Travel - Amsterdam (Jan 2012)

If you are travelling to Amsterdam for the forst time and you doing so by yourself without joining any tours, no worries, the city is very tourist friendly. As soon as you step out of the departure gate of the Schiphol International Airport, there are many transportation options for you to get into the city, "domestic" trains being one of the cheapest and quickest option in my opinion. Why did I put a "quote" around the word "domestic?" Stay tuned and I will tell you why "international" trains / routes via NS Hispeed is a shocking story worth reading!

Sassy's Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for Guys

Who said I just blog about food??? I recently got a chance to write for Sassy's Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for Guys. For those unfamiliar with Sassy Hong Kong, it is a "the Hong Kong girl’s hub for original lifestyle content and honest opinion that covers this buzzing city top-to-bottom and supports a strong, real-life community of Sassy girls." Well, I think it is time to move beyond just the girl's perspective and explore the great potential of sassy guys in Hong Kong! (by definition, the word sassy is not exclusive for female, it can be applied to male as well! woohoo! right?) There are 2 parts to the Guide mentioned, you can check them out here: Part 1 << Me, Moi! & Part 2. Of course my XMAS wishlist includes cooking equipment and facial care as well!

Travel - Taipei, Aug 2011 (Day 4 / 4)

I had great expectation on my last day here in Taipei during this summer trip but I started off with pretty much disappointment. Good that my disappointment was followed by excitement thanks to a great find of cafe and creative bagels! Yes, I had great hopes for Just in Bistro which is located just right next to our HOME Hotel, literally a few steps away. Another work of Justin Quek, Just in Bistro is situated in the trendy mall of Neo19 and offering a wide range of items coverage a various cuisines. Our visit was during lunch time and we picked items from the Asian set menu.

Bettys Kitschen (Hong Kong)

There have been countless reviews and mentions of this new establishment by Alan Yau ever since it opened. Reviews and feedback so far have been mixed, many complained about the food, many raved about the food and its rather rare selection of French recipes. Some emphasized on Chef Largard's skills and creation while many were captivated by the venue and its decor, including staff's 1950's maid-like uniform. For those unfamiliar with Alan Yau, he is the mastermind behind the famous Wagamama, Hakkasan and the recently Michelin starred restaurant Yauatcha in London. Whenever I hear his name in association with any restaurant, the first thing that comes to my mind is exciting culinary marketing initiative followed by trending culinary creativity. Alan is a successful restaurateur as well as a remarkable entrepreneur when it comes to the F&B industry. Take Hakkasan for example, he not only popularizes Chinese cuisine in London but he took Chinese fine dining scene to a next new level. With that taken into consideration, when I step into Bettys Kitschen at IFC (Hong Kong), the thing that got my attention or interest was the overall execution of the whole concept which of course includes service, decor, menu, atmosphere and food. I wanted to see what took Alan so long to open his first restaurant concept in Hong Kong and what sort of dining trends he is going to set with his new venture.

Tim Hortons (Ranting)

No matter how you like to call it, a donut house, coffee shop or a deli, Tim Hortons has become a household name for Canadians. I frequent it for its overly sweet double-double (double sugar, double CREAM) coffee more often then I should, not because of its ... humm at its very best mediocre coffee (in my opinion of course) or food, but for the sense of familiarity. The convenient locations, the familiar decor, the overly sweet flavors experienced when young are the few reasons for my return visits. Many memories, countless precious hours have been spent in their shops. I am pretty sure many loyal customers have the same sort of feelings and sense of familiarities on their return visits.

Tim Hortons has expanded quite rapidly over the last 5 - 8 years in terms of number of locations and food selections, offering more than just coffee and donuts but all sorts of sandwiches, soups and of course wraps. In terms of business potentials, one can clearly see from its constant queues almost in every single outlets across the nation. While one may judge by such observations as a positive sign, a simple act of actually queuing up for a cup of coffee would prove you otherwise, unfortunately!

BO-LO'GNE ~ ボローニャ ~ TST Outlet (Hong Kong)

We all know how prices for basic commodities like flour, corn, sugar and wheat are sky rocketing over the past few years, but when it comes to a simple loaf of bread, can one justify it at a price of over HKD100? Perhaps. BO-LO'GNE ボローニャ which specialized in Japanese Danish Bread proves that it is beyond valid to do so, to a certain extend in my opinion. Soon after BO-LO'GNE (please don't ask me how to pronounce it because I am clueless as a ... goldfish on this one) first opened its tiny Hong Kong shop somewhere in SoHo, Central, the words have been out and to have a loaf of Danish Bread, expect a few days of advance order. Hungry enthusiasts were willing to wait because they understand the craftsmanship and skills required to bake each loaf of Japanese Danish Bread. So what exactly is Danish Bread? Simply put, it is a loaf of bread which has 81 layers after folding again and again and again. Note that those are basically layers of dough and butter, a lot of butter, hence the mouth watering melting sensation on each and every bite.

Harlan's @ The One

Last year I had a very memorable experience at The Parlour @ Hullett House TST and won my top spot in my Afternoon Tea No More 2009 award. This year before the end of it, I found the establishment that qualified for the Afternoon Tea No More 2010 --- Harlan's @ The One TST.  First of all, I was attracted to here because of the Jo Malone Afternoon Tea set as promoted. I heard about it from many friends as well asking me to give it a try. It sounded interesting enough right? If I am from Jo Malone, I would expect my business partner to help promote this special offering as well, however, guess what, I have to request for the special menu and what was funny was that .... well, let me pull it as follows: 

Jason: "Hi, I would like to check out the Jo Malone Afternoon Tea set menu." 

Staff: "Jo Malone?" 

Jason: "Yeah, the perfumes, fragrances, candles ... "

Staff: " [pauses] Oh, I think I know what you are referring too, wait a moment please ... " 

Great job! I would be fairly pissed if I am from Jo Malone. 

(P.S. - based on my knowledge, Harlan @ The One is no longer run by Harlan Goldstein himself even though the name remains. Harlan Goldstein can now be found at the recently opened Gold by Harlan Goldstein @ LKF, Central, Hong Kong)

PAUL - Revisited (London)

What is(are) your favourite item(s) from PAUL? Throughout my stay in London (8 days), I visited PAUL countless times, almost every single time I passed by it. There was a certain attraction that lured me in for some reasons. Perhaps it was the scent or aroma of freshly baked bread / pasty that diverted my intended path. One thing I notice though (I can be wrong of course), many items I saw, or most of them to be exact, were sweets. They do have bread of many sorts but sweet pastries such as danishes and macarons were all I saw in many of the outlets around town.

Borough Market and Monmouth Coffee (London)

Just a word of caution, if you intend to visit a restaurants in the Borough Market in London (or other dine-in establishments around the city), please avoid going between 11am and noon because many simply tell you to come back sharp at noon when they reopen for lunch. That was exactly what happened to us! Well, I guess that was good time to walk around the Borough Market, for some coffee and for some snacks before breakfast / lunch!

Carluccio's (London)

With so many other choices, why did I pick Carluccio's? Well, very simple. We were hungry and it was close to where we stayed, that was the reason. If you pay attention when you walk around the city, you will find that Carluccio's is a rather large chain restaurant!!! My past experiences with chained restaurants in Hong Kong or other countries were not something worth noting but this one in London, I may return not necessarily for its so-called food quality but for its convenience. Don't get my wrong, both my visits (brunch and lunch on two separately occasions) were ... alright, unexciting and boring to be exact, but with its convenience, setting, atmosphere (which is more fitted for a casual yet rush meal), occasional visits may happen.

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 10 (Can I Stay longer?)

Good things usually come to an end a bit sooner than you expect! My trip to Toronto reached Day 10 and it was time for me to return home to Hong Kong. It was a rather quiet and peaceful day with my parents. Lunch was spent at one of my old time favorite late night hangout place at Times Square (Richmond Hill). Nothing fancy, simplicity was the key and often the best way to enjoy the meal. The trip was ended with a touch of sweetness with plenty of Timbits from Tim Hortons!

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 9 (Steak, Steak and Steak!)

Sick and bored from my Toronto posts? Well, I am sorry but please stick with me for another 2 entries! I enjoyed my stay in Toronto as much as I enjoyed writing / sharing about it! It makes me feel my vacation has been somewhat extended while I write about it. On Day 9, it was a day full of eating ... as always! The highlight was the STEAK (as shown above) at night but during the afternoon my parents and I went for dim sum at Spring Villa Chinese Cuisine, another of my favorite Chinese restos in Toronto.

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 7 (Sweetness Overdose?)

What do I mean by Sweetness overdose? How can that be possible? True, actually I don't think it is possible hence the question mark! I woke up quite late on this date because .... I have already adjusted to the timezone! I got up around 11am instead of 7am! Yes! That's normal during holidays! I was not really hungry so my parents and I stayed home for a simple homemade brunch which consisted eggs and toasts. Sooner than we expected, our stomachs were making noises so we called Aunt P to join us for afternoon tea! Where to? We picked one of my old times favorites, Oliver and Bonacini located in the Bayview Village mall. I recalled how I enjoyed the baked chocolate cake with the rich and creamy molten chocolate in every bite, but the item was no longer being offered! Argh!

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 1

The first thing I wanted after a 15-hour flight wasn't something fancy but rather something sweet and simple, something I missed very much! First stop: Tim Hortons! I missed the Double Double Coffee! The Double (Cream) Double (Sugar) Coffee wasn't strong at all but it was the memories, the childhood / teenage memories that matter the most! Forget about espresso for the time being, I grew up with Timmys!

Coffee

I consume coffee on a daily basis, often more than one cup a day. I enjoy drinking coffee and I feel a peace of mind when sipping my espresso or cappuccino alone or with a few friends. Does the caffeine actually work on me? I am not too certain about that, at least no longer, but it somehow becomes a habit for me or perhaps I needed the peaceful moment every few hours. How about you? 

Taipei March 2010 - Day 1 (Eat, Eat and ... Eat)

Cuisine is often what set a particular culture apart and the type of food being served can also reflects the history and traditions of a certain society. The best way to understand a culture is to experience it (or eat through it in this case) and to blend into the daily lives and routines of that culture as much as possible. For my recent Taipei trip (4D2N), it was mostly focus on food, be it traditional or touristy, because both reflect on the overall social and culinary cultures. Thanks to our relatives in Taipei, my mom and I got to experience the most out of our 4 days stay. [+ Day 2, Day 3 & Day 4]