By Delphine
 
With Peter in the kitchen we’re never disappointed. Peter is the Vietnamese chef who’s also behind Chom Chom. His new location is further down, at the bottom of the escalator and this bar-“sandwicheria”- restaurant is another winner.
 
We love the wall at the entrance, covered in Vietnamese masks with lots of colours and smiles for an instant uplifting effect ! The food is exotic and SO tasty, and you’re constantly sounded by whiffs of coriander, lemongrass and coconut. The Tom Yum prawn salad is to die for, the spring rolls are amazing and if you have to eat Phô for the rest of your life you can bank on their Saigon Beef Phô ! The chef’s idea is to also serve bite size options so you can share and try lots of things. Depending on his mood, he scribbles daily specials in all colours on the large mirror. Everything is so fresh and we can’t get enough of it.
In the middle of the room, the bar also serves a selection of vietnamese beers, fruity vodkas and all kind of cocktails. Every Friday and Saturday nights they have a live concert from 9pm. Happy hours and dinner are served the rest of the week. All the more reasons to go back and back again.
 
What more ? A fast food corner (Viet Baguette) with Vietnamese sandwiches, soups and smoothies for take away.
An absolute gem.
 
Viet Kitchen
G04 & 06 Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road, Central
Web : www.vietkitchenhk.com
Phone: 2806 2068
Monday-Saturday: 9am-10pm
 
The bill for 2: 578HK$
Crispy Pork spring rolls : 88HK$
Tom Yum Shrimp Salad: 88HK$
Saigon Beef Pho : 98HK$
Wok-fried Clams : 158HK$
Crispy Green Beans XO: 78HK$
Basil Mint Ice-Cream : 68HK$
 

A desire for Vietnamese food after a shopping spree in Causeway Bay? Come along to An Nam, a little gem nestled on the fourth floor of Lee Gardens One. We love the very chic and colonial style setting that takes us back to Hué in the blink of an eye. If you come along with more than eight people, consider booking one of the private rooms! We weren’t super adventurous during our visit: Crab Paper Roll, Pomelo/ Prawns/ Crab Salad, and a Beef Brisket Noodle which was really good! The menu is rich with rather low prices. We will return for dinner as the restaurant is more enjoyable at night!
 
An Nam
4/F, Lee Gardens One, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2787 3922
Open every day from 11.30am to Midnight
 
The bill (for two)
1 Crab Paper Roll : 98 HK$
1 Pomelo Salad : 138 HK$
1 Beef Brisket Noodle : 88 HK$
Total : 324 HK$ + 10% charge
 
http://www.leegardens.com.hk/dining/LG/2435/An-Nam?lang=en-US

Chom Chom, might well be a name you've heard before because you've probably already heard about Peter Cuong Franklin's former private kitchen,  located on Wellington Street.
 
A few months ago, the chef relocated a few streets up and moved into a restaurant which does not disappoint. It's not possible to make a reservation, so it's best to either arrive nice and early or later in the night if you want to avoid the queues. We started the night with a cocktail, to help relax a little after a long day at work.  The Pho-jito does just the trick- we love the name and its little kick too!  Afterwards, move on to Vietnamese beers which go great with the dishes. Food wise, we recommend everything on the menu that's beef based : 'grilled beef in betel leaf', 'mango and papaya salad with lemongrass beef', and 'shaking beef'. They're all damn good! The VFC (Vietnamese Fried Chicken Wings) are to die for too. If you've still got some space left, order a plate of fresh fruit served with spicy salt! We love the open kitchen here which allows you to watch the chefs at work.  The staff is so attentive and the playlist is simply great! This is a really trendy place without trying to be too flashy, so  it's worth going out of your way to try it out!
 
G/F, 58 Peel Street, Soho, Central, Hong Kong, (+852) 2810 0850
Open from Monday to Friday from 6pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 4pm.
$$-$$$

www.facebook.com/ChomChomPhoBar
www.chomchom.hk

Lovemi, choosemi, bitemi, eatmi, wrapmi, drinkmi, cravemi… Nope, they’re not chat up lines; they’re actually the names of the different style dishes available at the Vietnamese noodle bar NoodleMi! (In that order they translate as: pho, buns, sandwiches, salads, rolls, drinks and desserts!) You’ll probably already have heard about this place because it’s creating quite a buzz around town. Having tried it, we can confirm that it’s certainly not for nothing! The management is really friendly and the food is mouth-watering. We loved the crab and tomato pho- with just the right spice level. We also liked the papaya and prawn salad and their summer rolls. If you can’t get away from the office, NoodleMi will even deliver you your favourite food. We’d advise against getting there during the One o’ clock rush because it’s difficult to get a place (and it’s not possible to reserve). But that’s the price to pay for quality food! As soon as you sit down and make your order, the wait will have been worthwhile! That’s our expert opinion anyway!
 
Noodle Mi
2 Bonham strand, Sheung Wan, +852 2253 1113
Open from Monday to Saturday from 11.30am – 10pm
$

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