Desserts in Hong Kong @ 發記甜品

Hong Kong Dessert Delights is my all time favourite~ Rather than going for the normal dairy ice-cream, Ice-kacang (ABC) and Cendol with santan flavour, I always love desserts made with fresh fruits ingredients. In Hong Kong, you will find lots of local desserts which are made from fresh fruits which are available during the season. For example, when I was in Hong Kong, you will find Mango pudding, Mango cakes, and Cherry cakes. Even then, I felt much 'healthier' as the natural sweetness mostly came from the fruits itself.

Today, I would like to introduce you to Lucky Dessert House, which serves mouth-watering local Hong Kong desserts delight. It has a long list of menu consisting various types of hot and cold desserts.

Lucky Dessert House which we dined in Mongkok branch.

Long list of desserts they serve: Hot and Cold desserts, 'Tau fu fa' / Beancurd selection, Glutinous Rice Ball selection, Desserts with Sago selection, Pancake & Crepes selection, King of Fruits (Durian) selection. I was surprise to see quite a number of customers who ordered and have Durian desserts..didn't know local Hong Kong would love Durians.

Lucky Dessert Chef Recommended Selection

Mung Bean Soup Dessert with Black Pearls

I would say this mung bean dessert is definitely Must-Try. I don't see this type of small (as small as fish roe) black pearl with a texture that tasted like 'Konyaku Jelly'. It tasted very crunchy when you chew the black pearl.

See the amount of Mung Bean and Black Pearls in the bowl. It is a very reasonable priced dessert given the amount of the ingredients in it.

Chilled Mango Sago Cream with Pomelo and Black Jelly

My Favourite Dessert!! I almost had it every other day when I was in HK that week. The Mango Sago Cream - milk blended with mango bits, tasted delicious and yet not too sweet. There's also lots of pomelo in it and by just looking at the picture, you know how much mango in that bowl has..

Look at the cube size of Mangoes and Black Jelly.. My tummy was 90% filled when I ate most of it..I wonder where they get those mangoes as they are very sweet and juicy, just like those Indian Mangoes!

Banana Crepe with powdered sugar served with Strawberries

Another specialty of Lucky Dessert which was nicely presented. The banaa in it was served hot and the layer of Crepe is thin and very crispy. On topped of it was served with Powdered Icing Sugar.

Lucky dessert has received very good word of mouth in Hong Kong, especially one of its branch in Causeway Bay (as its a place where people hang out late night). It is always crowded with locals as well as tourist from other countries such as Japanese, Taiwanese and the Mainland. I think its desserts are one of the best quality served I've tasted so far in Dessert Houses.

Address: 25-27 Soy Street, Mongkok, Hong Kong. (4 minutes walk from MTR Mongkok Station Exit E2) 香港九龍旺角豉油街25-27號

Tel: 23328919

Opening Hours: 1300 – 0200 Daily

Hong Kong - My Search for Local Hong Kong Food

I was assigned to Hong Kong last week for a job. Once again, I've got a chance to search for interesting and the local Cantonese food in Hong Kong. ^_^ Well, the good thing of having an overseas assignment is that you'll get a chance to shop during the Sales or Clearance season, as well as to shop for food :) On the other side, most of my nights during the assignment period will be late night working and is stressful..I guess that's fair enough. Luckily, in Hong Kong, the good food I found did a good job in cheering my up!

On the way from Hong Kong International Airport to the hotel I'm going to check-in.

One of the most widely seen restaurants in Hong Kong are the 'Char Chan Teng' 茶餐厅or the so-called 'Coffee Shop'. These restaurants are very small in size and lots of menu are hanged up on the wall. In thees Char Chan Teng, you'll find the local Hong Kong people would have for their breakfast and lunch. I'll bring you through the photos of they serve for breakkie.

Milk Tea for start of the day. 奶茶
Though this might not seem very much different from the tea you have every morning, but trust me, you wouldn't find this milk tea as tasty as you would in KL. Also, the mug (I guess it is a stainless steel mug, but a light one) keeps the drink in it warm for more than 25 minutes, which I don't see it in Malaysia.

French Toast topped with Maple & Condensed Milk 西多士
A favourite of mine too, two slice of bread with thin layer of peanut butter in between, topped with maple and condensed milk. I love this toast though I don't take it often as it's a high calorie one for the breakfast. :P But, it is difficult to find similar toast which is very much less oily in KL (referring to Mong Kok Char Chan Teng).

Egg Sandwich 蛋治

A just-right portion of fried egg (ingredients added with milk and salt) nicely placed in between of the sliced bread is also a healthy breakfast they served.

'Pineapple Bun' 菠萝油

My favourite bun! This is one of the signature food in Hong Kong. A crispy layer top which the milky crumbs are lightly brushed with butter and baked in oven. As you can see, there's a thin slice of bun which melts in between while the bread is served hot and fresh from oven.

Wanton Noodles 云吞面

(Dumplings with whole shrimp and pork meat)

Another famous noodles you would be able to find in Hong Kong. As I'm running out of time to finish my work, I suggested to my sister to have a quick dinner in a Wanton Noodle Restaurant nearby my hotel in Mongkok. I love this thin egg noodles served in this restaurant as the noodle's texture is 'crunchy' / Q Q and the size of the dumpling is almost as big as a ping pong ball. And it costs only HK$13!!

Mind you that the HK$13 comes with a side dish - Hong Kong Choy Sum served with Oyster Sauce.. What more can you ask for a simple yet delicious and reasonable priced meal!

I would like to bring you to the next blog on Hong Kong local favourite Desserts. So stay tuned to be drooled over the yummy desserts photo. :)

Nagoya Trip - Ending with Desserts @ Summer Fest

On the last day of my visit to 4th largest city in Japan, Nagoya. It's definitely a day to search for souveniors for my friends, colleagues and family. One of the best choice would be Food - Rice Crackers or Biscuits, Cheese Cakes, Green Tea Cakes, etc..All which are nicely packed into boxes and wrapped with most presentable packaging. In Japan, everything sold in department stores and shopping malls are presentable as presents, even if it's not a pricey one such as apron, travelling hand cream or the edible range ones e.g. biscuits and chocolates.

Since it was my brother's birthday and he loves cheesecake. Me and my mom went to Takashimaya and Meitetsu's Food section in the department store for our search of the best possible cheesecakes. I was overwhelmed with the amount and crowd in the department store as all of the desserts and food in the fridge are so delicious looking!! And you would feel like there's no ending to the desserts....

Varieties of biscuits...range from rice crackers to macaroons shown as the below picture..

Look at all the wonderful colours of macaroons.. Looks like rainbow colours to me!

Another famous desserts for the Japanese families.. Swiss Rolls, they love Asian taste of Swiss rolls, such as Green Tea, Black Sesame, Orange flavours.

Look at the size and height of the sponge cake!! As tall as a miniature Takashimaya. :)

This is my favourite corner - Green Tea dessert corner: Green tea Tiramisu, green tea mousse, green tea cakes and Swiss roll, green tea pudding..it is never ending.

Japanese love deep fried food too, these range from deep fried potatoes, deep fried shrimps with crumbs, deep fried chicken.. The Hot Food corner.

These are more of a healthy Japanese food range. Vegetable Broth, Vegetable Pickles and Seaweed Selection.

Another favourite Japanese pancake of mine, this is a Japanese Anpan. Lots of Adzuki Bean (Red Bean) in the pancake for 90Yen! I love the Adzuki bean paste as you would be able to taste the bite size of it.. Yummy!

Mochi Cream - Mochi is made of rice flour wrapped with different flavours of cream such as Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla, Orange, Green Tea, Yam...and the list goes on!

Both myself and mom were in dilemma, if we were to choose the above Japanese steamed cheesecake topped with Philly-cream cheesed..or another choice of cheesecake~

The cheese mousse cake we've chosen for our brother - Blackforest with layer of lemon cream cheese topped with fresh cherries and peaches..

I hope the pictures shown from the above didn't tempt you too much to have some sweet desserts. hehe. I've learned a lot from this trip to Japan on the culture in Japan. They are very friendly people, soft spoken, environmentally friendly and more to that, they work very efficiently. As all of you would have know, alot of the latest technologies were introduced from Japan. I wished I could get a new camera the next time I go to Japan for another visit. But, probably not anytime soon. It costs me a BOMB to spend on food and transportation costs! Oh well, what more can I say as Japan is one of the highest standard cost of living country in the world. Overall, I think this trip is a very fruitful one in terms on FOOD and Sightseeing in Nagoya. ^_^

Nagoya Trip @ Summer Fest *Japanese Fusioned Buffet*

This entry onwards would have more interesting stories and photos on Japanese food that I've tasted and tried in Nagoya. On our third day, we shopped around the Nagoya City where the main department stores are such as Takashimaya and Meitetsu. Japan's public transportation is one of the best just like countries in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is easily accessible to the cities you want to go, even with the local Japanese who aren't quite good in English, you'll be able to reach your destination. ^_^

View of Takashimaya Twin Towers

Our destination to Takashiyama - Nagoya station

Farmer's Restaurant Mokumoku
This is our choice of a healthy Japanese Fusioned Western Style Buffet on the 13th floor of Takashimaya. This floor level has every cuisine restaurants which you would be able to find to suit your mood and taste for the day. My brother introduced us to this restaurants as the main theme is Vegetables, perfect choice for my mom.

Chef's Recommended dishes with nice photos on the 'Today's Specialties'..Look at it was presented...

Fresh Vegetables for the day are for sale and placed nicely on the racks. You could see that there's quite alot of customer who bought something from the restaurant after their meal..

Choice of soups, pastas, stir fried soba noodles, vegetable pot..

Varieties of green salads and cherry tomatoes are VERY Sweet and Juicy!

Fresh Food with Carbo on the high side - Mashed Potatoes, Deep Fried Potatoes, Cucumbers and gravy to go with..

The Matcha Jelly and homemade wheat biscuits are tasted so healthy!!

Dessert Corner: Choose what you would like to have or one each of all for tasting, prepare your plate and be served by the waitress with a big smile :)

Table Settings

My First Round to go.. Soba and Pasta, Tempuras and Salads

Sweets from my favourite corner - Green Tea Cake, Green Tea Pudding, oat biscuits, butter pound cake and Walnut Cake. All tasted equally Delicious! These desserts are not too sweet and the Green Tea in the pudding tasted fragrant and yet not too bitter..

Nagoya Tri @ Summer Fest *Shirakawa-go & Takayama*

On our second day trip in Nagoya, my brother offered to drive us to another town area. Here's our second day trip itinerary:

1. Nagoya, Yokosuka ---> Shirakawa-Go (Gifu)

2. Shirakawa-Go ----> Takayama

3. Takayama ---> Yokosuka

Shirakawa-go is one of the most beautiful and eye-catching place that I've been. The view is so serene which will leave you a peaceful mind to stay in. It is also a declared UNESCO World heritage site in 1995. They are famous for their traditional gasshozukuri farmhouses, some which are more than 250 years old. Also, there are still residents who are residing in the village and well equipped with schools, restaurants, fire brigade and hospital.

With some research done, Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", as the farmhouses' steep roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms. I shall let the pictures do the talking. :)

The farmhouses with paddyfields.

So peaceful and calm by just looking at it isn't it?

This is probably the cleanest drain I've discovered and living fishes are in the drains.

This is how their ancestors build the farmhouses in the olden days.

My brother is overjoyed with the Matcha Ice cream on his hand. It is famous and we've tried Shoyu (Soy sauce) soft serve too, which taste delicious with its milky taste.

Us captured with moments of beauty in the village

Our 2nd destination is in Takayama's Old Town. This old town with shops and coffee houses are well-presevered which dated since Edo Period (1600-1868). This city was once thrived as a wealthy town of merchants. Some of the restaurants or businesses (one which I remember vividly is a home-made Miso shop) have been in business for centuries.

A cafe shop on the Takayama Old Town, Sannomachi Street.

Our Dinner! Ramen Ramen Ramen. One of the must-eat food in Japan. This is a family restaurant in the nearby neighbourhood of my brother's home. As the price here is 'reasonable' and is famous for its Ramen, so...let's drool over the pictures. Hehe..

Yup.. It's all in Japanese Language for restaurants in suburbs. I really do need my personal translator.

Karage - Japanese Style Fried Chicken.
I would say it is the so-called 'Uncle Bob' for Japanese style. Crispy fried chicken and without the juice dried up from deep frying the meat is one of the Japanese favourite dish. I do realise that they love to eat fried meat, such as the above ones. And I do agree with their deep fried dishes taste good as you know they did a good job in Tempuras too. :)

One of the chef recommended Ramen - Ramen with Japanese style Char-Siew and Miso Broth.

Another chef recommendation - Miso Ramen with Vegetables.
You would see the thick miso in it with some chili oil and lots of sliced onions. Very strong flavor of miso and with the combination of Ramen texture. I would give a two thumbs up!