Brasserie in da 'hood

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It's Saturday, and we're looking to have a nice dinner out without breaking the bank. In Hong Kong, there's a dearth of bistros or brasseries where I would be happy with the cuisine, and feel that it's money well-spent at the same time. Fortunately, there's one not too far from our new home. After three months in the hood, I felt it was time I took Foursheets to check out Chouchou. I, of course, had already had a first taste back in March.

Since it was Foursheets' first visit, I decided to let her choose the dishes. Besides, it would be good for me to try out new items.

Tarte à la tomate - this was a FAIL. The puff pastry was too hard and firm, which made it hard to cut... and then proceeded to break into pieces in awkward shapes. In addition, the pastry was cold so the butter had congealed and just tasted gross in the mouth. Oh and they also added rosemary to the tomatoes, which was another point deduction for me.

Tartare de boeuf - so they use beef from Alexandre Polmard, and this came in bigger chunks to make it more chewy. Adding tarragon made the flavors more interesting.

Canard à l'orange - I couldn't order this on my previous visit, so I'm glad Foursheets picked this one.

Pretty nice presentation with duck jus and a little bit of orange on top.

The doneness was fine, and the skin was nice and caramelized with a bit of smokiness. The bird was a little under-seasoned, so thanks to the orange and spice glaze, this was a little more on the sweet side. Of course, this wasn't an issue for me.

Jardinière de légumes - always a good idea here.

Frites

Tarte tatin - I just had to order this for Foursheets, as it's one of the few desserts in the world she would touch. À la mode et pas mal.

I took along a casual bottle that I like very much.

2017 Stephan Côte-Rôtie - lots of fragrant mint and eucalyptus. Definitely meaty. After more than an hour, the nose was still pretty fragrant.

Other than the failed pastry, this was a pretty good meal. I'm happy that we have this place as one of our neighborhood dining options, and I can see ourselves coming back here from time to time.