Craft Coffee Roaster

Checked: Craft Coffee Roaster (Tak Kok Tsui)

A random encounter during my two days onsite work in the quite remote Tai Kok Tsui.

This dainty new Aussi style coffeeshop stood out among the rather old and run down fruit stalls, barbershops and bakeries.

For a not so strong morning dose, I safely tried the latte. Foams quite smooth and milky, but the coffee not strong enough. I opt for a stronger cappuccino for an after lunch dose, and disappointingly as milky.

They serve award winning teas too, maybe another time.

Only a 5-minute walk from exit B of Olympics station.

Caffee Essenza

Checked: Caffe Essenza (Kwun Tong)

Opened by Cafe Corridor's boss Felix in the spacious lobby of an office building in Kwun Tong, a few street's walk behind apm mall.

To cater for the area, the price is extremely reasonable, hkd24 for a latte, hkd14 for expresso.

Aircon is very high here, my coffee turned cold quickly...I know latte's supposed to be milky but this was way too milky for me (prefer 18 grams' stronger version) and very slightly on the watery side. Milk foam's alright, could be thicker I suppose.

For the price and quality though, cannot complain. Opening hours like office hours so go on weekdays if you want a try.

Address ref: http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=41477&region=0&s=3

Pineapple buns & French toasts

Checked: Kam Wah Cafe 金華冰廳 (Prince Edward station, exit B2, Bute Street)

Well acclaimed for its freshly baked pineapple bun with butter slice, I also tried their "award-winning French toast". 

Pineapple bun with fresh butter slice (hkd8)
It's Delicious... Freshly baked buns straight out of the oven with a slice of cold fresh butter, slowly melting in your mouth together with the sweet crumbly crunch of the top layer and hot fluffy texture of the bun... It's the best example of food that can be cheap simple yet tasty. One of the greatest local eats definitely. 

Be warned though, this is the only good pineapple bun I have tasted so far...unfortunately.

Address ref:  http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=11293&tc=sr1

French toast (hkd14)
Done the traditional way, two breads sandwiched in peanut butter, deep fried to light golden with butter and lots of unhealthy corn syrup, gluttony at its best...and you can rarely find tea restarants giving you peanut butter these days!

Both are cheap eats so it's all about childhood nostalgia and guilty pleasures. Aside from wishing for even MORE BUTTER (they use the New Zealand Anchor brand), it's a must return.

Try the milk tea too, it's above average, quite strong and silky.

Piccolo Latte

Checked: Coco Espresso (Sheung Wan, station, exit E2, intersection of Jervois Street and Bonham Strand) 

Technicalities aside, from an amateurish perspective, a piccolo latte is small latte more condensed and strong fit in a 100ml glass, in between macchiato and latte by comparison, and often more expensive than a full blown glass of latte.

Coco Espresso is a tiny and warm little cafe with rather good coffee, well hkd34...but strong yet smooth and milky at the same time. Just slightly weak on the foam. Will return. There's another branch in Wanchai if Sheung Wan's too far for you.

Address ref: http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=19001&tc=sr1

Cream Tea

Checked: Shortbread Teas (Wellington Street 55, Central)

Perhaps I came with too high of an expectation for this dainty British teahouse, or maybe it's just a matter of consistency.

Ordered the classic cream tea, charging a bit steep at hkd55 with a pot of tea and one tiny scone.

I added hkd5 for the stronger Scottish morning blend, not a tea specialist but it tasted ok.

The scone was somewhat disappointing, too dense, doughy and a serious lacking in butter. And personally whipped cream is not supposed to go with scones, traditional clotted cream is a way better match.

The white lighting also made the place less cozy for an afternoon read.

Address ref: http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=139095&region=0&s=3

Searching for my tiramisu

Checked: Passion by Gerard Dubois (Wanchai)

When Foccacia in the Miramar plaza closed, I felt like I will no longer be able to find that perfect tiramisu I was once addicted to, the smooth yet rich and fresh mascarpone cream, those layers of lady fingers sogged up in rum. 

Then I was addicted to Fiat Caffe's new approach to tiramisu in glass, freshly made with firm mascarpone cheese and espresso poured into the layers of cheese and lady fingers. And then they stop making it.

Aggravated, I start a journey to explore my next perfect tiramisu, so I came to Passion by Gerard Dubois.

It was OK, probably above average in Hong Kong, mascarpone not fresh and rich enough for me, and though it was sogged in generous amount of kahlua and coffee maybe, it was a bit too sweet and the textural and flavor balance just didn't hit my mark.

Illy coffee is just disappointing as always.

Address ref: http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=103374&region=0&s=3

Local style all-day-breakfast - Hokkaido Milk Farm

Checked: Hokkaido Dairy Milk Farm (Admiralty) 北海道牧場

Yet another recreation of the ever blooming  classic Hong Kong style "all-day-breakfast" from our close-to-heart Australia Dairy Milk Company, with more variations and using milk from Hokkaido, but on the pricey side.

The tomato soup based macaroni was a bit over-thickened, but of course with a bottle of Japanese sesame oil on each table, it makes everything taste better. Add hkd6 for waffles with condensed milk and peanut butter. But I mean, it's just those pre-made frozen waffles you can buy yourself in the supermarket and put it in the toaster. Milk tea has started to get watery. Only thing, scrambled eggs cooked just about right, silky smooth, but it's done right in so many local tea restaurants that it just doesn't worth going...

hkd38 local all-day-breakfast

又是一家拿澳洲牛奶公司的常餐概念演變出來的茶餐廳吧，以北海道3.6牛乳用材打響名堂。常餐種類多一點點。日本麻油隨意加。是次番茄湯過於濃稠，番茄味卻不重...窩夫嗎....加了奶醬的東西都不會太難吃吧。奶茶嗎，變稀變水了。唯獨是炒蛋，依然滑身

地址參考：http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/sr2.htm?shopid=74620&tc=sr1