Monday 30 January 2012

Citygate Outlets Food Court (Hong Kong)

We went to Ngong Ping 360 to visit the Giant Buddha. After that visit, we took a cable car back and went to Citygate Outlet for lunch. Citygate Outlet is a shopping mall with international brands offering discounts all year (305-70%) round.

As it was around 1230pm, there was queues at the restaurants. Hence, we decided to eat at the food court which is operated by Food Republic. Very similar to food courts in Singapore in terms of food, variety, layout and concept.
After walking 1 round, I had no idea what to eat. I wanted to eat something that cannot be found in Singapore. In the end, I decided on the stall called Noodle & Congee.

Menu (Chef's Recommendation)
I ordered Set A: Wonton Lo Mein with Steamed Vegetable HK$40 (S$6.67).
Set A: Wanton Noodles with Steamed Vegetable
The Wanton Noodles was so-so, well this is a food court after all. If you have time, you would be better off going somewhere else.

Citygate Outles Food Court (Hong Kong)
20 Tat Tung Road(Near Tung Chung MTR, Exit B)
Food Republic, Level 2
Location
Location
Cable Car Terminal to is located at the top left corner of the map.


View FoodieFC's Hong Kong & Macau Map in a larger map

Friday 27 January 2012

Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家 (Hong Kong)

Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家 has been around for a long time since 1968 and pride itself with having been awarded with a Michelin guide recommendation. (it is also one of the World's cheapest Michelin starred restaurant) In addition, it has a reputation for specialising in serving one of the best wantons noodles in Hong Kong.

Today, Mak's Noodle has several outlets in Hong Kong and Macau. We visited the outlet at The Peak. It is located just on the ground floor of The Peak Galleria.

Since there's 6 of us, we ordered 3 "Sets for 2's (A)". Each Set of "Sets for 2's (A)" cost HK$125 (S$20.83) consist of 2 Wonton with Nooodles in Soup, 1 Pork & Shrimp Dumpling in Soup and 1 Vegetable with Oyster Sauce.
Wanton Noodles
sidenote: the chilli at the top left background is delicious
Mak's Noodle Wanton Noodles are served in standard rice bowl. This is to prevent the noodles from absorbing all the broth and becoming soggy. (I doubt the theory) The noodles were springy and seemed to be entangled together. Moreover, it is quite different from those in Singapore. The broth was unique. It was clear and very tasty. Most likely have been cooked using pork bones and shrimps.  Each wanton contained 1 piece of prawn that was very fresh and crunchy. Moreover, it was wrapped in a very thin wanton skin that enhanced the crunchness.

The portion is small if you are hungry, one bowl will not be enough. As a result, I ordered 1 more bowl of Wonton Noodle from the a la carte menu which cost HK$33 (S$5.50)
Pork & Shrimp Dumpling in Soup
Pork & Shrimp Dumpling in Soup was delicious. The broth is is similar to the one in the wanton noodles. The dumplings contained mined pork, shrimp, bamboo shoots and water chestnut. The dumpling was well marinated, very flavourful and crunchy.
Vegetable with Oyster Sauce
Vegetable with Oyster Sauce was a simple dish. Steamed vegetable that was cooked just right with oyster sauce. Again, the big stems was an unpleasant sight at first. But after trying it, I find that I like it! Very crunchy and fresh! A simple dish yet so delicious! I am starting to feel the difference between the vegetables we eat in Singapore and Hong Kong/China. Hong Kong and China's vegetables are just so big and fresh.

Overall, the food at Mak's Noodle was delicious! But the portion of the wanton noodle is really way to small for a guy. Ordering an a la carte bowl of wanton noodle is quite expensive considering the small portion. With the set, it is more value for money. I will definitely be back if I am in Hong Kong again, quite like the vegetables and dumplings.

Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家 (Hong Kong)
Shop, 1 G/F, The Peak Galleria
118 Peak Road
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 8pm
Location


View FoodieFC's Hong Kong & Macau Map in a larger map

Wednesday 25 January 2012

Hui Lau Shan 許留山 (Hong Kong)

Hui Lau Shan 許留山 is the most popular dessert chain in Hong Kong. It is known for its fresh fruits used in desserts especially Mango.
We visited the Hui Lau Shan outlet at Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal. As we were in a rush, we could not afford to order desserts. Instead, we did the next best thing which was to order its drinks.
Part of the Drinks Menu
Honeydew Melon Juice (cold)
This is the Honeydew Melon Juice (cold) HK$21 (S$3.50) from the menu 'C1: Honeydew Melon Juice from Aloe & Aloe Series'.
Mango Jelly (cold)
Mango Jelly (cold) HK$21 (S$3.50) from the menu 'B6: Mango Jelly from Mango & Coconut Series'.
Mango Jelly (cold)
Mango Jelly (cold) HK$22 (S$3.67) again, this time for the menu 'A1: Mango Jelly from Mango & Mango Juice Series'.

The drinks were very refreshing. However, drinking the cold drinks out in the cold at 10 Degree Celsius was no joke. Out of the three, the one that stood out was the B6: Mango Jelly with Coconut. The Coconut enhanced the fragrant of the drink.

Hui Lau Shan has many outlets in Hong Kong. Hence, there is no need to list down its location. Moreover, they have so many outlets that it is very easy to find the outlets. Ask any locals and they will be able to help direct you to the nearest outlet!

Location

View FoodieFC's Hong Kong & Macau Map in a larger map

Sunday 22 January 2012

Chong Kei Hoi Sin Yeh Mei Fan Tim 忠記海鮮魚翅飯店 (Macau)

After visiting the Ruins of St Paul, we headed to Rua da Felicidade to have Shark's Fin SoupRua da Felicidade is a street well known for it's Shark's Fin Soup which are reasonably priced.
Ruins of St Paul
However, when we got to Rua da Felicidade, we saw that the shop (only sells Shark's Fin Soup) that we wanted to eat at had a long queue. We were running short of time and wanted to eat lunch too. Hence, we went to the street (Travessa do Aterro Novo) where we came from and decided to try Chong Kei Hoi Sin Yeh Mei Fan Tim. (For its location, refer to the end of the post)
Chong Kei Hoi Sin Yeh Mei Fan Tim


The place was relatively empty except for two other tables which were occupied. Well, one reason could be because we arrived at close to 2pm. We ordered plain rice to go along with the dishes.
Shark's Fin Soup
We had to order Shark's Fin Soup since we were here. Looks very different from what we normally order in Singapore. The Shark's Fin Soup is cooked and served in a claypot.
Serving the Shark's Fin Soup
The waitress then divides the Shark's Fin Soup equally. Firstly, taking the half chicken out on a plate. Secondly, dividing the Shark's Fin equally. Lastly, dividing the soup equally.
Shark's Fin Soup
The Shark's Fin Soup is different from how it is normally cooked in Singapore. At this restaurant, it is cooked with half a chicken in it to add taste to the broth instead of crab meat. Moreover, there is no starch added nor is there any soy sauce added. The soup is watery, white in colour and tasty! Look at the Shark's Fin. Shiok.Unique bowl of Shark's Fin Soup. First time having it like this. You maybe interested to try this too (you have been warned that it is totally different from what you get in Singapore or even Bangkok's Chinatown)
Kung Pao Chicken
The Kung Pao Chicken (Gong Bao Chicken) is a classic SiChuan Cuisine. It was delicious! Fried to perfection, with chilli pepper that provided a spicy twist! I wish that there was more chicken bits given.
Sweet and Sour Pork
The Sweet and Sour Pork was delicious too. The sweetness and sourness was just nice. Moreover, the pork was very crispy and each piece was coated with the sweet and sour sauce.
Seafood Omelette
Seafood Omelette, also known as Fu Rong Egg 芙蓉蛋. Prawns, spring onions, green pepper and bean sprouts in it. Again, I must compliment this restaurant. This seafood omlette was cooked perfectly. It is not oily at all (which is rare for this dish). It is not salty. Fresh ingredients which include prawns, spring onions, green pepper and bean sprouts in it.
Vegetable with Oyster Sauce
Vegetable with Oyster Sauce (Kai Lan) also did not disappoint. I have frequently thought that vegetables need to be cooked with garlic to make it taste nicer. Well, this dish is without garlic. Yet it taste fantastic! In addition, the Kai Lan was very fresh.The leaves were well cooked, stems were crunchy. Moreover, it was not salty. The vegetables in Hong Kong and Macau taste so much nicer than Singapore's. This is an example of an ordinary dish with ordinary ingredients that taste great if you are skillful and put your heart into it.
Oranges
Complimentary oranges given by the lady boss.

I went into this restaurant without too much expectations. And at the end of this meal I was totally won over. All the dishes were delicious, skillfully cooked. Kudos to this restaurant for the excellent service. I can't even recall when is the last time I like all the dishes. There is virtually no post on this restaurant in the internet. This is a hidden gem that deserves air-time online. If you are wondering what to eat in Macau. This is it! Give this restaurant a try and also the portugese egg tart.

Chong Kei Hoi Sin Yeh Mei Fan Tim 忠記海鮮魚翅飯店 (Macau)
8 Travessa Do Aterro Novo
Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro
新馬路新填巷8號
Tel: (853) 2858 0668
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 2am
Location
A is location of Chong Kei Hoi Sin Yeh Mei Fan Tim
The 2 red lines is Rua da Felicidade (where one can get good and cheap Shark's Fin Soup


A is the location of Ruins of St Paul.
B is location of Chong Kei Hoi Sin Yeh Mei Fan Tim
Highlighted in a red box is Margaret’s Café e Nata (Portugese Egg Tarts)


View FoodieFC's Hong Kong & Macau Map in a larger map

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Wishing everyone Happy Lunar New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai! May the year of Dragon bring you good health, prosperity!

Huat Ah! 

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Margaret’s Café e Nata 玛嘉烈蛋挞 (Macau)

Margaret’s Café e Nata 玛嘉烈蛋挞 is a small popular cafe tucked away in a hidden alley, with many rating this as a must try places in Macau. It will be no easy feat looking for this place unless you know the Macau well. (Luckily someone in our group knows Macau) No worries, a map is provided at the end of the post! The hint is that it is located near Lisboa Casino.

Margaret’s Café e Nata is best known for its Portuguese egg tarts. Other items such as pastries, cakes, pizzas, sandwiches and coffee are also avaliable. 
Reaching Margaret’s Café e Nata at 1030am, there was a long queue stretching out of the cafe onto the alley. There were at least 15 to 20 people in the queue. The alley is basically empty except for this corner where the cafe is.


How long a wait was it before we reached the end of the queue? I have no idea, but it did not seems long. As we were queuing, we managed to get a table too.
Portuguese Egg tarts
The original intention was to take away the Portugese Egg Tarts as there the tables were all full. Hence, the paper box and not plates. But since we found a table for 6, we decided to eat on the spot. A dozen egg tarts, 2 per person. 

Margaret's Portugese Egg Tarts blew me away. It was piping hot, fresh out of the oven. On the outside, flaky, crispy buttery crust. Inside, soft, moderately sweet, rich and tasty caramelised egg custard. Another 'die die must try', best eaten on the spot when it is freshly baked! 
Milk Tea (hot)
Milk Tea to accompany the egg tarts and keep ourselves warm on a cold December morning. 

If you are in Macau, this is a place you must visit especially if you are a foodie! 

Margaret’s Café e Nata 玛嘉烈蛋挞 (Macau)
Gum Loi Building, Rua Alm Costa Cabral R/C
Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Macau
Tel: (853) 2871 0032
Opening Hours: Daily 630am to 10pm (Closed on Wed)
Location
How to get there: At ferry terminal, take a free shuttle bus to Lisboa Casino. Margaret’s Café e Nata is just 200m away from Lisboa Casino. All you have to do is walk towards the direction of Senado Square. 
Location

View FoodieFC's Hong Kong & Macau Map in a larger map

Sunday 15 January 2012

Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家 (Hong Kong)

Yung Kee Restaurant is a Chinese Cantonese restaurant reowned for its Roasted Goose and Century Eggs. It has been reported that they sell as many as 300 Geese per day!
Yung Kee restaurant is located along Wellington Street, 5 minutes walk from Central MTR Exit D2. It is located in Yung Kee Building (yes, they owned the building!). If you are lost, ask the locals!
We were directed to level 2 where we saw a large crowd of people gathering around a lady who was in charge of giving out queue numbers and assigning seats. We were assigned a number and told to come back 1 hour later. We decided to go to Tsui Wah Restaurant located opposite for some bites before coming back as we were starving.
Waiting Area
Waiting Area
When we came back, I spotted this sign saying waiting area. True enough, Yung Kee has dedicated a corner as a waiting area with seats and magazines on a rack. We waited just like everyone else. Luckily for us, we managed to get a table soon after coming in. In total, the time when we got the queue number to the time we were assigned a table was 45minutes.
A very packed level 2


Menu Cover
Chrysanthemum tea (per person) HK$12 (S$2) to quench our thirst. It comes in a pot which is refillable.
Century Egg and Pickled Ginger (per person) 
The famous Century Egg served with Pickled Ginger (per person) at HK$10 (S$1.66). Each person gets half a slice of the century egg. This appetizer looks different from those in Singapore. It is the best century egg I have eaten. So smooth, so soft, so tasty! Now I know why some people take the trouble to bring this back to Singapore!
Roasted Goose (Half)

Braised Soya Beans beneath the Roasted Goose.
The award winning Roasted Goose (half) HK$230 (S$38.33). Fragrant and flavourful roasted goose that was crispy on the outside yet soft, tender and juicy on the inside. There were braised soya beans beneath the roasted goose that soaked up all the drippings from the goose making it fragrant and flavourful. Description is pointless for this dish, you got to try this yourself!
Vegetable with Oyster Sauce
Vegetable with Oyster Sauce HK$75 (S$12.50). Honestly I have no idea what this vegetable is. The vegetable was big and fresh, paired well with the oyster sauce.
Chinese 'Waxed' Sausage & Preserved Fresh Goose Liver Sausage 
We also ordered the Chinese 'Waxed' Sausage (lap cheong) & Preserved Fresh Goose Liver Sausage. The Chinese 'Waxed' Sausage was delicious. But the Preserved Fresh Goose Liver Sausage was too adventurous for me.
Fried Rice in Yangzhou Style
Fried Rice in Yangzhou Style (Large Portion) HK$145 (S$24.16). Lots of ingredients (shrimps, char siew, egg, scallions) and was well fried. Certainly another dish to try.

From this meal, I can conclude that a stay in Hong Kong is not completed without stopping over at Yung Kee. The 'die die must try' dishes are the Roasted Goose and Century Eggs. The food here is definitely worth the wait!
As we were leaving, we saw this sign that states that all the roasted geese have been sold out!

If you know when you are coming over, do ensure that you make a reservation for not only a table but also the goose!

ps: H&M is located nearby.

Yung Kee Restaurant  鏞記酒家 (Hong Kong)
32 Wellington Street, Yung Kee Building
Central, Hong Kong (Near Central MTR, Exit D2)
Tel: (852) 2552 1624
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 1130pm
Website
For reservations below 5 pax: http://www.yungkee.com.hk/reserve/reserve-e.html
Location
Location

View FoodieFC's Hong Kong & Macau Map in a larger map
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...