Hong Kong Adventure 2013

Ducky and I went on a two week vacation to Hong Kong in late February, the mecca of both shopping and eating. It is a city where you can find anything, anytime. You can never go hungry here. It offers a gargantuous variety of morsels that range from local cheap eats to luxurious gourmets. We couldn't possibly cover all the places we ate, but we'll review the most memorable places we went to!

Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood 丼吉日本吉列專門店餐廳

Shop 412, Podium 4, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay

銅鑼灣告士打道280號世貿中心4樓412號鋪

Price Range: ~$20-30 per person

Twin Tonkotsu Set

This was by far the most delicious deep fried pork cutlet I have ever tasted (as well as the priciest). To the right you have tenderloin medallions while on the left you have a tender loin steak. Both of them were thick juicy cuts of pork. I emphasize that they were soft and no where near dry. The breading was crispy, not too oily and well seasoned. This hefty lunch also came with soup, rice, pickled vegetables, and a bowl of sesame seeds with a pestle for you to grind for delicious sauce dipping. -Kitty

GyuJin 牛陣 

Shop 301-303, 3/F, Causeway Bay Plaza 1, 489 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
銅鑼灣軒尼詩道489號銅鑼灣廣場第一期3樓301-303舖

Price Range: ~$20-50 per person

Wagyu Beef

It is exactly what you expect it to be.  All you can eat wagyu beef shabu shabu style.  You get a selection of normal beef, wagyu beef, and pork.  However, I think the best deal and best tasting was the wagyu beef, obviously.  The all you can eat with just normal beef was about $20 USD, but we got the wagyu for about $30 usd, the more expensive options have other kinds of premium meats.  All options come with a free soft drink and also a vegetable and dessert buffet.  The trick with this place is that there is a 1.5 hour limit.  We thought that this would be barely enough time, so we just kept asking for refill plates of the wagyu beef even before we ate the previous order on our table.  Between the both of us we got through about 10 plates.  At the hour mark we slowed down significantly due to so much food.  We did notice that the fattiness of the cut increase significantly after about the 3rd refill.  I think around 6 plates total they start giving worst cuts of the wagyu to fill us up faster.  Definitely a worth while experience.  --Ducky

Nicholini's 意寧谷

8/F, Conrad Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
金鐘金鐘道88號太古廣場港麗酒店8樓

Price Range: ~$100 per person

This was the ultimate luxury meal we had, a once in a lifetime experience one can say. It was worth every penny too. We had a window seat with a great view of the city, and honestly the pictures will just speak for themselves.

Chocolate Fountains (Strawberry Flavor Too)

Assorted Hot Foods Including but Not Limited to Red Wine Braised Ox Tails and Garlic Prawns

Pasta Bar (Made to Order with Choices of Squid Ink Pasta, Duck Ravioli, Papardelle)

Salads and Dressings of All Sorts

Smoked Salmon, Poached Salmon, Salmon Mousse

Carpaccio, Charcuterie, and Pate

All the Cheese and Fruits you can Stuff Your Face With

Dessert Bar with Green Tea Roll Cakes, Fruit Mousses, Tiramisu, Chocolate Cakes

All You Can Eat Lobsters, Prawns, Crawfish

Sushi Freshly Cut For You

Shawarma, Rib Eye, Lamb

Pastries like Eclairs, Cream Puffs, and Strawberries and Cream Puffs

Did We Mention All You Can Eat Foie Gras?

Pan Seared Sea Bass

As if all of that wasn't enough, there was a separate menu where you could order rib eye, chicken, sea bass, and more to your table. We got the sea bass and it was divine. The entire experience was a 2.5 hour smorgasbord of fine dining, a meal of epic proportions. Las Vegas doesn't even hold a candle to this. If you can spare the $$$, then by all means this is a must try. Reservations must be made ahead of time! -Kitty

cha FOR TEA  天仁喫茶趣

Eslite, 10/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
銅鑼灣軒尼詩道500號希慎廣場10樓誠品書店SK01 專櫃
Price Range: ~$2-3 per drink

Fresh Milk Green Tea Latte

Nearly every night for two weeks we went up Hysan Place and into the Eslite bookstore to line up and get our daily dose of milk tea, made with real tea leaves and fresh milk. And how can we not when it costs half the price of what we get in the states? Out of the places we tried, this was the best in terms of taste and quality. -Kitty

Lan Fong Yuen  蘭芳園

2 Gage Street, Central
中環結志街2號
Price Range: ~$7 per person

Hong Kong style cafes are locals' staples.  They are essentially the equivalent of Denny's, IHOPs, Black Bear Diner, and other diners.  America has diners, HK has HK cafes.  America has coffee, HK has milk teas and milk teas and more milk teas.  America has french toast, HK has deep fried french toasts.

Lemon Iced Tea

HK Style Milk Tea

HK Style French Toast

Braised Chicken Steak with instant noodles

Braised Chicken Wings with instant noodles

We have tried other HK cafes, but this was by far our favorite.  It has very simple types of breakfast foods like instant noodles with chicken or ham or noodle soups etc.  Very classic HK cafe with small tables with fluorescent lamps in a cramped space and little fold up stools.  To get a good HK cafe experience, you must order the HK style milk tea.  The classic breakfast food for HKers is macaroni and ham, but this place is known for their braised chicken with instant noodles.  The chicken is well flavored and not too dry and supposedly the noodle is also marinated.  The chicken wings were still quite moist and delicious.  The french toast was also nice and crispy and delicious, but the stars were definitely the braised chicken.  Definitely a must try HK cafe. -Ducky.

Australia Dairy Company  澳洲牛奶公司

G/F, 47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan
佐敦白加士街47-49號地下

Price Range: ~$9-10

Steamed Egg and Almond Pudding

Steamed Egg White Pudding

HK Style Milk Tea

Macaroni and BBQ Pork Soup

HK Style French Toast

This was also another excellent HK style cafe. They are famous for the puddings, photographed above. The steamed egg almond pudding was a bit heavy since it's primarily composed with egg yolks. Both Ducky and I preferred the steamed egg whites for its lighter and more subtle taste. Their macaroni soup had an extremely wholesome broth. Another tasty dish was their crispy eggy french toast with beautiful heart clogging slice of melted butter on top. They are also very famous for their scrambled egg sandwiches which we unfortunately did not get a chance to try. -Kitty

Tong Tai Restaurant  堂泰海鮮菜館  
G/F, 184A Temple Street, Jordan
佐敦廟街184A號地下
Price Range: ~$11 per person (without drinks)

Spicy Fried Clams

Steamed Mussels with Garlic

A trip to HK would not be complete without eating street side cheap seafood.  The most classic place to eat this would be in Temple Street.  The street is filled with little shopping stalls and at the end there are restaurants with many small fold up tables and stools at the corner of the street.  The street is only open to foot traffic and no cars.  There are several seafood restaurants that do this on Temple street, but we just chose this one.  The clams were spicey deliciousness.  Clams with spicy peppers.  It is what it is.  If you don't like the spiciness I think you can order it without the heat.  It was good and cheap at around $11 usd.  The mussels were very clean to complement the spiciness of the clams.  It was nice and refreshing.  I would come here again and try the other seafood options.  They have these small box tanks in front of the restaurant that showcases what they offer on their menu.  Some unusual options also include razor clams.  Curious to try it, but we didn't.  -Ducky

Big Buddha/Tai O Fishing Village
This is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Hong Kong. It's an opportunity to see the gigantic bronze Buddha statue, visit the Po Lin Monestary, and take a tour in the rural fishing village of Tai O. To get there, take the MTR to Tung Chung and there will be 238402 signs to guide you to the necessary transportation so you can embark on this epic journey This epic journey also includes the following:

Tofu pudding made with mountain spring water, is an absolute must! You can get it either piping hot or chilled cold (I prefer cold). Its slippery and smooth texture and subtly sweet flavor from the ginger syrup makes it such a refreshing dessert (I had four bowls...). And if eating soy wasn't enough, there's Vitasoy soy milk in a bottle, retro style. Chilled heaven. Of the competing stalls I tried out, the one pictured above on the left had the freshest taste. It's a little tucked away from the main path from the cable car station leading to the Big Buddha. But this giant sign will lead you to the right path...

Eggettes or egg waffles are a signature food item in Hong Kong. They're like egg shaped waffles essentially. We have eaten many egg waffles on our trip, but this little shack took the award for the best egg waffles. They are made by this bad ass old man with the shades. He places the batter in between two iron plates (which is rare to see these days since most places just use an electric machine) and roasts these bad boys over a charcoal fire. When they come out for you to eat, the outside has a very thin crisp outside layer and inside is a soft and fluffy cloud.  

Curry Fish Balls

Traditional Rice Cakes with Peanut Filling

Glutinous Traditional Rice Cakes

Charcoal Seared Dried Squid

"Sa Yong" 

Eggy Super Fluffy  Giant Doughnut Hole with Sprinkled Sugar

As you can see, there is much to snack at Tai O. Overall it was a very different atmosphere, separate from all the hustle and bustle of the city. You can explore the rural environment by walking around these local shops, temples, hear the old seniors washing their mahjong tiles, and even peer into some of the metal shack homes. I highly recommend visiting this quaint little town. -Kitty

Hot Star

At Senado Square, Macau

Price Range: ~$5

Giant Deep Fried Chicken the Size of Your Face

Pretty much what it looks like.  A giant deep fried chicken breast.  Bad side is that there are bones in it because they deep fry a flattened slab of chicken meat with ribs attached.  Plus side is that at least you know it was a real chicken.  The chicken is very juicy and flavorful, but it is quite salty in a good way.  I believe it is originally a Taiwanese franchise.  The breading is thin and light; I would describe it as halfway between tempura batter and kfc.  Not as thin as tempura but not as thick as american fried chicken batter.  It was a bit difficult to find as it is in an alley off the main tourist path, but there is usually someone holding a sign with an arrow pointing down the alley.  --Ducky


Diaoyuweng Roasted Goose And Seafood Restaurant 釣魚翁 燒鵝．海鮮飯店
5/F, Crocodile Center, 79 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong
觀塘開源道79號鱷魚恤中心5樓
Price Range: ~$20-25 per person

Special Congee

Snowy Mountain Pork Buns (雪山叉燒包)

Shrimp Rice Rolls

Chives and Shrimp Dumplings

Shrimp Dumplings

Phoenix Claws (i.e. Spicy Chicken Feet)

Shichimi Fried Tofu

Special Crispy Rice Rolls

Roast Goose!

The star of dish is of course the roast goose.  It is quite difficult to find good roast goose in USA, so we knew that we have to eat it at least once while we are in Hong Kong.  This restaurant is quite English friendly.  The menu is well translated and you just check how many of each dish you want on a little sheet of paper and hand it to the waiter.  The goose is not available until after 11 AM.  We came a bit too early and just ate some dim sum until 11, so we could order the goose.  The dim sums are all around very clean flavored and not too oily.  The pork buns were excellent with a nice crispy "snowy" cap that is a bit sweet.  The first time we were here, the goose was very good.  The second time it was a bit greasier.  This is a dim sum restaurant in a shopping mall, so it is pricier compared to other more "local" restaurants.  However, the atmosphere is definitely higher class.  Many floor managers with earpieces and in suits are very attentive to every request made by patrons.

Kitty went crazy here the first time around.  She ordered so much stuff.  The waitress even commented that she should really pace herself (haha).  On our second time here, the waitress actually remembered us (probably because of Kitty) and gave us a free dessert because we told her we were returning back to America in a matter of hours. -Ducky

Crystal Jade 翡翠拉麵小籠包 

Shop P209B, 2/F, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
銅鑼灣告士打道280號世貿中心2樓P209B號鋪
Price Range: ~$10-15 per person

La Mien Noodles with Double Boiled Soup

Xiao Long Bao (Pork Steam Dumplings)

Crystal Jade specializes in dumplings and hand pulled noodles.  We ordered La Mien with chicken soup and some pork dumplings.  The noodles are brought out separately from the soup.  The noodles looked dry and floury, but once the soup was combined with the noodles, they softened up .  The noodles had a nice consistency that was slightly firm.  It was not the chewy texture that I expected, but I like soft noodles more. The chicken soup had a savory chicken taste that is very pure.  The dumplings were possibly one of the best ones I have tried.  The dumplings are filled with soup.  The trick is to some how eat the dumplings without ripping the dumpling skin and spilling the soup.  Warning though, the soup inside is boiling hot, so be careful. -Ducky


Smile Yogurt & Dessert Bar
Shop 509, 5/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
銅鑼灣軒尼詩道500號希慎廣場5樓509號舖
Price Range: ~$8 per parfait

Golden Smile Yogurt Parfait
Raspberry Cranberry Pudding
Lemon Sorbet and Home Made Crumbs
Mango Sauce and Mango Pudding
Golden Strawberry and Crispy Pineapples

Garden Parfait
Puff Crispy Pastry and Raspberry Stick Biscuit
Osthmanthus Jelly and Lychee Sauce
Strawberry Mousse and Home Made Crumbs

Oolong Tea Jelly with Gold Leaf

Forget Pink Berry, this little cafe takes frozen yogurt to a whole new gourmet level. Albeit they are pricey cups of yogurt, the variety and quality of ingredients put into this parfait make it a divine dessert. Nothing was too sweet at all. Their tea jelly is a little bitter, but you can definitely taste the tea brewed into this confection. They also have a little outdoor area where you can enjoy your snack with a view overlooking Causeway Bay. -Kitty

All of this was probably only half of what we consumed in Hong Kong. It was literally two weeks of non stop eating. There was just so much food, and if we truly documented everything we ate then this blog entry would never see the light of day. If you are ever planning a trip to Hong Kong and don't know even where to start looking on places to eat, go to Open Rice. It is the equivalent to their yelp. But don't be afraid to just explore and hop into a shop to get some food either. You never know what treasures you'll find for your tummy.