過去差不多兩年半我與Rocky已去過兩次回訪位於柴灣利眾街24號東貿廣場6樓的柴門西餐廳（港鐵柴灣站C出口步行約3分鐘就可找到這間玻璃幕牆高厦），記得第二次回訪後還留下品嚐他們的名菜，至今仍念念不忘出色美食，決定要找機會再回來。很興奮在3月11日與恒生銀行合辦的研討會見到柴門其中一位負責人細Keith出席參加，並在現場告訴我們他在使用iCHEF系統時遇到的問題，希望我們能到餐廳現場幫助他解決，這位我印象中低調被動的年輕伙子突然變得積極開朗及面帶笑容，主動地聯繫我們，是我意想不到的事情，於是我立刻承諾會儘快約他到餐廳會面。Since two and a half years ago, Rocky and I had already visited “CmOn” twice. Located on the 6th floor of E-Trade Plaza, 24 Lee Chung Street, Chai Wan (just a 3-minute walk from Exit C of Chai Wan MTR Station, in a sleek glass tower), the restaurant left a strong impression with its outstanding cuisine. At the end of our second visit, we had the privilege of trying out their signature dishes and was determined to find another chance to return. To my excitement, on March 11, during a seminar co-hosted with Hang Seng Bank, I met one of CmOn’s managers, Little Keith. He approached us at the event to share some challenges he was facing with the iCHEF system, and asked if we could visit the restaurant to assist him. To my surprise, the usually reserved and passive young man was now proactive, cheerful, and smiling. He reached out to us with enthusiasm, which was unexpected. I immediately promised to arrange a visit to his restaurant as soon as possible.
今天我們一行四人（包括Rocky，Walter，芯和我）在約好細Keith的下午4:00抵達餐廳。以往回訪除了有他外，還有大Keith在場引領著他，雙Keith合璧地與我們交談，談話內容都是全商務，語氣都是認真拘緊並小心翼翼的，非常禮貌但笑容欠奉。今次不知道什麼原因，起了很大變化！首先，我們到步時只見到細Keith，他高興地立刻與我們坐下交談，大Keith正在忙他的事未能參加，但細Keith一反常態，高調提出一些利用系統達到推廣業務的要求，我們亦快速地按他要求完成了系統的改動，並獲他同意進一步協助他更完善地使用QR Code的功能。此時大Keith已回來加入會議，亦驚訝地用極其輕鬆的語氣與我們討論近期餐飲市場的走勢。談到他們自己時，他們說晚飯真的不錯，星期五、六、日有現場樂隊表演時是爆滿，平日較靜，但拉上補下算是滿意，加上經常有包場幫補，要繼續努力的部份是午飯比以前差了一點。他們現在正積極透過FaceBook及IG推廣業務，略見成績！Today, our group of four (Rocky, Walter, Sum and I) arrived at the restaurant at 4:00 PM, as arranged with Little Keith. In previous visits, both Big Keith and Little Keith would greet us, with Big Keith taking the lead in discussions. Both were serious, formal, and cautious in their tone, polite but lacking smiles. However, this time was very different! Upon arrival, we only saw Little Keith, who warmly greeted us and sat down to discuss matters. Big Keith was busy and couldn’t join us at the start. Little Keith, breaking his usual reserved demeanor, openly shared his ideas for using the system to promote their business. We quickly made the requested system adjustments and agreed to further assist him in optimizing the QR Code functionality. By the time Big Keith joined us, the atmosphere had changed significantly. He was surprisingly relaxed and casually discussed recent trends in the dining market with us. When it came to their business, they shared that their dinner service was doing well, especially on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, when live bands performed, and the restaurant was packed. Weekdays were quieter, but overall, they were satisfied with the balance, especially since private event bookings were helping to supplement their income. However, they admitted that lunch service had slightly declined compared to before. They were actively promoting the business through Facebook and Instagram, and the results were beginning to show.
當我們詳談餐牌及看菜式的照片時，大Keith也放低了以往我熟悉的認真語氣，用輕鬆而友善態度介紹他們最受歡迎的菜式，最後還帶我們去看牛肉乾式熟成櫃（dry ager）的運作，教我們怎樣以肉色分辨熟成不同日數的肉質，非常有趣。As we continued our conversation, we looked through their menu and food photos. Big Keith, dropping his previously serious tone, introduced their most popular dishes with a friendly and relaxed attitude. He even showed us their dry-aging cabinet for beef (dry ager) and explained how to identify the quality of beef based on the color and aging time. It was fascinating.
大Keith分享了一些關於牛扒的冷知識：牛扒原本就很美味，但是透過熟成技術(Beef Aging牛肉熟成)，可以讓味道提升；經過熟成後的牛排，除了肌肉從原本的緊繃變得放鬆之外，還會讓牛排肌肉組織變得更軟嫩，脂肪更加均勻，味道也會更加濃郁和多汁。Big Keith also shared some interesting trivia about beef steaks: while steaks are already delicious on their own, the beef aging process can significantly enhance their flavor. After aging, the muscles relax, making the steak more tender, the fat distribution more even, and the flavor richer and juicier.
跟著開心時刻來臨了，Rocky決定做東道主，請我們在柴門試食有代表性的美食，交託雙Keith負責安排，三十分鐘後，我們四人坐下表演台前的四人枱，等待雙Keith一道一道菜拿出來，首先是自家製的麵包籃，裡面有麵包條、脆軟的法包及竹炭包，添點牛油真美味可口；隨後出場的是五味拼盤，包括焗新鮮蠔、蝦多士、煎鴨肝多士、煎蟹肉餅及蜜瓜配巴馬火腿，這五款頭盤各有各好食，是最稱心的享受；跟著是熱騰騰的粟米濃湯，單看高溫度就知道餐廳對燙質素的講究；主菜是美國優質乾式熟成32天肉眼牛扒及香煎加拿大豬胺扒，選豬胺扒的原因是因為Walter不食牛肉，他也大方地邀請我們試食他的主菜，難以想像的爽脆可口，我們三人就毫不客氣地分享這塊特級牛扒，味道與口感都是一級牛肉的水準，每一口都是絕美；主菜後再來一份卡邦尼義大利粉配煙三文魚給我們四人分享，味道濃郁，芝士及忌廉份量剛好，值得推介；最後是甜品拼盤：柴門的招牌法式焦糖燉蛋、紐約芝士餅及朱古力餅，芯加點了熱檸茶，我就選了熱咖啡，將整個試食晚宴畫上完美句號。Then came the highlight of the visit—Rocky decided to be the host and invited us to sample some of CmOn’s signature dishes. The two Keiths were entrusted with arranging the meal, and 30 minutes later, the four of us sat at a table near the performance stage, eagerly awaiting the dishes. The first item served was a basket of house-made bread, including breadsticks, soft French bread, and charcoal bread—absolutely delicious when paired with butter. Next came the five-flavor starter platter, featuring baked fresh oysters, shrimp toast, pan-seared foie gras toast, crab cakes, and melon with Parma ham. Each appetizer was delightful in its own way, providing a truly satisfying experience. Following this was a steaming hot bowl of corn chowder, with its temperature alone showcasing the restaurant’s commitment to quality. For the main course, we were served a 32-day dry-aged U.S. ribeye steak and a pan-seared Canadian pork cutlet. Walter, who doesn’t eat beef, chose the pork cutlet and generously invited us to taste his dish. It was unexpectedly crisp and delicious. Meanwhile, the rest of us eagerly shared the premium ribeye steak, which delivered top-tier flavor and texture—every bite was exquisite. After the main course, we shared a plate of carbonara pasta with smoked salmon. The dish was rich, with the perfect balance of cheese and cream, making it highly recommended. Finally, we ended the meal with a dessert platter featuring CmOn’s signature crème brûlée, New York cheesecake, and chocolate cake. Sum ordered hot lemon tea and I chose hot coffee to pair with the dessert, perfectly rounding off our tasting dinner.
這次回訪我們最大得著是感受到雙Keith更立體地展現在我們眼前，兩位都變得輕鬆易親近，未來我們雙方的溝通會來得更自然更有效力，細Keith已約了下次在iCHEF公司與我們進一步交談，希望我們更能協助他繼續發展柴門業務。This visit brought a significant breakthrough—we saw a more multi-dimensional side of the two Keiths. Both seemed more relaxed and approachable, which will undoubtedly make future communication between us more natural and effective. Little Keith has already scheduled a follow-up discussion at the iCHEF office, hoping we can continue supporting the growth of CmOn’s business.
