Shoot First Eat Later

Lunch at Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant

Last August I went to Hong Kong for a week. I was a good girl all week. I didn’t eat out because of my darn diet. All I did was window shop and gaze longingly at chocolates and pastries I can’t eat. It was my last day and I deserved a break, a reward and a prize for being a good girl.

It’s been sort of a tradition in my family to have our last lunch in Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant because it’s our favorite dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong. We always go around 11:30-12:00 noon because the restaurant is always full after that.

I like that they have a box of tissue paper on the table. It’s just what I need to wipe the excess oil from fried dim sum.

Ham sui kok or glutinous meat puff is one of my favorite dim sum dishes and they make it best at Chuk Yuen. The ham sui kok always comes out piping hot with the outside crisp and the inside soft and chewy. The savory pork filling was just enough to contrast the slightly sweet glutinous dough.

ham sui kok

I cheated on my last meal but not totally. I still had my veggies.

bok choy

We ordered this dish since it’s allowed on my diet except for th soy sauce. It was simple and delicious.

beef and mushroom roll

I chose the ox brisket curry from the dim sum paper menu. I thought it was a small dish instead a medium sized casserole came out. I was surprised since it only cost HK$35 and it was good enough for 3-4 people.

ox brisket curry HK$35

I wanted to weep when I first tried it. The beef was extremely tender and buttery. There was also lots of tendon (ugat) that was so soft you barely need to chew it. The sauce was freakin fabulous. Thick, slightly spicy and very rich. All it needed was a big bowl of rice. But it was good with bok choy too since I can’t eat rice. But for rice lovers just the sauce alone will wipe out half a bowl of rice already. It’s that good.

I love anything with bean curd skin and this roll filled with chicken and veggies doesn’t disappoint. The clear broth was tasty and there was golden mushroom under the rolls too.

beancurd skin roll HK$9

I’m sure the filling of this giant dumpling was faux sharks fin since this cost only HK$20. There was also pork and mushroom inside. The was soft yet firm enough to hold it’s shape in the rich broth. If you eat this by yourself I guarantee you’ll be half full already.

sharksfin dumpling soup HK$20

Free fruit is served after lunch.

fresh fruit

After lunch i made a quick stop at the supermarket for one of my favorite ‘cheat’ snack. I don’t like eating any kind of beans but when broad beans are fried they sure make a yummy snack. The wasabi flavor was bright and not too spicy.

Wizard wasabi flavoured broad beans

Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant
Basement, Hong Kong Pacific centre
28 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Hong Kong
telephone: +852-2722-0633

Shopping in Hong Kong: French Chocolates and Macarons

Happy birthday to me!! I’m a chocoholic and anything from these stores would make the perfect gift. But maybe next year since I’m on a diet and I haven’t eaten chocolates for six months, except for cheating with a few squares. Oh how I miss you, chocolates!!

The residents of Hong Kong are very lucky that two of the world’s best brands of high end chocolates have branches in Hong Kong.

If you are a chocoholic like me and can afford to pay for the best quality then these stores are for you. The first is Jean-Paul Hevin. I’ve never tried anything from this store but every time I pass by their store in Harbour City I never fail to gaze longingly at their display.

Macarons in so many flavors. Some even have two flavors of meringue shells in one macaron.

They have so many chocolate creations that I always get confused and can’t decide what to try first so I end up not buying anything. Will I buy a Lollipop Bouchée, Tubes, Pastes or Rounds? Yes that’s what their chocolates are called. Unique huh?

Then there are the traditional chocolate assortments.

They also have cookies and chocolate covered almonds.

Sometimes the simple ’rounds and squares’ are a better buy so you can taste the full flavor of the chocolate. With all these choices how will I ever decide?

The other famous chocolate store I discovered in Elements Mall was La Maison Du Chocolat.

Last December I tried their macarons and chocolates.

I loved the fillings of the macarons. They were rich, creamy and intense. I just found the almond meringue shell to be quite soft and too delicate. I wanted something thicker, crisp with a chewy bite. But then I’m not a macaron expert since it’s not really a favorite of mine.

Their chocolates on the other hand were simply wonderful. I didn’t even have patience to take pictures since I gobbled them up rather quickly. If I remember right the chocolates and macarons cost HK$20 each. Yes mahal.

macarons

I was really careful putting the macarons in my bag but they were really very fragile.

squished macarons

If you want to read more about La Maison Du Chocolat’s other products, read my friend Jin’s rave.

John-Paul HevinShop 212, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
telephone : +852-2735-3268

Shop and Chocolate Bar
Shop 2045A – IFC Mall, Central, Hong Kong
telephone : +852-2111-9770

La Maison Du Chocolat
Shop 2040A Second Level, 1A Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel : (852) 2196 8333

Shop 2006 Podium Level 2 IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Hong Kong
Tel : (+852) 2801 4880

Shop 109 First Floor, Prince Building, 10 Charter Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tel : (+852) 2801 4122

Shop 246 Level 2, Pacific Place 88 Queensway, Admiralty Hong Kong
Tel : (+852) 2522 2010

Shopping and Eating in Hong Kong: The Landmark

Since I stay in Kowloon side when I’m in Hong Kong I hardly cross the tunnel to shop or eat. Sometimes I’ll go to Causeway Bay. This time I had an errand to do in Central so I went to The Landmark for some window shopping and picture taking.

I never go to The Landmark since the stores there are way beyond my budget. The only reason I go there is to eat the best French restaurant in Hong Kong, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. One of my first posts was about my unforgettable lunch there. We loved it so much we returned again and again. It’s really an experience you have to try at least once.

I went straight to the 3rd level to a supermarket called ThreeSixty. They sold a wide variety of organic and alternative food for those with special allergies.

It was pure torture walking into ThreeSixty. This fabulous display of bread greeted me. I haven’t eaten bread in six months and let me tell you I was really, really tempted.

As if the bread wasn’t enough torture the chocolate selections made me weep.

They had varieties I’ve never seen before.

Cute packaging!

Healthy chips anyone? This was the last picture I took since someone told me that picture taking wasn’t allowed. 😀

ThreeSixty map

One level up is their food court.

Juice and Salad Bar

Japanese Noodles

Middle Eastern

Gelato

Mongolian BBQ

Asian Cuisine

Food Court Map

I then went to the basement to go take the MTR back to Kowloon. I saw this nice looking espresso bar called Fuel.

Fuel Espresso

Soon to open is this coffee shop called simplylife. More bread and coffee!

simplylife

Another interesting restaurant was Brat that sold sausage sandwiches.

Brat, purveyors of awesome sausages

HK$98 for one sausage sandwich? Mahal no? I would like to try it someday. Maybe it’s really, really good.

If you go for designer brands and have money to burn then you must go to The Landmark. All the major brands have a store there including a huge Louis Vuitton store as well as Harvey Nichols. If a good meal is more important then you must have it Robuchon.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Shop 315 & 401, The Landmark
telephone: (852) 2166 9000
15 Queen’s Road West
Hong Kong

Shopping and Eating in Hong Kong: K11 Mall

Another nice place to shop and eat in Tsim Sha Tsui is a relatively new mall called K11. It’s not a big mall but there are some interesting shops and restaurants there.

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants that also serve awesome dim sum is Pak Loh Chiu Chow has a branch in K11. You can read my reviews here and here. Another restaurant I like is Miso Cool which serves good ramen.

If you ask anyone in Hong Kong where to find the best macarons one of the answers that will definitely come up is at Paul Lafayet Patisserie Francaise.

Paul Lafayet Patisserie Francaise

All the pastries looked so tempting too.

New in the mall is Smile Yogurt & Dessert Bar.

Smile Yogurt and Dessert Bar

I’ve never seen anything like this in Manila. Frozen yogurt was served as beautiful parfaits. The average price per cup was HK$45 with some variations costing as much as HK$88.

They had an interesting topping, fruit salad in Greek yogurt.

Smile Yogurt & Dessert Bar’s menu

In K11 there are your usual stores like Longchamp, Clarks, Y3 and the usual assortment of jewelry stores and a Jason’s Marketplace supermarket. What’s unique are these two lifestyle stores.

The Taschen Shop

Taschen is a German art publisher and lifestyle store.

They also sold original Dyson electric fans.

K11 DesingStore sold a lot of really unique bags, wallets and umbrellas.

K11 DesignStore

Outside K11 is Espressame Illy where you can have the world famous Illy coffee and dessert.

Espressame Illy

They also sold collectible espresso cup sets. The one below cost HK$2,200 for the 6 piece set.

Next door is a uniquely named cake store called awfullychocolate.

They sold only whole cakes in three variants plus one flavor of ice cream and some chocolate truffles.

Right across is another lifestyle store called Emoi.

Next to it is the newly opened Agne b cafe.

If you have extra time a visit to K11 Mall is a worthy trip.

K11 Mall18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Shopping and Eating in Hong Kong: Hankow and Ashley Roads

One of the best places to shop and eat in Hong Kong is at Tsim Sha Tsui or TST. Most Filipino tourists are very familiar with Harbour City where all the brands are under one roof. But there is much more to TST than Harbour City.

One of my favorite streets is Hankow Road which is very easy to find. If you see the huge Adidas store go in that street. That’s Hankow Road. It’s two streets from Nathan Road and it intersects Peking Road.

One of my family’s ‘suki‘ is Tack Long Pharmacy. They sell all kinds of medicines and over the counter stuff. They also sell some cosmetics. A lot of things sold in Watson’s or Mannings they also carry but much, much cheaper. They accept credit cards.

Tack Long Pharmacy

The products in the picture below cost 15-20% cheaper than Watson’s or Mannings.

But what I always buy there are these Pain Relief Plasters that cost HK$35 for a box containing 10 sheets. If you have any kind of muscle pain or other aches in your body then you must try these. Forget salon pas or other medicated plasters that contain only menthol or camphor. These plasters contain different Chinese herbs that I swear draw the pain away.

I used to have pain on my knees due to acute arthritis. When I apply these I can walk on stairs with no pain at all. Just make sure to use them for no longer than 4-6 hours or else your skin will get irritated and itchy.

pain relief plaster – HK$35

My most favorite Chinese restaurant for dim sum is Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant. Each time I go to Hong Kong I eat there at least twice. I’ve featured the restaurant here and here. My new favorite is their ox brisket in curry sauce available during lunch and it’s in the dim sum menu. Their lobster in cheese sauce is also to die for.

Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant

A recent discovery is Rabeanco. They sell gorgeous leather bags in the price range of HK$800-2,000.00. They’re not cheap but definitely cost a fraction of designer bags. If you ask the sales person where the bags are made she will reply, “It’s Italian design.” The bags are made in China but the workmanship and most styles are really nice. Most of the bags are made with lambskin which are ultra light and buttery soft.

I had my eye on this beautiful bag but managed to resist temptation. If you buy a lot they will give you a 10% discount and store your phone number on their system so next time you go back you will always get a discount.

Rabeanco

There is also a Wellcome supermarket on the street right next to Delifrance.

If you need to buy a camera or cellphone then go to Suntek. I think majority of their customers are Filipinos. You need to create a relationship with one salesman and you will get rock bottom prices. They will also allow returns for defective goods or if you just changed your mind the next day. I recently bought a camera from them and they had lowest price I could find.

Suntek

You don’t need to go to Macao to buy their famous pastries and goodies. Koi Kei Bakery Macao has opened a branch on Hankow Road.

You can try all their products before you buy.

I love everything in the picture below.

My favorites in this store are the almond cakes and the phoenix roll with shredded pork. Since they’re not a part of my diet I was happy to try the little samples. Pictures are from Koi Kei’s website.

whole almond cake

phoenix egg roll with shredded pork

In the middle of Hankow Road there is a small street called Ichang Street. Enter that street for more yummy discoveries.

You have to try the delicious bread and sweets from Kee Wah Bakery.

Kee Wah Bakery

Our favorite is the pineapple bun with BBQ Pork that cost only HK$5.50 (or $6.50) each. They taste like siopao but made with bread with a sweet crunchy topping. It’s good for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack. Everytime I leave HK I buy 6 pieces to bring back to Manila for my parents. They also have a shop in Terminal 1 of Hong Kong’s airport.

Their eggrolls are just like barquillos but more buttery. You can take them home too since they are packed in tin cans so they don’t get crushed.

At the end of Ichang Street is Ashley Road which I call restaurant street.

If you don’t know where to eat just go to Ashley Road and you will surely find something to suit your mood and budget. There are traditional Chinese noodles and roast meat restaurants.

The bars are really popular at night.

Another Filipino favorite Delicious Kitchen has a branch here. You can read my reviews here and here.

Delicious Kitchen

There’s a Korean restaurant next to an Irish pub.

This fast food style Korean restaurant, Hungry Korean, was under construction last August. I’m sure it’s open now. I can’t wait to try it the next time I go to Hong Kong.

While on a diet I ate the roast chicken salad at Ebeneezer.

Ebeneezer

Jimmy’s Kitchen is an institution in Hong Kong. If budget is no worry then you must try to eat there at least once.

Tip: right next to Jimmy’s Kitchen are stairs that will lead you to Haiphong Road which leads to Marco Polo hotels and Harbour City.

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed sharing all my shopping secrets with you.

December 26, 2012
NOTE:
Tack Long has moved to Lock Road which is just the next street facing iSquare.
Wellcome is now Sweet Dynasty and above it is a new Marketplace supermarket.

Tack Long Dispensary
Shop F, G/F, Sands Building, 17 Hankow Road,. Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
telephone: +852-2366-1188

Chuk Yuen Seafood Restaurant
Basement, Hong Kong Pacific centre, 28 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
telephone: +852-2722-0633

Rabeanco
Shop 5, G/F, Hong Kong Pacific centre, 28 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Suntek Co.
Lock Rd. Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
telephone: +852-2376-1200

Koi Kei Bakery Macao
Shop A, G/F, Howard Building No.44 Hankow Road, TsimShaTsui
(Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Exit A1, Near Haiphong Road)
telephone: +852-2311-2061, 2311-2090

Kee Wah Bakery
Shop L and Portion M2, G/F, Hanyee Building, 19 & 21 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
telephone: +852-2199-7606

Delicious Kitchen
G/F 20-20A Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
telephone: +852-2314-4868, 2314-2468

Ebeneezer
Shop No. 1C, G/F, Astoria Building, 24-38 Ashley Road,Tsim Sha Tsui

Jimmy’s Kitchen
G/F Kowloon Center, 29 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
telephone: +852-2376-0327

Shopping in Hong Kong: Mongkok

Tourists seldom go to this part of Mong Kok, preferring to shop at Tsim Sha Tsui or Causeway Bay. All the local residents know that bargains can be found in Mong Kok. It gets so crowded that every afternoon until evening the inner roads specifically Sai Yeung Choi St. is closed to vehicular traffic.

Let me share with you some of my discoveries in Mong Kok. There is more to Mong Kok than the Ladies Night Market which honestly I never go to since I consider it a tourist trap.

After shopping at Shanghai Street in Yau Ma Tei, I walked to Nathan Road and headed towards Mong Kok. (From Shanghai Street cross Portland Street and the next street is Nathan Road. Turn left on Nathan Road towards Mong Kok) Two blocks away you will see this sushi restaurant.

Next to Aji Ichiban.

I usually take the 1 or 1a bus from Tsim Sha Tsui or Star Ferry and get off the Cheung Sha St. stop. You can also take the 6, 6a, 9, 35 bus and get off Nelson St. stop. You just need to take a short walk back to reach the Jusco $10 Plaza at the 3rd floor of the Chong Hing Square. The Nelson St. stop also gets you to Langham Place. You can also take the MTR but I’m not sure which exit to take since I always take the bus.

For bargain hunters Jusco $10 plaza is the place to go. This the Hong Kong franchise of Japan’s popular Daiso and the Philippines’ Saizen. This is the biggest branch in Hong Kong.

From Jusco’s website:
On the third floor of Chong Hing Square in Mongkok, the new “JUSCO $10 Plaza Plus” will have a floor area of 13,200 sq. ft. and carry over 12,000 stylish merchandise directly imported from Japan. Highlight products will include a wide range of Japanese food, interior decorative ornaments, stationery, and kitchenware.

Customers to the new store can expect to find a brand new section – that will carry premium value products priced from HK$15 to HK$200, providing more choices to customers who pursue higher living standard.

Jusco $10 plaza

It’s true that you can buy most of the items in Saizen but in Manila the items cost P85 each. With today’s exchange rate HK$10 is equivalent to around P55. That’s P30 saving per item.

It’s nice to browse around the store. I’ve bought toys and leashes for my dogs. I’ve also found lots of really useful kitchen accessories and containers. They really have everything you are looking for including those you don’t really need. The quality is surprisingly quite good and durable.

Don’t forget to bring your own shopping bag. This store as well as several stores and supermarkets in Hong Kong charge HK$.50 per piece of plastic bag.

If you still have space in your shopping bags you can continue on this shopping tour. When you come out of the mall turn left and continue walking on Nathan Road. When you see the crosswalk cross to the other side of Nathan Road.

Continue walking for a block until you see Shantung Street.

Sim City is the mecca for photographic equipment, gadgets and all kinds of imaginable accessories at the most reasonable prices compared to those in the malls.

Sim City, Mong Kok

This mall has 3 levels.

Whatever camera brand, filters, tripods, bags or latest doodad you can find in this mall. Make sure to canvass the prices before buying. Most have only in-store warranty although several also offer international warranty. I bought a camera in this mall several years ago and it’s still working fine to this day.

This store sold all kinds of cases for iPad, iPhone as well as other accessories for other brands of cellphones and tablets.

I saw so many kinds of camera straps and bags from Korea, Japan and the USA. Photography buffs will definitely love Sim City.

This store sold high end cameras and accessories.

This big store sold 3rd party non-branded camera accessories that are very, very cheap.

They ha a wide variety of tripods and filters.

As well as batteries for any gadget you can imagine.

If you still have money go back to Nathan Road and continue walking for less than a block until you see Hollywood Plaza.

picture from www.hanglung.com

On the ground floor you will see the escalator that will bring you to the Esprit Outlet.

Esprit Outlet

All the past season’s clothes end up here at hugely discounted prices. On weekends the lines for the dressing rooms can be long.

Items are arranged by type and prices. Some clothes are marked up to 80% off.

They also had a men’s and kid’s section.

If you followed this shopping tour I can guarantee your wallet will be a lot lighter and your arms will be aching by the end of shopping at Esprit. If you can still shop go out the other exit of Esprit at Sai Yeung Choi street for much more shopping til you drop. Sephora is on the same street around the corner and the multi-level Bossini is across the street.

For more bargain shopping and directions to Mong Kok Computer Center and ‘sneakers street’ check out this video I made a few years ago.

Fa Yuen St. in Mong Kok is sooooo much better than the Ladies Market in Mong Kok. There are a lot of overruns from American and European brands.

Tip: download this video to your mobile phone to help you find the places.

video on how to go to Fa Yuen St. in Prince Edward

Jusco $10 Plaza Plus
3/F, Chong Hing Square, 601 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Opening Hours : 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
telephone: +852-2388-3171

Sim City
47-51 Shantung Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon , Hong Kong

Esprit Outlet
Hollywood Plaza
610 Nathan Road, Shop A & B Basement, Mong Kok, Kowloon , Hong Kong
telephone: +852-2388-0064
Fax 852 2388 1272

China Ferry Terminal
Shop 4-6, G/F & UG/F
33 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Shopping in Hong Kong: Shanghai Street

This week I will feature places to shop in Hong Kong. Everyone knows the best place to shop is in Hong Kong. All the designer brands are there as well as store after store selling jewelry and the latest electronic gadgets. I will show you some places you may not know about and maybe would like to visit the next time you go to Hong Kong.

Restaurant and food business owners shop in Shanghai Street for all their needs. From plates and silverware for the front of the house to pots and pans for the kitchen and everything in between can be found in Shanghai Street.

To get there take the MTR to Yau Ma Tei station in Kownloon. It’s just two stops from Tsim Sha Tsui.

Take the exit B to Portland Street.

Go out through exit B2 to reach Shanghai Street.

You will exit at Waterloo Road then walk a few steps to cross Portland Street.

After crossing walk a few steps and look to the left and cross the street and that’s where the shopping begins on Shanghai Street.

Shanghai Street is parallel to Portland Street and Nathan Road.

I went there on hot Sunday afternoon and thankfully the stores were open.

The first store I went to was Man Kee Steel Works Co.

mooncake molds

If only I didn’t I had more baggage allowance I would have bought one of those round wood chopping boards. They had several sizes and thickness.

wood chopping boards

I went crazy over the small bamboo spoons which were perfect for my small espresso cups. None of the spoons were exactly the same color or size so it took me a while to find the closest match. The small spoons cost HK$5 each. In other stores like Muji or Franc Franc they cost HK$20-30 each.

bamboo spoons

You don’t have be a restaurant owner to shop here. They sell items by the piece.

silicone molds

whisks

I was so tempted to buy these long handle ladles perfect for use with big woks. The ones in Manila aren’t as nice as these.

wood handle ladles

stainless steel steamers

I bought a couple of stainless steamer covers and fine mesh strainers. Inside are also my assortment of bamboo spoons.

steel pots in all sizes

Next door was a shop for all your baking needs.

cookie cutters galore

dried fruits and nuts

This store specialized in all wood vessels. There were all sizes of taho tubs.

sushi hand roll stands

sushi oke wooden tubs for making sushi rice

sushi boats

The next store sold iron pots and hot plates.

iron pots

iron sizzling plates

clay pots

One of my favorite stores there sold Japanese table ware. I wanted to buy the teapots, sauce dishes and plates.

sake servers and cups

Japanese sauce dishes

Japanese plates

Japanese teapots

Japanese tea cups and pots

And all kinds of white dinnerware and drinkware were also available.

Whether you have a food business or you just love to entertain Shanghai Street is a great resource for your needs.

Man Kee Steel Works Co. G/F 305 Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

Dinner at Cafe de Coral, Hong Kong

Whenever I go to Hong Kong I eat at Cafe de Coral at least once. The food is cheap, good and there is always new specials.

Since I was on a diet when I went to Hong Kong last August I didn’t think I would find anything to eat there. Thankfully they had a new promotion on New Zealand steaks.

NZ sirloin steak menu (click to enlarge)

They also had a wintermelon soup menu wherein you choose the food you want and it was served with a clear soup inside a wintermelon.

wintermelon soup menu

This menu is for their all time favorites.

I chose the New Zealand sirloin steak which came with the cream soup under puff pastry. The steak came with an option for gravy or tomato sauce. I chose the gravy not that I could eat it. I actually shared this with my mom. I just ate half the steak without the butter. The steak was quite good and tender. I just wish they had a salad or sautéed veggies which I can order on the side. Oh well at least I had the tomato for my veggie.

New Zealand sirloin steak HK$48

My dad chose the wintermelon soup with the dried seafood rice. I tried a little rice and it was soooooo good! It reminded me of our local Chinese favorite ‘kiampung’ but this was even more flavorful.

wintermelon soup with dried seafood rice in lotus leaf HK$44

I’ve written about how Cafe de Coral served the best hot milk tea or ‘nai cha‘ I’ve ever had. Well, I’m happy to report that their coffee is just as spectacular. It’s strong, fragrant and a great deal at HK$10. Starbucks’ brewed coffee costs HK$27. If you buy the coffee in the afternoon it costs only HK$8 or HK$5 with your afternoon snack.

brewed coffee HK$10

It was with their iced coffee that I fell in love with. It tasted just like Vietnamese iced coffee, strong with a touch of condensed milk. I had this last iced coffee at the airport.

iced coffee HK$12

You really can’t go wrong with the food in Cafe de Coral specially if you have to eat rice. Most of their meals are served with a huge serving of rice. I’m just happy they had food without rice.

Bryan Flannery Burger Blends

I just love burgers! I’m so happy that burgers are allowed on my diet. I really don’t mind eating it with just veggies and no bun, cheese or dressing. I get to enjoy the flavor and quality of the beef even more.

But what’s not allowed is buying ground beef. I’m supposed to buy lean beef and ground it myself. But where’s the fun in that? Ever since I saw Heart2Heart’s post on their new products, Bryan’s Fine Foods Burger Blends I wanted to try it right away. And yes this is my version of cheating on my diet.

I went to Rustan’s Fresh in Forbes Park, Makati to buy them.

The first blend was called “The Soon to be Illegal Blend” made with 50% Wagyu chuck, 25% Wagyu short ribs and 25% Wagyu fat blend.

The second blend I bought was called “The More Betterer Burger Blend” made with 25% prime chuck, 25% choice short ribs, 25% prime brisket, 25% rib cap fat blend.

Both burger blends came in 1 lb. (450 grams) packs and cost P642/US$15 per pack. It was quite expensive but I really wanted to try if it was worth it.

Other burger blends available (click to enlarge, picture from Heart2Heart)

The first thing I did was to split the ground beef into 120 gram portions which was one of my lunch options. I was able to make 3 patties and the left-over ground beef was made into mini patties.

I made two small burgers from both burger blends. I formed the patties and put salt and pepper on the outside of the patties (only) and cooked them on my George Foreman electric grill. There was some fat that poured out of the machine into my ‘corn on the cob holder’ which doubled as the fat receptacle.

I liked “The More Betterer Burger Blend” burger. It was definitely better than most of the burgers I’ve tried in Manila’s burger places. But the “The Soon to be Illegal Blend” made with Wagyu beef was to die for!! It tasted out of this world. It tasted like I was eating an expensive Wagyu steak. The flavors were distinct and worth every peso. It was one of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten.

It just proves that a good burger comes from good beef and not the cheese, mushroom, bacon, avocado or whatever toppings you can imagine. That’s why I always order a plain burger so I can taste the BEEF.

Yes it’s expensive but do yourself a favor and try the Bryan’s Fine Foods’ “The Soon to be Illegal Blend” at least once so you will know what a really great burger tastes like.

RUSTAN’S FRESH

San Antonio Plaza Arcade
50 Mckinley Road, Forbes Park,
Makati, Metro Manila

telephone: +63(2)840-5491

For orders, please contact:
Weng Atanacio (9am to 5pm Monday-Friday)
email address: weng@jaricmarketing.com
telephone: 898-1371 or 76 mobile: 0917-8016875

Midnight Mercato

I was looking through iPhoto and found these pictures which I forgot to post. Better late than never! These were taken last February 2011.

I had a date with my 3 young cousins that night. They treated me to dinner at Azuthai and I treated them to dessert at Bar Dolci. Since we were already at The Fort we decided to wait for Midnight Mercato to open since none of us have been to the midnight version of Mercato Centrale.

I was surprised that the place was full! And the people I saw weren’t late night party goers. Most were entire families including kids who were eating full meals at midnight. Shocking really.

I saw the top honcho of Mercato Centrale, Anton as soon as I went in the main tent so I asked for a photo op. Of course he didn’t know who I was. I also spoke to Anton’s partner, RJ Ledesma but I forgot to have our picture taken. By the way this was my pre-Cohen diet picture.

me and Anton Diaz

cousins Jay and Jon

Honestly I was still too full from dinner and dessert but my cousins seemed to have a bottomless pit for stomachs and they still managed to eat some goodies. Well they’re young growing men.

The following pictures were taken by my cousins Jay and Jim on their Panasonic LX3.

Jim saw the Middle Eastern looking owner manning the booth so he thought that their shawarma must be good and authentic. After taking bites we all agreed that Food Channel’s version was much better.

shawarma

Jay bought a plate of homemade ravioli stuffed with fresh mushroom and lightly dressed with a garlic béchamel sauce. I took a small bite and found it to be delicious. It tasted even better than those served in expensive restaurants. The ravioli was perfectly al dente and the flavors of the mushroom and cheese were quite prominent. I also appreciated that there was just a small amount of light sauce that enhanced and not overwhelm the main star, the ravioli.

shiitake mushroom and pecorini ravioli with garlic bechamel sauce P200

We forgot where Jay bought the sisig but he proclaimed it a winner!

sisig

I don’t understand why I never see Nutsylicous. I didn’t even see it that night nor the other times I went to Mercato. Some powers don’t want me to buy their nuts and dried fruits. And I want to buy them!!

Nutsylicous’ nuts

If you find yourself with nothing to do on a weekend go to midnight Mercato and stuff yourself silly with all kinds of food. Your biggest problem will be deciding what to eat.

Midnight Mercato
Friday and Saturday 10:00 pm – 3:00 am

Mercato Centrale
Saturday and Sunday 7:00 am – 2:00 pm
34th street and 8th avenue (across MC Home Depot)
Bonifacio Global City, 1632 Taguig, Philippines

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