Recipes

July 14, 2021 Asian

Liu Yuan Pavilion 留園雅敘

It's an odd time here in Hong Kong. On the surface, life seems normal. Sure, everyone is sporting a mask and we can't dine in groups of greater than four. However, malls are crowded over the weekend, the streets are bustling full of people, and restaurants are even hard to book! Life feels normal, in one sense.

In another sense, it's really different. There's any underlying sense of uncertainty about the future. The world as we know it has changed, and it's hard to know what the future holds. Recently, some of our friends, colleagues, and acquaintances have started to leave Hong Kong. The reasons vary, but I'm sure the past two challenging years did not help.

It's always tough to say good-by to dear friends we've made in our (relatively short) time living here. One very small silver lining was the discovery of Liu Yuan Pavilion 留園雅敘, a fantastic Shanghainese restaurant recommended by some good friends who were moving away from Hong Kong.

It seems like I was the only one in the world left in the dark about this place. The rest of the world clearly knew about it. Liu Yuan Pavilion has one Michelin Star, and it appears on many English language travel guides.

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June 28, 2021 Hong Kong

Fiamma by Enrico Bartolini Hong Kong

Ah, the famous Peak. It's one of the most popular places for tourists to visit in Hong Kong, and deservedly so, in my opinion. The views from the Peak are stunning, and the tram ride up is really fun. Pre-Covid, lines for riding the Peak tram on weekends could easily take 1-2 hours. Now, the Peak Tram is undergoing a huge upgrade (It closed starting TODAY!) for a 6-month renovation project)。 When it re-opens it will be able to handle a lot more people.

The Peak includes restaurants, shopping, and a special viewing area. The mall that's up there is admittedly a bit touristy, and in the past, food was a bit wanting up at the Peak.

More recently, some new shops and restaurants have appeared, including a mini satellite of Japan's famous Don Don Donki and Fiamma, a new Italian restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Enrico Bartolini. This is Chef Bartolini's second restaurant in Hong Kong, with SPIGA in Central as his first endeavor here.

VIctoria Peak Hong Kong — Frankly, we hadn't been to the Peak since the "Before Times", but in the past we have always enjoyed going This time was no different. We arrived at the Peak right around sunset, and we were able to enjoy stunning views of Hong Kong island's south side before heading into the restaurant for our dinner.

Although you can't sit at Fiamma and enjoy the Peak's stunning views, it's still very conveniently located right on the 1st floor opposite of the Peak Galleria Mall. The restaurants has a decent sized and very pleasant outdoor patio, which is great for those who are still feeling a bit nervous about eating indoors.

Starters

Fassona Beef tartare at Fiamma by Enrico Bartolini Hong Kong — We started with one of their signature dishes, a beautifully presented and tasty Fassona Beef tartare topped with shaved black truffle, a creamy buffalo mozzarella sauce, quail egg yolk and focaccia crumble. The server mixed everything together for us table-side (after I snapped the photo, of course!).

Isalata Fiamma at Fiamma by Enrico Bartolini Hong Kong — The Isalata Fiamma (vegetarian) was simple, solid, and fine, though not particularly memorable. This version included mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, grand Padano cheese, red radish, olives, focaccia croutons, and balsamic vinegar.

Pasta

Fusilli with bread crumbs, egg, and black truffles at Fiamma by Enrico Bartolini Hong Kong — The pasta, fusilli with bread crumbs, egg, and black truffles, was executed properly (nice, al dente pasta), though the overall flavors didn't stand out to me in any particular way. There are plenty of excellent Italian pasta dishes served all over Hong Kong. This one was solid, but doesn't rank close to my favorite pastas in this city.

Main Course

Merluzzo Nero Alla Livornese at Fiamma by Enrico Bartolini Hong Kong — For our main course we decided to try their Merluzzo Nero Alla Livornese, a baked black cod served in a cherry tomato, taggiasca olives, potatoes and capers stew. Similar to the other dishes, it was fine, but just didn't blow me away. If it wasn't at The Peak, it would have a much harder time competing with the plethora of excellent Italian restaurants on Hong Kong Island.

Dessert

General Thoughts - Fiamma by Enrico Bartolini

If you're at the Peak, Fiamma is a pleasant place to enjoy a solid Italian meal. The dishes aren't particularly exciting from a culinary perspective, but the food is solidly executed and the overall experience is pleasant. The service was warm and friendly, and the overall ambiance of the outdoor patio was really quite pleasant.

Now that the Peak Tram is closed, we'll have to find other ways to getting up there. There are buses, minibuses, and taxis that regularly go up to the Peak. You can even hike it (I've done it several times - it's fun as long as it's not too hot out!).

You do want to be mindful of watching bus schedules. We were having such a good time at dinner that we didn't notice we stayed past the last Peak Tram. After 10:30PM there are a lot fewer taxis up there, and buses are fewer and far between. We had trouble booking an Uber, so we finally found a bus that at least went down the Peak, even though it didn't go to our neighborhood!

Next time, we'll watch the bus or minibus schedule a bit more carefully, or maybe not stay as late!

June 15, 2021 Hong Kong

Zoku Wan Chai Hong Kong

It's hard to imagine trying to open a new restaurant, let alone a new hotel in the midst of a pandemic. However, we've certainly seen both happening all throughout Hong Kong. Right in our backyard here in Wan Chai, a small boutique swanky hotel called the Hari Hotel just opened. Inside there are two restaurants, an Italian restaurant called Lucciola and a Japanese restaurant called Zoku.

Bryan knows I love Japanese food (way more than he does, to be honest). So when he found out about Zoku, he tried to make a reservation. It turns out that reservations were a bit difficult to secure! I guess Hong Kong people still LOVE trying out new restaurants and despite the cloud of the pandemic still hanging over us.

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June 2, 2021 China

Weekend Exploring Hunan Province and its Spicy Cuisine in Changsha China

I am continuing to catch up on backlog travel posts from 2019 that I never finished. The below post describes a weekend trip we took to the city of Changsha in Hunan Province, less than a 4 hour train ride from Hong Kong!

Welcome to Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province and home to the place where Chairman Mao spent his student years and adopted communism. Changsha is about a 3-4 hour high speed rail train ride away from Hong Kong, so it's accessible for a long weekend trip, which is what we did.

Yuelu Mountain

Hike at Yuelu Mountain on the west bank of Xiangjiang River. There are many really old trees from prior dynasties.

Orange Island

Orange Island is famous for its orange trees and the largest president statue in China (yes, it's Mao again, he's all over the city).

It's a long walk along the water, maybe 30 minutes, to get to the statue.

Street Food Galore

The food! There's endless amounts of street food. The signature dish of the region is the spicy crayfish. Hunan food is spicy! Beware . . . Pictured above: black stinky tofu 臭豆腐, a large "hot dog" like stick, spicy crayfish, panfried soup dumplings 生煎包， and an interesting panfried egg crepe filled with sticky rice that I actually just saw but didn't try!

China has many drink fads, such as Hey Tea 喜茶 from Guangzhou (famous for its whipped "cheese" topped tea). In Changsha, the most popular tea shop is 茶颜悦色 "Cha Yan Yue Se“, which has locations all over the city.

Being Adventurous - Trying Spicy Snake

I tried another slightly exotic local specialty, snake in spicy sauce! It was . . . . interesting. Kind of like eel, with lots of bones. The skin is actually the most interesting part. It has a chewy texture, sort of like the carp skins you can get in Hong Kong. Frankly speaking, that was probably the best part. The meat is only so-so, and there's just way too many bones.

Changsha has a lot of fun streets with loads of character that you can just explore.

Spicy Hunan Dinner!

We enjoyed a delicious (but very spicy) dinner at a sit-down restaurant our final evening. We enjoyed some Hunan specialties pictured above. Crayfish are one of the local specialties. Although often they are boiled, we enjoyed a fun fried version, which was fantastic. I would highly recommend ordering one or two non-spicy foods for balance. In our case, it was the fried tofu that offered relief!

All in all, our trip to Changsha was short but still quite fun. It's conveniently accessible by high speed rail from Hong Kong, less than a 4 hour trip, which wasn't too bad for a long weekend outing. Alas, that was in the carefree days when travel was easy and there was no pandemic.

The border has been effectively closed to us for over a year now. Hopefully things will open up soon and we'll have a chance to go back and explore many more cities in China.

May 20, 2021 Hong Kong

Ruam Thai Wan Chai Hong Kong

Life in Hong Kong has felt relatively normal these past few months. Many people are returning to the office, restaurants and bars are open, and the subway seems to be getting back to pre-pandemic crowded levels. Despite the fact that the COVID-19 case count in Hong Kong is enviably low (we're down to the single digits, with many days being 0 local cases), I am still a bit skittish about eating indoors.

My dear husband has been kind and sensitive to my worries, seeking out restaurants with outdoor patios and good food. A few weeks ago, we finally had the chance to enjoy a lovely dinner at Ruam Thai in Wan Chai, a Thai restaurant tucked away on the mezzanine level overlooking Ship Street in Wan Chai.

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May 6, 2021 Asian

Aaharn Hong Kong

My husband can eat really, really spicy. Like so spicy that his body can't actually tolerate it that well (he sweats up a storm), yet his mouth is happy and continues to want more.

Yet the only time he has ever been "defeated" by level of spice was in Thailand at Nahm, Michelin starred Thai restaurant in Bangkok by Australian celebrity chef David Thompson.

In 2018 David Thompson announced he was leaving Nahm to explore other projects. Chef Pim Techamuanvivit (food-blogger turned Michelin-starred chef who was incidentally also happened to be a judge for the Project Food Blog competition I won a decade ago) took over that restaurant as executive chef.

Half a year later, David Thompson popped up in Hong Kong with the opening of Aaharn in Tai Kwun.

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March 18, 2021 Belgium

Places to Have a Beer in Brussels

And that is a wrap for our Belgium Series! I can't believe it took a whole year to write. Though it's not like I traveled anywhere else after going to Belgium, so perhaps it was for the better that I spread it out over the course of a year.

I leave you with my final Belgium post (for now): a summary of cool beer places we visited in Brussels and also a few that we hope to visit if we ever go back!

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March 18, 2021 Belgium

Pasta Divina Brussels

Ahhh, pasta. Pasta is probably one of Bryan's favorite foods in the world, no matter where in the world he is. Not surprisingly, we discovered the much loved Pasta Divina when we were in Brussels. It soon became one of our favorite places in Brussels.

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March 17, 2021 Belgium

La Paix Brussels - Two Michelin Stars

"Worth a detour" is the definition of a two-Michelin starred restaurant. Though not a normal "detour", I did the unusual and visited this restaurant solo (despite my typical aversion to dining alone at a restaurant). It was early in our time in Brussels, back when I thought I only had 3 weeks. Unfortunately, the only available night at La Paix Brussels was on a night when Bryan wasn't free. The concierge also cautioned to me that it could be a little unsafe at night.

Despite these minor obstacles, I still made the decision to go. In retrospect, it was well "worth the detour" to experience La Paix and all that it has to offer.

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March 16, 2021 Belgium

Les Petits Oignons Brussels

Let Petits Oignons means "the little onions" in French. This elegant yet cozy Belgian brasserie leans French/Mediterranean in style. It has a nice selection of seafood offerings (raw oysters, octopus, and fish!) and traditional Belgian classics (waterzooi, shrimp croquettes, and gray shrimp). Chef-owner Khaled Zoughlami emphasizes "first in class, top-fresh products", changes his menu seasonally, and offers daily changing specials which are influenced by fresh produce at the market.

Michelin has recognized Let Petits Oignons Brussels for its excellent value, giving it Bib Gourmande status.

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March 15, 2021 Belgium

In't Spinnekopke Brussels

In't Spinnekopke was one of those places that I didn't try for a very long time because it was just too damn popular. By the time Bryan got back from the office on a normal weeknight, it was late enough that we probably couldn't get into the restaurant without a long wait.

In't Spinnekopke has the perfect combination of excellent, authentic Belgian fare at good prices (it's a Michelin Bib Gourmand), excellent location in the charming and bustling Place Sainte-Catherine, and tons of character. The inside is filled with nostalgic posters and paintings. The 18th century former inn has a cozy and warm feel, with traditional wood paneling and old school furniture.

Furthermore, the restaurant has an excellent beer selection and offers an great selection of classic, traditional Belgian fare. Try one of the many different variety of moules frites (that's what we did!). Or if you'd rather have meat, get a steak with one of their many different sauces.

White and black sausage!

A lovely salad full of high quality, fresh ingredients!

All in all, I'm so glad I finally got to try this place closer to the end of our time in Brussels. I always love walking around Place de Sainte-Catherine, so it's a bonus to be able to explore that area after having a simple, classic Belgian meal.

In't Spinnekopke Brussels
Bloemenhofplein 1
1000 Brussel
België

March 14, 2021 Belgium

Winehouse Osteria Brussels

Winehouse Osteria Brussels is a quaint and charming little Italian restaurant located just off the beaten path in the old city. Though not far from the Grand Place, it's easy to miss since it's tucked away off the main road.

Inside this cozy space, we settled into one of only five tables to enjoy excellent Italian fare with a bottle of one of their carefully curated wines. In fact, the Winehouse began as a wine shop and grew into a restaurant as an outgrowth from the wine bar's successful wine tastings and growing clientele.

It was indeed lots of fun trying many different wines that we had never had before. We enjoyed chatting with Andy, the friendly part-sommelier, part-server, and part-front of the house who took care of us that night.

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March 13, 2021 Belgium

Belga Queen Brussels Belgium

If you want to enjoy a high-powered meal consisting of well-executed, authentic Belgian cuisine in a stunning setting, Belga Queen Brussels is a great option. This elegant, Belgian seafood restaurant is located inside an old 18th century bank vault. There's an oyster bar, beer bar, cigar bar, and a nice selection of Belgian food.

The wines come from Belgian producers and even the coffee is roasted locally. They pride themselves in being ambassadors of all things "made in Belgium".

It is definitely pricier than many of the more traditional Belgian brasseries, though there's good reason why. It was not too difficult to land a reservation at the last minute (though the restaurant still seemed quite full when we went).

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March 12, 2021 Belgium

Nona Authentic Neapolitan Pizza in Brussels

Nona Neapolitan Pizza Brussels — Italy's Tippy Toe - Nduja spicy Calabrian sausage, tomato, fior di latte mozzarella

By the end of our 7-week stay in Belgium, we were starting to live more like normal people, wanting to eat a variety of food. This was in stark contrast to our first few weeks there, where it felt like every meal we were seeking out moules frites, Belgian waffles, traditional Belgium "pubs", and Belgian chocolate.

Brussels, being the capital of the European Union, is actually quite international and offers quality food from around the world. We were quite impressed with the authentic Neapolitan style pizza from Nona.

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March 11, 2021 Belgium

La Maree Brussels

For close to a decade now we have refrained from going out to eat on Valentine's Day. On that day restaurants are always fully booked, the pressure is immense, and we generally don't enjoy it as much.

In the strange year of 2020, we were stuck in Brussels and therefore had no way of enjoying what has become our tradition meal on Valentine's Day now, home cooked Milanese osso buco.

It was quite difficult to book a really nice restaurant in Brussels on such short notice. However, we were still able to enjoy a classic Belgian seafood meal at La Maree, an institution that has been in Brussels for 40 years (!) and known for its fresh, quality seafood.

La Maree has been recognized by numerous outlets, including the Michelin Guide with a Michelin Plate.

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March 10, 2021 Belgium

Café Georgette Brussels

You can't come to Belgium without trying the beer, chocolate, waffles, and fries! Authentic Belgian fries are fried in beef fat and often come with different dipping sauces. An authentic experience is to get them from a street stall where they come hot and crispy in a paper cone.

One famous friteries situated conveniently in the old city centre (near the Grand Place) is Café Georgette. Café Georgette's fries are "twice fried in beef fat the traditional way". Costing only 6,50€ for a 350g "cone", they are light, crispy, and delicious.

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March 9, 2021 Belgium

Aux Armes de Bruxelles - classic Belgian food in Brussels

You feel like you are going back in history when you dine at a classic Belgian restaurant like Aux Armes de Bruxelles. Not only is the food very traditional Belgian and done well, the whole place feels like old Europe. I love it. In fact, King Leopold III ate here regularly and especially enjoyed the sole meunière and the mussels.

Any person visiting Belgium for the first time should visit at least one of these traditional restaurants. Aux Armes de Bruxelles is a great choice because it offers many traditional classics, such as "tomato crevette" (tomatoes with brown shrimp), Flemish stew, moules frites (mussels and fries), and of course, a great selection of Belgian beers. The restaurant is also located in the old part of the town, near the Grand Place, so it's fun to walk around that area.

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March 4, 2021 Belgium

Pre de chez Nous Brussels

One typically associates Belgian food with heavy meats, beer, chocolate, and waffles. However, there is quite a farm-to-table movement and there are many restaurants serving lighter and ingredients-focused fare. Pre de chez Nous is known for its focus on local and sustainable food, providing excellent quality at a great value.

It's no surprise that I put it on my list of places to try early during our unexpected 2 month stay in Brussels.

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February 25, 2021 Belgium

Bozar Restaurant Brussels - 1 Michelin Star

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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February 23, 2021 Belgium

Fin de Siecle Brussels

"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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February 12, 2021 Hong Kong

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

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}

February 1, 2021 Asian

The Araki Hong Kong

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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January 18, 2021 Hong Kong

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon Hong Kong

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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January 6, 2021 Hong Kong

Nostalgic Reminders of Home: Five Guys Hong Kong

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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January 5, 2021 Hong Kong

Elementary Hong Kong

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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January 1, 2021 Belgium

Happy New Year 2021! A Look Back at 2020

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!

December 29, 2020 Europe

Restaurant Le George Paris

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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December 28, 2020 Cuisine

Nice Yakiniku and Fine Wine Hong Kong

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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December 25, 2020 Hong Kong

Merry Christmas 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.

December 24, 2020 Hong Kong

Sushi Shikon Autumn 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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December 23, 2020 Europe

Foodhallen + Amsterdam Eats and Museums

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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December 22, 2020 Europe

4850 Amsterdam - Nordic Inspired Creative Food

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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December 21, 2020 Europe

Van Wonderen Stroopwafels Amsterdam

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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December 20, 2020 Hong Kong

Roganic Hong Kong - Simon Rogan's HK outpost

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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December 18, 2020 Recipe

Healthy Quinoa Crackers

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!

December 16, 2020 Hong Kong

Divino Patio Hong Kong

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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December 15, 2020 Appetizer

Miso Glazed Eggplant -Nasu Dendaku

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!

December 14, 2020 Hong Kong

Yakiniku Mafia Hong Kong

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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December 13, 2020 Hong Kong

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

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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December 12, 2020 Belgium

Musical Instrument Museum Brussels Old England Terrace

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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