Goodby My Sweet... pea Cafe: Remembering a favourite bakery: TBT: Throwback Tuesday feature

Above: Vegan Chocolate Cake. 

Just heard that one of my favourite bakeries in Hong Kong has closed - why does nothing ood last in HK?! Well, it all begins with rent... 

I wrote this blurb three/four years ago. Found in word draft. 

Sweetpea Cafe: A Gluten-Free Haven with Exceptional Vegan Delights in Central, Hong Kong

Tucked away on Shin Hing Street in Central’s Noho area, Sweetpea Cafe has been around for over a decade - even the owner couldn't tell me which exact date and year it opened. Standing lonesome among bars and restaurants galore, the dedicated 100% gluten-free little shop around the corner, is the cute little place one loves to read about - so why not write about it? So here goes. 

Run with such joi-de-vivre by owner Angel Hon, the cozy spot welcomes those with celiac disease,  (real and alleged-) dietary sensitivities, and anyone seeking wholesome, beautiful baked goods and brunch. It is warm, inviting atmosphere, complete with thoughtful decor, gorgeous dogs that come by for a quick sniff and, on occasion cuddle, and friendly service, making it a beloved neighborhood nook. An impressive range of vegan options await when you put your nose onto the glass pane that blocks you for cakes galore - which consistently impresses even non-vegans. 

Truth be told, vegan cakes and pastries often fall flat, they are often dry, dense, or overly sweetened to compensate for lack of flavour. Sweetpea’s creations shine as they look great and taste great } rarest of combos among the holier-than-thou-vegan-community. 

Reviewers have raved about moist, fluffy textures and rich flavours that defy expectations, so it was a pleasure to discover this wasn't media mumbo-jumbo on cut, copy and paste. The signature vegan chocolate cake [above, bought, ie paid with cash not sponsored for this feature!], with its silky dark chocolate ganache (often sugar-free), delivers a luxurious, fudgy indulgence that tastes decadently “normal.” 

Many noted - when served at a birthday party - they couldn’t tell it was vegan, a rare compliment in the plant-based world. Remember "Eat Right" on Soho? That ol' vegan and veg restaurant by the escalators on Soho where every plate came with a dash of kumbaya...but the food tasted like cardboard? Well, at least at Sweetpea, everything we've tried so far, tastes Yummmmmm!  

Other highlights on display include the Earl Grey chiffon cake; light, airy, and elegantly fragrant. The dairy-free honey cake, I hate to repeat myself but Yummmmmm! 

Weekly specials feature egg- and dairy-free desserts, alongside savoury vegan-friendly items like the Vega burger, which won over meat-eaters with its satisfying bite and balanced seasonings. Healthy bowls, brunch plates, and cashew milk lattes round out the menu, making it easy to build a fully vegan meal. 

Sweetpea proves that gluten-free and vegan didn’t mean compromise. The commitment to visual refinement, quality ingredients, no artificial additives, and small-batch care results in treats that look stunning and taste even better. 

For those missing that rare magic where vegan food genuinely delights, Sweetpea’s online offerings keep the dream alive. Whether for a special occasion cake or everyday indulgence, it remains a standout in Hong Kong’s mindful dining scene. 

Samsen: Hong Kong’s Unassailable Thai Restaurant doesn't have customers as much as it has Devotees

It isn't fine dining, but Samsen sure is great. Deputy Editor P.Ramakrishnan was only too happy to hit this popular eatery once again, having done his R&D for this feature for years.

Without exaggeration or hyperbola, over the past three and a half years, I've had a meal at Samsen, a whopping 546 times. And I have the receipts to prove it! Literally. It's on my app. 

It is the consistency; not of the broth that swims in the boat noodle soup, but the quality of food and service at Samsen that has me returning to its alter like the faithful devottee I am.  In a city that devours trends and quickly lets it fade (this year its Dubai pistachio, remember when it was salted caramel before that? Rainbow cupcakes prior? No? Well, proves my point),  Samsen is the only franchise I'm happy has three hotspots dotted on the island. Not because it chases acclaim or reinvents the wheel, but because it simply gets Thai street food right; uncomplicated, consistent, and perfect every single time. Whether at the original hole-in-the-wall on Stone Nullah Lane in Wan Chai, the Sheung Wan outpost on Jervois Street, or the newer Central branch, this is the eatery that reminds you why queues form and why Hong Kongers will brave subtropical steam for a bowl of noodles.

Walk past the rattan blinds and distressed wood into a space that feels lifted from a Bangkok shophouse: bare concrete, vintage graphics, open kitchens humming with mostly Asian cooks braving the steam (their enviable pores!) and spices. No tablecloths, no pretense. Just wooden chairs that creak under the weight of anticipation and tables turned over with efficient urgency. The menu celebrates Bangkok-style noodles and street classics with bold, layered flavors of sweet, sour, salty, spicy executed with the precision of someone who clearly respects the source material. Chef Adam Cliff’s pedigree (ex-Chachawan, trained under Thai-cuisine masters) shows, yet the soul belongs to the streets.

Order the signature boat noodles and understand the obsession. Dark, rich broth simmered for hours, packed with herbs, spices, and that elusive depth you chase across border towns. Slurpable rice noodles, tender beef or pork, a hit of chili, pickled mustard greens, and those crispy bits for texture. It arrives piping hot, fragrant, restorative. Pair it with som tum-green papaya salad pounded to order, bright with lime and fish sauce- or the personal favourite, chick flat noodle, with green vegetables, baby corn, where sweetness meets crunch and heat in perfect equilibrium. Curries, stir-fries, grilled skewers (including Wagyu options at the expanded spots), fresh roti: everything lands with the same straightforward excellence. Portions satisfy without excess. Prices remain reasonable - dishes hover in the HK$100–200 range - making it accessible rather than aspirational. Which is perhaps why the glossy publications do not feature this fine eatery with the frequency or urgency it deserves. But fun fact, its not only surviving without the media hand job, it's thriving in spite of it. 

What elevates Samsen beyond mere competence is its reliability. In a dining scene prone to inconsistency, every single one of my 546 visits has delivered. The food is served fast because the kitchen moves with purpose: satisfy the maximum number of hungry souls in the shortest time. This isn’t arrogance; it’s respect for the customer and the serpentine queue snaking outside. You wait - often 30 to 45 minutes in Hong Kong’s notorious heat and humidity - perched on the pavement or shifting impatiently. The dear ladies at front desk potter by with silver tumblers with coconut water (again, on brand!), but really, guests aren't here for polite impasse, but hardwood seat. You squeeze onto those hard chairs, sweat still beading, and the first spoonful makes every inconvenience evaporate. 

Locals and expats alike endure it because the payoff is genuine. No PR firm floods inboxes with seasonal plugs. No influencer carousel required. The proof is empirical: those lines that tumble across the street, day after day, night after night. 

Michelin grants it a Bib Gourmand - an honorable mention for value and quality - which it has held for years. Fair enough for what it is. But the broader guide’s framework reveals its limits. Street-food excellence, the beating heart of Asian cuisines, rarely fits neatly into star-chasing rituals built on Eurocentric tasting menus, hushed dining rooms, and sommelier choreography. A panel steeped in those normative standards cannot fully arbitrate the chaotic genius of a Bangkok noodle stall translated to Hong Kong’s alleys. We don’t need their full blessing. Samsen earns its stripes on the street, where it matters: repeat customers, word-of-mouth, and that impatient line of believers.

This is dining democracy at its finest. No reservations for most tables, no stuffiness, just honest Thai cooking that transports without passport stamps and visa tribunals (I have an Indian passport - traveling is never easy). 

Central’s branch offers cocktails and a bit more space than it original Wan Chai iteration (as I call it, the mothership), yet retains the core energy. Sheung Wan feels generous and vibrant. Wan Chai remains the scrappy original, closest to the source. All deliver the same promise: come hungry, leave happy, plan to return soon. 

Samsen’s refusal to complicate itself is its superpower. It doesn’t chase trends; it perfects a tradition. That is why it is, quite simply, the best eatery in town. No asterisk, no caveat. Just exceptional Thai food, served hot, every time. Go. Wait. Eat. Repeat. You’ll understand. Or as they say back home, You get my meaning?

Castellana Brings Piedmontese Cuisine to Central, Hong Kong

 

Helmed by Asti-born young chef Romeo Morelli, Castellana is simply a delight.

      

Lost in the arteries of Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Castellana was a little gem of a restaurant tucked above the teeming masses up on the 10th floor of Cubus. Now, in its latest, grander incarnation, Castellana continues to infuse creative Piedmontese twists into traditional and authentic regional Italian dishes in a new two-storey space, in Club Lusitano on Ice House Street. Has the new real estate retained the flavour, fun, and culinary calisthenics? We went to find out.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

The Park Lane Hong Kong Presents a New Farm-to-Table Experience With Thierry Drapeau

 

In honour of the hotel’s 50th anniversary, the French chef presents a stellar menu at Skye.

It’s a landmark year for The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel. Facing Victoria Park on one side and Victoria Harbour on the other, this well-established city hotel has stood the test of time, reaching its fifth decade, and many celebrations are in the offing to mark its golden year; at top of our list was a dining experience that was written in the (Michelin) stars.

From the rooftop at Skye, The Park Lane Hong Kong’s signature restaurant and rooftop bar, the views are second to none. Come for the panoramas, but do stay for dinner, especially this season, as the new menu has the rustic charm of unpretentious French and floral cuisine. 

 

Read the full feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.
 

Society Dining: Dine with Me! Prestige's Monthly Column

Society Dine: Lunch with Tiffany Chan, Harris Chan and Rene Chu at Buenos Aires Polo Club.

Interviews over food and drink always go well... Scratch that. So far, they've gone extremely well as the formality and seriousness of conducting interviews and being on record dissipates over the main course and often vino loosens lips.

Nothing controversial, but Harris did say his sister was the fattest baby in Hong Kong - a gem that came with visual references on his phone and Rene, at the time, was new in my eye-line. Ended up liking all three far more than I did from perfunctory hellos at champagne soirees!

Between them, they've got social media down (Tif has kept her social media mostly private).

Good times, great dining! Shout out to Em for sorting us out for the meal and photoshoot. 


Harris Chan

• 68.5k followers
• 
  

Rene Chu:

• 54.8k followers

Currying Flavours: Indian Food in Hong Kong: Novel Dishes: Authentic Taste

P.Ramakrishnan urges people to be adventurous with Indian dishes by sampling the more exotic treats - some not even on the menu. 

A spicy curry, pappadams, naan bread and samosas do not constitute Indian food in its full range, yet few strangers to Indian cuisine are willing to go beyond what is easy to remember from the menu. 

From the foot of Kanyakumari to the head of Kashmir, India is a celebration of diversity, in language, customs, religion and food. Ask any Indian chef or restaurateur will cry, Indian food need not be spicy or heavy. 

For light dishes, head down South. Other than dosas, most south Indian dishes are neglected almost entirely due to the fear of the multi-syllabic, unpronounceable names the dishes are burdened with. As Ganga, from Gunga Din, will admit, only those in the know will pick up the navaratanam korma. a grand mixture of nine vegetables and fruits - French beans, carrots, cauliflower, green peas, potato, capsicum, mushroom, apple, pineapple - and nuts (often almonds) cooked in cashew-nut sauce and dressed with cottage cheese, it is a rich delicacy that vegetarians would adore. Similarly, dosas are far more popular than the odd-sounding uttapam - which are, in essence, a thicker version of the rice flour pancake. Layered with tomatoes, onions and green chilli, it is primarily a breakfast item in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but they also make an excellent light lunch. Although, fried, it does not simmer in coats of oil. 

To the Chinese palate, an iddly may be a novelty in syllables but not in taste. The steamed, savoury rice cakes in Woodlands come with sambar (a spicy vegetable soup) and coconut chutney (a staple item in southern India, as most of the land is strewn with palm groves and rice paddies) that makes a delicious instant lunch. To sample a variety of curries in one go, try the thali at Woodlands. The Indian version of fastfood (although preparation is anything but), thalis are large metal plates with many cups, each filled with small portions of different curries. Pappadams, savoury wafers that come in a variety of flavours (either studded with crushed black pepper and red chilli powder or sprinkled with asafoetida), are a bonus. 

For the best of Indian food, try Kashmiri cuisine. More "meat-centric" than food of the southern regions, these dishes - such as the mutton, marinated in spices - take hours of preparation. These dishes have evolved from the times when Muslim moguls once ruled India. The North Indian cooking style is now a synthesis of Kashmiri, Punjabi and Mughlian food with basic vegetarian curries (dhal or lentils) on the side. Meats traditionally burnt over a charcoal fire, are mixed in finely granulated spices. The masala (a range of flavouring and seasoning agents) dishes are offset by sweet lassis (a yoghurt, often flavoured, milk shake). As the manager at the Mughul restaurant in Wyndham Street, Central, says, any of the dishes can be toned down by either going easy with the spice rack or by adding cream. Every restaurant will gladly modify dishes to suit the customer's palate. 

At the other end of India, Assam touches neighbouring countries Bangladesh and Myanmar (and is not too far from China, either) where the natives introduced an uncommon element to the Indian diet - noodles! Khauwse are thick threads of wheat flour mixed with meat (chicken, lamb or prawns), a rare treat in Hong Kong and available at the Mughul restaurant. Let your taste buds explore the rich, multitudinous flavours of India. 

Sunday, October 7, 2001