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Bozar Restaurant Brussels - 1 Michelin Star

Feb 25, 2021 ·

2020 was an odd blur of a year.

On the one hand the pre-COVID world feels like eons ago, a different era, a world from another lifetime. On the other hand, 2020 seems to have whizzed by, and that time in March when we were stuck in Belgium wasn't that long ago. As I approach the one-year anniversary of leaving Belgium, I've decided it's time to wrap up my blog posts about that crazy time. My goal will be to finish this long-running Belgium series by March 14th, the day we left Belgium a year ago.

I'll start this final "push to the end" by sharing about one of our favorite meals in Brussels.

Bozar Restaurant serves modern and upscale European food executed with Chef Karen Torosyan's creative artistry and obsessive precision. Located in the BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts in central Brussels, Bozar has held a Michelin star since 2018 and has a score of 17 out of 20 in the Gault & Millau Guide.

Dining at Bozar Restaurant means having a chance to marvel at Chef Torosyan's meticulously crafted culinary creations one course after another, culminating in one of his signature croûtes (preparations in crusts), like the pithivier (more on that below).

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Fin de Siecle Brussels

Feb 23, 2021 ·

"Fin de Siecle" literally means "End of the Century" in French. We first noticed this otherwise seemingly unassuming place because it was immensely popular (always very crowded during those pre-COVID times), oftentimes with a line out the door.

It's popular because the food's hearty, authentic, and tasty, plus the prices are very, very reasonable. Furthermore, it's in a convenient location (not to far from the Grand Place near St. Catherine's), and there's good beer (of course, we're in Belgium).

When we went there were no menus and it was cash only. We ordered off of what was written on a blackboard, and we made sure we had enough cash.

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Happy Lunar New Year - a Different Celebration During an Unusual Year

Feb 12, 2021 ·

Happy Lunar New Year!

Crazy times indeed. Believe it or not, this is our first time actually spending Chinese New Year in Hong Kong! In the past we always took advantage of the longer holiday to travel. This year we are still stuck here, and thus decided to make the most of our time in Hong Kong during this very traditional Chinese holiday.

Orange Trees!

Tiny Urban Kitchen Lunar New Year decorations

Hong Kong becomes a colorful, festive scene every Lunar New Year. Orange trees pop up seemingly overnight all around the city, often decorating business entrances. Meanwhile, families hang red banners with lucky four-word phrases on their doorways.

Why Orange Trees?

The word for kumquat in Cantonese 金桔 is pronounced "gam1 gat1". 金 is gold ("gam1") and 桔 (gat1) has the same pronunciation as 吉 (gat1) which means good luck. We discovered this orange tree custom is mainly a southern Chinese tradition, which makes sense, since the play on words doesn't work quite the same in other dialects.

Tiny Urban Kitchen Lunar New Year Pussy willows

Above is what the lobby of my office looked like the last few weeks. Aside from oranges trees, pussy willow trees (often decorated with red envelopes) are also very popular in Hong Kong. The word for the pussy willow tree in Chinese (銀柳 yínliǔ) sounds a lot like money flowing in (銀流 yínliú), which explains their popularity during this time of year.

They are beautiful, and I personally enjoy seeing them a lot.

Because oranges symbolize so many good things, people like to give oranges to each other during this time of year. Gifting oranges is like blessing someone with wealth and luck (as explained above) and also success (orange 橙 chéng sounds just like success 成).

Even during a pandemic, orange trees are still all over the place. However, the size and scale of certain displays seem more muted this year, probably because the city wants to discourage large gatherings.d()()

Hong Kong Snacks

Tiny Urban Kitchen Lunar New Year Snack Tray

Usually when family members or other guests come visit your home during the New Year, you need to provide them with some New Year snacks and serve them tea.

We weren't going to prepare anything, but our Chinese teacher encouraged us to practice the tradition, so I pulled out a lacquered bento box that I had on hand (from Nice Yakiniku and Fine Wine delivery a few months back!) and filled it with some snacks.

We asked our local friends what kinds of snacks they ate growing up, and they mentioned things like pumpkin seeds, pistachios, Sugus candy, White Rabbit candy, and any chocolate wrapped to look like gold (Ferrero Rocher and Almond Roca seems especially popular). Fruit is also very popular, and you can't go wrong with oranges!

Red Envelopes 紅包 / 利是

We learned a lot about the custom of giving red envelopes after moving here. Previously, my experience with red envelopes had been limited. Every Chinese New Year my relatives would give my sister and me red envelopes (hong bao 紅包) full of clean, crisp US bills. When we got older it became less frequent, and after we got married, it pretty much stopped.

Hong Kong's Red Envelope Culture

In Hong Kong, the red envelope "lai see" culture is HUGE. Everybody heads to the bank a week or two before the new year to get crisp, clean bills. It's customary to give red envelopes to all sorts of people around you, such as the staff at the building, employees who work for you, your teachers, younger or unmarried relatives, and service providers.

We learned of certain rules, such as "don't give in amounts with the number 4 (四 sì) since it sounds like death (死 sǐ) in Chinese". My friend said "it's better to give two envelopes, each with a 20 dollar bill than stuffing two 20's (aka 40) into a single envelope."

I've slowly gotten the hang of it, and this year I'm all set with my red envelopes, ready to pass them out to all the hardworking people who keep our building running and our office running smoothly.

Digital Red Envelopes?

We have friends in Mainland China, and one unique red envelope culture over there that doesn't really exist in Hong Kong is digital red envelopes. Through WeChat, people send each other digital 紅包 hóngbāo of a certain amount, or they can send a "lucky draw" gift where a group of friends digitally "grab" for a piece of the fortune, doled out by the software in random apportionments. It's a fun game and is very popular on New Years Eve.

Now, more than ever, digital red envelopes seem to be the safer alternative. Even though Hong Kong has traditionally been a more "paper-based" society, this year even the Hong Kong Monetary Authority is encouraging people to give digital laisee to help the environment and to prevent the spread of disease.

Lunar New Year's Eve (年三十 or 除夕）

In a non-COVID world, families gather together for a large meal and various family sub-units visit each other in the subsequent days. Usually Hong Kong holds numerous festivals, celebrations, and fireworks, though this year most have been canceled.

Tiny Urban Kitchen Chinese New Year Poon Choi

This year, the city exploded with delivery options for all kinds of New Year celebratory meals. We decided to try a very traditional Hong Kong dish called poon choi (盆菜). 盆 (poon4 or pén in Mandarin) means a huge bowl or basin. This seafood-focused banquet dish consists of ingredients piled up layer by layer, with the least expensive ingredients (usually root vegetables, like daikon, lotus root) on the bottom layer, mushrooms and tofu in the middle layer, and high quality meats and seafood at the top layer. The key is the flavor of the rich sauce, whose flavor infuses many of the more neutral ingredients, such as sea cucumber, daikon radish, tofu, and other ingredients.

Poon Choi Tiny Urban Kitchen Lunar New Year

The History of Poon Choi

The dish arose from the walled villages in the New Territories of Hong Kong from the 13th to the 17th centuries. Because poon choi involves such a large bowl and HUGE portions, it is typically reserved for large celebrations. Though it stayed within the villages for most of its history, it had a resurgence in popularity in Hong Kong after the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, as locals caught between two identities sought out something uniquely "Hong Kong". Poon choi, which came purely from HK villages and had virtually no Western influence, became a symbol of that.¹

Poon Choi Delivery in Times of Covid

These days, many many restaurants all around the city offer their own versions of poon choi, and it seems especially popular during Chinese New Year.

After doing some online research, we found a place that offered a smaller poon choi meal for two that looked pretty good (HKD1888 including a poon choi, two soups, appetizers and rice dishes). We ordered delivery from the Ritz Carlton in Tsim Sha Tsui, who offered free delivery within 3km and then HKD350 to Hong Kong Island where we were living.

The poon choi was rich and flavorful, full of all sorts of high end Cantonese delicacies inside, such as abalone, sea cucumber, goose web, scallops, and clams. Though vegetables are placed at the bottom (you only want to serve your guests the best!), they were among my favorite, and I personally loved the sauce-infused, deeply flavorful lotus roots. My other favorites included the abalone, the sea cucumber, and the tendon.

We could only finish about half, so we're all set for another meal. The poon choi set for two can actually feed 3-4 people.

Lunar New Year's Day

The word for cake 糕（gou1 in Cantonese or gāo in Mandarin）sounds just like 高 (gou1, gāo respectively) the word for "tall" or "high". As a result, cakes such as New Year Cake (年糕 nin4 gou1 or niángāo), water chestnut cake (馬蹄糕, maa5 tai4 gou1 or mǎtígāo), and turnip cake (蘿蔔糕, lo4 baak6 gou1 or luóbo gāo) are especially popular during this time of year.

Tiny Urban Kitchen Lunar New Year Dim Sum lunch

We enjoyed turnip cake at lunch (dim sum delivery!), and bought both water chestnut cake and New Year cake at a local shop to enjoy for dessert sometime during this holiday weekend.

Per our own Taiwanese family traditions, we decided to have a hot pot on the New Year (though we went with a yin yang Sichuan mala spicy and mild clam broth hot pot!).

Happy Lunar New Year! Or as the say, happy "niu" 牛 year of the ox!

Tiny Urban Kitchen Lunar New Year Doraemon Lucky Orange Tree

^{1 Pun Choi is Purely Hong Kong by Amy Ma, March 27, 2009 Wall Street Journal}

The Araki Hong Kong

Feb 1, 2021 ·

How do you celebrate a birthday during a global pandemic?

On the one hand, we have been pretty fortunate here in Hong Kong. In general the case numbers are not high and we have had months of near normalcy when case numbers were in the single digits and it almost felt like things were back to normal.

On the other hand, it's virtually impossible to plan for anything far in advance, because you have no clue how good or bad the situation will be. Here in Hong Kong, the government is quite strict when it comes to closures. For example, even as our daily new cases hover around 30-50, restaurants are still forced to close at 6PM, which has been devastating for the industry.

My birthday in the latter half of November happened right before Hong Kong's longest and most serious "fourth wave" began. Restaurants were forced to close for dinner soon after my birthday.

I am very thankful that we were able to enjoy a lovely, socially-distanced dinner at The Araki, one of the most anticipated sushi restaurants to open in Hong Kong in the past couple years.

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L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon Hong Kong

Jan 18, 2021 ·

Our "relationship" with Joel Robuchon (the restaurant) spans many years. We first visited the Mansion Joel Robuchon (3 Michelin stars) in Las Vegas literally a decade ago in 2010. That was our first time being introduced to the famous bread cart, mignardises cart, the copious displays of caviar, and his signature velvety mashed potatoes.

We celebrated our anniversary there a year later, splurging for the menu degustation, which blew us away. We totally understood why this was the only 3-Michelin star restaurant in Vegas.

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas

The following few years, we went next door to try 1-Michelin starred L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (twice!). My impression of L'Atelier at the time was that it was "the more casual side of Joel Robuchon. The food is still made with the same precision and love. However, instead of opulent carts filled with every bread choice imaginable and waiters dressed in tuxedos to attend to your every need, you sit at a very trendy bar overlooking an open kitchen."

And then after 2014 . . . we stopped going.

Chef Joel Robuchon, the world's most decorated Michelin star holder (32 stars) passed away in 2018.

Revisiting Joel Robuchon Hong Kong in 2020

In 2020 we finally re-visited Joel Robuchon for Bryan's birthday. This time it was L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Hong Kong. It had been years since we had been to any Joel Robuchon restaurant, so we were especially curious to see how it compared to the ones we had visited in the US.

Interestingly, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Hong Kong has three Michelin stars, a far distance from the US one, which has one Michelin star. We later learned that Joel Robuchon specifically made it a priority to elevate the Hong Kong location to 3 Michelin stars, tapping Chef Olivier Elzer to push it beyond what any other L'Atelier had achieved worldwide. Hong Kong was the first L'Atelier to achieve three Michelin stars in 2012, which it has maintained to this day.

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Nostalgic Reminders of Home: Five Guys Hong Kong

Jan 6, 2021 ·

Hong Kong diners are a tough crowd. They have really high standards, easily get bored of restaurant concepts, and can quickly move on. The restaurant world here is intensely brutal and unforgiving.

There was a ridiculous amount of buzz when Five Guys first announced they were coming. In fact, I myself was thrilled that they were coming to Wan Chai, which is where I live.

But when it opened, the lines were RIDICULOUS. It was as if everybody in Hong Kong wanted to eat at Five Guys ALL THE TIME. The line never seemed to subside until late into the night.

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Elementary Hong Kong

Jan 5, 2021 ·

Sometimes it takes very unusual circumstances to drag us out from our regular, comfort zone to explore new places. We never would have discovered Elementary otherwise.

We had friends visiting from out of town. We had originally suggested The Optimist, a fun Spanish restaurant on Hennessy Road in Wan Chai near our apartment. However, our dinner outing happened to coincide with a large protest happening right on Hennessy Road. In the interest of staying safe, we unfortunately thought it was best to change locations.

It was a challenging decision on where to meet instead. We didn't feel comfortable taking the subway (the MTR near us often had issues during a protest), and it didn't make sense for our friends to come out to where we were (very close to the protest route). After some back and forth, our friends suggested Elementary, situated in Tai Hang just south of Causeway Bay.

What a great find!

I was pleasantly surprised to discover such a warm and cozy little contemporary spot serving various types of plates designed for sharing.

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Happy New Year 2021! A Look Back at 2020

Jan 1, 2021 ·

Happy New Year!

Ever since this blog began I have written something on New Years Day, a reflection of sorts on the past year. Through the years my posts took on a familiar pattern, summarizing top recipes (back when I published more recipe posts) and moving into a reflection of my travels that past year.

When I look at what I wrote last year, I can't help but chuckle. So little did I know . . .

And that's a wrap! What a year. As always, nothing is predictable and you never know how your year is going to turn out. We never would have expected the crazy geopolitical events happening around us. In some ways I feel like it's been A LONG time since I've lived and worked in Boston. In other ways, I feel like time is zooming by and I can't believe I've already been here for two years.
We take each day one step at a time. You never know what surprises might come along. Here's to 2020 and all that it brings.
- Jen from Tiny Urban Kitchen . . . . . January 2020

. . . "and all that it brings." Yep, that about sums it up.

This year has been undoubtedly different. We did not step foot in the US for the first time in our entire lives. We have not seen family for over a year. We have not left Hong Kong since March.

Though we can't travel for leisure, Bryan also does not need to travel for work, which has been an unexpected blessing. We have spent a TON of time together - whether it be hanging out at home over home-cooked meals (or delivery!), or exploring lesser known parts of Hong Kong between lockdown waves.

I've also picked up classical piano again, started "painting" with the Apple pencil, and cooked more this year than I have the last two years combined. I've focused on my Mandarin studies and I can actually see progress, especially in my writing, which was so, so difficult for me.

We have re-connected with old friends through Zoom, and I've secretly enjoyed not commuting every day on the crowded Hong Kong subways. One of my favorite aspects of working from home is the ability to enjoy lunch with Bryan every day at home.

It's unclear what next year will bring, and I have no idea if it will be better, worse, or just different. I've learned not to expect anything, nor take anything for granted. I constantly remind myself to appreciate and be thankful for my current situation and what I have now.

Below are highlights of this strange year. Instead of sharing about my various travels, it will be about how we navigated ever-changing pandemic "lockdowns", "re-opens", and various day-to-day restrictions.

January - Thailand and Initial Covid Inklings

In terms of months, January was the most "normal" month of the year. As I look back at what we were doing, I feel a bit nostalgic and sad at how so many of those things came to an abrupt, unexpected stop.

We did things that seemed so normal back then, but impossible since then . . . . like visiting Dafen Village, where we sat in the alleyways of this artist village in Shenzhen and painted with the help of a teacher.

Or our annual trip to Thailand, where we caught up with old friends, tasted fantastic food, and just enjoyed being outside without a mask. Although people still weren't wearing masks regularly at that time, we were already aware of the virus and wore masks during our flight.

I will never forget the fast progression from mask-free to full-on masks. It happened within a week in late January right before Lunar New Year. I distinctly remember looking around me and seeing how many people were wearing masks on the subways. I personally began wearing a mask starting around Wednesday that week. When Bryan came back to Hong Kong on Thursday, he said "maybe I'll wear a mask today." By Friday, the whole city was covered in masks, and every other person seemed to be a disease-carrying suspect.

A few days later, Bryan left for a week long business trip in Belgium. I stayed behind, spending time with some friends from China who were seriously considering not going back, due to quickly escalating situation in Wuhan.

And then I got the call. Just like my friends from China, Bryan was also advised by his boss not to come back, but to stay in Belgium instead.

I've never done this before, but I booked an airplane ticket to leave in less than 48 hours. I hastily packed (including packing some more things for Bryan!), and off I went, not knowing when I would return.

February/March - Stuck in Europe

February was an odd month. As we watched the pandemic unfold in China (and the panic that ensued in Hong Kong), we felt a bit insulated from all that. Europe seemed relatively safe at the time, so we actually had the opportunity to be regular tourists. Not only did we explore Brussels (where we "lived"), we also visited nearly towns Ghent and Brugges, as well as took longer excursions to Paris, London, and Amsterdam. I've written about our European adventures in more details at this post.

It was a surreal time. As the situation globally got worse, our original plans (to visit Northern Italy, Spain, and the US) got canceled one by one. As mid-March rolled around, things started to look bad even in Europe.

We scoured around looking for flights and managed to book one of the last direct flights from Brussels to Hong Kong. We arrived back in Hong Kong just in time to enter Hong Kong's second lockdown.

First time coming home after close to 7 weeks away

April - 2nd Wave: A Month of "Lockdown"

Hong Kong locked down soon after we came back, entering its "second wave". It was tough coming back, and I had to figure out how to live under these new circumstances. Jetlag and general pandemic tiredness got to me, and I hardly exercised during those first several weeks at home.

Finally, near the end of the lockdown, we began to hike, and had the opportunity to visit some beautiful places in Hong Kong.

May/June - Opening Up

In May and June, the number of cases in Hong Kong hovered close to zero. People let out a sigh of relief, and life began to get back to normal.

I started physically going back into the office. Churches, movie theaters, and gyms opened for service. We tentatively began dining out again, and eventually, even sharing meals with small groups of friends. I continued to cook a lot at home, making chive dumplings, quinoa chips, Chinese pumpkin cakes, and much, much more.

There was sadness in May, however, as I found out that an old friend from college had died in a plane crash transporting coronavirus supplies to a remote village in Indonesia. It was quite a bit to process. She was a pilot, doing what she loved and serving people in one of the most remote places in the world. She knew being a missionary pilot was her calling in life, and she trained for 10+ years to prepare for this difficult and specialized job. Why did she have to go so soon?

It was therapeutic to grieve together with old friends over Zoom, and we re-connected with so many college friends during that painful time.

A stunning rainbow that appeared during a sunny rainstorm in June reminded me that God was in control and that things would be OK.

July/August: Third Wave Lockdown

In July Hong Kong cases began to rise again, and we entered our "Third Wave." During that time, I began to order organic vegetables weekly from a local Hong Kong farm.

Life in lockdown wasn't that different from our earlier lockdown, though we had gotten more experienced. We knew how to navigate and manage the plethora of take-out and delivery options, which grew and grew as the pandemic worsened and dining restrictions increased. We started to figure out which places we liked the most. Some of my regular go-to lunch delivery spots included my weekly Din Tai Fung fix, falafels from Maison Libanaise, banh mi from Le Petit Saigon, and knife shaved noodles from Shiwei.

In June we also had fun being interviewed on a podcast with my friend Joe from Saverocity Observation Deck. We had a lively conversation about Hong Kong, food, the pandemic, and much more. Here is a complete list of restaurants mentioned in the podcast.

September/October - Opening Back Up

Things finally improved in September and we had a really enjoyable couple of months where life felt like it was returning to normal again. We were thankful that this "safer" period included our anniversary and both our birthdays, allowing us to actually go out and celebrate those moments.

During this golden period, we explored many new restaurants, such as La Castanella, Ando, Roganic, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, and the Araki, just to name a few.

During the October Golden Week Holiday, we took a week of "staycation", exploring Hong Kong by hiking, biking, and visiting its small fishing islands and geoparks. It was a much needed time just to get away and enjoy nature.

November - Fourth Wave Begins

My memories of early November are warm and pleasant. Church had re-opened, and we were able to celebrate the baptisms of several friends. Bryan and I even attended our first symphony orchestra concert (masks on at all times!). We also enjoyed other lovely celebrations with smaller groups of friends, such as for Thanksgiving and also my birthday.

Two days after my birthday two things happened: I twisted my ankle and Hong Kong went into its fourth lockdown. In some ways, it sort of worked out that I couldn't walk very well just as the city was becoming less accessible to me anyway.

December - A Distanced Covid Christmas

In December we spent our first Christmas ever in Hong Kong. I ended up getting in touch with my artistic side, making my own Christmas tree out of a yoga mat and collaborating with my Chinese teacher to illustrate a book as a gift for Bryan.

On Christmas Day we Zoomed for hours at various times to connect with family all over the US. We opened presents over Zoom, chatted with some friends, and overall had a very chill day.

We took the whole week off between Christmas and New Years just to relax. This time, because of my (still) recovering ankle, we couldn't take any longer "trips" within Hong Kong. It's tough for an active person like me to sit still (!) but the lockdown does make it easier. Can't wait to get back onto the hiking trail!

And just like that, 2020 vanished into the night. I've learned not to expect anything, because you really, really have no idea what will happen next. Last year, after an unprecedented period of unrest in Hong Kong, everybody was looking forward to moving past 2019 into a new year. Little did we know what was in store for us. Similarly, we really have no idea what next year holds. Therefore, I live day to day, being thankful for each day as it comes.

Let's appreciate those around us, and try to bless others a bit each day. I personally hope to be more mindful of that this coming year.

Happy New Year!

Restaurant Le George Paris

Dec 29, 2020 ·

It was unusual circumstances, to say the least. I wasn't even supposed to be in Europe, but due to the sudden escalation of events in late January 2020, we ended up being "stuck" in Europe.

Bryan happened to be in Brussels for a week long business trip at the time. When the COVID-19 epidemic started getting bad in China, his employer told him to stay in Europe until things got better in Asia. I joined him soon afterwards.

While in Europe, we had the opportunity to spend a few days in Paris. In Paris, we enjoyed a truly delightful meal at 1-Michelin starred Le George Paris, a stunning restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel serving refined, light, and modern Mediterranean dishes.

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Nice Yakiniku and Fine Wine Hong Kong

Dec 28, 2020 ·

Yakiniku literally translates to grilled "yaki" 焼き and meat "niku" 肉. The style of cuisine arose at World War II and began in Korean restaurants in Tokyo and Osaka. Some say that yakiniku is Korean barbecue modified for the Japanese palate.

Even though we live right next to Causeway Bay, arguably one of the most concentrated Japanese food areas in Hong Kong, we haven't come anywhere close to experiencing the variety of Japanese food that you can get in Hong Kong.

This year, being "stuck" in Hong Kong all year, we've come a bit closer exploring many other types of Japanese cuisine in Hong Kong aside from sushi. One of these is yakiniku, which we've enjoyed several times this year.

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Merry Christmas 2020

Dec 25, 2020 ·

Merry Christmas!

For the first time in both of our lives, we are spending Christmas outside the US, on the other side of the globe. We have always seen at least one of our parents, if not both, during the holidays, plus our siblings. This is the first time that it's just the two of us . . . in our apartment overlooking Hong Kong.

Thanks to modern technology, we're planning Zoom sessions, opening presents across oceans with family in the States. At the same time, we're taking it easy, which is kind of nice. No flights, packing, rushing from California to Boston and back to Hong Kong . . . all within a week.

Instead, we will spend this week at home, resting, reflecting . . . . maybe even catching up on hobbies, or perhaps starting something new.

It's hard to know what the next year has in store for us. If I've learned one thing from 2020, it's that you can't count on any plans. Haha, 2020 was the year of derailed plans, and as far as I can tell, "normality" (whatever that means) is not resuming anytime soon.

This past year we didn't know if we'd make it back to see our family for Christmas. Now, I think we'll be thrilled if we can go back to the US by next Christmas. We're really learning not to take anything for granted.

For now, we're making the most of our time here. I plan to spend this coming week perhaps learning to cook some of the traditional things we used to enjoy during Christmas time. Or maybe I'll learn to make something completely new.

Meanwhile, my other silly project this week was constructing a Christmas tree (at the last minute) out of our yoga mat and lamp. It was oddly satisfying to let my creative, "build from scratch", "scrape it together" side go wild. Because I didn't want to actually purchase anything for this project, I literally hunted around the apartment looking for paper clips, ribbons, scrap paper, plastic bags, whatever I could find to make this tree.

I have also discovered "painting" on the iPad with the Apple Pencil, which has been surprisingly therapeutic and really, really fun. My Chinese teacher and I decided to write a fun illustrated book in elementary level Chinese about the adventures of two rabbits and a fish traveling and eating around Greater China, which we gave to Bryan as a Christmas gift.

It's been a tough year. Stay safe, all. Have a blessed Christmas!

Warmly,
Jen

Let us rejoice in the hope that came to the world through the birth of Jesus Christ. Glory Hallelujah.

Sushi Shikon Autumn 2020

Dec 24, 2020 ·

Merry Christmas Eve!

Sushi Shikon is our favorite sushi place in Hong Kong, and possibly in the world. Bryan absolutely loves their signature abalone liver dish (his favorite dish in the world), and the sushi is truly excellent.

Sushi Shikon Hong Kong - Oct 2017 — Celebrating birthdays in times before Covid . . .

In the past couple years since we moved here, we have celebrated several birthdays and special occasions there, sometimes with very good friends who flew very, very far from the US to celebrate our birthdays with us.

That all feels like a very distant past from a very different world. This year, we see friends on Zoom more than we see them face to face. Birthdays are small affairs, and we haven't seen any friends or family from the US in close to a year.

2020 has been a tough, tough year for restaurants as well. Like all restaurants, Sushi Shikon has had to deal with the various restaurant restrictions, closing for dinner at times, and limiting seating to only a handful of people at other times.

We were fortunate that Covid-19 was reasonably under control in October during Bryan's birthday. We even took a week of "staycation" during that time, hiking around Hong Kong and eating at some nice restaurants. It was like we were traveling, but just in Hong Kong. We also were able to visit many of Bryan's favorite restaurants, including Sushi Shikon.

This was our first time visiting Sushi Shikon since it moved from the Mercer Hotel into the Landmark Mandarin Oriental. They also have Kappo Rin next door now, which offers a combination of cooked and raw items.

Below is the autumn menu from 2020 and the omakase that we had for Bryan's birthday celebration, which was an exceptional meal. Because restaurants could only seat 50% capacity, we had Kaki-san virtually to ourselves, with only two other people at the restaurant that evening.

Enjoy! And make sure to watch the video of Kaki-san making a gorgeous futomaki at the end for some guests next door at Kappo Rin!

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Foodhallen + Amsterdam Eats and Museums

Dec 23, 2020 ·

I visited the Netherlands for the first time this past year as part of a brief weekend getaway from Brussels during our 7-week unexpected stay in Europe during the early days of the pandemic.

We went twice. Once via car with Bryan's colleague to a well known outlet mall to shop for great deals on European fashion. The second time we spent a weekend exploring Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is a beautiful city and you can spend hours just exploring the endless canals, cute walkable neighborhoods, and various markets and shops. I loved my time there, and definitely wished I could go back and explore some more.

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4850 Amsterdam - Nordic Inspired Creative Food

Dec 22, 2020 ·

Where to have dinner in Amsterdam?

We took a quick weekend trip to Amsterdam from Brussels back in March during our unexpected 7-week stay in Belgium during the early days of the pandemic. During our ONE dinner that weekend, we chose to have tasting menus from 4850 Amsterdam, a Nordic-inspired coffee wine bar by day that converts into a casual fine dining restaurant by night.

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Van Wonderen Stroopwafels Amsterdam

Dec 21, 2020 ·

I first fell in love with the stroopwafel during my post college days when a colleague brought some back from a trip to the Netherlands. I fell in love with this unique waffle-like "sandwich" with a chewy, caramel center. Years later, they started selling them at Trader Joe's (dangerous!!), and I tried my first fresh, made-to-order one at the Netherlands Pavillion at the World Expo in Shanghai in 2010.

That was ten years ago, and I hadn't had another freshly made stroopwafel . . . until I finally made it to the Netherlands.

Back during our seven week unexpected stay in Belgium during the beginning of the pandemic, we ended up taking a weekend trip to Amsterdam. It was my first time in the country, and I fell in love with the city's endless scenic canals, laid back vibe, art culture (hello Van Gogh!), and food!

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Roganic Hong Kong - Simon Rogan's HK outpost

Dec 20, 2020 ·

We had several months of calm in between September and November when Covid cases in Hong Kong were relatively low. Bryan's birthday happened to be right around that time, so we were actually able to celebrate his birthday, in small groups, with several different sets of friends. One of the last places we visited that birthday week was Roganic in Hong Kong.

Roganic Hong Kong is the second location of British chef Simon Rogan's original Roganic in London. Both Roganics achieved Michelin stars in record time - in less than one year.

Roganic Hong Kong has a gorgeous dining space with cozy banquettes and artfully placed decorations. However, because we were still a bit skittish about Covid, we opted for a private dining room, which happened to be available that day.

Roganic is known for its excellent cocktails, and the bartender came in and asked us what kind of flavors we liked.

Bryan said, “surprise us!”

After asking us a few questions about what we liked to drink, he came back with a cocktail made with pear 🍐brandy, a cherry skin "leather" candy (kind of like a fruit rollup), sparkling wine, and an old French root bitter.

"What is this cocktail called?"

The bartender laughted and said "what are your names?"

After we told him he said, "well then, it’s called the Jen and Bryan Cocktail".

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Healthy Quinoa Crackers

Dec 18, 2020 ·

My latest obsession has been these homemade quinoa crackers. They are crunchy, naturally flavorful, super healthy, and really, really easy to make. They are pretty flexible too. You can add your own flavors, seasonings, and add-ins, such as seeds or nuts.

People are usually floored when I tell them what ingredients are in the crackers. It's really just three main ingredients: quinoa, chia seeds, and water! I add salt and pepper for flavor, of course, and you can add other seasonings to change the flavor of the cracker.

The most surprising thing is that there's no oil, no flour, no sugar . . . and it's honestly delicious and really flavorful, especially if you use red or black quinoa, which tends to have more flavor. Even better yet, quinoa is high in protein and chia seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Although it is an easy recipe, it does take time and patience. You have to cook the quinoa, which takes 20+ minutes, and then bake for at least an hour. But the active time is really quite short, and the end result is oh-so-worth it.

Mixed ¾ cup cooked quinoa with hydrated chia seeds (roughly ⅓ cup chia seeds in ¾ cup room temperature water). If you've never used chia seeds before, they gelatinize when they come into contact with water (it only takes a few minutes of mixing them together).

I usually mix the chia seeds together with water in a cup and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, I just add the goopy chia seed mixture to the cooked quinoa and mix them well. I'll add salt and pepper to taste. The nice thing about this "batter" is that you can taste it and adjust the flavor. There's nothing raw in the "batter", so it's perfectly safe to eat.

Spread ⅛ inch layer on parchment/baking paper (preferred) or foil if you don't have parchment paper on hand (they both work fine). I've even used wax paper, which worked OK.

Bake for 30 minutes at 165° C (330° F). After 30 minutes, remove from oven. Move the paper with the cracker sheet on top over to a cutting board. The easiest way is to break up the cracker into pieces, flip them over one at a time with a spatula, and bake the other side for another 30 minutes.

If you want to keep the whole cracker sheet in one piece, then you have to flip the whole thing over, peel off the paper/foil, and bake it the other side. The easiest way I've found is to put another piece of parchment paper on top, put a plate on top, and then flip the entire "sandwich", including the cutting board, both pieces of paper, the cracker, and the plate.

Bake the other side for 30 minutes. And that's it!

It's surprisingly flavorful, delicious, and honestly doesn't taste like bland, "healthy" food at all. In fact, I find it quite addictive.

I made this for our Thanksgiving meal that we had with two other families, and everyone absolutely loved it. It was so popular, everyone wanted to take some home with them, leaving no leftovers for me.

The only downside of this is time. It really takes a full hour to "dry out" the wet batter. If you have a dehydrator you can make this in the dehydrator, and possibly even keep its "raw" status if you use lower heat (although it will take longer).

I can't wait to experiment by adding other seasonings, such as 老干妈 (Lao Gan Ma Old Godmother Chili Sauce), truffle salt, or Japanese furikake. I think the possibilities are endless for this delicious snack. I just wished my oven were bigger so that I could make multiple batches at once!

Ha ha, it's times like this I miss the 9-layer dehydrator that I left back in Boston.

Quinoa Crackers

Ingredients
¾ cup cooked quinoa (preferably red or black)
⅓ cup chia seeds
¾ cup water
Seasonings to taste (salt + pepper)

Cook quinoa according to the package instructions. I boiled in water for about 15-20 minutes and then drained off the water

Meanwhile, combine chia seeds and water in a cup, stir well, and let it gelatinize (3-5 min)

Combined cooked quinoa and chia seed/water mixture and mix well. Add seasonings to taste.

Spread a thin (⅛ inch or thinner) layer of the the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper (or foil).

Bake at 165° C (330° F) for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven. Move the parchment paper together with the single "cracker" onto a cutting board.

If you want to make small crackers, cut the large cracker sheet into smaller crackers. Flip each over with a spatula and bake for another 30 minutes.

If you want to preserve the large cracker sheet, place another sheet of baking paper on top of the large cracker sheet. Put a plate over the other baking sheet. to "catch the cracker") once you flip it. Flip the cutting board and the plate over so that the plate is on the bottom and the cutting board on top. Remove the cutting board, peel off the paper, and bake the large cracker (which is now sitting on another piece of parchment paper).

Enjoy!

Divino Patio Hong Kong

Dec 16, 2020 ·

We've noticed a trend in Hong Kong restaurants that's very different from Boston. Restaurants virtually never change their menus. Instead, concepts survive until they are no longer popular, and the restaurant groups tear down the concepts and build a new one. Instead of focusing on chefs who create new menus and dishes, Hong Kong restaurant groups create and knock down concepts according to the whim of the exacting and fickle Hong Kong diner.

If a restaurant survives long term, then you know it is doing something right and has a long lasting formula that works.

Divino Patio is one of those places. Though I often wish restaurants would change up their menus more often, I am beginning to appreciate why Hong Kongers might want a restaurant to keep the same menu.

Diners want to order their favorite dishes at certain restaurants. In Hong Kong, there are so many restaurants, if I wanted a different dish, I could just go to another restaurant. Therefore, restaurants tend to stick with what they are good at, and just keep on making the same dishes over and over again, save a few seasonal dishes or specials once in awhile.

Divino Patio offers some delicious classics that they do consistently well: beautiful pastas, refreshing salads, and a surprisingly good value and excellent steak. Combine that with a nice outdoor patio and a good wine list, you've got yourself a winner that even I don't want them to change.

Below is a just a sample of some of the dishes we like to get.

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Miso Glazed Eggplant -Nasu Dendaku

Dec 15, 2020 ·

There is something glorious about the magical combination of miso, mirin, sake, and sugar. This beautiful, multi-purpose glaze can be used to make a delicious seared black cod a la Nobu style or can be brushed on slices of eggplant to make a fantastic side dish or appetizer.

As I've been cooking a lot more during this pandemic, I've enjoyed revisiting old favorites and trying out new recipes. This one is a winner and I use it often, especially if I'm making a seared tuna or hamachi filet (with yuzu kosho, one of my favorite Japanese condiments).

Cut eggplant lengthwise, score down the middle, and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 min before blotting off the water with a paper towel.

Lay eggplant in a single layer flat side down and roast for 15-20 minutes.

Turn eggplant around and brush with miso mirin glaze.

Broil for 1-2 minutes with glaze side up. Serve!

This stuff is so delicious, I often just eat it straight out of the oven. Of course, you can also chill it and use it as a side dish in a bento lunch. It's versatile, healthy, and super tasty.

Miso Glazed Eggplant
adapted from the New York Times

¾ pound long Japanese eggplants
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sake
2 tablespoons white or yellow miso
1 tablespoon sugar

Cut eggplant lengthwise, score down the middle, and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 min before blotting off the water with a paper towel.

Preheat oven to 425F (200C). Lay eggplant slices in a single layer flat side down and roast for 15-20 minutes.

Miso Glaze
In a small saucepan heat together mirin and sake over high heat. As soon as it begins to boil, bring down the heat and add miso and sugar, mixing until all combined and sugar is melted. Remove from heat and add sesame oil.

Remove eggplant from the oven and flip slices around so that the flat side is up. Brush the miso glaze on the eggplant flat side and broil for 1-2 minutes until the glaze charrs and bubbles.

Serve!

Yakiniku Mafia Hong Kong

Dec 14, 2020 ·

It took me several visit to Japan before I realized how ubiquitous wagyu beef was, and how widely it was used in different applications. Although eating it as a grilled steak teppanyaki-style is still probably the purest and most traditional way to enjoy the rich meat, there are also many other classic applications, such as shabu shabu, sashimi, and yakiniku.

Therefore, it's no surprise that when Wagyumafia decide to branch out beyond their original concept, their second restaurant in Hong Kong focused on yakiniku, another beautiful way to enjoy wagyu beef.

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Classified Hong Kong - Our first time trying an Impossible Meat Burger

Dec 13, 2020 ·

Classified is a casual, trendy coffee shop - wine bar - bakery - cheese shop - cafe serving all day breakfast and an all day menu. They call themselves "neighborhood cafe workspaces" and certainly have the type of ambiance in which I wouldn't mind hanging out and working for several hours.

Classified has multiple locations throughout Hong Kong and typically aims to integrate itself into a neighborhood (rather than set up inside of a mall).

We were drawn to Classified in the early days of Impossible Meats because we were really curious about the Impossible 2.0 burger made with the second generation Impossible meat, which supposedly got rave reviews.

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Musical Instrument Museum Brussels Old England Terrace

Dec 12, 2020 ·

If you're visiting Brussels and you'll be in the old town, either in the Grand Place area or near the museums, I highly, highly recommend visiting the Musical Instrument Museum.

It's small and can be easily missed among the bigger museums. However, this unique collection of over 7000 musical instruments (from the Middle Ages to today) is a joy to explore. Don't forget to grab a pair of headphones before you go up. That's where you'll get to hear recordings of what a lot of these instruments sound like.

But first, if you're hungry, head to the very top (10th floor) to enjoy a lovely lunch overlooking Brussels. I absolutely loved this (not-so) hidden spot for enjoying a colorful salad while taking in the views.

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Pan Charred Okra Stir Fry

Dec 11, 2020 ·

During this pandemic as I have been cooking more, I began supporting a local organic farm in Hong Kong. It reminds me of my old days in Boston when I used to receive gorgeous bounties of produce every week from Siena Farms, a local farm that practiced sustainable and organic methods. This Hong Kong farm is located in one of Hong Kong's land areas preserved for farming. It's been a joy to receive weekly deliveries of local, organic produce again.

I've always enjoyed farm shares because they give me incentive to try cooking vegetables I've never cooked before. In Boston these farm shares exposed me to things like French breakfast radish, rutabaga, celeriac, watermelon radish, garlic scapes, and much, much more.

Recently my Hong Kong organic farm started to grow okra. I've usually had okra either in a gumbo (where it's sticky, gooey, and soft) or deep fried Southern style. Here in Asia, I learned that you could quickly char okra and then quickly stir fry with your favorite meat.

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Sushi Wadatsumi Hong Kong

Dec 10, 2020 ·

Sushi Wadatsumi began as the second location of Tokyo's Sushi Iwa, a highly regarded edomae sushiya in Tokyo. Originally called Ginza Iwa when it opened in 2013, it separated and became its own restaurant, changing its name to Sushi Wadatsumi around 2015. It achieved a Michelin Star in 2014 and has maintained it ever since.

The sushi chef, a local Hong Konger who trained at Sushi Iwa, was extremely precise, detail oriented, and truly a craftsman in everything he did.

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DK1885 Wan Chai Vietnamese

Dec 9, 2020 ·

DK1885 Hong Kong — Mixed Beef Pho with Vietnamese sausage, beef, sawtooth coriander HKD88

We first discovered DK1885, a local favorite Vietnamese restaurant a bit off the beaten path in Wan Chai because we were looking for restaurants where we could bring our own wine - aka no corkage fee.

We were pleasantly surprised to discover that we also really enjoyed the food. DK1885 serves Northern Vietnamese dishes with a bit of French influence. We loved the vibrant flavors, fresh ingredients, and reasonable prices. The ability to bring our own wine was another huge plus.

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Taiwanese Pork Stuffed Bitter Melon

Dec 8, 2020 ·

Bitter melon was heavily featured in the early summer. Although green bitter melon is pretty easy to find in Hong Kong, I was excited that this Hong Kong farm also had white bitter melon, which we usually import from Taiwan.

White bitter melon is sweeter and less bitter than the green bitter melon. Bitter melon in general is very healthy and has been known in traditional Chinese medicine to lower blood sugar. More recent scientific studies have demonstrated anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects in various in vitro and in vivo models.

I actually love both types of bitter melon, so I ate a lot of it during this seasonal time.

One of my favorite dishes to make was this Taiwanese pork-stuffed bitter melon. Because bitter melon and pork cook at pretty different rates, it's best to pre-steam the bitter melon before stuffing it with the pork (and then pan-frying the whole thing).

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Castellana - Piedmont Cuisine in Hong Kong

Dec 7, 2020 ·

In 2015 for my milestone birthday Bryan organized an Around the World trip for me. One of the places I had always wanted to visit was the Piedmont region in Northern Italy. Even though I typically don't love my November birthday (the November weather in Boston leaves much to be desired), I knew that white truffle season peaked around November. Therefore, we planned our trip around the White Alba Truffle Festival.

Along the way, we discovered our love for Piedmont food and also the amazing wine in the region (hello Barolo and Barbaresco!).

Though we can't travel right now, we got a taste of our Piedmont memories at Castellana, a new Piedmont restaurant that opened in Causeway Bay at the Cubus building.

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Wagyumafia Hong Kong

Dec 6, 2020 ·

For those obsessed with the top beef in the world, Wagyumafia is at the pinnacle. Wagyumafia started out as a private supper club in Tokyo. Beef exporters Hisato Hamada and entrepreneur Takafumi Horie held private wagyu-themed pop-up dinners in Tokyo showcasing top cuts of beef from the best producers in Japan.

Wagyumafia's claim to fame is the humble beef katsu-"sando" (sandwich). Wagyumafia's version uses the chateaubriand - one of the most highly prizes portions of a cow - and Ozaki beef, from Miyazaki, Japan. Farmer Ozaki feeds his cows mineral water, organic ryegrass, and a 12-ingredient grains mixture that includes barley and corn. He only raises 60 cows a year, 30 for Japan, 30 for the international market.

A full sandwich using this prized beef in Tokyo costs JPY200,000, or close to $200 USD. At Wagyumafia Hong Kong, adding a tasting portion of this wagyu sando (as an optional supplemental to the basic tasting menu) will set you back HKD$1000 (USD$127).

The first WAGYUMAFIA restaurant opened in Tokyo in 2016. This was a members only restaurant, and within a few years, it was virtually impossible to get membership at this exclusive restaurant in Tokyo. In 2018, Wagyumafia opened its first international location in Hong Kong.

As luck would have it, this new Wagyumafia was located just a 5-minute walk from our apartment. We had been curious about Wagyumafia for years (ever since it was open in Tokyo), but never had the opportunity to try it in Tokyo. Now, FINALLY, it was virtually in our backyard.

Bryan signed up as a member and we booked our first Members Only Omakase dinner.

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Ninetys Wan Chai - Australian-Style Coffee Cafe

Dec 5, 2020 ·

It seems like every time I have walked by Ninetys in Wan Chai, there has been a line out the door. This Australian-style cafe serves a variety of food but its roots and heart are in coffee. It's founder and head barista Bruno Koo placed first runner up at at the American world latte art championship in San Diego.

The Coffee

The restaurant's aim is to be a "platform where craftsmanship is appreciated [and] a place where human is connected." The focus on coffee craftsmanship is high, with a large team of dedicated baristas who are devoted to their craft.

When I ordered a pourover coffee (HKD 68), the barista asked me to choose between fruity, nutty, or chocolately. I likely chose nutty, which might explain why he paired the coffee with some raw almonds?

It was very fun and quite interesting to play around with tasting the coffee with and without the almond. I could really taste the difference.

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Ramen House Konjiki Hotogisu - Japanese Michelin starred Ramen in Hong Kong

Dec 4, 2020 ·

There are only three Michelin-starred ramen restaurants in the entire world, and they are all in Tokyo. We in Hong Kong are lucky enough to have TWO of these restaurants also choose to open one or more locations in Hong Kong.

The first ever Michelin-starred ramen in Tokyo (and the world) was Tsuta. The truffle shoyu ramen from Tsuta in Hong Kong is probably my favorite ramen in Hong Kong. When we used to live in Tsim Sha Tsui, I used to go all the time.

The second Michelin-starred ramen restaurant, Nakiryu, is not in Hong Kong . . . yet. The third, Konjiki Hotogisu, opened in Hong Kong in the glitzy IFC Mall in December of 2019.

Konjiki Hototogisu is best known for its clam-based pork bone broth, which is lighter and more clear than the thick milky tonkotsu broths.

The ramen is delicious. The broth was flavorful, the noodles were "al dente", and all in all it was an excellent bowl of ramen. I still have a soft spot for Tsuta, which is still my favorite in Hong Kong, but this one is also quite good.

A second location has just opened in October 2020 in Festival Walk. Now ramen lovers on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon can have easy access to this delicious ramen from Japan, even if they can't travel to Tokyo right now.

Ramen House Konjiki Hotogisu IFC
Ramen House Konjiki Hotogisu Festival Walk

This is one of many posts that are part of the Eating in Hong Kong During Covid Times challenge of writing 50 posts in 50 days, mostly about Hong Kong. Head over to that link to see a list of all posts in this series.

Ando Hong Kong

Dec 3, 2020 ·

It's been tough visiting restaurants this year, with the waves of the pandemic ebbing and flowing as the months go by. Back in September, when Hong Kong's third wave finally started to die down again, we had the opportunity to venture out on one of our first restaurants dates in a long time. Our friend Chef Agustin Balbi, who previously headed up Haku in Harbour City, had recently opened Ando Hong Kong under the JIA Group, the same group that oversees 22 Ships, Duddel's, and Chachawan.

Chef Agustin Balbi is from Argentina but his roots are Italian and Spain. His childhood food memories lean towards Spanish food because his Spanish grandmother raised him while he was young. He has also embraced Japanese culture. Balbi spent five years living and working in Japan (at fine establishments like Nihonryori Ryugin!). He speaks fluent Japanese and is married to a Japanese woman.

We were excited to see how Chef Balbi, now with complete free reign, would express his Italian and Spanish roots in conjunction with his Japanese training.

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Japanese Potato Salad

Dec 2, 2020 ·

I have always wished that the little dollop of potato salad in a Japanese bento were bigger. Since I was young, I much preferred the light, whipped, airy Japanese potato salad over the typical US picnic variety (doused in mayonnaise) or even the German kind, which was tart and mustard-y. However, it always seemed elusive because I only saw it when I went to a Japanese restaurant, and they never gave a lot.

This year, I finally decided to try making it. I was floored at how easy it was to replicate my all-time favorite potato salad. This time, I did not hold back, and made a HUGE portion to make up for all those childhood times when I longed for another scoop of this creamy, potato salad that almost resembles mashed potatoes.

Japanese potato salad is much lighter, and the addition of rice vinegar adds just enough brightness to balance out the Japanese Kewpie mayo.

Finally, the addition of quickly salted cucumbers and lightly blanched carrots adds a lovely crunch to the salad.

Step by Step - How to Make Japanese Potato Salad

Boil potatoes starting with cold, salted water until done, around 15 min. Drain and let stand. It's better to use a fluffy type of potato versus a waxy one (e.g. Yukon gold vs. red potato).

Meanwhile, make a quick salted "pickles" for both the cucumbers and onions by mixing with sea salt, mix, and let stand for 10 minutes to let the water "sweat" out. Squeeze out the water, rinse, and set aside.

Gently mash the potatoes and then add salt, pepper, rice vinegar, and sugar. Add quick pickled cucumbers, carrots, onions, and Kewpie mayonnaise.
Serve or chill for serving later.

Yum!

Japanese Potato Salad

Adapted from Lovely Lanvin
5 medium Yukon gold potatoes
⅓ cup Kewpie mayo
½ Japanese cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ red onion, minced
½ carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
⅓ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 T rice vinegar
1 T sugar|

Potatoes
Boil potatoes starting with cold, slated water until done, around 15 min. Drain and let stand.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Meanwhile, make a quick salted "pickles" for both the cucumbers and onions by mixing with sea salt, mix, and let stand for 10 min to let water out. Squeeze out the water, rinse, and set aside.

Blanched Carrots
Quickly blanch carrots for 1-2 min. Drain and set aside

Put It All Together
Gently mash the potatoes and then add salt, pepper, rice vinegar, and sugar. Add quick pickled cucumbers, carrots, onions, and Kewpie mayonnaise.
Serve or chill for serving later.

Amelia Hong Kong

Dec 1, 2020 ·

Though we can't travel right now, we were whisked back to our trip to San Sebastian last year when we visited a San Sebastian Michelin-starred restaurant's second location in Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui.

We visited Amelia San Sebastian in 2019 during our weeklong trip to San Sebastian in mid-2019. Chef-owner Paulo Airaudo was born in Argentina to Italian immigrants and has worked in many well-known places such as Arzak, The Fat Duck, and Magnolia in Italy. Amelia is named after Chef Airaudo’s daughter Amélie.

While we were in San Sebastian, we actually met Chef Paulo, who told us about his plans to open a new restaurant in Hong Kong.

It's been a tough environment to launch something so big, but Amelia opened in December 2019, right in the midst of social unrest and the beginning of the pandemic.

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Eating in Hong Kong During Covid Times

Nov 30, 2020 ·

Is it really December?

I'm sure I'm not the only one, bewildered that virtually a year has gone by in this altered reality called Covid. My sense of time has gone out the window. On the one hand, it doesn't feel like I left Belgium that long ago. On the other hand, it has felt like a ridiculously long year, and the carefree pre-Covid days seem like another lifetime ago.

I've been blogging mostly about Belgium, largely because we spent so much time there, and we ate out every single meal - thus a huge backlog. However, it's not as if I have nothing to write about in Hong Kong. In fact, the opposite is true.

We've been stuck in Hong Kong since mid-March. Since then, we've gone through multiple waves of open versus closed states. During the open times we've had the opportunity to eat at some phenomenal restaurants. During the closed times, we've become experts at the ever-changing delivery scene in Hong Kong, and I've started cooking A LOT. We even started supporting a local Hong Kong organic farm, buying various seasonal vegetables from them every week.

We've also been able to explore parts of Hong Kong we'd never visited before, such as the gorgeous beaches and hiking trails in Sai Kung, the quaint fishing car-less island of Peng Chau, the fascinating land bridge to Sharp Island, and numerous hiking trails all around Hong Kong.

I am dedicating the month of December, and maybe spilling into January, to all things Hong Kong. This time I have recipes, travel posts, and restaurants . . . basically the food and "travel" during these past 9 months. Perhaps once in awhile I'll sneak in a post from Europe, but it will be predominantly about Hong Kong. My goal is to post everyday.

Enjoy!

Update Running List of COVID 2020 Pandemic Posts
1. Amelia Hong Kong (Spanish)
2. Japanese Potato Salad (Recipe)
3. Ando Hong Kong (Spanish/Japanese)
4. Ramen Konjiki Hotogisu (Japanese)
5. Ninetys Wan Chai (Australian coffee shop)
6. Wagyumafia (Japanese steak)
7. Castellana (Piedmont Italian)
8. DK1885 Wan Chai (Vietnamese)
9. Sushi Wadatsumi (Japanese)
10. Classified Hong Kong (Burgers)
11. Yakinikumafia (yakiniku)
12. Divino Patio (Italian)
13. Roganic (Modern British)
14. Sushi Shikon (Japanese)
15. Nice Yakiniku and Fine Wine (Yakiniku)

Vismet Brussels

Nov 24, 2020 ·

I so wished I had discovered Vismet Brussels sooner during our unexpected 7-week stint in Brussels. We dined here our last week in Belgium and I fell in love with it.

This popular Michelin Plate restaurant located in Place Sainte Catherine serves up wonderfully executed seafood dishes in a warm, inviting environment. The seafood is fresh and seasonal, and the dishes are refined and well executed.

Service was warm and friendly. I loved how the dishes felt effortless and relaxed while at the same time maintaining the utmost standards of quality and elegance.

It was easy to fall in love with the place. If I lived in the area, this would totally be a place where I would become a regular.

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Yam'Tcha Paris

Nov 16, 2020 ·

Chef Adeline Grattard describes Yam'Tcha as a "love story between France and Hong Kong." Chef Adeline is French and her husband Chi Wah Chan is a Hong Konger and tea aficionado. Chef Grattard's brilliant cooking at her impossible-to-book restaurant Yam'Tcha in Paris most certainly reflects the unique path that she took during the course of her culinary training.

Originally from Dijon, France, Chef Adeline Grattard cooked for a couple years at Astrannce in Paris before setting her sights on China. Despite not knowing Cantonese, she moved to Hong Kong and dusted her chops in Chinese kitchens in Hong Kong, honing her skills in dim sum and traditional Cantonese cooking. Chi Wah joined her later on, and they spent several years in Hong Kong together.

In 2009, they returned to Paris to open their own restaurant. Immediately the critics fell in love with her unique French-Chinese fusion cuisine. Soon afterwards, Yam'TCha received a Michelin Star. More recently, Chef's Table also created a really nice documentary about Chef Grattard and her culinary journey that led her to where she is today.

Chef Grattard cooks by intuition and she's a genius when it comes to flavors. There are no recipes and nothing is written down. She cooks by feel, and every day the dishes may be different.

Yam T'Cha is notorious difficult to book. In fact, I've gone to Paris several times in the past five years, and never once was successful in obtaining a booking. That's why when I managed to snag a lunch booking, we stuck with it, even though it was literally the day we were leaving Paris to go back to Brussels.

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Le Cirio Brussels

Nov 5, 2020 ·

Cafe Le Cirio: Like Walking Back in Time

Walking into Cafe Le Cirio sort of feels like you are walking back in time. The historic cafe is full of character and old world luxurious class. In fact, this was once a favorite hangout places for literary giants Victor Hugo and Alexadros Doumas. Writers, painters, scientists, and all different types of artists met here to exchange ideas.

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Umamido Ramen Brussels

Oct 27, 2020 ·

During the first two to three weeks of our unexpected 7-week stint in Brussels, we were enamored by the local food, tasting Belgian waffles, exploring Belgian beers, and getting our moules frites fix. By the third week, we were getting a bit tired of Belgian cuisine and started to crave Asian flavors.

We were pleasantly surprised by what we found.

Umamido Ramen is a hip ramen bar that's walking distance away from the Grand Place. They pride themselves in making what they call "honest ramen", ramen made with "ethically farmed ingredients" and "locally sourced produce."

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Day Trip to Ghent Belgium

Oct 21, 2020 ·

Ghent is a beautiful and deeply historic city about half an hour away by train from Brussels. Its medieval architecture is stunning and the city is very walkable, since the city center actually is car-free. Unlike Brugges, which is beautifully quaint and idyllic yet has actually very few residents, Ghent is a living and breathing city, with an active university nearby and a much larger population. In fact, Ghent is the capital of East Flanders and the third largest city in Belgium after Brussels and Antwerp.

Ghent has a rich, rich history. I highly recommend going on some sort of walking tour so you can learn a bit about the history and architecture of the buildings. We went on a free walking tour (in English) with Ghent Free Walking Tours and I absolutely loved it. Our tour guide was a local university student who grew up in Ghent. He told wild stories about how certain buildings came to be the way they were, and also shared a lot of fun historical facts.

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Day Trip to Bruges Belgium

Oct 12, 2020 ·

Bruges Belgium is a beautiful historic town about an hour away from Brussels by train. This UNESCO world heritage site is small, super walkable, yet packs in a lot of really interesting historic sites and beautiful paths to explore.

I loved Bruges and really enjoyed the general feel of the town. It was rich with history, abounding in beautiful architecture, and just had this relaxing, peaceful feel. It was a lovely place to just get lost, wander, and explore.

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