the delicious culprit

Restaurant Review!

Habitut l Tsim Sha Tsui l Kowloon

I spent the evening with the always effervescent Ms. Cheng tonight and maybe it was because it was my birthday, but it finally happened. That might be a bit of a surprise to people who know me well because I seem so experienced and sure I’ve dabbled before but never to this sort of level. I can finally see what all the hoopla is about. In fact, later on in the evening I caught a whiff of it on my breath and it had me thinking about trying for seconds. Even people who read my blogs would never have guessed that I’ve never had white truffles.

I am always leery of things that seem just a little too popular. I have a belief that with all things that involve the senses, there is only a percentage of any given population that truly appreciates it and the rest of the gang is just along for the ride. Even in so called food cultures, you’ll find that this holds up. Just look at France and growth in fast food. In the case of white truffles, high prices have only served to increase demand.

I had scouted out Habitut before and even though I didn’t see any glowing reviews for the place, the menu had just the right amount of daring and subtlety that made think I’d give the place a shot. The fact that it had an actual Italian chef and a visiting Italian guest chef, made me even more willing to give them a chance. First of all, the service was truly horrendous. The waitress assumed that we were sharing and started to take our menus away the moment Caroline finished ordering. We then explained that we weren’t sharing at which point she inexplicably walked away. We had to call another waitress to get our original server back to finish our order. We had to point out everything on the menu at which point she was saying things like, “OK. The third one on the menu.” For this, the blame falls squarely on the person managing the front room. They need to make sure that the staff knows what they are serving and how to serve. They need to take responsibility for the actions of their staff and this is especially surprising given the fact that half the clientele was from abroad. This lack of support could not have been fun for the waitress either as she seemed notably uncomfortable.

But at least the kitchen knew what it was doing. I started out with a porcini stuffed ravioli with a parmesan fondue and a pumpkin puree. Placed on top was a very generous serving of white truffles sliced to wafer thin perfection. The moment they put it down in front of me, all conversation stopped. I developed tunnel vision and I seemed to have ended up in a cone of silence. That indescribable smell so permeated and took over my senses that time itself seemed to stop. Poor Ms. Cheng was afraid to talk to me I was so taken aback. And I have to say, it was a perfect combination. The porcini mushrooms were a perfect base and starting off point for the truffles by extending its earthiness. The parmesan cheese was well aged and pungent which allowed it to really push and expand the aromas while the pumpkin puree gave it much needed warmth that completed the package. After I was done, I sopped up every remnant with some bread so that nothing would be wasted.

My main course of a foie gras stuffed rack of lamb, rolled in walnuts and served with white truffles and wild mushroom was decent. The lamb was perfectly done and everything was skillfully executed. Caroline’s whole roasted Sea Bass with rosemary, though an ethical no-no, was perfectly prepared with a just cooked moistness that wasn’t overpowered by the herb stuffing.

As the white truffle season is short, I do plan to go back again for that heavenly ravioli but the question arises, do I go back in the next 5 days before the menu ends or do I wait for the new white truffle menu at the Causeway Bay location? Will the other location have a better run front room? The first thing they should do is stop putting quotation marks around the featured ingredients because it makes it look like you’re serving mock food. The “white truffle” ravioli with parmesan “fondue” was delicious; you don’t have to try to convince me that you’re not making it up.

Seafood Udon

grilled beef tongue

Restaurant Review!

Koheitsu l Causeway Bay l Hong Kong

I got the warnings about Japanese food in Hong Kong. It’s supposed to be relatively expensive and just not particularly good unless you are willing to pay hefty prices. On top of that, like many things Japanese, it’s popular as all hell here. Whenever I try to explain the quality of Japanese food back in Vancouver, I get infuriating looks of disbelief. Listen, do you see Japanese people in Hong Kong, because I don’t see many. More importantly, do you see Japanese people actually preparing the food? That’s a definite no.

I decided to give Koheitsu a try based on a strong recommendation from Dolars and the did menu looked promising. It had a decent selection and it got be really excited as I hadn’t had Japanese food in months. I drew a chorus of protests from Dolars and Caroline who were appalled with the amount of food I was ordering.

Koheitsu is a private kitchen opened and run by an ex-Hong Kong TV celebrity who spent some time in Japan and wanted to bring some of it back to Hong Kong. The room was intimate and the staff was especially helpful. When the food arrived, it all looked pretty good.

First up, a pumpkin salad that was sort of like a cold mash potato salad. It lacked the mayonaised / thousand island creaminess that you might expect and instantly made me miss of Guu’s pumpkin korokke. The grilled beef tongue with a side of Japanese mustard was very well done. It had that nice bounce and bite that you expect when it’s perfectly grilled. The sashimi was surprisingly good although once again, I am not a fan of the shrimp sashimi but there was a nice selection. The grilled steak looked excellent and it was perfectly grilled but it had a miso teriyaki sauce that just couldn’t decide what it wanted to be. The soy sauce flavor was just too strong and it ended up tasting more Chinese then Japanese. Close but not quite there. The grilled eggplant was bland and lacked the sweet notes that you get with a nice grilling. The shrimp tempura roll had rice that was over vinegered so that it was more suited for battera than sushi and the avocado wasn’t ripe. Miso grilled black cod was over grilled so you came away with a rough flakiness instead of the buttery smoothness that you should get from black cod. An udon with wondrous seafood soup base was excellent though very Cantonese tasting though the toasted salmon rice cakes with daikon pickles was a good way to end the meal.

I think that the thought process and ideas are all there but the execution is just a little off. The flavors just aren’t Japanese but I have to give them credit for what they are trying to do. They are trying to be authentic. I think that they have an honest desire here, they just might need to go back to Japan for a bit for a refresher.

Almost perfect...
For Cdn, divide by 7...that's cheap!

Restaurant Review!

Ikea l Shatin l Kowloon

It was kind of funny. I was at the Ikea in Kowloon Bay a few weeks ago and I suddenly started craving Swedish meatballs. Who can say no to some meatballs in gravy, new potatoes, and lingonberry jam? They only had the hot dogs and soft serve at this location and the other three that I subsequently visited.

One day, while I was perusing the unassailable cannons of wikipedia, I came upon an article purporting that the flagship location in Shatin held an honest to god full on Ikea Restaurant. Seeing that I had some work to do their later that day, I made it a point to stop in for an early dinner.

After dropping off some parcels with a client, I turned towards the Ikea parkade and almost swerved onto the sidewalk. Right by the entrance was a picture of a chef and the words “Swedish Meatballs, $20.” I parked the car and worked my way through the displays at breakneck speed. It was late in the afternoon in that gray time between tea time and dinner so the place was quite empty. There they were, piled high in a pan staying warm in a steam tray. I waited patiently while the cook went to fetch a meal for a coworker which involved an insane amount of cream sauce over something that the two of them kept giving each other looks over. He was gone for an awfully long time so maybe the less said about it the better. American cheesecake rounded off my dinner choice along with a nice cup of coffee.

Meatballs smothered in gravy, tinged with a bit of lingonberry jam has that perfect salty, rich, tart, and sweet combination. The taste of boiled new potatoes both cleanses the palate and smoothes out the richness. The coffee was freshly ground and strong. I always like it when a place stands its ground a bit and chooses to walk the path of own its vision where it educates instead of compromises. I know its just Ikea and I know its just meatballs but I think this sort of lesson is important.

I dug into my American cheesecake and came back with…bland. You could barely taste the cheese and the cake itself was fluffy and airy. This is what is called a “light” cheesecake. This is a cake I despise. Listen, its cheesecake. Its suppose to taste like cheese. It’s suppose to be bold, not this neutered half cake that will never know the joy of conceiving flavor. I’m not saying this because I dislike local preferences; it’s the principle of not letting the vision water down so that you can reach a wider audience. Should I get upset that Ngau Kee doesn’t make their beef fried noodles like everyone else? No. Do I get upset when the strangely hot gangster boss lady with her cheesy Scorpio with roses tattoo gets ticked at a table of foul mouthed dock workers for swearing too much? Of course not. The day will come when she will hoist her rusty cleaver in the air like a shining beacon of Camelot and rally her loyal crew around her and I will be the first to flip my table over and join her with my folding stool cudgel for lust fears no sacrifice and mediocrity bears no champions.

you want lights? we got lights!
yeah, there's some weird marketing campaign too

Restaurant Review!

McDonald’s l Sham Shui Po l Kowloon

Really it makes sense to do a bit of a talk about McDonald’s. What you may not realize is that McDonald’s all around the world serve different food and sometimes even the standby regulars taste a bit different.

My big disappointment is the fact that north American McDonald’s serve baked pies while they are still deep fried in Asia and Europe. Let me tell you, it makes a big difference. The filling is piping hot while the pastry is crunchy with little crisp blisters on them. What’s nice about Hong Kong is they are always coming out with limited edition pies to try out so once I found out they had a banana pie, I scrambled to check it out.

Sham Shui Po is an area of Kowloon which is an older neighborhood and a little bit on the run down side. What they do have going for them is a great night market that sells the unbeatable combination of spare electronics parts and second hand porn mags. There is also Golden Shopping Center (aka Golden Shower) where they sell tons of computers, games, and books. It’s taken a tragic slide of late as most of its business use to be for pirated software but with crackdowns, it’s lost much of its appeal. Also in the area is Dragon Shopping center where the local Ice Hockey association plays its games on a rink on the top floor. Oh wait! I’m on the email list for WIHO! That’s the WOMAN’s Ice Hockey Organization. No wonder their executive is so stacked with woman. They probably never said anything to me because Leung is a genderless name. I just figured it out when I was trying to write about this organization I was curious about. Anyways, for some reason a roller coaster goes through the rink.

I was in the area looking to buy a new router for the office and thought that I might as well check out that pie. They also had a grilled chicken sandwich with a peppery mayonnaise as the special sandwich but I was all here for that pie. It was pretty damn good and the banana wasn’t super mushy either. Sort of like a banana sauce you’d get on pancakes. It’s not all good though. I recently also had their raspberry dipped cone. As I was eating the cone, the raspberry coating would not melt in my mouth so this big ball of tart earwax kept building up in my mouth. I had to spit it out and pick it off the rest of my cone. This little girl kept starring at me like it was weirdest thing she had ever seen.

BBQ stew
Tapenade with winter melon

Restaurant Review!

Club Qing l Central l Hong Kong

I was graciously invited to Connie’s birthday on the weekend and it seemed fitting that we would go to Hong Kong’s highest rated private kitchen to celebrate. After finally tracking down a flower arrangement that didn’t look like it was made of plastic, I headed upstream through the flow of dazed mainland tourists, gawking locals, and drunken Euro trash in Lan Kwai Fong. I slipped past a group of local Goths who looked more scared than disinterested, and headed into a skinny, nondescript office building. As I exited the elevator, I was immediately met by several large watercolor paintings and a room filled with Ching Dynasty furniture and traditional Chinese art. The staff was uniformed and the whole place had a polish which made me think that I had stumbled into a proper restaurant instead of someone’s personal hobby. The menu was well designed and printed with a description of tonight’s teas laid out in Chinese, Japanese and English.

Ordering the tea however, was a “choose your own adventure novel” all on its own. Would you like a strong tea or a weak tea? Would you like a green tea or a black tea? What kind of green tea would you like? What type of Iron Maiden tea would you like? I almost wanted to skip to the end and work backwards like when I was a kid. I do have to give them credit though for putting a great deal of thought behind the process and the tea was excellent. I especially liked the use of tea as a palate cleanser between courses.

How were the courses you ask? Very uneven. The braised winter melon with crab and black olives was inspirational and was hands down the best dish that evening. It worked remarkably well as an exercise in contrasts - very well thought out. The scallop and cream cheese spring rolls with a tart kiwi sauce and the bamboo shoots with sesame dressing both worked well with some interesting depth. The spring rolls were deep fried nicely and the tartness really cut through the rich filling. The asparagus and tobiko topped endive salad was a bit weak. For some reason, the endive came off as bland and the salmon filling was tasteless. We finished the meal with a braised ham hock that was truly abysmal. The hock was smoky while the braising liquid was a combination of sweet and spicy ingredients that made the whole thing taste like BBQ soup. All through the meal, the chef would come out, explain the courses and ask for our opinions as this was the first night of the new menu.

I’m not sure how this place was rated tops in Hong Kong but it was listed through a website specializing in private kitchens. That just goes to prove that anyone can post anything on the net.

shockingly nice museum
pretty nice looking bird blind
Our dinner slowly getting away

heavy rain at the museum

Look But Don’t Touch (or It’s Getting Wet Down There!)

While driving around completely lost in the outlying district of Yuen Long, I stumbled upon the neighboring area of Tin Shui Wai and a big white official looking road sign that said “Wetland Park.” My curiosity peaked, I asked a few coworkers about it but no one had actually gone there as it was a relatively new and in the middle of nowhere. It’s been a few weeks but I finally had time over the weekend so I drove my car out there to hopefully have a relaxing day in nature.

I was ecstatic to find that the visitors’ center was beautiful - huge and airy with lots of glass - it’s exactly the type of structure you don’t see enough of in Hong Kong. It had been raining on and off all morning so the place wasn’t as busy as it usually is. I was really impressed by the quality of the exhibits both in substance and esthetics. They even had a small aquarium and terrarium area with wetland creatures from around the world including the world’s smallest species of deer.

Whenever I mentioned the Wetlands Park, people would ask me if I was planning on seeing Pui Pui. After some research I learned that this was the small estuarine crocodile that had eluded authorities for years in the Shan Pui River. They even brought in the late Steve Irwin to trap it but to no avail. By the time they did finally capture the elusive reptile, it had become a bit of a local celebrity and so a special habitat was created for it at the reserve even though the species is not native to the region.

Once the rain had stopped and I was able to trample my way through the school children to catch a glimpse of Pui Pui, I moved on to the marshes and the boardwalk paths to see the park properly. I had been looking forward to the mangrove forest section as I was keen on seeing the Fiddler crabs and Mudskippers. They were here in abundance along with a wide species of birds and fish. The blinds were especially nice as it afforded you the ability to see the birds from a relatively close distance and were beautifully designed structures.

There was an impressive range of fish swimming in the water and my mom and I got into the discussion of “what would taste good” with all the wildlife we saw. I think this has something to do with always seeing fish tanks in Chinese restaurants. I still say that dwarf deer would have been delicious if it was slowly roasted with a simple dry rub. We were going over the finer points of cooking perch when we heard some rustling in the reeds. What comes crawling out but a number of snakehead fishes heading from one marshy body of water to another. It’s exactly this talent which has made them such a menace to lakes in North America as an invasive species. Without saying a word, I pulled out a plastic bag from my messenger bag while my mother looked for a heavy stick. Our plans were thwarted by an ambling park ranger who proceeded to educate us on the habits of the snakehead fish. By the time he finished, the fish had already slipped into the pond and a gaggle of gawking mainland tourists had shown up. I guess the rule at this nature conservatory is to look but not touch.

The flavor is enhanced by the roses on the plastic table cloth

I’ve Got Hairy Crabs!

It’s autumn here in Hong Kong and that means the return of little green crabs bound into neat packets and stacked in display cases all over the city. Hairy crabs are from fresh water areas in the north of China and are considered a supreme delicacy. Restaurants all over the city advertise an assortment of dishes based around them but the traditional cooking method is to simply steam them and serve them with red vinegar along with Hua Diao wine. Since these crabs are considered a “cooling” food, it is also customary to finish the meal with a sweet ginger tea to heat the body back up again and rebalance it.

The place from which we had purchased the crabs was famous for purportedly carrying some of the best crabs in the city and supplying them to a host of the rich and famous in Hong Kong. Asking my mom exactly who supported this place for some reason got me nothing more than a litany of local celebrity gossip.

Once I got past the patches of hair on the crabs pincers, they reminded me of miniature Alaskan king crabs with their round bodies and long legs. Popping the shell off, I looked down and stared at what makes this crab so famous, a rich, almost red orange pile of “tomalley” or hepatopancreas. Sounds odd, but it plays a role similar to the liver in crustaceans. Just think of it as foie gras of the sea. This was the best I had ever tasted as it was permeated with a distinctive flavor and richness that was way beyond anything else. It reminded me of a rich, dry salted egg yolk in its consistency but carried a sweet seafood note that was utterly unique. The flesh itself though, was a bit more standard but was good nonetheless.

Not surprisingly, hairy crabs have entrenched themselves into places were they aren’t suppose to go and have proven difficult to dislodge. They have shown up in the waterways of Europe and North America and are displacing local species at an alarming rate. Local governments are fretting over a course of action to remove these pests and fear that the invasion may be unstoppable. Listen, I just paid $100 HK for a crab that was maybe 10 cm across and there are how many people in China? You do the math.

Is this Hong Kong or Vegas?
The full glory

White Wedding

Have you ever wondered what the caricature of Western Civilization looks like? Just come on out to a Hong Kong wedding and find out. In any given culture, one of the first things that gets modernized is the wedding ceremony. This means a western wedding and from a cultural viewpoint, it’s fascinating to see what traditions are incorporated.

I was really looking forward to Claudia and Game’s wedding even though there was serious concern that I would find the whole thing boring. I was not disappointed when I walked into the banquet hall and saw what only can be described as Caesar’s in Vegas. Opulent chandeliers, roman statues and ridiculously high ceilings all made me feel like I had walked into a teleportation machine.

The bride was clad in a flowing rose studded gown with matching tiara while the groom’s suit looked like something Rex Harrison would have worn. I was absolutely floored. There was something very Hollywood about the whole thing. In the anteroom were displayed photo books as the tradition is to take staged wedding photos in advance. Taiwan is in the forefront of this practice and the quality showed. There were photos of the couple in frolicking fields of flowers, awash in the waves on a beach at sunset, and playfully cavorting on a merry-go-round. I only wish that I had gotten a fridge magnet like at Meilei and Ted’s wedding.

However, I was surprised by the lack of speeches during the meal and dancing after the dessert. Once the food started, it was very business like with all the courses being served in record time. The poor couple had to scramble to the exit to catch people before they left once the last course was served. Although it was a very happy occasion and I enjoyed myself immensely, I did find that it made me feel like something was missing. Sure, I always get stuck with the crab claw timeslot for my speech so I don’t get heard but it’s heartfelt nonetheless.

I was explaining my experience to a coworker and how much fun I had. She shook her head and said that I must not be used to the “crazy” Hong Kong style of wedding and how out of hand things can get, especially since I’m from some overseas backwater. “No. Don’t worry.” I said. “My extended family and I can humiliate ourselves at a wedding like nobody’s business.”

Taiko Drums

Creepy Lanterns
The head of Dragon
Waiting for the show

Preparing the dragon

Chasing the Dragon

It’s the night of the Mid-Autumn festival and what is there to do? Most people go to the parks and bring lanterns and candles to burn while eating mooncakes and staring at the moon. This year, the moon was the biggest it had been in years due to its orbit. I don’t know what it is but it seems so small here. The moon seems way bigger in the northern hemisphere. Enough whining. I went to Tai Hang in Tin Hau to see the elusive “fire dragon.”

The story goes that in the late 1800s, there was an epidemic in the small farming village of Tai Hang. This was a common occurrence during the Chinese New Year which is often in the spring when food supplies are low and the temperature is cooler. The villagers decided to create a huge grass dragon and fill it full of incense to try to scare away the disease causing spirits. Traditionally held during the New Year, it is now also done during the autumn festival 3 times a night for 3 nights. This dragon is huge, requiring about a hundred people to parade it and stretching over 200 meters. Not for those with respiratory problems as this thing is jammed full of burning incense. The most amazing part of the display was the cute little East Indian girl in the procession as one of the little lotus lantern carrying girls in traditional silk garb and pigtails. Sadly, that’s the first time I’ve seen some honest diversity here.

To cap off the evening, I went to Victoria Park to see the big lantern display. There was something really trippy about seeing huge human lanterns with plastic heads. I would not recommend this for the chronic users in the crowd. It was creepy enough sober. The bizarre undulating multi-colored nuclear reactors with steam pouring out of them display was one of the most hideous things I have ever seen. They kept blaring classical Chinese music and the whole thing made no sense. It seemed so…mainland china. I predict we will be seeing the same display for the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.

pie and tea
inside the nest

Restaurant Review!

Lok Huek Yuen l Central l Hong Kong

In Chinese culture, the snake is considered a lazy animal. People who skip work are called “snake kings.” Where do you find lots of “snake kings”? Why, in the “snake’s nest” of course. That’s the nickname for this Central coffee shop which has been acting as a snake magnet for generations.

If anything, this place has a well worn feel and is full of its own idiosyncrasies. I sat in the lookout booth and had a constant stream of waiters sitting across from me staring at the door waiting for customers. Then I had some off duty waiter plop himself down and start puffing away. I’ve lost count of the number of gangster movies that have used the small second floor foyer as a backdrop. On any given day, you’ll see business men, hawkers, and store clerks filling its tables and booths.

The “snake’s nest” is known for a particularly strong Hong Kong style tea with condensed milk. I usually despise this drink but I absolutely love it here. You can taste the floral notes of the tea and it isn’t quite so overcome by the greasy condensed milk. Their chicken tarts are unique as well with a very Chinese crust which is both sweet and brittle, sort of like the tops of pineapple buns. The chicken is roughly shredded to give it a more rustic feel.

Sadly, the “snake’s nest” is only open during the day on weekdays and Saturday. Given the fact that Hong Kong has a 6 day work week, the only way you can eat here is if you do skip out of work. Fittingly enough, that makes everyone in there a “snake king.”

Roast Duck

lamb curry

Restaurant Review!

Muslim Wai Kee l Wan Chai l Hong Kong

The first time I came here years ago, it was in a wet market which is large tiled building with lower floors selling meats and vegetables and upper floors with random eateries. The heat was oppressive and you couldn’t avoid the smells wafting from the floors below. It was a nasty experience but I remembered the lamb curry was pretty good. The wet markets have been updated over the last few years so I thought I’d give this place a try. You still have the same chaos on the floors below but the eateries are now sealed off and air conditioned.

The Muslim cuisine in China revolves around lamb, beef, curries and breads. Not surprisingly, their lamb curry is still pretty good. Unlike most East Asian curries, it doesn’t have any coconut milk and is unique in the sense that there is a good measure of chili oil used to give the dish a well rounded heat. Served on a pile of fluffy rice, it was a perfect meal and as it’s a rustic dish, nicely gamey to boot.

Hey, I’m still kind of hungry though. What else are you famous for? Roasted duck? That’s an odd combination but OK. Yes, this is a fantastic roasted duck with a well crisped skin and moist flesh. You can tell that they have a high turnover here because the duck is never dry and their plum sauce is refreshingly clean with the sharp taste of fruit.

When did we cross the border into just kidding around because you tell me you’re also famous for braised pommelo skin? For those of you unsure of what that is, it’s like braising a really thick grapefruit pith. It’s one of my favorite dishes because it’s totally permeated by the braising liquid with a very gentle hint of citrus to its finish. What does it have to do with the other dishes? Nothing. It’s like having foie gras with waffles and matzo ball soup. No wait. It’s like having perfectly seared foie gras with crispy sweet waffles and a warming, homey matzo ball soup.

Restaurant Review!

Sun Kee l Mong Kok l Kowloon

Congee is basically a rice gruel given flavor by a host of ingredients. There is nothing fancy about it and it’s found all throughout Asia. I can honestly say that this is not a dish that would be considered delicious to the uninitiated. Its sparse flavors and glommy texture don’t exactly give it a universal appeal. However, part of the reason it’s so popular in Asia lies in the fact that its ease of digestion and high water content have made this the comfort food of choice for the sick.

So, what’s so great about this place that leads to constant line-ups at its Sheung Wan location? If the Mong Kok location is anything like the original, I have to say that I have no idea. When I went to the original location years ago, I remember being floored by the freshness of the fish in my congee. The congee itself had that perfect consistency where you could still discern the grains of rice while still giving a smooth mouth feel. Let’s say my “variety meats” congee at the Mong Kok location though came off as being sharply pedestrian. There was nothing special about the congee and the sliced pork stomach, liver and kidney in my congee seemed decent but not outstanding.

Could this location really be that much worse than the original? Could my memory of the Sheung Wan location be wrong? Could I really be missing the congee at Double Double? Sadly, I believe I will have to go to the original location to really be sure again.

Restaurant Review!

Tai Cheung l Sheung Wan l Hong Kong

What’s this? A challenger to my beloved Honolulu Café for the title of best egg tarts ever? Tai Cheung is famous for being regularly visited by the last ever Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten.

So what did Chris Patten do? He changed the electoral rules so that virtually every Hong Kong citizen could vote for the legislative council. Even though the council was dissolved after the handover, it sparked the desire for true representation. When elections returned in 1998, the rules he enacted returned.

Some people really like him. I don’t like his taste in egg tarts. They have a dense buttery crust that is almost like shortbread. This gives them a very distinct flavor but I find its way too strong for the custard and I never taste the filling. Not an evil egg tart, but far from the best.

Deep fried butter chicken wings

Restaurant Review!

Green Village l Causeway Bay l Hong Kong

Caroline and I were planning on hitting a sushi spot but the preposterous 3 hour wait on a Friday night had us angling to a Vietnamese restaurant instead. Green Village is a cramped and busy restaurant with tables so tightly packed that at times I felt like a boat person. However, the sheer turnover of the place left me with the possibility of some seriously delicious food.

Although the menu was massive, I had trouble finding items that seemed especially authentic. Caroline attributed my long decision time to late onset retardation and helped us pick out the butter fried chicken wings, curried beef with vermicelli and lettuce with chili peppers. The curried beef with vermicelli was decent with a mild curry soup and beef but it made me think of Au Petit in Vancouver and their outstanding beef stew with rice. The butter fried chicken wings were the best things on the menu were comparable to the wings at Phnom Pen. Both are incredibly juicy with a nice crisp coating but the ones here lacked that delicious dipping sauce. The lettuce dish was blatantly Cantonese in origin.

My mind wandered to the escargot soup and prawn fritters at Minh’s in San Francisco, the butter beef at Phnom Phen, and the sandwiches at Au Petit. I asked Caroline about the possibility of Vietnamese Subs but got nothing more than a glare and a shake of the head.

Decades ago, desperate people fled from Southeast Asia for fear for their lives, yet faced discrimination throughout the region. Many countries turned away refugees by the thousands for fear of being overwhelmed. Many refugees spent years in camps before being able to find countries willing to take them in. Hong Kong was particularly effective at turning back boats and removing refugees. Their loss, our gain.

So not all the wildlife has been eaten...

All glory to the Hypnotoad!

This is a long weekend because of National Day and not a day too soon. I felt like I really needed a break so I was looking forward to this extra day’s break. What better way to celebrate the Chinese National Day than a hike in Tai Tam Country Park? All glory to our benevolent communist overlords!

After the morning slogans of “Democracy leads to social disintegration.” I headed to Quarry Bay and went up the gap towards Tai Tam Reservoir. Everyone was telling me what an idiot I had been trying to hike at the height of the heat in August. The time to hike apparently is in the fall when the weather cools markedly so up I went. First of all, I have to say that this hike is way easier than the death march I had attempted earlier. There was a steady climb for the first 30 minutes with a gentle slope heading all the way down the other side.

The park and most of the city was crawling with mainland tourists sweating it out in ill fitting dress pants and flanked by kids peeing in public. Good times. The park itself was surprisingly cool with trees providing shade most of the way. There was a breeze pulling off from the water and the crowds had thinned out markedly. This was what the guide book was talking about; wildlife, beautiful trees and fish splashing in the waters. The reservoir was a calming site and I took a few minutes to breath in the cool air. I was surprised by the number of fish in the reservoir and some of the tension seemed to ease off my shoulders as I watched them drift languidly in the sharp green waters. Looking afar, I could see people sitting close to the water’s edge. What the heck are they doing? Hey! Stop fishing in my drinking water!