About Me

I am Jen, an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 7 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

Po Toi Island and Stanley Hong KongJune 17, 2025
Old Mansion Family Mo You can walk around and explore the different rooms. The Paths Around the Island are Easy to Navigate The hiking trails around the island are extremely well marked. It will take several hours to explore everything, and we ended up not having enough time to explore the entire island during our...
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Wakaran Wan ChaiJune 15, 2025
Tucked away on Ship Street in Wan Chai, Wakaran is a casual, upbeat restaurant that incorporates a fusion of Japanese, Chinese, and Western influences. The restaurant's name, "WA-KA-RAN" (和華蘭), is really a shortened form of the term "wakaranai", which means "I don't understand" in Japanese. Their rationale is, "who are we to tell anybody what...
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Godenya Hong Kong (revisited)June 12, 2025
I first visited this difficult-to-book, sake-focused Japanese restaurant, Godenya, in 2022. Our friends Growing Boy and his wife "Foursheets", who love this place, invited us to join them one day. I fell in love with the restaurant, as it really felt like I was transported to Japan for a few hours. Last spring, we immediately...
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The Chairman Hong Kong (1 Michelin Star)June 6, 2025
The last time I visited The Chairman was February 2022. It was at their original location in Central, and the pandemic era restrictions were still in full effect. In fact, at that time (February), Hong Kong's rules only permitted two people to dine together. I still remember four of us coming to the restaurant, sitting...
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Hanu (Korean Beef) Wan ChaiJune 2, 2025
Hello Hanwoo beef! I am embarrassed to say I had no idea what hanwoo beef was before I we visited Hanu in Wan Chai earlier this year. Perhaps it's because I had never been to Korea before (until this past April!!). Or perhaps it's because this premium beef is famously hard to find outside of...
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Always Joy Hong KongMay 29, 2025
Perhaps one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in 2025, Always Joy (a modern Izakaya from Yardbird co-founders Lindsay Jang and Matt Abergel) finally opened its doors in March 2025. I am a HUGE fan of Yardbird, Jang and Abergel's other restaurant. Bryan and I go regularly, and never tire of it. We're not alone....
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Michelin Stars

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.

Latest US Articles

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North / South America

Aside from the US, I did grow up only an hour from Canada, so we would often drive to Windsor for dim sum and Chinese groceries! I've only been to South America (Argentina) once, but it was a fascinating experience!

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.

Latest Hong Kong Articles

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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.