This is the thirty-fourth post in the Around the World Birthday Extravaganza Series. Please scroll to the bottom to see all the other posts in this series. Yes, here I am, seeking out Din Tai Fungs around the world again. There’s just something I love about this Taiwanese dumpling chain that has now spread pretty far…
Search Results for: din tai fung
Din Tai Fung South Coast Plaza
Happy Boxing Day! Can you believe Christmas is already over? I swear this year whirled by. Bryan and I spent Christmas with Bryan’s family in Orange County where he grew up. I always love coming to California during the holidays. The weather is fantastic; it’s always so nice to see his family (they treat me…
Din Tai Fung (Singapore – Marina Bay Sands)
We had just gotten off the plane and it was only 11AM. Bryan had wanted to maximize his time in Singapore after having spent a week in Malaysia, so he booked the earliest flight he though we could tolerate. Check-in took awhile, since our early arrival meant it was harder for them to find a…
Din Tai Fung (Sydney, Australia)
I’ve talked for ages (almost two years!!) about starting my Eating Down Under Series, which would highlight the three week trip that Bryan and I took with his parents at the tail end of 2012 to celebrate both of his parents retiring. Usually I like to start out a new food series with a bunch…
Din Tai Fung (Bellevue)
This is the first post in the Summer in the Pacific Northwest Series, which is sort of being run concurrently with the Oh Canada Series (partly due to some overlap). I guess you could say I’m on a mission. It’s not a difficult mission, really. I’m just trying to eat at every Din Tai Fung…
Din Tai Fung (Arcadia, California)
This post is Part II of the larger mini-series titled “A California Christmas.” The posts in this series include: Part I: Ten Ren Tea Station, Part II: Din Tai Fung, Part III: Sushi Gen, Part IV: Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant, and Part V: Melisse.I love love love dumplings. When I was in Taiwan back in April, we went…
Din Tai Fung (Taipei)
I love Ding Tai Fung. It’s one of my favorite restaurants, period. Pictured above is my favorite dumpling: the meat and vegetable dumpling. As you can see, it’s mostly vegetable, which I love! It’s not greasy at all. It’s moist and flavorful on the inside and it’s got that AWESOME skin on the outside ….
“Fake” Ding Tai Fung (Toronto)
This is the fifth post in the Oh Canada series, summarizing some of the great eats I had when visiting various Canadian cities this past year. We’re moving from Montreal onto Toronto now! Other posts in this series (Montreal posts) include St. Viateur Bagels, Le Bremner, Schartz’s Smoked Meats, and Joe Beef. I was most definitely totally fooled. I mean,…
Ding Tai Fung {China}
I must sound like a broken record by now. And you must think I’m a bit cuckoo to be visiting seemingly every Din Tai Fung under the sun. But haven’t I told you the story of how dumplings are the one food I would choose to eat if I could just eat one thing forever?…
1963 Tree Taiwanese Restaurant Wan Chai
Hong Kong is one of the densest cities in the world. On the one hand, the crowds can be overwhelming. On the other hand, it means that there are endless places to discover, even within a very small area. Despite having lived in Wan Chai for over a year, I am still discovering (almost on…
Crabtain Wan Chai Hong Kong 一番鋒味
Crabtain is a no-fuss, casual, Guangdong restaurant in Wan Chai serving excellent food at very reasonable prices. The chef-owner used to work at the well-known Michelin-starred Cantonese chain Lei Garden. The signature must-order dish is definitely the crab congee, which is fantastic. The deep orange congee is filled with crab roe, a whole crab, and…
A Tour of Top Taiwanese Dishes: Part I – Noodles, Dumplings, and Breakfast
Welcome to a new series! This is the first of many posts that will highlight my trip in February 2017 to Taiwan and Japan. Enjoy! When I’m on a trip, I hate wasting time and stomach space on bad food. This is why I research restaurants religiously before embarking on a trip. If there are…
Dinner at the Exclusive Kitchen Table at Alinea Chicago
This is the eighth and final post in the Weekend Trip to Chicago series. Other post include Topolobampo, Frontera Grill by Rick Bayless, Giordano’s Pizza, Portillo’s Hot Dog, Lou Malnati’s, and Girl and the Goat. “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” This is how Michelin defines a three star restaurant. A special journey is exactly what we did…
All Things Taiwanese
Eating shaved ice with various mochi toppings at Ice Monster in Taipei “lı́ hó bô? chiah-pá-bô?” Taiwanese was the “secret” language that my parents used when my sister and I were growing up. While they spoke Mandarin Chinese to us, they spoke Taiwanese to each other all the time. I still sound like a wako lang…
Taiwan Cafe
Roast Beef with scallions roll in scallion pancake – $5.95I’m a sucker for Taiwanese street food. In the end, I think it’s what the Taiwanese do best, and I love it. I even tried cooking a whole Taiwanese street food dinner once, complete with Taiwanese meat balls (bawan), tea eggs (ca ye dan), meat sauce over rice (lo…
I’m on a Podcast! Complete List of Restaurants & Posts Mentioned
Hi all! I just wanted to follow up from my podcast on Saverocity Observation Deck last week by providing the names and links to the specific restaurants mentioned on the podcast. I’ve also written a brief summary of some of the content from the podcast, though I highly recommend listening to the podcast to get…
I’m on a Podcast! HK, Food, and Europe during Covid Times
Hello friends! And a warm welcome to any listeners who came here from my recent interview on the Saverocity Observation Deck podcast! Feel free to leave a comment to say hello, or connect with me via any of my social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Yes we were on a podcast! Bryan and I…
Quan Alley Hong Kong 寬巷子 [Harbour City TST]
We lived in a serviced apartment attached to Harbour City for the first six months we were in Hong Kong. In some ways, it made for a comfortable transition. We lived above a western supermarket, had walking access to a number of familiar restaurants (hello Din Tai Fung!), and found plenty of other excellent restaurants…
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan
This is post #40, part of my #50PostsIn50Days personal challenge to document my first 100 days in Hong Kong. Other posts in this series may be found at the bottom of the original post. Crystal Jade is a well known, very popular dim sum group of restaurants originating out of Singapore with locations around the…
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
This is post #23, part of my #50PostsIn50Days personal challenge to document my first 100 days in Hong Kong. Other posts in this series may be found at the bottom of the original post. Two restaurants in Harbour City always have the longest lines: M & C Duck and Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. I…
22 Ships Wan Chai – Spanish Tapas {HONG KONG}
This is post #16, part of my #50PostsIn50Days personal challenge to document my first 100 days in Hong Kong. Other posts in this series may be found at the bottom of the original post. One of the joys and benefits of living (and eating!) in Hong Kong is that you don’t really have to travel to enjoy…
Merry Christmas!
Greetings from Los Angeles and Merry Christmas! This Christmas holiday Bryan and I returned to the States (first time for me since moving to HK!) to visit both of our families. We stopped in Southern California first to spend time with his parents. We indulged in our favorite California treats that we can’t get in…
Jen’s Guide – Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors!
This post was originally published on November 9, 2017. It has since been updated multiple times [latest update, May 17, 2018] Has it been one month already? Temperatures are finally cooling down here in Hong Kong to tolerable temperatures. People are starting to go outside, and I’ve enjoyed hiking the many beautiful trails that…
Lei Garden Hong Kong
Dim sum is such a part of Hong Kong life. Originating as tea houses set up along the Silk Road for weary travelers, dim sum has evolved into a feast of small plates and bamboo steamers filled with a dizzying array of dumplings, buns, braised meats, pan fried cakes, noodles, and much, much more. So it’s natural that when…
Sun Sui Wah Vancouver – world famous roasted squab
I’ve been finding some old, never-published posts in the archives. I still think they have some value, even if the content is a bit dated. I will publish them from time to time, but will let you know that it’s older. This particular post is about a classic restaurant in Vancouver that I visited twice:…
California Christmas
Merry Belated Christmas! Ever since we’ve been married, Bryan and I have spent Christmas with Bryan’s family in Southern California. I love getting away from the cold in New England for just a few days to soak up the California sun. Some years we visit Disneyland, other years we go to Knotts Berry Farm. And other…
Sun Tung Lok Hong Kong – 2 Michelin Stars
This is the thirty-fifth post in the Around the World Birthday Extravaganza Series. Please scroll to the bottom to see all the other posts in this series. Luxury Chinese. It’s not something I’m really exposed to here in America. When most people think of Chinese food, they think of cheap take-out, tiny hole-in-the-wall joints, or dim sum….
Mr. Chow Las Vegas
This is the fifth post in the series titled An Exploration of Asian Food in Vegas. Other posts in this series include Red Rock Casino and Resort, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill, and Exploring Downtown Las Vegas. I must confess, I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I first heard of Mr. Chow’s not because…
About Me
Who is Tiny Urban Kitchen? Hi! My name’s Jen and welcome to my blog! Tiny Urban Kitchen was born out of a tiny urban kitchen in my tiny urban condo located between my alma mater and the other school in Cambridge. Despite the size, I till managed to do tons of crazy kitchen experiments there –…
New Series! Around the World Birthday Extravaganza Trip
Happy New Year! This is a continuation of my post reflecting on 2015, A Look Back at 2015, Part I. This is Part II, and essentially is a very condensed summary of my three week around-the-world trip. It’s hard to fit three weeks worth of content in a reasonably-sized blog post, but I’ll try my best! Bryan had…
Fix St. James Sydney Australia
This is the fifth post in my Eating Down Under series. Other posts in this series include Din Tai Fung, Sydney, Three Fun Food Finds Unique to Australia, Chef’s Gallery, and Bentley Restaurant & Bar. This is also the 10th post of I’ve written in May as part of my #21PostsInMay Challenge where I aim to write a new…
Saggio Di Vino + Christchurch Earthquake + Irish Coffee
This is the fifth post in my Eating Down Under series. Other posts in this series include Din Tai Fung, Sydney, Three Fun Food Finds Unique to Australia, Chef’s Gallery, and Bentley Restaurant & Bar. Resilience. For me, Christchurch, New Zealand in 2012 was one of the most visually gripping images of resilience I had ever experienced. A massive…
Happy New Year – A Look Back at 2014 (Part I) – Travel
Celebrating New Years at home with our homemade Ginger Lime Jalapeno Beers! Happy (Belated) New Year! Another year has already gone by and we’re in 2015 now. Sometimes I look at that number and it still looks foreign to me . . . like it’s far far in the future (like in the movie Back…
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Greetings from sunny California! Bryan and I are enjoying the warm California sunshine hanging out with his family here in Orange County. Bryan’s parents have been cooking up all sorts of phenomenal food for us to enjoy, everything from a classic Chinese hot pot and a traditional Thanksgiving turkey (we missed real Thanksgiving…
Crystal Jade (Singapore)
I wasn’t even supposed to be here. The night before my early morning flight out of Singapore back to Boston, Bryan got an alert on his phone from American Airlines. Uh no. A huge typhoon had hit Hong Kong, and the airport was closed. All flights in and out of Hong Kong (my stopover destination) were canceled – including…
Iggy’s Singapore
It’s true. Singapore is a haven for all types of food. I’ve spent many posts describing the phenomenal variety of casual hawker stall type food that is available on this little island. Many of Asia’s best Chinese restaurants open up a location in Singapore, like Taiwan’s Din Tai Fung or Hong Kong’s Tim Ho Wan. On top of…
Newton Food Centre (Singaporean Hawker Stalls!)
Nothing beats visiting an authentic hawker stall with locals. In fact, at a place like Newton Food Centre, it is highly advised. We were very fortunate that we had some friends who lived in Singapore. The husband grew up in Singapore, and the wife has lived there for close to a decade. They took care of…
The Red House (chili crab) – Singapore
If there’s one thing you have to try while visiting Singapore, it would have to be the national dish, Singaporean Chili Crab. The crab can be a variety of sizes, but there has to be the signature red sauce made from chili paste and tomatoes. Some restaurants have a sweeter sauce, while others make it more savory….
Food Republic (Indoor Hawker Stalls) – Singapore
It’s a new trend that’s becoming more and more popular in Singapore and all around Asia: indoor food court concepts that comprise high quality (and highly sought after) hawker stall fare combined with mini restaurants. Food Republic is a well known chain that has established branded food courts at many of Singapore’s most popular malls and tourist…
Tim Ho Wan (Singapore)
Hailed as one of the cheapest Michelin starred meals you can get in the world, Tim Ho Wan has been an extremely popular dim sum place in Hong Kong since seemingly forever ago. More recently, they have expanded to many parts of Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and most recently, Taiwan (they are even…
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore)
If you spot a long line at a hawker stalls in Singapore, chances are that whatever one dish is being sold there is pretty darn amazing. Tian Tian in Singapore’s Chinatown (inside the Maxwell Food Centre), always has a ridiculous line outside – even at 3PM (which is when we arrived for our mid-afternoon “snack”). I guess…
TRAVEL – US
CALIFORNIA Bay Area, California **Coi (Californian) A&J’s Restaurant (Taiwanese) *Hong Fu (Chinese) **Szechuan Era (Sichuan Chinese) Luce (Californian) Blue Bottle Coffee Napa Valley Check out the Napa Valley Guide **The French Laundry **Bouchon Bakery **Redd Ad Hoc Bottega Ristorante Etoile **Terra Sonoma Valley *Basque Boulangerie El Dorado Kitchen **Sonoma County Wine Weekend **The Girl & the Fig **Kamen Estate Winery…
Index of Worldwide Travel Blog Posts! (ex-US)
ASIA JAPAN Check out the Japan Eating Guide SUSHI Sukiyabashi Jiro Sushi Yoshitake (2015) Sushi Yoshitake (2014) Tsukiji Fish Market Sushi Ya (dinner) Sushi Ya (lunch) Sushi Bun Updated Kyubey – a revisit in 2017 Updated Kyubey Review – 2010 (Project Food Blog Round 9 winning entry) Kyubey/Kyubei – 2009 Sushi Mizutani Sushi Sawada Sushi Taku Sushi Mitani Daisan Harumi…
Michelin Stars OLD
THREE MICHELIN STARS ***Sukiyabashi Jiro (sushi) Sushi Sawada (sushi) Ryugin (modern kaiseki) Taian (grill) Nakamura (traditional kaiseki) Daniel Per Se Le Bernardin The French Laundry Joel Robuchon Gastronomy Fiesta (Basque Region 3-Star Michelin Chef Tasting Menu) Eleven Madison Park Sushi Mizutani TWO MICHELIN STARS ** Melisse…
Malaysia and Singapore!
Hi everyone! So sorry for the less-than-frequent postings recently! I just got back from a 2-week trip to Malaysia and Singapore. I had never been to Malaysia, and it’s been over twenty years since I lasted visited Singapore, so it’s pretty much like I was visiting for the first time. It was an incredible trip….
Bentley Restaurant & Bar (Sydney, Australia)
This is the fourth post in my Eating Down Under series. Other posts in this series include Din Tai Fung, Sydney, Three Fun Food Finds Unique to Australia, and Chef’s Gallery. For the first time in my life, I celebrated Thanksgiving in a foreign country. At least it was with family. Bryan and I were on a…
Chef’s Gallery {Sydney, Australia}
This is the third post in my Eating Down Under series. Other posts in this series include Din Tai Fung, Sydney, and Three Fun Food Finds Unique to Australia.This is also day 30 of the 31 Days 31 Posts Challenge. We had just landed in Australia after close to 30 hours of sitting in airplanes and airports….
Our Neighbors to the North – Celebrating Canada Series!
This is day 28 of the 31 Posts in 31 Days Challenge Has it really been over a year since I’ve written anything about Canada? I’m surprised because I go there, quite a lot, actually. Starting about two years ago, I took on a new role at work where I started working really closely with our colleagues…
Three Fun Food Finds Unique to Australia (Sydney)
This is the second post in my Eating Down Under series. Other posts in this series include Din Tai Fung, Sydney. This is also the 22nd post in the 31 Days 31 Posts Challenge. I love seeking out unique aspects of a culture’s cuisine, even if it’s just a slight variation on what I eat in my…
Happy New Year! Reflecting on 2013
Happy New Year! I can’t believe it’s 2014. To be honest, sometimes I can’t believe we’re so far into this decade. Time has been whizzing by ever since I graduated from law school (and started this food blog!), and sometimes I can’t believe the blog is that old. Anyway, it’s been quite a whirlwind of…
Birthday Totoro and Domo Fun
We interrupt the Tokyo – Kyoto – Osaka series just briefly for a fun post on some Japanese anime inspired dishes I made for my birthday. Yes, today’s my birthday. It’s been interesting looking at my blog and seeing what I’ve done in past years to celebrate. Time flies so quickly, it’s kind of crazy! Back…
Recent Favorite Food Cities + winner of Giveaway
Thanks everyone so much for your participation in the giveaway. I was thrilled at the response. I really think it’s the most popular one I’ve ever hosted. I guess everyone likes to travel. 🙂 And the winner is . . . . Gee Emm! This was chosen randomly (using random.org) out of 187 entries. Gee Emm…
101 Noodle Express
This is the first post in the Los Angeles Family Trip Series. The greater Los Angeles area is really, really big. Unlike here in Boston, where we can drive an hour north or south and essentially end up in another state, LA seems to sprawl on and on forever. In fact, people who live in Orange…
Great Eats in Los Angeles with the Family
This is most definitely not the first time Los Angeles has been featured on this blog. After all, Bryan grew up in Orange County, and every Christmas, we go back to the area to visit family, see friends, and enjoy the great weather and food. We’ve gone to Disneyland countless times, and I can’t even…
O Ya
There are very few restaurants that have mastered the combination of exquisite artistry, extreme attention to detail, and stunning flavor combinations. There are even fewer restaurants who are able to create dishes that are “transcendent” – dishes with flavors so interesting, complex, and mind-boggling, they delight and surprise you to no end. These are flavors that stick…
Oh Canada
Our neighbors up north are hiding a lot of awesome things up there. This past year, after a decade-long hiatus, I finally had a chance to visit various parts of Canada and explore some of the amazing things it has to offer. I’m no stranger to Canada. In fact, I grew up an hour outside…
Peking Restaurant
This is part 1 of the Los Angeles Eating Adventures Series. The other posts in this series include Peking Restaurant, Scoops Westside, and Sushi Zo. I am absolutely stunned that it has taken me this long to tell you about this place. Year after year, trip after trip, we always come here whenever we are back in LA. Whether it be…
Homemade Chinese Dumplings (jiao zi)
Nothing beats a homemade dumpling. OK, perhaps I exaggerate slightly. There are some transcendent dumplings out there that I have no hope of every recreating. However, by and large, I almost always prefer the dumplings I make at home to restaurant dumplings (in the US), and definitely above all frozen dumplings. I find that most…
Merry Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!Hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday.I look back at my Christmas post from last year and I’m tickled at how familiar the food offerings are. I guess we are creatures of habit and tradition,enjoying similar dishes year after year. This year, we get to carry home our own batch of CHE family savory…
The Art of Hand Pulled Noodles – Noodle making class in Beijing, China
It’s arguably becoming a lost art.Many of you might know that I’m a bit obsessed with hand-pulled noodles. OK, I should clarify. My husband is obsessed with eating fresh, handmade noodles. As a result, I became obsessed with figuring out how to obtain them. After an exhaustive search of Boston, we realized that hand-pulled noodles do…
Happy Chinese New Year! China Series Recap
Great Wall of China Welcome to the year of the rabbit! We in Boston are still digging ourselves out of mountains of snow that fell on us the last two days. However, things are definitely looking up. The sun is out today, the snow is melting, and Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow yesterday! Maybe hopes for an…
Shaanxi Cuisine [Xi’an and the Terra Cotta Warriors]
For thousands of years, the Chinese knew the legend of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of China. Emperor Qin ascended to the throne at the young age of 13. Obsessed with wanting to live forever, he began constructing his tomb soon afterwards. Qin wanted to be surrounded by the largest and strongest army possible in afterlife. According to…
Noodle Loft [Mian Ku]
Once Anthony Bourdain has visited your restaurant, it’s really hard to keep quiet about it. Funny thing is, I don’t watch TV. Well, hardly ever. I might occasionally sit down and watch an episode of a food-related show if Bryan has the TV on. Or I’ll watch some Boston sports games. But by in large,…
The New Gastronomy Fiesta
Fifteen Michelin Stars. One week. Together, five of Spain’s top chefs from the Basque region (a region known to have among the best food in the world) worked together to create a tasting menu of a lifetime.How often do you get to sample dishes from five Spanish Michelin-starred chefs in one meal? In one room?Not…
“Jiu Men Xiao Chi” {Nine Gates Snack Street} – The best of Beijing Street Food
Sweet potato chips – about $1.30 USD for a huge bag I have this thing for snacks. I’ve never been a “three big meals” sort of person. If it were up to me, I would just snack my way through the day, never really sitting down for a proper meal. My favorite ways to enjoy…
Crystal Jade {Shanghai, China}
Dan dan mian with hand pulled noodles If only franchised Chinese food chains in the US were this good. Yes, Crystal Jade is a well known restaurant group that actually originates out of Singapore. They have multiple locations throughout Asia, including Singapore, China (Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou), Hong Kong, Thailand (Bangkok), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Vietnam (Ho…
Eating At the World Expo (Shanghai)
One way to taste a variety of cuisines around the world is to fly from region to region, country to country, scoping out the best foods from each location. Though super fun, most of us would go broke pretty fast if we tried that approach. Another way is to have all these places come together…
Jia Jia Tang Bao {Shanghai, China}
Who has the best dumplings in Shanghai? As you might know, dumplings, especially soup dumplings (xiao long bao), are a Shanghai specialty. Bryan and I visited Shanghai for the first time this past September. Naturally, we eagerly sought out the best dumpling places in the city. I soon found out that this is a highly…
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone! What did I do all day? Enjoyed a fantastic lunch full of all my favorite foods, including Bryan’s mom’s famous CHE pumpkin cakes, leftover dumplings from our delicious meal yesterday at Din Tai Fung, and several other fantastic homemade dishes. I am loving the warm, California sunshine here. Yes, we were so fortunate! We…
Bao Yuan Dumpling House [宝源饺子屋]
This is part 5 of the China Series detailing my recent trip to Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai. Other posts in this series include part 1: Wander the Streets of Beijing, part 2: Xian’r Lao Man (Dumplings), part 3: Made in China {Peking Duck}, part 4: Noodle Bar and some other preview posts: China: Lost in Translation, and Happy Birthday Bryan: an Ode to Noodles…
Joe’s Shanghai
In Nanxiang, China over a century ago, legend says the soup dumpling made its humble entrance into the world. Next to a famous garden on the outskirts of Shanghai, a man started selling these precious soup-filled pouches in his shop. Called a “xiao long bao” (which literally translates to little steamer buns), this unique soup…
Chinese New Year Recipes
It’s all about what they symbolize . . . Because Chinese New Year is coming up, I thought I would compile some useful posts related to various Chinese dishes and the reasons behind why they are popular during Chinese New Year. Happy Chinese New Year! And I hope you find these useful!
Melisse
This post is the conclusion and culmination (Part V) of the larger mini-series titled “A California Christmas.” Other posts in this series include Part I: Ten Ren Tea Station, Part II: Din Tai Fung, Part III: Sushi Gen, and Part IV: Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant. I would like to welcome my first guest writer, Peter! Peter does not…
East by Northeast
I really wanted to love this place. I really did. East by Northeast is an Asian-inspired restaurant with a tapas-style concept. Chef Phillip Tang, the brains behind this new venture, is a 27-year old chef trained in Taiwan and throughout Boston at various establishments including Hungry Mother, T.W. Food, and Lumiere. There’s already quite a hype. In…
Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant
This post is Part IV of the larger mini-series titled “A California Christmas.” The posts in this series include: Part I: Ten Ren Tea Station, Part II: Din Tai Fung, Part III: Sushi Gen, Part IV: Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant, and Part V: Melisse. Knotts Berry Farm is a theme park not far from Disneyland. Looking at it…
Sushi Gen
This post is Part III of the larger mini-series titled “A California Christmas.” The posts in this series include: Part I: Ten Ren Tea Station, Part II: Din Tai Fung, Part III: Sushi Gen, Part IV: Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant, and Part V: Melisse.If you haven’t figured out by now, I’m a huge fan of sushi, and I…
Ten Ren Tea Station
This post is Part I of the larger mini-series titled “A California Christmas.” The posts in this series include: Part I: Ten Ren Tea Station, Part II: Din Tai Fung, Part III: Sushi Gen, Part IV: Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant, and Part V: Melisse. ———————————————————————- There is a term in Taiwanese that has no perfect equivalent in English…
A California Christmas
This begins yet another mini-series on delicious eats of Southern California. Being married to a California native, I have the benefit of getting away from the cold weather in Boston every Christmas to enjoy the bright and warm sunshine, the amazing Asian food, and the great shopping that Southern California has to offer – not…
About me
Who is Tiny Urban Kitchen? Hi! My name’s Jen. Tiny Urban Kitchen was born out of my tiny urban condo situated between my alma mater and the other school in Cambridge. My tiny urban condo came with a tiny urban kitchen, hence the name of this blog. It was bit tight at times, but over…
Ming Court Hong Kong – Excellent 1-Michelin starred Cantonese food in Mongkok
Ming Court is a high-end Cantonese restaurant inside the Cordis Hotel in Mongkok. The restaurant has been serving refined Cantonese food for over a decade, maintaining its Michelin star since 2009. The theme is the Ming Dynasty, and the dining room is adorned with pottery and decor from the era. Though it’s three-Michelin starred sister…
tfvsjs – 談風 VS 再說 – Hong Kong
The name alone sort of catches your eye. What kind of restaurant is called tfvsjs? And what does it mean? It turns out that it’s a mixture of Chinese and English. tf stands for 談風 (taam fung) , the “vs” stands for versus in English, and js stands for 再說, (joi shut) in Cantonese. In…
Reflections on a Decade of Blogging: Happy Birthday Tiny Urban Kitchen!
I nearly missed it, actually. They say when you get older, you start forgetting your own birthday and anniversaries. Just the other day I had celebrated two years in Hong Kong. Yet I totally missed the fact that on September 8, 2009, I had announced that my baby “blogspot” blog had been renamed to Tiny…
Four Great Singapore Hawker Centres
Hello Singapore! It’s been five years since I last visited Singapore, so I was excited to experience some more of this richly diverse and vibrant island when I visited in November. Singapore is famous for its hawker stalls. In fact, the Michelin Guide has awarded two hawker stalls with a Michelin star, and 28 out…
Xihe Ya Yuan Hong Kong 羲和雅苑 – famous Peking duck chain from China
Bryan and I lived in a serviced apartment right above Harbour City, a HUGE shopping megaplex in Tsim Sha Tsui, for several months before moving to Wan Chai. At the time, I don’t think I fully realized or appreciated how much of a mecca Harbour City (together with Ocean Terminal and Ocean Centre) is for…
Yum Cha Hong Kong – modern Chinese dim sum
This is post #11, part of my #50PostsIn50Days personal challenge to document my first 100 days in Hong Kong. Other posts in this series may be found at the bottom of the original post. One of my favorite types of restaurants that I’ve discovered in Hong Kong are the modern Chinese dim sum places. These places take…
Kam Wah Cafe – Hong Kong Breakfast and the Best Pineapple Bun
This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen’s Guide – Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors If you come to Hong Kong you must experience traditional Hong Kong breakfast from a Hong Kong style eatery called a cha chaan teng, literally “tea restaurant”. These are old school,…
Exquisite Chinese food at Blossom Aria in Las Vegas
This is the eighth and final post in the series titled An Exploration of Asian Food in Vegas. Other posts in this series include Red Rock Casino and Resort, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill, Exploring Downtown Las Vegas, Mr. Chow, Lotus of Siam, and Tao Asian Bistro. There are very, very few places in the United States…
Marta New York
This is the first post in the 2015 New York series. I have very fond memories of Rome. Bryan and I first visited the city in 2001, the first stop of our extended honeymoon in Italy. We were wowed by the numerous ancient buildings, inexpensive but delicious food (the country was still on the lira currency back…
Coppa Boston
Congratulations to Elizabeth (#17) for winning the Giveaway! Elizabeth said “My favorite casual place is Picco – always fun and great food. And, they’ll be at the event!” Bryan and I have a tradition that we started years ago. We’ll take vacation from work on our birthdays and spend it together somewhere. Certain years, we’ll…
Santouka Ramen Harvard Square
Hello Santouka! A popular ramen chain from Japan finally arrives in the East Coast, with its first location in Harvard Square. I cannot tell you how excited I was to see the window on Bow Street with the plastic models of all the different ramen. It totally reminded me of Japan! Santouka began as a single ramen…
Phew I did it! 31 Posts in 31 Days Reflections
The photos say it all. Each photo above represents one of the posts I wrote this past month. Click on any image to lead to the post. In the month of May, I wrote 31 posts. Contrast that with the months of January through April, where I only wrote 41 posts in total. Clearly this past month…
Dumpling Cafe {SNAPSHOT}
This is a {Snapshot} of Dumpling Café based on my recent experiences at the restaurant. The original post of this restaurant (written in 2010!) can be found here. Dumpling Café is located in Boston’s Chinatown and has a nice selection of Taiwanese dishes, Sichuan dishes, and various types of dumplings. It’s almost never as crowded…
Los Angeles Eating Adventures
Ever since I’ve been married, without fail, we head out to sunny Southern California for the holidays. Most winters, it’s been a great reprieve from the harsh winters that we experience in Boston. Boston gets dark so early (think pitch black by 4:30PM in the dead of winter), there’s a part of me that’s secretly…
Happy Chinese New Year (& Giveaway Winners!)
The Bellagio in Las Vegas I’m just a little late, but Happy Chinese New Year! We enter the year of the dragon this year, a year that many people think is the luckiest of all the Chinese zodiac signs. Bryan and I just came back from Las Vegas not too long ago. The Bellagio always…
Menton – White Alba Truffle Tasting Menu
I was born in November. November has always been sort of a dud month in general. I’ve always been jealous of Bryan, whose early October birthday coincides with glorious fall colors and perfect, crisp hiking weather here in New England. November is that weird month after all the leaves have fallen but before the magical…
Tapas Molecular Bar
This post is part 2 of my series: Tribute to Japan which will explore Japanese culture through my trip there back in November 2010. It’s not everyday you get to feel like you are sitting atop the clouds, staring down at the city below you. Here, on the 38th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo,…
Happy New Year! Top 10 Posts of 2010
Happy 2011! What did you do for New Years this year? Since Bryan and I have been traveling like crazy (just came back from flying cross country visiting both sets of parents for the holidays and are on our way to Las Vegas tomorrow!!!), we decided to take it easy and just hang out at…
Dumpling Cafe
The Taiwanese restaurant scene in Boston today is eons better (and continually improving) compared to what it was 15 years ago when I first moved to Boston. Back then, Wisteria House on Newbury Street (now closed) was the only option around. Cantonese dining was the predominant Chinese cuisine, and most of that was in Chinatown. Fast…
A Pizza Tour of My Travels
My family has always loved traveling. Even though my parents were incredible frugal with everything else, we somehow always could afford plane tickets to fly to various parts of the world. Heck, my paternal grandfather founded what became the largest travel agency in Taiwan. When you have something like that in your lineage, you know you’re…
Project Food Blog Round 3: A Luxury Interpretation of China
China is a vast and beautiful country. Despite the fact that Bryan and I spent over 2 weeks there, we really felt that we had barely scratched the surface of seeing everything that China has to offer.We visited many amazing historical sites, such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, and the Summer…