Back to Yelp! Yay!…read more So my friend kept telling me how good Arabica is when I was in Japan, and unfortunately I was not able to make it in Kyoto. This time, when I visited Hong Kong, I know for sure that it would become one of my destinations. Arabica was secretly tucked inside the port, so it took me a while to locate it. Nevertheless, the line was still super long that one would get a number and wait before a sip of coffee. Menu was simple, espresso or milk coffee. I opted for the iced latte, perfect for the hot weather. The latte was as balanced as a piece of silk, yet never too thick to swallow. Also liked the temperature of the drink, very considerate. The tall size was definitely too small for me... Wonderland.

Pretty expensive (~$8 usd) and the spanish latte didn't have any noteworthy flavors. Service was…read morevery quick and friendly though.

Hong Kong is a francophile city. Everywhere you go you'll see Paris/French branded stores. They're…read moreobsessed with the fashion as well as food and that is evident in any shopping mall you go to. Within Pacific Place Mall right below Cova, there's a little new patisserie or an Eclairie (I coined this word) where you can find one of Paris' most famous tasty treats. Eclairs are not as simple as they appear. Their pastry dough has to be a certain consistency. The cream filling to the pastry dough ratio has to be high. The glaze has to match the cream on the inside. So at the end of the day, few "eclairs" can actually live up to these standards and ultimately fail. They become more like a jelly/cream filled donut. L'eclair De Genie is a French company that has found its way into this port city. Not only are their little pastries works of art, but they fulfill all the criteria that make the eclair and eclair. We had the salted caramel, blueberry chestnut, pistachio chocolate and the noel. All unique in their on respect and a perfect treat for afternoon tea. So if you have a chance to come by this mall, you MUST try L'eclair De Genie!

As I walked by the counter, I looked at the eclairs closer and saw that some of them are sparkling!…read moreReally, they add shimmering touch to their eclairs! And that is calling me. Passion Crispy Framboise: Crème fruits de la passion, crispy de framboises. The eclair has a sparkling glaze on it, topped with shimmering fuchsia pink crispy bits. The filling is a rich and dense cream, a tangy passion fruit flavor. The glaze is shiny and sparkles, the taste is very sweet like a thick marmalade. The eclair biscuit is soft. It's one of the rare moment where I take the time to slow down and enjoy the food. Contemplating how the eclair shines under the lights. They're like a piece of jewelry.

You have to visit Oddies!…read more We were searching for a good dessert place near our hotel in Central HK and were watching a TLC show with Ian Wright as a guest. They visited Oddies and we wanted to try egg waffles so we walked there. Getting there was admittedly a steep trek but it was completely worth the walk. It's a small shop that was easy to miss, but there was a nice spot to sit down inside. We bought the Fancy Pants parfait, which was somewhat pricey (about $10 US). We opted to eat it on the way back to our hotel. The gelato was soft and creamy, and had multiple layers of tantalizing flavors (peanut butter, cookie chunks, etc.). It was super flavorful and delicious. The egg waffles themselves were crispy on the outside and custardy and soft on the inside. They were the perfect amount of sweetness and absolutely delectable when eaten in a spoon with the ice cream. This was so, so yummy and unique- definitely somewhere to go and wish we had time for a repeat visit!

Stalked this place out on popular food instagrams and here I am!!…read more Oddies Foodies is a total hole in the wall. I got the Night Wolf, which allows you the choice of coffee gelato or some adaptation of caramel I think. I wish that you were able to freely select which flavor of gelato you want in your egg waffle cup, but unfortunately they are set flavors. Such a shame too, since they had really interesting flavors like Cheese Christ and whatnot. The egg waffle dessert itself was awesome, but there was some sour pudding on the bottom that I did not enjoy. Not really sure what that was, to be honest, but the rest was delicious nonetheless. Don't get me wrong, the food is gorgeous and definitely more attractive than my face is. But minus 1 star for the really really slow service and sour surprise in the dessert. BUT STILL!! EVERYONE SHOULD COME HERE!!!! Yelp 100 Challenge 2017 (3/100)

Tucked away on the third floor of IFC Mall, the location poorly demarcated on Google Maps, Pierre…read moreHerme's Hong Kong outpost focuses entirely on the legend's iconic Macarons to the tune of roughly $6USD each and a minimum of four in a small tin. Focused on all the classics plus a few seasonal specials suffice it to say the choice of Pierre Herme versus the competition is like choosing Vacheron Constatin over Rolex in that only the truly discerning will care, even though the difference in quality is evident.

As much as I appreciate the tradition and history that Laduree possesses, Pierre Herme is the best…read morein the world for macarons. Bar none. In general, the macarons here display the right amount of sweetness, so when you're eating them, you won't feel them cloying your mouth. The macaron biscuit is fresh and crispy on the outside, while soft on the inside. I've had stale macarons before when I didn't know better and the offerings at Pierre Herme weren't. The flavors of the macarons set themselves apart from all others. They're quite unique and inventive. The creativity, while adventuresome, isn't going to confuse your taste buds to the point of frustration. I can't tell you my favorite flavor but the friend whom I bought macarons for the last time I visited: her favorite was the signature rose. Service is polite and patient. Yeah, it's weird that you have to buy a minimum of 7, but you'd want to buy more anyway, despite being rather pricey. The only drawback shopping here is that sometimes you have to deal with smug people that take up space at the counter and don't give a crap about anyone else. p.s. - why the heck isn't there a Pierre Herme in the States???

While looking to bookmark some cool coffee places in Hong Kong, I saw many IG reels for this spot…read more I came specifically for the pretty cups. The hostess will ask if you want to be seated inside or outside. HK humidity is no joke. No way would I be able to sip a hot one outside. The AC inside is perfect even with the open entrance. The furniture has that old Chinese antique with lots of 80s tchotchkes. Here is what we ordered: - Longan Honey Latte (iced & hot) - Black Sugar Latte (hot) All of our drinks were excellent as was the service. Great place to relax and chit chat with your friends. Restroom is available in the back.

Halfway Coffee sits in one of my favorite neighborhoods on HK Island, Sheung Wan, near the arty…read morePMQ, surrounded by galleries, chintzy antique shops, good restaurants and nightlife, and well worth exploring. Halfway was our occasional morning base, with solid Western breakfast fare: scrambled eggs on sourdough or avocado toast with smoked salmon and a solid latte and matcha latte. The artful plating stands out, with food and drinks served on vibrant enamelled porcelain with intricate designs. That said, breakfast here veers towards the more basic: scrambled eggs on toast with a side salad and nicely plated pink mayonnaise. The sourdough bread was a good multigrain, but overall a surprisingly standard rendition of a breakfast open sandwich. In all, a nice spot with friendly service, a modern setting, good atmosphere and solid a-okay cafe fare that is beautifully plated.

The fresh mango and black glutinous rice over vanilla coconut ice was a refreshing and delicious…read moretreat. Service was welcoming and the shop was cute.

I stopped by here to get a mango pomelo sago drink on the way to the bus stop. The drink was what I…read morewas expecting with pieces of mango and grapefruit /pomelo pieces and crushed ice which is refreshing on a hot and humid Hong Kong summer day. However, it was quite pricey for a drink, probably based on their location. :/ Overall, it's good but overpriced.

I can't even explain how delicious the croissants are!!! I ordered the Fresh mango croissant and…read morethe passion fruit cloud croissant and it was crunchy and crispy and out of this world! The passion fruit cloud was hkd $36 and the fresh mango croissant was hkd $45 and it was worth every penny. I don't give many 5 stars but this place certainly deserves for the croissants alone!!!

Located at the new K11 shopping complex at TST. Arrived early at 1130 to avoid the lines during the…read morepeak lunch hour. Lines had already formed for their bakery section. Ordered 2 of their signature dishes, Croissant Benedict and their Chiabatta Waygu beef. Both are large portions. Enough for a hungry appetite. The croissant was large and flakey, eggs cooked nice and runny. Waygu beef was a little too thick for my preference but soft and tender. Pleasant decor with a quiet atmosphere. Service staff were efficient but not very personable, they took dishes away before asking.

When in Hong Kong, eat Taiwanese food..? Wanting a break from the heat, my family and I stepped in…read moreiSquare mall and decided to get something to eat. Our decision was made solely by which restaurant had the most people dining...like there HAS to be something good here right? We came when the combos were available (2:30-6:00 pm except on holidays). So you can choose 1 item from A, B, C, or D and get a free drink. You can get drinks listed outside the set menu too, but you'll have to pay a little extra. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E8%8C%B6%E6%9C%A8-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-8?select=QgrzJOqbhO_9lLEK3QTUhg Maybe it was because we were ravenous, but literally everything we ordered was delicious. The Beef Noodle Stew is a must get. The soup has a hint of sweetness which came from the huge chunks of vegetables (or sugar..who knows lol), the noodles with the perfect chew to it, and the beef super tender. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E8%8C%B6%E6%9C%A8-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-8?select=kM04594EhWhCPSJw3NCsmw Dragon Fruit Fish: Pretty much sweet and sour fried fish...the fish had a light batter coating, fried to crispy perfection and glazed with a more sour than sweet sauce...but it works! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E8%8C%B6%E6%9C%A8-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-8?select=Urtk3VpHW7xTMCIsnCxjvQ Milk Tea w/ boba: Even though i'm not the biggest fan of milk tea, I really enjoyed the way they made it! Maybe it was because I was practically dying from the humidity...but it was pretty good, wasn't too sweet! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E8%8C%B6%E6%9C%A8-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-8?select=779_m49e-w93Um7bCYFg0w Matcha Green tea with Red Beans: So good, and honestly you could get full from this alone. So don't do what I did and get this drink AND 2 other entrees..... https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E8%8C%B6%E6%9C%A8-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-8?select=LowwZq3gcavURsFVm0ENSg Brown Sugar Taro Balls With Grass Jelly: so good! I was expecting bingsoo type shaved ice for this dessert so i was slightly disappointed that the ice came more in small chunks than blended. But regardless, they were small enough to easily chew! I really like herbally tasting desserts and this one hits the spot! the Shovel spoon was very efficient in shoveling the grass jelly in my tummy https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E8%8C%B6%E6%9C%A8-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-8?select=7180SRnCcyZANHdyoi-kfQ Dumplings: If you come with a party of 8, order 2 of these bad boys. Five seconds after the waiter placed these down, it was gone...My family ended up ordering another one...so just do yourself a favor and order two to save wait time https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/%E8%8C%B6%E6%9C%A8-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-8?select=ulMYXn6-nab3Z1chokeaZg some of you might be wondering..."Tanya, you were only in HK for a limited amount of time..how did you get two check ins at this place? Was there a mistake?" Nope...no mistake...just ate here two days in a row. nbd.

I don't generally think much of restaurants connected to malls; chains chains chains and nothing…read morespecial is what comes to mind. But when a person of Chinese/Taiwanese descent who loves to eat is roaming around HK? Everything looks amazing. My travel partner and I decided to try this place because... well? it was busy. SUPER BUSY. At least 15-20 people waiting outside while other restaurants sat mostly empty. Plus, I couldn't really go by my usual rating system for an Asian restaurant (e.g., the ratio of Asian to non-Asian folks eating inside) since pretty much EVERYONE was Asian. I ordered the beef noodle soup because it's a familiar staple. The noodles were clearly not from a box and tasted pretty fresh, with a bit of a bite/chew to them. The beef was tender, and the broth was flavorful. I wish it had more veggies though! I also ordered a royal milk boba tea because I wanted one, ok? It was fresh, delicately flavored, and the boba had great consistency. I also loved that I didn't have to order it half sweet like I prefer in the USA. I wish the system to ask for a table was a bit more user friendly for folks who do not speak/read Chinese. There is a computer/touch screen outside where you are supposed to enter in the number of people in your party. I had to ask for help and the waitress pushed some buttons and handed me a slip of paper. From the little I do read, I was able to deduce that you are assigned to a letter (A, B, C, D) which indicates the table top size you requested (1-2 ppl, 3-4 ppl, etc) and you have to watch the screen for your letter number combo on your slip of paper to be called. If I were in HK again, and shopping in Langham, I would not hesitate to eat here again!!