Canto x Chiuchow

I was a Ming Court Wanchai a couple of weeks for the special collaboration event featuring the dishes created by their Chef Tsang Chiu King and guest chef Cheung Yat Fung from Beijing's Michelin 3-starred Chao Shang Chao Restaurant. 

Silks House Taipei

We made a quick hop downstairs for dinner at Silks House on our first day in Taipei. I ate at all other dining outlets during my previous visit last year except this one so felt like I finally completed the full circle. 

All About Dried Tangerine Peel

You couldn’t help but feel the passion Chef Li has for his favorite ingredient Dried Tangerine Peel (陳皮) whenever he started talking about it. From the different types of tangerines that were used, to the way they were prepared in his hometown of Xinhui 新會 in Guangdong Province near Guangzhou and Shunde (which arguably produced the best dried tangerine peel), to how they were dried and aged and different flavor and aroma profiles developed, Chef Li is like a living encyclopedia for these all. And a few months ago, he even came up with a Dried Tangerine Peel-themed special menu at his restaurant The Legacy House at Rosewood Hong Kong, which was quickly sold out.

Old School Classics

Few months ago I had a chance to check out Hong Kong Cuisine 1983 in Happy Valley and tried some of the exquisite Cantonese dishes by Chef Silas Li. Tugged away in the side street of the quiet Happy Valley neighborhood, the cozy restaurant up on the first floor in a commercial building does have a speakeasy feel to it with classy traditional decor. 

Half and Half

After seeing Chef Jayson’s post about the special Mushroom Feast menu they were having at his restaurant Man Ho, I asked whether we could have a customized version with only half the mushroom dishes on the menu and half something else. So a couple of weeks later, we came with some other friends for this “Half Mushroom Feast”. 

Early Dinner

We opted for an early dinner at Imperial Court just as we concluded our visit at MGM Macau with the restaurant conveniently located next to the hotel VIP lobby. The modern and luxury decor of the restaurant gave a little hint of the style of the restaurant, which specializes in traditional Cantonese with a contemporary twist curated by Chef Homan and his team. I love the private room which was tastefully done with ample space for the group of us.

New Chef On Board

I dropped by Duddell’s for dinner one evening just as their new Executive Chef Chan Yau-leung settled in. With a new chef brought new ideas to the table, and it showed in the tasting menu presented to us, an 8-course affair completed with wine pairing.

Encounter After Two Months

When we met Chef Hung at a Dai Pai Dong in Macau after the Michelin gala, he asked us to come by his restaurant at St Regis some time to check out some of the new summer dishes. Of course that’s something we won’t refuse especially after the restaurant has just been awarded its second star earlier that day and definitely on the rise. So fast forwarding 2 months we were in the private dining room at the hotel enjoying a special dinner menu prepared by the chef and his team. 

Surprise Dinner

Dinner at Ru in Tsuen Wan turned out to be one of the biggest surprises this first half of the year. I didn’t recall anything particularly remarkable in this side of town as far as fine-dining is concerned, so admittedly I was a bit hesitant about travelling this far out for dinner on a weeknight. But it turned out to be a very enjoyable experience.

Second Act

I extended the stay in Macau in late April with a second night at the Wynn Palace just a short hop away. Not much have changed since our last stay here (too many years ago) with the iconic floral ferris wheel art installation sat in front of the hotel lobby, and I felt we were completely spoiled by the Wynn PR team’s hospitality when I realized they put us up in the mega spacious Parlor Suite, completed with walk-in closet, powder room, two bathrooms and a jacuzzi tub. It was just perfect as I ended up spending quite a bit of time staying in to finish up some work (yes, someone still go a full time job to do) 

Neighborhood Canto at a New Spot

A stroke of luck got us a table at Hop Sze Restaurant a few weeks ago. We haven’t visited the restaurant for a while now that a table at this neighborhood Canto eatery became one of the most sought after in town, and it’s our first since they expanded to this second shop in Tin Hau, which they called “Hop Sze Speakeasy” 合時小廚私房菜. (Here's our last visit 2 years ago)

Fine Old School

I am excited when my friend and birthday girl C managed to get a dinner booking at the legendary (and somewhat secretive) SBI Canteen a few weeks ago and asked us to join as part of the celebration. I haven't been back for more than a year so I was eager to try some of the signature dishes by Chef Tak which many considered as some of the finest in town based on traditional old-school recipes.   

Best one without a star

We hop to Juxing Home (聚興家) a few MTR stops away in Mongkok for lunch on Sundays every now and then whenever we have a bigger group and want something slightly more than just a casual meal. While the place is often packed with customers at nights (it's also known as a popular late night hangout spot for chefs), during the day it's much quieter and hence more comfortable (with the food just as good)

Dinner in Time Warp

Felt like walking into a time warp when we joined our friend KC for a dinner in an old-school restaurant inside one of the public housing estates. Choi Hung Estate may be better known as a popular hotspot for IG snapshot these days for its iconic rainbow colored facade (Choi Hung meant "rainbow" in Cantonese hence the design followed its namesake theme when it's first built in the 1960's) but this is also a tight-knitted community with 10000 or so residents completed with schools, markets, and shops for everyday needs. 

North Point Private Kitchen

It's no secret that I enjoy the food at this no nonsense neighborhood eatery in North Point, whether that be for their Cantonese roast (including their exceptional roast goose) or other family style Chinese dishes. So one Sunday last month we booked out their private kitchen just across the street and check out their "tasting menu". 

Pair of Old Wines

I managed to make a second booking for lunch at The Chairman when they opened up for reservation so this time we went with a slightly bigger group on a Sunday afternoon. I felt I pretty much went through most of the dishes in their re-designed menu in my previous visits so this time it's pretty much a highlight of everything that I liked. 

Inside the Tower

Our dimsum lunch at La Chine turned out to be a good surprise. We wanted to try something new during our quick stay in Macau and this Chinese restaurant inside The Parisien came into the radar. We figured since we haven't been inside the fake Eiffel Tower in Macau we may treat this as an extra sightseeing stop too. 

Boxing Day Lunch

Sometimes going to the same restaurant within a short span meant one gotta end up with some repeated dishes, but “no problem” at The Chairman this time when I went back for lunch 2 weeks after another dinner there. With the new menu system we were able to pick from a list of dishes so I was able to choose something different (mostly) and still got some of their signatures. 

Two Point Zero

"Wanna join us at dinner at The Chairman?" when my friend F offered me one of the prized seats for a meal at the most sought-after restaurant in town, I didn't hesitate to say yes even though that meant having two serious meals back-to-back on the same day.

Wing with Friends

At our recent dinner at Wing with a few friends before Christmas, I was blown away by the number of new dishes that Chef Vicky brought to the table and the way he managed to seek improvements on some of the already excellent dishes in his repertoire.