Hubby and I loved San Francisco when we were there in August. Continuing from the first part of my recount of our cycle through this beautiful city, here are a few more photos. The best part of that day was finally realising my 20-year dream of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, and I never thought I would be biking across it! The most amusing part of our ride was seeing gloomy and grey San Francisco on one side in stark contrast to sunny and blue-skied Sausalito at the opposite end. We arrived at the bridge at 3:30pm, where we discovered that bicycle access on the East Sidewalk are restricted to 3:30pm. We were glad that we didn't take longer to eat our lunch(es)! I spotted emergency phones offering crisis counselling at regular intervals along the bridge, which I pointed out to hubby, and he told me a very sad fact about the bridge. I was sad for about a second, but the fact that I was actually on the Golden Gate Bridge cheered me up instantly. We battled against the wind for a little bit, but the ride into Sausalito was pretty sweet and downhill most of the way - a nice change to the uphill ride towards the bridge. Click on images below for larger views!
The red Golden Gate Bridge, the top enshrouded in fog. It was very windy!
I was ON the bridge!
View towards San Francisco, where it was grey, gloomy and still slightly foggy...
... in contrast to the other end of the bridge where it was bright and sunny with blue skies:
We arrived in Sausalito around 4:30pm and headed straight for the ferry pier where we saw a long queue of cyclists waiting for the ferry ride back to downtown San Francisco. The ferry service was not running very frequently, so we opted to stay in line and didn't get to see much of the town. It looked like a pleasant place, with a more laidback and relaxed atmosphere than downtown SF. Perhaps next time we're in SF, we will hang out in Sausalito longer, enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants, and perhaps even cycle back to SF.
The ferry route took us close to Alcatraz (click for a larger image):
The city skyline as the ferry approached San Francisco:
Docked at the Ferry Building:
Inside the Ferry Building Marketplace, in search for dinner:
It was successful day!
Thursday 29 November 2012
Monday 26 November 2012
Gingerbread Men
Last Tuesday on our way to my 4-year-old's gym class, I pointed out some Christmas-themed gingerbread decorations around the mall. He immediately recited part of the gingerbread man song ("Run, run, as fast as you can! You'll never catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!") and said he wanted some gingerbread men. I promised him we would make some on the following weekend, and the kid was really looking forward to it. So much so that he declared to hubby that we were going to make gingerbread men on the weekend quite a few times during the week. Despite the frequent reminders, in the midst of the frenzy that is my life during the week, I actually forgot all about it until my boy piped up on Saturday morning that it's the weekend, and we were going to make gingerbread men. I hadn't done my usual research for recipes, so I quickly did an internet search, spotted a well-rated and well-reviewed recipe from taste.com.au (a trusted Australian recipe website), printed out the recipe, and off we went on a trip to the supermarket (one of the many times I've been so thankful that the supermarket is just downstairs, and open from 8am to 11pm!). There weren't any gingerbread man cookie cutter at the supermarket, so the baking was delayed until the afternoon when I could source one. The things we do for our kids! But it was well worth it because the boy had a great fun mixing the ingredients together, and then cutting out the little men for baking - but I think he enjoyed eating them more than all the previous steps! The recipe states that the recipe makes 20, but I think the cookie dough proved too yummy to resist because we only made 14! The baked gingerbread men were delicious undecorated, but we managed to resist a few so that we could decorate them.
Some gingerbread men cooling down:
The recipe is almost verbatim from the website, with a couple of modifications. I used whole wheat plain flour, which required a tablespoon more golden syrup to help bind the dough. The dough was still a little dry, but I kneaded until it was as smooth as I could get it, and I managed to roll it out without crumbling. I didn't have 'mixed spice', but I used a generous heaped tablespoon of ground ginger, which gave the right spicy kick. I also used a pasteurised egg which meant that the dough was safe to eat raw, but I couldn't get the white to whip for the icing (turns out that some lemon juice or cream of tartar would have helped get pasteurised egg white to whip). Instead I made plain icing with just icing (or confectioner's) sugar and a tiny amount of water. I am quite against using food colouring in my cooking, and my boy is allergic to a number of things that Smarties or M&M's may contain traces of, so the decoration was plain white. It did the job, and my boy was perfectly happy with the gingerbread men. This is a fun baking activity for kids, but it requires close supervision and lots of help (especially with the electric mixer and the hot oven). Hubby, boy and I enjoyed this family project together, especially the eating part! We will probably make more to give away to his friends closer to Christmas time.
Run, run, as fast as you can!
Gingerbread Men
Ingredients
Butter, to grease
105g butter, at room temperature
90g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
1 egg, separated
325g (2 1/3 cups) plain flour
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
1. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 2 baking trays with butter.
3. Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use a 9cm gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.
4. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool.
5. Prepare the icing with 50g icing sugar and start with a teaspoon of warm water. Stir well, and add more icing or water to a stiff consistency. Decorate the gingerbread men (I used a piping tube, but a ziploc bag with a small nip in the corner would suffice).
Some gingerbread men cooling down:
The recipe is almost verbatim from the website, with a couple of modifications. I used whole wheat plain flour, which required a tablespoon more golden syrup to help bind the dough. The dough was still a little dry, but I kneaded until it was as smooth as I could get it, and I managed to roll it out without crumbling. I didn't have 'mixed spice', but I used a generous heaped tablespoon of ground ginger, which gave the right spicy kick. I also used a pasteurised egg which meant that the dough was safe to eat raw, but I couldn't get the white to whip for the icing (turns out that some lemon juice or cream of tartar would have helped get pasteurised egg white to whip). Instead I made plain icing with just icing (or confectioner's) sugar and a tiny amount of water. I am quite against using food colouring in my cooking, and my boy is allergic to a number of things that Smarties or M&M's may contain traces of, so the decoration was plain white. It did the job, and my boy was perfectly happy with the gingerbread men. This is a fun baking activity for kids, but it requires close supervision and lots of help (especially with the electric mixer and the hot oven). Hubby, boy and I enjoyed this family project together, especially the eating part! We will probably make more to give away to his friends closer to Christmas time.
Run, run, as fast as you can!
Gingerbread Men
Ingredients
Butter, to grease
105g butter, at room temperature
90g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
1 egg, separated
325g (2 1/3 cups) plain flour
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
1. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 2 baking trays with butter.
3. Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use a 9cm gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.
4. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool.
5. Prepare the icing with 50g icing sugar and start with a teaspoon of warm water. Stir well, and add more icing or water to a stiff consistency. Decorate the gingerbread men (I used a piping tube, but a ziploc bag with a small nip in the corner would suffice).
Saturday 24 November 2012
Revisit: Lunch @ Yè Shanghai (Kowloon), Hong Kong
When my relatives were in town a few weeks ago, we took them to Yè Shanghai for some Shanghainese food. Hubby, boy and I had an enjoyable lunch here before earlier this year, and I was keen to re-visit to assess the consistency of the restaurant's quality. I'm happy to report that the service we received had improved, and the food was just as delicious - more fitting for a Michelin Two Star restaurant. We were looked after very well that Sunday, and my relatives were rather pleased with the food. We had more people this time, so we could try more dishes than last time.
Chicken with Bean Jelly in Peanut Sauce (served cold, HK$55) - a signature dish, and one of my favourites from last visit. I liked the slippery cool jelly and the peanut sauce:
Thousand Year Eggs and Beancurd (also served cold, HK$52) - another of my favourite from last time, which was well-received by my aunt and uncle:
Tea Leaves Smoked Eggs (HK$20 per egg) - simple but lovely:
Steamed Pork Dumplings, i.e. xiaolongbao (HK$52 for 4 pieces) - a signature dish, as it ought to be since it's a Shanghainese dish. This was a good version, although it doesn't match up to the one we had at Man Wah (but I admit that it is an unfair comparison since Man Wah's dumpling is so much more expensive):
Spring Onion Pancakes (HK$52 for 2 pieces) - twisty pastry with spring onions inside. Tasty good:
Stir-fried River Shrimps (HK$160) - a signature dish that is done well. Sweet and juicy shrimps:
Sauteed Minced Chicken with Pine Nuts, served with Sesame Pastry Pockets (HK$148) - we couldn't resist ordering this one again:
Fried Shanghai Thick Noodles in Dark Soy Sauce (HK$98). I am not a big fan of fat noodles, but hubby and my relatives enjoyed this a lot. The noodles were seasoned well, and there was a good amount of beef and vegetables:
We were all pretty full, but once again hubby couldn't pass up the opportunity for some dessert, especially now that we know the desserts are pretty good here. We ordered the Dessert Platter (HK$110) to share, choosing three of Yè Shanghai's signature desserts.
Mango Napoleon - layers of crispy yuba (tofu skin) with strips of mangoes. Sounds strange to use tofu with mango, but it worked very well:
One of the waiters dashed over to our rescue as we were contemplating just how to divvy up the Mango Napoleon. He cut into four portions, hardly making a mess:
I can't remember what flavour this Panna Cotta was, but it was silky and smooth, and it was served in a pool of delicious Mango sauce and bits of sago (or tapioca?) jelly. I may not remember the details, but I do remember that it was a good light dessert choice:
Black Sesame Crème Brûlée with Peanut Ice Cream - an excellent combination of flavours:
We had a good lunch at Yè Shanghai, and service was much better without that surly maître d' from before. This is a solid choice for Shanghainese food in Hong Kong.
Yè Shanghai Kowloon
6/F, The Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel
3 Canton Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel. +85 2 2376 3322
Chicken with Bean Jelly in Peanut Sauce (served cold, HK$55) - a signature dish, and one of my favourites from last visit. I liked the slippery cool jelly and the peanut sauce:
Thousand Year Eggs and Beancurd (also served cold, HK$52) - another of my favourite from last time, which was well-received by my aunt and uncle:
Tea Leaves Smoked Eggs (HK$20 per egg) - simple but lovely:
Steamed Pork Dumplings, i.e. xiaolongbao (HK$52 for 4 pieces) - a signature dish, as it ought to be since it's a Shanghainese dish. This was a good version, although it doesn't match up to the one we had at Man Wah (but I admit that it is an unfair comparison since Man Wah's dumpling is so much more expensive):
Spring Onion Pancakes (HK$52 for 2 pieces) - twisty pastry with spring onions inside. Tasty good:
Stir-fried River Shrimps (HK$160) - a signature dish that is done well. Sweet and juicy shrimps:
Sauteed Minced Chicken with Pine Nuts, served with Sesame Pastry Pockets (HK$148) - we couldn't resist ordering this one again:
Fried Shanghai Thick Noodles in Dark Soy Sauce (HK$98). I am not a big fan of fat noodles, but hubby and my relatives enjoyed this a lot. The noodles were seasoned well, and there was a good amount of beef and vegetables:
We were all pretty full, but once again hubby couldn't pass up the opportunity for some dessert, especially now that we know the desserts are pretty good here. We ordered the Dessert Platter (HK$110) to share, choosing three of Yè Shanghai's signature desserts.
Mango Napoleon - layers of crispy yuba (tofu skin) with strips of mangoes. Sounds strange to use tofu with mango, but it worked very well:
One of the waiters dashed over to our rescue as we were contemplating just how to divvy up the Mango Napoleon. He cut into four portions, hardly making a mess:
I can't remember what flavour this Panna Cotta was, but it was silky and smooth, and it was served in a pool of delicious Mango sauce and bits of sago (or tapioca?) jelly. I may not remember the details, but I do remember that it was a good light dessert choice:
Black Sesame Crème Brûlée with Peanut Ice Cream - an excellent combination of flavours:
We had a good lunch at Yè Shanghai, and service was much better without that surly maître d' from before. This is a solid choice for Shanghainese food in Hong Kong.
Yè Shanghai Kowloon
6/F, The Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel
3 Canton Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel. +85 2 2376 3322
Wednesday 21 November 2012
Boudin Bakery & Cafe, In-N-Out Burger @ Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
During our memorable bicycle ride from downtown San Francisco to the Golden Gate Bridge, we stopped for an early lunch at Boudin Bakery located at Pier 39. We later rode past Boudin's flagship store on Jefferson Street, and sorely wished we'd known that it was so close by as would have preferred to lunch at the original where there is also a museum and an observation window through which we could watch the bakers in action. It was just as well we didn't because we were already pressed for time, and this leaves us something to do when we re-visit San Francisco.
Boudin at Pier 39:
Bread and other baked goodies! There were koala- and turtle-shaped loaves too:
The menu was simple, and not terribly priced, though I did notice a bit of a price hike compared to other Boudin stores due to its premium location. There were many types of sandwiches and toasts, a few salads, and even a couple of pizzas. Soups and scrambles are served in bread bowls. You simply place your order and pay at the cash register, and then wait for your number to be called out to be picked up at another counter. Drinks are also self-service.
Clam Chowder, New England-style (US$7.59), served in a sourdough bread bowl - delish! Bread bowl is such a brilliant idea, much like how the cobb loaf dip is also fantastic. The chunky chowder was very tasty, and the sourdough bowl was simply divine with its crispy crust and fluffy insides:
Hot Crab Cake Sandwich (US$10.99), with avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo inside toasted sourdough. The crab cake was flavourful and the fresh lettuce and tomatoes completed the sandwich. I added a side salad (Waldorf) for an extra US$2.49, and I also enjoyed the toasted (slightly burnt) walnuts and the cool crisp apple slices:
Boudin at Fisherman's Wharf
Pier 39, Space 5-Q
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States
Tel. +1 415 421 0185
Hubby really wanted to try an In-N-Out burger while we were in San Francisco since it seems that In-N-Out joints are strictly only on the west side of U.S., and the only one in San Francisco is near Fisherman's Wharf. Hubby had his second lunch which satisfied his curiousity about this popular burger chain. I appreciated that the bun was still fluffy, the lettuce was still crisp and the tomato slice was still firm. With such good quality control, it was not surprising at all that this In-N-Out joint was filled to the brim!
A Hamburger that deserves its widespread popularity:
In-N-Out Burger
333 Jefferson St
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States
Tel. +1 800 786 1000
Boudin at Pier 39:
Bread and other baked goodies! There were koala- and turtle-shaped loaves too:
The menu was simple, and not terribly priced, though I did notice a bit of a price hike compared to other Boudin stores due to its premium location. There were many types of sandwiches and toasts, a few salads, and even a couple of pizzas. Soups and scrambles are served in bread bowls. You simply place your order and pay at the cash register, and then wait for your number to be called out to be picked up at another counter. Drinks are also self-service.
Clam Chowder, New England-style (US$7.59), served in a sourdough bread bowl - delish! Bread bowl is such a brilliant idea, much like how the cobb loaf dip is also fantastic. The chunky chowder was very tasty, and the sourdough bowl was simply divine with its crispy crust and fluffy insides:
Hot Crab Cake Sandwich (US$10.99), with avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo inside toasted sourdough. The crab cake was flavourful and the fresh lettuce and tomatoes completed the sandwich. I added a side salad (Waldorf) for an extra US$2.49, and I also enjoyed the toasted (slightly burnt) walnuts and the cool crisp apple slices:
Boudin at Fisherman's Wharf
Pier 39, Space 5-Q
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States
Tel. +1 415 421 0185
Hubby really wanted to try an In-N-Out burger while we were in San Francisco since it seems that In-N-Out joints are strictly only on the west side of U.S., and the only one in San Francisco is near Fisherman's Wharf. Hubby had his second lunch which satisfied his curiousity about this popular burger chain. I appreciated that the bun was still fluffy, the lettuce was still crisp and the tomato slice was still firm. With such good quality control, it was not surprising at all that this In-N-Out joint was filled to the brim!
A Hamburger that deserves its widespread popularity:
In-N-Out Burger
333 Jefferson St
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States
Tel. +1 800 786 1000
Monday 19 November 2012
Cycling San Francisco Part 1: Downtown - Fisherman's Wharf - Golden Gate Bridge!
The best thing about going through my backlog of photos from our August trip to San Francisco is recalling the great fun we had through the photos. Upon my request, hubby took care of our itinerary - where to go, what to see and what food to eat - and we both enjoyed swapping roles for a change. He did a really good job too! For our second day, we hired bicycles and a child seat, and cycled the whole day from 10am to 8pm. This was the highlight of the trip, and it is with pleasure to recount that day's activities. The weather was typical of San Francisco, and not much like the sunny blue-skied San Diego we'd experienced the day before, but we liked it because hubby didn't get sunburnt and we didn't get too uncomfortably hot. By the way, the San Francisco Bay Trail is an awesome project in the works, and we only rode a tiny fraction of it (currently the SF Bay Trail is only ~65% completed; its total length will be 805km).
Helmets on, kid belted in, and we're ready to go!
Arriving at Pier 39, at one edge of Fisherman's Wharf, a highly commercialised and touristy location:
An amusing sign:
Alcatraz Island as visible from Pier 39 (click to view larger image):
The Pier 39 sea lions. That sign says "HAPPY 22ND ANNIVERSARY SEA LIONS!":
A lone sea lion that had just jumped out of the water, shortly before it joined the colony of others sunbaking:
Another angle of Alcatraz Island, as we were cycling across the Aquatic Park:
We cycled past Ghirardelli Square but didn't stop for a closer look because we still had a long way to go to the bridge:
There was a massive hill to climb on the bike trail from the Aquatic Park to Fort Mason, but cyclists and hikers were rewarded with a beautiful view of the Marina with the Golden Gate Bridge in the far distance:
We rode through a park near Fort Mason, where there was an intriguing gnarled tree leaning away from the Bay - perhaps the result of prevailing winds:
The Bridge from the Marina Green - so close, yet so far, and the worst (incline) was yet to come:
And I leave you with this panoramic shot of the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge just after we'd cycled up the steepest point of the trail leading to the bridge (click for larger image):
Stay tuned for the second part of our ride, where we rode across the bridge into Sausalito.
Helmets on, kid belted in, and we're ready to go!
Arriving at Pier 39, at one edge of Fisherman's Wharf, a highly commercialised and touristy location:
An amusing sign:
Alcatraz Island as visible from Pier 39 (click to view larger image):
The Pier 39 sea lions. That sign says "HAPPY 22ND ANNIVERSARY SEA LIONS!":
A lone sea lion that had just jumped out of the water, shortly before it joined the colony of others sunbaking:
Another angle of Alcatraz Island, as we were cycling across the Aquatic Park:
We cycled past Ghirardelli Square but didn't stop for a closer look because we still had a long way to go to the bridge:
There was a massive hill to climb on the bike trail from the Aquatic Park to Fort Mason, but cyclists and hikers were rewarded with a beautiful view of the Marina with the Golden Gate Bridge in the far distance:
We rode through a park near Fort Mason, where there was an intriguing gnarled tree leaning away from the Bay - perhaps the result of prevailing winds:
The Bridge from the Marina Green - so close, yet so far, and the worst (incline) was yet to come:
And I leave you with this panoramic shot of the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge just after we'd cycled up the steepest point of the trail leading to the bridge (click for larger image):
Stay tuned for the second part of our ride, where we rode across the bridge into Sausalito.
Friday 16 November 2012
Buttery scrambled eggs @ Australia Dairy Company, Hong Kong
While I was working on the previous post, I realised that I hadn't yet written about this meal I had more than two months ago! I was searching for a non-existent blog post, but the futile search served to remind me of photos that got forgotten in the ever-growing backlog of photos. Back in September, Steph of The Travelling Tastebuds came across the border from Shenzhen to visit me for a baking date, and we stopped by the Australia Dairy Company for a small bite to eat beforehand. I have no clue why "Australia" is in the shop's name, as everything about it is very Hong Kong-style. This place had been on my food radar for over a year but I didn't have the opportunity to try this place earlier for a few good reasons. Firstly, the diner is so popular that it is perpetually crowded at all hours everyday, and I'd heard that there is a queue right up until its closing time at 11pm. This is not a place for a leisurely meal, and it is definitely not a kid-friendly place. Secondly, whenever the weekend rolls around, there are so many interesting places to eat with hubby and the boy that a rushed meal of scrambled eggs on toast got pushed back. Thirdly, I dislike going out to eat on my own.
The queue at 11am on a weekday. It moved pretty fast, and we waited for only 5 minutes:
Crowded space near the entrance. This is only half the dining area, and the kitchen is at the back:
Be prepared to be seated with strangers:
I do avoid taking my visitors to places I haven't been before, but Steph was keen to try out what many consider to be the best scrambled eggs in Hong Kong. And she wasn't disappointed. The service wasn't as terrible as I'd expected, and there was an English menu! There are sets that include toast, eggs, drinks and soup HK$30 and under, as well as a-la-carte items for under HK$20.
English menu:
The food arrived quickly, and we tucked into our scrambled eggs (but only after we snapped away on our cameras, of course). The scrambled egg was so buttery! It was moist and fluffy-textured, and quite the indulgence. One was plenty for me!
Scrambled eggs on toast:
The scrambled eggs were indeed good, and I can see why the Australia Dairy Company consistently wins awards every year on openrice. Worth a try if you like eggs, don't have young kids, and don't mind the 'local' service.
Australia Dairy Company
Ground Floor
47-49 Parkes Street
Jordan, Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel. +85 2 2730 1356
The queue at 11am on a weekday. It moved pretty fast, and we waited for only 5 minutes:
Crowded space near the entrance. This is only half the dining area, and the kitchen is at the back:
Be prepared to be seated with strangers:
I do avoid taking my visitors to places I haven't been before, but Steph was keen to try out what many consider to be the best scrambled eggs in Hong Kong. And she wasn't disappointed. The service wasn't as terrible as I'd expected, and there was an English menu! There are sets that include toast, eggs, drinks and soup HK$30 and under, as well as a-la-carte items for under HK$20.
English menu:
The food arrived quickly, and we tucked into our scrambled eggs (but only after we snapped away on our cameras, of course). The scrambled egg was so buttery! It was moist and fluffy-textured, and quite the indulgence. One was plenty for me!
Scrambled eggs on toast:
The scrambled eggs were indeed good, and I can see why the Australia Dairy Company consistently wins awards every year on openrice. Worth a try if you like eggs, don't have young kids, and don't mind the 'local' service.
Australia Dairy Company
Ground Floor
47-49 Parkes Street
Jordan, Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel. +85 2 2730 1356
Thursday 15 November 2012
Street food and local eats in Mongkok
The other week, my aunt and uncle visited us from Malaysia. That was only a week after my sister had gone back to Australia, and my body hadn't yet recovered from all the pigging out we did with her. For the whole week that my relatives were with us, my body was in constant need for wholesome eating, but I duly ignored it in favour of showing them a memorable foodie experience of Hong Kong. And boy, did we eat! We did all the important things to do, see and eat in HK, plus more! My relatives were very keen to try out anything local, and my uncle can speak Cantonese, so he took the opportunity to learn more Chinese with almost everyone he met on the streets, trains, shops - just about anyone willing to converse with him. One day, after we'd been to the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden and on our way to the markets in Mongkok, we came across a lone peddler on the footpath selling some kind of sweet. Neither of us had seen this kind of sweet before, and my uncle could not resist yet another opportunity to practice and learn Chinese with the locals. The peddler himself was rather reserved - I suppose he wasn't used to customers making chit-chat - but there were a couple of people waiting in line who were happy to answer my uncle's questions. All I got was that the sweet is called tong cong peng - 'tong' for sugar, 'peng' for cake/biscuit, and I have no idea what 'cong' means. The sweet had a simple flavour profile - sugary sweet with a little coconut flavour - and the chewy pancake contrasted the crunchy filling.
One for HK$6:
A closer look at the filling. The hollow columns tasted of pure sugar, and that is dessicated coconut being sprinkled on top:
Folding it up:
How the finished product looked:
After buying the sweet, we stopped by in a local cha chaan teng for coffee (and to eat the sweet), but we ended up having a second lunch less than 2 hours after lunch! Drinks cost HK$16, which is much cheaper than Starbucks, but if you order food (between HK$20 and HK$25), you are entitled to one drink per plate. I don't even know the name of the shop, nor do I remember the street it was on, but it is a typical local establishment that can be found just about anywhere in Hong Kong. My uncle ordered two dishes, and the food was good, but we probably would have appreciated them better if we weren't already full from lunch!
A local HK cha chaan teng ('tea restaurant') where food are cheap and drinks are tasty:
Fried chicken with potato salad. Uncle said the chicken was really good:
Condensed milk on toasted bun, which is a typical and popular item at cha chaan tengs in HK:
We were well-fueled for the task ahead, which was to tackle the markets!
One for HK$6:
A closer look at the filling. The hollow columns tasted of pure sugar, and that is dessicated coconut being sprinkled on top:
Folding it up:
How the finished product looked:
After buying the sweet, we stopped by in a local cha chaan teng for coffee (and to eat the sweet), but we ended up having a second lunch less than 2 hours after lunch! Drinks cost HK$16, which is much cheaper than Starbucks, but if you order food (between HK$20 and HK$25), you are entitled to one drink per plate. I don't even know the name of the shop, nor do I remember the street it was on, but it is a typical local establishment that can be found just about anywhere in Hong Kong. My uncle ordered two dishes, and the food was good, but we probably would have appreciated them better if we weren't already full from lunch!
A local HK cha chaan teng ('tea restaurant') where food are cheap and drinks are tasty:
Fried chicken with potato salad. Uncle said the chicken was really good:
Condensed milk on toasted bun, which is a typical and popular item at cha chaan tengs in HK:
We were well-fueled for the task ahead, which was to tackle the markets!
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