Tim Ho Wan

Officially the best char siu bao I've ever had.  And the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in the world.

The bbq pork buns are definitely special.  Baked, butter and sweet.  Three of us ordered a total of 18...  mostly for dine in and a few for take away.

The restaurant is small and the wait is long.  But make yourself comfortable because it's cheap and worth the time!

Green Waffle

Sunday Brunch at Green Waffle

This little diner does waffles best. They offer wholewheat and buckwheat waffles, and they are really good. Everything else is just ok, so stick to the waffles.

I did notice Chicken and Waffles on the menu! And while I've been known to do that from time to time, I know it won't be right without a side of mac and cheese and sweet tea.

Rocksalt

Things I love: days off from work, beach, burgers, new restaurants, and my favorite holiday in HK is Dragon Boats. Before we hit the races, we fueled up at Rocksalt.

The food all around was really good, and to top it off the price was just right. Places like that in HK tend to overcharge for average fare. They were also nice enough to hold our reservation because we were late due to holiday traffic.

The burger was really good, the fries with sour cream and sweet and sour sauce were very tasty, and the citrus cole slaw was very refreshing. Thumbs up for this burger.

It's also located on the main drag in Stanley with a view of the water. Nice work Rocksalt.

Frites

Weeknight pre- A Team movie dinner at Frites!

This restaurant is fab because it has an old school feel. Doubly fab because if you order dinner before 7 pm there are some really great specials. One of them being this steak and a glass of wine!

The mussels looked really yummy as well, so that's a must for next time.

Hakka Ye Ye

Weeknight pre-World Cup dinner at Hakka Ye Ye.

Everything on the menu sounded really good, and they have quite an extensive menu with good vegetarian options as well.

For starters, we kicked it off with some pork which was really good.

The rest of the meal after the jump...

Shiok Update

Heard through the grapevine that Shiok is now closed. And so is the life cycle of a HK restaurant.

Sh!ok

A Sunday in the life of a Hongkonger: Brunch with a friend, a walk around the hood, coffee and reading, pick up a few things at the grocery store. Walk through your door. Try and figure out what's for dinner when another friend finds you and says let's grab some grub.

Since just about all of my friends here are expats, we can use comfort food as a regular excuse to get together. Even if the home comforts are not your own. Ting was craving Singaporean food, and I love to be dragged along in food exploration. So a few of us gathered for dinner at Sh!ok to try it out for the first time.

In my mouth, after the jump...

Real Bread Cafe

Usually I'm drawn to one thing at a restaurant, and no matter how hard I'm tempted during return visits, I always go back to my usual. If you've eaten with me, it's easy to pick up my habits.

If there's avocado on the menu, 99.99% of the time I'll order whatever that dish happens to be. I work down from there.

But I'm pretty sure I've ordered something different every time I've visited Real Bread Cafe. Or maybe it's because I've dined each time under different circumstances.

My first visit was two summers ago. I remember because I had long hair and I arrived sweating buckets. We shared dinnery sort of things. I went again last summer for a hangover brunch (and after chasing a taxi all over town for a friend's missing phone). Followed by a repeat visit for a weekday lunch. So it's one of the few places that I've visited for brunch, lunch and dinner, weekday and weekend.

On this particular brunch visit I opted for something with a strange name, but I got it because there's a little bit of everything.  Some fresh fruit, yogurt and muesli (kind of an obsession), eggs benedict with salmon instead of ham, and a plain and almond croissant.   

Koh Thai

Happiness is exploring new (and old) restaurants, and since this place is always moving and shaking, there's always a new place to try out.

Koh Thai, in the middle of the madness is located right on Wyndham and a great spot for people watching. We opted for the view rather than the above cozy lovahz booth. Maybe another time.

In my mouth, after the jump...

La Cucina Italiana

It's Friday night, a visitor in town, and looking for a new place to dine.
We land in La Cucina Italiana

More after the jump

Cafe Punta del Cielo

Another newish coffee shop on the block: Cafe Punta del Cielo

Reasons I like: location, it's Mexican, and the bottom line, it's tasty. The few times I have been there I have ordered a double espresso or variation of: espresso cubano or espresso mocha. All strong and wonderful.

I've yet to try the tres leches cake, or the cupcakes, or the epanadas, or any other wonderful food they have behind the counter but I'm sure it's fab too.

Oh yeah, they also have free wifi and one al fresco mesa.

Barista Jam

New coffee shop in the hood: Barista Jam

More after the jump...

Blue Smoke BBQ

 

A new restaurant has swung into town, and it's about as real deal as $$ can get you.  May I present Blue Smoke BBQ

About 12 of us gathered for a "family" dinner at this new establishment, and we had been preparing all week to stuff our faces.  So, we didn't hold back.  With heaps of food and refreshments, this dinner cost us about $400 HKD.  If you dare to eat here, be sure to wear your stretchy pants.  No joke.

The feast, after the jump

Tofu & Veggies w/ Rice - Fruit Stop

Takeout Lunch at Fruit Stop

This place is very good because it's close to work, opts for healthy ingredients (no MSG!) and even puts a calorie count on the menu. Nutritional information is hard to come by here. I wish there were heaps of veggies, but this again is also hard to come by. Pretty decent though.

I think my only real complaint is they don't have any fruit, at a place called Fruit Stop.

Gold Coast Brunch

Unlimited champagne? Hell to the yeah!

Gold Coast Hotel Brunch

Of course HK would have a seaside town called Gold Coast. I've only been there once before (for a birthday party) and my second venture was also for a birthday party. It's probably the only reason (and a nice excuse) for people to schlep up there.

This required a very early rise on my part, which was not so great after a late night, but I kept telling myself there would be a reward on the other end of that bus haul.

A very special occasion: Ingrid's 40th birthday!

Yeah, the meal was not cheap, but totally worth it.

Check out egregious amounts of food after the jump.

Sabah

Last night was night numero dos for our Mexican Film Festival screening, and another dinner in Wan Chai.

This time we opted for Sabah for very basic and tasty Malaysian food. A little beef rendang, a little morning glory, a little roti... also not shown but very good, fresh coconut juice and chickpea curry.

The best part, another friend showed up randomly and was able to join us for din. This is why I love HK!

Cafe O

Cafe O is a great spot, especially because there's a branch downstairs from me. So there are moments when I eat there all the time, and moments when I need a break.

Great because they serve breakfast all day. Great because they have healthy and organic options. Great because it's a comfortable place to sit and read or waste a day while you're hungover. Great because they have pizza by the meter!

Great because it's a decent yet quick meal. Which is why this was a perfect dinner before the Mexican Film Festival. I had a giant lunch, so I settled for a beet salad, and friends went for pizza and samosas. Mmmmmmm....

Homefries

Homemade homefries!

Salmon and Broccoli Din

Not a bad job, eh?

This salmon and broccoli dinner was made very simply with seasoning and lemon juice.

Chinburg

Behold, the Chinburger!!

The Chinnery is located in the Mandarin Oriental hotel, and as you can guess it's not cheap. But it's a great place to unwind, a place that feels very old school Hong Kong, and a place to enjoy the paintings of George Chinnery.

This is arguably the best burger in town, but you wont see it on any best burger list since it's only considered a burger joint by my friends. The special occasion: Mr. Pierce's birthday. And yes, I'm really behind on my food blogging!

Best Berry Frozen Yogurt

Somewhere along the line I found myself swept up in a frozen yogurt tour. There are people that go ape for fro-yo, and while I try not to get caught up in such trends, I just enjoy it!

I'm not huge on sweets, but I do like the sour treat that is frozen yogurt. And prob the reason I like it so much is because I can pile fruit and almond slices over it.

After a Sunday swim, and dinner at iSquare we winded down the evening at Best Berry. It wasn't bad, but in the grand scheme of fro-yo it wasn't the best. They weren't too generous with the toppings and it tasted like... frozen yogurt.

They claim to be the yummiest in the world... I sincerely question people who can make such a claim without proof. I also found they didn't have their story straight - on the napkins it said low fat, on the walls it said non fat. Which would cause an uprising if this sort of mistake happened on US soil.

Just Beet It

I like beets and I'm not afraid of saying that out loud. With beets, you're either in, or your out. People are either offended by them or love them. I don't have one problem with them.

I like them even more because they go well with goat cheese. And I really really love goat cheese. This beet salad consists of beets, green apples, walnuts and goat cheese (as you may have just guessed from the pictures) with a minimal dressing of olive oil, honey and lemon juice.

Good stuff!

LA Food Blogs

I was recently and briefly home in LA and had some great eats.

Here's a collection of some local food blogs.

Scallops and Asparagus

I made dinner, and not half bad :)

Duke's Deli, TST

I found the most uncrowded lunch spot in Tsim Sha Tsui! Duke's Deli at iSquare.

iSquare is a new mall/shopping/dining/movie watching experience extravaganzaa that opened not too long ago a couple blocks away from my office. I was craving some comforts from home and decided to check it out.

I've been to the Duke's Deli in Central and I liked it. Probably the closest thing you'll get to a real pizza here, and also pizza by the slice, which is virtually non-existent.

I went with their recommendation for the philly cheesesteak, which is probably pretty decent if you like meat... and sometimes I forget I don't so next time I'm sticking to the salad. The bread is the real deal though and probably the best you can get in town.

I hope this place stays alive. It's hard to find a decent salad or bread that's not HONGK'ed up, especially on the Dark Side.

French Toast with Peanut Butter, Cafe de Coral

Tea Time at Cafe de Coral

Cafe de Coral is a local chain that can be found on every other corner. They're everywhere. They consider themselves Chinese fast food, but it's more of a lunchy counter servicey kind of place. Noodles, cutlets... and french toast!

I need to do more research on this phenomenon. I'm not sure why little local restaurants (tons and tons) have french toast on their menu, but I appreciate it. It's often served with condensed milk or jam or something, but I had to go with one of my favorite things on the planet... peanut butter!

While Cafe de Coral has nothing to do with corals, or Spanish, it's super cheap, fast, and the staff wear some kind of costume that's like a blast from the past. Check out the link! The English words Cafe de Coral sound like the Chinese name for the restaurant, which means something like everybody's happy.

Saturday Brekkie: Zaks, Discovery Bay

Zaks, Discovery Bay

Since this was breakfast with my mostly Aussie GFs, I think calling it brekkie is most appropriate.

I have very little experience with Discovery Bay, only having been once before for a baby shower. It's a 30 minute ferry ride from Central, with a very posh pier to boot. There are many piers in Central, but the one to/fro DB stands out. It obviously caters to gwailos. You are greeted with a beer booth, Ben and Jerry's, plenty of comforts from home including a Circle K with English magazines. I can't remember seeing English magazines in any other Circle K or 7-11 in town.

Yes, I took a boat to breakfast and it was spectacular. Zaks is located on the water, and we sat outside... a great way to start the day.

Everything on the menu sounded good, but as I tell people, if there's avocado on the menu, there's a 99.99% chance I will order that dish. Delish. Breakfast is my favorite!

Sack Lunch: Good Ol Turkey

The truth is most of my meals are not as chic as this blog leads you to believe. It's usually fruit for breakfast and veggies for dinner, but that wouldn't make much of a food blog now would it? But in an effort to keep it real...

This morning I packed a lunch. Like for real. Like mom used to do. I often eat at my desk because I'm too busy at work or I'll use my break to run a few errands. So maybe I'll get takeout, or run across the street to the grocery store to pick up something to assemble. But I'm trying to switch it up, and trying to eat more protein.

I'm a carnivore that generally doesn't eat meat. Not that I'm opposed to it, just sometimes it creeps me out. But I'm protein and iron deficient so it's time to step it up. Last week in the office I made a PBJ and it so hit the spot. If only I had a lunchbox.

Taco Truck on Oscar Nite

When a new Mexican joint opens up, people make a lot of noise. For a special occasion such as the Oscars, we picked up takeout from Mr Taco Truck

Off the top of my head I can count like 8 mexican restaurants here, and I'd still rather have Taco Bell.



So here comes Mr. Taco Truck, a little stand in Quarry Bay (kinda out there) and they've got more business than they know what to do with. I guess it's nuts during lunch, their hours for now are limited, and there's no seating. But we can work around that.

For my first Hong Kong Taco Truck meal, I went with fish tacos. Not entirely fair, I know since I've been spoiled with the best on the planet, but it's something I haven't had in a while. And they were ok. The freshly made tortillas were a nice touch but it would have been better if they were corn and not flour. Word on the street is they ran out of stuff for corn tortillas, or maybe they're not making them anymore. From looking at the beef tacos my friends got, I think all around the tacos could use a lot more filler. I look forward to sampling the rest of the menu for the most proper assessment.

But here's where they have you by the cojones. They have horchata. And to our knowledge you can't get it anywhere else. It's the real deal, and it's really good.

I Love Breakfast Burritos

I love breakfast and I love burritos. And we lived happily ever after.

SML revisited for Mexican

SML was revisited for their newest menu items: Mexian!

We started off with a medium plate of nachos. Pretty darn good.

Off of the Mexican menu we ordered some kind of pork, and not pictured, some really really really good mushroom risotto.

Shrimp fajitas

Chicken quesadillas, muy caliente!

Beef fajitas.

A successful S-M-L meeting with the ladies.

Philly Cheesesteaks

The Amuuurrrican kids got a piece of home. F yeah!

The great part about this meal is that I had everything I needed already in my kitchen. Don't you love it when that happens?

The other super duper part about this meal is that it's less than 400 calories per serving. Thanks Cooking Light!

BLT Burger

Newish restaurant on the block

The great burger search is on!

Sunday night, Joel and I grabbed a burger that was tasty and at the right price. Sadly I didn't get a picture of it, so I'll have to return to that soon.

BLT Burger opened near my office a little while back. Even though I knew they served corndogs, I've stayed away until now. The restaurant is ol skool diner-chic, and I was lucky to catch it on a slow lunch day. I ordered the classic burger with cheese and waffle fries. All really really really scrumptious. But for a price. The total came to about $20 USD. Not outrageous, not entirely unwarranted, but definitely not something you can have every day. Unless you wanna be a fat broke American like the rest of us.

Blintzes at The Flying Pan

I have been craving blintzes for weeks. I can't even remember the last time I had some. Maybe college.

After getting spanked by Canada (USA vs Canada hockey), we retreated for comfort food. This 24 hour establishment is not a substitute for Denny's (I want my Moons over my hammy, without the hammy please) but it works in a pinch.

Favorite Things: Mentioned in Lonely Planet!

My all-time favorite taco on the planet (so far) is the chorizo taco at La Taqueria in San Francisco. I stumbled upon this wonder while shooting That's Clever with Sergio. It was recommended by a ceramic artist that we give it a try, and fortunately my travel partner likes to grub as much as I do.

We got the chorizo tacos. With everything on it. Ridiculous. So good we went back a second time.

I'm not the only one who recognized how good this place is. Today this article came out on Lonely Planet.

I was in SF last Christmas and put La Taqueria on my priority list. Sadly, when we got there, they were shut for xmas! I was devastated, as pictured above.

So give it a try when you're in SF, and the other ones in the article too and let me know how it compares. Mmmmmmm. Mmmmmmexican.

Cafe Lavender - Post hike tea

Cang and I earned a midday meal after our Wong Nai Chung gap hike. After much bouncing around (everywhere was crowded! the weather warms up and everybody's out and about in the afternoon) we decided on Cafe Lavender on Prince's Terrace. Decent people watching and even better dog watching.

Like everything else, Cang and I share our bites. We both opted for iced mochas, and split tomato & mozzarella on toast, and a croque monsieur. Really good!

How cute is the dishware? Anyway, points to this place on cuteness, tastiness, and location... just off the escalator. Oh yeah, they got magazines. Bonus!