Official Hong Kong food taster
First of all, Lisa from Florida is getting a present because she is the only person to leave a comment on my blog (you don't have to register to leave a comment...just click on "comments" at the bottom of any post). As far as I know, she's the only one to read this blog, and probably just once.
It's OK. This is a good journal for me and will help me remember and relive the trip as my memory lets bits of pieces of it fade away over the years.
Yesterday was food day in Hong Kong (L.L.L. would say that *every* day is food day here, and she's right). Before we could head out for brunch, Jeremy had a little bit of adminstrative work to take care of in the form of a single-entry visa back into China. We poked our head into a few travel agencies staffed with Indian folks who said "No" until we found an Amex-authorized office where they took care of getting the Visa done and also dropping off the passport back at the hotel. Not only that, but they recommended a Dim Sum place for us to go. I asked them (three women) "If a man asked you out to Dim Sum, and you didn't like him very much, which Dim Sum place is *so good* that you would go anyway?" After a little translation help from Jeremy and some tittering and discussion (did they even understand what I asked?) they all concluded that the Hotel Peninsula was the place to have it. Then then volunteered that there was another place that "wasn't so fancy" but was good, and, more importantly, right around the corner. My friend Duan says "Hunger is the best sauce!", well, proximity is a close second.
We dropped into the Dim Sum place and they took our order. Thank goodness for the English menu. Jeremy could read all the Chinese writing well enough, but the descriptions in Chinese were flowery names for the dishes, not the ingredients (the English menu had both). I was pestering Jeremy too, until the English menu showed up. "So, Serge, do you want to order a Dragon's tooth dumpling with Lucky sauce?" I don't know! The Dim Sum was great. I am sure that we ate at a mid-level factory style place, and there are better ones around, but I never had Dim Sum this good. Everything was lighter and more complex in taste than what I am used to.
Here are some of the dishes. If anyone has problems with bandwidth, let me know and I will link the pictures next time:
A shrimp dumpling with a little chili mix on top:
The Shrimp dumpling gets Jeremy's seal of approval:
Siu Mai with crab roe
Char Siu Bao
Sweet steamed dumpling. Yellow ones were egg custard with coconut, others were red bean paste
I will link to the other pics from dinner and the harbor:
From Dinner at East Ocean restaurant:
Soup with Shark fin (boo), Sea Cucumber, Chicken feet, Scallops, Ham, Mushroom, Sea Snails.
Stew with Oysters, Scallops, light crunchy unknown green veg like romaine lettuce, 'Fat Choy' also called 'hair vegetable', and pig tongue.
Large prawns fried in shell with a sweet and savory spice mix
Clams with fried garlic and beanthreads. Far and away my favorite taste of the dinner!
Whole Soy Steamed Fish (Perch-like) with scallions
Jeremy sez, I misspell: "you tsai". Looks like GaiLan without the flowers...
Rice served in Bamboo with pork, chicken, and black fungus and scallions
Happy New Year Cake -- Glutenous rice flour and some other flavors. Very nice.
Dessert Soup, sweet with ginger and sugar. Had pieces yams and taro inside.
And here is a combination Seafood/Internet place that we *didn't* go to...
Ah, I forgot one thing that we did. While walking around, we say an herb shop that was selling some strong herb ginseng tea. We got a couple of cups, about 75 cents each (US). That tea was strong!!! It didn't taste at all like the ginseng I have had, and I bet there were other things in it. There were lots and lots of people lining up to get the stuff. I started off bitter but by the end I was really enjoying it.
Today I am going to try and take pictures of people. It's really terrible outside, the weather that is, so I don't know if we will go to Lantau Island. Actually, it's kind of late, too. Hmm. Details to follow, of course!
It's OK. This is a good journal for me and will help me remember and relive the trip as my memory lets bits of pieces of it fade away over the years.
Yesterday was food day in Hong Kong (L.L.L. would say that *every* day is food day here, and she's right). Before we could head out for brunch, Jeremy had a little bit of adminstrative work to take care of in the form of a single-entry visa back into China. We poked our head into a few travel agencies staffed with Indian folks who said "No" until we found an Amex-authorized office where they took care of getting the Visa done and also dropping off the passport back at the hotel. Not only that, but they recommended a Dim Sum place for us to go. I asked them (three women) "If a man asked you out to Dim Sum, and you didn't like him very much, which Dim Sum place is *so good* that you would go anyway?" After a little translation help from Jeremy and some tittering and discussion (did they even understand what I asked?) they all concluded that the Hotel Peninsula was the place to have it. Then then volunteered that there was another place that "wasn't so fancy" but was good, and, more importantly, right around the corner. My friend Duan says "Hunger is the best sauce!", well, proximity is a close second.
We dropped into the Dim Sum place and they took our order. Thank goodness for the English menu. Jeremy could read all the Chinese writing well enough, but the descriptions in Chinese were flowery names for the dishes, not the ingredients (the English menu had both). I was pestering Jeremy too, until the English menu showed up. "So, Serge, do you want to order a Dragon's tooth dumpling with Lucky sauce?" I don't know! The Dim Sum was great. I am sure that we ate at a mid-level factory style place, and there are better ones around, but I never had Dim Sum this good. Everything was lighter and more complex in taste than what I am used to.
Here are some of the dishes. If anyone has problems with bandwidth, let me know and I will link the pictures next time:
A shrimp dumpling with a little chili mix on top:
The Shrimp dumpling gets Jeremy's seal of approval:
Siu Mai with crab roe
Char Siu Bao
Sweet steamed dumpling. Yellow ones were egg custard with coconut, others were red bean paste
I will link to the other pics from dinner and the harbor:
From Dinner at East Ocean restaurant:
Soup with Shark fin (boo), Sea Cucumber, Chicken feet, Scallops, Ham, Mushroom, Sea Snails.
Stew with Oysters, Scallops, light crunchy unknown green veg like romaine lettuce, 'Fat Choy' also called 'hair vegetable', and pig tongue.
Large prawns fried in shell with a sweet and savory spice mix
Clams with fried garlic and beanthreads. Far and away my favorite taste of the dinner!
Whole Soy Steamed Fish (Perch-like) with scallions
Jeremy sez, I misspell: "you tsai". Looks like GaiLan without the flowers...
Rice served in Bamboo with pork, chicken, and black fungus and scallions
Happy New Year Cake -- Glutenous rice flour and some other flavors. Very nice.
Dessert Soup, sweet with ginger and sugar. Had pieces yams and taro inside.
And here is a combination Seafood/Internet place that we *didn't* go to...
Ah, I forgot one thing that we did. While walking around, we say an herb shop that was selling some strong herb ginseng tea. We got a couple of cups, about 75 cents each (US). That tea was strong!!! It didn't taste at all like the ginseng I have had, and I bet there were other things in it. There were lots and lots of people lining up to get the stuff. I started off bitter but by the end I was really enjoying it.
Today I am going to try and take pictures of people. It's really terrible outside, the weather that is, so I don't know if we will go to Lantau Island. Actually, it's kind of late, too. Hmm. Details to follow, of course!
posted by Free Buffet at 3:53 PM
3 Comments:
I did read your travel blog >:/ cos i was the idiot who pointed out that the comment box needs a username and password. So i'm gettin a present too! I'll continue this cyber flamimg until u find a thai boy.
For me. :D
j'me.
Heh heh. Thanks for the tip on the comments. See, an old dog *can* learn new tricks! I am off to Thailand today, so I will start taking pictures for you, Jayme. Time for more blogging...
i just want everyone to know that jeremy is eating that shrimp in my honour, or something like that. good to know you're eating well!! that's what travelling's about :)
alex
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