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2012-06-17
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I love eggs and everything with egg, and I have yet to find someone who does not like オムライス (omuraisu or omelette rice) in Japan. I always have to have omuraisu at least once whenever I go to Japan. In Hong Kong, there are only a handful of places that over Japanese style omelette rice, let alone GOOD ones. When I saw Hidden Kitchen秀殿 being featured in Eat and Travel Weekly (飲食男女) last week, their omuraisu immediately caught my attention. Then all of a sudden we decided to go there impromptu
In Hong Kong, there are only a handful of places that over Japanese style omelette rice, let alone GOOD ones. When I saw Hidden Kitchen秀殿 being featured in Eat and Travel Weekly (飲食男女) last week, their omuraisu immediately caught my attention. Then all of a sudden we decided to go there impromptu as I could no longer behold the temptation of having a good omuraisu in Hong Kong. In fact I went there twice within 24 hours, first for dinner and second for lunch.
With only 4 small tables and some bar seats, the whole décor and look and feel of Hidden Kitchen closely resemble the small yōshokuya (洋食屋) in Japan. The female chef and the staff (only 2) are all Japanese, and a sneak peek at the tiny kitchen reveald that there is actually just one stove and a very small oven at the counter.
.At dinner time there are a range of appetizers, a small selection of mains and only 2 desserts. I ordered a Shirley Temple but it was way too sweet.
.The omuraisu at Hidden Kitchen is とろふわオムライス (toro fuwa omuraisu) or タンポポ (tampopo)-style. So the finished omelette is placed on top of the fried rice instead of already wrapping around it. Then you cut a slit on the top of the omelette and spread open the egg, exposing the runny inside of the omelette and letting it wrapping around the top of the rice.
.There are two kinds of omuraisu available at Hidden Kitchen – one with トマトソース (tomato sauce) and one with デミグラスソース (demi glace sauce). They were both well-executed, with the inside of the omelette runny and juicy, not a bit overcooked. However, the omelette with tomato sauce was clearly not perfect in shape when it arrived, with a little of the bottom “skin” extended out. A lot of omuraisu in Japan are served with ketchup, but this tomato sauce was cooked with herb. I don't mind either way and this was quite delicious.
The omuraisu with demi glace sauce was done perfectly with the classic oval appearance. The sauce was thick, flavorful, and very close to what I had in Japan. Personally I preferred this one to the one with tomato sauce, but it is just personal preference.
I did feel that both omelette didn’t have as much “egg” flavor as those in Japan. Perhaps it’s the type of eggs that they use? Not all omelette came out in perfect shape as they did in Japan either. As for the fried rice, it was a little lacking in flavor and texture than the ones I had in Japan. These 3 factors: consistent shape of omelette, egg flavor, and rice flavor and texture, that made the omuraisu here not as memorable as the top-notch omuraisu in Japan. That said, it seems that it is as good as it gets in Hong Kong, and I will still be happy to order the omuraisu here again.
30時間煮込んだ ほほ肉ビーフシチュー (30-Hour Beef Cheek Stew)
Whether it was stewed for 30 hours was not known, but the beef cheek meat was soft and tender without totally losing the chew. The collagen parts with the gelatinous texture were the best bits! The stew sauce was rich like gravy and full of beefy flavor and the sweetness of the vegetables. 
.This sauce was great with the bread being served together, and I am sure it will go well with rice! A very enjoyable dish!
I went there for lunch the next day with another friend. There were 7 lunch sets available, and all the lunch sets came with soup, salad, and drinks. I ordered the omuraisu with tomato sauce again. The texture and flavor of the omelette were quite consistent, and this time the omelette shape was better than dinner
.とろとろチーズハンバーグ Original Cheese Hamburg Set (limited)
The cheese burger to me was not as impressive as all the other dishes I have tried. There were a lot of onions in the patty which appeared to be a mixture of beef and pork - a very typical Japanese style burger patty which I like if it is done right. However, while the burger patty here was soft without being dense or dry, there was not much meat flavor at all. The cheese was also not the suggested とろとろチーズ (toro toro cheese) which meant gooey melting cheese. In fact it had very little cheese inside. It was really the delectable brown meat sauce again that saved the whole dish.The pumpkin soup served that day was lukewarm, and the potato salad was chunky and lacking seasoning and mayo. They were both just average. Iced tea and coffee were classic Japanese style and tasted quite nice.
.Overall, I am very satisfied with my 2 visits. Although the food, especially the omuraisu, couldn’t quite compare to the best omuraisu shops in Japan, I think the ones served here are probably the most authentic and delicious in Hong Kong for now. With a cozy environment and nice service, I will for sure go back for the omuraisu and the beef cheek stew again.
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