Disneyland Explorers Lodge 香港迪士尼 探索家 渡假酒店 [Hong Kong] - New 3rd Hotel Resort Opening on 30th of April 2017

 HK Disneyland is opening a new Resort this month, 香港迪士尼探索家 渡假酒店, and we came here for a quick Media Preview Tour showcasing its new shops,  restaurants and desserts.  Hopefully in the near future when it opens this weekend,  we can come back to cover the Hotel Bedrooms and Facilities.  Feel free to take a preview of our tour in the following Video:

Disneyland Explorers Lodge,  newly opening end of April 30th, 2017

香港迪士尼探索家 渡假酒店

Change to Disney Train on MTR..

Arriving at the New Resort -

Arrival Lounge -

Hotel with a Herbs Garden for Children - 

Including Lavendar, Rosemary, etc

Website:  www.hongkongdisneyland.com

The Secret Kitchen by Butchers Club [Hong Kong] - Kitchen for Private & Corporate Bookings at Wong Chuk Hang MTR Station

  I have previously been to The Butchers Club at Ed1tus, Wong Chuk Hang for other functions and parties, and the biggest difference is that currently the nearby MTR Station has finally opened, giving this space much easier access as it's only within 5-6 minutes by walking.   Nowadays Butchers Club Deli has grown to become more of a Private Events space, where corporate or personal Customers and Clients can book out "The Secret Kitchen" including for Butchering or Sausage Making Classes, with food and beverages provided. You can contact them at Website: http://thebutchers.club/events/wong-chuk-hang/

A Video of "The Secret Kitchen" at Butchers Club -

The Butchers Club - Meat & Produce Counter
Depending on your Package, The Chefs might prepare a Demo of the butchering, or a Cooking Class.  This time around we did a Sausage Making class as shown below..

The Seafood Station - with Ceviches, Clams, Oysters, etc

Food & Carving Station -

Bone in Dry Aged Beef -
Which is what made Butchers Club famous in Hong Kong,  and ultimately their Butchers Club Burger series receiving Michelin Guide recommendation.

Various Beef Cuts and Bone Marrow being Served - 

Dry Aged Beef - Bearnaise Sauce & Duck Fat Fries
This night two cuts were served.  Porterhouse and Rib Eye.

Beef Wellington with Mushrooms Duxelle -
Always a crowd favorite.  Eat it quite when the pastry is flaky and fresh..

Roast Lamb Leg -

Sausage Making Class - From the natural intestinal membranes to the grinded meat and herbs, spices, all hand made.  Quite fun for a Corporate Event.

Self Made DIY S'more Station -
Personally I really liked this idea,  as its like a camp fire gathering with friends.

Roulette Table with 'Shots' that can be Won - I find "The Secret Kitchen" by Butchers Club to be quite engaging and fun,  and sometimes as a foodie,  I also love to attend Private Function parties to gage what is available for the Hong Kong Market,  since Food & Beverage is not necessarily limited to Restaurants or Bars, Cafes alone,  but occasionally we also need an all rounder package and venue.  Much like some of us book out resorts or hotel rooms,  even Beer Pong venues or Night Clubs to serve their respective purposes.  Here The Butchers Club is unique in Hong Kong and recommendation.  Obviously for the Pricing Enquiries, you need to contact them directly :  http://thebutchers.club/events/wong-chuk-hang/

Address:  Unit A, 20/F, Kwai Bo Industrial Building, 40 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong

Phone: 2552 8281

Operetta [Hong Kong] - Italian Food with some Japanese Influence and Affordable Deals

  Operetta with its duo of Italian Chef Sgro and Japanese Chef Konishi from Michelin starred Wakyu Takumi, has opened for a few months in Pacific Place and at the beginning has attracted the attention of some foodies for barely a few months, which reminds me of the fate of Osteria Felice. That is one challenge of running a restaurant in HK!  I have been here for their Happy Aperitivo Hour which features Italian bites included with a Buy 1 Drink and Get 2nd Drink for 50% off deal.  It gave us confidence to return and try out their All Day Menu, which is only $168 for 2 Courses and is available until 6pm. 

Happy Aperitivo Hour Snacks -
Buy 1 Drink, Get 2nd Drink 50% Off.
It includes some Prosciutto ham, Pizza, Cheese and nibbles..

All Day Menu - $168 for 2 Courses.  Add $58 for Dessert.
Daily from 11:30am to 6pm

Got some Happy Hour Wine,  Aperitivo Prosciutto Ham,  and Bread Basket -

The Ham is actually of a good quality,  the soft and not overly salty cured type.

Soup of the Day - Italian Beans Soup
This was quite huge and filling actually, with it tasting quite meaty and accurately seasoned, the beans weren't overly mushy cooked and just holding shape and taste.  It's actually nearly big enough to be a light meal by itself,  especially with the bread..  ~ 9/10

Tagliolini Amatriciana & Pancetta -
The pasta was actually really good, hand made and eggy, springy.  This was a surprise and comparing it to sister restaurants Michelin Starred or Bib Gourmand CIAK in the Kitchen's similar version, I actually liked this better.  Even the Celeries were diagonally sliced evenly and everything was cooked well,  tomato sweet and with good pancetta input.  It tasted slightly Japanese sweeter too..  ~ 8/10  So far, the Happy Aperitivo Hour and Dishes tried so far were quite convincing especially when compared to its pricing point.  Will definitely be back 

Price: HKD $168 to HKD $300 Per Person + 10%
Food: ♕♕♕♕ 1/2

Address: 金鐘金鐘道88號太古廣場1樓112號舖
Shop 112, 1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Phone: +852 21158080

Yamm at The Mira [Hong Kong] - 2017 April Songkran Water Festival Thai Lunch Buffet

  April 13th tomorrow is Songkran Thai New Year's & Water Festival,  and to celebrate this event,  Yamm Buffet in The Mira Hotel is doing a  <Discover Thai Taste> Lunch Buffet starting from HKD $308.  I am always interested in exploring the food enjoyed by other cultures during their respective New Years, especially when Yamm's Thai food sections are being looked after by Bangkok's BAAN restaurant chefs for this April period.  

Thai Songkran New Years Celebration - 

Working together in collaboration with San Pellegrino Water,  fittingly..

Miang Pla Too - Station with Mackerel & Herbs Lettuce Wraps
One of my favorites and here provided unlimited during Lunch Buffet.. It's quite spicy too if you opt to, and I liked the presence of the potent fish with sawtooth herbs inside

Thai Beef Ball Rice Noodles with Herbs, Fried Garlic and Chili, Pork Rind - 
This was well received by everyone eating here and many went for 2nd helpings...  I wanted to reserve room for other food,  but still had a full bowl.  Soup base is made from scratch properly,  and no hint of MSG within

Grilled Pork Neck with Tropical Fruits - 

Thai food with some flame licked Grilled Pork Neck meat, with its melting marbling fat taste is always welcome.  This version here is not overly spicy or caramelized,  but more natural tasting type of recipe this day..

Plenty of Thai style Seafood or Minced Meat Salads -

The Laab Moo was actually very spicy again compared to the Pork Neck above, so for every bite here we had different expectations because this looked quite harmless by itself!  There were also other Massaman Curry and Pork Belly & Egg dishes..

Sushi & Sashimi Section - 

Some Japanese seafood dishes,  that I needed occasionally as a palate cleanser to reset my fiery palate from the Thai dishes!  The good thing is that many of the usual dishes still remain intact in the Lunch Buffet.... more photos later

Thai Songkran with San Pellegrino Mineral Water - 
And also with spicy and exotic Thai food

Quite a few Thai style Desserts - 
Including a few made from Sticky Rice, Charcoal Powder, or Pandan Madeleines.
There were quite a few other items available for this April  <<Discover Thai Lunch Buffet>>,  let me update here later tonight..







Price: Mon to Fri HKD $368 Per Person + 10%
Saturday $368
Sunday $438 with Unlimited Sparkling Wine
(Meal Organized by San Pellegrino & Yamm, The Mira Hotel)
Food: ♕♕♕♕ 1/2

Address: The Mira Hong Kong, G/F,, 118-130 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Phone: +23155111

Tate Dining Room [Hong Kong] - April 2017 Spring Menu with Tate Dining x AmorePacific

 Tate Dining Room has recently moved to a bigger premise on Hollywood Road,  and one day I got a surprise email invitation to come experience their AmorePacific Menu designed for the month of April,  which is a 5 Course Tasting Menu at HKD $1,380.  Included within the price is a Beauty Products gift package, which is attractive to potential lady customers and somehow the anticipation and simulation in my mind of a Michelin Star awarded Female Chef Vicky Lau designing a menu for a beauty product brand became an appeal in itself, as this could be something educational for a male diner like me too.

The New Tate Dining Room - 
It almost looks like a Museum Gallery

Dining Space Upstairs -
This is now much more spacious and comfortable to sit in

Amore Pacific Beauty Package included in the April Set Menu - HKD $1380
For me this cross-over with a Female Michelin Chef and a Beauty Product can actually create sparks,  plus it attracts female customers,  as well as being a good reason to take your date to here.

Amuse Bouches are Served - 
It appeared as a 'Floral & Nature' themed presentation.. 

Mushrooms Panna Cotta,  Peas Tart with Cheese,
and a Tube of Kombucha..

Very photogenic

抹茶素麺伴海膽魚子醬 -
Green Tea Somen with Leek Soy Dressing, served on Ice with Sea Urchin & Caviar.  The base sauce was tuned well and not too leek pungent, and the somen noodles were cooked spot on al dente.  This appeals instantly to Sea Urchin loving customers and the 'green' resonates with the Beauty and Nature theme...

Sourdough Bread with Unsalted Butter & Kombu Butter,
Brioche served with Fermented Fu Yu Beancurd Butter..

Grilled Hokkaido Scallop -
With Green Tea Buttermilk, Celery Root & Crispy Perilla Leaf.  The smoothness of the buttermilk was actually quite silky adjacent to the translucent Scallop slices,  reminding one of perfectly smooth skin.  If that was what Chef Vicky had in mind as well..

Lemon Curd Miso Kinmedai 金目鯛 with Kinome Puree -
White Miso Butter. Dashi Rice with Red Crab Meat. Lovely fish and the Kinome gives it a slight numbing peppery note. Very healthy recipe, only thing I might want is slightly more crustacean essence in the Soupy Rice to support the Crab meat Sweetness!..

Iberico Pork 'Pluma' with Beetroot Kimchi, Japanese Spring Vegetables & Pork Jus...
 The same meat cut that's used in many Michelin Star Chinese Restaurants for their Spanish Charsiu, here eaten as Modern French with a hint of Japanese feminine accent.  

Tea Ceremony -
Black Sesame Ice Cream with Mochi, Green Tea Foam, and Matcha & White Chocolate Palets..  The desserts flavors are overall balanced and quite 'Zen' like.  It worked well as a Theme with the AmorePacific product as a story...

Black Coffee - 
This to finish.  I personally thought this was a little too over extracted bitter.  Needed some sugar.

The Tate Dining Room x Amore Pacific April 2017 Menu was definitely Fascinating...
In that it was from start to finish quite feminine subtle overall and in its accent,  choice of ingredients, flavoring or pastel color pairings.  Definitely a unique dining experience on a global scale.  This could also provide some forward ideas and possibilities in the evolution of female chefs around the world, particularly when we remain in an epoch of the Restaurant field and industry being mostly male dominated.  I guess Chef Vicky answered this question with her best practical answer,  with her own assertive yet elegant food style to stand out...

Price: HKD $1,380 Per Person + 10%  (Meal Organized by AmorePacific x Tate Dining)

Food: ♕♕♕♕♕

Address: 210 Hollywood Rd, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Phone: +852 25552172