Tiny Urban Kitchen: Cooking and Tasting Around the World

About Me

I am Jen, an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always.

I've eaten at over 800 restaurants, developed close to 350 recipes, and have traveled to over 50 cities spanning 20+ countries and 5 continents. Have a look around, and enjoy!

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Latest Articles

Unexpectedly Closed: Écriture Hong Kong (2 Michelin Stars)October 10, 2023
2-Michelin starred Écriture suddenly closed without warning last month, shocking everyone including even executive chef Maxime Gilbert himself, who wrote a heart-wrenching good-by on his personal Instagram account. Opened in 2018, Écriture shot to fame with its intricate and luxurious dishes. Chef Maxime Gilbert (formerly at Amber) applied French technique to … Read more
Aozao Guan 凹糟館 - Modern Yunnan Cuisine in Kunming, ChinaOctober 8, 2023
This post is one of several posts about my trip to Yunnan Province. You can read "Two Days in Kunming Yunnan China" first for an overview. Other Yunnan posts include Yunnan (Poisonous Mushroom Hot Pot), Xishuangbanna Dai Culture & Cuisine, Xishuangbanna Gaozhuang Night Market, and Foreigners Navigating Post-Pandemic Travel in China. Green Park in … Read more
Two Days in Kunming Yunnan ChinaOctober 7, 2023
This post is one of several posts about my post-pandemic travel to China. Other posts include Guilin & Yangshuo, Guilin & Yangshuo (Food + Lodging), Hangzhou, Yunnan (Poisonous Mushroom Hot Pot), Xishuangbanna Dai Culture & Cuisine, Xishuangbanna Gaozhuang Night Market, and Foreigners Navigating Post-Pandemic Travel in China. Kunming is a launching point for those who want to … Read more
Xishuangbanna: Hani Minority FoodSeptember 10, 2023
This post is part of a larger series detailing my trips to China earlier this year in 2023. Other posts in this series include Guilin & Yangshuo, Guilin & Yangshuo (Food + Lodging), Hangzhou, Yunnan (Poisonous Mushroom Hot Pot), Xishuangbanna Dai Culture & Cuisine, Xishuangbanna Gaozhuang Night Market, and Foreigners … Read more
Gaozhuang Night Market Xishuangbanna 告莊夜市September 7, 2023
This post is part of a larger post about my recent trip to Yunnan Province. Other posts include Xishuangbanna Dai Cuisine & Culture, Poisonous? Mushroom Hot Pot, Jian Shui Yunnan Trip Report, and Foreigners Navigating Post-Pandemic Travel in China. For most people visiting the city of Jinhong in Xishuangbanna, Gaozhuang … Read more
Xishuangbanna - Dai Cuisine & CultureSeptember 4, 2023
This post is part of a larger series detailing my trips to China earlier this year in 2023. Other posts in this series include Guilin & Yangshuo, Guilin & Yangshuo (Food + Lodging), Hangzhou, Yunnan (Poisonous Mushroom Hot Pot), and Foreigners Navigating Post-Pandemic Travel in China. Xishuangbanna is one of … Read more

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Recipes by Category

Globetrotter

I travel A LOT, and I always do extensive research about food before going to a new location. Therefore, if you’re planning on visiting a new place, definitely check out the places I’ve visited and written about in these locations when you’re planning your trip.

United States

I grew up in Ohio (where I ate mostly my mom's cooking - see recipes above!), but spent 20+ years living in Cambridge, a college city right next to Boston. I've spent a lot of time trying food all over the US. There are certain places I visit almost annually, and thus know especially well, such as New York, Las Vegas, and both Northern and Southern California.

See more US travel posts

Other North + South America, AU/NZ

Asia

I have lived in Hong Kong for the past 5 years and thus have traveled quite a bit around the region (heh, until the pandemic came). Hong Kong and Japan are both magnificent food cities. One could spend a lifetime just exploring those two places alone. Taiwan is the place of my roots, and I have nostalgic memories visiting it with my family. Finally, these past several years I’ve been able to taste my way through numerous cities in Mainland China, as well as explored many locations throughout Southeast Asia.

Europe

I love Europe's rich history, stunning architecture, breathtaking landscapes, and incredible food. There's a sense of familiarity, perhaps because I spent so much time in Boston, a most "European-like" city in the US. Through the years I've had unique opportunities to explore many parts of this continent, both for work and pleasure. I never tire of it.