My Place

My Place is a friendly, cosy eatery with a menu heavy on luxury specialities from both Chinese and Western cuisines. Lobster bisque ($60) is excellent, and thick with chunks of lobster. Foie gras ($120) is slightly overcooked, but served on a bed of cooked apples and onions in a rich gravy. Abalone steak ($285) is pan-fried whole, but despite the flavourful lobster sauce, it ultimately lacks inspiration. Rack of lamb ($170) is more flavourful. Desserts are the meal's highlight. Tiramisu ($40) is ethereally light, while strawberry sabayon is refreshing. (March 9)

G/F, 32 Staunton Street, Central. Tel: 2527 5223. Open: Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight, Sun 4pm-midnight. $$$$

Shakujii

With sleek ebony tables accentuated by cream divans and rice-paper sliding doors, the immediate impact of Shakujii is stylishly soothing. Curiously devoid of Japanese customers, this restaurant offers a smattering of dishes not commonly available in Hong Kong. Grilled, dried blowfish ($50) is served in flat strips accompanied by a blob of mayonnaise. Its leathery texture, off-putting at first, is strangely addictive. Bean curd sushi ($20) is moulded hosomaki-style (into a long, cylindrical roll that is cut into finger-food portions) - the rice contains sweet fried tofu. 'Mountain vegetables Japanese noodles' is disappointing. The dish contains prosaic vegetables such as cabbage, mushrooms and carrots. The flavour of the broth, too, tastes as though it has been adapted for Chinese palates. Deep-fried mitsuba cake ($70) is expertly battered, dunked in hot oil and served immediately. (March 4)

1/F, Circle Tower, 28 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2591 0101. Open: noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight. $$

Boca

Boca's philosophy of serving wine and tapas in comfortable surroundings has already secured it a steady flow of customers. Half the tapas are traditional, but the unconventional fusion creations are exciting. Crispy whitebait ($59) comes in a generous portion, served with a fresh, tangy, peppery sauce. Quail with piri sauce ($68) is equally vibrant on the tongue. Grilled pomfret ($68) in Japanese sauce is firm and tasty. Three paellas are also available. The one with lamb and roasted red pepper ($270) arrives in a deep pan, and the rice is well flavoured with the spices. A dessert of melon soup is refreshing, colourful and healthy. (March 2)

65 Peel Street, Central. Tel: 2548 1717. Open: Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm, Sat and Sun 12.30pm-11pm. $$$$

Sichuan Restaurant

This place has moved from Causeway Bay to Wan Chai, but for some reason, it has brought its hideously ugly pink, white and red floral tablecloths along. Close your eyes and concentrate on the food instead. The ox tripe with chilli sauce ($58) is spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. Shrimp with salted egg yolk sauce ($108) has fresh shellfish, although the sauce isn't as fine textured and flavourful as it should be. The smoked duck Sichuan style (half for $85) is one of the restaurant's specialities. Although the pieces of meat are rather scrawny, the duck is smoky and tender and contrasts well with the spicier dishes. The dan dan mien (noodles, $15 per serving) is light and soupy, although the sauce is intense and spicy. (March 2)

4/F, Kwan Chart Tower, 6 Tonnochy Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 2881 1669. Open: noon-4pm, 7pm-midnight. $$

The Clubhouse

The menu here contains classical offerings but ultimately they lack flair. Lobster bisque ($50) is rich, with five sizeable chunks of lobster. Mushroom salad ($58) consists of button mushrooms with arugula, radicchio and romaine leaves glistening with a light vinaigrette. Grilled salmon in chive cream sauce ($128) is moist and tender, but lacks inspiration, while duck in cherry sauce ($138) is slightly parched, although the succulent, large cherries make the medallions less dry. The meal's high point is dessert: an apple turnover ($38) of wonderfully light, flaky filo pastry scattered with raisins. (March 2)

G/F, Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley. Tel: 2892 0383. Open: 5pm-late; dinner served from 6pm-10.30pm. $$$

Beyrouth Cafe Central

Finally, a Middle Eastern eatery with affordable prices. Beyrouth Cafe Central is a godsend for herbivores looking for a tasty and healthy fix. The veggie standards are all there. Spanakopita ($38) is filled with spinach and feta cheese, and encased in flaky filo. Hummus (chickpea puree with tahini, lemon juice and garlic, $37) and babaganoush ($38), a hearty eggplant mush the colour of regulation-grey school socks, are delicious, but the pita bread is stale. The falafel and salad ($45) is also a slight letdown, with the falafel balls too crumbly. Home-made baklava ($30) is delicious. (March 2)

Shop A, GF Lyndhurst Bld, 39 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central. Tel: 2854 1872. Open: Sun-Thur 10am-midnight, Fri and Sat 10am-2am. $

Brasseire Le Fauchon

The unpretentious Brasserie Le Fauchon on Elgin Street comes as a pleasant surprise. Pate of foie gras ($118) is an indulgent starter, wickedly rich and smooth but not cloying. Goats' cheese salad ($95), featuring lightly grilled cheese, is another hit. Stewed venison in white wine sauce ($138) is a messy mass of greyish meat and full of small bones. It tastes of little except floury, underseasoned gravy. Baked scallop and spinach sauce, (also $138), errs the other way. Pepper, probably cayenne, nearly kills the flavour of the delicate shellfish, while the spinach underneath is watery and covered with a blanket of rubbery melted cheese. Creme brulee ($38) is bland. (February 25)

45 Elgin Street, Central. Tel: 2526 8318. Open: 11.30am-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm. $$$$.

Jasmine

The recently revamped and renamed eatery, part of local catering giant Maxim's, has a stylish decor which is remarkably different from that of its predecessor. Smoked vegetable rolls ($38) should be a healthy appetiser, but the wrapping and filling are drenched in oil. Sliced pork with garlic sauce ($48) is a better choice. Sauteed shrimp with egg white ($88) sounds intriguing but tastes no different from the conventional scrambled egg with shrimps. Served hot in a clay pot, spare ribs in sweet and sour sauce ($68) is simply wonderful, and braised eggplant with minced pork ($68) is equally delicious. Double-boiled pear ($20 each) is an excellent end to the meal. (February 23)

LG/F, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central. Tel: 2524 5098. Open: 11am-3pm, 6-11pm. $$

The Mix

Down at The Mix in Central, wheatgrass is grown in containers on shelves and pulped to a juice on demand. It looks and smells like the cuttings from a lawnmower, and it tastes much the same - but it isn't unpleasant. This place specialises in healthy drinks, from jazzy juice combos to souped-up smoothies. The Dr Feel Good smoothie with a 'vitality boost' containing 13 vitamins and minerals is thick, delicious and refreshing. The Brain Booster with a 'memory boost' containing ginkgo biloba is equally yummy. While the drinks are undoubtedly worth stopping in for, the food is less successful. The menu offers wraps - hot filled tortillas ($28-$32 for half, $38-$42 for a whole). But both the Thai and Mexican wrap lack excitement in flavour. (February 23)

R66

At the top of Wan Chai's Hopewell Centre lies R66, a revolving restaurant where a buffet dinner turned out to be little more than a culinary cavalcade of mediocrity. The cuisine is traditional - it would be fair to say old-fashioned. The selection of sushi is limited - salmon, tuna and California rolls - but it is fresh, especially the firm-textured salmon. Western appetisers are more varied, if unimaginative. For main courses, there are 10 choices each of Asian and Western dishes. Steamed garoupa tastes fine, and duck isn't fatty or too dried out. A Western beef stew improves by simmering slowly on top of the buffet. For dessert the standout is bread pudding. (February 23)

62/F Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Tel: 2862 6166. Open: noon-midnight. $$$

Serenade Chinese Restaurant

This restaurant serves Cantonese cuisine, as well as dishes from other Chinese provinces. Golden shark's fin soup ($198) glows bright yellow because of the crab roe placed on top of the soup that is thick with shark's fin and egg white. Beijing cold meat platter ($78) comes with a selection of crunchy marinated cuttlefish, mock goose made from bean curd skin rolled around shredded carrots and other vegetables, and spiced sliced pig's knuckles. Clay hotpot with braised tofu and gluten in oyster sauce ($58) tastes fresh and healthy. Sour and sweet sauteed king prawns with scallions are expensive at $32 each because the prawns are not that large, although the flavour is fine. (February 23)

1/F and 2/F, Restaurant Block, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2722 0932. Open: 11am-11.30pm. $$

Irene's Bar/Cafe

Irene's serves home-style Beijing cuisine in an un-home-like setting. Pea shoots with garlic ($90) is well-cooked and not overwhelmed by garlic, but the vegetable has a slightly grassy flavour. Minced pork with preserved vegetables ($48) is wonderful when stuffed inside sesame baked pockets ($32 for three). Absolutely delicious sliced lamb with spring onions ($78) also goes well with the pockets - the meat is tender, well-seasoned and, best of all, the chefs let the distinctive flavour of the lamb shine through. Irene's chicken with dried chillies ($78) is a house speciality. The small pieces of chicken, hidden among a heap of dried chillies, are spicy, garlicky and thirst-inducing. Rice cakes with mushrooms and vegetables ($60) is rather bland. (February 18)

G/F 4 Sun Wui Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2882-2070. Open: 11am-midnight. $$

Wan Loong Court

Situated in the basement of the Kowloon Hotel, Wan Loong Court offers an excellent hideaway from the heaving crowds in Nathan Road. Unfortunately, this is about the only thing worth remembering about the restaurant. In the seafood platter starter ($200), the sea conch and Shanghainese-style smoked fish is average, while sauteed prawns in Sichuan sauce lacks flavour. The deep-fried clam roll stands out, with a tasty clam filling wrapped in crunchy batter. Braised duck with seafood ($150 for half), is also a letdown. The deep-fried spare ribs in vinegar sauce with honeydew melon dumplings ($96) is a better choice. Pea shoots in chicken broth ($100) is average, but pan-fried cod ($140) is cooked to perfection so that the skin is crispy while the flesh remains smooth. (February 16)

Lower Level 2, The Kowloon Hotel, 19-21 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2369 8698. Open: Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 6pm-11.30pm, Sat, Sun and public holidays 11am-11.30pm. $$$$

Balalaika

There are too many annoyances here to enjoy a relaxing dinner. Smoked salmon, trout, eel and cod platter ($75) with cucumber salad is simple but tasty, and home-style Siberian pork dumplings ($55) are also flavourful. The flaming shasliks ($135) are juicy and huge, while chicken Kiev ($140) is tender but uninspired. Both mains are served with boiled broccoli and carrots and deep-fried potatoes with little care taken in their presentation. Piroshkis ($15 each) prove the most satisfying part of the meal. (February 16)

2/F Knutsford 10, Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2312 6222. Open: 5pm-midnight. $$$$

idX

Style rules over substance at idX. The head-on prawns (two for $72) have the right texture and flavour, but lobster congee ($58) is a strange mixture. Frog legs and woodear rice in bamboo has tough frog, and the dish is bland. The tastiest dish is E-Fu noodles with abalone, but even that is way too greasy. Red snapper is beautifully presented and flavourful, but doesn't justify the $185 price tag. However, the chocolate and Grand Marnier fondue is delicious with plentiful chunks of fruit to dip in. (February 16)

Shop G517, Ko On Mansion, Stage V, 9 Tai Yue Avenue, Taikoo Shing. Tel: 2513 8875. Open: 11.30am-2am. $$$$

Basilico

Two and a half

It would be fair to expect the Mediterranean cuisine at Basilico to be something special - it's backed by some of the partners in Sai Kung restaurant Portofino, and the general manager and chef are veterans of Lan Kwai Fong Italian stalwart Il Mercarto. The starter of lobster medallion parcel with caviar and ricotta cheese ($98) has crisp filo pastry that overpowers the lobster, while the scallops in the dish of seared scallops with tomato coulis and wild mushroom ($78) are tender but chilly. The mezze platter ($138) is basic rather than elaborate, but has exceptionally tasty and crispy cheese-filled filo parcels. Sole fillet ($168) is wrapped around mushrooms and spinach to interesting visual effect, but the lack of sauce makes the dish dry. Service is faultless, with the waiters both obliging and helpful. (February 11)

Basement, 75-77 Wyndham Street, Central. Tel: 2973 6999. Open: Mon-Fri noon-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm, Sat and Sun dinner only. $$$$

Sun Dau Kee

Four stars

There is nothing to indicate that this restaurant serves food that is better than any other restaurant in the area. In front are the usual tanks of live seafood, while cooked pigeons, chickens and ducks hang from hooks in the window. Pigeon braised in soy sauce ($80) is succulent - large, meaty, juicy and tender. A version with what the waiter calls 'OK jup' isn't as enjoyable - the bird is coated with diluted A-1 sauce. Fried fish with corn sauce ($230) is delicious. The fish is very fresh and crunchy, while the sauce, served separately, is light, subtle and not too thick or sweet. Sweet and sour pork ($78) is another surprise, with tender meat and a well-balanced sauce. Scallops with garlic and vermicelli (four for $132) and prawns braised in superior stock ($240) showcase beautifully fresh seafood, while delicate and tender dau miu (pea sprouts, $58) and thin egg noodles stir-fried with leeks ($50) demonstrate that the kitchen is also skilled with simple, homey dishes. (February 9)

G/F, 120 Woo Sung Street, Jordan Road, Kowloon. Tel: 2730 6827. Open 4.30pm-4.30am. $$$

SPECIALS

Wine lovers will have to decide between two interesting dinners on March 20. The one at Toscana at the Ritz-Carlton features the wines of Castello di Brolio, Allegrini and Poliziano. Nine wines from the three vineyards will accompany the five-course dinner by chef Umberto Bombana, including the Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico Reserva 1998 and Poliziano Rossi di Montalchino 1999, served with papparadelle with lamb ragout and boletus mushrooms; Allegrini Amarone 1996 and Poliziano Vino Nobile Asinone 1997 with roast rack of veal with black olives, tomato and rosemary; and the Gorgonzola cheese and fruit mustards will be paired with Allegrini La Poja 1996, Allegrini La Grola 1997, and Castello di Brolio Casalferro 1998. The dinner is $788 plus 10 per cent; phone 2147 3653.

If it's the wines of Burgundy you prefer, there's the dinner at the Hong Kong Jockey Club on the same evening. It starts with a guided tasting by representatives from the Burgundy Wine Board, followed by a Chinese dinner served with five wines, including Vielles Vignes 1997 Chateau de Fuisse, Mont de Milieu 1997 La Chabisienne premier cru and the Nuits-Saint-Georges 1997 Bouchard Pere et Fils. The eight-course dinner includes sauteed fillet of spotted garoupa with minced pork and pine seeds and shallow-fried crispy chicken with garlic. The dinner is $395; phone 2966 7111.

Meanwhile, those interested in tasting a good variety of New Zealand wines should head to Central and SoHo. Boutique Wines has teamed up with a number of restaurants to promote the wines of New Zealand with special dishes, set dinners or theme dinners. Participating restaurants are Alibi, Aqua, The Bayou, Blue, Boca, Brown, Camargue, Le Tire Bouchon, Meadow, Pepperonis, SoHo SoHo and Staunton's Wine Bar. Call the restaurants for more information.