Tsim Chai Kee Noodle (沾仔記), Wellington Street, Hong Kong

I was recommended this noodle shop (98 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong) by a friend who was trying to convince us that their wantons were much larger over here in Hong Kong. It turned out to be a place that sold only noodles with a modest options of toppings. Their king prawn wanton noodle which looked to be sitting on almost everyone else's table had dumplings the size of a plum. This steaming bowl of noodles was satisfyingly impressive. Three of those shrimp filled dumplings with pork in a bowl laden with hearty portion of thin chewy noodles that that was coupled with excellent texture and bite. My type of noodles. So good in the cool evening of winter. The side of vegetables in oyster sauce was commendably tender yet crunchy without being the least fibrous. 

I was so taken in by this place that I headed back out here the following evening for dinner. Which wasn't so remarkable. Had their three topping noodle which included sliced beef (unidentifiable protein mass) and a fishball that was textured like a meatloaf of sorts. Shall stick to the wonton noodles.

First meal in Hong Kong

This was during lunch hour on the day after I had arrived, so literally was the first meal that I have had out. The shop was looked like a really old school char chan teng and was teeming with people that looked like they were residents from nearby. There was also a queue forming for takeaways. It was all good indicators of a very decent spot for local eats. I hadn't any idea what this was called but ordered it by pointing at another table which had order of the same rice dish. Basically it was the sodium, protein, fat and carbohydrates meal formed with two fried eggs, a hot dog and some luncheon meat over rice. Drizzled with dark soy sauce and.....liquid yolks. Wasn't anything new or unusual, but it did an excellent job of filling up. Couldn't argue with all the savouriness with an empty stomach. All to be washed down with some hot milk tea. I like how eggs here are done. So much better than the excuse for fried eggs in most of the economic rice stalls back home.

Sweet potato dumplings from Maxwell Food Centre

I got these from a stall that sells nothing but sweet potato dumplings down at Maxwell Food Centre (Maxwell Road, #01-76 Maxwell Food Centre, tel : +65 9621 4343) and I thought they were pretty good. These dumpings are made, I'm guessing with sweet potato based flour and was both a greasy and chewy snack. It was so greasy that the paper bags that held them were really soaked with all that oil. After trying a couple of variety, I had to pick these ones with pandan coconut fillings as my favourite.

Famous Bedok Kuey Chap, Whampoa Food Centre

This stall (Blk 91, Whampoa Drive, #01-26 Whampoa Food Centre) at the corner of Whampoa Food Centre was not bad. Memorable like the stall which I've had down in AMK 232 for the inclusion of pig stomach - amongst the other commonly available other pig parts. What I found different here was that the tender strips of pork belly that contained a larger meat to fat ratio. The refills for the broth was much more flavourful than the ones that come with the bowls of kuey, so that's something to look out for.

China Street Fritters, Maxwell Food Centre

Being local doesn't mean that one is aware of all the good spots for food. This Chinese stall (Maxwell Road, #01-64 Maxwell Food Centre, tel : +65 9239 6464) that sells fried mixed fritters of Chinese sausage like things wrapped in bean curd skin has been operating for a long time. Can't say that I recall having eaten from their place even though Maxwell Food Centre has been a fairly regular haunt since I was young.

What set this stall apart from the other wu xiang stalls was that the variety of fritters are pretty limited in selection. Not sure exactly how many different ones there are, but I hear that they pride themselves in being good at what they do have, which is something I really can't disagree with.

There's the usual fried bean curd, fish balls, meat rolls (a.k.a. ngoh hiong), liver rolls with scallions and an unhealthily tasty slice of egg and lard fritter - which by the way was really good. Those reddish pork sausage things also tasted different (nicer) from other stalls that I recall having had. Altogether excellent with a plate or two of their stir fried bee hoon.

Munchies from the Tohoku Fair @ Isetan

Grandma's Restaurant, Orchard Paragon

A couple of weeks back, I had stepped in Grandma's Restaurant (290 Orchard Road, #B1-42/43 The Paragon, tel : +65 6737 7931) for some chendol and decided that I'll return for the food after seeing the spread on other people's tables. This time round, the realization struck me that I've actually visited this place before at the original outlet down in Orchard Parade Hotel. And that the chef that ran the place had been from Madam Kwan's which had left me pretty good impressions.

In retrospect, what made this place a winner for me was the soft and fragrant nasi lemak rice which I've realized, seemed to be a rarity these days. Granted that I am not often looking out for great nasi lemak, I've been having them now and then, noticing that there is always something that I didn't like about the rice. It was either the degree which the grains were cooked, or the lack of coconut fragrance of the rice or that it was simply tasted bland. This place did strike a really good balance. All of it with that coconut rich curry that threatened to make my arteries clog in protest.

Normally, steak is not an option I would even consider for a restaurant like this since the expertise of the kitchen point toward another direction. I wouldn't have had it here if not for the fact that I spied a really nice looking one at a neighbour's table which gave me give pause for reconsideration. This might not have been top quality meat. To be fair, the tenderloin in a light pepper sauce was quite enjoyable and the kitchen got medium rare spot on. A decent char grill on the surface for aroma and non crinkle cut fries, I could say that this would give Aston's a run for their money considering that steaks are not a forte here.

I would have preferred a heavier touch of heat to the otah otah but I have no complains. This was the stuff that's filled with chunks of fish, not just bits of them. I feel drawn back to the restaurant. For the nice coconut laden bubor cha cha with hot steaming pieces of yam that I enjoyed and also for the other things that I would like to try on menu. Perhaps too, for the pints of Erdinger at a steal at $5.

La Braceria Pizza and Grill, Greendale Avenue

La Braceria (5 Greendale Avenue, tel : +65 6465 5918), formerly located at the time capsule of Ban Guan Park near 6th Avenue is now literally around the corner from Greenwood Avenue. I hadn't realised that this current location was actually so close to the cluster of restaurants at Greenwood. And that someone I used to be acquainted with lives just above the restaurant.

Dinner started with a serving of an aromatically smoked scamoza cheese with parma ham and their trippa alla Fiorentina which is essentially a beef tripe stew in a tomato based broth with herbs. The latter dish appeared very different from what I had previously where it appeared more like a soup with pieces of tripe swimming in the broth. This time round, there wasn't much in the way of broth and it was actually more of a sauce in a bowl laden with very generous portions of the soft stewed tripe. I hadn't expected the portions to be so huge, making me regret asking for extra portions of bread while waiting for the food to arrive. But, I am definitely not complaining.

Both the house pasta, which was orecchlette with sausages and broccoli and the porcini risotto came in hearty portions as well. The decision of stuffing more bread earlier sunk heavier as they arrived. The former pasta which was done in a light but robust flavored sauce of what tasted to be meat and cheese was decent, albeit a little undercooked to be even al dente. The bits of meat tasted exactly like the sausages with fennel seeds that I had previously. Hearty, but the fennel wasn't something that I normally enjoy much.

This risotto was definitely well done as it struck an excellent balance between the taste of the poricini mushrooms and the truffle oil that perfumed the creamy reduction on the rice. Must make a mental note of this being one of the enjoyable risottos that I've had around.

The location was a little remote, but in the evening, had exuded a kind of charm which I found appealing in the quiet little corner relatively unrustled, mostly, by the noise of traffic. And with pizza bianca options on the menu, I'll definitely be looking forward to coming back.

And some from Café Iguana...

Nothing much to be said about the stuff here that I haven't already, especially when it's items on menu that I've had before. Just some random phone cam whoreography here.

The croissants that made me go wow......

The whispers of a not so little bird told me that Mirabelle Patisserie (27 Mackenzie Road, tel : +65 6238 6235) had good croissants and since it was located at an old haunt of mine, I decided to take a look. Took me three Saturdays of attempts before I managed to get my hands on the ham and cheese croissant. I tried thrice because I had managed by chance to get the regular ones on the first attempt and they were really good. Croissants are available easily here. Getting those that are crispy and buttery with enough grease for the moist innards without being overly heavy or soggy was another matter entirely and these ones from Mirabelle were just that. And as mentioned by the not so little bird, the ham and cheese version was really excellent value for the quality of ham and cheese that was used. The picture unfortunately does no justice to the taste of the pastry.