Recipes

January 29, 2018 Asian

Golden Valley Restaurant Hot Pot - Emperor's Hotel Happy Valley

This is post #8, 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.

We were looking for legitimate spicy Sichuan hot pot, ideally with lots of Sichuan peppercorns.

"I don't want shabu" said Bryan, referring to the Japanese version of hot pot which usually involves lighter, cleaner broths, a simpler assortment of vegetables, and a stronger focus on fine cuts of meat. We wanted the real Chinese deal, complete with spicy broth, fish balls, Chinese vegetables, and bold, flavorful dipping sauces.

After some quick searching, we decided upon Golden Valley, an upscale (formerly) Michelin-starred Cantonese/Guangdong restaurant located in the Emperor Hotel between Wan Chai and Happy Valley. We chose it because it frequently showed up on various sites' top lists for hot pot, and more importantly, was known for its flavorful, Sichuan broth - exactly what we were looking for....

January 28, 2018 Hong Kong

Fu Ho - Michelin Star Dim Sum - Mira Place One in TST

This is post #7, 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. This is also one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

Fu Ho is one of many, many traditional higher-end Cantonese restaurants in the greater Tsim Sha Tsui area. Located down in one of the basement levels of the Miramar Shopping Complex, Fu Ho offers all of your well-known luxurious Cantonese fare (think bird's nest, abalone, goose web, shark's fin, and sea cucumber). It has been open for over a decade and specializes in fine dried seafood.

To be perfectly honest, we stopped by here for lunch one day when we were hungry. We saw that it had one Michelin star, so we figured it would be pretty good. Surprisingly, the place was not super full and we were able to grab a table immediately. Because we were there for dim sum, we did not really enjoy most of the luxurious items for which the restaurant is known.

Nevertheless, I thought it would be worth sharing our experience. The dim sum is very good, and if you're looking for a place to grab lunch and you're in TST, it's a perfectly fine option. Some day if I ever go back for a fancy dinner, I'll update this post!...

January 27, 2018 Asian

Torihana Tei Chicken Ramen in Wan Chai

This is post #6, 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.

I love little-known neighborhood finds - the types of places where the restaurant just focuses on a couple dishes, but does them really well, and with heart and soul.

At the same time, I am quite risk-adversed. I hate just walking randomly into a restaurant and trying it, only to find out that the food was terrible, the prices were high, and I just wasted several hours, calories, and money. I know this from experience - it's happened one two many times when I'm in a touristy spot in a foreign country and I haven't done my homework.

As a result, I don't usually walk randomly into places.

However, one of my out-of-town friends is much more willing to just try things. During the week when he was in town visiting us, we ended up exploring many things in my neighborhood - things I would have never explored on my own. I was thrilled to discover a great Thai massage place (definitely would not have walked into one of those myself!) as well as a fantastic chicken ramen shop just around the corner from our new apartment....

January 26, 2018 Asian

Tasty Congee and Noodle Hong Kong

This is post #5, 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.

This is also one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors.

One of my favorite comfort foods from Cantonese cuisine is the congee. I've always loved congee, and the Taiwanese version I grew up with - plain white rice porridge topped with your choice of pork sung, peanuts, pickled vegetables, or whatever else suits your fancy - bring back many nostalgic memories. However, when I discovered Cantonese congee later in life, I was introduced to a whole new world of congee flavors that just blew my mind.
Cantonese style congee differs in one main way. The congee itself is not plain white congee. Instead, it's made with a flavorful broth (typically some kind of bones!) and "toppings" are often already incorporated inside. The result is a deep, rich congee filled with goodies that can be enjoyed without any additional toppings.

I'm now a HUGE fan of Cantonese congee and I try to have it often. One great place to enjoy it is Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop. Tasty is founded by Ho Koon Ming, the son of Ho Chiu Hung, founder of the famous 1-Michelin starred Ho Hum Kee wonton noodle shop in Causeway Bay.

Tasty is a Michelin "Bib Gourmande" restaurant, meaning it has "good quality, good value cooking." I like Tasty because it's a bit nicer than your average street side congee joint yet still has very reasonable prices and good service. The congee is excellent, and they also make a lot of other great dishes....

January 25, 2018 Asian

Ye Shanghai Hong Kong - 1 Michelin Star

This is post #4, 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.

I thought I had a pretty good sense of Shanghainese food.

After all, I've been to Shanghai before, and Boston actually has a couple pretty good Shanghainese restaurants (Shanghai Fresh, Shanghai Gate come to mind) that even my Shanghainese friends attested were authentic. However, Bryan kept telling me that, after several business trips to Shanghai, he found the food to be generally sweeter than other Chinese cuisines, and therefore, not his favorite.

Although he's right in that Shanghainese cuisine tends to steer towards being sweet, not all dishes are sweet. We had an opportunity to enjoy an authentic Shanghainese meal together at 1-Michelin starred Ye Shanghai, an upscale Chinese restaurant in the Marco Polo Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. ...

January 24, 2018 Hong Kong

M&C Duck TST

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors; This is also post #3, 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.

For a lover of Peking duck, Hong Kong is a paradise. You can go crazy high-end and enjoy exquisitely produced Peking duck at Lung King Heen inside the Four Seasons or Man Wah inside the Mandarin Oriental.

Alternatively, you can head down into the basement level restaurant Peking Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui and share a huge duck cooked old-school style with a large group of friends. With so many Peking duck places in the city, one might wonder why the Maxim Group chose to open yet another duck restaurant, M&C Duck, inside Harbour City, one of the largest malls in Hong Kong.

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January 23, 2018 Cuisine

Serge et le Phoque Wan Chai - French restaurant One Michelin Star

This is post #2, 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.

A street surrounded by Wan Chai Market on one side and a bustling very traditional Chinese outdoor market on the other side may not be the first place you would expect to see a fancy French restaurant. Yet Wan Chai, a "colorful" neighborhood (both literally and figuratively) known for its red light tinged nightlife, bustling farmers market, Michelin-starred restaurants, and local Chinese flavor, is where three powerhouse French restauranteurs decided to open their newest venture.

Former Le Chateaubriand chef-owner Frédéric Peneau, interior designer turned restauranteur Charles Pelletier, and Chef Christophe Pelé (former chef at 2-Michelin starred La Bigarrade) came together in 2014 to open Serge et Le Phoque.

Serge et le Phoque translates to "Serge and the Seal." Chelf Peneau's son, whose name is Serge, chose the animal for the restaurant name. Serge et Le Phoque has one Michelin star and has been recognized by Diner's Club World's 50 Best Discovery Series as a restaurant to watch. The restaurant has done so well, it opened up a second location in London at the end of 2017.

Serge et le Phoque would best be described as serving Asian-influenced French cuisine. The cooking techniques are decidedly French, but the ingredients are very Asian. Everything from local produce from the local market to vegetables flown in from Japan are featured on the eclectic menu.

We came here on a chilly Thursday evening. Surprisingly, the restaurant was only about half full the entire night, filled with a majority of French-speaking natives, some of whom seemed like regulars who knew the restaurant staff well.

There is an a la carte menu. Or alternatively, you can do the chef's tasting, which includes an appetizer, entree, cheese course, and dessert for $800 HKD a person. Because it was our first time, we opted for the tasting.

And oh what a tasting it was!

Our meal felt absolutely perfect. The food, the excellent wine, the laid-back, friendly, and warm service, all came together to form a perfect evening.
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January 22, 2018 Asian

Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle - New Seasonal Duck Ramen - Winter Only

This is post #1 out of 50 as 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.

Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle was one of the first restaurants I got to know when I moved to Hong Kong.

We were living in temporary housing at the time, and our apartment was located right above Hong Kong's biggest mall, Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui. Tsuta was literally less than 100 steps outside of our apartment lobby. Every time we walked home, we would inevitably pass the restaurant and the fragrant smells of the black truffle shoyu ramen would tempt me to enter in.

I won't tell you how many times I answered that call....

January 21, 2018 Hong Kong

100 Days in Hong Kong - Reflections + a New Challenge!

Time is a weird thing. One the one hand, it can feel like it's going by really really fast. On the other hand, things that happened just a few months ago can feel like eons ago.

That's how I feel about my move to Hong Kong.

As of today, I have official spent one hundred days in Hong Kong. In many ways, the time has just flown by. I feel like I just got here. We moved into our permanent apartment less than three weeks ago, and we're still learning how to navigate our new neighborhood and city. We most certainly don't feel like locals.

Yet on the other hand, my life in Boston feels like a lifetime ago. It was so different from what my life looks like now: the activities, the friends, the work, the environment . . . it was all so so different. And largely because of the vast difference in lifestyles - I think - the past feels very far away right now.

So I guess you could say I'm in some sort of limbo right now. Not quite settled in my new life, yet feeling like I left my old life a long time ago.

Despite feeling nomadic, it's been fun having fewer responsibilities and obligations. With any move, you give up a lot of your prior responsibilities and it takes time to adopt new ones. I've been trying to enjoy this unusual time of rest, to savor it and take advantage of it as much as possible. I've tried - as much as I can - to go hiking and to enjoy the gorgeous trails in Hong Kong.

Bryan and I have also been overwhelmed by the abundance of good food here in Hong Kong. We have definitely been taking advantage of it, trying more new restaurants in 100 days than we ever had in our lives.

In fact, I've realized that I have been falling woefully behind on blogging about these restaurants. We are eating out at a much faster rate than we ever did in Boston, and my backlog is growing.

In an effort to reduce the backlog, I've decided to take on a personal challenge. I've done personal challenges in the past before, though it's been a few years. Back in 2014, I resolved to post 31 posts in 31 days in the month of May. It was an insane amount of work (resulting in a bit of lost sleep on certain nights), but I felt a huge sense of accomplishment when I actually completed it. I tried it again, in 2015, but limited it to posting just on every weekday for the month. In both cases, the commitment to post caused me to write many posts I may have never gotten around to writing.

This time, I know I have at least 50 posts covering 50 different places I’ve visited in this first 100 days in Hong Kong. In order to keep things moving, I will commit to posting 50 posts in 50 days.

Help! Let’s see how this goes. Hope you enjoy the ride!

*And of course, like always, if you want to follow my day to day experiences in Hong Kong more “live”, please follow one of my many social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter).

Running List of Posts from this Series [will continually be updated]

100 Days in Hong Kong - Reflections and Personal Challenge
Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle - Seasonal Duck Ramen (Causeway Bay)
Serge et le Phoque Wan Chai - French Restaurant with 1 Michelin Star (Wan Chai)
M&C Duck, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tasty Congee & Noodle (IFC)
Torihana Tei chicken ramen (Wan Chai)
Fu Ho Cantonese Restaurant (Mira Place One, TST)
Golden Valley Restaurant Hot Pot (Happy Valley)
Sijie Sichuan Restaurant (Causeway Bay / Wan Chai)
On Yasai Japanese Shabu (Causeway Bay)
Yum Cha - Modern Chinese Dim Sum (TST, Central, Causeway Bay)
Momojein - Modern Korean (Wan Chai)
Ho Hung Kee - Michelin starred wonton noodles (Causeway Bay)
The Optimist - Spanish (Wan Chai)
Joy Hing Roasted Meat (Wan Chai)
22 Ships - Spanish Tapas (Wan Chai)
Peking Garden - Peking duck (TST)
Akrame - Michelin starred French (Wan Chai)
Sushi Ta-Ke (Causeway Bay)
The Chairman (Central)
La Locanda by Giancarlo Perbellini (TST)
Ham & Sherry - Spanish (Wan Chai)
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
Sushi Uehara (Causeway Bay)
Hee Kee Fried Crab Experts (Wan Chai)
Chilli Fagara - Sichuan (Central)
Dim Sum Bar TST
HAKU - Japanese inspired TST
The Steakhouse Winebar + Grill (Intercontinental TST)
Pici - Italian (Wan Chai)
Tsui Hang Village - Cantonese (TST)
La Piola - Piemontese Italian (Wan Chai)
Qi House of Sichuan (Wan Chai)
Limewood Repulse Bay
La Rambla - Spanish (IFC)
Yu Chu Jian Bing - Beijing street food (Wan Chai)
Duddell's - Cantonese (Central)
Pho Bar (Central, Causeway Bay)]
Yung Kee Roast Goose (Central)
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan (Wan Chai)
Le Bistro Winebeast - French - (Wan Chai)
Megan's Kitchen - Hot pot (Wan Chai)
The Square - Cantonese (Central)
Paper Moon - Italian (TST)
Seventh Son - Cantonese (Wan Chai)
The Butcher's Club Burger (TST, Wan Chai)
Trusty Congee King (Wan Chai)
Australian Dairy Company - HK breakfast (Jordan)
Bo Innovation - Modern Chinese (Wan Chai)
Sushi Shikon (Sheung Wan)

January 17, 2018 Cuisine

Pirata Hong Kong - Italian in Wanchai

Despite the fact that we are surrounded by hundreds (if not thousands) of excellent Asian restaurants serving everything from casual Hong Kong breakfast buns and Beijing style street crepes to gourmet Iberico chashu pork and sushi omakase flown in from Japan, sometimes we crave dishes that remind us of home.

In Boston we got used to having really, really excellent Italian food. Homemade pasta was pretty common on many menus, and we were able to take advantage of the excellent seafood in Boston (hello lobster!) and enjoy them prepared Italian style. We had no idea what the Italian restaurants in Hong Kong would be like.

After recently moving to Wan Chai, we have been thrilled to discover there are some excellent Italian restaurants. One of our recent favorite go-to places has become Pirata. Perched high up on the 30th floor in Wan Chai, Pirata serves excellent fresh pasta dishes, a fun assortment of authentic appetizers, and great "secondi" dishes together with great views of the bustling city....

January 11, 2018 Restaurant

Shin Yeh Taipei 101

The Michelin Guide announced in November 2017 that it plans to release its first ever Michelin guide for Taiwan in the spring of 2018. I believe that Taiwan has always been an amazing destination for food (its casual eateries and incredible night markets are second-to-none). It will be quite interesting to see the Michelin inspectors' take on this island's rich diversity of food, and how it tries to capture it all. I do hope they give it justice!

More recently, Taiwan's fine dining restaurants have begun to receive global recognition. The reveal of this book will accelerate this, putting many Taiwanese restaurants squarely on the international map.

My experience with fine dining in Taiwan is limited, to say the least. In the past I've focused more on what Taiwan was best known for: casual eats like Taiwanese breakfast, famous noodle & dumpling shops, and the rich night market food scene. This past summer, however, my dad and I spontaneously decided to "go for it" and splurge on a fancy meal at Shin Yeh during one of our days out in Taipei. My dad, who has never had this type of Taiwanese fine dining in his life, even agreed to pay extra for access to a window table (totally worth it for the views!).

Taipei 101	View from Shin Yeh Taipei 101

Shin Yeh is a well-known and established name in Taiwan. The original restaurant began forty years ago in a back alley where founder Madam Lee Xiu Ying started cooking traditional Taiwanese food for just eleven tables. Through the decades the restaurant has expanded to several locations, with the most upscale one located at the top of Taiwan's tallest building, Taipei 101.

We came on a weekday at lunch and were surprised that the place was pretty empty. Perhaps very few Taiwanese people want to spend this kind of money for lunch on a weekday. I think I'm used to trying (and usually failing) to reserve Michelin-starred places at the last minute. It was weird how easy it was to make a reservation at such a well-established and famous restaurant.

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January 1, 2018 Boston

Happy New Year! A look back at 2017

Happy New Year!

Oh what a year it's been.

I feel like I've been so busy with my cross-global move from Boston to Hong Kong that I haven't really had time to reflect upon this past year. For sure the move has made 2017 the most eventful year (maybe ever) in my life. I've only moved/uprooted one time before - at the age of 18 when I moved from Ohio to Boston for college. That was eventful, but not like this one. At that young age, I was ready and excited to move. Settling in was easy because I was amongst a whole class of freshmen who had also moved to Boston from all over the country.

This move is different. After 20+ years in Boston, there's a lot more to uproot, move, and resettle, both physically and emotionally.

It's been a whirlwind three months since I landed in Hong Kong in early October. We've been living in a serviced apartment for several months, but finally signed a lease for a real apartment at the end of 2017. Our stuff from the US arrived in mid-December (yay!). We worked tirelessly throughout the weekend to unpack as much as possible before flying out to the US for the holidays. On New Years Eve, we spent our first night in the new apartment.


Loving my Totoro painting done by a friend	view from the kitchen window!

Finally, I'm starting to feel a bit settled! It's nice to have all of my own kitchen stuff back. My new kitchen is smaller than my old one, so I'm back to having a true tiny urban kitchen again. 😉

Here's a look back at 2017. I realized that this was the first year in about a decade that I did not visit a new country, though I did re-visit many favorite ones multiple times (hello Japan and Taiwan!). Here's a recap of this crazy, crazy year. I have no idea what 2018 will bring, but I'm excited for the endless possibilities, especially being out here in Asia!
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December 25, 2017 California

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 Hong Kong, like In n Out Burgers, baja fish tacos, and Costco! For the first time, we did not go to Din Tai Fung in Los Angeles since there's one a 5-min walk from Bryan's workplace in Hong Kong, ha ha.

Bryan's mom cooked us all of our favorite foods. We got to see extended family, and overall it was a wonderfully blessed time to catch up with friends and family, reflect upon our time away, and just rest.

We head next to the East Coast to visit my family. Can't wait to visit some of my old haunts.

Happy Holidays everyone, and have a wonderful Christmas!

*The best! Baja fish tacos. We had these at Taco Surf really close to Bryan's parents' home.*

Very cool!! Just saw in the sky @spacex Falcon 9 rocket launch from the 405 freeway. Had no idea what we were looking at & had to search for it ???????? #ufo? #Losangelessky #spacex #falcon9

A post shared by Jennifer (@tinyurbankitchen) on Dec 22, 2017 at 6:16pm PST

December 20, 2017 Boston

Jen's Top Restaurants to visit in Boston - 2017 update

I originally wrote this post on April 23, 2013 following the Boston Marathon bombings. It was in honor of my beloved city, which was going through so much grief at the time. I felt compelled to support Boston and share about it, which I did by writing a round up of my favorite places that I recommend to friends whenever they visit Boston. It's been several years since then. Some restaurants have closed, and other new exciting ones have opened, so I thought it was time for another update on top restaurants to visit in Boston. Here you go!

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December 17, 2017 Hong Kong

Mak's Noodle Review - 1 Michelin Star - Hong Kong

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

Consult any "best wonton noodle soup" guide or list about Hong Kong and you're bound to find Mak's Noodle in there.

Mak's has a long history. Founder Mak Woon Chi (originally from Guangzhou, China) was very well-known for his wonton noodle soup. He was so well known, in fact, that he even served Chiang Kai-shek, the former president of the Republic of China. During World War II, Mak moved to Hong Kong and opened the first Mak's Noodle in Central. Two generations later, Mak's grandson-in-law, Tony, took the family business and grew it into multiple locations in multiple countries. The name Mak's Noodle is now a household name. The restaurant also has one Michelin Star.

We'd heard mixed things about Mak's. My local friend said it was overrated and overpriced compared to Tsim Chai Kee next door. Others thought it was one of the best wonton noodle places in Hong Kong. Bryan had tried it multiple times and thought it was pretty good, but it wasn't his favorite.

In October when my out of town friends were visiting, we went to Tsim Chai Kee and Mak's back to back. Yes, we wonton noodle - hopped!...

December 13, 2017 Hong Kong

Kam Fung Bakery Wan Chai - Traditional Hong Kong Breakfast

Macaroni sausage & egg, coffee milk tea, egg tarts, and pineapple buns with butter Kam Fung Bakery Wan Chai — Macaroni sausage & egg, coffee milk tea, egg tarts, and pineapple buns with butter at Kam Fung Bakery Wan Chai

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

I am a huge fan of Cantonese-style polobao, or pineapple bun, so named not because of its flavor, but because of its appearance. The delicious sugary, buttery crust on top resembles the texture of a pineapple. During my second visit Hong Kong this past summer, I immediately sought out the best pineapple bun in the city.

Two names consistently popped up: Kam Wah Bakery and Kam Fung Bakery. Kam Wah Bakery is on the Kowloon side in a bustling shopping area called Mongkok. Kam Fung Bakery is on the Hong Kong island side in Wan Chai. Because we were planning to spend the day on the island side, we decided to stop by Kam Fung Bakery early in the morning (heh, around 9AM) for some traditional Hong Kong breakfast....

December 8, 2017 Hong Kong

Man Wah Hong Kong - One Michelin Star

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

I wanted something special for Bryan's birthday.

We had eight friends flying in from overseas to celebrate. There would only be a couple meals where everyone would be in Hong Kong together. Because Bryan has always been a huge fan of Peking duck, I began my search for the perfect restaurant by focusing on Hong Kong's best places for Peking Duck.

After balancing various factors like cost, distance from our hotel, and ambiance, I decided upon Man Wah, a 1-Michelin starred Cantonese restaurant on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel known for its excellent food and stunning views.

Although I had picked the restaurant based on rave reviews about its Peking Duck, I soon learned that the place is also very well known for its superb Cantonese food. Because we had a party of nine, we had the luxury of trying a wide variety of dishes. Here's a look at the amazing meal that we enjoyed....

December 7, 2017 Hong Kong

Chuk Yuen Seafood - excellent classic seafood in Hong Kong

This post about Chuk Yuan Seafood is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

Hong Kong is known for its excellent seafood. You can get it in many forms - everything from a casual seaside shack cooking fish from the pier to a three-Michelin starred restaurant serving exotic abalone and shark's fin. You can get good seafood at all price points.

Chuk Yuen Seafood, an old-school Cantonese seafood restaurant that has been around for decades, falls right in the middle. Locals recommend it for its delicious, no-fuss, high quality seafood. The large fish tanks at the entrance display the wide variety of seafood available at the restaurant. There are currently three locations in Hong Kong: Happy Valley, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Sheung Wan.

The casual atmosphere makes it very child-friendly (we had a 4-year old dining with us), and the large tables makes it great for groups. It's especially fun to come with a bigger party because you can share more of the larger items, which are quite special....

December 6, 2017 Hong Kong

Lung King Heen - 3 Michelin Star Dim Sum

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors.

Lung King Heen, a high-end Cantonese restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel, is widely considered to be one of the best Cantonese restaurants in the world. Its biggest claim to fame? It was the first Chinese restaurant ever to receive three Michelin stars (in 2009 and still going strong!). It's number 17 on the S. Pellegrino Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, and it's a Forbes 5 Star restaurant.

Executive Chef Chan Yan Tak is a local Hong Konger, born in Kowloon and has lived in Hong Kong his entire life. He worked his way up through the Four Seasons group, taking some time off to take care of his youngest child when his wife passed away.

The restaurant is known for both its dim sum and its excellent dinner options, such as roast suckling pig, roast pork, and various types of exotic Cantonese luxuries such as abalone and bird's nest. Dim sum is only available during lunch and is SUPER popular and extremely hard to book. Some think the dim sum is better than the dinner. The dim sum is also a bit less expensive than the dinner.

The views of Victoria Harbour from the restaurant are stunning. It's no surprise that windows seats are really, really hard to get (there's a waiting list). Some suggest booking up to three months in advance, especially if you want a weekend dim sum window seat.

The food is elegant, refined, and delicious. The service is excellent, and the wine selection is quite good. I still can't believe we ordered a bottle of Krug champagne to go with our Cantonese food....

December 5, 2017 Hong Kong

Lan Fong Yuen Hong Kong {蘭芳園} - famous Hong Kong milk tea

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors.

Lan Fong Yuen (蘭芳園) is truly an institution in Hong Kong.

This cha chaan teng (Hong Kong style breakfast place) started out as a single family-owned dai pai dong, or open-air food stall, back in 1953. As time went on, they added milk tea, French Toast, and other sweet snacks.

Lan Fong Yen is best known most for inventing the Hong Kong style silk stocking or "pantyhose" milk tea, called such because the long custom-shaped cloth bags in which the tea is made look like silk stockings or pantyhose.

They use their own proprietary blend of teas, and it's quite strong and fragrant. You can smell the lovely tea aromas as you walk up to the shop.

I love how bold the tea flavor is, both in the iced version and the hot version. Yes, there's a lot of rich, creamy evaporated milk, but it stands up nicely to the very strong tea. The result is a bold, flavorful, and creamy milk tea.

Soooo delicious.

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December 4, 2017 Hong Kong

Social Place Hong Kong - modern Chinese dim sum

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

I immediately fell in love with both the concept and the food at Social Place, a modern dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong with locations in both Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. OK, I'll admit it - I was initially drawn to the cute dim sum items that they make, my favorite being the shiitake mushroom shaped bao that tastes like black truffle inside (so good!).
However, as I dined there a few more times, I began to appreciate the overall high quality of the food, good service, and creativity of the menu. It's a fun place to go with a larger group so you can explore the wide variety of excellent food they have.

Social Place says its goal is to allow "diners to enjoy a range of healthy delicious dishes with a unique modern twist." I think they've done it quite well, which is why I keep going back. ...

November 30, 2017 Hong Kong

Kam's Roast Goose Hong Kong - 1 Michelin Star

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

Roast goose is one of those quintessential Hong Kong foods that definitely falls on the "must-try" lists for any visitor to Hong Kong. Goose is generally hard to find in a lot of countries. In the US, I hardly ever see it in the super market or on restaurant menus. My Singaporean friends who used to live in Hong Kong lament that roast goose is one of the things they make sure to eat when they visit Hong Kong, because it's hard to get elsewhere.

Right now, Kam's Roast Goose, which earned a Michelin star almost immediately after it opened in 2014, is most certainly one of the most popular and one of the best.

Kam's Roast Goose was started by Hardy Kam, grandson of the late Mr. Kam Shui Fai who founded the acclaimed roast goose restaurant Yung Kee Restaurant in 1942. The iconic Yung Kee Restaurant has served all sorts of people for generations and is synonymous with roast goose in Hong Kong. The historic building has one of Hong Kong's only charcoal fired ovens (grandfathered in before new regulations) and its roast geese have that unique flavor.

It sort of a sad story how Kam's started in the first place.

After the founder of Yung Kee passed away, a power dispute between the two sons led to various lawsuits. Due to the family's inability to come to an agreement, the court finally ordered a liquidation of the family business after buyout talks failed.

Yvonne Kam Kiu-yan, the daughter of the younger brother, had stated back in 2015, “[m]y father promised to my late grandfather that we would try our very best to take care of Yung Kee. We are still trying very hard to keep the business.”

Sadly, the liquidation order is now in effect. It will find buyers for the restaurant and the building. They weren't able to save and keep "Grandpa's restaurant" within the family. Yung Kee lost its Michelin star in 2011 amidst all the dispute and has failed to regain it.

The heirs of the younger brother still run Yung Kee Restaurant. The sons of the elder brother went on to apply their know-how to open Kam's Roast Goose, which has immediately become wildly, wildly successful....

November 27, 2017 Hong Kong

Tsim Chai Kee Wonton Noodle - Hong Kong

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

Known for its crazy cheap prices, "ping pong" oversized wontons, and fast, non-nonsense service, Tsim Chai Kee has been an institution in Hong Kong's Central neighborhood with lines out the door for close to twenty years.

The restaurant does just one thing - wonton noodle soup - and it does it extremely well. The very limited menu fits on a single card and is displayed right on the table (in English too!). Diners simply need to choose (1) what kind of wontons and (2) what kind of noodles they want....

November 19, 2017 Hong Kong

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, no-nonsense, casual breakfast spots where prices are cheap, the dining space is cramped, everything moves lightening fast.

There are many, many excellent places around the city. Different ones specialize in different things. Some of them do multiple things well.

I first heard of Kam Wah Cafe because I was desperately searching for the best boloyau, a pineapple shaped sugar encrusted buns served with a slab of ice cold butter. Time after time, website after website, I saw the same few bakeries pop up, with Kam Wah Cafe appearing more than any other place....

November 16, 2017 Hong Kong

Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle - 1 Michelin Star - Hong Kong

Tsuta Ramen - Tsuta Japanese Soba Ramen — *People lining up at Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle*

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

This is the scene I see a lot when I head out from my apartment - a line of hungry diners waiting patiently for a taste of 1-Michelin starred Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle.

I don't blame them. I have personally been drawn into that same line (without planning to!) simply because of the intoxicating truffle smell that wafts out through the doors. It totally draws you in.

Tsuta has become my all-time favorite noodle shop in Hong Kong.

This place made history when it became the first ramen shop in the world to earn a coveted Michelin Star (at its first location in Japan in 2012). Since then, diner have been willing to line up, sometimes TWICE to deal with Japan's weird early morning ticketing system, in order to get a taste of this elusive truffle-infused ramen.

In the spring of 2017, Hong Kong was blessed with the opening of TWO Tsuta locations, one in Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour City, the other at V Point in Causeway Bay....

November 14, 2017 Hong Kong

Yee Shun Milk Company - Double Skin Milk Pudding {双皮奶}

This is one of many posts that are part of the series Jen's Guide - Best Places to Eat in Hong Kong for Visitors

I've dreamed of trying this dessert again for years.

I first experienced double-skinned milk pudding, or shuang pi nai (双皮奶), in Beijing back in 2010. I was wandering the streets of Beijing with an expat friend who was living there at the time. He introduced me to this delicate, creamy Cantonese dessert that's made by steaming milk, egg whites, and sugar.

I was totally hooked.

Sadly, it would be another seven years before I would have the chance to taste this magical pudding again. Last month, a friend mentioned a place in Hong Kong that specializes in this Cantonese dessert.

Suddenly, all the memories from China flooded back. I had to go try this to see if it was as good as I remembered.

We visited Yee Shun Milk Company in Jordan, This is by far the most famous place in Hong Kong for double skin milk pudding. I am happy to report that Yee Shun Milk Company's version is phenomenal, and double skin milk is just as good as I remembered it.

Definitely come try this!...

November 9, 2017 Guide

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 exist all over Hong Kong. I’m still looking for a permanent apartment, and our shipment from the US has not arrived yet. Despite still feeling a bit temporary, I am definitely starting to get a feel of Hong Kong and what it’s like to live (and eat!) here.

I’ve only been here for a month, but I’ve already started receiving requests from friends who plan on visiting Hong Kong for recommendations on where to eat.

So . . . I decided to write this post!

I will caveat this entire post by saying that I’m still learning. However, I have also done a sizable amount of research, and I think I have a decent handle on many of the best places to eat in Hong Kong for visitors.

Please enjoy the list! I fully intend on writing more detailed write ups on most (if not all) of the restaurants listed in below. Over time, I’ll continually update this post with new favorites, as well as add hyperlinks to posts that describe each restaurant in more detail.

Enjoy, and feel free to recommend your own favorites for me to try in the comments!
...

November 7, 2017 Boston

Urban Hearth Cambridge - Cafe by day, Supper Club by night

Urban Hearth is exactly the type of place that I've always wanted near my home.

This warm and cozy little restaurant is tucked away on Mass Ave between Porter Square and Arlington. The cafe is anchored by a hearth in which they bake bread and create a rotating set of seasonally-inspired dishes. It's a cafe by day and then a supper club on weekends (currently offering a family-style prix fixe multi-course dinner only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights).

I haven't had a chance to truly explore their baked goods nor their cool supper club, but I did have a chance to enjoy a lovely lunch there on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and I fell in love with the place....

November 2, 2017 Hong Kong

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 my friends came to visit us in Hong Kong, we spent virtually all of our meals exploring local bests that Hong Kong has to offer. We sampled wonton noodle shops back-to-back, tasted our way through traditional Hong Kong breakfast joints (what they call cha chaan teng, literally a "tea restaurant"), discovered roast goose, ate way too many egg tarts, and had lots of dim sum.

After trying several places, Lei Garden has turned out to be one of my favorites for dim sum (thus far!). The food is very good, execution quality is excellent, service is fast, and there are many locations around the city, which makes it super convenient....

October 25, 2017 Boston

Sugidama Soba & Izakaya Davis Square

Finally! We have freshly made soba noodles in Boston!

I've been wanting to try Sugidama Soba & Izakaya in Somerville ever since I heard of its opening in 2016. I'm a huge fan of soba, the Japanese noodle made out of buckwheat. I tasted a fresh, handmade version for the first time in New York at Soba Koh and fell in love with its nutty flavor and chewy texture. I had it several more times in Japan, and continued to long for the day when freshly made soba would be available in Boston.

Hello Sugidama!

Sugidama fulfills that need, and even more.

Not only can you order their fresh soba noodles (and you must, that is their specialty!), you can also sample a variety of fun small plates to round out the meal. The term izakaya refers to a Japanese drinking establishment (like an American tavern or British pub) that also serves a wide variety of food to go along with the drinks.

Izakayas tend to have a broad menu spanning many different types of Japanese food. We sampled only a small subset of the entire menu, though we tried to order from different parts of the menu....

October 22, 2017 US Travel

The Lincoln Inn & Restaurant At the Covered Bridge

Welcome to part 2 of our two-part series about my weekend trip to Vermont. If you missed part 1, definitely head over and check it out. It gives an overview of our entire weekend trip to Vermont. This post focuses on our European-influenced fine dining experience (yes, in Vermont!) and our B&B stay at the Lincoln Inn & Restaurant in Woodstock.

Vermont is well known for its charming covered bridges, unparalleled fall foliage hikes, excellent craft beer, and local farms that produce some of the nation's best cheeses. People from all over the world descend upon tiny Vermont towns during the fall to soak in the full New England experience.

The quintessential Vermont experience involves staying at a local bed and breakfast, hiking and exploring fall foliage spots, and enjoying simple farm-to-table fare featuring Vermont's local cheeses and seasonal produce.

What you might not expect to see in Vermont is a bed and breakfast offering a world class fine dining experience from a European chef who has trained at Michelin-starred restaurants all across Europe.

This is what makes the Lincoln Inn & Restaurant so unique and special....

October 18, 2017 Maine

24h Trip to Portland - Fore Street Portland Maine

We were running out of time.

It was May of 2017 and we only had one more month together in Boston. Bryan had accepted an expat position for an exciting job opportunity to work in Hong Kong. We had only a month left to say good-by to all our friends, go eat at all the places we had always wanted to visit, and just enjoy all the best parts of Boston.

One outstanding promise that we'd made but hadn't fulfilled yet was a promise to go to Portland with one of our friends. He was downright SHOCKED when he found out we'd been to Portland multiple times, yet had never been to Fore Street.

It's understandable why he was surprised. Fore Street is probably THE best-known restaurant in Portland. Even though it's been open for over twenty years, the place is still always packed (reservations are a must, and definitely make them early) due to its extremely popularity.

Fore Street has received numerous accolades since opening over 20 years ago. Gourmet Magazine listed it in its Top Fifty Restaurants in the US twice (2001 and 2006). Chef-partner Sam Hayward won the James Beard award for Best Chef – Northeast in 2004. More recently, the James Beard Foundation nominated Fore Street for “Outstanding Restaurant” three times.

"I have to take you to Fore Street," he kept saying. "We must plan a trip together."

This went on for almost a year. I guess it's hard to coordinate schedules between a busy traveling executive and a restaurant owner.

So with only one month left, we made it a top priority to make this trip happen. It turned out to be a great 24-hour trip where we enjoyed TWO amazing lunches as well as an epic dinner at Fore Street.

It's not hype, my friends. It really is that good.
...

October 14, 2017 Maine

24-hour Trip to Portland Maine - LUNCH!

Greetings from Hong Kong!

I am finally getting settled after being here for a couple weeks. We spent a week entertaining friends who flew out to celebrate Bryan's birthday (check out my Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter feed to see more photos of the celebration #bryanbdayweek).

I hope to catch up on posts from trips I've taken recently (New England, Japan, Taiwan, even Switzerland!) as well as share about restaurants I visited in Boston before leaving for Hong Kong.

Today, I'll touch upon our trip to Portland Maine in May 2017. We visited Portland during Bryan's last week in Boston right before he moved out to Hong Kong. It was only a 24-hour trip, but we definitely hit many of the top places (there are so many good ones!).
...

September 26, 2017 Hong Kong

I Am Moving to Hong Kong !!!!

This is crazy . . . but Bryan and I are MOVING TO HONG KONG!

It's a bit surreal for me. I've lived in the US my entire life, and I have lived in Boston for over 20 years. It's where I went to college, law school, and spent the entirety of my adult life. It's where I met Bryan, where Tiny Urban Kitchen was born, and where my one and only sister lives.

It was in Boston where I discovered the joys of rooting for the local sports teams (ha ha, it didn't hurt that our teams have done quite well in the last 20 years). I found some amazing friends and an awesome church community. I've met so many inspiring people from the food/restaurant industry here in Boston (it is such a close-knit community!). I have become good friends with many of them.

Boston has been my home for over half my life, and it is very dear to me. I know I will miss it much.

Why Hong Kong?
Bryan found an incredible opportunity to work as an expat at Huawei, a Chinese technology giant. In fact, here's a blog post he recently wrote introducing his company to his American friends. Although it was a tough decision, we decided it would be a unique opportunity for us to see what it was like to live and work in Asia. I speak fluent conversational Mandarin Chinese, and Bryan has been taking Chinese tutoring lessons from my dad for the past six months.

What About Tiny Urban Kitchen?
Nothing will change too much with Tiny Urban Kitchen. I still plan on blogging actively, as well as posting about my eating adventures on my various social media platforms. The focus of the content will likely shift more towards Asia, but I'm sure I'll still be visiting the US on a regular basis. After all, my entire family (and many very good friends) all live in the US.

Maybe I'll take some cooking classes in Hong Kong and share with you all what I learn. 🙂 We'll see!

If you're based in Hong Kong, please reach out! I would love to meet and get to know the food blogging community in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has absolutely amazing food, and I can't wait to explore it with knowledgeable people who share the same passion about food.

The next couple of days will be crazy as I prepare to move out to Hong Kong. Apologies in advance if the blog is quiet for the next couple weeks. Please follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to get live updates. Otherwise, see you in a couple weeks!

Warmly,

Jen

P.S. I leave you with a few fun photos from my past Hong Kong trips

Getting tropical fruits in an open air market

Walking along the water on Hong Kong Island

September 19, 2017 New England Trip Report

A Weekend Trip - Woodstock Vermont

The Lincoln Inn and Restaurant Woodstock Vermont — *The Lincoln Inn & Restaurant, Woodstock Vermont*

Where did the summer go?

We've had such a mild summer here in Boston (not too many super hot days), that I sort of can't believe August is long gone and we are well into September. The other day I was walking around Harvard Square when I noticed that some of the leaves are already starting to turn orange. Is fall foliage coming early this year?

The leaves indeed seem to be changing faster this year. According to the Smoky Mountains fall foliage map, we are already well into peak season in Northern Vermont and New Hampshire. By October 1, Boston will be well into its peak season (which is really early compared to past years). It makes me feel like I need to hurry up and plan a leaf peeping trip before it's too late.

Vermont is beautiful, rustic, authentic, and restorative. Though I've lived in Boston for over twenty years, I never visited Vermont until very, very recently. Once I came I couldn't believe how much I've missed.

There is so much to explore! The craft beer culture is out of this world, the cheeses are top notch, and scenery really relaxes and restores the soul.

Vermont has a ton of preserved covered bridges (over a hundred!). According to Richard Allen, the author of Covered Bridges of the Northeast,

"Vermont is justly famous for her covered bridges. No other state has built and still possesses so many of the old timbered crossings in so small an area."

In August, I had a chance to visit Vermont. More specifically, a couple friends and I drove up with Woodstock, Vermont to experience the exquisite food at The Lincoln Inn & Restaurant at the Covered Bridge. Executive Chef Jevgenija Saromova, originally from Latvia, trained at Michelin-starred restaurants all across Europe before coming to Vermont to open The Lincoln Inn & Restaurant with her partner Mara Mehlman. The Lincoln Inn offers several multi-course tasting menus that fuse traditional French techniques with local Vermont ingredients. I will devote a whole separate post to the exquisite tasting menu we enjoyed there!

For now, here's a preview of how we spent our weekend in Vermont.
...

September 9, 2017 Boston

(Partial) Solar Eclipse Fun! Solar Eclipse 2017

I know I am a little late to the eclipse party, but I finally worked up my photos from the solar eclipse on August 21st.

I really had a blast that day.

It had been so long since I had seen any sort of solar eclipse. I vaguely remember seeing them when I was a kid growing up in Ohio. In one instance we poked holes in shoe boxes and saw the fun shadows. In another instance my cousin stacked together seven sun-glasses to imitate the darkness of welding glasses.

I don't really remember ever being able to get a good look at the sun as it progressed over a two-hour period, which made this eclipse all the more exciting....

August 21, 2017 Hong Kong

Sushi Tokami Hong Kong -1 Michelin Star

Since opening in 2013, Sushi Tokami has quickly become one of the most respected and sought-after sushi restaurants in Japan. Within a year of opening, it gained a Michelin star in the 2014 guide. The restaurant is consistently one of the top 10 sushi restaurants on Tabelog, Japan’s user-reviewed restaurant site.

Sushi Tokami opened its second location in Hong Kong in 2016. This location also received a Michelin star in the 2017 guide. Chef Taga-san, who oversees the location, is from Japan and worked at several sushi establishments in Japan before moving to Hong Kong to open this new location. Because Hong Kong is not that far from Japan, this location can still source essentially the same fish as the Tokyo location.

Sushi Tokami Hong Kong is located inside the massive Harbour City Mall, specifically at Ocean Centre. Located a bit tucked in the back (look for the huge Louis Vuitton store), the small sushi bar is easy to miss (reminds me of all those times in Japan when we circled over and over looking for the entrance of a sushi-ya). This one’s not as hard to find, thankfully!

Once you enter, you really do feel like you are in Japan, with one helpful difference: the server in the kimono speaks perfect English.

During lunch, you have your choice between three omakase set menus: 12 pieces, 14 pieces, or 16 pieces. In short, if you want otoro, you need to order the 14-piece set. If you also want uni and another seasonal specialty (in our case, it was a rosy sea bass), then you must order the 16-piece. There is no option for a la carte.

If you come at dinner, there is just one set menu, which includes several appetizers as well as 12 pieces of sushi. We chose to both get the 16 piece set, which in retrospect was totally worth it....

August 15, 2017 Japan

Kyubey Tokyo - a follow up visit

I have a soft spot for Kyubey.

It was one of my earliest exposures to high-end Japanese sushi. It was through Kyubey that I learned all the rules about eating high end sushi (and un-learned some American habits I had picked up). I learned not to put wasabi in my soy sauce; observed the proper way to eat sashimi; and watched some of the most incredible knife work I’d ever seen.

I also wrote a long, loooong post about Kyubey for round 9 of the food blog competition Project Food Blog, the pentultimate post before my final winning post.

For all of the above reasons, I’ve always had a soft spot for this restaurant.

It’s been years since I’ve visited Kyubey. I’ve become a much more sophisticated sushi diner (8+ years later), having now tried sushi from many of the top sushi masters in the world (Sushi Mizutani, Sukiyabashi Jiro, Sushi Sawada, Sushi Yoshitake) just to name a few. I wondered what I would think.

We revisited Kyubey this past February to find out....

August 6, 2017 Japan

Tsukiji Fish Market Auction + Sushi Bun Breakfast

I've been to Tokyo over half a dozen times, yet I could never find the energy to drag myself out of bed the wee hours of the morning to visit the Tsukiji Fish Market auction. It wasn't until the news came out that Tsukiji Fish Market was moving that we started to take notice.

The current market needs an upgrade in refrigeration technology, is vulnerable to a big earthquake, and takes up valuable real estate in the center of the city.

The move date has been pushed back from the originally scheduled 2016 date, but it's inevitable. Tokyo's governor Yuriko Koike wants to move it before the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The current plan is to move the market to Toyosu, a manmade island of reclaimed land outside the city center, in autumn of 2018.

So when we visited Taiwan in February of 2017, we concluded it might be our last chance ever to see the old-school Tsukiji Fish Market auction in its original 80+ year old location.
...

July 30, 2017 Japan

Shima Steak Tokyo - The famous steak sandwich

We've had Japan's famous steak a number of times.

We tasted it grilled at 3-Michelin starred Taian in Kyoto. We've enjoyed it in shabu shabu (hot pot) at Seryna, and we've had it teppanyaki style at Ukai-Tei (2 Michelin stars). All of the meals have been excellent, and I've enjoyed each one for different reasons.

However, my fondest memories would have to be from the new place I visited this past February, Shima in Tokyo....