Recipes

January 24, 2019 Chengdu

Chengdu Weekend Trip - Sichuan China

Hello Chengdu!

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province and home to the country's beloved pandas and its fiery cuisine. In fact Chengdu was named a UNESCO "city of gastronomy" in 2010 and Sichuan cuisine has long been recognized in China as one of the eight great cuisines of the country.

This vibrant city of over 8 million people is full of fun things to explore -- everything from old, historic streets and beautiful parks to cultural icons like Sichuan opera and the pandas.

Bryan had a work trip in Chengdu this past August, so we extended the trip over the weekend and I tagged along. Here's a quick look at the many things we did during our Chengdu weekend trip....

January 1, 2019 Hong Kong

Happy New Year! Reflections on 2018

Happy New Year!

Wow, what a year it's been. This marks my first full year living in Asia. In a lot of ways, it feels like it has flown by and I am just now starting to get settled. On the other hand, I feel like I have learned so much since moving here and I am sure I have changed in a lot of ways, From that perspective, my life in Boston seems like a long time ago. I started out this year having only spent a few months in Hong Kong. I had no job, hardly any friends, and not a lot of activities or structure around my life. Now - one year later - things look really different. I have a full-time job, I have made some really friends, and I am involved in many different activities. It's nice to have structure, and it's also amazing how long it takes for one to really feel settled.

I'm not fully there yet, but I'm well on my way there. I look forward to what this next year might bring!

For now, here's a brief look at the past year and what I've been up to . . .

...

December 19, 2018 Hong Kong

Finished! 50 Posts in 50 Days - Take 2 Challenge

Finally! 50 posts in 50 days is now COMPLETE.

I apologize for going radio silent right after finishing the posts. I think I really really needed the break.

It's quite a lot of pressure knowing every night you have to write and publish yet another blog post. I had thought that with the added pressure of having to post every day I would somehow simplify the nature of my posts. It turned out I wasn't really able to change my style. Instead, perhaps posts had more typos than normal (I tried my best to fix them the next morning), and some posts weren't given quite the love and care I would give a normal post if I had more time.

In some ways, it felt like law school all over again (which I also did at night while holding a full time job). In law school, I was always distinctly aware of the fact that I should be studying. It was always hanging over your head. I never felt like I could truly just relax. Similarly, knowing I had to post something also hung over my head, though I tried my best not to let it interfere with any of my other activities (heh, except perhaps with my quantity of sleep).

We now go back to our regularly scheduled program. The holidays might be a bit choppy, but come the new year, I still have lots of stuff to share with you all. Surprisingly, I still have about 20 Hong Kong restaurants in the queue (that continues to keep growing, but I'll try to keep better check of it), as well as trips to Chengdu (Sichuan Province), Singapore, and Macau!

Only a few more days until Christmas!

You can click here to see links to all the posts in a photo gallery format. It's all the Hong Kong posts, so the first 50 posts will be the latest from series. Complete list also below....

December 10, 2018 Asian

TeppanRoom Grand Hyatt Hong Kong - teppanyaki

It's odd to think that I've had more teppanyaki in Hong Kong the past six months than I have had in my ten consecutive years of visiting Japan. I think we always prioritized sushi whenever we traveled to Tokyo, and thus never truly explored teppanyaki there, save for one magical experience.

Hong Kong has excellent Japanese food in general, and teppanyaki is no exception. Hong Kong restaurants are able to source a lot of premium ingredients from Japan, and yet they also have the flexibility to incorporate more western elements, due to the very international population that passes through this tiny island.

TeppanRoom Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is unique just for that reason. The menu is pretty Japanese, yet the restaurant incorporates some European influences into the dishes. It's fusion teppanyaki at its best.

The counter-style seating can only fit 16 guests at one time. The guests all sit around the Teppanyaki grill and can watch the chef in action. It's a fun experience for all different types of people....

December 9, 2018 Asian

The Yuan Wan Chai 原汁原味

The Yuan Restaurant Hong Kong 原汁原味 The Yuan Wan Chai — The Yuan Wan Chai 原汁原味

The Yuan/原汁原味 is a cozy, casual Cantonese restaurant located right on Wan Chai Road. The restaurant's Chinese name, 原汁原味 (yuán zhī yuánwèi), is a food idiom that literally translates to "natural juice, natural flavor", and typically refers to an item's original and authentic taste.

The Yuan aims to create such original and authentic "tastes" by bringing out the natural flavors of ingredients without using any MSG. The restaurant focuses on seafood but has many Cantonese classics on the menu.

We first noticed it in our neighborhood because, admittedly, we saw Bibendum (the Michelin man) grinning at us from a poster at the front of the restaurant. We were intrigued and soon stopped in to try it.
...

December 8, 2018 Cuisine

Motorino Hong Kong - Neapolitan style pizza from New York

Motorino Hong Kong exists because of the bold dream of an entrepreneur.

More than 5 years ago, a young restauranteur from Hong Kong approached Motorino in New York and asked whether they would consider opening in Hong Kong, since there was nothing like Motorino's signature Neapolitan-style pizza in Hong Kong.

Motorino knew that it took a lot of work to exactly replicate the pizzas they make in New York. However, Motorino said that if the restauranteur was willing to do whatever it took to reproduce the restaurant faithfully in Hong Kong, then they were willing to support it.

In 2013, the first Motorino opened in the Soho neighborhood of Hong Kong to much success, and a second one opened in Wan Chai a year later. It's been five years, and the two restaurants are still doing very well. We have visited several times, and we enjoy the Neapolitan style pizzas quite a bit....

December 7, 2018 Asian

SohoFama Hong Kong

I love the concept behind Sohofama, the joint collaboration between G.O.D. (Hong Kong's lifestyle brand Goods of Desire) and Locofama, a Sai Yin Poon restaurant focused on urban farming and locally sourced ingredients.

I don't necessarily completely believe all foods should be sourced as locally as possible (it's just not that efficient on a grander scale). However, I do like the restaurant's focus on trying to select the best ingredients (organic if possible) and preparing comfort Chinese dishes that are healthy and delicious without using additives, preservatives, or MSG.

Sohofama Hong Kong is located on the ground floor of the trendy artsy PMQ shopping area in Central and even has its own hydroponic urban garden.

I came here on a whim with Joan from Hungry in Taipei, who was visiting Hong Kong and Macau at the time. We were looking for a good, quiet place to enjoy good food and conversation. This place had no wait, had a pleasant environment, and was available on a Saturday evening around 8PM.
...

December 6, 2018 Asian

China Tang Hong Kong

China Tang began - of all places - in London back in 2007. It's one of many businesses founded by Hong Kong born entrepreneur and socialite, Sir David Tang, who also founded Shanghai Tang and the China Clubs. After seeing much success in London as a place where celebrities hung out, China Tang opened its second location in Hong Kong in 2013.

China Tang Hong Kong has thrived since coming to Asia. There are now two locations, one at Central in the Landmark Center and the other in Harbour City at Tsim Sha Tsui.

The TST location has gorgeous harbour views and has an impressive line up of chefs who have previously trained at Michelin starred restaurants: executive Chef Li Cheung, cold dish Chef Angus Ye, and roasted Beijing duck Chef Tony Zhao (yes, they have very specialized chefs!!).

This elegant, high end restaurant serves food from Guangdong, Jiangnan and Beijing and it's excellent. The prices are not cheap, but the quality is well worth it. It's a great place to treat someone to a special Chinese meal.

Here's a look at some of the many dishes that I've tried!...

December 5, 2018 Cuisine

Epure Hong Kong - 1 Michelin Star

Epure Restaurant Hong Kong — *Epure Hong Kong*

Bryan and I lived apart for four months when he first moved to Hong Kong. During that time, he lived at Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui and frequented many of the restaurants right inside the large mall connected to his serviced apartment. As time went by, he began getting to know some of the staff at some of the places he frequented the most.

One of these places was Epure. Epure is a French restaurant right inside Ocean Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. The restaurant has a more casual cafe outside and a higher-end dining room inside. Bryan really enjoyed the restaurant, and told me especially about their excellent cheese selection and great wines.

After I arrived in Hong Kong, we visited the cafe several times, enjoying their steak, burger, and other more casual fare together with their cheese and wine. A couple months later, we took advantage of an HSBC "buy one get one free" 8-course tasting menu promotion, where I finally had a chance to experience their higher end dining room. ...

December 4, 2018 Asian

Wai Kee Bowrington Road Cooked Food Centre Wan Chai

Wai Kee Bowrington Cooked Food Centre Wan Chai — *Wai Kee Bowrington Road Cooked Food Centre Wan Chai*

One way of really experiencing truly local Hong Kong fare is to dine at a dai pai dong (大排檔). Literally meaning "big license", it refers to a specific type of restaurant that has a bigger license than a typical street vendor. These special licenses were originally issued after World War II to family members of those who had been killed or disabled in the war.

In 1956, the government stopped issuing new licenses to open air street stalls due to complaints about these outdoor restaurants causing traffic and noise issues. More recently, the government started building indoor "cooked food centres" to move these outdoor restaurants to more sanitary indoor locations.

One of the first restaurants to make this switch was Wai Kee, a Halal Cantonese restaurant that started as a pushcart over 30 years ago....

December 3, 2018 Asian

Shiwei Knife Shaved Noodles Hong Kong

He is always playing second fiddle to his sexier big brother, the hand-pulled noodle. After all, the art of pulling noodles, or "la mian" 拉麵 is difficult to master (trust me, I've tried taking classes in Beijing and even attempted it myself at home). Those who can do it make it look simple, but it's really not. The finished product is also delicious, full of bouncy, al dente chewiness.

To be perfectly honest, however, I must confess that I may actually prefer the texture of knife shaved noodles, or dao xiao mian 刀削麵 over the famous hand-pulled noodle. I love its slightly uneven, rough, and thicker texture that comes from the rhythmic and manual shaving of the huge block of dough.

I really enjoy chewing on those thick ribbons. They have a distinctive "Q" chew to them that is addictive. Imagine our delight when we discovered that there was a knife-shaved noodle shop less than a 5-minute walk from our apartment in Hong Kong.

...

Read More

December 2, 2018 Asian

Sushi Nakamoto Hong Kong - Edomae Sushi

I have a friend who is sort of my "eyes and ears" of the food scene in Hong Kong. We are both obsessed about sushi, so we often explore and try out new sushi places together. Perhaps because he works in the food and beverage industry (and because he can also read Chinese fluently), he tends to hear the latest sushi news (like, for example, the opening of Sushi Saito in Hong Kong), well before I find out.

Lately, my sushi-dining friend has been really excited about Sushi Nakamoto Hong Kong, a relative newcomer to Central. Nakamoto-san worked at Tokyo's Michelin starred Ichiyanagi and Sushi Sase in Hong Kong before opening up his own place. Sushi Nakamoto serves traditional Edomae style sushi and only serves omakase set menus.

My friend loves nigiri sushi and especially enjoys Sushi Nakamoto because he offers a sushi-only omakase during dinner. Most restaurants will add in other appetizers and sashimi to a dinner omakase. In some cases, like Sushi Shikon, these appetizers are exceptional and really make the restaurant stand out.

If you're a purist and a pure nigiri sushi lover, however, you may have a harder time. Sukiyabashi Jiro is one notable restaurant that serves only nigiri for its dinner omakase menu. This, however, is not the norm.

As a result, it was a pleasant surprise for my friend when he found out that Sushi Nakamoto also offers a nigiri-only omakase dinner. We went together to try it out.

Here's a look at our omakase nigiri meal!...

December 1, 2018 Hong Kong

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong - 3 Michelin Stars

Ahh birthdays.

Bryan and I have this unspoken rule. When it's your birthday, the day is yours. You get to choose whatever activity you want. This year for Bryan's birthday, his best friend from middle school flew out with his family to visit us and to celebrate Bryan's birthday with us.

I had originally suggested to Bryan that we eat at 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong for his birthday. This exquisite 3-Michelin starred Italian restaurant has been on Bryan's "to-try" list forever (like, since we moved to Hong Kong over a year ago). However, he felt bad about not giving his visiting friends an authentic Hong Kong experience.

I mean, who goes to Hong Kong to eat Italian food?

Our friends were surprisingly supportive, indicating that if a 3-Michelin starred restaurant is, by definition, "worth a special journey," then that was reason alone to visit 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana. Considering it's the only 3-Michelin starred Italian restaurant outside of Italy, 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana becomes even more unique and special.

I won't hold the suspense until the end. We all loved it. My friends were floored by the quality of the meal and concluded that it was one of the best meals of the entire trip! Most importantly, Bryan loved it and really enjoyed his birthday meal.

Here's our meal!...

November 30, 2018 Hong Kong

Arcane Hong Kong - Exquisite European Food in Central

It's hard to describe the feeling I get when I finish a phenomenal meal where everything exceeds my expectations.

Our dinner at Arcane, a European restaurant in Central, was just that. Bryan had picked the restaurant after seeing it in the Michelin Guide (1 star). I'm typically a bit wary of European, especially French, restaurants. I often find them too rich for my personal taste, especially when there's lots of butter, foie gras, and meat involved. However, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted with the food at Arcane.

Despite using French techniques, Chef Shane Osborn focuses on showcasing the flavors of quality ingredients imported from Japan, the UK, and France. Additionally, he grows herbs, fruits, and vegetables on his outdoor terrace. Even dishes that seem like they should be rich are balanced. Chef Osborn uses refined techniques to allow the innate qualities of the ingredients to shine.

Chef Shane Osborn is originally from Australia and was the first Australian chef to achieve one and two Michelin stars at Pied-a-Terre in London (a place I visited five years ago on a business trip). He opened up his own place in Hong Kong in November 2014.

The servers are great here and really know the menu. Our server recommended the Lightly Smoked Saba Mackerel which came with an herb mayonnaise, empire leaf and Japanese daikon [HKD268].

I had originally been wary of the dish because I thought the "herb mayonnaise" would be too rich. I was so wrong. This dish was absolutely incredible. I was floored by the quality of the saba, which was up there with what you'd get at a top sushi restaurants (something I usually don't expect!). Furthermore, the combination of the lightly salted and smoked saba mackerel together with the herb mayo, empire leaf, and Japanese daikon was exquisite.
The presentation of the next dish almost took my breath away - it was so pretty. This light dish consisted of Japanese Fruit Tomato with burrata, basil pesto, celtuce and green olive. [HKD258] The tomatoes were the star of this dish and Chef Osborn really brought out and complemented their natural flavors with the other components of the dish.

The Sautéed Potato Gnocchi is a signature dish and comes with with charred Cévenne onion (sweet onions from the South of France), morel and shiitake mushroom duxelle (finely chopped), and grated Parmesan cheese. The potato gnocchi were simply a joy to eat. I loved how they were pan fried and browned on both sides yet retained their soft insides.

You can get this either as a starter [HKD 218] or as a main dish [HKD 328]. We ended up sharing a main dish sized portion, which they kindly split for us into two portions.

We ended by sharing the Loin of Wild Venison [HKD 508], which came with celeriac, girolle (chanterelle) mushroom, chestnut, salsify (a root vegetable),bacon, plus a port jus. The meat was beautifully tender and the overall flavors were really nice.

The signature Lemon Tart was very good - not too sweet!

We ended with a perfectly-made canelé (a Bordeaux invention!).

Arcane Hong Kong - General Thoughts

There are not enough nice things I can say about Arcane Hong Kong. We had a fantastic meal paired with excellent wine. The restaurant is quite well-known for its extensive wine collection, which includes a number of nice burgundies. The food is elegant, refined, and really showcases the beautiful flavors from the ingredients. Definitely get the gnocchi and (if it's available), and the saba mackerel. Order a nice bottle of wine, and sit back and enjoy the meal.

Perhaps it's not a surprise that I enjoyed this place. It has a Michelin Star and is also on the World's 50 Best list as part of The Diners Club® 50 Best Discovery Series, which are restaurants deemed "the next generation of dining destinations."

Portion sizes are not that big and the prices are on the high side. Expect to spend HKD 700 - HKD 1000 per person. Personally, I like the smaller portions and I think the quality more than makes up for it.

All in all, this is a great restaurant and I highly recommend it!

Arcane Hong Kong
3rd Floor
18 On Lan Street
Central, Hong Kong

This is the fortieth post in the updated #50Postsin50Days – Take 2 Challenge. Other posts in this series will be added to the bottom of the original post.

November 29, 2018 Cuisine

Santé Wine Bar Wan Chai - Great undiscovered Spanish food and wine [NOW CLOSED]

A new restaurant popped up on Ship Street in Wan Chai this past year.

To be honest, I was surprised when I realized that it was a Spanish restaurant. After all, Ship street already has two very popular and successful tapas places, 22 Ships and sister restaurant Ham & Sherry. Could the street take on another Spanish restaurant?

After visiting, I realized Santé Wine Bar is quite different from those other two tapas restaurants. Santé Wine Bar offers a mix of Spanish and French fare, overseen by British chef David Shuttleworth. The restaurant is focused on sourcing interesting, unusual, and hard-to-find wines. Unlike the crowded and (sometimes) loud environments of the Spanish tapas bars on Ship Street, Santé Wine Bar is more quiet, more spacious, and provides a more relaxed environment.

The menu includes Spanish "snacks" which are available before 8PM (think pinxtos type dishes like boquerones (marinated white anchovies), croquetas, sizzling garlic chili prawns, and more). There is also cheese, charcuterie, starters, and main courses. The smaller menu items lean towards being Spanish, while the appetizers and the main course seem more French in nature.

The hand cut jamon Iberico de Bellota Gran Reserva (aged 36 months) [HKD 280] is a treat and always pairs really nicely with the bottle of red wine that we have ordered (and we have tried several - they are quite good!).
Salads are fresh and enjoyable. The menu changes frequently, so you may not see the same salad on the menu. We tried an avocado frisée salad with watermelon, radicchio, tomato, and toasted pepitas which was quite nice. [HKD 118]

I absolutely love the Pan con Tomate [HKD 38], a Spanish staple that they do quite well at Santé Wine Bar. The bread underneath is very thin yet definitely has a nice crispy bite to it. The top, a mixture of garlic and fresh tomato, is perfectly seasoned and delicious. This is one of my favorite items in the whole restaurant and I order it every single time.

The entrees are more French in nature and are solidly executed. They are simple but well seasoned and full of fresh ingredients. Pictured: grilled sea bass on baby Nicoise salad [HKD188].

I was quite impressed with the grilled salmon, which was barely seared and still medium on the inside. It was beautifully tender with a nice crispy skin. The baby vegetables, tomato, and coriander "salad" complemented the dish really nicely. [HKD188]

...

November 28, 2018 Asian

Kyoku Hong Kong - Teppanyaki and Sushi in Causeway Bay

Causeway Bay is truly a mecca for all things Japanese. There are numerous places, everything from little eateries to high end fine dining establishments specializing in various types of Japanese sub-cuisines. Ramen, yakiniku, yakitori, sushi, curry, soba, izakayaka, teppanyaki, it's all there. On top of that, you've got kakigori (shaved ice), matcha dessert places, and a huge SOGO right in the center of the neighborhood.

We took advantage of our proximity to Causeway Bay a few months ago when researching places to get really good teppanyaki. We discovered Kyoku, a high-end teppanyaki place that has a Michelin Plate and is a favorite among Japanese food lovers who really care about quality ingredients from Japan.
...

November 27, 2018 Hong Kong

Ovo Cafe Wan Chai - vegetarian cafe in Hong Kong

Usually if Bryan is out of town on business, I'll eat much more simply by myself. I typically don't enjoy eating out alone, so if he's gone, my default meal is a really simple home-cooked meal, usually consisting of stir fried greens (whatever looks interesting from the wet market), eggs, and possibly a third item.

However, once in awhile I'll venture out solo. Even then, I tend to opt for healthier fare. One place close to my home I sometimes like to visit is Ovo Cafe, a vegetarian cafe near the Wan Chai market located on the 1st floor of a residential building called One Wan Chai....

November 26, 2018 Hong Kong

Town by Bryan Nagao Causeway Bay

Hong Kong is a crowded place were everyone likes to eat out. It's inevitable that good places (especially on weekends) will be fully booked or will have a queue. This is why it's useful to know places that have excellent food yet, for one reason or another, always have available seating.

One great place a friend introduced to me is Town by Bryan Nagao. This cozy and elegant restaurant is hidden away on the 10th floor of the Cubus building on the backside of Causeway Bay. Its slightly off-the-main-road location makes it a bit harder to spot. As a result, it's never crazy crowded.

I've visited for both lunch and dinner and in both cases the food was excellent. The restaurant has been awarded a Michelin Plate, and the food derives influences from Japanese, French, and Spanish cuisine....

November 25, 2018 Asian

Xihe Ya Yuan Hong Kong 羲和雅苑 - famous Peking duck chain from China

Bryan and I lived in a serviced apartment right above Harbour City, a HUGE shopping megaplex in Tsim Sha Tsui, for several months before moving to Wan Chai. At the time, I don't think I fully realized or appreciated how much of a mecca Harbour City (together with Ocean Terminal and Ocean Centre) is for its concentration of world famous restaurants. It is almost mind-boggling how many globally renowned chefs have a presence in this one shopping complex . . . Joel Robuchon, Gordon Ramsey, Michael White, just to name a few.

On top of that, you also have lots of famous restaurant imports from all over the world, especially from Asia, such as Crystal Jade from Singapore, Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle from Tokyo, Du Hsiao Yueh from Taiwan, and on and on. It's sort of like the Strip in Vegas, but condensed into one walkable set of buildings.

Xihe Yayuan falls into the second category. It is a very famous Peking duck restaurant from Beijing, China. The location in Hong Kong is right at Ocean Terminal and has gorgeous views of Victoria Harbour. The restaurant mostly focuses on traditional Chinese dishes but adds a slight, creative touch of modernity to certain dishes.

Bryan loves Peking duck, so he was quite curious to try this new place that was located so close to his workplace.

...

November 24, 2018 Asian

Xiangshu Restaurant Wan Chai - Sichuan 湘蜀人家

Spicy wok fried chicken

In general, we've found that Sichuan food in Hong Kong is nowhere nearly as spicy as it is in actual Sichuan province. There are exceptions, but by and large, Sichuan food in Hong Kong is milder and sometimes even a bit sweet.

We recently discovered a pretty solid, no-fuss Sichuan (and Hunan!) restaurant inside Tai Yau Plaza in Wan Chai (the same building as Crystal Jade Jiang Nan) called Xiangshu Restaurant (湘蜀人家). The chef is from Sichuan and prepares both Hunan and Sichuan dishes at this restaurant. We haven't tried too many dishes, but what we've tried is pretty good....

November 23, 2018 Asian

Putien Restaurant - Fujian Cuisine

Putien Signature Dish: 100-second stewed yellow croaker with ginger and scallions

Putian is the name of a coastal suburb in Fujian, China. The restaurant with a very similar name - Putien - specializes in the food from this southern coastal region of China. Putien originally started in Singapore back in 2000 and has quickly grown to become a well-loved restaurant that serves excellent food using high quality ingredients at reasonable prices.

The restaurant has expanded within Singapore and throughout Asia. It's won numerous awards in Singapore and has also been awarded one Michelin star. Ironically, I traveled all the way to Shenzhen (in Ping An Tower) to enjoy this restaurant for the first time, only to discover after-the-fact that there's one right in Causeway Bay, probably walking distance from my apartment. In fact, there are eight locations spread throughout Hong Kong.

In general, I really enjoyed the restaurant. The signature 100-second stewed yellow croaker (pictured above) is super tender and most definitely worth getting. All of the food is pretty good, and at least in Shenzhen, reasonably priced. The environment is really pleasant and the service is good.

Here's a look at the rest of our meal!...

November 22, 2018 American

Happy Thanksgiving! Che Family Thanksgiving Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is my second Thanksgiving overseas. For the first several years after we got married, Bryan and I flew from Boston to California for Thanksgiving. There, we would enjoy the Che family tradition, which involved all the fixings of a very traditional American Thanksgiving meal. His mom learned how to make Thanksgiving turkey from her American host family back when she first moved to the US. Their family has been doing traditional Thanksgiving for as long as anyone can remember.

As time went by and it became harder for us to fly all the way to California over such a short holiday weekend, Bryan's mom shifted "Thanksgiving" and began making that same turkey meal over the Christmas holiday. She made a point to preserve that family tradition for us, no matter when we could make it back to California.

As a result, not a single year has passed by where I have not been able to enjoy that exact same meal.

And I do mean exact.

Thanksgiving 2008

"Thanksgiving" in December - 2017

...

November 21, 2018 Hong Kong

The Flying Elk Hong Kong - Scandinavian Gastropub

Entering The Flying Elk in Hong Kong is like walking through a door straight into Sweden. In fact, for those who have been to The Flying Elk in Stockholm, the Hong Kong one feels a sense of deja vu, everything from the rustic wooden lodge feel down to the brown paper table covers.

The Flying Elk Hong Kong comes to us from Sweden via Chef Björn Frantzén, the chef-owner behind one of Stockholm's most famous restaurants, Restaurant Frantzén, which serves Nordic food with Japanese and French influences. Restaurant Frantzén has been open for nearly a decade and in 2018 became the first and only Swedish restaurant to receive three Michelin stars.

The Frantzén Group first entered the Hong Kong market with Frantzén Kitchen, which has done quite well here. More recently, in 2018, it partnered with local restaurant group Maximal Concepts to open a second location of its more casual restaurant in Stockholm The Flying Elk.

The Flying Elk Hong Kong focuses on fancy pub food and beer, inspired by Chef Frantzén's years of living in London. It has a unique collection of Swedish beers and even a beer sommelier on site!...

November 20, 2018 Asian

Madame Ching Hong Kong

The Pirata Group is at it again, this time with a modern Chinese concept called Madame Ching. Madame Ching Hong Kong is located on Star Street on the Northern section of Wan Chai not too far from Admiralty. The concept is Chinese food with a "surprising twist", inspired by the powerful pirate Madame Ching Shih who terrorized the China Seas during the Qing Dynasty (commanding over 300 junk boats!).

Madame Ching focuses on various types of roast meats, a Hong Kong specialty. The head chef, Chef Son, trained under Cantonese celebrity chef Suser Lee (whom I've met before!) before coming to Hong Kong to oversee this restaurant....

November 19, 2018 Hong Kong

Frites Belgian on Tap Hong Kong - Belgian Moules Frites place

One of our favorite casual go-to places in Wan Chai for a simple dinner has become, surprisingly, a Belgian moules frites (mussels and fries) place called Frites. It's actually not because we particularly love moules frites (though they do an excellent job here). It's because this place has one of the best selections of Belgian beer in Hong Kong (75 different beers! 4 on tap, rotating) and surprisingly good salads!

The moules frites are excellent. Our favorite is the Mediterranean, where mussels are steamed with chorizo, chili, onion, coriander, and a yellow pepper sauce (so good!). The others are fine too, but we find this one the most flavorful. The Hoegaarden is a lighter tasting one, with coriander, fennel, lemon zest and Hoegaarden beer....

November 18, 2018 Asian

Che's Cantonese Restaurant - Wan Chai Hong Kong 車

Today is my birthday.

Three years ago Bryan treated me to an around-the-world trip for my milestone birthday. Hong Kong was the last stop of that epic trip. Little did I know back then that in less than two years, I would actually be moving here (!). Life works in mysterious ways.

During that trip, we had been tickled to discover a restaurant with the same name as Bryan's family name (which is quite rare). We visited for a late dinner and tried a tasting menu where we tasted unusual (to us) Cantonese classics we had never tried before (heh, hello goose web and abalone!).

To be honest, we left with a mediocre impression of the place, I think partly because we did not understand the cuisine, and partly because we did not really know how to order.

Two years later, after we had moved to Hong Kong, we decided to give the restaurant another try (largely due to its good reputation). We came together with Bryan's family (who also share the same surname). Our dim sum lunch turned out to be excellent and everyone really enjoyed it....

November 17, 2018 Asian

IM Teppanyaki Hong Kong

I've always preferred sitting at the bar or "chef's counter" of a restaurant with an open kitchen. It's fascinating to watch the step-by-step process required to create each dish. I also enjoy the interactions with the chef or the bartender. You can learn so much about the chef's passion behind a dish or a particular ingredient.

Teppanyaki, which literally means "iron board - grilled", is particularly fun because every single course is cooked right in front of you on a hot, flat metal plate. There’s no silly tricks where the chef throws food into people’s mouths. Gone are the dramatic flames and other flashy displays done purely for entertainment.

This is refined, classy teppanyaki. It’s all about the food and how to best prepare it with limited tools – namely, just a huge flat grill and two metal spatulas. The ritual is intriguing, almost mesmerizing to watch.

In 2013, Lawrence Mok, the former executive chef at Inakaya and Nadaman, ventured out on his own to open IM Teppanyaki in Tai Hang (not too far from Causeway Bay and Tin Hau). The restaurant focuses on showcasing premium Japanese and local Hong Kong ingredients in the form of teppanyaki. The main teppanyaki bar area is cozy, with room for only 12 people. There is another private room that seats 8.

People come here because they like Chef Mok. He's friendly, respectfully, and very, very good as his craft (which he has been honing for over 30 years). He speaks multiple languages. We were visiting with some Chinese friends, and Chef Mok easily switched between Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

The menu has several smaller lunch sets (HKD320 to HKD880), two dinner sets (HKD1480 and HKD1800), and a la carte options as well. We were told that the more expensive dinner set included more premium ingredients, such as using Hokkaido abalone instead of local abalone.

We decided to go for the "Omakase", which costs 1800 HKD per person (plus 10% service charge)....

November 16, 2018 Asian

Ning Po Restaurant - Shanghainese food in Hong Kong 宁波

Ningbo Association Restaurant Central Hong Kong — Ning Po Association Restaurant

Ningbo (or Ningpo) is one of China's oldest cities (harking back to 4800 BC!) located in northeast Zhejiang province, not too far from Shanghai. One of the best and most well known Ningbo and Shanghainese restaurant in Hong Kong is actually a private club located right in Central.

It's technically a restaurant that's part of the Ning Po Resident's Association. Only club members can make reservations here. We have been able to come multiple times because Bryan's uncle (a local Hong Konger!) belongs to the club and likes to hold family get-togethers there.

The food is indeed excellent and is definitely one of the best Ningbo / Shanghainese restaurants I've visited in Hong Kong. They have several dishes that they do really well.

Because I was there with Bryan's uncle, I did not really get to see the menu (you know how these family dinners go, the host (uncle in this case) orders everything and then food magically starts appearing. I've tried my best to describe the dishes, but I can't guarantee this is what it's called on the menu.

Enjoy!...

November 15, 2018 Asian

Chachawan Hong Kong

I fell in love with the fresh, fragrant flavors of Thai food when I visited Thailand for the first time back in 2013. I took numerous cooking classes, tasted the world's best drunken noodle, sampled their glorious street food, and experienced the famous upscale Thai restaurant Nahm.

Just as I was experiencing Thailand for the first time in 2013, Nahm.-alum Adam Cliff was helping to open up Chachawan in Hong Kong.

Chachawan brought a different type of Thai food to Hong Kong, namely food from the northern part of Thailand, called Issan cuisine. Issan food is is spicy, sour, and salty. It relies on grilled meats a lot more, and uses plenty of heat and herbs but less sauces and curries. It's not as sweet as Thai food from other regions. It doesn't really use coconut milk much (which makes Bryan really happy).

Chef Adam Cliff left in 2016 to open his own place, Samsen in Wan Chai. However, Chachawan is still going strong. Run by the same folks who opened Duddell's and 22 Ships, Chachawan does not take reservations and has no service charge.

I came here one day for lunch on a weekday. The atmosphere was buzzing, and you could tell this was a very popular place....

November 14, 2018 Hong Kong

Fishteria Wan Chai Hong Kong

Hong Kong has long been known for its seafood. It's not hard to find great Cantonese restaurants with live seafood tanks dishing up steamed whole fish, braised abalone, and all sorts of shellfish.

However, it's been harder to experience seafood the way I enjoyed it in Boston. It's harder to find a place with a great raw seafood, freshly shucked oysters on the half shell, and fish cooked with a more western slant.

This is why I was so excited to try Fishteria (inspired from Fish + Hysteria). Fishteria is a seafood-focused restaurant in the heart of Wan Chai with Italian leanings and a focus on the best fresh and sustainable seafood - not to mention the HK equivalent of "dollar oysters" (here it's HKD10 oysters) during happy hour....

November 13, 2018 Asian

Crabtain Wan Chai Hong Kong 一番鋒味

Crabtain is a no-fuss, casual, Guangdong restaurant in Wan Chai serving excellent food at very reasonable prices. The chef-owner used to work at the well-known Michelin-starred Cantonese chain Lei Garden. The signature must-order dish is definitely the crab congee, which is fantastic. The deep orange congee is filled with crab roe, a whole crab, and crab broth, resulting in a beautiful, richly flavored congee that's filled with crab umami.

Crabtain offers English menus (yay!), though it's hit-or-miss whether the server will speak English. Thankfully, there's usually at least one person who speaks decent English, and they'll flag that person over if you really need to communicate.

The interior is comfortable, casual, and pretty simple. It's not a huge restaurant, but then I've never seen it so full that I cannot get a seat....

November 12, 2018 Asian

Zhejiang Heen Wan Chai

There are eight major regional cuisines in China: Shandong, Sichuan, Anhui, Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. However, the four best known and most famous ones are Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, and Jiangsu.

Huaiyang cuisine, the most famous sub-regional style under Jiangsu cuisine, is food from the area at the middle and lower parts of the Yangzhe River and the Huai River. It is characterized by its lighter flavors which tend towards sour (from use of local vinegar) and slightly sweet. It is less salty, spicy, and more refined than food further north. Seafood (especially from the river) and pork dominate as the protein of choice.

One-Michelin starred Zhejiang Heen focuses on Huaiyang cuisine, though it incorporates food from surrounding areas of the larger Jiangnan region, which include Jiangsu in the north and Zhejiang in the south. Executive Chef Pan Jiulong takes additional inspiration from outside of China, creating dishes with a slight Japanese or even Western influence.

We've visited Zhejiang Heen a number of times and we enjoy it. The restaurant offers most of the classic Shanghainese / Jiangnan dishes as well as a few signature fusion dishes. ...

November 11, 2018 Asian

Northern Yuan Dumpling Wan Chai

I grew up making dumplings at home. I thought all dumplings had the signature pan fried bottoms and pleated folds. The first time I encountered northern Chinese style dumplings was during my trip to Beijing in 2008. There, I realized that most of the dumplings in Beijing did not really have pleats but instead looked sort of pressed together.

I have now tried "jiaozi" from Beijing, "har gao" from Hong Kong, "xiaolongbao" from Shanghai, and many, many, more. Every style has its own special characteristics.

What I love the most about a good northern-style dumpling is the thicker chewy "Q" skin. Because they are a bit bigger, you can stuff more filling in them, and it can get quite creative. In Beijing we tried all sorts of fun dumplings with fillings like water chestnuts, pumpkin, fennel, various types of greens, corn, etc.

One of the most well-known and popular no-fuss "hole-in-the-wall" northern dumpling spot in Hong Kong is Northern Dumpling Yuan. This popular spot has multiple locations throughout Hong Kong and serves up a large variety of tasty, handmade northern style dumplings served in many different ways.

These dumplings are very good. The skin is relatively thin and reasonably chewy (though I personally wished for just a bit more al dente texture). Everything was served hot and fresh, and overall we though the flavors of the various dumplings were very good.,

My favorite from my first visit was the shrimp and yellow chive dumpling, which had a lovely balance of flavors including the strong fragrance from the yellow chives. My second favorite was the pork mushroom and coriander dumpling, which was also quite nice.

On top of dumplings, Northern Dumpling Yuan also offers wontons, wonton noodle soups, and a wide variety of small "side" dishes, including some more unusual offerings such as cold slices of braised donkey (!) and pork knuckle.

I found the noodles to be quite soft. They looked like mixian (米線), the Yunnan-style rice noodles, but they were not as chewy.

All in all, I like the fact there is a Northern Dumpling Yuan really close to my house. It's the perfect type of place to go on a day when you want good, simple comfort food that tastes great, won't break the bank, and is relatively quick and convenient. For even greater convenience, you can buy their dumplings frozen to keep at home. That way, if you don't even feel like leaving home, you will always have some excellent dumplings that you can easily cook up and enjoy at any time.

Northern Dumpling Yuan Wan Chai
259 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai
Other locations at Central, Causeway Bay,North Point, Mong Kok, and Shau Kei Wan

This is the twenty-first post in the updated #50Postsin50Days – Take 2 Challenge. Other posts in this series will be added to the bottom of the original post.

November 10, 2018 Asian

The Chairman Four Person Set Menu {大班樓} Hong Kong

Within six months of moving to Hong Kong, The Chairman quickly became one of my favorite places to enjoy a lighter, healthier, and more sustainable version of Cantonese food in a pleasant environment.

The Chairman cares A LOT about ingredients. They source their chickens and pigs locally from The New Territories in Hong Kong. They have their own little farm in Sheung Shui, where they cure their meat, pickle their vegetables, and grow some organic produce. They work with local fishermen who bring them fresh fish and shrimp (caught that morning!) straight from the South China Sea.

The restaurant says that it serves no shark’s fin, sea cucumber, or bird’s nest on its menu, partly because it finds them less interesting, but also because it’s less sustainable or “eco-friendly.”

After our first visit, where we enjoyed a lovely 2-person tasting menu, our waiter strongly encouraged us to come back with four people. He said The Chairman four person set menu was really special.

It took a while, but we finally came back with Bryan's parents several months later and reserved the four person tasting....

November 9, 2018 Hong Kong

Okonomiyaki Dohtonburi Hong Kong

The very first time I saw or tasted okonomiyaki was during college when I spent a summer working in Tsukuba, Japan as part of the MIT-Japan Program. I had befriended the friendly church bus driver who drove all the way out to various neighborhoods to pick up car-less people like me to attend a local Japanese church. After getting to know him through weekly (broken) Japanese conversations, he invited me to visit his family at his home. I met his wife and their beautiful baby, and they made okonomiyaki for me.

I still have very fond memories of my time in Japan. Although I have long lost touch with that friendly bus driver, I have not forgotten the warmth and hospitality this family showed to a young, clueless college student. I also never forgot the meal.

Years later, I finally went to the place that invented okonomiyaki, Osaka, Japan, and got to try some fantastic restaurant versions of this Japanese cross-between-a-pancake-and-an-omelet.

Now I can get my fix in Hong Kong anytime. A popular Japanese okonomiyaki chain, Dohtonbori Okonomiyaki, has six locations in and around Hong Kong. On a rare night when I actually decided to dine out solo, I stopped into the one at K11 in Tsim Sha Tsui....

November 8, 2018 Asian

Yardbird Hong Kong

I would like to think I've had my fair share of very good yakitori.

Although I don't seek it out nearly as often as I seek out sushi when I'm in Japan, I've still dined at some pretty good places, such as 1-Michelin starred Bird Land (made even more famous because it's located next to Sukiyabashi Jiro) and another lovely slightly less-discovered place called Nakameguro Iguchi. Because of that, I think I have a pretty decent benchmark when it comes to yakitori.

We knew about the insane lines and never-ending popularity of Yardbird in Hong Kong. In general, Hong Kong diners have short attention spans and constantly seek out the newest, latest, hottest restaurant. It's hard to stay "hot", yet Yardbird has managed to stay in high demand for seven years, even after moving from Soho to a bigger location in Sheung Wan at the end of 2017.

People say they love that the restaurant is family-owned and not run by a huge restaurant group (which describes many of the non-Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong). They feel that the restaurant has heart and passion. Chef and co-owner Matt Abergel is from Calgary, Canada, and fell in love with yakitori during a trip to Japan when he was 17. He pursued that passion, moving first to Vancouver to work at a Japanese restaurant before spending time at Masa in New York, Zuma in London, and then Zuma in Hong Kong.

He opened Yardbird in 2011, and lines have been out the door ever since.
Mushroom salad (HKD135) shungiku, mizuna, and wasabi

...

November 7, 2018 Asian

Chifa Dumpling House Hong Kong

Peruvian-Chinese?

I'd heard of Peruvian-Japanese, also known as Nikkei cuisine. However, the idea of blending Peruvian with Chinese was intriguing. I was quite curious to see what Chifa Dumpling House, a new restaurant from the Pirata Group, was going to be like.

In general, we're big fans of the Pirata Group. We regularly visit many of the group's restaurant, such as Pirata, Pici, and The Optimist. We have generally found the restaurants to be well-run, food quality to be quite good, and prices reasonable.

The Pirata Group restaurants often has a tasting menu that allows you to sample many of the restaurant's signature dishes. Since it was our first time, we decided to order the Chifa Tasting Menu (HKD320 per person), and let their team chose a selection of favorite dishes for us to try....

November 6, 2018 Hong Kong

La Rambla IFC Hong Kong - Spanish Galician Beef HK

Usually when my friends come to Hong Kong to visit me, I take them to my top recommended places for experiencing true Hong Kong cuisine, whether it be a typical cha chaan teng for breakfast, the best egg tarts, amazing dim sum, or unique to Hong Kong foods like roast goose. I almost never bring them to a western restaurant.

However, we made an exception for one set of very close friends. These friends love food as much as we do, and appreciate things they can't get easily in Boston. In this case, the draw was Galician beef - the coveted beef from older cows in Galicia, Spain praised for its deep and intense flavor.

Bryan and I had enjoyed Galician beef once, at Blue's Butcher & Meat Specialist (and it was good!). However, the version at La Rambla was even more intriguing. It was dry aged for 90-120 days (!). Both Bryan and his friend absolutely love the funky flavors of dry-aged beef. Their favorite steak in the world came from Carnevino in Las Vegas (now closed), whose Riserva steaks were dry aged for around eight months.

We knew we couldn't exactly recreate 8-month old dry aged steak for them, but at least we could give them a chance to taste one of the most famous beef in the world dry aged for still quite a long time....

November 5, 2018 Asian

Brass Spoon Hong Kong {Pho}

We have always been fans of Vietnamese food. Bryan grew up going to church near Little Saigon in Westminster, California, so he was quite familiar with authentic Vietnamese food his whole life. Hong Kong is only an hour flight from Vietnam, so it seems natural that there would be a lot of good Vietnamese food in Hong Kong.

One popular Vietnamese Pho restaurant we discovered in our Wan Chai neighborhood is Brass Spoon, a casual pho restaurant that emphasizes premium ingredients, no use of MSG, and and clean, light flavors. The restaurant has received Michelin's Bib Gourmand status, a designation given to restaurants who have "exceptionally good food at moderate prices."

We lined up on a Saturday around 12:30PM and waited about 5-10 min before being seated....

November 4, 2018 Hong Kong

Lantau Island and Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car - Hong Kong

If you are visiting Hong Kong and have more than one day, I highly recommend spending one of those days getting out of the city to explore Hong Kong's quieter side. Hong Kong has so much to offer outside, whether it be fantastic hiking, beautiful beaches, or a day trip to the quaint fishing villages.

It's pretty easy to make a day trip to Lantau Island combining excursions to Tai O Fishing Village together with a visit to the Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha (the "Big Buddha") via the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car (the longest bi-cable ropeway in Asia). Ngong Ping Village and Tai O are only separated by a 15 minute bus ride, so it's easy to visit both in one day.

The views from the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car are stunning and I would highly recommend it.

The brand new Hong Kong - Macau - Zhuhai Bridge just opened at the end of October and it was cool see it from above. If you look closely, you can see the bridge go underground and come back up. This is the longest bridge in the world.

I just love this view so much, where you can see mountains in the back and the various bridges in the distance.

Hong Kong International Airport from the sky! Isn't it crazy that this is all landfill?

The Ngong Ping 360 ropeway is quite popular and lines can grow pretty quickly....

Recipes

... Read More

Arcane Hong Kong - General Thoughts

...

Read More