Shoot First Eat Later

Chelsea Market and Cafe

After the horrendous dinner at La Régalade we didn’t dare order dessert lest it be another disaster. We decided to go to Chelsea in Serendra where the desserts are fabulous. Warren and I wanted to go for food and not dessert. I only ate 2 slices of bread and a bite of lamb chop at La Régalade.

Every time I go to Chelsea they have different merchandise for sale.

Some Aussie products.

They also have an open kitchen like La Régalade but this kitchen whips up good, satisfying food.

The cakes are Chelsea are all huge and are perfect for sharing. My all time favorite is their carrot cake.

Look at all the food we could have ordered at half the price had we eaten here instead.

big plates menu

When you order coffee, jars of Choc-Nut and muscovado sugar are brought to the table. I’d always just eat the Choc-Nut, a local confection made of ground peanuts and chocolate, but the waiter said some people actually use it to sweeten their coffee. I’ll try that with my coffee next time.

pizza menu

We decided to have a light snack and ordered the portobello mushroom pizza with asparagus, artichokes & tomato confit. The crust was very thin but a bit soggy in the middle but super crunchy at the end. It was yummy!

roasted portobello mushroom pizza 10″-P475, 16″-P775

Belgian waffles menu

For dessert everyone agreed to share an order of Belgian waffles. The bacon was super crispy and it was dipped in Nutella. It was strangely good. The waffle had a very nice texture. It was a bit crisp on the outside and very tender on the inside. I didn’t taste any balsamic in the caramel sauce but I appreciated that the sauce wasn’t cloyingly sweet.

Pizza and waffles were the perfect comfort meal to soothe our unhappy stomachs. There wasn’t a Michelin star chef in sight and the food was awesome!

Belgian waffles w/ chocolate dipped bacon,
caramelized bananas & balsamic caramel sauce P395

Chelsea Market and Cafe
Serendra Piazza
Taguig, Metro Manila
telephone: 909-7011, 901-5817

Araw ng Kagitingan / Day of Valour

Last Friday, April 9, the Philippines celebrated a holiday called “Araw ng Kagitingan” or Day of Valour. I don’t think many remember the reason for this holiday. It was my American friend, Beau, who loves the Pinoy Culture and became a part of it, who reminded me it was to honor the thousands of Filipinos and Americans who surrendered to the Japanese during world war 2 and resulted in the Bataan Death March. For most of us it was just a long weekend.

Beau also reminded me of then President Manuel L. Quezon’s Civics and Ethics Code which I think we should keep in mind with the upcoming presidential elections. Beau’s words, “The valor and courage he speaks of and the past deeds of the passionate Filipinos who suffered in the Death March. It just speaks a great deal about those efforts and deeds and that we need to rededicate ourselves to his vision of what it means to be a honorable Filipino. That is the valor and fiber that binds the country. This makes the R.P. unique in all the world. The pride honor and sacrifice that is the Republic of the Philippines.”

As promulgated by the Manuel L. Quezon, The First President of the Philippine Commonwealth

1. Have faith in Divine Providence that guides the destinies of men and nations.

2. Love your country for it is the home of your people, the seat of your affections, and the sources of your happiness and well-being. It’s defense is your primary duty. Be ready at all times to sacrifice and die for it if necessary.

3. Respect the Constitution which is the expression of your sovereign will. The government is your government. It has been established for your safety and welfare. Obey the laws and see that they are observed by all and that public officials comply with their duties.

4. Pay your taxes willingly and promptly. Citizenship implies not only rights but also obligations.

5. Safeguard the purity of suffrage and abide by the decisions of the majority.

6. Love and respect your parents. It is your duty to serve them gratefully and well.

7. Value your honor as you value your life. Poverty with honor is preferable to wealth with dishonor.

8. Be truthful and be honest in thought and in action. Be just and charitable, courteous but dignified in your dealings with your fellowmen.

9. Lead a clean and frugal life. Do not indulge in frivolity or pretense. Be simple in your dress and modest in your behavior.

10. Live up to the noble traditions of our people. Venerate the memory of our heroes. Their lives point the way to duty and honor.

11. Be industrious. Be not afraid or ashamed to do manual labor. Productive toil is conductive to economic security and adds to the wealth of the nation.

12. Rely on your own efforts for your progress and happiness. Be not easily discouraged. Persevere in the pursuit of your legitimate ambitions.

13. Do your work cheerfully, thoroughly, and well. Work badly done is worse than work undone. Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.

14. Contribute to the welfare of your community and promote social justice. You do not live for yourselves and family alone. You a are part of society to which you owe definite responsibilities.

15. Cultivate the habit of using goods made in the Philippines. Patronize the products and trades of your countrymen.

16. Use and develop our natural resources and conserve them for posterity. They are the inalienable heritage of our people. Do not traffic with your citizenship.
The vital lesson we must learn from our past is that we can triumph if we only persevere. The Filipino people, by grit, hard work, and faith in God, will march forward to fulfill their destiny.

It took an American to remind me of these ethics which we should live by today. Let us remember these when we vote on May 10, 2010. Choose wisely!

Dinner at La Regalade

I’m jumping over a month’s worth of restaurant reviews and fast forwarding to last Friday’s (4/9/2010) dinner. It’s important for me to get this review out as soon as possible. I need to share our experience so others will be informed on what to expect at La Régalade.

It was Rochelle’s birthday and her beloved hubby, Warren asked me for suggestions on where we can eat. I recently read an article on the Philippine Star about Michelin two-star chef Rayé having a two week food festival at La Régalade Manila. I thought this was our chance to try food cooked by such a renowned chef. So I suggested we have dinner at La Régalade.

The interiors were nice and classy yet comfortable.

Chris and Ariel

open kitchen

bestsellers

Chef Alain Rayé

The original branch of La Régalade is in West Vancouver, Canada.

This was the special menu for the food festival. The choices were very limited but we were quite happy with the selection. So we thought.

picture from La Régalade’s website

We were all smiling before dinner. Ariel was in Manila for very sad circumstances. We invited him to dinner to cheer him up a bit. In the end it was all of us who went home sad and disgruntled. Wait I’m getting ahead of the story.

moi, Rochelle and Ariel

Ariel, moi, Db, Rochelle and Warren

Dinner was off to a good start. We were served warm, crusty bread that was delicious. I later learned the bread came from Lartizan. No wonder it was so good. We kept asking for more bread and it took so long to get a refill.

I will let my friends tell you about what they ate. I have two guest writers for this post, Db and Chris. We will start with THE GOOD (enough).

Db or Debbie (her real name) had the parmesan cheese tart w/ tomatoes for her appetizer and the red snapper for her main course.

Db: For my appetizer of parmesan tart with tomato topping, the presentation was very inviting and did not disappoint me in terms of taste. It was just right that it came with a bowl of salad because if I were to eat the tomato-cheese tart alone, it would be “nakakasawa or nakakaumay”. Eating it with the salad with the tart dressing somehow balanced off the dish.

parmesan cheese tart w/ tomatoes P290

side salad

Db: As for the pan-seared red snapper, the fish was okay. I didn’t taste/smell much of the lemon zest, hazelnut and rosemary. I could smell the mixture of herbs and spices, but I didnt really smell the lemon and rosemary. One thing though, the fish was cooked just right, it wasn’t dry and it wasn’t too flaky. And the serving was generous. I always thought that French food followed the “minimalist” principle, but the servings last night were big. (note: Ariel had the fish too)

red snapper w/ hazelnuts & rosemary P650

sauteed fresh vegetable served with the fish

THE BAD (it’s downhill from this point on)
Chris had the gazpacho, red beets salad and veal cheeks.

Chris: The bread made me expect that i will have an exciting dinner. I wanted to be adventurous so i tried out their Gazpacho soup. The waiter called my attention that it was a cold soup. I normally want my soup hot but since it was summer, I thought it would be a refreshing treat. When I tasted it, it was like eating pureed salsa dip. If I had brought my fave Tostitos Chips with a hint of lime, i would have used it as a dip. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t spectacular either. But given the soup that my companions ordered, I felt so lucky.

gazpacho P290

Chris: Since I am very fond of red beets, I ordered La Regalade Red Beets salad. But it was a disappointment. The waiter should have “warned” me that the salad would be slightly warm. The beets were boiled but I thought they would chill it before tossing in the dressing. It was boiled and a bit soft and it tasted like soil. I didn’t know whether I should add salt or pepper or what but since it costs P410 I forced myself to finish it.

La Regalade red beets salad P410

Chris: Then came the main course and I was starting to get worried since my expectation was already going downhill. The only reason I ordered the veal cheeks was because of the dark chocolate. I come from a family that loves dark chocolate & I was curious how it would mix with the veal. When it landed on my table, I wasn’t impressed with the plating because everything was so dark! As dark as dark chocolate indeed! I smelled it to see if I could smell dark chocolate but it smelled nothing but stewed beef. I couldn’t taste a trace or any hint of dark chocolate. Maybe they forgot to finish it dark chocolate? In general, the veal just tasted like slow cooked beef stewed in Bovril (thick, salty meat extract).

daube of veal cheeks P720

I tried the potatoes and they were good. It was the only thing really good we ate aside from the bread. But then how could anyone mess up potatoes cooked in cream and cheese?

potatoes au gratin served with the veal cheeks

Rochelle said her cod soup was too salty. It was perfect for dipping bread though.

cod soup w/ chorizo, potatoes & leeks P290

Poor Rochelle. First her soup was too salty, next her escargot didn’t have any flavor. She had to add lots of salt and still wasn’t satisfied. We took it home and added Knorr seasoning and it became good.

escargot en crouton P390

I asked Warren how he liked his avocado salad. He just replied, “It tastes like guacamole.”

avocado, basil, coriander & prosciutto salad P410

Warren and I had the extreme misfortune of ordering the crab bisque and lamb chops. I loved the prawn bisque at Restaurant Cicou so I thought the crab bisque would be as thick, creamy and full flavored. Instead I got lukewarm, thin, light crab scented water. I’m not kidding! I know that to make a seafood bisque you need to make a stock from crab or prawn shells and let it simmer a long time for the flavor to build up.

With this soup it tasted like they made the stock in five minutes. I told the waiter that my soup wasn’t hot and it tasted bad. They replaced it with another lukewarm soup that tasted exactly the same. That meant the soup was made in advance and probably sitting in a large pot waiting to be served to the poor, unsuspecting guest. Warren and I returned the soup. The manager came and I explained that the taste was horrible. She was nice enough to listen to my explanation and asked if I wanted something else. I declined since I was scared to try anything else.

crab bisque w/ roasted pistachios P290

The braised lamb chops was a very generous serving. It was my first time to try lamb chops that weren’t grilled, baked or pan fried. The lamb chop I tried was very tender but the sauce tasted like very strong wine that wasn’t allowed to evaporate. That’s all I tasted. It badly lacked flavor and body. It was just sour. Warren, Rochelle and I had our lamb wrapped up after one taste. We couldn’t bear to eat it. I suggested I fix it at home and we’ll have it for dinner the next evening.

lamb chops w/ potatoes, onions & fresh thyme P890

The 3 orders of braised lamb chops filled up my entire pot. I added lots of seasoning and thickened the sauce a bit and added some sliced olives. We all loved it. It was really good. Rochelle and Chris ate it with lots of rice. It fed 4 adults with some leftovers. The servings were indeed generous.

The lesson is when a restaurant gives you ‘lemons’ bring it home and make it better. After our dinner at home I think Warren and Rochelle forgave me for suggesting La Régalade.

The ladies room was a beautiful place for me to sit down and cry in shame for suggesting the place for Rochelle’s birthday and for Warren to pay the big bill for food we barely touched and didn’t enjoy. I really wanted to do that. It’s a good thing I have nice friends who didn’t blame me.

THE UGLY

I hope anyone planning to try the food festival by Michelin two-star chef Rayé at La Régalade will read this first and hopefully they will have a better experience than us. I don’t know if their regular menu is better but I don’t think I’ll ever go back to try it. For much better French food try my favorite Aubergine. We went to Chelsea in Serendra for more food and dessert since we were not satisfied with what we ate or didn’t eat.

La Regalade Manila
820 Arnaiz Avenue Makati City
telephone: 750-2104, 750-2105

Honeymoon Dessert

After dinner at Te we went next door to have dessert at Honeymoon Dessert.

I never had such a hard time choosing dessert. In a western restaurant my choice would almost always contain the word chocolate. In Honeymoon Dessert you won’t find the word chocolate anywhere. What you will see are the words sweet balls, toddy palm, sago, grass jelly, snow fungus or swallows nest. Dessert choices are hot, cold, tofu, fruit, Chinese,Thai, and mix all that for even more choices. Look at some of the pictures from their menu.

desserts with ice cream & snacks

Thai black glutinous rice desserts

hot Chinese desserts

sweet balls desserts

I decided I wanted a cold dessert but do I want a coconut base, with tofu or fruit or both? Some choices sound strange, some pictures look scary. The simplest way to order is to look at the pictures, pick one that interests you and look for the corresponding number in the menu and read the description. Based on the picture below I chose number 28 which turned out to have such as innocent name “Snow White Sago” despite it’s scary picture. I chose it because it had all kinds of unknown ingredients in it. It was a risk I had to take.

cold sago and black grass jelly desserts

Oh my gosh! I took one spoonful and decided I’d gone to Chinese dessert heaven. The base was a sweet coconut milk mixture filled with cubes of fresh mangoes, sweet potato, toddy palm (the white things on the right side made from coconut, also known as ‘kaong’ in Filipino), bananas and the sago which had black dots in the middle. It doesn’t look appetizing but believe me it was so, so, good. Somehow the combination of all these ingredients made for a refreshing dessert with different contrasting flavors and textures. Trust me on this. When you go to Honeymoon Dessert remember to order #28!!

snow white sago HK$26 #28

My mom ordered a hot sweet soup made from ground black sesame with 3 sticky glutinous rice balls filled with a peanut mixture not unlike peanut butter. The soup was thick with just the right amount of sweetness. It was good too but I preferred my snow white sago more. This is #57.

sweet ball & sesame soup HK$24 #57

There are so many other desserts I want to try at Honeymoon Dessert and I’ll eventually get to order them until I get tired of the snow white sago. You don’t have to be Asian to enjoy these desserts. Be adventurous and try them and who knows you’ll end up having your own favorite dessert.

full menu in one page (click to enlarge)

menu
with ice cream, snacks, durian, tofu pudding, sago, grass jelly
iced drinks, fruit, Thai, hot soup, Chinese soup mixed, sweet ball
snow fungus & swallow nest

Honeymoon Dessert

Shop 604, iSquare

63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
telephone: +852 2520-5071

Dinner at Te quick pasta & herb tea

We went to iSquare for dinner on a Saturday night and all the restaurants were full. We ended up at Te where all the white chairs were waiting to be filled. I first saw Te at the food court of the Venetian hotel in Macau. I didn’t really pay attention to it until I saw it again at iSquare. Pasta wasn’t really my choice for dinner but might as well try this Japanese import.

Te’s concept

The menu had a variety of sauces for all tastes. Te only serves spaghetti to keep the choices simple.

The open kitchen was small and the set up was very simple. They really brought out the pasta in minutes.

The Caesar salad was not Italian or Filipino or American style. Japanese style Caesar salad used a thin, white slightly sour and lightly salty dressing without cheese, bacon bits or croutons. It was different. At least the lettuce was fresh and crisp.

caesar salad HK$25

The pasta was al dente which was amazing since prep time was only a few minutes. It must be quick cooking pasta. The spaghetti with pesto sauce was dry and totally tasteless. I requested for extra pesto or olive oil but they denied my request. The cook said everything was pre-portioned and he couldn’t do anything about my pasta. I just liberally doused it with the parmesan cheese in a green bottle on the table. What did I expect for HK$48?

spaghetti genovese HK$48

The spaghetti Japonese with sea clams and shimeji mushrooms was much better. The sauce was a simple but rich tasting, briny clam broth that successfully pulled the dish together. Overall the experience was just satisfactory. If you have a yearning for very affordable pasta while in Hong Kong, Te is the place to go.

spaghetti Japonese HK$69

Shop 601, 6/F, iSQUARE

63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui,

Hong Kong

telephone: +852-2312-0096

What I Want In a Man – changes every 10 years

image

What I Want In a Man, Original List

1. Handsome
2. Charming
3. Financially successful
4. A caring listener
5. Witty
6. In good shape
7. Dresses with style
8. Appreciates finer things
9. Full of thoughtful surprises

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 32)
1. Nice looking
2. Opens car doors, holds chairs
3. Has enough money for a nice dinner
4. Listens more than talks
5. Laughs at my jokes
6. Carries bags of groceries with ease
7. Owns at least one tie
8. Appreciates a good home-cooked meal
9. Remembers birthdays and anniversaries

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 42)
1. Not too ugly
2. Doesn’t drive off until I’m in the car
3. Works steady – splurges on dinner out occasionally
4. Nods head when I’m talking
5. Usually remembers punch lines of jokes
6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture
7. Wears a shirt that covers his stomach
8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids
9. Remembers to put the toilet seat down
10. Shaves most weekends

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 52)
1. Keeps hair in nose and ears trimmed
2. Doesn’t belch or scratch in public
3. Doesn’t borrow money too often
4. Doesn’t nod off to sleep when I’m venting
5. Doesn’t re-tell the same joke too many times
6. Is in good enough shape to get off the couch on weekends
7. Usually wears matching socks and fresh underwear
8. Appreciates a good TV dinner
9. Remembers your name on occasion
10. Shaves some weekends

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 62)
1. Doesn’t scare small children
2. Remembers where bathroom is
3. Doesn’t require much money for upkeep
4. Only snores lightly when asleep
5.. Remembers why he’s laughing
6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself
7. Usually wears some clothes
8. Likes soft foods
9. Remembers where he left his teeth
10. Remembers that it’s the weekend

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 72)
1. Breathing.
2. Doesn’t miss the toilet.

Lunch at Pho24

In our effort to try as many restaurants in iSquare, Tsim Sha Tsui we tried Pho24, an international chain of Vietnamese pho noodle restaurants. It was only when I saw the placemat on the table did I learn Pho24 has a branch in Manila at Rockwell, Makati. I’ve never eaten there so my first time will be in their Hong Kong branch.

The pomelo salad was good but nothing special. I felt the serving was small for the price.

pomelo salad HK$58

The spring rolls were very disappointing. It was totally bland and the only saving factor was the sauce which tasted like a mixture of hoisin and peanut sauces.

Vietnamese pork & shrimp summer rolls HK$46

rice rolls sauce

lunch special

We ordered the pho from the lunch special. This was a good deal and it was quite delicious. I would stick to the lunch specials which were very reasonably priced. Imagine the rice rolls cost almost as much as a big bowl of pho. We regretted ordering the two appetizers. We should have ordered one of the rice meals instead.

3 combination beef pho noodle soup HK$48

lotus root & barley drink HK$10 @ lunch, HK$26 regular price

Pho24 Hong Kong menu
pho, rice, soup, side order, veggies, dessert, drinks, beverages

Pho24

TSIM SHA TSUI
Shop 303, iSQUARE
63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2327 0077
Business Hours: 11am – 11pm

SHATIN
Shop 127, New Town Plaza, Phase I
18 Centre Street, Shatin
New Territories, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2681 2200
Business Hours: 11:30am – 11pm

Dinner at Yakiniku Gyukura

More than half the restaurants in iSquare in Tsim Sha Tsui are Japanese. You can find bread, pasta, tonkatsu, ramen to shabu shabu and sukiyaki and the prices range from affordable to expensive. I featured Gyu Jin Shabu Shabu & Sukiyaki where we had our fill of eat all you can shabu shabu. This time we tried Yakiniku Gyukura which specializes in yakiniku or grilled meat.

These posters outside the restaurant lured us in.

The interiors were very classy. I loved the ambiance.

There were grillers on each table. For the shabu shabu they just remove the grill top and put the pot on top of the heat source.

set menu for 4

We had the set for two that cost HK$628. They gave us two of each item except for the sashimi platter and the beef.

Yakiniku Gyukura set menu for 2

I don’t know what this free appetizer was but I loved it. It was orange cubes that were crunchy and a bit sweet. I couldn’t tell if it was a vegetable or seafood. Any ideas?

appetizer

The presentation of the sashimi on ice was very impressive. Everything was very fresh and top quality.

assorted sashimi platter

crab roe salad

scallop & laver soup

beef sauces

This is all the beef we got. A few measly pieces each of wagyu rib eye, sirloin and tenderloin.

assorted wagyu combo

wagyu beef sirloin

wagyu beef rib eye

The beef was slightly frozen and unseasoned. When cooking the beef on the grill patience must be observed. You must stop yourself from turning the beef every few seconds. Let it cook for a 3 minutes per side or until how you like it done. As expected the beef was melt in your mouth tender. My only complaint was there wasn’t enough beef. I guess that’s what you get for the price.

grilling the beef

At first I thought “udon with cheese? gross!” Until I tried it. The soup base was a light tomato soup and cheese was simply grated on top. It was strangely good. It was unexpectedly yummy. I loved it!

tomato & cheese udon in soup

Hmmm even the ice cream was delicious. They really put a lot of effort in presentation.

red bean ice cream

The couple in the next table was kind enough to let me take a picture of their shabu shabu dinner.

shabu shabu

Overall the meal was faultless. The place was packed when we were there. I just felt the price was a little expensive. For a better bargain, although the place is smaller and not as nice, I suggest Gyu Jin Shabu Shabu & Sukiyaki where you can eat as much wagyu beef as your heart and cholesterol can stand.

Yakiniku Gyukura menu
wagyu, roasted meat, roasted seafood, hotpot, vegetable, sashimi,
sushi, rice & noodles, salad, dish, drink, dessert

Yakiniku Gyukura
Shop 701, 7/F, iSQUARE

63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

telephone: 2628-0993

Praise House Congee & Noodle Cuisine

We stay so close to iSquare in Tsim Sha Tsui we decided to try out all the restaurants there since all were new to us. In the next few posts I will take you on a tour of the restaurants we tried in iSquare. We were eager to try Praise House Congee & Noodle Cuisine which had all our Chinese comfort food. It’s menu is similar to Sweet Dynasty and our favorite Hang Heung. On a side note, I’m sad to report that yesterday was Hang Heung’s last day of operations in New World Center. The whole mall is going to be demolished for a bigger building. We had our farewell dinner there last night. At least they still have a branch at HK airport.

The place had a nice, modern Chinese inspired interior.

These were some of their special dishes. The prices seemed reasonable.

When I saw the words tai pai dong milk tea I immediately ordered a cup. I was hoping it was the authentic milk tea served in tai pai dongs or open-air food stalls where this drink was made popular. Alas, it was simply weak, uninspired tea with milk. No comparison to my favorite nai cha from Cafe de Coral. And it was double the price too!

tai pai dong milk tea Hk$16

I forgot what the seasonal soup was. I wasn’t able to try it either.

seasonal soup Hk$20

The boneless Hainanese chicken was bland and mediocre. The chicken rice was hard, dry and tasteless. I wouldn’t order this dish again.

hoi nan chicken w/ rice $68

The flat rice noodles were pretty decent. It wasn’t as oily as other restaurants and I give them points for that.

black bean flat vermicelli w/ beef slices HK$50

My favorite dish was the crab congee. The congee was unusually flavorful and had a touch of sweetness from the crab. The texture of the congee was a bit sticky and not runny like in other places. I want to try their other congee next time. And to think I’m not much of a congee eater.

fresh crab congee in hot pot HK$28

They had a very, very extensive menu. Their menu went on and on and on. It was pretty hard to decide what to order that’s why we ended up with this. I want to try this place again and will order wisely next time. But from what we’ve eaten we still love Hang Heung more.

menu
congee, more congee, noodles in soup, more, roast meat, roast meat w/ rice,
appetizers, recommendations, more, set meal, set choices, snacks
soup & vermicelli rolls, fried noodles/vermicelli.rice, catering flavor, drinks

Praise House Congee & Noodle Cuisine
Shop 705, 7/F, iSquare
63 Nathan Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui

Food on Philippine Airlines

Here’s another installment on my homage to Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) fabulous inflight food. This was taken on my trip to Hong Kong last February.

Mnl-Hkg breakfast menu

As usual the bircher muesli was excellent. Despite several attempts I couldn’t get my muesli to taste as good. I suspect they used heavy cream instead of yogurt which I use. The dried figs and mangoes were a good idea too.

bircher muesli

I wasn’t hungry since I ate a bowl of yummy arroz caldo in the lounge an hour before. I ordered something I didn’t like so I won’t overeat. I don’t like eggs except for the rare fried egg. I don’t remember the last time I ate an omelette. Must be decades ago.

breakfast

I figured I would just eat the burgers, mushroom and chicken sausage.

cheese, asparagus & chive omelette w/ beef burger
& chicken sausage served w/ rosti potatoes

I made the big mistake of trying the omelette. Oh boy, it was soft, runny and so, so, cheesy. I ended up finishing the darn thing. I think I’ll give eggs another chance if all omelettes are this good! Naturally the burgers and sausage were good too. I didn’t take a picture of my empty plate.

cheesy omelette

Hkg-Mnl dinner menu

marlin w/ asparagus mimosas salad & black olive tapenade

After over indulging in Hong Kong I decided to consciously start eating healthier and that meant eating more fish. My mom always told me never to order fish on an airplane because it was always ‘malansa‘ or fishy tasting and more often than not it was tough and rubbery.

dinner

To my surprise and utter delight the fish was as good as any fine dining restaurant can produce. The sea bass was tender and flaky. There was even a skewer of lemongrass inserted in the fillet for added flavor. The Thai curry sauce was mildly spicy and very rich with coconut milk. Only the rice was below par and that was fine with me.

grilled sea bass w/ Thai red curry sauce

The chocolate mousse was om nom nom nom and that’s all I will say about it.

Belgian chocolate mousse

Happy travels to everyone going out of town this Holy Week. If you see me in Hong Kong and recognize me say hi and I’ll give you suggestions on places to eat or you can just click here. Coming up are several new Hong Kong restaurants in the Tsim Sha Tsui area. So come back and check this blog daily. See you in Hong Kong!