Good Standard Japanese Curry Vegetables with Rice on 3Mar2017

japanese curry with rice

my close OPS friend gave me a packet of japanese curry powder. his friend who is a chef with a hotel restaurant uses that to prepare japanese curry.

so i decided to make some jap curry this evening on 3.3.2017. ^^

japanese curry powder

the packet had 4 tablets/blocks.

i used 1 piece & about 500ml of water.

japanese curry – carrots, yellow onions, potatoes

i decided to do just vegetables.

i don’t mind japanese curry with prawns, or with chicken, but vegetables is also fine for a start.

for today, i used 1 large carrot, 1/2yellow onions, 1.5 potatoes & some (1/2 packet) baby corn.

japanese curry – vegetables

i fried the carrots & onions in 1 tbsp oil in a dutch oven pot, covered for 5 minutes to soften.

then added 1 block of jap curry powder, 500ml water, stirred to dissolve, then covered & boiled for like 30mins.

japanese curry – vegetables

then i added the baby corn & potatoes & boiled for another 10mins.

japanese curry – vegetables

potatoes are just cooked through when they break up when pressed against side of the pot, then it won’t be overcooked & mushy.

for today i found that the baby corn were just right still crunchy when the potatoes about done, so also 10mins thereabout….

japanese curry with rice

of course important that the jap curry is thick & tasty enough so cannot put too much water.

it is better to put less, taste & add water as you go.

anyway tasting most important. always taste for the texture/doneness you like & how intense the curry gravy you like.

japanese curry with rice

so nice, the curry….well, japanese curry not quite my favourite, so this is as good as i want it to be.

& so easy to prepare….

c.h.e.f andy

Ingredients-

  • 1 block japanese curry powder
  • 500ml water
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 large carrot
  • 1/2 large yellow onion
  • 1.5 potatoes
  • 1/2 packet baby corn

Directions-

  1. fry carrots & onions in 1 tbsp oil in a dutch oven pot, cover for 5 minutes to soften.
  2. add 1 block of japanese curry powder, 500ml water, stir to dissolve, then cover & boil for 30mins.
  3. add baby corn & potatoes & boil for another 10mins. potatoes are just cooked through when they break up when pressed against side of the pot, then it won’t be overcooked & mushy.
  4. baby corn just right still crunchy when the potatoes about done, so also 10mins thereabout….
  5. serve with steamed white rice…qed…

Great 4pax Dinner & MSW 猫山王 Durians Afterwards @ Aburiya on 28Feb2017

kurobuta platter – S$25

after a truly memorable time together during our recent hong kong eat & hike 20-24feb2017,we were chatting about going japan or korea.

so we gathered to enjoy some yakiniku 烧肉 – japan style korean bbq at my favourite aburiya on 28.2.2017. ^^

hokkaido wagyu platter – S$40

i ordered the usual kurobuta & hokkaido wagyu platter, my wife & my favourite. 🙂

kurobuta platter – S$25 

my friends all liked them too.

yakiniku desu 

i like all the cuts for the hokkaido wagyu & also kurobuta platter.

among them, the loin cut from the second plate of wagyu platter (we ordered another plate) was the best.

they meat cuts are not always consistent, but i found the platter as the most consistently good cuts.

yakiniku desu

it was quite fun too, chatting & bbq-ing the meats, that’s why my wife & family like to come here.

yakiniku desu 

of course in the cold seasons in japan & korea, the experience & the warmth of the bbq even better.

here the hearth is smokeless, there is an internal extraction fan system & also smokeless charcoal.

kimchi chigae 킴치치개 

i ordered the kimchi chigae 킴치치개 .

kimchi chigae 킴치치개

this evening it was very good, at times it could be a tad salty…they really should be more consistent la..

bibimbab 비빔밥 

and the bibimbab this evening was excellent.

i don’t eat this much here as wife likes bibimen so we always order bibimen for 2 of us, which i like too.

ㅑ키니쿠 & bibimbab 비빔밥

this evening the bibimbab was especially tasty & flavourful. ^^

bibimbab 비빔밥 

very shiok!

MSW 猫山王 

my friend bought MSW 猫山王  and D13. today he managed to get MSW 猫山王 from his favourite stall sin kian choon for S$15/kg, i think about 3kg.

so we had them after dinner.

D13

and D13 at S$8/kg, about 5kg or more.

really shiok la…finally some good durians…did not eat durians for a while…december durians were very ex & poor in quality….i found out that usually price is inversely proportional to quality of MSW 猫山王 & durians in general…only when it is abundant & price is low can you be assured of good quality durians.

this was really enjoyable.

c.h.e.f amdy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Great 2pax Dinner with a dear Friend @ La Brezza on 26Feb2017

whole lobster tagli0lini – S$51

whole lobster tagliolini – S$51

i just returned singapore from a very enjoyable hong kong eat & hike trip with my OPS primary school mates on 24.2.2017.

my close dental surgeon friend had earlier arranged to have dinner at la brezza this evening on 26.2.2017. he insisted on buying dinner. ^^

i just had a superb early birthday dinner for my OPS friend here on 7.2.2017. i enjoyd the dishes that evening so i ordered the same dishes for my friend to try.

bread – focaccia & baguette

we had the focaccia & baguette with the very good extra virgin olive oil & especially the very flavourful balsamic.

whole lobster tagliolini – S$51

whole lobster tagliolini – S$51

the lobster tagliolini came, good as before.

fresh, sweet, bouncy lobster & nice pasta. the pasta was good.

but it’s something both my wife & i can make as well, wife & children said better actually. 🙂

duck ragout pasta

duck ragout pasta – S$35

i was quite enamoured with the duck ragout the last time. a very good pasta & it came with a panfried foie gras.

so much so i was inspired to make my own duck ragout for the first time. & mine turned out very good indeed. 

i commented to the lady server that the one i had recently had the duck rillete form of ragout whereas this one had diced meat pieces? this server though was not so good like the last & could not give a satisfactory explanation.

300g angus ribeye medium rare – S$42

300g angus ribeye medium rare – S$42

the tagliata is always good. really well done & a very good helping good enough for both to share, and the mesclun salad & grilled peppers were al excellent too.

the bill for 2pax after amex 50% lovedining discount for 2pax was S$87. great for this food & ambience.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Going Back Singapore Happy & Fulfilled on 24Feb2017

HK airport popeye’s

finally it was time to check out hotel & return to singapore, on 24.2.2017.

that concluded our 5 day hong kong eat & hike, 31 blog posts in all including this post.

it was really enjoyable. we were totally relaxed, and did only things we felt like doing, and ate what we felt like eating. ^^

we actually did more visits & walking than was initially planned-

  1. we did the Panoramic, Serene, Contemplative Peak Circle Walk on Day 1
  2. not so much hiking but nice Cheung Chau Island Walk 长洲岛一游 on Day 2
  3. an unplanned tour of The Magnificent Tian Tan Buddha aka Big Buddha 天坛大佛 at ngong ping. & last but not least;
  4. & a wonderful, kind of unexpected Dragon’s Back Shek O Peak Hike 

HK airport popeye’s

and of course we ate about all the food we had wanted to try –

  1. we had Hong Kong’s best roast goose @ Yat Lok Stanley Street
  2. top value HK$118 for 1/2 roast goose & HK$58 for 1 kg steamed live garoupa @ Tao Heung 稻香 Tsimshatsui
  3. the famed Hong Kong Tai Cheong egg tarts @ Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌饼家
  4. the best congee & braises @ 振记粥面店 at chueng chau market
  5. wonderful claypot rice HK$480 set inner for 4pax @ Chuen Moon Kee 銓满记 
  6. very good congee @ Mui Kee Congee 妹記生滾粥品
  7. wonderful beef brisket noodles @ 牛棚粉麵專家
  8. good walnut & sesame paste dessert @ Hoi Kee Walnut Place 海記合桃坊甜
  9. most satisfying daipaidong meal in Hong Kong @ Minsheng Daipaidong 民声冰室
  10. great polo buns with Butter 菠萝油 @ Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

and now, it’s time to return Singapore, happy & fulfilled, relishing the new memories of a wonderful time together for 4 OPS buddies.

for this trip, we also managed to get S$310pax promo SQ airtickets, and booked a very convenient metropark hotel located almost next to prince edward mtr station, and costing just HK$550nett/room night.

at the airport, one friend went to buy some fried chicken & chips from popeye’s. for me, after putting on easily 2kg – 3kg during the few days, it was time to reduce intake & manage weight – ironic but necessary. a matter of selective diet & weight management.

c.h.e.f andy

 

Great Polo Buns with Butter 菠萝油 @ Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅 on 24Feb2017

Great Polo Buns @ Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

Great polo buns with butter 菠萝油 @ Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

we leaving for singapore today on 24.2.2016. checking out at 12pm & then taking a taxi to airport. so no plans to go too far, just relaxed.

we had a good polo bun 菠萝包 at hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅 the other day. the friend who sleeps late did not try it, so we thought of going back.

on the way we passed by kam wah cafe 金华茶餐厅. good traffic but there was no queue. so quite suits us.

this supposed to be the best polo bun restaurant in hong kong, according to some reviews.  my RI group was not too impressed the last time we were here. anyhow a revisit was surely in order. 🙂

 polo buns with butter 菠萝油 @ Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

polo buns with butter 菠萝油 @ Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

this time, maybe i beginning to take some liking to polo buns since i shared a 1/4 at hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅, i actually quite enjoyed it.

i shared 1/2 this time. i think can do one next time la… haha!

we ordered 3 polo buns with butter 菠萝油, one french toast & egg tarts.

Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

the place had a good crowd.

the server very chatty & chat up a conversation with my 2 cantonese friends. i think that made the breakfast more fun & enjoyable too.

egg toast

egg toast

the egg toast/french toast quite good, not my kind of food though.

egg tart

egg tart

the egg tart passable but not in the same league as tai cheong egg tarts.

pastry not so crimbly & not so tasty. egg custard itself ok i guess, somehow overall not as good, maybe psychological??

this time my breakfast quite enjoyable. my friends actually thought the polo buns with butter 菠萝油 here better than hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅. i can’t really tell, but i enjoyed it both times.

eat less enjoy more???

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kam Wah Cafe 金华冰厅

G/F, 47 Bute Street, Prince Edward
太子弼街47號地下
Tel: 2392 6830
Opening hrs: Mon.-Sun.:06:30am-12:00am
MTR: Prince Edward B2 exit

Passable Congee @ Sai Kee Congee 西記粥店 on Day4 – 23Feb2017

及第粥pig innards congee @ sai kee congee 西記粥店

及第粥pig innards congee @ sai kee congee 西記粥店 

one friend has the habit of taking late supper.

this evening, 2 friends decided to first go lan kwai fong to paint the town red. ^^

another friend & i decided to stay back & drink kungfu tea 功夫茶 & chit chat & laze around at out hotel room.

anyhow when the 2 came back, 11pm+, we all decided to accompany this friend out for his supper fulfilment.

there was this sai kee congee 西記粥店 on prince edward road west, just round the corner from our metropark hotel. so we walked in & gave it a try. ^^

the 及第粥pig innards congee was good enough, not as tasty as-

  1. mui kee congee 妹記生滾粥品 OR
  2. the really shiok 振记粥面店, cheung chau market stall
咸蛋蒸肉饼steamed minced pork @ sai kee congee 西記粥店

咸蛋蒸肉饼steamed minced pork @ sai kee congee 西記粥店 

we also tried the 咸蛋蒸肉饼steamed minced pork @ sai kee congee 西記粥店.

this was way too ordinary…like they say – bak chiu kam kam (close my eyes) i can do better anytime..not literally la..haha!

there is nothing to compare with the excellent dish at minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室.

poached kailan @ sai kee congee 西記粥店

poached kailan @ sai kee congee 西記粥店 

poached kailan was kind of standard…nice vegetable, not the best of preparation.

wanton noodles soup @ sai kee congee 西記粥店

wanton noodles soup @ sai kee congee 西記粥店

the friend who ordered the wanton noodles soup said it;s tasteless.

well i guess this the kind of place i won’t really come specially, but if it is near midnight & a few steps from the hotel, it is a doable option (only option?) la…

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sai Kee Congee 西記粥店

Address

太子太子道西113號地下

G/F, 113 Prince Edward Road West

Transportation

(太子站 C2 出口, 步行約4分鐘)

MTR Prince Edward MTR Station Exit C2

Contact

2380 9630

Disappointed @ Hoe Kee Dessert 浩记甜品馆 on Day4 – 23Feb2017

black sesame tau huay @ hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆

black sesame tau huay @ hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆

after the expensive but quite good dinner at Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家,

we walked through MOKO mall to the overhead covered walkway linking to mongkok station to fa yuen street.

i found hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆 on fa yuen street just some steps from the staircase.

hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆 was the place my RI group had very good dessert that we went back again – 10.1.2016 then 13.1.2016.

today though somehow could not relived the experience.

i took the black sesame tau huay. it was ok just nothing great. in fact i did not finish it.

somehow the paste糊 was smooth but diluted & not thick enough & could not really compare with that at hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品, which was the best i had so far this trip.

i think another friend had the walnut paste, and likewise it was the same, not quite as good.

red bean soup @ hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆

red bean soup @ hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆

my friend took his usual red bean soup, 陈皮红豆汤. i think it was ok.

some lotus seed dessert? @ hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆

some lotus seed dessert? @ hoe kee dessert 浩记甜品馆

another friend took some lotus dessert, i think, couldn’t really recall. it was ok too.

i wonder why the experience was so distinctly different.

looking back at the photos i huessed partly depends on what we ordered. the last time i had a very nice mango cheng chow with lotus 芒果凉粉加莲子 & we added dumplings 汤圆.

that would not have changed the conclusion on the quality of the paste糊, but perhaps would give a better overall experience.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hoe Kee Dessert 浩记甜品馆 

 

Nice Walk at Shau Kei Wan Street Market 筲箕灣街市 on Day4 – 23Feb2017

shau kei wan street market

shau kei wan street market 

returning to shau kei wan after 2hrs hike at dragon’s back shek O peak trail, round about noon time, we took a nice walk around shau kei wan market 筲箕灣街市.

the last time my RI group likewise did a nice walkaround after our dragon’s back hike on 12.1.2017. ^^

shau kei wan street market

shau kei wan street market 

like any street wet markets, there were vendors selling fruits, vegetables, live seafood, as well as dry goods.

we bought some lap cheong – chinese pork & liver sausages here. 🙂

shau kei wan street market - braise goose & meats

shau kei wan street market – braise goose & meats 

there was also the braises stall, selling teochew braised goose, duck, and all the innards, pig’s head, ears, tongue, big & small intestines etc…

shau kei wan street market - fruit stalls

shau kei wan street market – fruit stalls 

we bought some kam kuat 金桔 from the fruit stall.

kam kuat 金桔 @ shau kei wan street market

kam kuat 金桔 @ shau kei wan street market

i didn’t know that for kam kuat 金桔, you eat the skin. just skip the centre bitter parts & seeds.

it was very good. delicious! ^^

kam kuat 金桔 @ shau kei wan street market

kam kuat 金桔 @ shau kei wan street market

the skin very interesting taste, 甘 (which means sweet after-taste) & really NOT bitter, NOT tough and combined well with the sweetness & juiciness of the flesh.

shau kei wan street market - fruit stalls

shau kei wan street market – fruit stalls

shau kei wan street market - fruit stalls

shau kei wan street market – fruit stalls 

the fruits were all plump & vibrant…

shau kei wan street market - veg stalls

shau kei wan street market – veg stalls

& nice green, lush vegetables.

shau kei wan street market - seafood

shau kei wan street market – fresh seafood 

there were many tanks of live seafood, all the different fishes, crabs, shellfish etc.

short & fun sojourn for us, after our 2hrs dragon’s back hike.

& just the right time for us to take the mtr to tin hau station & have lunch atminsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Dragon’s Back Shek O Peak Hike – Great Healthy Exercise on Day4 – 23Feb2017

queueing for bus no. 9 at shaukeiwan bus terminus going to toteiwan trailhead

queueing for bus no. 9 at shaukeiwan bus terminus going to toteiwan trailhead

after a simple & nice fun cheong breakfast at Superior Steamed Rice Roll Pro Shop 第一肠粉,

we took the mtr to shaukeiwan station to catch the bus to toteiwan trailhead to hike up dragon’s back trail to Shek O peak & down. 🙂

at first i wasn’t sure we were doing this hike this trip, since the guys did not walk the cheung chau coast & mini greatwall, which were easy by comparison to dragon’s back.

bus no. 9 at shaukeiwan bus terminus going to toteiwan trailhead

bus no. 9 at shaukeiwan bus terminus going to toteiwan trailhead

shaukeiwan station is also the bus terminus. we boarded bus no. 9 to toteiwan trailhead.

the last time i came for this hike was with my RI buddies on 12.1.2016.

toteiwan trailhead to dragons back shek o trail

toteiwan trailhead to dragon’s back shek o trail

we followed the hong kong trail up to dragon’s back. we started at 9.56am.

dragons back trail - going up

dragon’s back trail – going up

dragons back trail - going up

dragon’s back trail – going up

some steeper climbs at the beginning.

dragon's back trail - going up

dragon’s back trail – going up

not too difficult, about 1km up & 2.8km down.

but it was very foggy, so there was not much views to see at the vantage points.

dragon's back trail - going up

dragon’s back trail – going up

dragons back trail - going up

dragon;s back trail – going up

the initial climb was also a little humid, so slightly oppressive.

dragons back trail - going up

dragon’s back trail – going up

nearer Shek O peak.

dragonss back trail - going direction of tai tam gap

dragon’s back trail – going direction of tai tam gap

Shek O Peak = 284m

Shek O Peak = 284m

soon we were at Shek O peak at 284m. time was 10,41am, so we took about 45mins from toteiwan trailhead.

our mischievous friend added a 1 using rolled-up tissue before taking photo, to give the effect 1284m. he whatsapped photo to OPS group whatsapp. no one picked that up though,,,haha!

dragon's back trail - more ups & downs

dragon’s back trail – more ups & downs

after Shek O peak, there were still many ups & downs. so it was not just a simple downward stroll….

dragon's back = very foggy day

dragon’s back = very foggy day

& still totally cloaked in fog.

dragon's back trail - more ups & downs

dragon’s back trail – more ups & downs

some more ups & downs.

dragon's back - the way down

dragon’s back – the way down

dragon's back - the way down

dragon’s back – the way down

after that going down was quite steep, and my friends were saying if we came up from the cape collinson side, it would be a tougher climb.

toteiwan trailhead to cape collinson

toteiwan trailhead to cape collinson

so we got down at cape collinson next to the tai tam gap correctional institution at 11.52, about 1hr 56mins.

& took the same bus no. 9 back to shaukeiwan mtr station.

after taking a walk around shaukeiwan’s street market, we took mtr to tin hau & walked 9mins to 民声冰室 daipaidong at 16wun sha street 浣纱街.

a very enjoyable & healthy hike & exercise, only thing was the quite heavy foggy day, so there was like almost no views & look outs at all.

c.h.e.f andy

 

Very Expensive but Nice Food though @ Pak Loh Chiu Chow Restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家 on Day4 – 23Feb2017

braised goose 鲁鹅

braised goose (regular portion) 鲁鹅例 = HK$198

after the nice dessert at hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品,

we walked over to the shop 楼上(level 22 at the block opposite metropark hotel) which sells dried goods like scallops, mushrooms, sea cucumber, chinese sausage etc & also some chilled & frozen stuff. i bought some flower mushrooms & expensive pine nuts for wife.

after that we went back hotel for rest, drink some kungfu tea 功夫茶 (i brought my traveling 功夫茶kit which sis bought for me), internet, chitchat etc..

Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

6pm+ we went out for dinner.

i at first suggested a place in mongkok where they have promotions like some HK$178 lobster dish & HK$128 garoupa dish.

not as good as the top value deal at tao heung = HK$58 garoupa & HK$118 1/2 roast goose, but we already had that the other night.

my friends suggested to go to a teochew restaurant. they were just being nice to me.

i didn’t want to go far like chao inn 潮樓 at 九龍觀塘觀塘道. food there is like passable to above average though very cheap.

anyhow after googling i decided to try Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家. it is at MOKO Mall next to royal plaza hotel. i thought it may not be too expensive, being located in a mall.

Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

of course, upon entering, it was quite obvious that this place was on the posh side.

it was quite full though, so no lacking people with lots of money to throw….

braised goose 鲁鹅 @ Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

braised goose 鲁鹅 @ Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

a look at the menu confirmed it-

i didn’t want to walk out, afterall we are focused on having a fun, relaxed holiday & not be bothered with these stuff. so 既来之则安之 & enjoy the place & food & evening la.

but i also didn’t want to pay ridiculous prices when there are so many cheap & good alternatives in hong kong, so has to be strategic in my orders.

braised goose (regular portion) 鲁鹅例 = HK$198

braised goose (regular portion) 鲁鹅例 = HK$198

so i ordered-

  1. braised goose (regular portion) 鲁鹅例 = HK$198
  2. claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108
  3. prawn paste claypot lettuce = HK$98
  4. olive vegetable fried rice – 橄榄菜肉碎芥兰粒炒饭 = HK$98

luckily – the dishes were all nice, so to the restaurant’s credit, the food was good restaurant standard.

the braised goose 鲁鹅was good – tender, nice flavour. it was good, but not like fantastic, and for such a portion, maybe HK$98 – HK$128max is what i would pay.

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108

the claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 was also good & tasty.

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108

i love this dish.

at first i thought it was the black bean sauce bittergourd fried pork ribs preparation. it didn’t say black beans in the menu.

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108

and of course, the soupy claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨is a standard teochew dish very popular in hong kong restaurants & daipaidong.

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜排骨苦瓜排骨锅

claypot bittergourd pork ribs 苦瓜炆排骨 = HK$108

i enjoyed this dish very much, and my friends did too. one even said the bittergourd not bitter, but actually the slight distinct bitter taste was what made it so tasty.

claypot lettuce

prawn paste claypot lettuce = HK$98

the prawn paste claypot lettuce i was not familiar, but it was very good too.

olive fried rice

olive vegetable fried rice – 橄榄菜肉碎芥兰粒炒饭 = HK$98

and i absolutely loved the rice. great wok hae, tasty, singular grains, not mushy.

olive vegetable fried rice - 橄榄菜肉碎芥兰粒炒饭 = HK$98

olive vegetable fried rice – 橄榄菜肉碎芥兰粒炒饭 = HK$98

& that is something i can make at home too, quite easily. i have the 橄榄菜.

olive vegetable fried rice - 橄榄菜肉碎芥兰粒炒饭 = HK$98

olive vegetable fried rice – 橄榄菜肉碎芥兰粒炒饭 = HK$98

so nice, i definitely making this la!

bill @ Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

bill @ Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家

so the bill was like HK$634, say about S$120 for 4pax. overall price not that ex, but that was also what i meant by strategic ordering.

so i ordered a carb (fried rice), a veg, a soup cum veg cum meat, and a braised goose (the defining teochew dish), and that was actually quite enough to fill up 4 of us. even though we could have eaten more, it was quite enough.

c/w say tao heung, where we paid HK$521 for 1/2 roast goose, 1kg steamed garoupa, 1/2 chicken which we didn’t eat much & didn’t need, & others etc.

so in perspective, the overall dining experience at Pak Loh Chiu Chow restaurant 百樂潮洲酒家  actually not bad, but then we could have easily spent double that, & then probably not so fun. whereas spending HK$634 for this dinner was quite enjoyable, i would feel constrained if i come again. on balance, probably not come again!

don’t like the feeling of paying just for paying sake!

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Good Walnut & Sesame Paste Dessert @ Hoi Kee Walnut Place 海記合桃坊甜品 on Day4 – 23Feb2017

核桃芝麻糊 walnut black sesame paste @ hai kee 海记

核桃芝麻糊 walnut black sesame paste

after our most satisfying meal in hong kong @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室 :-), we took mtr back to prince edward station.

hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

just nice to try out dessert at this hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品, which was recommended by our companion who was recently came here with his wife & friends.

hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品 is located at 232 Sai Yeung Choi St, very near to our metropark hotel.

核桃糊 walnut paste

核桃糊 walnut paste

we ordered the 核桃糊 walnut paste, afterall this place is “walnut place 合桃坊甜品”.

this is so far the best dessert shop as 糊 or paste goes, very smooth & thick not diluted & flavourful.

核桃芝麻糊 walnut & black sesame paste

核桃芝麻糊 walnut & black sesame paste

2 of us also ordered the 核桃芝麻糊 walnut black sesame paste. my one came also with 2 mochi 汤圆.^^

presentation not that great, they did not bother to make it wing yong 鸳鸯, the 八卦shape like some places or like steamboats. i though it was very easy to do, just use separators??

taste & texture were great, that’s what count la….

cha cha

cha cha

one friend ordered the cha cha, somehow hong kong has some adulterated version of our bobor chacha…it also uses coconut milk, and has yam, red beans, sago etc…

i tried it, not my kind of dessert…

egg pudding=炖鸡蛋

egg pudding=炖鸡蛋

we added the egg pudding=炖鸡蛋. forgot to ask for ginger sauce(姜汁).

anyway, this not my kind of dessert, and Mei Heong Yuen Dessert 味香园甜品 at chinatown point basement 2 in singapore did it a lot better.

bill @ hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

bill @ hoi kee walnut place 海記合桃坊甜品

bill came to like HK$120+. i guess fairly standard pricing here, & not that much different from singapore too.

糊 or paste not quite my most craved dessert but if i am wanting to take it, this would be one place to come.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hoi Kee Walnut Place 海記合桃坊甜品 

Address:

232 Sai Yeung Choi St S, Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Contact:

+852 2399 7973

 

Most Satisfying Daipaidong Meal in Hong Kong @ Minsheng Daipaidong 民声冰室 on Day4 – 23Feb2017

手撕鸡 had tear chicken @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

手撕鸡 hand tear chicken @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

after a 2hr hike at dragon’s back shek o trail, and a tour of the shao kei wan wet street market, we took the mtr to tin hau station & walked to 民声冰室 daipaidong at 16wun sha street 浣纱街.

we had very exciting & delicious lunch at 民声冰室. excellent dishes all good, & 6 dishes for 4 pax for HK$295. 2 friends commented this was the best meal in hong kong. i would say certainly the most satisfying.

民声冰室 was the daipaidong we wanted to come last year but was closed & we ended up having an excellent lunch at its neighbour yue bo 鱼宝食馆 o 12.1.2016. ^^

minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

we were there at 1pm. the tiny daipaidong was full but fast turnover. we waited just maybe about 10mins.

minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

there is no menu & everything was written on the board at the front of the shop.

there were many newspaper cuttings showing the favourite dishes like the salted egg steamed minced pork 咸蛋蒸肉饼,hand tear chicken手撕鸡 etc.

minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

for a tiny shop the cooking/preparation area seems quite big. i guess that is a good thing – big, clean space to create nice dishes.

steamed minced pork @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

steamed minced pork @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

the minute we sat down, one lone (guess regular) customer that came after us & sat down after us, ordered rightaway the 2 signature dishes – salted egg steamed minced pork 咸蛋蒸肉饼,hand tear chicken手撕鸡! so we did too la! ^^

steamed minced pork @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

steamed minced pork @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

the salted egg steamed minced pork 咸蛋蒸肉饼was very good. 🙂

i didn’t think much of the salted egg. didn’t seem to make much difference. the light soy sauce was very “pang” fragrant, and i have that too at home.

a very simple dish & very easy to make at home, but the effect was very good.

i did this at home later, & my second time was quite perfect, as good as 民声冰室 i think. ^^

steamed scallops & tofu @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

steamed scallops & tofu @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

the steamed tofu with scallop was nice too.

it was quite an ordinary dish & scallops were ok but by the way. the tofu was good – very smooth & sweet..

the main stay for this dish as again the “pang” light soy sauce.

steamed grass carp @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

steamed grass carp with mui chou @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

a friend found the steamed grass carp with mui choy 梅菜蒸浣鱼too salty & he didn’t like it also i think because grass carp has mud taste.

in a sense the mui choy 梅菜, and again the good light soy sauce helped to balance/complement the taste. this fish has many bones so need to be a bit careful in eating. i pushed away the mui choy 梅菜, and for myself, i enjoyed this fish very much.

poached lettuce @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

poached lettuce @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

the poached lettuce i guessed was a nothing-to-it dish. a good-balance vegetable dish & hong kong vegetable always good, so this was good & refreshing too.

char siew fried egg

char siew fried egg

the char siew fried egg likewise. nothing dish also, an ordinary fuyong egg 芙蓉蛋 maybe better actually.

anyhow all the dishes were very simple by nature & very well executed, including the lettuce & the egg dishes.

手撕鸡 had tear chicken @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

手撕鸡 hand tear chicken @ minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

the 手撕鸡 hand tear chicken was very impressive.

the chicken was sweet, tender yet not soft & had good bite, a bit stringy yet not sinewy or chewy. very good i think.

i googled the recipe & made a 手撕鸡 hand tear chicken myself at home after my return. it was not bad as a first attempt. i had the texture but not yet the taste, my marinade needed some improvements/adjustments.

we really enjoyed this place. all the 6 dishes were delicious, and the salted egg steamed minced pork 咸蛋蒸肉饼 & hand tear chicken手撕鸡 were super. they were very simple dishes, and for 3 dishes, they stood out mainly for the use of good light soy sauce. so very easy to reproduce this at home.

i will be doing some of these for my friends when they come for dinner next tuesday 7mar2017.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

minsheng daipaidong 民声冰室

Address:

大坑浣紗街16號地下
 G/F, 16 Wun Sha Street, Tai Hang
港鐵天后站 B 出口, 步行約8分鐘 (8 mins from tin hau mtr station)
Contact:
+852 2576 7272
Opening Hours:
daily : 12:00-15:00; 18:00-22:00

 

Good Fun Cheong @ Superior Steamed Rice Roll Pro Shop 第一肠粉 on Day4 – 23Feb2017

fun cheong 粉肠

fun cheong 粉肠

the guys decided to go dragon’s back hike today. ^^

unexpected for me, since the guys did not walk the cheung chau coast & mini greatwall, which were easy by comparison to dragon’s back.

anyhow we are here for a break, good fun relaxing trip. so we do when feel like doing, not do if not feeling like it la! does not matter which place we go…just enjoy the time, the experience, the bonding together! ^^

superior steamed rice roll pro shop 第一肠粉

superior steamed rice roll pro shop 第一肠粉

before dragon’s back, it was a good idea to take some food.

we walked over to portland street on the way to prince edward mtr station. 🙂

one friend saw the shop Superior Steamed Rice Roll Pro Shop 第一肠粉 the day before & wanted to try, so we sat down for a quick breakfast.

menu @ superior steamed rice roll pro shop 第一肠粉

menu @ superior steamed rice roll pro shop 第一肠粉

we took 3 sets.

all the fun cheong 粉肠 were very good.

the fun cheong 粉肠skin were very smooth, and the drizzling sauce were good. this is how it should be.

NOT like the fun cheong 粉肠 at one dimsum which was singularly bad.

steamed pork rib rice

steamed pork rib rice

for one of the set we had the steamed pork rib rice, and that was good too.

this is one place i would come back again.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Magnificent Tian Tan Buddha aka Big Buddha 天坛大佛 @ Ngong Ping on Day3 – 22Feb2017

the weather report for today, wednesday 22.2.2017 was not great=low temperature 16-17degC with some rain.

as it turned out, it was quite sunny the entire afternoon.

after a NOT great dimsum at one dimsum (for 3 of us it was the 3rd breakfast, kind of, after 1-the very good mui kee congee & 2-quite good hong lin polo bun), we made a decision on the spot to go to see the Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha.

 

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

we took the mtr from prince edward to tung chung, changing at lai king from red tsuen wan line to the orange tung chung line.

at tung chung mtr, we were told that the ngong ping 360 cable car was under maintenance until jun2017…

i saw later on their website notice-

  • Cable Car service is suspended for approximately 5 months from 9 January 2017 for the Rope Replacement Project. Ngong Ping Village remains open during this period. To ensure public safety and facilitate the project’s requirements, the Ngong Ping Rescue Trail is not open to the public during the replacement period.

visiting the big buddha was a last minute decision, so we had not checked the website & other information earlier.

bus from tung chung to ngong ping

bus from tung chung to ngong ping

as the cable car is not in opeation, we took the bus to ngong ping. it took like 50mins.

entrance gateway

entrance gateway

entrance-gate2

entrance gateway

we walked in the big buddha direction & entered the gateway.

cattle5 cattle4 cattle3 cattle2 cattle

there were some cows & buffaloes.

i did not see these when i came like 4yrs back.

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

the huge 34m tall bronze statue of the big buddha looked serene & majestic & uplifting as before.

when seeing from cable car, the feel of it sitting on a hilltop & the cable car traversing towards it was different.

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha on top a long flight of stairs

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha on top a long flight of stairs

big-buddha4

the big buddha sits atop the long staircase with 268 steps, very impressive.

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺

we took a walk in the Po Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺, a temple with more than 100yrs history, & renamedPo Lin Monastry 宝莲禅寺  in 1924.

a beautiful temple.

stone dragon column

stone dragon column

stone dragon column

stone dragon column

there is the oft-photographed stone dragon column, intricate & coming alive-ish.

grand hall of the 10,000 buddhas

grand hall of the 10,000 buddhas

grand hall of the 10,000 buddhas

grand hall of the 10,000 buddhas

looked into the beautiful inside of the grand hall of ten thousand buddhas.

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

& looking at the Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha over the eaves of the temple.

going up the 268-steps

going up the 268-steps

going up the 268-steps

going up the 268-steps

it’s time to climb the 268 steps for a closer view of the big buddha & scenic aerial view of the surroundings. ^^

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha

The Buddha statue faces north towards Mainland China.  

It sits 26.4 metres atop a lotus throne and is 34 metres high, including the base.

stone sculptures at big buddha

stone sculptures at big buddha

stone sculptures at big buddha

stone sculptures at big buddha

stone sculptures at big buddha

stone sculptures at big buddha

we walked round the area, looked at the beautiful stone sculptures, and looked out to the panoramic views.

view of po lin monastry from big buddha

view of po lin monastry from big buddha

the po lin monastry stood out.

view of po lin monastry from big buddha

view of po lin monastry from big buddha

very nice & elegant.

view of shek pik reservoir from big buddha

view of shek pik reservoir from big buddha

view of shek pik reservoir from big buddha

view of shek pik reservoir from big buddha

we can see the shek pik reservoir on the other side.

a foggy day at tian tan buddha

a foggy day at tian tan buddha

it was a foggy day. still enchanting. 🙂

the view would be wonderful on a clear dya.

going down from the big buddha

going down from the big buddha

took a stroll down.

the worst tau huay

the worst tau huay

there were many stalls selling tau huay.

it was about the worst tau huay ever.

fresh tau huay, you are supposed to lift a whole slice & serve several slices in nice layers.

this was like the bottom of the barrel, all broken up…completely ridiculous at HK$15. wouldn’t pay HK$5 for it…..

ngong ping 360 cable car station - closed

ngong ping 360 cable car station – closed

we walked over to the ngong ping cable car station.

it’s at the ngong ping village side where there are several restaurants.

the station is closed as the cable car is shut down for 5 months for cable replacement.

lake-on-the-way-back-from-ngong-ping2lake-on-the-way-back-from-ngong-ping

they increase the bus trips, we think, since the cable car is shut down.

there was a long queue but it didn’t take long to get onto a bus, less than 10mins i think.

on the way back we passed by the shek pik reservoir, i think. :-p

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha, completed in 1993, and located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island,

Tian Tan Buddha,aka Big Buddha, completed in 1993, and located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island,

it was a wonderful excursion for my friends and me. great time to spend an afternoon, weather was good though foggy & not clear sky to look into the distance.

after returning to citygate at tung chung, we had a refreshing drink & rest stop at TeaWood Taiwanese Cafe & Restaurant 茶木‧台式休閒餐廳.

then we took the mtr back to prince edward & went to enjoy a really wonderful shiok beef brisket noodles at牛棚粉麵專家 at fa yuen street.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tian Tan Buddha aka Big Buddha 天坛大佛 @ Ngong Ping

Access:

MTR to tung chung station, then Bus 23 to big buddha

 

 

Refreshing Drink @ TeaWood Taiwanese Cafe & Restaurant 茶木‧台式休閒餐廳 at Tung Chung on Day3 – 22Feb2017

mixed fruit sago dessert @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chun

mixed fruit sago dessert @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chung

after a fun afternoon at tian tan buddha aka big buddha at ngong ping, we took the bus back to tung chung mtr station & walked around citygate.

teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chun

teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chung

there was this teawood taiwanese cafe. we decided to take an afternoon drink & rest stop. 🙂

coffee @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chun

drink @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chung

a friend stick to his coffee.

another friend had the drink above. couldn’t recall what it was?

yam slush with red beans @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chun

yam slush with red beans @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chung

another friend took a yam slush with red beans, quite interesting & not bad. i like every red bean dish. a bit heavy though.

honey lemon drink @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chun

honey lemon drink @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chung

i took a honey lemon drink, came with lots of slush ice as well.

honey lemon drink @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chun

honey lemon drink @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chung

drink was not too sweet, felt a bit dilute, nothing particularly special.

mixed fruit sago dessert @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chun

mixed fruit sdessert @ teawood 茶木 cafe at tung chung

we ordered a mixed fruit dessert to share. it came with also red beans, and black jelly, aloe vera etc, quite refreshing, ok dessert.

it was a good refreshing rest stop yes. not particularly attracted to the drinks here, just another cafe.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++

TeaWood Taiwanese Cafe & Restaurant 茶木‧台式休閒餐廳 

Opening Hours:
daily – 10:00am – 11:00pm

Braised Sutchi Fillet – 30th Teban Gardens Community Breakfast on 3Mar2017

braised sutchi fillet

braised sutchi fillet 

i did braised sutchi fillet for teban gardens community breakfast this morning on 3.3.2017. ^^

this my 30th friday breakfast community meal at teban gardens community service centre.

i first started doing a community meal dish for teban gardens CSC on 8.1.2016.

the centre was started in 2002 after much effort & challenge by our RI friend who is a pastor of pasir panjang hill brethren church (pphbc) which owns & runs the CSC.

braised sutchi fillet

braised sutchi fillet 

i used 12 fillets = 2x1kg packets of frozen sutchi fish plus 2 pieces from from a 3rd packet. each fillet can serve about 8pax, so 96pax.

it was a large quantity so i cooked in 2 batches.

normally i will steam the fish. however it is difficult to dry the fish in such quantities. & this suthi fillet releases a lot of water so will dilute the taste of the soy sauce.

i washed the fillet with salt to clean & remove the mud taste a bit. sutchi is cat fish so will still have mud taste.

then spread them out on a roasting rack & left them in the fridge overnight to dry a bit.

in the morning, i prepared quite a lot of chopped spring onions & sliced ginger, & cut 1 chilli padi. fried them in 4 tbsp olive oil.

then added 1/2 the fish = 6 large fillets. added 4 tbsp light soy sauce & 4 tbsp mirin, then boil, lower fire & cover to cook the fish & reduce the braising liquid, about 10mins.

then i removed the cooked fillets, reduced the liquid further & added the next batch of 6 fillets & repeated.

i removed the fillets & placedthem in an aluminium tray in a 50degC oven to keep warm, leaving the sauce/braising liquid in the wokpan.

when leaving for teban gardens, i heat the braising liquid & sppon some over the fillets, then covered with aluminium foil & brought it to teban gardens.

a simple dish to make. not quite my most preferred preparation, just a practical way to prepare in large quantities.

c.h.e.f andy

Wonderful Beef Noodles @ 牛棚粉麵專家on Day3 – 22Feb2017

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

it was 5.30pm + when we returned to prince edward mtr station after a nice drink & rest at the taiwanese teawood cafe tung chun.

one friend wanted to go for late hotpot dinner so we decided to have a bite & really craving beef brisket noodles.

the beef brisket noodles at Lin Kee 联记面家 opposite our hotel metropark was ok but they do not sell innards 牛杂 & the taste not entirely what i was craving for.

ngau pang 牛棚 beef brisket noodles

ngau pang 牛棚 beef brisket noodles

we passed by ngau pang 牛棚 at fa yuen street on the Day 1 on 20.2.2017, and didn’t have difficulty finding it again.

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

the 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝 looked impressive.

noodle menu @ ngau pang 牛棚

noodle menu @ ngau pang 牛棚

we all ordered it.

i think it was like HK$38.

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

the broth was supremely good. smell was good. taste was good.

noodles was qq & perfectly for me. a friend ordered hor fun. very nice no doubt but for me it is noodles.

i think  Lin Kee 联记面家 version is clear broth 清汤牛腩. it was good too, but this strong intensive broth is also something that makes it attarctive for me.

this came with good helping of beef stomach, lung, tendons & brisket. brisket a bit less since many other items. if i take again i want to take just the briskets.

fried chicken wings @ ngau pang 牛棚

fried chicken wings @ ngau pang 牛棚

friend ordered one fried chicken wing to share.

good also, but this can get anywhere.

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

ngau pang 牛棚 beef 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝

i am still relishing this 3 treasures noodles 牛三宝. too bad didn’t get to take it one more time.

good also la then the craving will be there.

maybe i will try to make it again.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

牛棚粉麵專家

OK Dinner @ Ming Court Restaurant 明棧燒味餐廳 on Day3 – 22Feb2017

ming court restaurant - 1/4 roast goose drumstick

ming court restaurant – 1/4 roast goose drumstick

after some rest, chit chat in the hotel rooms & stuff, we walked over to portland street to look at the hotpot restaurant.

i think it was 正冬火锅料理but can’t be sure. place looked crammed & messy. there was some 40% discounts?? after 10pm. we decided to look around a bit.

ming court restaurant 明栈

ming court restaurant 明栈

the next day we were getting up early to climb dragon’s back, so did not want to go too far.

decided to try the roast goose across the street from our metropark hotel, a ming court restaurant 明栈.

ming court restaurant 明栈

ming court restaurant 明栈

it was nearing 10pm. the roast looked ok, finishing anyway.

we ordered a 例regular serving, and chose the drumstick quarter.

roast goose was good, flavourful,maybe better than tao heung but not as good as yat lok.

char siew @ ming court restaurant

char siew @ ming court restaurant

friend ordered the char siew.

another friend & i didn’t think the char siew in hong kong is great.

char siew @ ming court restaurant

char siew @ ming court restaurant

but this was pretty good for me. importantly, the meat was tender. my other friend prefers the very charred type so he was just so so with the char siew. this was good enough for me la…

braised goose wings & feet @ ming court restaurant

braised goose wings & feet @ ming court restaurant

the goose wings & feet, nothing much to eat leh…didn’t consider this good at all.

steamed mullet @ ming court restaurant

steamed mullet @ ming court restaurant

steamed mullet with some black beans. it was a bit salty.

i pushed aside the black bean paste. not the best dish & not the teochew chilled mullet preparation, but i ok with it la.

poached kailan @ ming court restaurant

poached kailan @ ming court restaurant

poached kailan was good. always enjoy vegetables in hong kong.

ming court restaurant - 1/4 roast goose drumstick

ming court restaurant – 1/4 roast goose drumstick

dinner was very average, mediocre, some friends commented the poorest dinner, quite agree too.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mediocre to Poor Dimsum @ One Dimsum 一点心 on Day3 – 22Feb2017

one dimsum 一点心

one dimsum 一点心

after our morning excursion to mui kee congee 妹記生滾粥品

& then polo bun 菠萝包 @ hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅

the 3 of us got back to metropark hotel. our friend was up & about after catching up on his sleep & as planned, we were ready to try out the dimsum breakfast at one dimsum 一点心.

one dimsum 一点心 opens at 11am, and there was a queue outside at the opening time. on 20.2.2017 when we first arrived hong kong, we did not want to wait. today we decided gave it a try.  we were 4pax & waited about 15mins, not too bad.

i had many consistently great dimsum at timhowan at shamshuipo, most recently during my last trip a year ago with my RI friends on 13.1.2016.

shamshuipo is just one stop from our hotel metropole near prince edward mtr. this time though i thought we giveone dimsum 一点心 a try first since it is also one michelin star.

it was a big disappointment though!

one dimsum 一点心 menu

one dimsum 一点心 menu 

the usual dimsum menu. not a big place. it’s crowded, but turnover is fast.

jasmine tea 水仙

jasmine tea 水仙

we had jasmine tea.

steamed pork ribs 蒸排骨

steamed pork ribs 蒸排骨 

the 2 good items here were thesteamed pork ribs 蒸排骨, and the steamed chicken feet 蒸凤爪.

steamed pork ribs 蒸排骨

steamed pork ribs 蒸排骨 

it was competent, & no different from other good dimsum places.

steamed chicken feet 蒸凤爪

steamed chicken feet 蒸凤爪 

likewise steamed chicken feet 蒸凤爪 was good too.

siew mai 烧卖

siew mai 烧卖 

siew mai 烧卖 was also pretty ok, though i have had better ones.

fried carrot cake

fried carrot cake 

& so the fried carrot cake.

all these were ok dimsum, no better than any of canton paradise, imperial treasure, crystal jade etc in singapore.

beef balls牛圆

beef balls牛圆 

the beef balls牛圆 not my preferred type of dimsum, a lot of starch.

very poor cheong fen 肠粉

very poor cheong fun 肠粉 

surprisingly, the cheong fun was really poor. skin was thick, not smooth, and the drizzling sauce not as tasty as many other places.

eg we had much better cheong fun 肠粉 at dimdimsum 点点心  at 112 tung choi street 通菜街 on our Day1 -20,2,2017. just look at the photo.

& just look at the photo of tim ho wan shamshuipo’s  liver fun cheong.

that’s the kind of skin you should have, and the drizzling sauce, an important ingredient, was also tasty & not too sweet.

tripes 牛百叶

tripes 牛百叶

i ordered the tripes 牛百叶. it was ok, texture was good, taste of gravy was ok too, not outstanding.

steamed fupijuan 蒸腐皮卷

steamed fupijuan 蒸腐皮卷 

the steamed fupijuan 蒸腐皮卷  was mediocre. i have taken a lot better ones.

fried fupijuan 炸腐皮卷

fried fupijuan 炸腐皮卷 

apparently that was mistaken, my friend had ordered the fried ones. so the restaurant served us the ffried fupijuan 炸腐皮卷, no hassle. that was a great gesture.

lor mai guy 糯米饭

lor mai guy 糯米饭 

my friend also ordered lor mai guy 糯米饭. the rice was a bit hard. it maybe the style of preparation but certainly not the style we like.

the mini ones served in singapore where the rice is tender, moist & flavourful with sauce is a lot better than this.

i supposed dimsum here is ok…servings were huge but not fine, very 粗, and mediocre not very nice. for me, surprise they got michelin star. for me timhowan at shamshuipo was so much better.

that would be a cut above the singapore dimsum, this one here we tried today not the standard of singapore dimsum.

i wouldn’t come back here myself, so many good dimsum places in hong kong, like every other shop is good (star of canton, tao heungfu seng 富城火鍋海鮮酒家, dimdimsum & of course tim ho wan) so for me no need to come here la..

c.h.e.f andy

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Good Polo Buns with Butter 菠萝油 @ Hong Lin restaurant 康年餐厅 on Day3 – 22Feb2017

polo buns 菠萝包 @ hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅

polo buns 菠萝包 @ hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅

after mui kee congee 妹記生滾粥品, we were looking for a nice cuppa, and decided to stop by hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅.

they serve polo buns 菠萝包 like any cha chan teng 茶餐厅。 so we ordered one polo bun with butter 菠萝油 to share among 3, our other friend still catching up on his beauty sleep.

hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅

hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅 

hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅 just like any of the cha chan teng 茶餐厅.

last time i tried polo buns 菠萝包 in hong kong i didn’t really like it.

this time though it tasted pretty good. i took a quarter piece, but i think i can finish a whole bun myself. ^^

coffee @ hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅

coffee @ hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅 

the coffee was good too, no sugar & with evaporated milk, the “c” that i like.

set lunches @ hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅

set lunches @ hong lin restaurant 康年餐厅 

they have the lunch sets, chinese fast food la..

c.h.e.f andy

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