A Coffeeholic's Travel Tale

Turbojet on-board meal

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000+08:00

We boarded the Turbojet ferry at Macau Ferry Terminal to Hong Kong Shun Tak Ferry Terminal. Thanks to the clean interior and comfortable seats, the one-hour journey was a pleasant one in spite of the choppy sea and stormy weather. In fact, none of us was hungry so it was not necessary to eat but taking on-board meal is a way of killing the time. Sometimes, when you have nothing to do on a ferry, one hour can sound like forever.

Ham Sandwich and Caffe Americano

Autumn 2011 Hong Kong / Macau Trip Summary

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000+08:00

Day 1 (Macau)

12.30 p.m. – Loja Sopa Da Fita Cheong Kei @ Avenida de Almeida Ribiero

1.30 p.m. – Po Kin and Serrdura @ Avenida de Almeida Ribiero

3.30 p.m. – Lord Stow's Bakery & Cafe @ Venetian Macao Resort Hotel

7.00 p.m. – Dragon Portuguese Cuisine @ Avenida de Almenida Ribeiro

Day 2 (Macau / Hong Kong)

8.00 a.m. – Nam Ping Nga Chui @ Rua de Cinco de Outbro

5.30 p.m. – Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Specialist @ Mongkok

7.00 p.m. – Street food @ Mongkok

10.00 p.m. – Hui Lau San @ Mongkok

Day 3 (Hong Kong)

7.00 a.m. – Honolulu Cafe @ Wanchai

8.00 a.m. – Tai Cheong @ Central

10.00 a.m. – Sun Kee Pushcart Noodle @ Kennedy Town

Day 4 (Hong Kong)

7.00 a.m. – Kam Fung Coffee Shop @ Wanchai

9.30 a.m. – Lin Heung Lau Tea House @ Central

1.00 p.m. – Yuen Kee Dessert Shop @ Western District

4.00 p.m. – Man Yik Noodle Stall @ Stanley

7.30 p.m. – Tai Hing Roast Restaurant

Day 5 (Hong Kong)

7.00 a.m. – Cheung Heung Coffee Shop @ Kennedy Town

10.30 a.m. – Wai Kee Noodle Cafe @ Sham Sui Po

12.00 p.m. – Lau Sum Kee Noodle @ Sham Sui Po

3.30 p.m. – Hong Kong International Airport

Previous trips to Hong Kong / Macau:

December 2009

March 2011

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Hong Kong International Airport Gourmet Tour

2012-01-29T10:00:00.000+08:00

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport, was named the world's best airport by Skytrax. With plenty of shops and dining options, the Skyplaza in HKIA is definitely worth a visit. You will not get bored spending hours in the airport. Instead, many tourists arrived in the airport much earlier to do some last minute shopping. My family and I reached the airport 5 hours before departure and we continued to enjoy Hong Kong food in the airport till we finally boarded the plane and bid goodbye to Hong Kong.

Roast Goose Rice @ Maxim Food2 (HK$38)

Despite being a fast food outlet, Maxim's roast products are qualitatively and quantitatively good.

Twin Chicken Rice Set @ Maxim Food2 (HK$40)

Roast Goose Rice @ Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop 正斗粥麵專家 (HK$68)

Poor appearance, the roast goose was slightly burned thus resulting in the rubbery texture of the meat. I actually thought I was eating waxed meat... o.O

Macau style pork chop bun

Compared to McDonald's hamburger, the pork chop bun is big on taste and more value for money.

Chilled dessert trio

HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Chek Lap Kok,

Lantau Island,

Hong Kong.

Website: http://www.hongkongairport.com

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Lau Sum Kee Noodle

2012-01-28T10:00:00.000+08:00

You can say that I am not a noodle person. You will not find me slurping a bowl of noodle regardless of where you bump into me. As for all my posts on noodles, I have to admit to you that I did not eat them. Rest assured that nothing has gone to waste because someone else will eat it, and I will foot the bill! Haha...

Nevertheless, there's always an exception. As mentioned in yesterday's post, it is against the norm for not eating when you are travelling, particularly to places which have unlimited choice of food. Hence, the only time I would tuck in a bowl of noodle all by myself is when I am dining at a wonton noodle restaurant in Hong Kong / Macau.

Of all the noodles in HK, Shrimp roe noodle (Har Ji Meen) is the one which I find it hard to resist. Irrespective of how huge the portion is, I will wipe the plate clean without complaint. Lau Sum Kee is the fourth wonton noodle shop which I visited. It is located conveniently just a stone's throw from the Sham Shui Po MTR Station. However, it is a rather expensive journey to come here as the hotel I stayed is in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong Island. The bus ride from Kennedy Town to Mongkok cost me HK$16 and I had to fork out another HK$3.30 for the MTR ride from Mongkok to Sham Shui Po. In other words, I had spent altogether HK$38.60 on a round trip just for the sake of savouring their wonton noodle.

What's so great about their noodle, you may ask? Well, their noodle is also known as the bamboo pole noodle. Got the idea? Yes, this is the traditional technique of noodle making whereby the bamboo pole which a man sits on presses against the dough repeatedly to produce a firm and springy noodle texture.

Previous entries:

Wing Wah Noodle House (2009)

Loja Sopa da Fita Cheong Kee (2009)

Mak Ngan Noodle Specialist - Central (2011)

Mak Nagn Specialist - The Peak (2011)

Loja Sopa da Fita Cheong Kee (2011)

Lau Sum Kee Noodle @ Sham Shui Po
劉森記麵家, 深水埗

A bowl robust soup that comes along with the dry version of egg noodle

Shrimp roe egg noodle
蝦子撈麵

Wonton Noodle
雲吞麵

Sui Kow Noodle
水餃麵

Lau Sum Kee Noodle
Main:

G/F, 48 Kweilin Street,

Sham Shui Po

Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2386 3533

Branch:

G/F, 80 Fuk Wing Street,

Sham Shui Po

Hong Kong

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Wai Kee Noodle Cafe

2012-01-27T10:00:00.000+08:00

Whenever people tell me that they are going to Hong Kong, I am usually kind enough to give them a piece of sound advice, that they should not go for blood test before and after their trip. As the world is getting smaller, and the people are generally more literate, issues concerning health have become more reachable and thus the intake of certain food which is widely consumed decades ago is disappearing in our lives gradually. Food that our grandparents gobbled down happily in their younger days are now being branded 'unhealthy'. There comes along many other terms such as 'oily', 'sweet', 'salty', 'high cholesterol' (a term which has been highly abused and misinterpreted, scaring people from all over the world because nobody is there to explain to them the difference between HDL and LDL).

Being a foodie heaven as it is, Hong Kong is not a place for you to merely walk and watch. That means you must EAT! It doesn't matter whether you are taking a double breakfast, or six meals per day, for as long as your body has the cavity for food, you must allow yourself to EAT!

The food at Wai Kee Noodle Cafe is certainly not designed for the health-conscious group because the ingredients that they chuck in are harmful to your health. Just to name a few: Luncheon meat, ham, double egg, lots of beef and LIVER!

Each bowl of noodle is cooked on the spot upon order. During the cooking process, lots and lots of pig liver will be 'scooped' using a large soup ladle into the pot of boiling stock. The liver is allowed to cook together with the noodle until the colour of the stock changes from clear to cloudy. Obviously, the 'essence' of the liver has diffused into the noodle and stock so you can imagine how flavourful the noodle is. Back to the question: How much cholesterol does a hundred gram of liver contain?

Business is brisk and service is fast but during peak hours, you may want to munch on some appetiser while waiting for the noodle to cook. So, the waitress will recommend something 'light' and sweet - the Kaya-filled French Toast. Layered with homemade kaya (the owner claimed that he uses only DUCK EGGS in the making of his kaya), the bread is deep-fried, topped with a slab of butter and drizzled with plenty of maple syrup. Back to the question: How much cholesterol does a set of French toast contain?

Wai Kee Noodle Cafe @ Sham Shui Po

維記咖啡粉麵

Pork Liver Noodle @ HK$24

豬潤麵

Kaya-filled French Toast @ HK$15

咖央西多士

Wai Kee Noodle Cafe

維記咖啡粉麵
Main:

G/F, 62 & 67 Fuk Wing Street ,

Sham Shui Po,

Hong Kong

Branch 1:

G/F, 67 Fuk Wing Street ,

Sham Shui Po,

Hong Kong

Branch:

Shop D, G/F, 165-167 Pei Ho Street,

Sham Shui Po

Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2387 6515

Dinner for Three @ Kok Thai Restaurant

2012-01-26T10:00:00.040+08:00

After eating home-cooked new year dishes for 2 days, we got a little bored of the same food thus eating outside made a better option for the family. However, my two brothers Farn Ngoi Ga (visited the home of the in-laws) on the second day, leaving my parents and me at home so there were only three people sitting around a small table in the restaurant, trying our very best to finish all the food we ordered.

Peanuts @ RM2.50

Mini Budha Jumping over the Wall @ RM42

Mini Abalone Soup @ RM25

Crispy Chicken @ RM22

Steamed Rice with Assorted Wax Meat @ RM15

Steamed Loong Dan Fish (Estuary Grouper) @ RM48 / 300 gm

Stir-fried Hong Kong Kai Lan

KOK THAI RESTAURANT

Lebuh Medan Ipoh,

Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh,

31400 Ipoh, Perak,

Malaysia.
Tel: 605-5468407

Reunion Dinner 2012

2012-01-25T10:00:00.040+08:00

Our dinner on the first day of Chinese New Year comprised mainly home-cooked dishes. From the unpleasant experience we had in the previous dinners during the new year season by which dishes were delivered at one go and diners were forced to finish their food within a short period to give way to the others waiting for the table, we decided to prepare our own food and enjoy the food at our own leisure.

Yee Sang

Steamed Prawns with Egg White

Mexican Calstar Wild Abalone

Brasied Mushroom with Chicken Feet

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables

Steamed Kao Yuk (Yam and Pork)

Otak-otak (Steamed Spicy Fish Cakes)

Family Reunion 2012

2012-01-24T10:00:00.065+08:00

We celebrated our family Reunion at home by serving steamboat, barbecue and potluck at the car porch.

Annual family gathering

The two donkeys grilling the meat and themselves over the charcoal flame.

Besides barbecue and steamboat, we had our reunion dinner the potluck style.

Fried Rice - Vinnie

Herbal Tea Eggs - Kelvin

Fried Noodle - Kenny

Fried Wonton - Ann

Stir-fried Vegetables - Daddy

Chicken Rendang - Pam

Braised Roast Pork - Mummy

Fishballs and Sausages - Kelvin

Braised Mushroom with Chicken Feet - Daddy

Happy Chinese New Year 2012!

2012-01-23T10:00:00.009+08:00

Wishing You All a Very Happy And Prosperous Chinese New Year
Overflowed With Wonderful Times With Family and Friends!
May The Year Of The DRAGON
Be Blissful, Fruitful & Meaningful
With Great Food, Good Health and Gorgeous Looks
Filling Every Minute Every Second of Your Days
Along With The Blessings In Your Life...

Happy Chinese New Year 2012!

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Cheung Heung Coffee Shop

2012-01-22T10:00:00.006+08:00

Probably one of the oldest coffee shops in the Western District, Cheung Heung Coffee Shop has been the favourite place for breakfast and tea among the residents in the westernmost region of Hong Kong Island. Mr Chow, the owner, bought the coffee shop over in the 70s and has since been running the coffee shop the traditional way for nearly 40 years. Over here at Cheung Heung, the staffs are seen in the white top uniform and all of them are entirely males.

Over the years, there hasn’t been much changes on the food served. Food recipes passed on from the previous owner has been well treasured and preserved by Chow who realizes the importance of keeping the traditions.

Their cocktail bun is one of those food items which have been carried forward for years. While many bakeries are making use of the leftover (butter, sugar and desiccated coconut) to make the filling of the cocktail bun, Cheung Heung are willing to spend extra by stuffing the buns with expensive store-bought lotus paste.

Cheung Heung Coffee Shop
祥香園茶餐廳

Cocktail bun filled with sweetened lotus paste

蓮蓉雞尾飽

The common cocktail bun in most coffee shops are filled with a combination of sugar, butter and dessicated coconut but the one at Cheung Heung is uniquely stuffed with sweetened lotus paste.

Polo Bun

菠蘿包

Baked Char Siew Bun
叉燒包

Also worth eating is their cookie pastry egg tart

These egg tarts are sold outside the entrance of the coffee shop, neatly arranged in a 2-tier rack.

Cheung Heung Yuen Restaurant

祥香園茶餐廳
107 Belcher's Street,

Kennedy Town,

Western District

Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2855 7911

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Tai Hing Roast Restaurant

2012-01-21T10:00:00.001+08:00

After the Stanley day tour, we returned to Central in the late evening. As planned, we proceeded to Yung Kee Restaurant (鏞記酒家)for their award-winning roast goose (飛天燒鵝). Unfortunately, the place was so crowded and we were asked to wait for an hour to be seated. Although we wanted to try their highly-acclaimed roast products so much, everyone was already famished when we got off the bus at Central. So, how could we bear the hunger for another hour? Hence, we changed the venue from Yung Kee to Tai Hing, another roast restaurant in Central, as recommended by one of the staff in Yung Kee.

Tai Hing Roast Restaurant, Central
太興燒味餐廳

Soup of the day

Roast Goose
燒鵝

Roast Pork
燒肉

Barbecued Meat
义燒

Fried Kai Lan
炒芥蘭

Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Ma Yau Fish
鹹魚蒸肉餅

Tai Hing Roast Restaurant
太興燒味餐廳

G/F, No. 142-146 Queen's Rd Central,

Central, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2545 9008

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Man Yik Noodle Stall, Stanley

2012-01-20T10:00:00.001+08:00

Stanley, a small town located on a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. Stanley is commonly known as "Chek Chue" among the Chinese-speaking group. Stanley, being part of the Southern District, is surrounded by the sea, thus making Stanley the most strategic location for the Hong Kong Prison.

We went to Stanley after visiting the Madame Tussauds Museum at the peak. We spotted this noodle stall at the entrance of Stanley Market so we had a late lunch at Man Yik noodle stall (民益).

Noodles with mixed ingredients
什錦麵

Fishball Curry

Octopus Curry

Wonton Noodle

Very typical Hong Kong food, right?

Man Yik

民益
1 Stanley Market Rd, Stanley

Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2813-8269

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Yuen Kee Dessert Shop

2012-01-19T10:00:00.001+08:00

A Chinese dessert shop of those days, selling old comfort traditional Chinese desserts made using old grandfather recipe which is passed on for generations.

Yuen Kee Dessert Specialist
源記甜品專家

These are the must-try desserts

Wuyi Tea with hard boiled egg and lotus seeds
蓮子桑寄生菜

The colour and flavour of wuyi tea diffuses into the egg as a result of soaking in the tea for hours

Soft and fragrant lotus seeds

Even the yolk turns darker in colour

Sweetened walnut soup
合桃露

Steamed egg custard
燉蛋

Steamed eggy sponge cake
雞蛋糕

Yuen Kee Dessert

源記甜品專家
G/F, 32 Centre Street,

Western District

Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2548 8687

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Lin Heung Tea House 蓮香樓

2012-01-18T10:00:00.002+08:00

Being the oldest dim sum tea house in Central, Lin Heung Tea House (蓮香樓) is another notable place which deserves a visit. The overall taste of the food is hardly impressive but it still worth a try as traditional dim sum of those days can still be found at Lin Heung. Imagine eating siew mai topped with pig stomach, pig liver, and even quail eggs!!! If you have not heard of cotton chicken, wai san (a type of Chinese herb) chicken roll etc., perhaps you should come here to gain some extra knowledge on dim sum.

Lin Heung Tea House
蓮香樓

Hot water is poured into a large bowl with lid, which contains tea leaves of your choice.

Tea Bowl 茶盅

Pig Stomach siew mai
豬肚燒賣

Wai San Chicken Roll
淮山雞扎

Char Siew Pau

Loh Mai Kai

Lotus Puffs

Chee Cheong Fun

Golden cake

Minced pork filled rice roll

Pig Liver siew mai
豬膶燒賣

Quail egg siew mai
鵪鶉蛋燒賣

Fried Wonton

Salted puffs

Ma Lai Koh
馬拉糕

Chinese sausage siew mai
干蒸燒賣

Lin Heung Tea House

蓮香樓160-164 Wellington Street,

Central,

Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2544 4556

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Kam Fung Restaurant

2012-01-17T10:00:00.003+08:00

I boarded the tram to Wan Chai again on the fourth day. While the others were still sound asleep, I left the hotel quietly and headed to Kam Fung for an early breakfast again. This coffee shop is well known among Hongkies who enjoy dropping by for a cup of milk tea and their delicious chicken pie.

Kam Fung Restaurant
金鳳茶餐廳

The famous Kam Fung Kai Pai (Chicken Pies)

Egg Tarts

Polo Buns and Char Siew Buns

Ham and Egg buns

Kam Fung menu

My morning naughty treat - Chicken Pie and Milk Tea

Kam Fung Chicken Pie 金鳳雞批 @ HK$ 7.50

Each flavourful pie is filled with chicken, ham and rich white sauce.

Kam Fung's milk tea is said to be the best in Wan Chai district.

Kam Fung Restaurant

金鳳茶餐廳
G/F, Spring Garden Mansion,

41 Spring Garden Lane,

Wan Chai

Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2572 0526

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Sun Kee Pushcart Noodle

2012-01-16T10:00:00.001+08:00

Eating noodles in Hong Kong can be very interesting. Bored of fishballs, sliced chicken and prawns? Come to Hong Kong and try their pushcart noodle. Over here, you would surely have a hard time choosing the noodle, the dishes and the gravy / soup base as there are so so so many choices.

Sun Kee Pushcart Noodle
新記特式車仔麵

If you have no idea of what combination of dishes to go for, kindly refer to the photographs featuring some popular selection among diners.

Thick yellow noodle with fishballs and octopus in mushroom gravy.

Thin yellow noodle with hard boiled egg and cocktail sausages in soy sauce gravy.

Thin yellow noodle with fishballs and large intestine in mushroom gravy

Thick yellow noodle with chicken wings and pork loin in soy sauce gravy

Milk Tea

Coffee

Sun Kee Noodles

新記特式車仔麵
G/F, Shun Hing Building,

2-6A Smithfield,

Kennedy Town,

Western District,

Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2818 2061

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家

2012-01-15T10:00:00.005+08:00

Tai Cheong egg tarts (泰昌蛋撻) are made popular by the ex-governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, who loves egg tarts more than anything else. He once praised the egg tart of Tai Cheong as ‘The Most Famous Egg Tart in Hong Kong”. Unlike the flaky pastry egg tarts sold in most dim sum joints, Tai Cheong's version has a more buttery texture which resembles cookies. It is believed that egg tarts encased in cookie pastry is closely related to the British egg custard tart.

I love Tai Cheong's egg tarts because of its pastry. Owing to its popular demand, their tarts are snapped by dozens within minutes the moment they are delivered from the kitchen. It is also not unusual to fins a long queue in front of the shop, all waiting to buy their fresh and hot egg tarts.

This is of course my third visit to Tai Cheong. I guess I am going to make my yearly pilgrimage to Tai Cheong. Well, for something which is too good to miss, why not?

Previous entries: December 2009 & March 2011

Tai Cheong Bakery
泰昌餅家

Another Tai Cheong Bakery in Wanchai

The delicate tarts are gently placed inside the glass shelf.

Tai Cheong Egg Tart @ HK$5

Tai Cheong Bakery
Ground floor, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace,

Central, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2544 3475

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Honolulu Cafe

2012-01-14T10:00:00.002+08:00

I woke up as early as 6 and hopped on the tram which took me to Wan Chai. Hong Kong is never a quiet place. The Hongkies are probably the most hardworking Chinese on earth. They grow up in a hustle, bustle, rush and roar city, being so used to rushing from one place to another. 24 hours seems to be too short for those who dash in and out for a living. Travelling by tram is truly an eye-opening experience as I got to see how people work hard in a harsh and competitve environment just to make ends meet.

Honolulu Cafe is located in Wan Chai. There are two signature items which sell like hotcakes starting from 6 in the morning till midnight. They are the inseparable pair – Coffee and Egg Tart. They are so good that even the Hongkies are willing to sacrifice their precious sleeping hours jut to come here to enjoy their breakfast. Speaking as a tourist, Honolulu coffee and egg tart are the type of food worth coming for over and over again irrespective of how many times you visit the country. Speaking as a faithful die-hard coffee and egg tart lover, this was already my third time enjoying the wonderful treats. (December 2009 & March 2011)

Honolulu Cafe
檀島咖啡餅店

Egg Tarts

Cocktail buns

Polo buns

Coconut buns

Assorted cakes, Swiss rolls and muffins

The beverage bar

The menu

Honolulu's signature Egg Tarts @ HK$ 6

檀島蛋撻

Honolulu's signature coffee @ HK$15
檀島咖啡

Pam's perfect breakfast, till the end... :)

Honolulu Coffee Cake Shop
檀島咖啡餅店

Ground floor and Mezzanine floor, 176 - 178,

Hennessy Road,

Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 25751823

Business hours: 6.00 a.m. - 12.00 a.m.

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Hui Lau Shan Dessert Shop

2012-01-13T10:00:00.002+08:00

Mango, mango, mango... I see mango everywhere. When I ordered shaved ice, I was surprised to find the ice in yellow. I scooped some and tasted it, thinking that they must have added some artificial yellow colouring into the ice. Once again, I couldn’t believe my taste buds that the ice actually tasted mango! Mango puree was being crushed together with ice and the result is a strong mango flavoured ice which came with a natural sweetness of the fruit. Hui Lau Shan is famous for their mango desserts. They add only fresh mangoes from the Philippines into all their desserts, strictly nothing artificial nor chemical here.

Hui Lau Shan Healthy Dessert Shop
許留山

Mango Trio

芒之戀

Shaved ice with mixed fruits

芒果撈野

Mango with konnyaku fettuccine

袖珍芒撈河

Hui Lau Shan Healthy Dessert

許留山

58 - 60 Sai Yeung Choi Street,

Mongkok, Kowloon,

Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2781 1626

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Street food @ Mongkok

2012-01-12T10:00:00.001+08:00

Despite being full, the gluttony nature in us landed us in front of a row of stalls selling very typical Hong Kong street food namely braised offals, fishballs, stinky beancurd etc. If you are the type who craves for street food in pasar malam, Dundas Street in Mongkok is the right place for you.

Previous entries: December 2009

March 2011

LKK North Point Egg Ball
利強記北角雞蛋仔

Eggete
雞蛋仔

Another example of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Fat Sister Food Stall

肥姐小食

Braised octopus and duck gizzards

Braised octopus @ HK$10

Fallopian tubes @ HK$10

Stinky beancurds

Deep-fried large intestines

This is also known as cholesterol ~~~

Stinky beancurd

Grilled squid @ HK$10

Fishball curry @ HK$7

Street food stalls along Dundas Street

Mongkok, Kowloon,

Hong Kong.

Autumn Stroll in Hong Kong - Tim Ho Wan, the Dim Sum Specialist

2012-01-11T10:00:00.001+08:00

We left Macau before noon to catch the ferry to Hong Kong. Arrived at Shun Tuck Centre in Sheung Wan after 2 p.m. and the hotel shuttle was already there waiting for us. We checked in Dorsett Regency Hotel, a newly opened 4-star hotel in Kennedy Town, the tip of the Western District. Upon settling down in our rooms, we walked out of the hotel and boarded the tram in front of our hotel. The tram took us to the Central MTR station where we purchased our Octopus card and boarded the train to Mongkok. In fact, there was a mini bus service from our hotel to Mongkok but we would like to experience taking a tram ride since there were still hours before dinner time.

We had our early dinner at Tim Ho Wan, the Dim Sum Specialist which has won the One Star Michelin award for two consecutive years. Dim Sum was decent, fresh and appealing to the eyes. Every time I travelled to Hong Kong, Tim Ho Wan is the only dim sum restaurant I would patronise. My all-time favourite is of course the baked Char Siew Pau with sweet flaky topping.

Tim Ho Wan, the Dim Sum Specialist (Mongkok)

添好運點心專門店 (旺角)

Chee Cheong Fun with pork liver filling
黃沙豬潤腸

Traditional Loh Mai Kai

古法糯米雞

Fresh translucent prawn dumplings

晶瑩鮮蝦餃

Prawn Siew Mai

鮮蝦燒賣皇

Fried salted puff

家鄉咸水角

Baked Char Siew Pau with sweet flaky topping

酥皮焗叉燒包

Wolfberry and sweet olive jelly

杞子桂花糕

Tim Ho Wan, the Dim-Sum Specialists

添好運點心專門店
Shop 8, Taui Yuen Mansion Phase 2,

2-20 Kwong Wa Street,

Mong Kok, Kowloon,

Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2332 2896

Autumn Stroll in Macau - Nam Ping Nga Chui Cafe 南屏雅敘

2012-01-10T10:00:00.000+08:00

Being the oldest Chinese cafe in Macau, Nam Ping Nga Chui cafe is a perfect place for breakfast and some exceptionally good sandwiches with extra thick omelette.

Previous visit (2009)

Nam Ping Nga Chui Cafe @ 澳門十月初五街

Vermicelli Soup topped with poached egg and barbecued pork

Macaroni soup topped with ham strip

Egg on Toast

Nam Ping Signature Sandwich - with ham and barbecued pork

Barbecued Pork and Egg Sandwich

French Toast

Milk Tea

NAM PING NGA CHUI CAFE

澳門十月初五街南屏雅敘

G/F, 85-85A Rua de Cinco de Outubro,

Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro

Macau.

Tel: (853) 2892 2267

Autumn Stroll in Macau - Dragon Portuguese Cuisine

2012-01-09T10:00:00.083+08:00

Portuguese cuisine is known for its full-flavoured and rich dishes, resembling the Mediterranean cuisine. Thanks to its seafaring nation and well-developed fishing industry, their food consists mainly of fish and seafood. In Macau, you can easily spot a Portuguese restaurant or cafe at any corner of the city. Rest assured that most of these restaurants serve equally good and authentic Portuguese cuisine so you need not waste your time asking around for recommendation.

Dragon Portuguese Cuisine @ Avenida de Almenida Ribeiro

Dinner Rolls

Stir-fried clams with white wine

Dried, salted cod fish balls

Grilled Pork Ribs

Baked chicken in cheese & curry sauce

Baked Duck Rice

DRAGON PORTUGUESE CUISINE

福龍葡國餐

Rua da Felicidade,

No.40, Cidade de Macau,

澳門新馬路福隆新街40號

Macau

Business hours: Mon - Sun:12:00 pm-3:00 pm, 6:00 pm-11:00 pm

Email: dragonl@macau.ctm.net.

Tel: (853) 2831 3104

Autumn Stroll in Macau - Lord Stow's Bakery & Cafe

2012-01-08T10:00:00.000+08:00

Lord Stow's Bakery and Cafe is famous for one item - Andrew's Egg Tart. Andrew's original recipe egg tart became well knownbeyond their territorial confines, attracting a faithful following, becoming almost a trademark of Macau. The late Andrew got his inspiration for this Macanese delicacy from the popular Portuguese dessert Pasteis de Nata - a kind of egg tart, which, centuries ago, had its origins in the Lisbon waterfront area of Belem. His creation, however, is slightly different from the Portuguese version as his products come with a little English touch.

Lord Stow's Bakery & Cafe @ The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel

Displaying trays of fresh Portuguese egg tarts

Espresso @ MOP$20

Andrew's Egg Tart @ MOP$8

The creamy custard not only melts in your mouth, but also your heart...

Lord Stow's Bakery & Cafe

Shop 2119a

Marco Polo District

The Grand Canal Shoppes

The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel

Macau

Tel: (853) 2886 6889

Operating hours: 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.

Autumn Stroll in Macau - Po Kin and Serrdura

2012-01-07T10:00:00.006+08:00

After a hearty lunch at Cheong Kei, we proceeded to Po Kin Milk Company for some lovely desserts. Compared to their competitor Estabelecimento de Bebidas E. Comidas Café / (Leitaria I Son / Yee Shun Milk Products 義順牛奶有限公司),Po Kin's (保健牛奶公司) products are only average so if you are planning a trip to Macau, I would only recommend the former. However, one man's food may be another man's poison. You can always try both and select your preference.

Po Kin Milk Company

保健牛奶公司

Steamed double skin milk curd

熱雙皮炖奶 @ MOP$17

Steamed Egg Custard

熱燉蛋 @ MOP$17

Steamed Ginger Milk

薑汁撞奶 @ MOP$18

Serrdura

沙度娜

Serradura / sawdust pudding

(a layered chilled dessert made up of a sweetened, vanilla whipped cream and crushed biscuits)

木糠布丁 @ MOP$12

Po Kin Milk Company

保健牛奶公司

4, Travessa da Felicidade,

Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro

新馬路褔隆新巷4號

Macau

(853) 2893 8391

Serrdura

沙度娜

Shop A, G/F, 2 R. da Felicidade,

Avenida de Almeida Ribiero

新馬路福隆新街(宜安街)2號地下A舖

Macau

(853) 2893 9889

Autumn Stroll in Macau - Loja Sopa Da Fita Cheong Kei

2012-01-06T10:00:00.014+08:00

I had my third trip to Hong Kong and Macau last November. In fact, I just returned from the same countries in early 2011. Many asked me what's so fascinating about Hong Kong and Macau. They obviously did not see the point of going to the same place over and over again. As for me, Hong Kong is such a lousy country with very few tourist attractions, people are generally rude and impatient, the city is highly overpopulated etc.

Well, so why did I keep pilgrimaging HK over the years? Haha... what else if it wasn't for their food?

Loja Sopa Da Fita Cheong Kei

祥記麵家

Blanched Fish Skin

薑蔥灼魚皮 @ MOP$15

Braised Chicken Feet

豉椒鳳爪 @ MOP$28

Braised Pork Knuckle

江南豬手@ MOP$28

Signature Shrimp Roe Noodles

招牌蝦子撈麵 @ MOP$24

Won Ton Noodles

雲吞麵 @ MOP$18

Fried Mackerel Ball

金莎鯪魚球 @ MOP$33

Blanched Kai Lan

灼芥蘭 @ MOP$12

Oja Sopa Da Fita Cheung Kei 祥記麵家

G/F, 68 R. da Felicidade,

Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro 新馬路福隆新街68號地下

Macau.

(853) 2857 4310

The Little Things in Life

2012-01-05T10:00:00.000+08:00

Almond Bar @ RM4.80

Light Pastry filled with sweet almond paste and topped with croquant

Today's breakfast:

Americano (RM7.00) + Almond Bar (RM4.80)

Getting a simple yet satisfying breakfast can be hassle free, provided if you are willing to let tiny little things in your life to brighten up your day.

70th Birthday and Ruby Wedding Anniversary

2012-01-04T10:00:00.058+08:00

We had a double celebration in Ipoh. Daddy's and Mummy's Ruby Wedding Anniversary and Daddy's 70th Birthday were celebrated on the same day. In the presence of 70 friends and relatives, the whole family had an enjoyable time eating and chatting. The entire dinner was paid by both my brothers and me. Each guest was given a bar of chocolate, a cupcake, a packet of shrimp noodle, a rice bowl and a pair of chopsticks. At the same time, we respectfully declined the angpows from our guests. Dad always tells us that accepting money from the guests is equivalent to making others pay for his birthday. Their presence is a treasured gift, we request no other...

Tailor-made Table Menu

Free flow of Whisky and Brandy

Heart-shaped Birthday Cake surrounded by 80 cupcakes

Birthday Buns

生日大壽桃

Mini buns within a bun

Five Happiness Combination Platter

五福喜臨門

Superior Shark Fin Soup

八珍魚唇羹

Roasted Suckling Pig

港式燒金豬

Steamed Chicken with Fresh Ginger

姜茸菜園雞

Sauteed Prawns with Superior Soy Sauce

乾煎大頭蝦

Stir-fried Seasonal Vegetables

百子又千孫

Braised Longevity Noodles

招牌長壽麵

Sweetened Lotus Seed with Lily Bulb

百年慶好合

Sweet Fancy Duet

美點映雙輝

PUSING PUBLIC SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
No. G57 – 65, Off Horley Street
30300 Ipoh, Perak

Malaysia.

Air Asia In-flight Meals

2012-01-03T10:00:00.002+08:00

Uncle Chin's Chicken Rice

A Chinese Malaysian favourite of fluffy seasoned rice served with roast chicken and accompanied with Uncle Chin's special secret chilli, ginger and garlic sauce.

Pancake + Honey + Butter

3 pieces of hot pancake served with butter and honey.

Smoked Chicken Focaccia

A taste and healthy meal to be savoured. Prime slices of smoked chicken, chicken ham, cheese, fresh lettuce, tomatoes and Japanese cucumber with our special Ridge Smokies BBQ Mayo sauce in a fresh Focaccia loaf.

Snack till you drop!

2012-01-02T10:00:00.051+08:00

How much snack can you stomach in 5 hours while walking around the mall and shopping for outfit? One usually won't bother to eat a proper meal when there is a sale in the mall cause wasting time on food is the worst practice ever for women who are competing with one another in grabbing the items on sale.

First, grab a Pretzel and fill your body with sufficient amount of carbohydrates before the battle begins.

The constant walking and bargaining may result in your body producing excessive heat and sweat so it is best to chill yourself with a cup of ice-cream to prepare for the second round.

At last, you have probably spent more than what you ought to. By now, you might have become penniless so you can make used of the remaining shillings inside your pocket for two mini chocolate lava and cheese tarts before you call it a day.

Brazil Santos @ Full of Beans

2012-01-01T10:00:00.028+08:00

Happy New Year 2012!

Let's kick start the year of 2012 with a cup of handcrafted coffee!

The hot and humid climate in Brazil enables it to grow some world’s best coffee beans thus making Brazil one of the highest coffee producing countries. The Brazil Santos coffee is brewed using some hand harvested coffee beans which are treated with a special dry process method. The result is a heavy, sweet and complex brew with a slight fruity flavour. The adoption of such unique processing practices and a special touch by the Brazilian farmers are highly appreciated by coffee connoisseurs all over the world. In the name of passion, they have sacrificed their time and energy for a brew to die for. Thank you, Mr Farmer. (Previous entries)

Beans of your choice are freshly-ground right before your eyes.

The syphon brewer

Perfect Brazil Santos Coffee @ RM 9.50

FULL OF BEANS

Unit 3A-1-6, Block A,

First Floor,

Straits Quay,

Jalan Seri Tanjung Pinang,

10470 Penang,

Malaysia

Tel: 6012-4330350

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/FULL-of-BEAN/173396872705941?sk=wall

Canton-i, my second home...

2011-12-31T10:00:00.068+08:00

Finally it has come to the last day of the year. We are about to say Goodbye to 2011 and welcome its successor 2012. Today is also a special day for my family as there will be a double celebration in the evening: 40th Wedding Anniversary and 70th Birthday. I am pretty sure that it will be a meaningful event for everyone including those who turn up to join in the celebration. Will take as many pictures as possible and share the moments of the event in my blog soon.

Can't remember how many times I have dined in this restaurant (Canton-i) but I know that I will always come back for some extremely tantalising noodles and mouth-watering desserts.

Wonton Noodle @ RM12.80

Each plump wonton is filled with shrimp and lean pork.

The shredded black fungus gives the sui kow (dumpling) its crunchiness besides other similar ingredients as the wonton.

Molten custard lava buns @ RM5.80 per basket of 2 pcs.

The sweet and goey custard is sinfully good.

Honey glazed char siew puffs @ RM4.00 per plate of 2 pcs.

The amount of barbecued pork is just right as it does not overshadow the taste of the flaky pastry.

Ginger milk with ginkgo @ RM8.00

Jasmine blooming flower tea @ RM5.00

Honolulu coffee @ RM5.00

CANTON-i

Queensbay Mall, Penang

Part of GF-12 & GF-13

(Part of GF-12 & GF-11),

Queensbay Mall, 100,

Persiaran Bayan Lepas,

Penang, Malaysia.

Tel: +604-6456688

Riding the Subway...

2011-12-30T10:00:00.004+08:00

Subway breakfast is made fresh before your eyes. Their breakfast set is priced at only RM 6.30 with FREE coffee or Milo. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so get off to a good start with the ultimate breakfast Sub. 5 choices of bread, 4 choices of fillings with loads of healthy greens and sauces. Subway's ubiquity is going to mean healthy, delicious and convenient hot breakfasts compared to other fast food chains which offer nothing but carbohydrates and proteins.

Honey Oat Bread with Chicken Slice and Egg

Wheat Bread with Cheese and Egg

Hearty Italian Bread with Tuna and Egg

A breakfast too good to reject.

Dragon One

2011-12-29T10:00:00.027+08:00

As we arrived at De Garden for lunch, the huge banner of Dragon One featuring their newly-released items caught our attention so we decided to check it out. Ironically, we ended up ordering other food in the menu without selecting any of those new promotional items.

Fried Rice with Salted Egg Yolk @ RM9.80

La Mien with Shanghainese Dumplings @ RM8.80

Each dumpling is filled with minced pork, prawns and wood fungus.

Shanghainese Pan-fried Buns @ RM5.80

Shaved ice flavoured with passion fruits puree and ice cream @ RM6.80

DRAGON ONE

G-R-15 & 16

De Garden

Persiaran Medan Ipoh

31400 Ipoh, Perak.

Malaysia.

Tel: 605-5495393

Lian Thong Coffee Shop

2011-12-28T10:00:00.001+08:00

Lian Thong Coffee Shop

Black Coffee and Barley Drink

Fried Mee Jawa @ RM3.70

Butter and Kaya Toast @ RM2.00

Half-boiled egg @ RM0.80

These are my daily energy booster!

LIAN THONG COFFEE SHOP

5, Jalan Kota,

34000 Taiping, Perak.

Malaysia.

Business hours: 8 am to 2 pm

Closed on Sundays.

The PROMISE of an afternoon tea

2011-12-27T10:00:00.054+08:00

My nephew Joel came to Taiping for a short stay. The purpose of his visit was to get free tuition from his koo koo (me of course) as he did fairly well in his recent school-based examination. Joel is such a nice boy. He worked very hard and completed all the homework assigned to him in time. As promised, I took him to La Promise for a scrumptious afternoon tea.

Homemade Mashed Potato @ RM3.50

Egg Sandwich @ RM5.00

Yam Cake @ RM4.70

Baked Cheesecake @ RM4.70

Double Espresso @ RM4.50

crema-licious~~~

LA PROMISE

7 Jalan Panggung Wayang,

34000 Taiping, Perak.

Malaysia.

Tel: 605-8079007

Email: lapromise.taiping@gmail.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Promise-Bakery-and-Cafe/179271562094281

Instil good eating habits @ O'Briens

2011-12-26T10:00:00.000+08:00

What is guilt-free food? Before you try to find out what exactly guilt-free means, please recall what your daily diet normally consists of? Is it fat free? Any nutritional value? Or could you just not be bothered by what goes into your body in every meal? Well... if you happen to be the 'live to eat' group, perhaps now it's time for a change. You just do not know how much harm can calories and fat do to your system. The truth is, once they have found a shelter in your body, they just refuse to leave. To be precise, they usually stay happily in their host (or prey?) permanently. So, why must you risk your health by allowing all these nuisance in your life?

If you agree with me, please take my advice. Starting from now, eat healthily. Forget about all those tasty treats out there and be warned by the hypothesis of food: The tastier they are, the more harm they cause.

Shopping complexes can be a place full of sins. Even though you are not physically hungry, there is always a tendency for your eyes to be seduced by all the tempted food served in restaurants. Being indisciplined as you are, please find your way to the nearest sandwich bar to kick start your healthy eating habits.

Previous entries:

O'Briens KLIA (2009)

O'Briens The Curve (2010)

O'Briens KLIA (2010)

O'Briens KLCC (2011)

Irish Cream Coffee @ RM7.60

Egg Mayo with Fresh Water Cress @ RM9.00

Healthy Vege Wrap @ RM11.90

You must first eat healthily to live before you can live to enjoy your food...

O' BRIENS IRISH SANDWICH BAR

1 Utama Shopping Centre

LG349 Lower Ground Floor

Rain Forest

No.1 Lebuh Bandar Utama

Bandar Utama, Selangor.

Malaysia.

Tel: 603-7726 8977

Delivery: 1300 30 3000

E-mail: universalrnsb@gmail.com

Business hours: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. daily

CBTL's Red Velvet Cupcake (special edition)

2011-12-25T10:00:00.001+08:00

The red velvet cake is a regular item in the menu of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. It is always made into a large cake with an abundance of coconut shavings topped over layers of smooth cream cheese and lovely chocolate sponge. In conjunction with the Christmas season, CBTL makes the cakes into petite looking cupcakes beautifully topped with a swirl of cream cheese and red chocolate crunch.

Pam's personal Christmas coffee break

Red Velvet Cupcake @ RM5.80

The Red Velvet Cake is specially made into the size of cupcakes specially for the Christmas season.

A popular cake with a red-brown colour, the red velvet cake is topped with a creamy cream cheese icing. The reddish colour is a result of the reaction of the cocoa powder with buttermilk.

Double-shot Americano @ RM8.40

Christmas Tea Set

2011-12-24T10:00:00.028+08:00

Today is Christmas eve. I'm throwing a Christmas tea party for 5 people in the afternoon. These are what I am going to serve later.

Christmas log cake @ RM15.00

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Manning's Mince Pies @ RM21.90

Delicious short crust pastry generously filled with premium brandy-infused mincemeat and hand-baked in the Manning's family tradition

Pinwheel Christmas Cookies

Mocha Cake

Suzuki Italian Ground Espresso @ RM25.00

The Moka Pot (the espresso maker) @ RM89.00

~ Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ~

Winter Solstice 2011

2011-12-23T10:00:00.048+08:00

The December Solstice, also known as the winter solstice (冬至, loosely translated as 'the arrival of winter') usually falls on the 22nd of December every year. Traditional Chinese families celebrate the festival of the Winter Solstice as the start of the new year and the beginning of winter. The tradition of making glutinous rice balls (湯圓: tong yuen) in each Chinese family is passed on from one generation to another. Today, eating tong yuen has become a common practice and this dessert is readily available in major dessert shops all year round.

Tong yuen in soya bean drink

Black sesame filling

Cafe Barbera @ Kuala Lumpur International Airport

2011-12-22T10:00:00.011+08:00

The concept of dining in the airport has always been mistakenly labelled as food served and taken in a rush, grab n go, cold, tasteless etc. This misconception no longer fits the new generation of airports, especially the award-winning 4-star airport like Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) which has a world ranking of the fourth place after Hong Kong, Singapore and Incheon Airports.

With more world class cafes being opened in KLIA, you are strictly not allowed to force yourself to gobble whatever fast food you could grab in the airport and board the plane with severe bloatedness in the stomach. So when you step into the Departure Hall, you will be amazed by how the Italian coffee culture is being adopted into the hustle bustle situation of the airport, at the same time enabling the customers to enjoy themselves over a satisfying cup of coffee before they leave. The pleasure of dining in the airport is almost guaranteed with the cosiness and warmth ambience of Cafe Barbera.

Cafe Barbera @ KLIA (Departure Hall)

This present lot of Cafe Barbera was formerly occupied by Cafe Ritazza which has since moved to the Arrival Hall in the 3rd floor.

The wide range of coffee is featured on the wall to cater to the needs of customers who often find the Italian terms of coffee incomprehensible.

The pastry shelves

The sandwich shelf

Cappuccino Italiano @ RM8.90

Cappuccino Shakerato @ RM10.90

(Note: Caffe Shakerato is made up of iced espresso shaken in a cocktail shaker and served in a wide mouth glass)

Espresso Shakerato @ RM8.90

The coffee barista must have a good skill in shaking the coffee in order to produce a nice cap of foam which is able to float the beans on top of the espresso.

Chicken wrap @ RM12.90

Tuna Croissant @ RM11.90

Custard Strudel @ RM8.90

Sardine Puff @ RM8.90

Affogato

Gently pour the hot espresso over the scoop of vanilla gelato to melt the gelato.

The melting of the gelato produces a creamy and tantalising taste of both coffee and ice cream.

Cafe Barbera @ KLIA

Main Terminal Building (Level 5)

Departure Hall,

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

Malaysia.

Tel: 603-8776 6626

Website http://www.caffebarbera.com/

Email cafe@barberacoffee.com

Time for Plan b...

2011-12-21T10:00:00.082+08:00

Plan B, also known as a reserved plan, takes over Plan A (the first plan) when the latter fails.

Founded by the Big Group which owns a string of restaurants in the Klang Valley, Plan b has been established for quite a long time. To date, this cafe gets its highest flow of diners throughout the day compared to the other rivals in the F&B line. Business is always good. Being well known for their breakfast menu, business starts as early as 9 a.m. and now they have even extended their business hours till late night, to cater to those who have a special craving for food at supper time.

Plan b @ Bangsar Village

Is this Sherlock Holmes's or Conan's office desk?

This is a place with great food and a cosy ambiance.

Simply love the English pub design of Plan b.

Care for some cakes?

How about some buttery scones?

The plain-looking menu has an extensive selection of food ranging from breakfast to supper.

A corner for sauces and condiments.

Water, served the unique way, is free of charge.

Espresso Doppio @ RM7.00

Lemon Meringue Pie @ RM10.00

Each short crust pastry case is generously filled with sweet and sour lemon curd and topped with meringue which is lightly browned in the oven.

Plan B
Ground Floor,

Bangsar Village I,
59000 Bangsar,

Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia.

Tel: +603-2287 2630

Continental Breakfast @ Cafe Barbera, Bangsar

2011-12-20T10:00:00.072+08:00

Cafe Barbera has been a coffee legend since 1870, with its history of over 140 years of finest preparations of gourmet coffee in Italy. Its unique concept is based on its finest selection of exceptional coffee in Italy. Along with the highest quality freshly roasted coffee products, Cafe Barbera offers a variety of pastries and wonderful breakfast to kick start your busy and hectic days in the city.

Cafe Barbera in Bangsar

Cafe Barbera's Italian mansion designed building along Jalan Maarof

Look carefully and you will discover that this is a single storey building.

More privacy please?

An old colonial design with a touch of exquisite Italian dining concept.

I remember seeing one in Pappa Mia.

You can also purchase your coffee machine here.

The Coffee Bar

The menu

Read the magic of coffee before deciding on our choice of drinks.

Weekday breakfast set @ RM9.00 (a cup of coffee of your choice and pastry on the house)

Cappuccino

Multi-grain croissant

Fresh milk @ RM6.00

Big breakfast with scrambled egg @ RM19.00

CAFE BARBERA
18 Lorong Maarof, Bangsar Park,
59000 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia
Tel : 03-2287 3628
Email : cafe@cafebarbera-sea.com
Business Hours : 9am-11pm

Room Eighteen @ Mid Valley Megamall

2011-12-19T10:00:00.056+08:00

When you go to major shopping complexes in Kuala Lumpur in the weekdays, you will be spoilt for the choice of the set lunches available in every restaurant. Not to mention other eateries in the compound of the mall, just the boulevard itself is good enough to give diners a hard time in choosing their food. Here Happy Hour, there buy 1 get 1 free... How lucky we are to be surrounded by such good offer in town. Though, all the promotional packages and sets are applicable to weekdays dine-in only.

Room Eighteen @ Mid Valley

Classic meets contemporary style of interior.

Set Lunch Promotion @ RM11.80

Buy: Wonton Noodle with Char Siew

Free: Steamed vegetarian rice roll

Wonton Noodle

Barbecued meat / Char Siew

Vegetarian Spring roll (FOC)

Ala carte item:

Steamed milk pudding topped with red beans @ RM4.80

Rom Eighteen @ MidValley Megamall.

Room Eighteen

Mid Valley Megamall

Lot G(E)-009, Ground Floor

Mid Valley City

Lingkaran Syed Putra

59200 KL

Malaysia

Tel: +6 03 2938 3311

Dine @ Top Ten Gourmet Restaurant in the world

2011-12-18T10:00:00.090+08:00

Voted by diners as one of the top ten gourmet restaurants in the world, Din Tai Fung is the type of eatery that food enthusiasts should not miss along their gluttony journey. While food is still served at affordable price, complete your food trail by adding this world class restaurant into your list and spend a leisure afternoon here. Trust me, you will surely be amazed by the fine art of dining at Din Tai Fung.

Din Tai Fung @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Appetiser 1:

Semi-solid century egg served with pickled ginger

Unlike those century eggs sold in the groceries, which are usually over-preserved resulting in hardened yolks, Din Tai Fung's version is much appealing as the yolk appears in a creamy custard-like form. Heavenly...

Appetiser 2:

Xiao Loong Pao

These meaty dumplings are filled with concentrated chicken stock and skilfully wrapped in delicate dumpling skin.

To prevent any wastage of the tasty stock, make a small hole at the side to suck out all the stock from the dumpling before enjoying the whole of it.

Main:

Pork cutlet La Mein

Handmade Shanghainese noodles made fresh before you eyes

Dessert:

Red bean paste filled mini dumplings

An impressive piece of art

DIN TAI FUNG

Lot 06.01.05, Level 6

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur 168

Jalan Bukit Bintang

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia.

Tel: 603-21488292

FREE Starbucks Coffee!

2011-12-17T10:00:00.044+08:00

In conjuction with the 13th anniversary of Starbucks Coffee, they were giving out free coffee yesterday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. It was not my initial plan to drive all the way from my house to Taiping Sentral for the sake of getting a cup of FREE coffee but someone in the family wanted me to drop a parcel in Lake View Garden so I convinced myself that I deserved a cup of coffee as a reward for running the errands.

I arrived at Starbucks 5 minutes to 12 noon and was greeted by their junior barista whom I used to chat with every time I go for my coffee pilgrimage. Then he said, "Cikgu, today got free coffee. You came just in time."

"The same type of coffee, like last year?"

"Yeah loh, always the anniversary blend, what else?"

"Hmm... okay. I will get a cup of that and I will come back for my Americano tomorrow."

"No need lah, Cikgu. You don't take the free one, we give you Americano for FREE! But diam diam lah..."

O.O (like that also can ah?)

Anyway, I smiled and accepted my FREE gift gracefully. Thank you, Mr Barista!

Americano @ RM7.00 (free of charge)

Yin, were you there yesterday?

Lam Meen @ Living Food Restaurant, PJ Uptown

2011-12-16T10:00:00.071+08:00

Living Food Restaurant in PJ Uptown is famous for its Lam Meen. However, do not go to the wrong shop as there is another shop selling the same type of noodle, situated merely a few yards away. Somehow, that extremely popular franchising noodle restaurant hardly wins the heart of Damansara residents. As you know, when food becomes commercialised, authenticity will gradually be replaced with the taste that suits diners from all walks of life, particularly the tourists who are commonly influenced by publicity. Eat the name, not the food!

Fried yambean-filled dumplings (sui kow)

Variety of fish balls and fish paste (yong tau foo)

Here comes the main star: Lam Meen

(literally translated as: soggy noodle)

Note: Lam Meen is a Cantonese noodle dish in which the noodle is braised in thickened soy-infused egg gravy

LIVING FOOD RESTAURANT

67, Jalan SS21/37,

Damansara Utama (Damansara Uptown)

Petaling Jaya, Selangor,

Malaysia.

Tel: 603-77274126

Woo Pin Fish Head Noodle (Second Visit)

2011-12-15T10:00:00.055+08:00

As mentioned in my earlier post on RT Pastry Shop, we went to Taman Desa Danau for the famous fish head vermicelli at Woo Pin Restaurant last Sunday morning. We did not order much as we are all small-eaters (=.=)' so the four of us shared 2 bowls of fish head vermicelli, 1 bowl of fish paste and a block of fish cake. Fish head noodle is mother's all-time favourite despite the fact that she had hardly been exposed to the noodle dish in her younger days. It was love at the first sight when we took her to Woo Pin last year and she made her first attempt in trying this dish. Instantly, she fell in love with it.

Sumptuous breakfast @ Woo Pin Fish Head Noodle Restaurant

Homemade fish paste (yue wart) @ RM10.00

Woo Pin special fish cake (yue pehng) @ RM5.00

Fish Head Vermicelli (yue tau mai fan) @ RM7.00

Woo Pin Fish Head Noodles

Jalan 1/109F,

Taman Danau Desa,

Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia.

Hokkaido Cream Cake @ RT Pastry

2011-12-14T10:00:00.049+08:00

Last Sunday, we went to Taman Desa for the famous Woo Pin fish head noodles and I made my second visit to the RT Pastry Shop for their new product - the Hokkaido Cake.

This cake is actually an ordinary vanilla sponge cake made with the fresh milk imported from Hokkaido, thus giving it a fine texture and extraordinary fluffiness. I must admit that this is one of the best sponge cake I have ever eaten. :)

RT's new product:

Strawberry cream filled Hokkaido Cake

(also comes with vanilla flavour)

The soft cake is made fresh daily and best served chilled.

Each box of Hokkaido cream cake has an expected shelf life between 2 to 3 days to ensure its freshnest.

The sugar dusting hardly enhances the taste of the cake. Instead, the cake is slightly on the sweeter side as a result of the addition of icing sugar. (non-essential element...)

6 Hokkaido cream cake costs RM14.80.

(within my budget limits ... haha)

Description is not important here as the picture is speaking on my behalf...

RT PASTRY HOUSE

7-0-7 Jalan 3/109F,

Danau Business Centre,

Taman Danau Desa,

58100 Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia.

Tel: 603-79819106

Dinner Duo

2011-12-13T10:00:00.002+08:00

Last night, we had our dinner at two different restaurants in SS2. We first had some Korean food at Ko Hyang restaurant followed by Warung restaurant which serves local Malay fare.

Fried omelette with chives and onions

Spinach Noodles served in clear chicken broth

Soto Ayam

Noodles served with Chicken Soto

Nasi Lemak Rendang

Coconut Rice served with Chicken Rendang

Korean style Cold Noodles served with 4 mini dishes and poached egg

Espresso Doppio @ Espressamente Illy

2011-12-12T10:00:00.038+08:00

Espressamente Illy portrays the art of the Italian cafe culture perfectly whereby great coffee can be enjoyed outside Italy in true premium-quality illy fashion. Espressamente is not just a place for a cup of excellent espresso, it also enhances your coffee appreciation to a higher level in which you can easily tell the difference between the creation of a trained Illy maestro and a cup of Illy product which is ruined in the hand of the amateur barista.

Espressamente Illy @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

Pick you cup and saucer for an excellent cup of espresso

Ground Espresso (Dark)

As tiny as your cuppa

Espresso Doppio (double-shot espresso) @ RM10.00

Perfect looking crema with a splash of golden hue

ESPRESSAMENTE ILLY

Lot 3.10.00,

Level 3, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

168, Jalan Bukit Bintang,

55100 Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia.

Lindt Excellence 99% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

2011-12-11T10:00:00.054+08:00

Between milk chocolate and dark chocolate, I always prefer the latter. However, not every dark chocolate in the market suits my palate as I am rather picky on the choice of brand and its origin. The battle between Swiss made chocolate and Belgian made chocolate has been going on for decades. Some fall for the creaminess and smoothness of Swiss cocoa while the others indulge in the overpowering taste of cocoa from Belgium. As for me, Swiss made dark chocolate wins my heart easily with its bittersweet taste and long-lasting aftertaste which lingers in the mouth cavity for a real sensational indulgence.

Lindt Excellence 99% Cocoa - Dark Noir @ RM13.90

The bar of chocolate is carefully sealed for freshness.

The Dark Beauty stripping herself for her secret admirer.

Come and discover the exquisite taste of Swiss made dark chocolate with 99% cocoa.

Tong Kee Full Moon Gift Pack

2011-12-10T10:00:00.093+08:00

One of my colleagues who recently gave birth to a baby girl surprised us with the full moon gift pack that she had ordered for us (we had given her baby ang pow of course). We were so touched that she actually took the trouble to deliver all these gift packs from Kuala Lumpur to Taiping early in the morning. According to her, the confectionery shop in KL got everything ready by 9 a.m. and her husband who is working in KL collected the boxes and sent them to every doorstep within 3 hours. The red-coloured eggs were still warm when the boxes reached us. I received 2 boxes as CL is currently on her honeymoon trip so she wanted me to have hers in order not to waste it.

Tong Kee Confectionery Full Moon Gift Pack

These lovely boxes simply put a smile on your face.

Each gift pack consists of 2 Tong Kee signature egg tarts, 2 ang koo kuih, 2 red-coloured eggs and a quarter-pound sponge cake.

Instead of piping cream or icing on the entire surface of the cake, Tong Kee decorated the cake with image-printed edible sugar paper.

Did you notice that not all the cakes are of the same design?