Being a fan of the darker side of chocolates, I was hesitant to give this a try since Royce's chocolates have always been quite sweet. This however was a revelation -- sweet and salty and oh so delicious! It'll keep you coming back for more!
Man vs. Food : Hongkong Edition -- food emerged the victor!
What is "Red Lantern"? Simply put, it is crispy soft shell crab with Sichuan dried chili. Sounds delicious doesn't it? And mind you, it truly is.... once you get past the searing pain of the burn. We requested that all dishes be made mild. But apparently, authentic Szechuan cooking's mild is a far cry from my definition.
The crab was a tasteplosion of magnanimous proportions but I sadly could not survive finishing even just a piece. I downed a bowl of steamed rice while trying to finish it. Quite the adventure but one that I wouldn't attempt again.
This place however is not cheap at all and requires that each head consume a certain amount. Mind you, the view is spectacular and if the hot food doesn't get you drooling, the view just might.
This concept restaurant was quite an experience but an experience with a price. Definitely a place I would have to save up for to visit again!
One of my rainy day comfort foods would definitely be this all time favorite Filipino dish -- sinigang! This particular soup comes in many variations -- beef, pork, fish -- but all are equally as delicious as the others.. It's all a matter of preference. Cheers to this restaurant who serves it in a bowl so big you could probably use it as a wash basin as well! Steaming hot and bursting with flavor, it goes perfect with a cup of steamed rice... or two or three.. as well as a bottle or two or three of pale pilsen. This particular order is good for 3 to 4 people, unless you are feeling particularly greedy or hungry. Perfect for a rainy day... but come to think of it... Perfect for any day!
Duck.... duck.... GOOSE! Peking Duck is not the only must-have dish to be found in Hongkong! Head on over to Central and just a few blocks over in the direction of Lan Kwai Fong is Yung Kee -- home to this delicious dish and more! A whole order of goose and a side of seasonal veggies cooked in garlic and you are good to go! Warning though, the waiting time for a table averages to an hour give or take. So be sure you don't enter the place famished or you may just pass out waiting. Tip for the big groups: best you split up into smaller groups so as to make it easier to get a table since turnover time is not that bad. I always make it a point to visit this place on every single visit to HK, and I can say that the food and this goose in particular is most certainly worth the wait!
Wagyu Shawarma -- those two words certainly grabbed my attention in a split-second. Quite a steep price for just shawarma, though I managed to justify it to myself with the fact that it was wagyu was a good enough reason to go for it. As they were making my shawarma, I happily noted that it was quite sizable which made me feel a bit better about paying so much. It certainly photographs well too! Much to my dismay, after taking my first bite, all I could say was... Oh, it's just another shawarma. Nothing extraordinary in the taste or texture. It was enjoyable in the way shawarma is, but nothing more. Charge it to experience, at least I can say I gave it a whirl!
Beat the heat with this favorite filipino treat with a twist! An order of this has five cones with a combination of two ice cream flavors -- usually ube and banana -- ontop of a caramelized wafer cone! Good for 2 to 3 of you folks but not a person more. Certainly a cooler way of eating turon. Enjoy! :)
After a night of yogilates and zumba class back-to-back, I headed over to the Ayala Triangle Gardens to meet up with some of my girl friend's for a post workout dinner date. Not wanting to waste all the calories burned from my workout, I settled for the omelette. It was extremely delicious and light enough so as not for me to feel heavy and did not leave me wanting for more food. A definite go-to if I'm looking for an all-day brekkie. It is a bit pricey though, but I blame the truffles for that!
One Autumn weekend, I ventured out in search of a bar that would show the El Clasico match live. Walking along the side streets of the Financial District, I stumbled across this bistro at Belden Place with a sign on the door that said Tancat! (which is Catalan for closed). I was both amused (cause who in the world would know what that meant in the middle of SanFo) and delighted at my find. Sadly, they weren't going to show the match but I did go back to try their food and boy oh boy what a find! Catalunya was evident in every part of this bistro, especially in the menu which featured a selection of tantalizing tapas and Fideuà Negre (which is basically noodle paella, and a very Catalan dish). They also have an impressive wine selection and the house wine of the day has never gone wrong so far. However, if you are not in the mood for wine, they do have a selection of unique cocktails or Estrella Damm (Spanish local beer). Definitely a place I would go back to over and over again. Bon profit!
I have always been fond of Jamon Serrano, so imagine my delight in finding a tapas bar that served it as a sandwich! The tomato rub used was an outstanding complement that enhanced the ham's taste. My order of Tempranillo red set it off just nicely.
As everyone may know, this is definitely a must have. So far, of all the Xiao Long Bao's that I've tried.... They do it best!
When dining in a Szechuan restaurant, you can never go wrong with ordering Mapo Tofu. However, I must say that this is one of the yummier ones that I have had the luxury of trying. Levels of hotness can be adjusted but be warned, their mild still has quite a kick! The solution? Lots of rice and beer to drown the fire!
A new kind of hole-in-the-wall tapas restaurant which serves delicious bocadillos perfect for those looking for a quick and light lunch. This particular sandwich is much like a Spanish version of the typical American hamburger though certainly much healthier and definitely tastier. It has a bit of a bite to it, so a glass of Tempranillo red wine is highly recommended to go with that.
