Salon de Thé de Joel Robuchon, Hong Kong

Salmon de Thé at Joel Robuchon

After a long day of shopping in Hong Kong, there's nothing I want more than to sit down and rest my feet because they're usually absolutely killing me! I knew that there was a Joel Robuchon restaurant in the Landmark building so we made that our shopping rest point for some afternoon tea one day. Though the actual restaurant is up one level, there is a Salon de Thé (or tea room) on the third level which is a more casual dining area.

Teas

We shared a high tea set for two, which was HKD$315 (approx AUD$40 at the time). This included two pots of tea of our choice, which came in delightful coloured cast iron teapots. One pot was filled with a fragrant peach tea, while the other was classic English Breakfast. Charm was also won over by a special iced tea which included fresh berries, cubes of mango and a scoop of strawberry sorbet.

Sandwiches and scones

We start with the savouries and the scones with a wooden plank of assorted sandwiches and scones arriving on the table.

Sandwiches: Tuna and poached egg; Lobster sandwich with tarragon; Premium ham with mustard seed; Norwegian smoked salmon with caviar

Sandwiches: Tuna and poached egg; Lobster sandwich with tarragon; Premium ham with mustard seed; Norwegian smoked salmon with caviar[/caption]

Chica Bonita, Manly

There's a new Mexican joint in town. Tucked away at the back of an arcade on the wharf side of Manly is Chica Bonita - a Mexican small bar and restaurant headed up in the kitchen by the awesome Lex. We checked it out on a Friday night and it was totally packed by 6.30pm, with people spilling out into the arcade.

A round of drinks was definitely in order to celebrate the end of the week, and Chica Bonita's bar certainly delivers. Coronas, margaritas (ginger, watermelon, and jalapeno and orange flavours), and a cinnamon and honey cocktail called the "Rim Job". Make what you will of that ;)

Alex's ceviche - $6

Lex's ceviche is served with a brown paper bag filled to the brim with crisp tortilla chips. The ling fish is zingy from the lime marinade, and has a nice firm texture. I could definitely do with a larger bowl of this all to myself!

Olivera street corn - $4

@! Restaurant, Crows Nest

There are a lot of great Japanese restaurants in Crows Nest, so a newcomer to the hood definitely has to bring the very best. @! Restaurant ("At Restaurant") is the latest Japanese restaurant with Atsushi Saito at the helm. Formerly of sushi e and Sushi Choo, sushi chef Atsushi Saito has broken away from the Merivale group and is part of the team at @! Restaurant which opened in early May this year. It looks like Astro Boy has followed him from Sushi Choo as well, who sits and watches over us from a shelf.

Astro boy is watching over us

The restaurant is packed on a Sunday night and we manage to snag the last remaining table. The menu is a double sided A4 sheet split into entrees, salads, soups, mains as well as various sushi and sashimi options. The dishes are a mix of traditional and modern Japanese, with a focus on various types of sushi. The blackboard on the wall also has some specials for the night.

Cheese gyoza - $8

My eyes are immediately drawn to the cheese gyoza which are a great start to the meal. The dumpling skin is blistered and crispy and holds delicious melty cheese innards with garlic chives.

Kingfish jalapeno - $10

Cafe Lyon, Lindfield

Having learnt French for 5 years of my schooling life, I've developed a love of France, its culture, language and food. I've never had the chance to travel to France but I think when I do, I will never want to leave! This love of all things French comes from my mother, who first introduced me to the French language and helped me through all my assignments. It was only fitting to take her to a French restaurant for her birthday.

Oysters from Mooney Mooney, Cabernet Sauvignon mignonette dressing

Between the 7 of us, we managed to cover most of the menu, which is $53 for 2 courses or $65 for 3 courses. The oysters are incredibly fresh and shucked with the shell being replaced back on top. They're so fresh that most of us eat them with a simple squeeze of lemon, not needing the dressing.

Prosciutto, crisp halloumi, asparagus and artichoke heart salad

Charm orders the prosciutto, haloumi, asparagus and artichoke heart salad. It's surprisingly moreish with silky strips of prosciutto and the crispiest chunks of haloumi I've ever had, and is simply dressed with olive oil.

Scotch egg

Featured on the specials menu tonight is the scotch egg which Sir D has no hesitation in ordering as soon as he hears it.