KAMPUNGBOYCITYGAL » Hong Kong

Leaf Dessert 玉葉甜品 @ Central, Hong Kong

kampungboycitygal — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:29:17 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

Tucked away on the sloppy Elgin Street, Leaf Dessert is a 100 years old premise that serves traditional Chinese desserts. It is also one of the few dai pai dongs (only 28 left!) situated around the Hong Kong island and Kowloon.

The dai pai dong which is now in its fourth generation is so well known among the locals and tourists that one needs to exercise some patience and wait!. We were there on a relatively quiet morning so the owner (I presume) instructed us to just grabbed a stool and sit down. Apart from their sweet specialties such as Red Bean Soup, Green Bean Soup, Seaweed with Green Beans, Black Sesame Soup, Sago with Coconut, and Glutinous Rice Balls with Sugar, Coconut and Sesame; we spotted the locals indulging in some other noodles dishes.

We ordered the famous Rice Ball with Sugar Coconut Sesame (糖不甩 HK$8) which looks a lot like our mua chi. However, the rice balls were being served differently from mua chi – it was hot, soft and chewy with a generous amount of shredded coconut+sugar+sesame sprinkles. It’s a winning combination, just like apples simmered with cinnamons, or warm brownies with vanilla ice cream. Must try!

The Green Bean Soup (HKD too, is very different from our version. It is flavoured with stinky grass 臭草, a type of Chinese herb which despite the name is not stinky at all. It can release excessive toxic heat and clears up acnes. The soup is served together with barley and seaweed as well. Very refreshing, and healthy too!

Not too far off from Leaf Dessert is where Sing Heung Yuen is situated. It is one of the most highly rated dai pai dong in HK that serves up simple and wholesome local fare such as beef noodles with tomato soup and toasts.

However, the queue was so long that it will take at least an hour for us to get a seat. Maybe next time?

Leaf Dessert
2 Elgin Street, SOHO, Central
中環蘇豪伊利近街2號
Opens daily from 12:30pm – 00:30am
Tel: +852-2544 3795
Openrice Page here

Sing Heung Yuen
2 Mee Lun St (near Gough St), Central,
Opens daily from 8am-5:30pm.
Tel: +852 2544 8368
Openrice Page here

Explore Hong Kong Island for only HKD 2! (Part I)

kampungboycitygal — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:06:18 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

Did you know that tram is one of the cheapest ways to see Hong Kong Island? A journey costs only HKD 2 and you just need to pay as you leave the tram. You can pay with coins or just tap on your octopus card.

Running along the northern side of Hong Kong Island for 16km between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating the Happy Valley racecourse, the tram network is excellent.

Tram ride is an excellent way to see Hong Kong and I find the whole experience really enjoyable. During peak hour, we were packed like sardines into the tram, along with the locals. However, people come and go so we secured our seats in a short while.

If you are interested in doing the same, refer to HK Tramway’s official webpage here. Another page that I found useful is this website where you can follow the tram route to explore some of the best Hong Kong’s culture and culinary experiences recommended by local celebrity Craig Au Yong.

WANCHAI

We began our journey at Wan Chai, which has evolved from a fishing village into the most famous district in Hong Kong. We took a stroll along the open-air stalls in the Tai Yuen Street Market, where the locals do their daily marketing here. It was followed by a brief visit to the Blue House, a preserved Grade-I heritage site that is home to a community museum and a handful of long-time residents.

Wan Chai Post Office

It was built in 1915 and now a resource centre. The letter pigeon holes are still preserved.

We seek out for a bright blue building as we alighted at Queen’s Road East.

It is known as Blue House (藍屋) and was built before the war as a community medical centre.

After the 1920s, it was converted into a four-storey residential building, then in the 50s and 60s, Kung Fu master Wong Fei Hung’s student, Lam Sai Wing, and his nephew launched their Kung Fu studio here.

Now the Blue house is home to the Wan Chai Livelihood Museum where visitors can experience the old-time living quarters of the locals.

The Blue House is also one of the few remaining examples of Tong Lau of the balcony type in Hong Kong and is classified as Grade I historic building.

Information source: here & here

Another Tong Lau , the Yellow House, which sits on Hing Wan Street behind the ‘Blue House’ of Stone Nullah Lane.

outside Wan Chai market

Discover the hustle and bustle, sights and sounds of Wan Chai’s street market.

We also dropped by the famed local toy street, Tai Yuen Street. Lined on each side of the street are some toy shops but we were not too interested. We were distracted by these pretty fresh (and artificial) flowers and ended up at a local boutique shop eventually.

Our Wan Chai trail ended with a light breakfast at Honolulu, a 40 years old establishment in Wanchai that serves up typical Cha Chan Teng fare. It is also a place where you can find people from all walks of life itching their scratch for milk tea, toasts and pork chop rice. Read more about the flaky crust egg tart (酥皮蛋撻) that boasts of 192 layers from our previous post.

How do you like my Hong Kong “Heritage Trail”? Central trail and Sheung Wan trail coming up next!

Fung Shing Restaurant & Famous Gai Dan Zai @ North Point, HK

kampungboycitygal — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 06:09:57 +0000

Towards the end of our trip in HK, Ivy and I spent some good time venturing North Point due to the fact that we stayed at Grand Harbour Hotel (got a good deal for this 5 star hotel, that’s a post for another day) the night before. North Point ((北角) is the most northerly point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay. It is also a busy neighbourhood with plenty of good food.

We started our morning early and got to Duck Shing Ho to get some famous egg roll. It was around 9.45 am and we spotted a long queue formed outside already! My friend told me that normally the egg rolls are sold out by noon! Remember to call and make a reservation to avoid disappointment.

德成號 Duck Shing Ho
北角渣華道64號地下
G/F., 64 Java Raod, North Point
Tel: 2570 5529/2571 5049
Opening Hour: Mon to Sat 930am to 700pm
Open Rice page here

By the time we queued and waited for our turn and finally got ourselves 9 big boxes of egg rolls, it was 1030am! We proceeded the street next door to Fung Shing, a Shunde restaurant specialises in Shunde cuisine and some good ol’ traditional dim sum.

Stir Fried Fresh Milk with Egg Whites, Shrimp and Pine Nuts 大良炒鲜奶 is one of their specialties but Fung Shing is only offering dim sum for the morning session.

Yum Cha (literally means ‘drink tea’) is a ‘must try’ dining experience in HK, so here we are. I think that this place is much less chaotic than their famous counterpart Tim Ho Wan and Lin Heung Lao.

So instead of having carts of dim sum pushed around, they gave us a menu/card on which we would fill out indicating the items you want. Fung Shing is also running a promotion on all small and medium sized dim sum – HKD 12 (RM 4.80) per portion. That’s even cheaper than some of the dim sum restaurants here in KL!

Fung Shing is filled with local people having dim sums, so it’s definitely a good sign for me.

We had quite a variety of dim sum; so let me rank them from best to good to mediocre.

Ma Lai Kou 马来糕. The best that one could ever get – warm, light, fluffy and not too sweet.

Char Siu Pastry 叉烧酥. A tender, buttery pastry holds the sweet, succulent cha siu filling.

Beancurd Roll with Superior Soup 高汤鲜竹卷

Har Gao 虾饺.

Fen Guo 粉果.

Siu Mai 烧卖

Steamed Milk Pudding – Yi Shun’s version is far better.

鳳城酒家 Fung Shing Restaurant
G/F & 1/F, Goldfield Mansion, 62-68 Java Road, North Point
Branches: Tsim Tsa Tsui, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, etc
Open Rice page here.

Our eating spree did not stop here! We took the tram to King’s Road just for some crunchy version of Egg Puff Waffle aka Gai Dan Zai (北角雞蛋仔)!

Photos of celebrating trying their gai dan zai and magazine article featuring them were plastered all over the place.

Cispy on the outside and hollow inside, the gai dan zai (HKD 15) is filled with wonderful eggy aroma. It was great fun to snap the little balls one by one and pop it into our mouths.

View Larger Map
勁辣派甜甜掌門(北角雞蛋仔)
北角英皇道492號
492 King’s Road, North Point
Branches: Tsim Tsa Tsui, Wan Chai, etc
Open Rice page here

That concludes our last day in HK ;(

If you like my HK travel posts, remember to click on my 2009 trip and 2010 trip.

World’s First Starbucks “Bing Sutt” 冰室@ Duddel Street, Hong Kong

kampungboycitygal — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 01:09:22 +0000

When in Hong Kong, one should visit a “bing sutt” in Mong Kok or Yau Ma Tei to get a slice of old Hong Long. My top pick is Mido Cafe, an old, rustic place with more than 40 years in history. However, if your coffee addiction kicks in, go to Starbucks “Bing Sutt” at Duddell Street. It is the world’s first as Starbucks have collaborated with Douglas Young’s G.O.D to create a concept coffee space. 冰室/”Bing Sutt”, which literally means ice room is the coffeehouse back in the 1950’s through to the 1970’s.

Duddell Street in Central, Hong Kong is famous for its four gas-powered street lamps. These street lamps are still powered by town gas. And to get to Starbucks “Bong Sutt”, one has to climb those flight of stairs. Duddell Street Steps and Gas Lamps are declared monuments of Hong Kong.

antique gas-operated street lamps

view from the steps

As we pushed through the door to Starbucks, we were instantly attracted by the meticulous attention to details – the old school blinds, the dusty old fans, folding chairs, birdcages, small tiled floors, old radios, old-school electric switches, adapters and the likes.

The drinks menu is basically the same, but Starbucks has incorporate some cha-chan-teng favourites such as egg tarts and polo buns. Yes, you can have your egg tarts with with a tall cup of Frappuccino!

merchandises for sale

Let’s take a nostalgic walk down memory lane at Starbucks Duddell Street!

Starbucks + Bing Sutt
Shop M2, Mezzanine Floor
Baskerville House
13 Duddell Street, Central

Hong Kong 2010 Day 1: Harbour City, Heritage 1881, Paul Lafayet French Pastries & Avenue of Star

kampungboycitygal — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 07:21:23 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

boarding onto a ‘Van仔’ (Van Zai)

Shopping is an integral part of travel so we just have to make our way to Tsim Tsa Tsui to indulge in some retail therapy. With Harbour City, Heritage 1881, SOGO and the many retailers along Peking Road, Nathan Road and Cameron Road all located within a radius of few hundred meters, Tsim Tsa Tsui is truly a shopper’s paradise.

sexy car wash?

Harbour City

Harbour City is the biggest shopping mall in Hong Kong. Having to learn our painful lesson of spending way too much time and moolah in there last year; I tried to avoid the mall like the plague. With my favourite food hall City Super and various other mid range clothing lines in there, I raise my hand in the pledge that shopping in Harbour City can be dangerous.

And so we made a detour to Heritage 1881, a Former Marine Police Headquarters that has recently been rejuvenated and re-integrated as a high-end shopping site.

Heritage 1881 is such a beautiful place to spend a cool day walking around and not buying anything, simply because I can’t afford anything from these big name – Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Piaget, etc.

The building is designed to a unique Victorian Colonial architectural style so it is a good place to cam-whore!

K11 mall

After walking for about 2 hours or so, we found a place to rest our weary feet – Paul Lafayet at K11 mall.

Having only opened its doors in February 2010, Paul Lafayet by Tony Younes has enjoyed great success and popularity. Known as THE place to go for French pastries, Paul Lafayet takes pride in their creations – they use only high quality of imported ingredients with no artificial flavourings or preservatives.

The window displays with all the beautiful colorful cakes and macarons had an instant appeal. It was so enticing that we press our nose against the glass eagerly, we picked our dessert selection for the day.

Creme Brulee is also one of their best-sellers that one shouldn’t miss. Upon placing order, the staff caramelised it with a blowtorch in front of us. The Creme Brulee with perfect caramelized top was so smooth, rich and creamy! Oh I love creme brulee and I love how they made it with real vanilla beans, not vanilla essence!You can actually bring home the clay ramekin too. But for whatever weird reason it is, we did not!

Chocolate Blueberry Dome came next. Layered with blueberry, chocolate mousse and thin sponge cake and coated with a chocolate shell, it was out of this world! I love the sweet and tangy combination that blueberries add to the cake, very refreshing!

*All their cakes are priced at HK$40 per piece and macarons at HK$15 per piece.

We by tradition pare the coffee with the end of our lovely meal (if that counts as meal). =)

Paul Lafayet Patisserie Francaise
Website : http://www.paullafayet.com/
Address : G23, G/F, K11, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Branch : G13, G/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3586 9621/ 3586 9631, 3421 1982
Opens daily from 1230 noon to 11pm

When in Hong Kong, one thing you must not miss is the beautiful Hong Kong night view. Take a tram up to the peak or go to the Avenue of Stars located along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui. More than 100 actors – both living and dead – were honored along the Avenue of Stars.

One can enjoy A Symphony of Lights along the Avenue of Stars every night at 8pm. This spectacular multimedia show, named the world’s largest permanent light and sound show by Guinness World Records, combines lights and narration while featuring more than 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. The facades of buildings are decked out in lights that, at the flick of a switch, glow in a myriad of colours depicting Hong Kong’s dynamic pulse. The show lasted for about 10 minutes and it was spectacular!

One of the perks of traveling to Hong Kong late last year is that it coincides with the BIG SOGO SALES! Longchamp le pliage handbag for RM 230, CK jeans for RM 250, SK II skin care at 30% off and many many more! The shopping can be very rewarding and exciting if you manage to beat the crowd, which we did!

Hui Lao Shan’s mango dessert for supper

Our haul of the day =)

德成號 Duck Shing Ho – Definitely The Best Egg Roll in Hong Kong

kampungboycitygal — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:20:30 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

Gong Xi Fa Cai my dear readers! Chinese New Year is the time to feast and binge on all the sweet goodies and one of my favourite festive cookies is the Egg Roll! During my recent trip to Hong Kong, I managed to get myself some to-die-for egg rolls from Duck Shing Ho. It is located just next door to the famous Fung Shing Chinese Restaurant where we had our dimsum earlier.

We got there around 9.45 am and there was already a long queue formed outside! My friend told me that normally the egg rolls are sold out by noon! If you think that is crazy, just read on and you’ll be surprised.

Apart from the original flavor, Duck Shing Ho is offering egg rolls with butter or coconut too.

It was only late November, and they have stopped taking orders for Christmas and Chinese New Year! Which means that patrons can only resume buying after mid February!!

Furthermore, the prices of the egg rolls aren’t exactly cheap. It costs around RM 20+ for 1 lbs (about 453 grams).

We have to first queue up to pay. From there, the store owner issued us a receipt and holding it, we joined another long line to collect our goodies.

old school tin containers

Finally our effort have paid off! We left the store absolutely happy, with both our hands full with tins of egg rolls. We hand carried the all nine tins of egg rolls onto the plane and the egg rolls inside stayed intact! This is because each egg roll were rolled into many, many layers so the end product was thick enough to weather any “external forces”.

source

The egg roll does live up to its fame! The handmade egg rolls were thick, and beehive web effect on the skin is enticing. Doesn’t this reminds you of taro puff (wu kok)? Taste wise, it is definitely much better than some of the commercial names out there. It was so crispy to the point that it shattered once you sink your mouth onto it. The original egg roll has a light egg-y flavor to it and it was not too sweet. The coconut flavored egg roll is sweeter, with a hint of coconut taste.

德成號 Duck Shing Ho
北角渣華道64號地下
G/F., 64 Java Raod, North Point
Tel: 2570 5529/2571 5049
Opening Hour: Mon to Sat 930am to 700pm
Open Rice page here

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel – A Night to Remember

kampungboycitygal — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:56:55 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

Our magical day does not end here…

We continue to enjoy the wonderful magic of Disney at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.

The hotel is tastefully decorated in an old world Victorian-style. The moment we stepped in, we knew immediately that we would be in for a real treat.

In the midst of the holiday season with Christmas right around the corner, the hotel is filled with warm festive atmosphere lit up with garlands, ornaments, crystals and Christmas tree.

Upon checking in with the friendly front desk staff, we were presented with a really cute access card. And the best part is? You get to keep them as souvenir!

the walk way to our room

DND because…imma shut the door behind and scream in awe!

private balcony with beautiful sea view!!

Our room is really big, especially in Hong Kong where space is a luxury! The room is big enough to fit two double bed and is perfect for a family of 4.

Can’t help it! The bed is so soft and all of the linens are so comfortable!

The room is also adorned with classy Victorian-style furniture pieces.

princess-y bedside lamp

guest service at your finger tips

souvenirs that I lugged home – Disney pen & papers!

coffee & tea making facilities

This reminds me of Chips and Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast so please allow me to sing aloud:

Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin ’round your neck, cherie
And we’ll provide the rest…….

even the bathroom mirror is so…whimsical and…dreamy? Did I tell you that the toilet comes with Jacuzzi bath tub too?

toiletries in the Seven Dwarfs packaging.

our Disney bathrobe

our Disney slippers – it says, please bring these slippers home with you as a gift from Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

awww so cute!!

We also had a very delicate lunch at Crystal Lotus, an award-winning restaurant that offers outstanding cuisine from four major culinary regions of China: Sichuan, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.

We were presented with the specially created Disney Dim Sum, only available for lunch on the weekends and public holidays.

Roasted Suckling Pig with Cucumber and Sweetened Paste in Steamed Piggy Mask Bun

Steamed Piggy Mask Bun. oink oink

Little Green Men Pork & Vegetables Bun

Little Pig Barbeque Pork Bun

Mickey’s Seafood Glutinous Pancake

Double Boiled Chicken and Conpoy (dried scallop) Soup in Petite Coconut

Wok Fried Shrimps and Disney Root Vegetables

Fried Rice with Tasmanian Crabmeat Stuffed in Whole Crab Shell

Double Boiled Whole Chinese Pear topped with Aged Mandarin Peel

It was a really good and satisfying lunch that wcan barely move after that. Beautiful presentation, exquisite combination, delicate taste; every mouthful wins me over.The next time you are here, do expect some “ooh aah” moment whenever a new course is placed before you.

It’s time to take a stroll around the hotel after such a filling lunch.

surreal isn’t it?

the Mickey Maze, designed for all ages

Breakfast Buffet at the Enchanted Garden Restaurant

The buffet selection is pretty impressive; and most of the food are kids friendly too!

first round

second round

third, fourth & fifth round! hahaha

and the highlight of meal is that the Disney Characters make a visit to our table!

All in all, we had a very good experience at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. The staffs are really nice, friendly and helpful. Our room was excellent – spacious, clean and it comes with a spectacular sea view and garden view. Not to forgot the small touches here and there, like the kid size slippers and bathrobe (so cute but I couldn’t fit in, so I wore the adult size ones). Location was excellent too, there are free shuttle buses to and from Disneyland so this a a good hotel to rest your weary feet after a long day at the theme park.

For more information on Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, visit their website here.

A Magical Day at Hong Kong Disneyland

kampungboycitygal — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 02:50:58 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

Hong Kong Disneyland

A place where the atmosphere is so magical you feel like a child again.

Thanks to HKDL, we spent magical 2D1N in Disneyland Park as well as Disneyland Resort Hotel. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is located on Lantau Island, and is accessible via an array of convenient transportation options.

We took the MTR and interchange for the Disneyland Resort Line. The Disney train is so cute complete with its Mickey Mouse handrails and windows.

Welcome to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort!

The walk from Disneyland MTR station to the park took about 15 minutes. We enjoyed the whimsical view along the way.

kawaii neh!

We are here finally!

an obligatory picture at the park entrance

Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy!

Upon entrance, we were greeted by Mickey & Minnie in their festive costume.

Happy Family

MAIN STREET USA

From Nov 19 to 2 Jan, the theme in HKDL is A Sparkling Christmas – a story book fantasy. So Main Street USA is transformed into a Christmas Town with whimsical decorations that make for great photo opportunities.

cute little elves with candy canes and presents

everyone looks so happy!

nom-ing donuts

chipmunks!

We also stepped into the pages of a Christmas Story Book at Gingerbread Village, built especially for this festive season.

Mickey’s Candy Shop!

Minnie’s boutique!

Pluto’s Gingerbread House

By 3.30pm, we were waiting anticipation for the show parade “Let It Snow”.

While everyone is waiting patiently for the parade, it started to snow! It was beautiful!

The parade is amazing; let’s look at some pictures shall we?

This year Minnie surprises Mickey with Duffy the Disney Bear whose spirit of giving magically brings toys to life. So for this Christmas season, the Possession of Toy walk happens at 630pm everyday.

Minnie has made Mickey a special toy named Duffy so he will never be lonely on his adventure. So Duffy is also HKDL’s special character this Christmas.

OMG!!

Duffy in Santa costume is so cute!

Irresistible!

TOMORROWLAND

Experience thrill and laughs in Tomorrowland!

Join Buzz Lightyear to be an Astro Blaster!

We joined in the fun of course!

We also took the Space Mountain ride. It was a thrilling experience!

Ivy looked so happy in the Orbitron space ship!

Stitch Encounter is an interactive show that lasted for 15 minutes. The interaction between Stitch and us, the audience was hilarious!

And we found 3 hidden Mickey in Tomorrowland. There are a total number of 10 hidden Mickey in the park. Just look closely…

ADVENTURELAND

It’s a different world in Adventureland, with jungle river, tribal influences and lots of greeneries.

Yay! We took the Jungle River Cruise, and our funny skipper took us to explore the waters of the jungle.

Meet Franny and hubby; a food & travel blogger from Philippines.

The cruise was of great fun.

Hainanese Chicken Rice and Lemongrass Chicken Rice lunch at the Tahitian Terrace

FANTASYLAND

We stepped through the castle door and found ourselves at Fantasyland!

Mad Hatter Tea Cup

Cinderella Carousel

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

One of my favourite shows is the The Golden Mickey Show, a broadway style musical that features the many characters of Disney.

Don’t forget to visit It’s a Small World Christmas!

Sail through an international Christmas celebration with Santa Claus and Disney characters.

We dine in at the Plaza Inn to cure our hunger pang.

We ordered the set dinner, the food was decent and we were really full by the time we finished the third course. :p

Main Street USA is beautifully lit up at night.

The holiday season is an especially beautiful time at Disneyland. The Christmas spirit is in the air!

The Sleeping Beauty Castle by night

Remember to stay for the Disney in the Stars fireworks at 8pm. Synchronised to the music of famous Disney films, the fireworks line up is pretty impressive.

We had the whole street to ourselves after 9pm, when the crowd slowly left the park.

We have plenty of time to kill because we are staying in at the Disneyland Resort Hotel!

It was already my third time to HKDL but everytime there are new surprises and new features waiting to be discovered. As Walt Disney said himself, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

HKDL itself is magical; even the staffs are so amiable, friendly and cheerful. It is a fun place for all ages!

Eat Drink Hong Kong 2010 – Trip Report

kampungboycitygal — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:46:50 +0000

Hong Kong	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Breakfast		Australia Dairy Co., Jordan	Café de Coral, Kowloon	Disneyland Resort Hotel	Fung Shing Dim Sum , North Point
Morning	Arrival @ 10.15 am	Wanchai -Wanchai Post Office -Wanchai Blue House -Wanchai Wet Market -Tai Yuan St (Toy Street)	Elements, Kowloon	HK Disneyland	Duck Shing Ho Egg Roll, North Point
Lunch	Bon Bon Cafe, Tai Kok Tsui	Honolulu Coffee Shop, Wanchai Tsim Tsai Kei, Central	Crystal Lotus, Disneyland Resort Hotel	Tahitian Terrace, HK Disneyland	North Point Gai Dan Zai
Afternoon	Tsim Tsa Tsui -Harbour City -Heritage 1881 -SOGO sale	Sheung Wan -Western Market -Ladder St & Man Mo Temple -Lascar Row (Antique Street) -Bonham Strand West & East (Dry Seafood Street) -Wing Lok St (Ginseng & Bird's Nest Street)	HK Disneyland	Ngong Ping 360 Tian Tian Buddha	North Point walkabout
Tea	Paul Lafayet, Tsim Tsa Tsui	Leaf Desserts, Central
Evening	Avenue of Stars A Symphony of Lights	Central -SOHO Street Party -Pottinger Street, Central -Duddell Street, Central (old school Starbucks) Causeway Bay -SOGO sale -Crumbs Frozen Yoghurt	HK Disneyland	Citygate Outlet Mall	Departure 5.45pm
Dinner	Macau Tsui Yuen Cafe, Mongkok Hui Lao Shan, Mongkok	Relative's Place	Plaza Inn, HK Disneyland	Chiu Chao (Teochew) Dinner
Stay	Cosmo Kowloon Hotel	Cosmo Kowloon Hotel	Disneyland Resort Hotel	Grand Harbour Hong Kong

We just came back from our Hong Kong trip! It was my third time to Hong Kong but the city never ceases to surprise and inspire me. Together with Ivy, we’ve had some great meals, met some great people and did quite a lot of shopping (look away in guilt).

Here’s a roundup of where we’ve been and what we have gulped down. Detailed posts will be followed shortly, just like our HK Trip in year 2009. Scroll down and enjoy the pictures!

#1 Cosmo Kowloon Hotel – our accommodation for Day 1 & Day 2

Address: 88 Tai Kok Tsui Road, Kowloon.

http://www.cosmokowloon.com.hk/

#2 awesome “che zai min” (little cart noodles) at Bon Bon Café, Tai Kok Tsui

車品品小食 Bon Bon Café
大角咀埃華街92號
92 Ivy Street, Tai Kwok Tsui, Kowloon.
Operating Hours: Tues – Fri 13:00-16:00; 18:00-23:30; Sat – Sun: 13:30-17:00; 18:30-23:30; closed on Monday

#3 indulge in some retail therapy at Harbour City and around Tsim Tsa Tsui

Address: 3 – 27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

#4 Heritage 1881

#5 Heritage 1881 is the Former Marine Police Headquarters that has recently been rejuvenated and re-integrated as a high-end shopping site in Hong Kong.

Address: No. 2A, Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

#6 Dome Chocolate & Crème Brûlée from Paul Lafayet Patisserie

Paul Lafayet
尖沙咀河內道18號K11購物藝術館G23舖
Shop G23, K11, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
Operating Hours: open daily from 12:30pm – 23:00pm

#7 A Symphony of Light, Tsim Tsa Tsui

#8 SOGO sale, Tsim Tsa Tsui

Address: 12 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

#9 Farmer’s Bun Pork’s Neck Curry at Mongkok Cooked Food Centre

澳門翠苑茶餐廳
旺角上海街557號旺角熟食中心2樓8號舖
Shop 8, 2/F, Cooked Food Market, Mong Kok Complex, 557 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok
Operating Hours: open daily from 7am to 11pm

#10 Sampler mango platter from Hui Lao Shan, everywhere in HK

DAY 2

#11 Australia Dairy Co revisit

Australia Dairy Company 澳洲牛奶公司
佐敦白加士街47-49號地下
47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, Hong Kong (Jordan MTR, exit C2)
Operating Hours: open daily from 730 am to 11pm .

#12 Touring Wanchai – Tai Yuen street market 太原街

#13 Touring Wanchai – Wanchai Post Office 灣仔郵便局

#14 Touring Wanchai – Wanchai Blue House 蓝屋

#15 Touring Wanchai – Honolulu Coffee Shop

Honolulu Coffee Shop
G/F & Mezz Floor, 176-178 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai
灣仔軒尼詩道176-178號地下及閣樓
Tel: 2575 1823
Open daily from 6am to 12am

#16 Touring Sheung Wan – Western Market 西港城

#17 Touring Sheung Wan – Wing Lok St (Ginseng & Bird’s Nest Street)

#18 Touring Sheung Wan – Bonham Strand West (Dry Seafood Street) 文咸西街

#19 Touring Sheung Wan – Ladder Street 樓梯街

#20 Touring Sheung Wan – Man Mo Temple文武廟

#21 Touring Sheung Wan – Lascar Row (Antique Street)

#22 Touring Central – Pottinger Street 砵典乍街

#23 It is also better known as the Stone Slabs Street (石板街) by the locals, due to the granite stone steps that form the street. Some scenes from the movies “Yesterday Once More”, “Infernal Affairs” and “Lust, Cautious” were also shot here.

#24 Touring Central -糖不甩 (glutinous balls with shredded coconut and brown sugar) from 玉葉甜品 Leaf Dessert

玉葉甜品 Leaf Dessert
中環蘇豪伊利近街2號
2 Elgin Street, SOHO, Central
Mon – Sat:12pm – 1230am

#25 Touring Central – wantan mee from 沾仔記 Tsim Chai Kee Noodle

沾仔記 Tsim Chai Kee Noodle
中環威靈頓街98號地下
Shop B, G/F Jade Centre, 98 Wellington Street, Central
Open daily from 9am to 10pm

#26 Touring Central – old school Starbucks from Duddell Street

Address: Floor M2, Baskerville House, 13 Duddell Street, Central.

#27 another round of retail therapy at Causeway Bay

#28 SOGO sales, Causeway Bay

Address: 555 Hennessy Road,Causeway Bay, HK

#29 Crumbs’ Froyo (frozen yoghurt) is the latest snack craze to hit Causeway Bay.

Crumbs
銅鑼灣景隆街8號中央樓地下1C號舖
Shop 1C, G/F, Central Mansion, 8 Cannon Street, Causeway Bay
Operating Hours: open Daily from 12pm to 1130pm

DAY 3

#30 Breakfast at Café de Coral, everywhere in HK

#31 Elements, Kowloon

#32 check into Disneyland Resort Hotel

#33 our room!

#34 great sea view from our room!

#35 having cute, delicate dim sum at Crystal Lotus, Disneyland Resort Hotel

#36 Disneyland Park experience

#37 Show Parade!

#38 Disney in the Stars fireworks

#39 6 course Chinese meal at Plaza Inn, Disneyland Park

DAY 4

#40 buffet breakfast at Enchanted Garden Restaurant, Disneyland Resort Hotel

#41 met our favourite Disney characters while having breakfast

#42 Ngong Ping 360!

#43 cable car ride

#44 crystal cable car

#45 Ngong Ping Village & Tian Tan Buddha

#46 awesomesauce Chiu Chao dinner

#47 check into Grand Harbour Hong Kong

#48 our room!

Day 5

#49 woke up really early just to get egg rolls from Duck Shing Ho

德成號 Duck Shing Ho
北角渣華道64號地下
G/F., 64 Java Raod, North Point
Tel: 2570 5529/2571 5049 call to make reservation
Operating Hours: Mon – Sat: 930am to 7pm, closed on Sunday

#50 Dim Sum at Fung Shing restaurant

鳳城酒家 Fung Shing Restaurant
北角渣華道62-68號高發大廈地下及1樓
G/F & 1/F, Goldfield Mansion, 62-68 Java Road, North Point
Operating Hours: Mon – Sun: 06:00-15:00,18:00-23:00

#51 North Point “gai dan zai” (little egg waffles)

勁辣派甜甜掌門(北角雞蛋仔)
北角英皇道492號
492 King’s Road, North Point

Operating Hours: Mon – Sun: 07:00-23:00

#52 leaving HK in a heavy heart

Farmer’s Bun @ Mongkok Cooked Food Market, Hong Kong

kampungboycitygal — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:47:28 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

The bustling region of Mongkok is one of the busiest and highly populated district in Hong Kong. Most tourists would have been to Tung Choi Street aka Ladies Street, Fa Yuen Street aka Sneakers Street and the many streets with quirky name such as Bird Street, Sai Yong Choi Street, etc.

While street snack is widely available throughout Mongkok, there is one particular Macau Portuguese food stall in the cooked food market that ignites our interest.

The food stall, nestled inside a small food court, is well-known for its curry farmer’s bun (咖喱農夫包) that comes with a myriad of fillings such as beef brisket, soft shell crab, pork chop, pork’s neck, chicken fillet, etc.

It is also a “cheap eats” gem. For only HKD 48, we got a wholesome set that consists of a Pork’s Neck Curry Farmer’s Bun, tomato soup and a tall glass of ice cold coffee. And the set is meant to be shared among two person! Not too bad for RM 20 right?

The bun was really nice, with crunchy crumbs and pillow-y soft interior. The vendor gave us a pair of disposable glove because the best way to enjoy the meal is to use our hands to tear the bun apart and dip them into the curry gravy. How thoughtful!

The pork neck was extremely tender and delicate in texture; and we really enjoyed the thick, fragrant curry gravy.

Their signature iced coffee is a thick and chilly delight, absolutely gorgeous!

Hui Lao Shan – as they always say, girls have separate separate stomach compartment dedicated to dessert

If you ever found yourself wandering around Mongkok, go to Mongkok Complex (Mongkok MRT exit C3) and look for 澳門翠苑茶餐廳 (direct translation: Macau Tsui Yuen Cafe).

澳門翠苑茶餐廳
旺角上海街557號旺角熟食中心2樓8號舖
Shop 8, 2/F, Cooked Food Market, Mong Kok Complex, 557 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok
Open daily from 7am to 11pm

Open Rice page here

Egg Tarts @ Honolulu Coffee Shop, Wanchai

kampungboycitygal — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:19:12 +0000

For our trip itinerary, please click here.

roaming the busy streets of Wanchai

I just came back from another fruitful trip to Hong Kong with my comrade, Ivy. Fruitful in terms of shopping this time, more about that later! One of our many great finds was the egg tart from Honolulu Coffee Shop.

Honolulu Coffee Shop is a 40 years old establishment in Wanchai that serves up typical Cha Chan Teng fare. It is also a place where you can find people from all walks of life itching their scratch for milk tea, toasts and pork chop rice.

No, we are not coming here for the yee min, or peanut butter toast with thick slabs of butter and condensed milk (yum). We came here for the absolute piece de resistance – flaky crust egg tart (酥皮蛋撻) that boasts of 192 layers!

count the layers with me! 1,2,3,4………192!

Fresh from the oven, these egg tarts were still warm before we shoved them into our mouths. Flaky, crispy, and light pastry enclosing a velvety smooth wobbly egg custard. How could we resist these evil little morsels?

And the secrets to flaky crust? Lards! The resulting delicious flaky crust pastry is always worth the extra calories. Tong Kee Brothers Confectionery’s egg tart is definitely on par to Honolulu’s, but Honolulu’s pastry crust is more flaky and layer-y.

The ice milk tea too, was not too bad, full of black tea aroma but it’s just not smooth enough. Lan Fong Yuen’s version of milk tea is still one notch higher. So remember to make your milk tea pilgrimage to Lan Fong Yuen, Central.

We ordered the polo bun to fulfill the minimum spending requirement (HKD 17 per person). It was the worst decision made, ever! The bun was cold and stale, and as you bite into it, it sticks in your teeth, like how bread soaks too much in water. Nothing beats Polo Yao from Kam Wah Cafe at Prince Edward!

You should only choose the egg tarts…

And avoid the polo bun at all costs!

Various fresh bake of the day on display

Someone once told me that top three egg tarts in HK can be found at Honolulu Coffee Shop, Kam Fung Restaurant and Tai Cheong Bakery.

Since most reviews in Open Rice complain about the other typical char chan teng fare available in Honolulu Coffee Shop, it is better to take away the egg tarts. As for Tai Cheong, give the egg tart a miss and go for the light as air sugary donut (沙翁). You won’t regret it! And if you have some time to spare, grab some bites at Kam Fung, Wanchai and tell me what you think about their egg tarts.

Excerpts from our Tai Cheong post:

“We got ourselves two egg tarts and another two of those much raved about donuts. In our humble opinion, while the wobbly egg centre was silky smooth, the short crust pastry shell was lackluster when compared to the flaky puff pastry version that is widely available in most dim sum joint.”

“But we found our new love at Tai Cheong bakery – the sugar coated donuts 沙翁! They were still warm before we shoved them into our mouths. Our eyes opened wide the moment after we took a bite of it. Unlike its light and fluffy western counterparts, Tai Cheong’s donuts were eggy, milky and creamy with crepe like layers beneath. You have to try it to tell the difference!”

Honolulu Coffee Shop
G/F & Mezz Floor, 176-178 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai
灣仔軒尼詩道176-178號地下及閣樓
Tel: 2575 1823
Opens daily from 6am to 12am

Branches:
-G/F, 33 Stanley St,, Central
-Area A, East Point City, 8 Chung Wa Road, Tseung Kwan O

Open Rice Page here

Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家
35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong
中環擺花街 35 號地下
Tel: 2544 3475
Opens daily 730am to 9pm

Open Rice page here

金鳳茶餐廳 Kam Fung Restaurant
G/F, Spring Garden Mansion, 41 Spring Garden Lane, Wan Chai
灣仔春園街41號春園大廈地下
Opens daily 6am to 7pm

Back from A Magical Trip in Hong Kong!

kampungboycitygal — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:53:10 +0000

Linked by CNNGO, our favourite travel site!!

kampungboycitygal — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:36:01 +0000

One of our write-ups on HK was linked by CNNGO, our favourite travel site. The article titled “45 Hong Kong sightseeing tips your guidebook won’t include” focuses on 45 local Hong Kong surprises you’ll only find if you wander off the beaten track.

One of it was “Dundas Street of sweets” and it went like this:

“Stay in Hong Kong long enough and it can feel like the streets are paved by snacks. Nearly every street corner houses a dispensary of food of some sort. The one street most preferred by sweet toothed foodies must be Dundas Street in Mongkok, which is home to the most popular streetside bubble tea and cupcakes, as well as other savory street snacks. Get stuck in the teeming, hungry crowds and test your patience waiting to be served by the snack stalls.

See blogger Kampungboycitygal’s visit”.

Thanks CNNGO!!

HK Trip Day 4: Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Specialty Shop, Race Course, Time Square, Taiyaki Hot Sandwich, Mido Café

kampungboycitygal — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:26:57 +0000

*For our HK travel itinerary, please click here*

Thanks to the economic crisis, Pui Gor, former dim sum chef of the Michelin three star Lung King Heen decided that it is the right time for him to open up a tiny and grungy dim sum restaurant in Mongkok. The piece de resistance, crispy cha siu bao is said to be the best seller (>750 in a day!). Most reviews have warned about the queue, so we got there at 10am sharp, just in time to join the already long queue.

After 20 minutes or so, we were seated at one very secluded corner with a table that can only fit two baskets of dim sum. The restaurant is really tiny, put in more than 20 people and it will literally burst.

All the dim sums were made to order, thus the waiting time can get pretty annoying. First to arrive was the traditional glutinous rice with chicken古法糯米雞. The glutinous rice was soft and chewy while the chicken pieces were well marinated. But we still preferred our lo mai kai ala the non-traditional way with mushrooms, cha siu, egg yolk, etc.

Teochew Fun Guo 潮州蒸粉果. Filled with chopped peanuts, garlic chives, ground pork, dried shrimp, dried radish and shiitake mushrooms, the fun guo is out of this world delicious! Just a bite into the wonderful crunchy filling that contrasts with the thin and chewy wrapper.

Here comes the star – crispy cha siu bao 酥皮焗叉燒包! Imagine a soft and fluffy bun with a juicy and tender char siu centre, topped with a crunchy glaze made from pork fat and sugar. Each little bite was a mouthful of heaven!

The pork ribs in black bean and chili sauce was nothing spectacular on its own. We can get a better one at home.

You have to try the cheong fun with pork’s liver豬肝腸粉 at Tim Ho Wan. The cheong fun rolls were beautifully thin and translucent. The fillings were nothing fancy, just some unadorned but plain pork’s liver. The pork’s liver was a perfect balance of crunchy and creamy in one sinful delight.

The ham siu gok (deep fried glutinous rice dumpling) was pretty amazing too. The outside was crispy while the inside is soft and chewy.

HKD 74 (RM 34) for all those food? Amazing! For the best dim sum ever on the streets of HK, Tim Ho Wan is the place to go.

添好運點心專門店
Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Expert
G/F, Phase 2, Tsui Yuen Mansion, 2-20 Kwong Wa St, Mong Kok
2332 2896.
Daily 10am-11pm.
(take exit A2 of Yau Ma Tei MRT station, its directly opposite Paradise Parade)

Next – to try our luck at Shatin Race Course (you got is right, went home empty handed T___T)

This is the place for you look out for the trait of a champion horse (broad and deep chest? good leg length and leg alignment?) before placing your bet.

It was quite an experience standing near the Shatin race track. Do some betting to give you a reason to cheer and shout as the horses are nearing the finishing line. If you are not into betting; people watching isn’t too bad either.

At Time Square Hong Kong to do some MUJI shopping.

Tea time was at this cute little kiosk called Taiyaki Crispy Hot Sandwich opposite Time Square. This Japanese dessert is shaped like a fish and baked to perfect crispness on the outside. We chose two of the savory variation (HKD 15 each) – “Italy” (tomato, cheese, sausages with pesto sauce) and “Germany” (potatoes, cheese, onion). Perfect bite on cold rainy day.

Since it has been raining all day, we traveled back to Yau Ma Tei area to have dinner at Mido Cafe. It exudes an old rustic charm reminiscent of those old cha chan teng of yesteryear. Do not freak out if it gives you the sensation of deja vu, as it has been used as a filming location for many movie productions. The signature Spare Ribs Baked Rice (HKD 48) was OK, nothing fantastic infact, but it is worth visiting for that great photo opportunities.

HK Day 3: Avenue of Stars, A Symphony of Light, Yung Kee Roasted Goose, Lan Kwai Fong

kampungboycitygal — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:35:22 +0000

For our travel itinerary, please click here. Continuing from Hong Kong Day 3 -Lan Fong Yuen @ Central, HK

H&M which offers “fashion and quality at the best price” is all over Eastern Europe but if that is something beyond reach, you can always find a H&M store in Hong Kong.

I am a happy shopper!

H&M
68 Queen’s road Central, Central
Silvercod, 30 Canton Road, Kowloon, TST

Next stop was Harbour City & H&M at Canton Road. We took the MRT from Central station to Tsim Sha Tsui Station. From there, take Exit A1 and you will pass by Jamia masjid Islamic before reaching Harbour City. Situated in the hub of Tsim Sha Tsui, Harbour City, with over 700 shops, offers a wide variety of fashion and trendy brands. Apart from that, flagship stores of different international famous brands (H&M!) are concentrated around Canton Road, across Harbour City.

How could one miss Honeymoon Dessert when in Hong Kong? There is a small kiosk of Honeymoon Dessert at the 3rd floor of Harbour City.

Originated from Sai Kong, Honeymoon has grew into a franchise business with branches all over Hong Kong and China. For some weird reason, we ordered the Banana Pancake and Taufufa with Red Bean Soup instead of their signature Mango Pomelo and Durian Pancake.

The Taufufa with Red Bean Soup was nothing to shout about but the Banana Pancake was the boom! With ripe bananas, light cream and wafer thin skin, each bite was pure bliss!

From Harbour City, we walked towards Avenue of Star. Along the way, we passed by Clock Tower, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong Space Museum and Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Clock Tower.

Avenue of Stars.

Andy Lau!

Tony Leong!

Dinner was at Yung Kee, the famous roasted goose place at Wellington Street, Central. Spanning over two/three shoplots, the whole Yung Kee empire looks terribly grand and intimidating. Yes, we gulped looking at the menu, as everything is exorbitantly priced.

Our starter was the famed century egg with woobly yolk. Together with pickled ginger, it was a delightful treat that make us forget about the hefty price tag for a while.

Our quarter portion that costs HKD 160. We were totally unprepared for the let down, as the place was being so posh and all. The skin was soft and soggy while there’s no complaints on the soft and tender meat. Is it because we walked in with high hopes of finding great food?

Total bill? HKD 260++ with rice and tea. Oooouch!

Yung Kee
32-40 Wellington Street,
Central, Hong Kong.

Drinks at Lan Kwai Fong (2 min walk from Yung Kee) before we call it a night.