Beyond basil

After picking up my laundry after work, I checked out Kee Wah Bakery on Hankow Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. They sell a variety of Chinese cookies, cakes and pastries. Some interesting finds included black sesame egg rolls and wife cakes. Must go back and sample more.

I hate to be hypocritical, but everyone smells sweaty, it's gross.

Every night at 20:00, there is a multimedia show with buildings on both sides of the harbour contributing lasers, lights and synchronized music. It's not everyday that you see skyscrapers "dance". I took the Star Ferry over to Pacific Place, a mall in Admiralty, to check Thai Basil Café Bar out. The reviews I read were mixed, calling it innovative but overpriced. As I did a walk-by, I could see that it was one of those trendy and hip places where the food is often secondary. Then again, it was in the basement of a mall, not exactly a place to see or be seen. Hunger prevailed and I went inside.

The vast menu offers a far different take on Thai food than I've had in Toronto. The ingredients, combinations and presentations sounded creative and fresh. There wasn't any dish like "Thai green curry (choice of chicken, beef or shrimp)". I started with a salad that had green mango and papaya with stingray. The dressing was sharp and pungent: the chef didn't hold back on the vinegar, fish sauce or chilis. I found the fruit to be limp and flavourless, and the Weetabix-like crispy-chewy fish garnish was annoying to eat.

My main, fried rice with chicken and lobster, arrived covered in a thin lacy omelette. As you cut it open, the aroma of pineapple and fish sauce is released. The egg net also serves to keep the dish warm. This wasn't that bad of a dish, but it got boring after a while. More pineapple please!

The desserts sounded so tempting that I ordered one even though I was pretty full. The cassava pudding sat in a shallow dish filled with a white liquid that was strongly flavoured with taro. I could have just sipped that alone. Atop the pudding was a caramel disc which held a scoop of pecan ice cream. The honeycomb garnish was superfluous, as every component oozed sweetness. By far the best part of the meal.

I had a nice chat with the waitress afterwards who told me the chef really likes to come up with interesting presentations like a chocolate cake that comes with a cute biscuit in the shape of a cat. She described a beef salad that is arranged like a Jenga tower; if it falls over during transport, the waitresses have to take it back into the kitchen for reassembly. While a bit overpriced, I think the idea of modern Thai cuisine is fantastic and wish I could sample more of their menu.