Nino's Cozinha (kitchen) - Hong Kong

Name of Restaurant: Nino’s Cozinha
Address: Shop 3, Ground Floor, Greatmany Centre, 31 Ship Street, Wan Chai
Tel. No.: (+852) 2866 1868

I’m sipping on my stinky, disgusting and bitter Chinese herbal tea as I type up this entry…Yeah~ the story of my life! Should really become a vegetarian, start becoming a yogamanic and live on organic food if I wanna avoid drinking this nasty potion!

Another usual gathering with my girls, this time we headed out to Nino’s Cozinha which serves Portuguese family style food and seafood including home made dessert, wine and coffee. It is rare in HK to be able to spot a Portuguese restaurant but much easier to find a Macanese restaurant instead. Moreover, if you are able to find a so-called Portuguese restaurant, it is mostly likely to be Chinese / Macanese influenced or so-called “fusion” cuisine!



(This is a stolen pic, got too dark when I was there!)

The recently-opened restaurant is situated in a secluded cul-de-sac; with red brick exterior and decorated with plants. This cozy little restaurant has a narrow L-shaped dinning area and about 20 odds seats only. The long white wall is decorated with personal black and white pictures of the family’s ancestors. On the opposite wall there’s a tiny open bar area and another huge white board containing partially of the menu on.



One of the owner Mr. Joe Ozario (a.k.a Uncle Joe) and his lovely niece Gertie happily greeted us and provided details of their recommendation. Initially we were to order some sardines which flown in that day but when we finally placed our order…we were told they’ve already sold out!!! LOL

Tasty warm home-made bread!

Our order was as follow:

(1) Salt crusted scallop: Fresh scalloped baked with butter, garlic, shallot and seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper. I won’t go into it too much as I’m sure you can all use your imagination.


(2) Green Salad: The salad was fresh with seasoned mayo served on separately which to me is a plus. I’d have preferred it to serve with olive oil and seasoned balsamic vinegar with bit of pepper.

(3) Clams in white wine sauce: Initially I wanted to try the clams in tomato sauce but I got overruled…this wasn’t bad. The calm were fresh, without sand / impurities, juicy and has a slight natural sweetness to it. Although I feel the wine in the sauce didn’t evaporated…maybe should have boiled it for another minute or two before serving. Overall, it was fair but a bit boring; I mean you must have had a, “mussels in white wine sauce” or a “Linguine with clams in white whine sauce”, etc. before right?



(4) Spicy Chicken: The chicken was marinated with spicy herbs and roasted. Extra spicy sauce was served separately. The meat is moist and I was most impressed that even the chicken breast part was tender. The chicken was definitely spicy enough, but it lacked flavors.



(5) Chickpeas and Ox tripe in tomato sauce: This was awesome and the tomato flavour intensified with the beef because not only ox tripe is used, partially of the beef brisket is also used. The chickpeas were soft and this is a great dish to have with some hot steamed rice.



(6) Dried cured beef: This was on the house because the Ozario family is just so hospitable to their guests!! This cold cut is lean (unlike proscuitto), with no discernible striations of fat. Despite it being lean, this tender savory meat merged well with the olive oil and almost melts in your mouth. Simply delicious!



(7) Strawberry Cheesecake: This lovely baby pink strawberry cheesecake was shaped as a heart~ It’s so romantic and pretty to look at, however, personally I found it a tad salty! One thing I do like was the stronger-than-usual natural acidic flavor from strawberries of this cheesecake.



(8) Serradurra (or sawdust pudding – Macanese) [木糠布甸 in Chinese]: It is a delectable dessert which I’m guessing is more Macanese influenced. It has layers of crushed (to powdery consistency) marie biscuits (or any plain biscuit) and layers of cream + condensed milk mix (so when it’s frozen it taste like vanilla ice cream). The thing is…I’ve tried a better Serradurra at Solmar Restaurant in Macau before. http://www.solmar.com.mo/main.htm (Their Spicy Chicken非洲雞 is also fantastic!!)



(9) Sangria (Red & White): I know this is Spanish but it’s a great cocktail and I’m just glad to have it! The Red Sangria is great but I preferred the white one. The white sangria here doesn’t have any carbonated drink add into it (which I like) also they’ve put a bit of gin in it to give it an extra kick. I love the layer of different tastes it has. First you can taste the white wine, then the gin and then the fruits. Personally, I like my Sangria to be fruitier, but at Nino’s they only used two kinds of fruit and that is orange and apple. I’d suggest other fruit like canned pineapple and pears to be added, these two fruits are economical and available through out the year.

Beautiful Sangria

I was told by Gertie and Uncle Joe that they are constantly updating their menu with new dishes. When asked, “how is everything?”, I actually felt it was a genuine question and they were more than happy to listen even when criticized. I love this open attitude and the warm, friendly service I’ve received during my visit. I would recommend others to visit this restaurant but do remember to make your reservation! You’ve been warned =P


Lastly with all the food we had (the cured beef + white sangria on the house) the bill only came to $360 / head (£24).


Enjoying our Sangria outdoor~

On a rainy day

I love rainy days because they remind me of England. Today is one of those days that make me think of the time I spent there.

It is only August but the wind that runs through my office already feels like autumn. I am wearing a grey cardigan over my navy blue dress. My bare legs are also a bit chilly. The weather like this definitely calls for a cuppa, and in this case, a mug of rich hot chocolate will be very nice.

(Picture: courtesy of myrecipes.com)

As much as I love the idea of having a cup of hot chocolate on a chilly, rainy day, snuggled up in a warm blanket reading a book -or watching DVDs-, I can never finish a cup of hot chocolate. It is just too much even if I do not add any sugar or cream in it. Nonetheless, I get craving for a hot chocolate on a rainy day.
The best hot chocolate I ever had was in fact the one I made at home with Valhorna dark. Sounds smug, no? :p
It has become relatively easy to find nice hot chocolate in Seoul, the ones made with real chocolate as opposed to Swiss Miss. Some are thick, some are light. It is nice to see that more and more people in Korea take chocolate seriously.

I don't think hot chocolate requires any particular recipe as long as you are making one with the best dark chocolate you can get and full-fat milk.
Just chop up (if you have chocolate buttons, even better) a few tablespoons of dark chocolate, put it in a mug or heat-proof glass, add hot milk (but not too hot).
Let it sit for a while and then whisk vigorously.
If you want it extra indulgent, add a dollop of booze-spiked or vanilla-laced whipped cream. Serve it alone or maybe with a buttery biscuit.

Sit back, put up your feet up and drink. Bliss.

Agnés B. DÉLICES

Name: Agnés B. DÉLICES
Location: Shop B16, The Sun Arcade, 28 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Website: http://www.agnesb-delices.com/praline.html

Agnés B – Dare I say it is a brand that’s better known in Asia than in Europe. Crazed by many Chinese and Japanese girlies, though the hype never quite caught me! In recent years, they have started to diversify the business, e.g. opening floral shop, book shop (gallery), etc. In 2007, they caused a (slight) stir in the F & B world in HK, by opening a restaurant in Causeway Bay and their own chocolatiers. Apparently, at one point bookings have to be made 6-9 months in advance. I haven’t tried their restaurants for two reasons, I believer it is over hyped and I can find better French Cuisine else where, period. Besides…I’d rather spend the money on a DKNY or Anterprima (plastiq collection) Bag than eating there! (Mind you the bill for two should be equivalent of a handbag from those two brands) =P

Ok back to food…seeing that they have now opened 4-5 shops around HK, I felt it was safe enough for me to go try it out. Maybe I’d like it…plus I bough myself more Jean-Paul Hevin’s macaroons, nothing can faze me now! (yeah…haahaa, so I thought!)

When I enter the shop, a massive glass counter filled with truffles and chocolates greeted me. With some pre-packed boxes of chocolate which offer a tacky looking bracelet that might make a good birthday gift for some on the shelves.

In the end, I only managed to buy four chocolate and they looked adorable.



Fleur – Gianduja and Ganache Dark Chocolate

“A luxurious blend of the finest ganache with hazelnut and almond paste, this is your one-way ticket to chocolate paradise.”

Thin chocolate casing held the "finest ganache" which I found the almond taste was stronger than hazelnut. Not a particular fan of this one.



Aurore – Earl Grey Dark Chocolate


“The unique and sophisticated flavors of delicate, bergamot-infused tea make this a must-try praline for all chocolate connoisseurs.”

Let's just say the Earl Grey Flavored Truffle I bought from Hokkaido is the best ones I've tried. So if I'm trying to search that flavour again, it'd prob be either flying over there or make it myself. The distintive taste of the tea was not pleasing and I'd have preferred it if more chocolate was there.


Valerie – Vanilla Milk Chocolate


“A delectable twist on traditional milk chocolate this luxurious praline will delight your taste buds with its masterful blend of cocoa, cream and finest vanilla.”

I love vanilla, I love milk chocolate and cream...so I thought except for being overly sweet, this chocolate cannot go wrong right? I took half a bite of it than forced my mum to have another half. Her comment was, "Agnes B. is really over hyped isn't it!?" haahaa~

Isabelle – Rose Dark Chocolate


“A rich blend of rose with smooth dark chocolate, it is a perfect balance of two sophisticated flavors.”


Sorry, if I have ran out of words to describe food that are less pleasing for me. I took half a bite of this and threw the other half in the bin. I just can't take it anymore! I was expecting a more perfumed taste of it but instead, it tasted weird. Maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough to try their chocolate.


They cost $16 each (approx £1 each)

In general, I didn't enjoy the thin casing of chocolate, I felt the fillings were too overwhelming and none of the aromas was pleasing to me. I'm not sure if I'm affected with my prejudice so I've decided I'll buy tons of chocolate for Banya to try next time I visit her in Korea! She would be a much fairer judge than me, I'm sure.

In search of the perfect chocolate chip cookies

An Australian food critique once said that if you master 10 dishes, they will serve you well for the rest of your life. And I agree with her. So I thought of 10 dishes I want to master. Chocolate chip cookies top my list.

People have different opinions about what chocolate chip cookies should be about. Some like it hot, fresh out of the oven, or cooled at room temperature. Some like it crispy to the centre, some like it crispy on the edge but soft and chewy in the middle. I think it tastes nice warm or cool, but I like mine to have a chewy centre.

Chocolate chip cookie is probably the first baked goods people make in their lives as it is child friendly, simple yet very rewarding. I baked it countless times, but never achieved the perfect stage of cripsy edges with soft centre. I googled over and over, but never met a recipe that I liked. Until yesterday, that is.

I read a lot of blogs, and it appears to me that Jacque Torres recipe is the latest craze. Since it was said that it yields chewy soft centred cookies, I decided to give it a go. It was perfect. I feel forever indebted to him. His recipe requires minimum 24 hour chilling. This process is said to help sugar to absorb fat and liquid.

This is the original recipe but I halved the portion.

I used Montezuma's Organic Cooking Chocolate Couverture

• cake flour 120g
• bread flour 120g
• baking powder 3/4 teaspoons
• coarse salt 3/4 teasoons
• butter 160g
• light brown sugar 140g
• granulated sugar 110g
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
• 280g chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content
• Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 175°C degrees. (350°F)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.

Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day.

Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Eat it warm with a glass of cold milk, or at room temperature with a hot coffee.

Marinated Soft-Boiled Egg (Japanese Style)

Japanese style marinated soft-boiled egg is usually seen serving with ramen (Japanese noodles in soup). However, I think this delicacy is good enough to be served on its own, as well as with cold noodle, rice dishes, or ramen.

The marinate used to make this recipe shown below is very simple to make, although I do have a more complicated version of this marinate which I just can’t bring myself to do (do excuse for my laziness…).

For this recipe, I would only use imported eggs from Japan for three reasons: (i) Taste better; (ii) err…in case of getting any foodborne illnesses (but than again I eat tiramisu which has raw egg in it…I’m such a hypocrite); (iii) I simply don’t have enough faith from farms in China and I can’t be sure what eggs are locally sourced from HK or PRC, hence it’s easier just buy Japanese imported ones.

Jap Eggs Mirin


Ingredients:

3 Japanese eggs
75ml Soy sauce (I use the premium type)
75ml Mirin (味淋 – in Chinese)
225ml Water

Directions:

• Place soy sauce, mirin, water in to a pot, use medium heat and bring the marinade to boil. Set aside to cool.


• Heat up a pot of water (enough to cover the whole egg), once boiling, put in a bowl of water (room temperature), place in the eggs and leave it to cook for 5 minutes.


• Get the eggs out and place in cold water immediately.


• Once the eggs have cooled, peel off it shell and wipe away any excess water than place in marinate which has been cooled and place in refrigerator.


• Leave it to marinate for 1-2 days before serving.

Variations / Tips:

• When the size of eggs or quantity varies, the marinate can be adjusted in this ratio - soy sauce: mirin: water – 1 :1 : 3.


• If you are using eggs that are stored in the fridge, take it out and rest in room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before proceeding, otherwise when you place it into the pot of boiling water, it will most likely crack from the pressure.


• For extra large egg, cooking time is added on by one minute.
  
• Other ingredients such as wine (if you add in wine then reduce the amount of water) / tea leave / star anise can be added into marinate.


• Marinate can be reused by boiling it again then place in a glass jar and place in the fridge or keeping. You can add in soy sauce 25ml, mirin 25ml, water 75ml after a reusing marinate for a couple of times.


• When boiling the “old” marinate, use sieve to take out the froth before placing into jar to cool.

The Lucy Pie Kitchen, pies, Seoul

The Lucy Pie....even the shop is so adorable, inspired by kitsch 50s American style. The owner likes Lucy from an old American TV series, so she named her store The Lucy Pie.

I went to the original store in Dongbu Ichon-dong. There is pink everywhere, from the pink tiles outside the shop to the pink ribbons on the cookie boxes. The Lucy Pie is not about high-end patisserie but about homemade-style comfort food.

The pie shop offers various American-style pies, from Apple Crumble Pie to Chcolate Pudding Pie. I have tried many of their pies, and this time, me and my cousin ordered a lemon meringue pie, a peppermint chocolate pie, an iced Americano and a hot Americano.

The short crust is crumbly but not buttery, meaning that shortening was used in it. The lemon custard layer was sweet, lemony and devoid of unpleasant egg smell. Meringue was light, nicely whipped and browned well. In fact, The Lucy Pie is one of the very few places that offer lemon meringue pie every day. I was told that Tartine in Itaewon sells lemon meringue pie on the weekends, but I did not see any when I visited them on Saturday afternoon. It not only tastes nice, but also pretty to look at.

My favourite pie here is Peppermint Chcolate Pie. It is like having Christmas already. Chocolate pie crust is layered with chocolate pudding (I am almost certain that it is JELLO), topped with mint chocolate speckled whipped cream. One bite of it will make you feel like you are in heaven.

Americano was 5000, which is pricey, but you can get a refill.
Price aside, coffee was not good. Too thin. Not strong enough.

More pies...

Savoury pies were already sold-out when I got there around 6PM.

I never tried this, but I was told that it is 2 discs of chocolate cake sandwiched together with peanut cream in the middle.

Cute little merinuges...

Chocolate puding pie

My favourite till I found Peppermint Chocolate pie. Unlike other pies, this pie has oreo-cookie bottom. Like Peppermint pie, it has chocolate pudding layer in the middle, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It is also called Scream Pie - it tastes so good that you will want to scream.

This cinamony Apple Crumble Pie is very high...thily sliced apples are layered in the pie crust -over 5cm-, topped with cinamony crumble topping. It is one of the best-selling pies.

Another favourite of mine, sour cherry pie...cherry fillings encased in crumbly pie shell. Each slice has cute little heart-shaped hole.

Cold drinks on display. Ginger beer ice cream float is available.

My favourite till I found Peppermint Chocolate pie. Unlike other pies, this pie has oreo-cookie bottom. Like Peppermint pie, it has chocolate pudding layer in the middle, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It is also called Scream Pie - it tastes so good that you want to scream.

A closer look at Chocolate Pudding Pie

I tried pecan pie before, but I don't remember much of it. I asked a staff there is pecan pie and walnut pie are the same except the buts on top, and he said that pecan pie is like any other pecan pie, but walnut pie has almond powder, etc in it, so elderly people like it.

Grapefruit jello made with fresh fruits.

Price: 4500KRW-5500KRW (￡2.25-￡2.75)
Americano: 5000KRW (￡2.25)

The Lucy Pie Kitchen, Dongbu Ichon-dong
Opposite Chungshin Church
02-790-7779
11:00am-11:00pm

더루시파이키친 동부이촌동 (본점)
충신교회 건너편
02-790-7779
11:00am-11:00pm



The Lucy Pie Kitchen
Galleria Department Store West
LG1
10:30AM-8:00PM
02-3449-4185

더루시파이 키친
갤러리아 백화점 West 지하1층
10:30AM-8:00PM
02-3449-4185


The Lucy Pie Kitchen
Hyundai Department Store at Korea World Trade Center
02-3467-6508

더루시파이키친
무역센터 현대백화점
02-3467-6508


The Lucy Pie Kitchen
Shingsaegae Department Store in Gangnam
LG1 behind Migo
phone number is not available,
10:30AM-8:00PM

더루시파이키친

강남신세계

지하1층 미고 뒤

10:30AM-8:00PM

It is not the pies I care about these days, but Park Tae Hwan, the first Asian to win a gold medal in Freestyle.





Right after he won the gold. (400m freestyle)

Such a pity that he is 7 years younger than me...