Hong Kong: Photo diary 2016

Finally got the time to compile a little blog post to sum up a recent trip to Hong Kong in April - browsing through these pictures did put a smile on my face as clearly, I am obsessed over Hong Kong for no apparent reason. Well, possibly a few emotionally attached reasons.

Day 1 started as soon as we touched down, unpacked our bags and showered. No partying whatsoever, more like wandering around the streets of Yau Ma Tei in search for a decent feed whilst we attempt to avoid the crowd and crazy drivers.

Top - French Connection, shorts - Bershka, watch - Guess.

Hong Kong's glow made all the more vibrant by the striking colours used on the streets and across most shops.

The hotel bathroom situation loaded with my toiletries. Contact lens solution, make up removal, facial moisturizer and body moisturizer. I have finally grasped a good control over my acne prone skin and am adamant on keeping the situation under control via adequate hydration and cleansing. More on this in a separate post!

Egg tarts are a must in Hong Kong and not one that I would miss the opportunity to have whilst over there. Popped into Tai Cheong bakery in Central and was like how I remembered it to be. A fog of steam circling the baking room that is situated behind the front counter which gets stirred every time a staff whizzes across the door. Warm to touch and still retaining a wobbly, golden consistency, the sister and I grabbed one each.

Dress - Zara, Shoes - Nine West, Belt - Topshop. Humid climate in Hong Kong meant dressing a little lighter.

I was brought here by a good friend of mine as both his partner and him love it's unique Japanese cakes. Could not help myself from purchasing a little cake myself to test the waters and was I not disappointed. I had a taro tart which had a thick and bright coloured purple taro cream pipped onto it which was synonymous to the popular Okinawa taro. The sister chose a plain mango cake that was also delicious and definitely a safe choice for first timers.

For the thrill seekers, why not try the green tea cake with black sesame filling?

Sleeveless jacket - Topshop, shirt - Armani Exchange.

Bought my absolute favourite peanut snack (originated from Macau and easily available around Hong Kong) and a box of pineapple cookies for colleagues..which ended up in my tummy :p

The best part of the trip would be being able to grab a couple of Khalil Fong's CD. Older editions but still good songs nevertheless. This guy is truly an amazing artist and I can't wait to get my hands on his latest CD that got released in September :)

Hong Kong: Mido Cafe, Yau Ma Tei

As Hong Kong's tropic weather continued to drown us on our final day here, I was a little upset at the thought of leaving this country. After all, it was one of the first few countries that I have embarked without parental supervision or funds and a place where I feel at home - perhaps due to my Cantonese background getting excited from hearing its mother tongue spoken on a daily basis.

Mido was conveniently located a street away from our hotel which made it an excellent spot to grab breakfast before we depart to the airport. We were greeted by an elderly man clad in a white singlet , heavily engrossed in his newspaper. A swift turn to look at us curious looking tourists followed by a instructions to head upstairs for service.

Both the sister and I cannot read Chinese letters and were glad there's an English option available. We each ordered a cup of piping hot milk tea followed by a warm, toasted polo bun stuffed with a slab of butter, a bowl of egg and lotus seed soup and pork chop with macaroni in broth.

Wouldn't go as far to claim that its excellent cha chaan teng but it was strangely satisfying. Don't think I will be ordering the lotus seed soup again in the future but possibly will be back for that polo bun. I still have problems denying bread products access to my tummy. Darn.

McDonalds around the globe

I have been wanting to blog about my visit to McDonalds for the longest time and finally managed to find time to do so today..noting that I am currently in the mood for junk food aka comfort food on a wet and cold night :p

Truth to be told, I was a chubby kid back in my adolescent years and once I got into college, I started paying attention to what I eat and slowly cut back on all the unhealthy food. Eventually, I lost weight but I have lost the joys from eating. Yes, I was that girl who would jump on the weighing scale a few times a day just to check my weight.

That was an unhealthy era for me and I can't bring myself to do that anymore. These days, I am pretty consistent with what I eat although there are times I can't be bothered to feed myself (rarely!). This will be an unhealthy blog post but remember, it's boring to follow a routine all the time and as long as you are eating consistently well on the other days, you're allowed a cheat day;)

EUROPE

Barcelona ~ we did not see any limited edition Spanish burgers whilst were there. However, we did note that the buns are different.

Paris ~ Ah the city of love...no lovey dovey treats noted and again, the buns were shaped differently.

Krakow ~ so my mcflurry addition still stays with me despite ageing. From memory, they were breakfast cereal versions. Still the same soft serve vanilla ice cream used:P

ASIA

During my recent trip to Japan and Hong Kong, I made a conscious effort to read the menu and scout for hidden gems.

Hong Kong ~ we have chicken boxes here that includes chicken nuggets, mini chicken drumsticks and chicken wings. Little chicken drumsticks reminded me a little of KFC's version.

Now the real reason I actually visited McDonalds in Hong Kong... taro soft serve!! I love my tubers and this was no exception. Not yam-my textured at all and has a very subtle hint of taro.The sister aka non-taro-fan didn't mind it at all:) We weren't too hungry that day else would have gotten the sundae too!

In terms of pricing, there was little variation. Trust McDonalds to not give your wallet a heart attack.

This picture was taken back in 2013 and yes, it is still available in Hong Kong. Taro pies for taro fanatics. Verdict? Piping hot and oozing with taro goodness.

Japan ~ the sister and I were starving on a cold night in Kyoto and could not be bothered to venture too far out into the unknown..which led us to our trusty friend.

Teriyaki beef burger ~

Ebi burger ~ silly me only remembered ebi meant prawn after I bit into it. Reminded me of a fish burger but a prawn version, of course. Crispy on the outside and plenty of ebi bits in the patty.

Shake shake chicken ~ reminded me of the famous Taiwanese hot star's fried chicken. Glorified with cheddar cheese. Found this a little too salty to my liking:/

Hokkaido is known for their dairy and boy was I excited to be able to get a little snippet of the region during my trip. In McDonalds, that is. Extremely creamy milk custard wrapped in perfectly cooked puff pastry. Oh so divine and a must try in Japan:)

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of McDonalds from Malaysia and Australia to share:( Such as shame as I must have visited these outlets more than 10 times throughout my life. I will endeavour to do so the next time I pop by and update this page:)

Hong Kong: Central explored

Despite returning to Australia a couple of weeks ago, I finally have time to sit down and blog about my recent trip to Japan and Hong Kong..well, Hong Kong first because it was a shorter trip compared to Japan (more on that in separate posts!).

Having been to Hong Kong in 2013, I wanted to revisit familiar sights and to explore a few new eateries that have mushroomed over there.

The Cupping Room ~ coffee is the name of the game and where better to play this game than at The Cupping Room. Coffee costs around $6 and albeit being slightly more expensive than the Australian version, they still did serve an excellent cuppa. Fragrant roasted coffee beans? Check. Feathery light milk foam? Check.

Breakfast was also available but perhaps on another trip - for now, we are on the hunt for smashing Hong Kong fare.

Shirt - Armani Exchange, white skirt - Zara, Shoes - Zara, navy blue hairclip - American Apparel.

When I first visited Central, it was one of the major highlights of my trip..bustling, loud and has a good mix of old and new world paired with different classes of individuals. And I still feel the same about this place 3 years onwards.

L'atelier de joel robuchon ~ We stumbled upon Joel Robuchon's cafe that is conveniently situated in one of the main malls in Central. Coffee was good and we managed to squeeze a cherry pistachio cake into our tummies whilst we utilized the mall's free wifi.

Oh and for those wanting a cheap, delicious sweet fix, head over to Tai Cheong bakery and grab yourself a warm egg tart. Buttery soft tart crust that holds one of the smoothest and bright yellow custard mix I have laid my eyes on. Gone in less than a minute. Life is good

Niko Niko, Chadstone MELB

Nothing beats the feeling of having discovered a hidden (food) gem that serves delicious food at affordable prices. I am obsessed with Cantonese cuisine and to find a Hong Kong restaurant that is not too far away from where I live is the cherry on the cake.

Opened throughout the day and located not too far from the Holmesglen train station, this is probably the place to bring a group of friends who have different taste buds. The menu is very extensive and I am sure you will find a dish that suites your needs.

Shredded duck stir fry with vermicelli noodles ~ To be honest, I tend to enjoy clear broths more than thickened curry type of broths because I find it hydrating in a way. The broth had a desirable scent, possibly from the hours spent in the pot. Duck meat was evenly shredded to the right size aka not unbearably chunky nor stick thin.

Fried pastry rolls with meat sauce ~ this dish only came in an appetizer size but I found it more than enough for lunch as the pastry rolls can be quite filling. I found the sauce a little salty although I suppose that the idea behind pairing it with the pastry rolls that lacked seasoning. I secretly did enjoy nibbling on the crispy side of the pastry rolls which provided some textural contrast to the dish.

Porridge ~ this is one of the few places I know in Melbourne that serves a diverse range of porridge dishes for less than $10. Choose from chicken, pork, seafood or even the more exotic innards. In terms of taste and texture, it is very similar to the ones I have had in Hong Kong.

One cannot have porridge without youtiao aka fried Chinese curlers. I seldom have this as a child, purely because it's not the healthiest item to snack on but when I do, it escalated the meal to a whole different level. This porridge topper is prepared to order in the kitchen and tastes as good as the ones I had in the past. At $3.50, it does cost about 8x what I would pay in Malaysia but hey, its a rare treat;)