Le Salon (Hong Kong)

Hysan Place, a new mall in Hong Kong, opened about two weeks ago. It's all the rage with the locals, with its 24/7 book shop (an idea borrowed from the Taiwanese) and because of the very fact that it's new - Hong Kongers love this sort of thing. I personally skipped the Sunday crowds and headed straight to the more promising upper levels of the mall, which holds a bunch of interesting looking restaurants.

The first restaurant I sampled was Le Salon. It's a quiet haven amidst the bustling Hysan crowd. A very classy looking place, with its striped walls and dark furniture.

I ordered the High Tea set on the waiter's recommendation, and it certainly looked delicious when it arrived. However, to my dismay, it was one of those things that look a lot better than they taste.

The creme brulee was sour (I think the milk must've curdled or something), the macaron wasn't particularly well made (in my opinion, it should be light with a crunch - this was heavy) and the croissant was overly sweet.

Although the bagel and the scone were redeeming aspects, overall, better high tea sets can be found elsewhere in Hong Kong - like at LGB, for example.

Food: B

Ambience/Deco: A

Service: B

Price: B

Le Salon

Shop No. 1302, 13/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay

Dragon-i (Hong Kong)

At night, dragon-i is an exclusive, over-priced nightclub. In the day, they provide all you can eat dim sum! Granted, it's still over-priced ($200 per person) but the beautiful interiors and intimate environment make it worth the visit. If you're looking for the authentic yum cha experience (loud, busy, bustling), this place might not be it though. Dim sum of the same, if not better, quality can be found elsewhere for much cheaper.

 Nice, peaceful atmosphere perfect for Sunday brunches.

Dim sum, yum! My personal favourite is the chicken feet. ;)

Food: A

Ambience/Deco: A

Service: B

Price: B-

Dragon-i

60 Wyndham Street, Hong Kong

SML (Hong Kong)

So, the other day I went on a lunch date with a couple of friends to a restaurant in Timesquare called SML. I've been here quite a few times before and can highly recommend the place! The restaurant has a diverse menu, and the unique (and convenient) quality of offering all their dishes in either a small, medium or large size; hence the name, as you may have now guessed.

The restaurant also has a great environment, both during the day and at night. In the day, there's a very bistro-esque vibe that comes from the sunny outdoor seating they offer (quite a rarity in Hong Kong, may I add!). And at night, it's perfect for either a date or a get together with friends. There's a very communal atmosphere, as they give the option of seating parties at long tables, where you may simply be a seat away from an entirely different group of people. Prices are decent as well.

The outdoor seating is lovely on a summer afternoon.

Love the crostini with anchovy mayonnaise! Yum.

Risotto with red wine-braised oxtail & parmesan cheese - recommend this too!

Food: A-

Ambience/Deco: B+

Service: B

Price: A

SML

1 Matheson Street, Hong Kong