Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop (IFC)

Our last day in Hong Kong was spent at the IFC mall, where the airline express check-in counters are located.  I first saw Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop when I went around the mall a few days before and the smell of the noodle soup had me smiling from ear to ear.  Luckily, we were seated immediately when we arrived.  We had the beef tendon noodle soup and Monique and I were very happy!

Of course, being the congee lover that she is, Vicky wanted to try their congee, which was also quite flavorful.  We also had various dimsum items and dry noodles to complete the meal.  Everything was served fast, within 5 minutes from the time we gave the order!  A good fast meal at around P400 per head.  We were then ready for our express train journey to the airport!

Ocean Empire

After a tiring day at the Kowloon side, we arrived at the Rosedale at around 8pm, and after resting a bit, we decided to have congee for dinner at Ocean Empire, which was near the Indonesian quarters.  We had a couple for variety--congee with seafood and with pork, plus twisted rice sheets (I think that locally, this is called bicho bicho).

We spent around P350 per head.  I wasn't too impressed with the flavor though.  From the outside looking in, we saw the hot cauldrons of steaming congee, and it looked so appetizing, but somehow, the taste wasn't as great as we expected.

Paisano's

Tsim Sha Tsui is such an enjoyable place to shop that one can forget about time whilst moving around the district, and the biggest reminder that time has passed would be the aching soles of your feet.  By 5pm, we simply had to sit down, and we found Paisano's pizza parlor on a street perpendicular to Nathan Road.  Not bad at all, Monique and I had a pizza slice (P170) all to ourselves.  Simple yet delicious!

Hainan Shaoye

Our first day in Hong Kong was devoted to Admiralty, the second day was for Causeway Bay, and on the third, we roamed around Central; truly, we had our fill of Hong Kong Island.  We reserved Kowloon side for the fourth day--Tsim Sha Tsui!  The memories of our childhood trips to Hong Kong came rushing in: And the exhilaration was quite sublime--The Peninsual, Mody Road, the Marco Polo Hotel, the Silver Cord, Carnarvon, The Sheraton, Cameron, Granville!  We had lunch at the Ocean Terminal, and I must say that it is in a pretty much better shape today than it was in 2007, when we last saw it.  Nicely renovated, I was impressed.  Hainan Shaoye, a Singaporean style restaurant that we first saw at the World Trade Center in Causeway Bay was the restaurant of our choice.  We had a very nice ocean view from out table, was right beside the window.

I was a bit disappointed at the Hainanese Chicken meal; I had expected something of above average quality, but their version wasn't really much of a show stopper.  The pork stew was, however, on a different level, tender morsels, probably slow-cooked, and the sauce was slightly sweet, slightly tangy, just perfect!

We also ordered Hokkien mee, some tofu with mushrooms and a delicious pork slab topped with roe.  The noodles was quite bland, but the other dishes were well worth the risk.  All in all, we spent some P700 per head.

It was good to realize that some of the mainstays we visited some 30 years ago were still around--for example, Toys R Us was still at the very end of the mall.  We strolled around the connecting mall area under the Marco Polo hotel block, and I marveled at how most of the shops have changed.  I remember that the family had stayed once at the Omni Prince and another time at the Hongkong Hotel, and as such, Mikaela, Erica, Anita and I knew the mall layout like the back of our hands.  Later on, Vicky and I would also stay at these hotels, and that time it was more fashionable to stay at the Tsim Sha Tsui area (shopping was better at Kowloon side).  I really love going around in Hong Kong--first, the weather is just right; second, the food is great; and third, you can find everything that you could possibly want!  Lemme see now--I had better check on Vicky, she's looking at the Chinese Jade pendants... OMG!

Ceiling at the Marco Polo Gateway Mall

Pantry

After that wonderful and filling Japanese noodle treat, we had to bide our time around the Fashion Walk area, our tummies just too full for us to go back to the hotel immediately.  As we strolled, we found the Pantry, which carried some yummy breads, pastries and cookies.  Obviously, we couldn't help ourselves and bought a whole lot of stuff for the following day's breakfast!

Jika Udon

From Central, we got back to our hotel almost 9pm so it was nearing 10pm that we got to have dinner.  We found Jika Udon, a Japanese noodle house near the Park Lane Hotel run by the Taste of Japan group.  It was near closing time, and the receptionist warned us that the last orders were being processed in 30 minutes.  We knew we could make the time, as we were hungry again.  The restaurant interiors were chic and inviting!

Food was very flavorful.  We started off with a tomato based beef udon, followed by a creamy chicken and mushroom udon, and lastly by a Japanese wagyu burger with a simple udon side dish.  We also ordered special mushrooms and scallops, in order to truly feel the authentic fare.

Not bad for something like P500 per head.  Great ambiance, good food, and lovable company!  We were out by just after 10:30pm, and we were so full that we had to walk around the adjacent restaurant row to allow our food to digest.

XTC

Moving around via escalators, we found the XTC gelato shoppe, one of the best in Hong Kong.  It was truly a nice experience to bump into Filipino OFWs in foreign lands, and Sonia, the shop manager, immediately made us feel at home.  For around P200 per head, we enjoyed several flavors of their super yummy gelato.

The neighboring ice cream shop was Ben & Jerry's, but the choice was pretty clear--gelato has a milky texture that doesn't foam as much as ice cream.  Yup, super yummy!

Ebeneezer's

Our day at Central was very exciting!  We went up the escalators to explore the mid-levels, and stopped off at Soho to have some merienda.  Obviously, the Peking Duck wrap wasn't that big a serving!  Vicky found Ebeneezer's, which offered kebabs, wraps and pizza.  Without a doubt, this place serves  the best Lamb Biryani we have tasted so far, and I kid you not!

The samosas and the lamb wrap were also good, juicy and flavorful.  Our bill came up to something like P250 per head.  Despite our aching soles, we were instantly recharged!

Strangely enough, the highlight of this trip to HK was the Lamb Biryani, and this probably will be the must-repeat next trip!  Hmmm.... maybe I can get the franchise started in Manila?

Pret A Manger

The British sandwich shop Pret A Manger was truly a big welcome attraction for me on our third day in Hong Kong.  In the morning, I went to see a friend at the Shun Tak Centre, and had to separate from Vicky, Monique, Erica and Luisa, who had lunch at the Cafe de Coral in the Central area.  Since Erica and Luisa were ready to catch their flight back to Manila, we decided to meet up at the IFC shopping mall at 2pm.  I was there by 1pm but decided to window shop, such that by 2pm, I was famished!  I walked in Pret A Manger, eager to buy a Peking Duck wrap and some potato chips.  Unknowingly I was  being watched by the four of them, and they knew that I was so hungry for the way I was staring at the food choices!  The Peking Duck wrap was great, and cost something like P220.

THE

Shopping around Causeway Bay can truly be an exhilarating experience, but the clamors of your aching feet and your grumbly tummy simply cannot be ignored!  On our second night in Hong Kong, we got caught up in the shopping routine, and had dinner at almost 10pm.  Since Vicky was rooting for roasted duck, we stopped by a restaurant called Tai Hing Everyday.  I don't even remember exactly where it is located, but we had lots of roast specialties, including goose, chicken, pork and some cold cuts (marinated beef and Chinese sausages).

In addition, we also ordered some bokchoy in oyster sauce for our veggies, and we tried a delectable chicken mushroom stew that was also impressive.

Our bill came up to around P600 per head, which was reasonable since we had an extra order of roasted goose!  Vicky had wanted to order a whole goose (P2,000) to bring back to Manila, and I promised her that we'd go back to THE...if I remembered how to get there.  My memory, however, is not as good as it used to be and, we never found the place again... boo hoo hoo...!

Osaka Ohsho at City Super

This is one repeat performance that Vicky and Monique promptly demanded--the City Super  food court at Times Square, where Osaka Ohsho is located.  This place serves one of the most memorable gyozas that the mother and daughter tandem can remember!  We first got a taste of this in December 2007, and we simply had to return to Time Square to savor the rich flavors again.

We also ordered some roti and chap chae to round out our internationalized lunch menu, but the highlight of the day was truly the gyoza!

An order of gyoza, together with fried rice and a drink comes to around P350, which isn't cheap for a fast food place.  However, don't be deceived--the way they make the gyoza is really something to take note of!

Dan Ryan's

When we signed up for this HK trip, I had the feeling we would be going on a culinary expedition.  Next on my agenda was Dan Ryan's, which I had wanted to visit since the place opened in Pacific Place several years ago, but never had the chance.  Luckily, Erica was a master in moving about via MTR, and in a jiffy, we were in Admiralty!

Interiors were quite interesting, with plenty of memorabilia adorning the walls, the restaurant motif being Chicago restaurant cum sports bar.  The bread was simply delicious and Vicky asked for more!

We started the meal with seafood chowder and caesar's salad, which both Erica and Luisa enjoyed.  

We also had cheese nachos, zitti pasta, crab patties, and a platter of various house specialty items (including onion rings, potato wedges, buffalo wings).

Overall, the meal was good, the service was fast and despite the low light, the ambiance was still cozy and neat.  My estimate for our spend--around P800 per head.  Great bonding time for all of us!