Tao Heung 稻香

A relatively cheap chain restaurant that whips up pretty good food!

Yay or Nay? Yay

But? There are many above average and affordable Chinese restaurants competing for business.

To try? Scallops in deep fried rice (they are like Rice Krispies!!!)

Address? Find various branches here: http://www.taoheung.com.hk/en/search/index.html Other outlets under the Tao Heung group can also be found here. And I have heard Chao Inn and Hipot are recommended, not to mention Tai Cheong Bakery.

Nearest MTR? Depending on which outlet you are going.

Yue Kee Roasted Goose Restaurant 深井裕記燒鵝飯店

This review is very easy to write. Just go try it. It is THE BEST roast goose. For those with no taste (Yung Kee) and those for the convenience and above average standard (Very Good), this may be too out of the way and too remotely located. But if you have the time, GO TRY IT.

Yay or Nay? Yay, without doubt.

But? Extremely inaccessible

To try? Roast goose

Address? This is their website. http://www.yuekee.com.hk/en/index.htm

Nearest MTR? You have to take the bus or mini bus. http://www.yuekee.com.hk/en/p7.htm Directions are too complicated and most importantly, I cannot remember how I got there... Sorry.

Four Seasons Claypot

I just want to do a public service act by announcing that the "liver sausage" tastes like... detergent. Remember, don't choose anything with 瞤腸. It is SICK. As in, it makes you feel ill.

Actually, the long queue populated by many, many locals remain a mystery to me.

Is it worth the wait???

Refer to my underwhelmed review here. The oyster cakes are pretty yums tho.

Jenny Bakery

I recommend 8 mix, almond crunches and pineapple tarts. Simple as that. I know most people prefer the 4 mix but I only like 2 out of the 4 flavours while the 8 mix gives that added crunch with the nuts.

Yay or Nay? Yay.

But? They are extremely expensive! Especially the pineapple tarts.

To try? Maybe everything... But the pineapple tarts only last 1 week. Almond crunches and pineapple tarts are also seasonal though I suspect they are producing them more often since they sell well.

Address? My favourite is the TST branch because they are friendlier. The Yau Ma Tei one seems to be operated by robots. 2/F (near the toilet) CKE Shopping Mall, 36 Nathan Road (take the escalator that leads to SaSa) Other outlets can be found here.

Nearest MTR? TST Exit D

Hang Heung Outlets 元朗恆香老餅家

Since so many people are interested in Hang Heung, here are (in my opinion) more accessible outlets to tourists:

1) Basement 2 Sogo Department Store, Causeway Bay. Tel: 28318414 10am - 10pm
2) Basement 2 Sogo Department Store, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 35561180. 10am - 10pm
3) Shop 1, 579 Nathan Road, Mong Kok. Tel: 23947668. 10am - 9.30pm

Shopping in HK

Thank you for visiting, despite the dearth of updates. It's gonna be a breather post here, focusing not on food and drinks but shopping. A lot of people ask me, what's good here? Well, I don't know about you but for me, it's pretty swell here, in terms of food and shopping. There are a lot of brands found here and not in other Asian countries. Or it's just HK and 1 other Asian country and that makes it exclusive enough.

I appreciate the availability and wide variety of these products here:

- Cosmetics and skincare products

- Hair products

- Designer brands

- Monki 

Since we are living in a highly globalised world now, it's common to see the same big brands in every big city so check out the price differences after currency conversions yourself. Things could be slightly cheaper here since it's tax-free.

And since I live here, I don't treat this place as a hit and run (rather, buy and run) 3D2N weekend getaway. I am not brand focused here. I am product focused. So unless you want to use the same skincare products as me, or same hair products as me, or share my same impeccable taste in kooky designers, please don't ask me for a recommendation. I do not know your style.

Whatever it is, just go Monki. I heart the clothes there.

To make this post slightly more useful, a few shopping malls ladies (and their male porters) can trawl are Argyle Center (Mongkok Exit B2), Beverly Island (CWB Exit E) and Rise Shopping Arcade (TST Exit B2). There are tons more of such small-scale shopping centres with shoe-box-sized shops crammed inside, of course. 

Outlet shopping is available at Citygate (Tung Chung station) and Horizon Plaza (no MTR station nearby). I have not been to these outlets for a long time so I cannot comment on the price and selection.

Green Cottage Vietnamese Restaurant 清亭越南菜館

A crowded place which you couldn't possibly have known without locals introducing it to you. Generally the dishes are nice except the black glutinous rice (dessert). Then again, all black glutinous rice I have tried in HK are too hard and feels frozen. The prices are reasonable too.

Yay or Nay? Yay

But? Be prepared for Hong Kongised Vietnamese dishes

To try? baked rice in coconut is the most special and fragrant I've ever tasted.

Address? 2/F Cigna Tower, 482 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay

Nearest MTR? Causeway Bay Exit D1

Tsui Wah Restaurant 翠華餐廳

This ubiquitous restaurant may seem overly-commercialised and insincere in whipping up their dishes but actually, they do have some dishes that are worth trying, especially when it is so easily found.

I love their toasted bun drizzled with condense milk (奶油豬仔包), fried noodles with prawns in tangy sauce (蝦球炒麵) and rice noodles with fish balls in soup (魚蛋河粉). Well, these items are the only ones I have tried from their top 10 recommendations and they are nice. 

Yay or Nay? Yay for convenience

But? There is no 凍柠蜜 in this 茶餐廳 which is unimaginable.

To try? As above.

Address? Shop list here.

Nearest MTR? I think it's safe to say there's one near every touristy MTR station (e.g. TST, Central)

Aqua Spirit

This is a secret that I hold close to my heart and now that I'm sharing this, I feel that I'm gonna regret it. I love Aqua Spirit. The cocktail selection is wide and the alcohol is strong. The view is breathtaking and offers two sides - Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, depending on which side of the bar you sit. I'm not gonna say much about this place because it's my most favourite drinking place and it already pains me to share it with so many people.

Yay or Nay? Yay for sure!

But? The choice seats facing HKI need higher and higher minimum spending per person.

To try? Any of their cocktails are good. Trust me.

Address? 30/F and walk up 1 floor. One Peking Road, TST, Hong Kong

Nearest MTR? Tsim Sha Tsui Exit C1, you have to take the underpass (known as subway in HK) and it leads you directly to the foot of the building.

Satay or Sate in Hong Kong

Seen on Time Out Hong Kong, make a pilgrimage to the far east of Hong Kong island for thick chunks of meat on skewers. Sate is a Southeast Asian thing (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) but the meat here is big and chunky, well marinated and dipped in peanut sauce (3 types - non-spicy, spicy and crazy spicy). The man and his son are from Indonesia and they operate supposedly at midnight and the queues are long even this late and this far. The funny thing is, the signboard of their stall says it's a 288 Hair Salon. I wonder if it really is a hair salon in the day but wouldn't the smoke and fumes stink up everything?

Yay or Nay? Yay

But? Kinda late and out of the way

To try? The different types of meats are awesome.

Address? (according to Time Out) Shop A28C, G/F, Tai On Building, 57-78 Shau Kei Wan Rd, Sai Wan Ho

Nearest MTR? Sai Wan Ho exit A. Cross the road and enter Tai On Building and walk to the other end of the building. The shop is actually facing Tai Hong street. 

Simplylife Bread and Wine

I had breakfast here and it's a quiet sanctuary amidst the buzz and rush near the financial heartbeat of Hong Kong. Maybe it's overpriced. But maybe, you are paying more for the harbour view and comfort. 

Yay or Nay? Yay

But? it's an upmarket Western cafe and I heard sprouts from the same parent company of Maxim (can anyone confirm this?) so an average Hong Konger thinks it's not worth it.

To try? I was there for breakfast so anything hearty.

Address? Shop 1081, IFC Mall

Nearest MTR? Hong Kong station

Azure at Hotel LKF

The decor of Azure is nice and bourgeois and the selling point is supposed to be an open balcony that gives you a breathtaking night view of Hong Kong island. Unfortunately, the reality of the matter is people are crowded there smoking and taking photos so it becomes less of a calm view but a quick! snap a picture and scoot! kinda experience. The balcony is quite small too. It was just quite a squeeze outside.

Yay or Nay? Nay

But? Nice decor indoors. Comfortable and cozy too.

To try? Any cocktail I guess.

Address? 29/F Hotel LKF, 33 Wyndham Street, Central

Nearest MTR? Central Exit D2. Go past the Lan Kwai Fong stretch.