hong kong

[changeup]

You ever eat here, changeup ? Any good ?

 

http://graykunz.net/cafe-gray-deluxe-hk/

 

Gray is an amazing talent in my book. I have no idea if he is fully engaged or not.

 

No, never did. We don't know much about it, but word was that it's only worth it if you get a window seat - my wife tried once randomly, didn't get it, then forgot about it. That's not much to go on though, we really didn't check into it in a real way.

[changeup]

two months after we got back here is my account of lunch at lung king heen, the cantonese restaurant in the four seasons hotel of the three michelin stars fame.

 

 

Looking at this, I'm reminded of the crazy wedding I attended at the Four Seasons when I went back a month ago. We were in the grand ballroom, directly underneath the Lung King Heen floor. The first course was listed as roast suckling pig - I never imagined it would be food from LHK. It was exactly what is in that photo above, served to what I am guessing was around 400 people. Exactly. The rest of the meal (12 courses) proceeded this way - plated dishes from LHK, including abalone, shrimp with truffles, birds nest, whole fish etc... Was nuts, we guessed it was a half million dollar wedding. That kitchen deserves mad props for shooting to deliver the same quality of food they serve in the restaurant to an entire Grand Ballroom worth of wedding guests.

[changeup]

I've gathered a few Hong Kong photos to share.

 

Our trip to Under the Bridge Spicy Crab. Really really good, but you lose a few days of your life on the sodium intake. This is two of their "small" sized crabs together in 1 plate:

 

 

There was a discussion of Peking Duck in the China trip thread. This is my personal favorite Peking Duck, made by Mott 32 in HK:

 

 

Another huge favorite of mine, the egg/waffle cakes. Near me you could only get these after 2 or 3pm until dinner time:

 

 

Keeping with the sweet theme, I love Tofu Hua, or Soft Tofu served with Ginger Syrup and Rock Sugar. This one is from The Square, a higher end restaurant that does weekend dimsum:

 

 

Here is a bowl from Maxim's Palace, the Uber sized Dim Sum palace near City Hall:

 

 

[changeup]

These are photos from Tim Ho Wan, famous for being the cheapest Michelin starred restaurant in the world.

 

They are perhaps most famous for their pineapple bbq pork buns. I got a cool photo of them pre-baking, as they were pulled out of the fridge:

 

 

Here they are baked:

 

A less photographed dumpling of theirs, the teochew style dumpling with peanuts:

 

 

Turnip Cake:

 

 

This place really is insanely cheap, and really good. One of the very few meals I do actually wait in line for. Here is their menu from January 2015, prices in HKD (7.75:1 USD):

 

[changeup]

Photos from Lung King Heen, which is in some ways the exact opposite of Tim Ho Wan: it's one of the most expensive dim sum restaurants in the world, and the only with 3 stars.

 

Their equally famous BBQ Bun:

 

 

The biggest sized shrimp I've ever been served inside a spring roll:

 

 

Also famous for their single serving dumpling presentations:

 

 

Finally, and though insanely expensive for a chicken (and therefore unlikely to be a repeat order), I couldn't resist their Peking Chicken:

 

 

The quality of poultry cooking is so vastly superior in Asia than it is in America, so I had to try it. But while very good, I'd rather save up my duckets for the equally pricey Mott 32 duck above or the Yung Kee Goose (soon below).

[changeup]

Yung Kee, most famous for goose. It's in the fine dining vein, but I'd just say it's upscale. They have a huge menu, but there is a single undeniable star of the show.

 

A whole goose:

 

 

Here is a half goose, with a cross section of the part I personally enjoy the most - the breast meat:

 

 

They actually charge you extra to include the leg if you only order say a quarter goose. There is a lot of gelatinous fat in that leg (hence popular in HK/China), so proceed at your own risk.

 

I've never been a big fan of Cantonese meats, but this one did grow on me quite a bit. Rumor has it this restaurant is going to close since the two kids that inherited it are fighting with each other over money, but it's still going at the moment. I've also enjoyed the fact that every visit you'll see solo diners with a fried rice and quarter goose - lack of company and slightly elevated price doesn't appear to stop anyone from eating at what is eminently a family style restaurant.

 

Although we have had a couple misses, the rest of the menu is pretty darn good too.

 

This soy sauce chicken was incredible:

 

 

Fujin fried rice:

 

 

They even have a seasonal menu, where I once found this amazing sticky rice with preserved mixed meats. No clue what made it seasonal (was HK winter if I recall), but those little bits mixed with sticky rice were soo good:

 

 

[Chambolle]

The quality of poultry cooking is so vastly superior in Asia than it is in America, so I had to try it.

 

I can guarantee that the French know their way around various birds ... and I am definitely NOT talking about Le Coq Rico.

 

Here is a half goose, with a cross section of the part I personally enjoy the most - the breast meat:

 

Looks very good and so eminently Chinese.

 

Must admit that I'm not the biggest fan of goose meat. It just seems to land inside oneself with such a heavy thud.

 

Here is a French version with associated veggies from Table in Paris ...

 

 

 

 

Re duck duck goose, do they do anything interesting with the livers over there ?

[changeup]

Here is a half goose, with a cross section of the part I personally enjoy the most - the breast meat:

 

Re duck duck goose, do they do anything interesting with the livers over there ?

 

In China they get consumed as is with BBQ for the most part.

 

In Hong Kong, not so much. The only place I really see them is in these sausages on the right (this photo from Yung Kee):

 

 

They are pretty commonly sold at places that handle high volumes of meat. They are raw, and intended to be thrown into your pot of rice for easy cooking. Here's another one from a local place:

 

[changeup]

I mentioned Maxim's above. They are very popular, with at least 2, maybe 3 different levels of restaurant. The high end proffer was a regular of ours, "The Square" - convenient and nice enough. The bigger show, albeit with worse food at a lower price point, is the Maxim's Palace near central hall. This is what I mean by show, it's only a part of the room:

 

 

It's really large. It opens at something like 11 on Sundays, and everyone lines up starting a bit after 10 or 10:30. When the line is allowed in, people sprint as they hit the door to secure their favorite spot. The window tables are meant for 8+, but they'll let you off with dirty looks if you are six. The seasoned pros could give a f about the view, and sit at the exit of the kitchen - creating a choke point for the favs to fight through in order to serve the rest of the room. It's all traditional carts:

 

 

The food is fine, not the best - but if you're fresh off a plane it's still sure to impress:

 

 

If you really want to get into the swing of things, figure out what to wager on that afternoon once you are done eating:

 

[prasantrin]

what's in the steamed buns that aren't cha siu bao? Something sweet?

 

And no hum soi gok for your table? My tastebuds are disappointed!

[Sneakeater]

I am just so bummed I'm not having that goose tonight.

[Orik]

I can guarantee that the French know their way around various birds ... and I am definitely NOT talking about Le Coq Rico.

 

 

Aren't the French birds flying with stuffy beaks this year? I barely managed to get a few of them here before they closed the border.

 

changeup's photos get me ever closer to actually going to HK.

[changeup]

what's in the steamed buns that aren't cha siu bao? Something sweet?

 

And no hum soi gok for your table? My tastebuds are disappointed!

 

Custard buns in all likelihood.

 

As for hum soi gok - we call those oil sponges lol. We eat them, albeit rarely - and I believe they are pictured in that cart photo, so Maxim's has them.

[prasantrin]

Yeah, I saw them on the cart but not on your table, so I had to ask! They looked a little insipid, though. I like ones with a little more colour because they are likely a little crispier.

 

They certainly are oil sponges, but they're still my favourite dim sum item! Those and gai mei bao (which are probably more like bakery items in HK, but in my 'hood, the best ones are only served for dim sum).