Doughman Bakery & Coffee LCK (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Dubai chocolate — the viral, high-end confection loved for its velvety pistachio–tahini center and crunchy, toasted kataifi — has swept the internet and the world by storm since it first surged in popularity in late 2023.

It hasn’t stayed limited to the original bar, either. Across Asia, there have been countless “Dubai chocolate” variations, each one featuring that signature pistachio–tahini pairing in a fresh, unique format.

I bet it’s been around for a while, but I only finally noticed this chocolate pistachio crispies croissant at my neighborhood bakery tonight — Doughman Bakery & Coffee. Of course, I wasted no time bringing one home as a late-night snack.

I have to admit, this was a little heavy as a late-night snack. And the fact that the centre of the croissant was completely filled rich pistachio ganache and toasted kataifi made it even indulgent!

That said, for someone who absolutely loves chocolate and pistachio, this was a perfect take on Dubai chocolate. It has truly transformed an ordinary croissant into something far more luxurious.

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F 10 Cheung Yi Street, Cheung Lung Industrial Building, Cheung Sha Wan, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Lai Chi Kok

Tel: +852 3741-0111

Opening Hours: 7:30am - 8:00pm (Mon - Fri), 8:30am - 8:30pm (Sat), 9:00am - 8:30pm (Sat)

Nomi Ramen 野見拉麵 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

There will be some major changes in my mom’s life in the next little while. After making it official tonight, I left her place pondering what my own life might look like walking the road along with her.

I still haven’t had dinner, so I decided to walk a little further than I usually do for a bite. That took me to the edge of Sham Shui Po, where I had one ramen spot pinned on my map — Nomi Ramen (野見拉麵).

Around 8:30pm-ish, I wasn’t expecting a crowd but the local-grown ramen place under scaffolding was still buzzing. That's a surprise considering some ramen shops are already closing by this hour.

I ended up standing in line for about 15 minutes before I found a seat at the counter.

Chicken paitan noodle (雞白湯拉麵) ($98) — This looked very similar to the one at Ginza Kagari (銀座篝拉麵), which was a pretty good sign.

The chicken broth arrived lukewarm, but it had clearly been whipped right before serving—creating a smooth, velvety layer of fine bubbles, almost cappuccino-style.

As a fan of awa-kei (bubble-style/foam-style, 泡系) ramen, I love how the broth has been whipped before serving, creating a top layer of fine bubbles for the noodles to cling onto.

The broth itself was creamy and collagen-rich, yet unlike many chicken paitan bowls, it was light rather than deeply savory.

The corn was crunchy and wonderfully fresh.

The marinated soft-boiled egg was executed perfectly.

The pork chashu was made with kurobuta pork so not surprisingly, it was exquisitely tender with a luxurious, soft mouthfeel.

The chicken chashu cut into this small circular shape, was super-tender as well.

Overall, this was one of the better chicken paitan ramens I’ve had from a local-grown ramen shop. They’ve got all the makings of a very strong tori paitan (雞白湯) specialist. The only improvement I could think of, was perhaps the umami-rich flavors of chicken that was somewhat missing (or a bit light).

Food Rating: 6.1/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, 6 Cedar Street, Prince Edward, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Prince Edward

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 4:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:30pm (Mon - Sat)

Le Pont De Ciel (Osaka, JAPAN) ★★★★★

Team Aussie is off for a team dinner at Cafe Kirby, so mom and I finally got to enjoy a quiet dinner without the kids tonight. Le Pont de Ciel in Yodoyabashi (淀屋橋) has been on my radar for quite some time now. The only thing that really held me back was its strict no-children policy… until tonight, when little nugget got whisked away by his cousins from Australia, and somehow everything just aligned.

Le Pont de Ciel is tucked away on the lower level of a large commercial building. Outside, there was a sculpture standing solemnly in front of the restaurant’s sliding glass door and the whole exterior felt more like an art gallery than a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Once we stepped in, the “gallery” vibe continued immediately. There were art pieces and paintings on the walls, turning the waiting space into something that was calm, curated, and almost cinematic. That was before we were guided down the path towards the dining hall.

It really felt like we were walking through a secret passage into another dimension where the night truly unfolded.

Hailed from Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture, Executive Chef Osamu Ogusu (小楠修) is the commander of this kitchen. He spent years training under legendary French masters, including Pierre Orsi and Guy Martin. After joining the restaurant in 1994, he took over the reign of the kitchen in 2020 and is credited with bringing in the current “counter French” format, built around firewood cooking.

The 9-course tasting menu (including amuse bouche) begins with a beautifully plated set of little nibbles — small enough to be playful, but detailed enough to signal the high standard of the night.

Sweet acacia juice made with spherification. Explosive stuff!

 

Grilled conger with zesty lemon

Italian zucchini topped with tomato confit, olive and Parmesan, and cheese biscuit with bacon

Potato cake topped with ricotta cheese, and micro radish 

Okra topped with passion fruit

 

White and yellow corn soup, milk foam, truffle — A chilled white and yellow corn soup topped with milk foam, finished with a delicate touch of black truffle to elevate the flavor without ever overwhelming the sweetness of the corn.

Légume — While Le Pont de Ciel is famous for its intricate seafood and meat courses, this vegetable dish remains a permanent fixture for its outstanding artistry and execution. Instead of cooking the vegetables together, Chef Ogusu prepares each vegetable separately using distinct techniques. The final result is an edible bouquet (certainly looks like one) — meticulously arranged like a piece of art you can actually taste.

This salad dish came with 25 different fruits and vegetables including apple, grapes, dragon fruit, pineapple, radish, beetroot, and more layered across three levels, with toasted pastry in between. The best part was that we were invited to break and mix everything ourselves, then enjoy it with the accompanying sauces.

The sauces came in three distinct “flavor directions”:

• romaine lettuce (green)
• mayo made with egg yolk and mustard (yellow)
• balsamic vinegar foam

The pastry worked beautifully with the sweetness and savory notes of the fruits and vegetables— light, refreshing, and a really delightful way to reset your palate.

At this point, they started putting our fresh yeast bread into the oven. 

Scallop, tomato, bell pepper, eggplant — Slices of scallops layered with tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, and scallop stock jelly all topped beautifully with caviar and edible flowers to create a visually appealing dish full of bright, vibrant colors. . The final touch was the herbal scent of a homemade vegetable oil.

Packed with clean, fresh flavors, the natural sweetness of the scallops carried the dish while the herby and slightly grassy notes of the vegetable oil provided a rounded finish. It was the kind of starter that almost instantly wakes up your senses.

While we were enjoying the scallop dish, Chef Ogusu made his first appearance in the open kitchen directing traffic and adding final touches to the plates. Even that moment felt like part of the performance.

Calamari, squid-ink, asparagus, black truffle — Lightly torched squid from Kizu (木津) resting on a tower of diced green asparagus and Japanese herbs, was finished off brilliantly with shaved black truffle from Australia. The dish was completed with a nice pour of warm aromatic squid ink sauce.

I loved the satisfying crunch from the grilled squid and how the warm squid-ink sauce tied everything together so well. Balanced, bold, and refined.

And as promised, the bread fresh out of the oven arrived right on time when our next course was ready.

Red grouper, potato, tomato, onion — Grilled red grouper fillet with potato and tomato confit, Japanese onion, edamame was matched with an umami-rich sauce made with delicate fish stock, tomato and saffron. The broth was wonderfully soothing, while the clean flavors of tomato, onion, and edamame added textures and freshness without overpowering the main ingredient. Every bite stayed true to the ingredients, rather than hiding behind heavy seasoning.

A small lemon sorbet was served as a palate cleanser while the chefs put the finishing touches on our pigeon dish.

Pigeon — Grilled pigeon breast and leg from France with lovely smoky flavors of hay.

Once again, the dish was clean and elegant: simple garnish of radish and caramelized shallot, sharp acidity from rhubarb purée, and a pigeon jus that was light and spot on.

To round out the pigeon course, there were two accompanying sides. The first was a rice dish topped with herb foam, served in a scallop consommé. I’ll be honest. I wasn’t entirely sure how it fit in with the pigeon.

There was also a small salad to offset the richness of the meat.

Banana, coconut, passion fruit — A dessert played with exotic flavors in the best possible way. 

It featured caramelized banana, coconut cream, passion fruit, and crispy pastry, served with coconut milk ice cream on the side. It was refreshing, and the fruity notes carried through beautifully without being too heavy.

Finally, some mignardises including a purple violet macaron, lemon and honey tart, and chocolate madeleine cake.

We couldn’t resist the temptation to take a photo with Chef Ogusu when he stepped to the doorway to thank us for coming. It was another highlight that made the entire evening even more memorable.

A meal at Le Pont de Ciel isn’t just about flavor — it’s a full sensory journey. Each dish is curated with bright, vibrant colors designed to wake up not only your palate, but also your visual senses. The theatrical counter setting adds to the experience, giving guests a front-row view of the open kitchen, where everything is prepared with precision and finesse. It adds an entirely extra layer to the dining adventure.

As mom and I began making our way back to the hotel, it really hit me — this is what I love most about dining like this. It’s not just the food, but the atmosphere, the craft, the details, the hospitality, and those little moments that make the night truly unforgettable.

Special thanks to Kakumoto-san and his team for taking such great care of us throughout the night.

Food Rating: 8.2/10

Price: ￥￥￥￥

Address: B1F Nihonseimei Building, 3-5-29 Kitahama, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-0041 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Yodoyabashi

Tel: +81 (0)6 6233-5005

Website: https://pont-de-ciel.co.jp/

Opening Hours: 11:30am - 7:30pm (Tue - Sat)