no match for the delicious juiciness of the quartered mushroom/perfect medium combo.  For some reason Stormies likes to put their burger into a bland super shiny bun that becomes pointless after the second bite.  I enjoy my burgers sloppy…but a mushy bun is like wet cardboard, nobody wants to touch that stuff.  The burger itself was also lacking in some flavor.  My last gripe about Stormies burger is going to be the salad of mixed greens that came with my burger and fries.  I have seen this with other burgers as well but Stormies’ mixed greens seemed to be the most out of place.  What was I supposed to do with these greens?  My burger already had a nice crisp chunk of iceberg on it.  Was it supposed to be a salad?  If so then where was the dressing?  Not even a splash of oil and vinegar on those leaves.  Too bad too, I sure do love a mixed green salad.

Overall, I pretty much suggest sticking to the beer at Stormies.  As for their burger,  I’d really like to rate it a little higher because it looked so nice, but looks aren’t everything so this burger will rack up only 3 out of 5 points.

-1 for the terrible bun,-1 for lacking in flavor

Afternoon Snack

I had a nice little snack the other day.  It was simple with crackers, cheese, and wine but the combination of flavors I feel is enough to write home about.  Or blog about in this case :-).

The cheese was a soft French cheese manufactured by Fromagerie Germain.  I think the cheese is called Farm Cheese Epois.Chablis but the container only advertises where it was made.   Either way this cheese was nice and soft with a strong nutty aroma.  This cheese was special because of its texture as well as the flavor.  It is soft and creamy like cream cheese on the edges but the middle is gooey like the inside of a grilled cheese sandwich.  It paired nicely with a glass of Fantelli’s 2004 Syrah from Argentina.

I found some tasting notes at http://www.justgreatwines.com/argentina/awards.html which from my understanding originally come from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  The notes are as follows: “Raspberry, bramble and leather are convincing opening aromas, while the ripe black cherry on the palate is spiced up by some light wood notes. Textured on the tongue, with vanilla and cherry notes to the finish.. — M.S. (6/1/2006)”

As you can see these notes are from 2006 and although I did not taste it at that time I’m going to add a few comments.  In the past two years the Raspberry and leather aromas have taken over the bramble completely.  The buttery, wood notes have also opened to combine perfectly with the black cherry forward.  The texture on the tongue is hardly noticeable and the vanilla cherry finish is short but well enjoyed.

Apple Curry Chicken Pita

I found this recipe for Apple Curry Turkey Pita on allrecipes.com and had every intention of following the recipe exactly but once I returned defeated from the grocery store with no turkey breasts in hand, I decided to make a few slight changes.  First I had to change the turkey to chicken.  Second, I forgot to pick up lemon juice so I had to make do with white wine.  I also added 2 cloves of garlic and some iceberg lettuce.  I had some sour cream that was getting a little old so I mixed the plain yogurt with the sour cream.

I imagine that if I were able to get turkey instead this would have been an even better meal but I thoroughly enjoyed not only eating, but making this simple recipe.  The only thing I may attempt to do differently next time will be to cut the chicken (hopefully turkey) into smaller chunks.  I had cut the chicken into 1/2 inch cubes which just seemed to be a little too large.  Also I think I’ll take the time to make tzatziki (cucumber-yogurt sauce) because while my sour cream-plain yogurt mixture was tasty, I just felt cheated from that little bit of extra flavor.

The following is the original recipe as found posted on allrecipes.com by MOONNOODLE:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 pound cooked turkey, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste
• 1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 3 pita bread rounds
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and lemon juice. Cook until onion is tender. Mix in turkey, season with curry powder and continue cooking until heated through.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in apple. Stuff pitas with the mixture. Drizzle with yogurt to serve.

Burgers in Lan Kwai Fong: Hong Kong Brew House

The long awaited second posting to the Burgers in Lan Kwai Fong series!!

I was on my own for lunch today and decided a burger and a beer would hit the spot.  Hong Kong Brew House is an intersting place.  During the weekends, every seat is filled at night.  During the daytime, I never see anyone in there and cant figure out why.  They import beers from all over the world, give you free peanuts, and have pretty decent burgers too.  They also have a happy hour (as does just about every place in Hong Kong) which this time featured Mexican beers.

My burger (ordered medium) came out quite quickly.  At first I thought this was because the place was completly empty but soon found out it was because my burger was cooked medium rare.  I love a good steak medium rare, but something about the gooeyness of a medium rare burger gets my stomach turning.

The brewer’s burger comes out in two pieces as do most burgers.  And like most burgers once assembled becomes a tower.  This burger was exceptionaly tall due to the chunk of iceberg lettuce, and two thick slices each of tomato and pickle.  This is all fine and dandy, except unlike most burger towers this one would not squish to an eatable size.  After removing half the lettuce and a slice of tomato and pickle, I took my first bite.  Instantly my hands and mouth were drenched which I find to be a good thing.  I don’t go to a bar to have a burger and a beer so I can stay clean.  Bar burgers and supposed to be sloppy and delicious and this one was no exception.  The burger even had grill marks which add that much needed smokey touch to a good burger.  My burger also came not only with fries, but onion rings as well.  Both were good but nothing special.

Overall I give Hong Kong Brew House’s burger 3.5 out of 5.

-1 for wrong temperature, -1 for being to tall, +0.5 for the grill marks (a first that I’ve seen in Hong Kong)

Singapore Sling

While I was in Singapore I made my way down to Raffles Hotel and bellied up to the bar for their most famous beverage, the Singapore Sling.  Although the exact date of its creation is an ongoing argument, the fact that it was first served at Long Bar in Raffles Hotel is a common fact.

As for the drink, this was my very first Singapore Sling.  Although I tend to order whiskey at a bar, the Singapore Sling was quite delicious as well as refreshing.  The other fun part about drinking at Long Bar is that it is one of the few places in Singapore where you are allowed to litter.  As long as the litter is peanut shells they actually encourage it.  If you’re ever in the area I suggest getting a Singapore Sling from the bar that originated it.  Cheers!

Chilli Crab

I was in Singapore this weekend and had a great time.  Aside from the Night Safari, staying at the Four Seasons, and a trip to little India, my favorite experience had to be dinner the first night we were there.  We ate at Jumbo (not sure which location sorry).  All the food we had there was quite good but I’ve been hearing about chilli crab for a few years now and was very excited to give it a try.

Basically chilli crab (and pepper crab) is steamed whole crab that has been cracked, sautéed, and then quickly simmered in a chilli sauce. (Pepper crab is simmered in a black pepper sauce instead.)

I must admit that I was slightly disappointed with how mild my chilli crab was.  I’ve heard horror stories of how spicy chilli crab is and it was actually quite tolerable.  Overall I was very happy with our meal at Jumbo and quite impressed with the chilli crab.  I think I’ll start mastering my chilli sauce skills next.

Burgers in Lan Kwai Fong: Bulldogs

For the past few weeks my father and I have made it our Friday lunch to grab a burger and a beer at Bulldogs in Lan Kwai Fong.  I’ve decided that we should check out the other pubs in the area to find out who has the best burger so keep checking back to find out who the winner is.

Bulldogs is a great place to belly up to the bar, grab a burger and a beer, and watch the game.  They have two bars so at night the place is also a great place to get together with a couple of friends to grab a pint.

I’ve had two of Bulldog’s burgers and wasn’t disapointed either time.  What makes their burgers so great isn’t so much the burger itself, but the toppings.  They don’t hold back when it comes to the cheese, mushrooms, or barbeque sauce depending on your burger selection.  Their fries are also seasoned quite well.  Grab a pint from their wide selection of tap beers and I guarantee you wont leave hungry.

Bulldogs burgers: 4 out of 5

-1 for the beef itself lacking in some flavor.

Ivan the Kozak

Ivan the Kozak is an odd little gem found just below Hollywood Rd., next to the escalators. You simply can’t miss the place. Even though you have to cut down an alley, the Russian statue out front guarding the menu is anything but hidden. The place offers reasonable prices for their delicious, traditional Russian & Ukrainian food. They also boast the largest selection of plain and flavored vodkas from Russia & the Ukraine.

Although the table we were brought to was only set up for two, they kindly accommodated me with a small, hard wooden stool to sit on. The manager apologized for the inconvenience and said for being so understanding, he was going to give our table shots on the house. Soon after he led us back to the front of the restaurant and into the Vodka Ice Room. Although I’m not a huge fan of vodka myself, I was rather impressed that in such hot and humid conditions that Hong Kong offers its occupants that a restaurant would dedicate an entire walk-in refrigerator to storing a few shelves of vodka. This and the fact that they had a spot set up for pictures in the Vodka Ice Room are what really made this little gem of a restaurant, an odd one.

I have to give it to Ivan the Kozak for their smooth selection of vodkas. They might, and I repeat might, have changed my mind about drinking vodka. After our visit to the Ice Room we began to enjoy our meal starting with Deruni Minskie, which is basically fried potato cakes served with sour cream. They were quite delicious, not to crisp, not soggy, and seasoned to perfection.  Next we had the Zakuska Po-Suzdalsky which is ox tongue baked in white wine and cheese and served in a hot pot with a baked pastry cover.  The sauce was absolutely amazing, the flavor combinations were incredible.  The tongue was also perfectly prepared, extremely tender and flavorful.

My main course was Utka Zaletnaya (Baked duck with apples, potatoes, and mushrooms).  The duck was slightly overcooked for my taste but was still juicy, and tender.  The apples and mushrooms led to a unique yet tasty flavor combination.

For anyone tired of the typical selection of restaurants found in Hong Kong I highly suggest making your way to Ivan the Kozak.  With their traditional food, decor, and live music, Ivan the Kozak was a wonderful dining experience.

Hit me with your best shot!

I had night out on the town this weekend.  I started at Bulldog’s in Lan Kwai Fong which is an English style pub/sports bar.  They have some great burgers and about six beers on tap.  (I believe they are all English beers as well including Carlsberg)  I ran into some friends while I was there that I met through www.geoexpat.com and we hung out for the rest of the evening.  After a few pints at Bulldog’s we decided to make a run for the door after 2 guys wearing boxes they had cut into horses began a weak attempt of hitting on my friends.

We bar hopped two times before winding up at Soda.  Soda is an interesting bar/pub in the fact that they have a pole for your entertainment.  Although they don’t hire someone to dance on it, there is a point through the night in which people will do it voluntarily.  While at Soda I was served my beverages by Tim Murphy who is the inspiration of this posting.  Tim was very personable and made sure my friends and I had a good time while we were there.  Although he was unable to produce a beverage we asked for because he wasn’t familiar with it, instead he created his signature shot which he calls “Slimer’s Primer”.  With a funky name like that how can you not want to try it?  I didn’t quite catch everything that went into it but I did notice him muddling away on some cucumber.  I’m typically a whiskey shot kind of guy so I tend to stay away from the girly drinks but I was with two ladies and we all wanted the same shot so why not?  Slimer’s Primer aroma reminds me of cucumber melon lotion or body wash, it simply smelt fresh and delicious.

After bottoms up, the shot went down extremely smooth with barely any burn afterwards followed by a cool and refreshing aftertaste.

So if you’re looking for a new place to hang out for the night, get some friends together and head to Soda on Wyndham St and be sure to ask for Tim Murphy to get a taste of his Slimer’s Primer.

Rico’s

After eating here for my third time I figure I can share this delicious place with you.  My family and I absolutly LOVE tapas and were having a hard time finding a good place to get them in Hong Kong.  Don’t get me wrong, there are quite a few tapas bars around but I find the quality of the food lacking in most of them.

Rico’s has a HUGE selection of tapas which they break down into categories such as Beef, Seafood, and Vegetable.  Something uniqe I haven’t seen in other tapas bars before is their selection of tapas sets.  They offer six different sets each containing six different items from all over their menu.  The set also comes with a bottle of white or red wine or a jug of sangria.  The two times we got a set we got the sangria because it is really really good.  It is a typical red sangria but they also put apple pieces in theirs which is fun to try to much on while sipping.

The tapas sets come on a platter where each of the tapas are seperated in their own section which allows you to enjoy each of the individual flavors.  They also provide you with some delicious french bread which is great by itself with some butter or for soaking up the last drop of the wonderful sauces.

All of the tapas that I have tried so far are cooked perfectly and have great flavor.  Which is more than can be said of their set lunch.  Although I enjoyed mine, there were a few complaints from my friends dishes such as over cooked chicken and the spaghetti w/meatballs I was told was terrible.  The sauce was bland and the meatballs were tough and dry.

I highly suggest getting a group together for a tapas set which feeds about 3 hungry adults.  You might want to stay away from the set lunch, although the price really makes up for the lack in over the top quality.

Almost forgot, all the times I’ve gone its been either before or after the lunch rush.  I’m told its hard to get a seat between 1&2pm.  After 2:30 you’ll basicly have the place to yourself until the diner rush.  Before 1 you can easily slip into a table as well.

Rico’s, great tapas, delicious sangria…I love living to eat.