Hong Kong 2006

Crazy Ice Cream

2006-07-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

i found this little ice cream joint at Mong Kok Centre (on Argyle Street). Their innovative flavors and square-shaped cones make this place blog-worthy! The flavors, to name a few, include Rice, Sesame, Tofu, and Curry. I ordered the Rice + tofu and it was both delicious and fun to eat. The Rice has a creamy texture, with a light rice flavor (like rice pudding), and has bits of cooked sweet rice in it. Being a fan of rice pudding, Rice is prolly one of my favorites. The Tofu was less sweet, but you can definitely taste the soy flavor. Next time, I'm going to order a double scoop of Curry and Rice :D

Pictured: rice, tofu and silly

Roasted Pork 城寨風情

2006-07-11T23:38:00.001-07:00

Favorite restaurant during this Dec 05-Jan 06 trip? I'll have to say its "城寨風情" (there isn't an english name i think)

招牌乳豬 (Roasted baby pork) is their signature item. This dish is hard to find in California, US. The pork is roasted right before they serve it to you, so the crispy skin is perfectly crunchy, while the meat is tender and warm. The pork is from a baby pig, hence the extreme tenderness, flavor and not to mention, price for this. I'll have to say this is the best dish. Comes with their own Hoi-sin sauce that really compliments the flavor of the pork.

The restaurant is two stories high, and the dining area is upstairs. While you're waiting for your table, be sure to check out the young chef slow roasting the pork downstairs. It cannot get more authentic than this!!

While the pork was delicious, i have to admit it was a bit ....heavy. Thus, we ordered two veggie dishes to offset the meat. The first dish is with asparagus and pork, and it was OK (nothing special). The second veggie dish is o者O者芥蘭煲 Clay Pot Gai Lan (type of leafy vegetable)! Genius!! It was so delicious!

RESERVATIONS are a must, otherwise you might have to wait for hours :(

Located:
Address: 九龍城南角道6-6A地下
Phone: 2383 1788

Japanese: Watami 和民居食屋

2006-01-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

Watami 和民居食屋
*many Locations

I really like Japanese restaurants like Watami. Most of their dishes are small in portion, so you can order a bunch and share with friends (get to try many things at the same time!) The food was tasty and I enjoyed almost everything that I ordered. I am not going to recommend the Teriyaki chicken pizza - it was rather tasteless. Otherwise, everything @ Watami is yummy and flavorful. Their little dishes looked way more appealing than their sushi, so I'll hafta wait to try the sushi next time!

Grilled Bite-sized Steak Cubes, served with daikon and onions

Yakitori - beef wrapped cherry tomatoes

Scallops grilled with enoki mushrooms

Japanese teriyaki chicken pizza and Teppan Gyoza

Okonomiyaki - Japanese Pizza!

Kau Kee Brisket Noodles

2006-01-23T07:40:00.000-08:00

Kau Kee
Central

This is the infamous Kau Kee noodle shop in Central, famed for their beef brisket e-mein. There is always a wait, but the table turnover is quick, so we got our tables within 10 minutes. You will most likely have to share a table with other customers though.

The E-mein noodles are WONDERFUL! They were cooked perfectly, soft yet maintaining its slightly chewy texture. The broth was clear and flavorful, truly complimenting the noodles and beef. However, I was not too happy with the beef. Out of my 5 pieces of beef briskets, only 2 were tender and the rest were dry and overcooked. Perhaps I just got a bowl with the end pieces of the beef. Nonetheless, I would still recommend Kau Kee.

Pie & Tart Specialists

2006-01-22T00:10:00.000-08:00

A warm buttery aroma fills the Kowloon Bay MTR Station, originating from the Pie & Tart Specialists. The crusts is very buttery and not crumbly. As for the salty ones, I tried teriyaki steak and black pepper steak. The teriyaki pie was too sweet for me. I really liked the black pepper steak, esp because the meat was thick yet tender. For the sweet tarts, I had the cream filled one, which tasted okay.

Cafe: NOHO Cafe

2006-01-22T00:06:00.000-08:00

Central

This coffeehouse is very unique, as there are beds and big comfy lounges inside! Some lounges even have curtains for those who want extra privacy! It was nice to take a break here and sip on some coffee.

KFC Egg Tarts

2006-01-22T00:04:00.000-08:00

I really love these Portuguese egg tarts from KFC!

Japanese: Osaka Ohsho

2006-01-21T23:55:00.000-08:00

Osaka Ohsho have numerous chains in City Super's Cooked Deli (such as Times Square). Their gyozas are definitely the best! The skin is super thin, so when fried, the bottom becomes very light and crunchy. The gyoza shoyu that they provide compliment the gyozas perfectly.

Dessert: Sweet Dynasty 糖朝

2006-01-21T23:47:00.000-08:00

Sweet Dynasty 糖朝
Tsim Sha Tsui

This is my new dessert favorite! The desserts are super innovative and most importantly, DELICIOUS!

Above is the mixed fruit tofu. You can order black jello or other tapioca desserts with this fresh fruit topping. The fruits are definitely as sweet as they look!

This is my favorite dessert, the Fruit noodles. The noodles are actually sweet with a hint of coconut cream flavor. The chopped green onions are actually bits of green jello! On the sides are puree of strawberry and mango (to imitate hot sauce and peanut sauce??). Mix the noodles up with the sauce and you're ready to eat your fruit noodles!

Location: 尖沙咀廣東道88號G-F, Tsim Sha Tsui
Phone: 2199-7799

French Fusion: Daisy

2006-01-21T23:45:00.000-08:00

Daisy (French Fusion)
Mongkok

*Top 10 restaurants in HK for me*

Their decor can be described in two words: simple and white. Everything inside was white, if not transparent. This kind of restaurant truly seems to be in the wrong place, as it is tucked behind one of the Ladies Street stands.

The food is French fusion and as innovative as it is delicious! We tried the Lobster pasta (about $138)- fresh whole local lobster served artfully on a bed of pasta. The pasta was cooked perfectly (al dente) and seemed to be infused with garlic! I think I can eat a whole plate of pasta on its own. The sauce is a white creamy sauce with garlic accents. The lobster was cooked just right, so it was very tender and juicy.

Also pictured is the Filet Mignon Stuffed Foie Gras. (about $120) It was pretty good too, but the meat was a little overcooked (even though we asked for medium rare). The quality of steaks in California are better, but I really admire Daisy's creativity in the preparation of this dish.

Our waiter was super nice and even treated us to a free dessert at the end. The marble cheesecake was rather light, but very creamy and rich in taste.

Each of the meals came with soup or salad, pasta or rice, and coffee or tea. BE SURE TO ASK FOR PASTA - it is a garlic pasta that is sooo good, I can eat it all by itself as a meal.

Location: 旺角通菜街35號地下, Mong Kok
Phone: 2384-8998