VeggieSF

I love the decor and I love the colors! I am quite sure the owner (or whoever handled the renovation) put some thoughts in creating this 1950s USA atmosphere. I was pleasantly surprised indeed when I first stepped into this resto.

Fusion Gourmet

Combining a restaurant and groceries / market at one place isn't something new, perhaps new to Hong Kong, but it has been quite popular in Mexico or at least for Mexican dining establishments to my understanding. Fusion Gourmet has been establishment following this model offering fresh produces along with a wide selection of meats and seafood as well for both its dining menu and grocery.

Lung Wah Hotel 龍華酒店

Yet another old-school classic resto in Hong Kong but being old-school does not translate to quality food. It was a rather hard to find place hiding in Tai Wai and we had to take a taxi and then walk over the foot bridge to reach the so-called entrance.

Sweetacy 甜之謎

Only a handful places in Hong Kong offer durian desserts and recently I found this shop in Kowloon City which offers an interesting creation, at least to me it was interesting. Situated in the Kowloon City Plaza, Sweetacy was rumored to have spent about HKD 1 million (or was it 3 million?) in renovation, furnishing and the whole nine yards in preparation for its opening.

Tin Tin Bar

I didn't really intend to write a review on this place because it was rather boring. The cocktails were unexciting and the snacks being offered were rather ordinary (although there were some interesting Chinese style snacks on the menu). Then again, I asked myself how often would I experience an exciting meal? or an exciting day for that matter. Life is boring most of the time and it is the occasional excitement that gives us the much needed sparks. Like it or not, boredom of different scale is all around us, so go have some fun whenever possible!

Char Siu / BBQ Pork Cupcakes

Crazy? I denied it! It is through a bit of craziness that inspired new creations. This post is 100% inspired by @mochachocolata's idea. I forgot how the topic came about but somehow we talked about the many cupcakes around town, all of them are sweet as they should be; but why can't we have char siu (BBQ Pork) cupcakes which are non-sweet? Do we still call it cupcakes then? We don't know but we like to call it Char Siu Cupcakes anyhow. The modified yoghurt-based char siu cupcakes recipe is adopted from vanilla cupcakes from Joy of Baking which is now my other source of inspiration when it comes to baking.

Hugo's (希戈餐廳)

It has been more than 2 years since it closed its door for relocation from the demolished Hyatt Regency to its current new location inside the new Hyatt Regency hotel next to K11 mall in TST. Hugo's to me is part of Hong Kong's dining history along with Amigo, Gaddi's, Louis's Steak House or perhaps Tai Ping Koon as well. Established since 1958, it was famous not only for its food but its wooden medieval decor with shields, swords and armor handing on its walls. During my last visit before it closed 2 years ago, one of the most memorable thing about this place was a hanging sign that stated something similar to the following: "No non-smoking seats are available." How masculine it was but no longer the case with the smoking ban in effect. Apparently many things were no longer the same as well, quite unfortunate indeed.

Detox Session - Day 2 - Baby Food

After 2 days of baby food, I am quite confident to say that the more delicious and savory the name of the baby food flavor, the more bland it tastes! I am serious! On day two I tried Vegetable Chicken from Gerber followed by Organic Baby's Peaches, Rice & Banana.

As I said, the more savory the name is the blander it tastes. The Vegetable Chicken was quite watery and bland in taste of course! A strong green pea aroma but lack of any hints of chicken scent. Flavor wise I am speechless because I wasn't sure what I tasted at all. It was a definite pass for me ...

Similar to the Prunes and Oats from Day 1 of detox, the sweet baby food gave me delightful surprises! It was just sweet enough but it was really good! Less watery and more pureed like. The rich flavor of peaches and hints of banana flavor made it an enjoyable sweet snack after dinner! I wonder if they come in a bigger bottle or jar???

Alright, 2 more bottles of baby food to go for my first round of detox session; however the remaining two are non-sweet flavors. Wish me luck please!

Note: the baby food was consumed as snack replacement during this detox session and not as substitute of my main meal.

End of Day 2 - Detox Session - Baby Food

Related Post: Day 1 - Detox Session - Baby Food

Detox Session - Day 1 - Baby Food

You can call me crazy for doing this but I strongly believe that what a baby can eat, so can I! The idea of trying out baby food came around when I discovered that I might have a 3rd stomach for eating during my recent Taipei trip. Trying out baby food can be a way reduce my urge for snacks during my much needed detox session but it is also a good way to help mothers or mothers-to-be to discover the many flavors that are available out there as well. This little project of mine wasn't the first of its kind, I recall doing this for a few days back in university when I wanted to go on a brief detox session but stopped thanks to one disgusting tasteless flavor of chicken rice puree. Many years have passed and I reckon there have to be some kind of improvement and advancement right? We shall find out together! (and forget about the nutrition element because eating is all about the experience, enjoy your meals! or baby meals in this case)

Also, according to a recent article from Globe and Mail, many are starting to eat them as like snacks as well to my surprise. I agree that it is not a wise idea in the long run or on a regularly basis in substituting for main meals but as snacks once in a while to satisfy your snack urge (and for the fun factor), why not? haha

Heinz Pureed Pumpkin, Potato & Beef was the first flavor I tried. So how did it taste? Let me start with the smell. It smells WONDERFUL! A strong hint of beefy aroma and hint of pumpkin scent. Use your imagination and maybe you can small the potato but I could not. Texture was mushy just like mashed potatoes but slightly thinner. Taste wise it really tasted nothing like what it smelled! It was very bland on the first bite but gradually grew richer after a few spoonful. I think it would taste better if it was served warm.

After this "heavy" main course, it was time for something sweet! Please welcome Organic Baby Prunes & Oats. It actually smelled like prunes! It was relatively liquid, less mushy than the pureed pumpkin, potato and beef. I could not taste any oats in there, the sweetness of the prunes dominated the overall flavors. It seemed to be fruity but this tiny bottle contains 38g (out of 113g) of carbohydrate and 19g of sugar. Well, does it make much of a difference to me with the nutrition contents? Not really, the key is whether I enjoyed the meal.

Among the two flavors I tried today, I preferred the Prunes and Oats as snack replacement because of the sweetness. Judge it for yourself and give them both a try. More to come within the next few days! By the end of this special detox session I will see how many kg / lbs I have lost ... hopefully!

End of Day 1 - Detox Session - Baby Food

Kwan Kee 坤記腸粉

I just wanted something simple, something hearty and something I can just enjoyed and depart with a smile. It does not have to be a fancy dish that gives me such pleasure, street food, soul food or even fatty food would do just fine. Sometimes the perfect meal is just a simple meal which cheers me up the most. A recent article in The New York Times, titled First Camera, Then Fork talks about the trend of people taking food pictures and how this "hobby" of photographing food can be a more accurate way to document life according to an avid food photographer and foodies. Others such as Tucker Shaw, the food critic for The Denver Post, even go as far as saying that photo blogging everything he eats "are incredibly personal" and one can deduce the type of person that he is. So what does it make me or what type of person am I? I am not even sure myself ... a person who loves to share perhaps? :)

Today I like to share with you my street food experience at Kwan Kee. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, definitely not very comfortable in terms of seating arrangement but it was exactly what made me depart with a smile. My friend and I ordered a huge bowl of steamed Rice Noodle Roll 腸粉 with plenty of sesame sauce and sweet "Hoisin sauce." Oh yes it was hearty, it was yummy and it was satisfying! The sauce can be thicker but we were a happy dude!

Next we both ordered the "fake shark fins soup" 碗仔翅. It was too watery and lacked the amount of glass noodles but again it was satisfying for my craving. With a few drops of red vinegar, it was .... yum!

We were there for a mere 5 mins and there was a constant line up! Averaging HKD20 per person and a constant inflow of customers (+ cash), not bad for business at all! Did I mention it was a on a Friday afternoon, public holiday as well.



Likes:

• Plain Rice Noodle Rice, not too thick and freshly steamed
• Wide selection of other items such as dumplings and even congee

Dislikes:

• Seating arrangement (then who is complaining ... at least it has a roof)

Avg Spending: Below HKD 50 per person


Kwan Kee 坤記腸粉
Chik Fu Street, Tai Wai, NT



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Oyster Station Snack and Oyster Bar

When it comes to oysters, I just can't control myself from smiling throughout the meal. Su Casa has been one of my favorite place for oysters but there is no harm in finding more outlets just in case right? The quest for oysters brought my friend and I over to the Kowloon side, a place called Oyster Station Snack and Oyster Bar. The venue was relatively small or cozy if you like that word better. They do have a small patio section so make sure you specify when you book a table here.

Many non-oyster items on the menu were deep-fried with only a handful of pasta dishes and a highly recommended crab congee which we did not try unfortunately.The first thing being served was the complimentary tomato soup which was a pure disgrace! Why such harsh word? Well, it was basically sliced tomato boiled in water then sprinkle with some herb and HALF a bottom of Tabasco sauce! I often tried to finish everything no matter how unappetizing the item was but I really can't for this soup.

Good that my disappointment was soon overcame by the plate of uni! They were not as big as I expected but fresh enough that carried hints of sweetness. You can enjoy them with nori which they provided or just as they were without any sauces.

Time for the main course: Oysters!!! The first batch consisted of Blue Point (not 100% sure), Eagle rock, South Africa Namibia. Among these 3, the Namibia was my favorite, creamy and sweet! (if served colder would be nice)

The second batch consisted of South Pacific Rock, Gigas and Fin-de-clarie. Among the 3, the gigas was my favorite for its texture and sweetness from the oysters as well as the sea water. However, one thing I disliked very much was the fact that they pre-cut the connecting point between the oysters and their shell (aka Adductor muscle I think?). I prefer to cut them myself.

After 2 batches of oysters, it was time for some hot food. We ordered a mushroom pasta but I think I can do better than that. Linguine too soft and too much sauce.

Likes:

• Relatively fresh oysters
• fresh and sweet uni, require advance ordering
• BYO wine policy - no corkage fee for first 2 bottles
  

Dislikes:

• the soup was a disgrace in my humble opinion
• as the resto name suggested, it is a snack place, order those deep fried stuff just to be safe, pasta was not its strong point.

Avg Spending: Around HKD300 per person

Oysters Station Snack and Oyster Bar
G/F, Sky Tower, Tokwawan, To Kwa Wan
Tel: 3514 3062


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The Grill

I actually forgot when I visited, I just remembered it was a cold evening a few days before or after XMAS. The Grill at the Grand Hyatt is one of my favorite buffet venue not for its selection of items because there aren't many, but I quite enjoyed the pool side atmosphere and its focus on grill item. In any case, it was another Boring Meal to be honest.

Lobster Bar and Grill

Another long overdue review which should have been posted way back in December 2009. I just never got around to it for various reasons. On this cold evening a few of us simply wanted to sit back and relax after a long day of work. I never really liked December or Christmas for that matter. As the end of the year approaches, people often evaluate their New Year's resolution made at the beginning of the year. For some odd reasons, people often discuss what they have achieved but rarely what they failed to achieve. Missed resolutions are often treated as new ones for the upcoming new year, roll over to the next so to speak. I am guilty of such act with my so-called diet plans. I think we should all focus on the missed objectives and try to complete them so to make room for new ones! That's just what I think and I hope to achieve that this year as well!

Tugged away in the corner inside the Island Shangari-la hotel, Lobster Bar has become (so far) one of my favorite places for live music, ranks after Salon de Ning of course.

Their selection of cocktails was alright with an extensive collection of Macallan Single Malt whisky which includes the 1970 vintage.

This brings me to my next point concerning their service. First of all, the staff which took our order was not familiar with the cocktail menu, he has to peek over to LOOK at the menu to see which one we were referring to. Secondly, I was repeatedly being recommended the rare collection of Macallan whisky, especially the vintage collection. At the end I just ordered the Macallan 12 years. I don't like to be pushed so stop pushing me in to ordering the expensive set please!

As I mentioned, it was the live music which attracted me to return, definitely not the service. If they change the band, I might have to say pass to this place unless service is improved.

Likes:

• Great live band
• Great collection of Macallan Single Malt Whisky

Dislikes:

• Staff needs to get more familiar with the drinks menu
• Rather pushy in promoting their Macallan collection

Avg Spending: HKD 100 - 200 per person

Lobster Bar and Grill
6/F, Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Pacific Place,
88 Queensway, Admiralty
Tel: 2820 8560
http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/hongkong/islandshangrila/dining/restaurant/lobsterbarandgrill


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