Bistrot's Suzette (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

After spending two weeks in Europe (mostly France), I thought I wouldn’t be having another French or modern European meal anytime soon.

Located in the recently opened Cullinan Sky Mall in Kai Tak, Bistrot’s Suzette is a French bistro in collaboration with consultant chef Tiff Lo (former owner-chef at the acclaimed French bistro Jean May in Wanchai) offering honest, hearty French comfort food in a casual, relaxed setting.

I chose a seat a few steps from the bar to watch the kitchen staff at work behind the scenes.

Egg mimosa with smoked salmon (法式魔鬼蛋配煙三文魚) — Their set lunch is usually a two or three course affair. I decided to drop a few bucks more for an egg mimosa to start off the meal.

The egg was topped neatly with smoked salmon, mayonnaise, dill and capers.

Roasted chicken supreme with creamy mushroom sauce (法式燒雞胸配蘑菇忌廉汁) — The portion was a little small for a main dish.

It looked like a chicken leg (from a spring chicken) rather than the chicken breast listed on the menu.

But I thought the mushroom sauce was well executed, with a good depth of flavor. Not bad.

We had way too many desserts during our time in Europe so I decided to skip a sweet ending this afternoon. Instead, it was time to head back to work.

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop G02, G/F, Cullinan Sky Mall, 10 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, Kowloon City, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Kai Tak

Tel: +852 3188-8896

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm daily  

Torikaze 鳥かぜ (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

For months, I have been waiting for a call on my waitlist from the team behind Torikaze (鳥かぜ), an acclaimed Japanese Yakitori restaurant on the 45th floor of Gloucester Tower at the Landmark Building under the direction of Tokyo master chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa. It shares the same floor with other prestigious eateries including two-Michelin-starred Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic. But as many friends pointed out, the wait could drag on for a few months so I wasn’t holding my breath.

But there was light at the end of the tunnel at last. Back in July before we took off for Europe, I was randomly browsing the internet — one of my habits, like I always do and decided to check whether any seats had opened up at Torikaze. And there it was, one single seat available for a Wednesday afternoon lunch. It meant taking time off work, but if that’s what it takes, then it’s worth it.

I was still feeling the effects of jet lag after returning from our long holidays. As I walked gingerly through the labyrinth of narrow corridors, I finally arrived at Torikaze.

I’m not dreaming. Seriously, it’s real. I can tell the moment I step in, with the smokiness and that unmistakable aroma in the air.

One thing that stood out immediately from the lunch menu: there really wasn’t much to choose from. Altogether, there were four lunch sets, each including a different number of skewers and a main. There was no à la carte option so if you wanted extra skewers, you couldn’t simply add them on.

The set I chose was the most expensive one ($498) with five kinds of yakitori and two kinds of kushiyaki. It was served in an omakase-style format (no choice), with no main dish. Just an unlimited supply of steamed rice. I thought it was an easy pick for me since the other sets only offered up to three skewers at most, and I came here for their skewers.

First up, a small salad to whet my appetizer.

Okra — Topped nicely with bonito flakes but I thought it could be more charred on the surface.

Knee — Obviously from the local three yellow chicken (三黃雞). My server told me it was the meat extracted specifically from the knee-cap area. Not surprisingly, it was very meaty (啖啖肉), with a lovely smokiness from the charcoal grill.

Neck — Firm, slightly chewy in a good way with the occasional crunch. Again wonderfully smoky.

Breast — My server pointed out that this was near the organ area (exactly what he said) so there was a fair amount of fat attached. It was very tender.

Wing — Not bad.

Asparagus — Surprisingly tender.

Chicken meatball — This skewer of chicken meatballs was pretty tasty. The smokiness was clearly front and centre again. I was slightly surprised it didn’t include some hidden crunch from soft bones. Those are always a joy.

Dessert was a simple lemon sorbet, finished with lemon zest and a touch of sea salt. I was one of the last batches of customers, trying to enjoy things slowly but they kind of wanted to clean the place up for dinner service and rushed us out a bit.

To be honest, it’s hard to assess the meal properly, because it was so short. Everything was served in less than an hour (I didn’t time it, but it felt like about 40–45 minutes maximum). I didn’t really get time to reflect on the last skewer before the next one came out.

All in all, it wasn’t quite the culinary experience I was hoping for although yes, the chicken skewers were really delicious.

Food Rating: 6.4/10

Price: $$$$$

Address: Forty-Five, 43-45/F, Gloucester Tower, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Central

Tel: +852 3501-8585

Website: https://www.torikaze.hk/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 11:00pm (Mon - Sat)

Manteigaria (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

I’m back at Manteigaria for the first time since they debuted in Hong Kong back in June. The artisan bakery from Portugal, who has gained a loyal fanbase over the years, opened its first store in Hong Kong near The Central Market (中環街市), and I was on hand during its first week of operation to get my first taste of their signature pastel de nata. 

I brought some home for my team, and they just love the texture of the vanilla-infused egg custard and the crisp but slightly chewy shell. So, I wrote it down as a note to myself — a return visit is a must.

And return I did in August — but not to their Hong Kong outpost. Instead, I went to their branch in the heart of Paris, just steps from our apartment hotel during our stay in Paris. The textures and flavors were exactly how I remembered them from June.

Here in Hong Kong, it looks like the price has gone up a little since my first visit (now $15 each), but the flavors remain top-notch.

While Hongkongers might find it a little too sweet for their liking, I love the hint of vanilla and cinnamon. It makes it unique from the local egg tarts.

Food Rating: 7/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop B G/F, Man Hing Commercial Building, 79-83 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Central

Tel: +852 6336-5059

Website: https://www.instagram.com/manteigaria.hk/?hl=en

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm daily