Still Want to Indulge on a Budget? ...Head Upstairs

              Since commercial rent prices have skyrocketed in the past few years, many more restaurants have decided to move upstairs. This means many establishments have opted to a location within a commercial building to avoid the high costs of being directly on street level.
              Maria, a sister that I always wished I had, took me to one of her not-so-secretive lunch spots. DAP a "Modern European" restaurant (尖沙咀的法國菜- 香港餐廳)  conveniently located steps away from exit D of the Jordan MTR station above a Starbucks on Austin Road, off of Nathan Road. The Lunch menu really gives you a bang for your buck. $221 HKD for 2 people with 3 courses each (This equals to $28 USD or 14$ USD per person, with tip & tax included); The meal started off with your choice of appetizer, then a choice of a main entrée and a later trio of selected desserts, which also includes coffee or tea.  I was pretty satisfied even if I didn't get to choose my dessert.

             Maria and I both chose to begin with bacon wrapped seared scallops on a thinly sliced tuna carpaccio and a drizzle of herb aioli. Light, refreshing and a good balance of textures for a starter. For a main course I chose the oxtail fettucini and again, was satisfied with the portion size and presentation before I engorged it. The oxtail tender, and the the sauce coated the pasta well. Maria, ordered the rack or lamb, which leveled up to her expectations. 



              I would never call myself a connoisseur of desserts but I have had many throughout the years. The trio here consisted of a creme brulée, a watermelon juice with vanilla ice cream and a panna cotta of sorts with diced cantaloupe on top. The creme brulée has good flavor but was definitely over cooked, the ice cream swimming in watermelon juice was not something I would go for if it ever appeared on the menu and the panna cotta was decent with good texture. For a complimentary assortment, this was actually a presentable dessert and pleasing to the eye. It still boggles my mind, at the food prices in Hong Kong compared to America. Even though the standards of living here are similar to New York, but the food cost is definitely much more affordable here, especially when there's no tax on food and a tip is already included. 

                Pseudo Nutrition Analysis:  It is best to sit back, relax and enjoy each bite when you feel like you are getting a good deal on your plate. The fiber content is definitely low since there are not too many vegetables on the plate. I suggest only have a taste of each dessert and leave the rest since there are many empty calories here. I do hope that after you leave here, your next workout will be scheduled that evening or the following morning plus the portion of whole grains and vegetables be doubled in your next meal along with half a portion of protein.