My Pho craving landed me at Cafe Annam

Being still relatively new to Hong Kong and the Central district, I decided to take a walk around SoHo one afternoon to look for something new to eat. More often than not, I end up in a Vietnamese bistro, always searching for that pefect bowl of Pho, the aromatic flavor of Vietnamese spices and beef wafting from a steaming bowl of broth cooked for endless hours and served over rice noodles and fresh herbs.

Ah, that's paradise, but today, I've settled for 2 Vietnamese appetizers and a Vietnamese drip coffee. Besides Pho, I also have a thing for steamed rice paper rolls that are delicately filled with minced pork, mushroom and glass noodle. The Cafe Annam version didn't disappoint at all, the paper thin rolls filled were served with a generous sprinkling of fried shallots and went down so well with spicy fish sauce. I also ordered fresh rolls with prawn, another Vietnamese staple that's available in every Vietnamese restaurant anywhere. These were quite good, but tasted a little dry, and was a little too heavy on the vegetables and not enough prawn meat. I wasn't too hungry (just greedy) that afternoon, so it was best to call it a day.

Cecconi's in SoHo

Been to this modern Italian bistro along Elgin St a number of times, and it's still consistently one of the better ones in the SoHo area. The first time was for lunch. I remember ordering the set lunch that consisted of a roasted garlic soup followed by spagetti bolognese.


Normally, I'd steer clear of bolognese (reminds me too much of Chef Boyardee's microwaved verson), but I'm glad I decided to give it a try. It used to be a favorite childhood meal of mine, and Cecconi's version is definitely one of my new favorites - flavorful yet tender, with a rich, aromatic tomato flavor balanced with the right amount of Italian herbs. All in all, a good deal at HK$108.


The second time I was there I tried the tasting menu which consisted of four courses, at HK$498. I didn't have time to take notes of each of the individual courses as it was a business dinner, but I did recall there was foie gras, scallops, Chilean bass and risotto, and I was very full by the end of the fourth course. The experience was most enjoyable and the fact that my company picked up the tab made it more than memorable. :)

Isola, Modern Italian With A Stunning View

The moment I walked into Isola I was mesmerized by the stark white tapestry pattern of the wallpaper in this modern minimalist restaurant at the International Financial Center in Hong Kong. Perched on top of the 4th floor of the IFC, diners are treated to the spectacular view of the Hong Kong skyline and harbor while dining alfresco on the patio.

My friend had reserved a table a week in advance fortunately, and we managed to secure a waterfront view by the window in a quiet corner of this very busy restaurant. It was Monday, and yet the restaurant was filled to capacity. Big, bold and beautiful, I was told this was still the place to see and be seen in Hong Kong.


Lately, I've been on a gastronomic quest to find the best squid ink pasta dish around, and so tonight I was pleasantly surprised to find a squid ink linguine vongole accompanied by baby asparagus. Naturally, that was my selection for the main course, and I also ordered an arugula and mushroom salad with grapes and shaved Parmigiano.

I have to say both dishes were executed with perfection, it was clear the scenic waterfront views were not just the main attractions at this popular Hong Kong restaurant, the food certainly stands up to a lot of accolades as well. Not to mention the excellent, top-notch service fitting for such a dining experience.

This entry marked the start of a 30 day, 4 country culinary journey that included Hong Kong, Mexico, San Francisco and Melbourne. Stay tuned for more delicious photos to come.