Some say I'm biased because this chef is a personal favourite. Hence i waited to write this review after countless visits.

Labyrinth is nestled on the ground floor of a shophouse just a stone's throw away from the famous maxwell food centre. A minimalist front greets those brave enough to venture beyond their food comfort zones to sample a brand new local cuisine, termed mod sin by those in the know. Afterall, as signposted by the name, it's a journey you're in for and my food companions for tonight will happily attest to that.

 It would give away far too much of the surprise to go into specific detail about each of the dishes served but above is a photo collage of what you can expect at this unique joint.

 My favourite is the Satay beef. This dish plays on the highlights of the flavourful and nutty satay tastes locals are so accustomed to. Yet the melt in your beef is unlike any other you have experienced. From the first bite into the succulent beef, my tastebuds are greeted with a familiar nuttiness. Done to a perfect brown, a piece of seared foie gras beckons atop the hearty slab. Emulating the melt in your mouth textures of a beautifully grilled stick of satay, the foie gras is the perfect cherry to top off the sensational flavours exploding in your mouth. Accompanied by a fried onion ring and peanut mochi, this dish is every flavour a seasoned satay man dishes out yet nothing like what we've come to expect. Words cannot do justice, it is an experience that must be had on your own.

The illustrious chef declares that it's not long before a new menu will be unveiled and I can't wait to be back for more.

Thehappypig signing off...happy bellied and belly happy!

Umami heaven

It's been a while since I've been inspired to post.

But just that once in a blue moon, a dish coaxes my tastebuds into singing.

Lolla, a simple unpretentious setting where there is nothing to distract you from the food. It's home to a most special dish, a culmination of two of my favourite tastes of the sea. It's really quite hard to describe that amazing taste sensation. But really, what else could you expect when you top squid ink pudding with luscious slabs of uni.

At first bite, I'm enchanted. Midway, I'm in love. And by the end, I've already made plans for my return. A tad excessive one might say, but how could I resist a slice of paradise.

Dozo

An unassuming entrance tucked in the lesser known surburb of River Valley, Dozo, tries to emulate the concept of fine dining but with affordable pricing.

As I step in, friendly staff greet me a cheerful good afternoon as I walk by, the place is quiet and there's only me in our area. I liked the table by the window. The natural lighting put me at ease and I could watch people go by. 

While waiting for my girlfriend to arrive,  I'm fed this vase of edible breadsticks. I'm not quite able to figure out what differentiates them save for the orange one which has a cheesy and slight spicy kick to it. Anyhow, it's certainly an interesting way to present breadsticks and makes for an easy snack.

A sour plum sorbet shot whets the appetite.

We kicked off with chef's choice, scallop w asparagus, foie gras w bread, salmon w cream.

Didn like the sweetness of the cream. Would have preferred a sharper contrast for example with sour cream & chives.

Scallop was good. Juicy and succulent.

Foie gras was alright. But the exterior was not melty enough.

It's so hard to choose a side dish. The foie gras chawanmushi sounds like the ideal 'wake my belly up' dish and the escargots sound yum too. I can just imagine the slight sweetness of the yuzu paired with its sour tang bringing out the delightful springy texture of the escargot. But I decide on the soft shell crab in the end. 

Superb choice. The crab tempura was juicy and delicious. The batter was light just enough to add a little bite. The apple tempura was a nice surprise, something unique. 

Escargot w yuzu butter was unfortunately overdone, ended up too tough.

When it comes to the soup, I'm torn between the crab bisque and the bacon infused pumpkin velouté. Ok, who am I kidding, I love my shellfish, crab bisque it is! And the verdict, the crab bisque is flavourful and hearty. Could have had one more serving.

It's easy with the choice of main. The beef tenderloin on hot stone should fulfil my steak craving, plus I'm a sucker for interesting sounding dishes. When the server confirms this as a signature, that seals the deal. 

I liked the beef. It was tender and melted in my mouth. However, due to the hot stone, my slices of beef were all done to different degrees of wellness. The presentation however was a delightful and the mustard a good touch to prevent the fatty beef from being too cloying.

Dessert is always the hardest of them all. I want to try everything sans the red bean ones! But I go with my gut feeling and settle for the warm chocolate cake eventually after staring at the page for a good 5mins. And... It was oh so good! The melted chocolate middle was simply divine. I'm in happy pig heaven.

The drinks menu is interesting and it's considered one of the courses, but who am I to complain, my iced rose lemon tea big is the perfect concoction to change my palate before dessert. Refreshing and uncomplicated, the citrusy flavour creates the perfect base for the delicate rose notes.

And I was delightfully surprised by a birthday cake. My friend had informed them prior to our arrival. Thumbs up for service!

Lunch today is priced at $39.80++ for 6 courses. I think I need another trip here to try the rest of the items. 

Dozo

Valley point #02-02/03

Aoki

Hidden in Shaw Centre, Aoki is a well kept secret among japanese cuisine lovers willing to splurge. Known as one of the best Japanese fine dining restaurants locally, the interior is simple yet elegant. 

It's a special occasion and I decided it was time to step in for the first time after hearing constant raves about it.

The dishes here are lavishly presented and use quality ingredients. Attention is paid to the smallest detail and the skilful chefs prepare each dish before us. It's a almost like watching a mesmerising art performance.

To whet our appetites, a simple vegetable dish is served. Its slightly sour and savoury tang awakens the palate ready to enjoy the tantalising meal that is to come.

The first dish few dishes set the bar high. It's what they are known for here, seasonals with unique pairings.

 The sweetness of the juicy ebi paired with the briny crustacean flavour of the fresh uni is a delicate yet flavourful explosion in the mouth. To top it off, the saltiness of the caviar proves to be the perfect canvas to showcase the natural sweetness of the ebi and uni.

The next two dishes that follow are culinary masterpieces that showcase a perfect balance bewteen the natural flavours of the fish and the savoury textures of the condiments used.

White snapper carpaccio with truffle shavings and truffled sauce

Leatherjacket sashimi with leatherjacket liver sauce and spring onions 

From here, the meal gets back on the straight and narrow serving up the usual suspects.

Sashimi moriwase

Bonito sashimi

Peeled crabmeat with nori

Asari clear soup with a huge clam

Hamachi belly sushi. 

This is usually the star of the show and once again it's a top contender.

 

But today this is the star of all the sushi. Burnt toro. It's artfully seared so the oil coats the sushi rice.

One cannot even begin to the describe the goodness of this. It leaves me speechless, my eyes flutter closed as I savour the tiny piece of culinary heaven. A contented sigh escapes my lips. I open my eyes, still floating.

It's the perfect end to my meal which ends on a high. 

Be warned. If you step into this place, your tastebuds will be spoilt. 

Aoki

Shaw Centre

When it says jumbo, it's no joke

Back my favourite casual Japanese haunt..Itacho@ION! Only it's moved to B3 next to Imperial treasure now.

My fellow hotate lover had alerted me to jumbo scallops returning to the seasonal menu previously and that's the reason for this post.

Look at this humongous piece of hotate bursting with flavour. When they call it jumbo scallop it really is jumbo!

Its oh so fresh and I remarked that it must have arrived just last night or this morning. The sweetness of the juicy flesh is perfection in my mouth and I can't help but go for a second round and I probably would have gone for a third had I not restrained myself.

If you're as lucky, perhaps you'll get to savour this freshness too! Head down while its in season!!!

Sun Kee

A hidden gem in Champagne court, Sun Kee is known only to the local crowd. It's small with a few tables and we were here early to score a table.

It's famed cheesy pork neck gong zai meen lived up to my fellow foodie's raves.

The warm melty cheese sauce is sinful indulgence but oh so good. Paired with the slightly spicy kick of the succulent pork neck, it brings a huge smile to our faces. The noodles are nothing special but eaten together, the mix makes for a delightful taste explosion that allows a fellow foodie to conquer 2 bowls worth.

Another dish worth trying is the 

honeyed octopus tentacles. 

The flesh is crunch and springy, drenched in a sweet sauce, reminiscent of kecap manis.

This is local food at its best, a must try. Sun Kee has two locations, Wanchai and Tsim Tsa Tsui. Both are in rather elusive locations, be sure to check in with the locals for directions.

Sun Kee

G/F, Shop 13 -14, Champagne Court, 16 - 20 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

OR

Shop G11-G14, New Century Plaza, 151-163 Wan Chai Road, Wan Cha, Hong Kong

Yin Yang

After 2 days of posh indulgence, it's time to taste the real hk. And what better way than a private kitchen?

Private kitchens have now become a staple in the Hong Kong foodie scene, often found in buildings with inconspicuous entraces and hard to find stairwells. What started as a home owners cooking for guests years ago has now become a food culture that hong kongers are proud of. The interior makes you feel like you're a guest in someone's home.

So here we are today at Yin Yang kitchen where I have prearranged for a chef omakase menu. 

Based on my budget of 400hkd, the chef customised the menu accordingly.

Autumn Wild

A medley of appetisers kick started the meal, beginning with a light egg custard scattered with truffle bits and truffle shaving on top, followed by fresh sweet potato leaves tossed with a beetroot dressing and a olive oil vinagrette. We saved the best for last. To complete this dish, a beautiful prawn in chicken consommé jelly with pear. 

This was my favourite. The crunch yet sweet pear, the smooth savoury jelly and fresh prawn made for an interesting taste surprise. 

Yellow earth chicken

This is one of Yin Yang's signature dishes. Made from 'music chicken' cooked on a terracotta stove, the meat is succulent and juicy. The skin is oily with a slight layer of fat that melts in the mouth. It's as good as chicken gets in it's most earthy state. The reason for the name of the music chicken, is because there is one farm in HK where the chickens reared do actually listen to music. 

Organic stone ground tofu fish soup

(We missed a picture for this)

Broth is light and flavourful, reminds me of my grandma's cooking. The stone ground tofu has a silken texture yet posseses a raw edge quite unlike the usual processed tofu. There's a sense of home, like the dish could have made entirely from ingredients in your own backyard.

New Moon

Prawn in a lime consommé, limes freshly grown by the kitchen. The consommé radiates a natural sweetness, almost like a japanese yuzu with a slight plummy note. 

Red Hot

Terracotta stove cooked baby pig. Paired with the sweetness of the accompanying fig purée and sauce, it was perfect. The wonderful aroma stopped us all in our tracks when it was served.

Wagyu beef and crab yin yang rice

This was probably my least favourite. Although the ingredients used were premium, especially the wagyu, I found the flavours too rich and the taste too heavy, but that's just a personal opinion.

Our organic vegetables

A beautiful display of morning glory, spinach and bak choy arrived at our table. It was a refreshing end to the savoury part of our meal

As for dessert, we had an organic guava sherbet with star fruit.

This dish was enjoyed by a friend with dubious peranakan roots, but I was not accustomed to the rough texture. I think I'll stick with Haagen daaz ice cream. 

This was an enjoyable rendition of a private kitchen performance. Healthy home inspired dishes with indulgent flair.

Yin Yang

18 Ship St (turn in from Jordan St)

Wanchai Hong Kong