To critics, the Michelin star rating may be old fashioned - tried and tested by the French food "mafia" and aimed towards over-prepared and over-cooked haute cuisine favouring formal affair décor. Say it ain't so! 

Sai Kung's very own Michelin star restaurant, Loaf On (Lok Fook) has been a mainstay for our company, KSA for years. We have always opted for our annual Christmas lunch there to munch away on chicken, fish, choy, tofu etc - then open our secret santa gifts. We first discovered it during a wander through the backstreets and were pulled in by the luscious upmarket décor. The food turned out to be quintessential Cantonese - techniques such as braising, stir-fry and stewing done to perfection. 

Fast forward four years. In 2009, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star - and our secret soon became inundated with revellers. For any establishment to acquire one single star, they will receive four anonymous visits - and once the star is awarded, they will receive a revisit each year. 

A Tradition

As it is tradition, we order something different every time so on our most recent visit we started off with a braised mushroom dish. Deep, juicy and thick, the pieces of mushroom melted in our mouths as the taste of soy mixed together with the woody cream flavours. Yum!

Next to come was the famous calamari - which was light, fresh and succulent. Dip a bit into the sweet Worcestershire sauce and kabam! It's a party in your mouth!

The salt and pepper tofu was also a treat. Built up like a wall of bricks and mortar, the tofu was sinfully fresh - the batter crispy and light. We slathered some hot sauce onto the rectangle beauty and popped them into our mouths. But then, oh, there's a scramble on the table!!! Steam Scallops with garlic and vermicelli land with a glorified thud as hands and chopsticks reach for the subtle taste of Canton. Yummmmmmm!

While others call the restaurant Sai Kung's Michelin star restaurant, KSA has long called it the ‘hot pot' restaurant thanks to our love of the chicken and water chestnut hotpot. To our consternation, the fame of Loaf On's rising star has birthed a new menu and to our dismay we always muddle through the menu complaining that our favourite dishes are no longer. 

In keeping with the new menu the chicken with spring onion in a hot pot which was - as it has been for the last four times - unceremoniously and grudgingly ordered. While delish, it frankly pales in comparison to its predecessor. May be its time for us to order something different - next time. There is always next time.