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2012-09-10
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Restaurant: Hero SandwichCuisine: Western fast foodMeal: LunchEating with: 3 people***********************Environment / Surrounding******************************Considering the area / location of the restaurant, you would not expect to find such a clean/proper contemporary American styled sandwich shop. The large posters of its sandwiches hangs on its large paned glass; it's quite attractive actually. The shop definitely surprises you since Tai Kok Tsui isn't really known for its western cuisine
Cuisine: Western fast food
Meal: Lunch
Eating with: 3 people
***********************Environment / Surrounding******************************
Considering the area / location of the restaurant, you would not expect to find such a clean/proper contemporary American styled sandwich shop. The large posters of its sandwiches hangs on its large paned glass; it's quite attractive actually. The shop definitely surprises you since Tai Kok Tsui isn't really known for its western cuisine. If anything, you MIGHT only expect a chinese styled western cuisine around here.
Good first impressions, but it's not exactly convenient to get there.
Rating: 7.5/10
**********************Food******************************
Rating Scale from 1-5
I realise I am quite harsh on these, but for something to reach a 5 it has to be absolutely perfect. A 5 means la crème de la crème of its type and category; my point of view is that there is no such thing as perfect in texture, taste, presentation, smell etc and a 5 is virtually impossible.
0-1: Horrific, inedible
1-2: Will not order it again, and it's below average
2-3: Average joe food. Many places can replicate or make this.
3-4: Quite good and tasty. The higher end of 3 represents that the dish is identifiable to the restaurant and has its own distinctive taste and I will consider ordering again.
4-4.9: Very very tasty and the flavours of the dish is unique to the restaurant. In particular in the mid to higher ends to the 4, the food is almost proprietor-level good.
5: Pure bliss and so perfect that it's inexpressible.
I have been here several times, and have eaten several of their sandwiches:
(1) Rib-eye sandwich
(2) Roasted porklet sandwich
(3) Chicken Caesar sandwich
(4) Beef pastrami ham sandwich
(5) Ham and cheese sandwich
Sides
(6)Caesar Salad + Fries
In general, their sandwiches are a bit on the small side. As a male, I can eat 1.5 sandwiches easily but it's a good portion if you don't want to fall asleep at work in the afternoon!
(1) Rib-eye sandwich (2.5/5)
This was the first sandwich I had at Hero's. I tried it based on its popularity and recommendations on openrice.
To say the least, I was disappointed. I was expecting American tastes (from the construction of the sandwich, to the bread and all the way to the beef itself) like that of Cozis sandwiches or Panera bread. Those were kind of my expectations, and it took me time to realise and adjust that it was a Hong Kong sandwich afterall (despite the name of the restaurant Hero sandwich which derives from New York post 9/11 incident).
The steak itself was a little chewy, which destroyed the experience of a good rib-eye sandwich. I had to knaw on the beef and I had trouble tasting the succulent and 'beefy' taste. Instead, there was a stale roast beef/gravy sauce which overwhelmed the beef. It didn't go well with the lettuce either.
I did not ask whether the bread was baked and made by themselves, but it was decent. There was enough fibre in the bread, and the toaster had crusted it just enough but there wasn't anything too special about it.
Even if I were to forgive the taste (because the sandwich was really quite cheap), they didn't put in the right condiments in the sandwich. I would suggest using thinly sliced fried onion instead, it would improve the sandwich much better!
(2) Roasted porklet sandwich (3.4/5)
This sandwich is what made me come back to the shop, because it hit the right spots to make the sandwich a good 'package'.
The roasted porklet had a nice pan-fried surface, rendering it slightly crispy on the outside. The meat kept its juiciness and it did not fall in to the trap of being overly dry and tough. A lot of bad pork fails on this area, but not this one. The pork also has a good thickness to it (though it could be thicker) so that the sandwich does not feel too light.
Adding on mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomatoes, this sandwich did a fair job in satisfying its eater!
(3) Chicken Caesar sandwich (2.4/5)
The name of the sandwich is very misleading. Prior to trying this sandwich, I already had a strange feeling because chicken caesar filling is usually matched with a wrap, and not with a sandwich.
When I took my first bite, I was extremely confused. It wasn't chicken caesar? I then took a look at it again, and indeed it had lettuce, and a lot of chicken. The similarity ends of a chicken caesar salad ends here.
Instead, the chicken was very salty (marinated in soy sauce and maggi sauce) and throwing in a some lettuce that either used a very light caesar dressing or a mix of mayonnaise and something else. The taste of soy sauce and maggi sauce from the chicken completely over powered everything else that was in there (with the texture of mayonnaise as well). The filling was about 75% chicken and 25% lettuce, and it just didn't cut it. I understand that the sandwiches are small and the overload of chicken would make the meal more filling but.....the title of the sandwich is simply misleading.
(4) Beef pastrami ham sandwich (2.3/5)
This sandwich was very plain and lacked substance. There was one very thin slice of pastrami ham in the sandwich coupled with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mustard.
There is not much to say here because the ham was dry, and it was the type of sandwich where you eat because someone from home packed it for lunch for you to have.
Not recommended.
(5) Ham and cheese sandwich (2.3/5)
Refer to the comments to (4), these are very similar and it is not recommended.
(6)Caesar Salad + fries (2.3/5) // (2.8/5)
There is not too much to comment because the Caesar Salad tasted like a throw-in salad. The lettuce was cheap (like the ones you would get from the frozen lettuce packets but slightly better), and the sauce was overly sour. If you absolutely must balance your meal because you are supposed to some veggies every day, then get it; otherwise, I would stay away.
The fries are average, and they taste okay overall. Nothing worth mentioning here.
**********************Service******************************
There is not much to mention here. You simply go to the cashier order what you want and collect your food at the counter when it's ready.
Overall, the sandwiches were made very quickly and it's good if you want a quick meal.
Rating: N/A
**********************Conclusion******************************
I would only come here if you are living / working nearby and would like to eat a western styled sandwich. Otherwise, it's not a shop worth traveling for to try.
The only sandwich I enjoyed was the roast porklet sandwich. They also serve thick toasts that I have yet to try.
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