I’m not a travel writer nor am I a food critic so I’m going to write this in a standard form that most chefs can appreciate.
We tried to pack as much as super-humanly possible into our trip but after 4 nights we left feeling as if we had only just scratched the surface. Hong Kong is immense with a massive food scene to match! The markets were electric and full of people all night long. We hit the ground running: checked into our hotel, showered and changed ready for action.I’m going to bullet point from here as an over descriptive review and insight in to what can happen in Hong Kong will have to be saved for my book: The real …. Kitchen Confidential!
DAY 1: CHECK-IN – HONG KONG – 4PM SUNDAY
Wan Chai
Bars for every taste, clubs bursting at the seams before the sun even set in the harbour. Apparently Sunday is most people’s day off and everyone has their own way to enjoy it!
Lan Kwai Fong
Another popular bar area which doesn’t get going until much later but does have a Hard Rock Café which, in fairness, always delivers what it says on the can: live music, good cocktails and fat American diner food. We went for the healthy nachos and drowned them in mojitos but that’s us! The night was upon us and a must visit when in this area is the Tasmanian Ballroom: Hendricks by the bottle, funky crowd playing pool and table tennis, good DJ and cucumber in three ways.
Wan Chai
Revisited: much messier than when we left it! Street-side yakatori, sake shots and a taxi home.
DAY 2: CHECK-OUT – 12 NOON MONDAY
Wan Chai
Fuzzy-headed, dehydrated and needing sustenance:
Me: “Good morning, can you tell me somewhere close by we can get some dim sum?”
Bellboy: “Yes sir, two blocks down turn left, one block down you will see a sign for Lei Garden.”
Me: “Thanks! That sounds awfully easy.”
Actually it was that easywe stumbled up the escalator and into a ball room size dining room where we were to be served one Michelin star dim sum and refreshing jasmine tea. The menu resembled a bingo card and after announcing I had a full house we were served perfect mouthfuls of pure flavours wrapped in the most delicate of skins and fluffiest of doughs: Har Gau, BBQ pork buns, Xieu long bao, Siew mai were all incredible. Crispy roast pork and goose were also a hit, perfect fatty goodness to eat away at the night’s drinking and prepare us for the day ahead.
Ferry to Macau
Easier than you would think, buy your ticket, wait a while, get on.Just like taking the train. A 45-minutepower nap later and we dock. Taxi, check-in, shower, roulette.
Macau! Wow! Vegas of the Orient and cashing in on the Asian gambling addiction: it smells of money; it feels dirty; people look sad and emotionless. Macau itself is steeped in heritage left mainly from the Portuguese with their architecture and duel language signage remaining a symbol of their heritage. First on the list: egg tart (Pastel de Nata) I know these well and have double fisted my fair share of the best in Portugal and these I am glad to say are up there with the best! Bifana is a kind of pork sandwich which keeps the Portuguese nation going between and even after meals as a dessert. In Macau it gets a little Chinese bump of five spice, soy and ginger and is normally served with the bone on which, late at night, unsuspectingly acts as an instrument of torture as it gouges into the roof of your mouth causing immense pain for several minutes. Bones aside it is still a pork sandwich of which its cousin Bifana can be proud.
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DAY 3: BIG DAY – EARLY RISE – FERRY – HK – HOFEX
The biggest hospitality show in Asia-Pacific: it is big, but for me, Earls Court or the Excel Centre in London were a more impressive site – maybe it’s my age! As a young cook, shaking in my pants at the salon it seemed so much bigger? Everyone knows the world is small now and to meet up with an old colleague from seven years ago and share a few lunchtime beers was very nice.
Back to Macau via a certain institution which sells sausage and egg muffins all day. When will the rest of the world catch up?
Pont 13, MGM, Venetian and Wynn all got a little visit. The Crystal Bar in Wynn was the highlight for me and the only casino where people actually looked as if they were having fun. Night clubs: a choice of two. One is a supper club, make sure you have a had a good day on the tables before visiting and the other is like something from Dusk Till Dawn meets Coyote Ugly in the nicest way possible.
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DAY 4: BRUNCH – CHILLAX – REHYDRATE – AFTERNOON TEA – FERRY – DINNER
Amber, the landmark Mandarin Oriental: two Michelin stars and ranked number 36 on the San Pellegrino world list. As I said, I’m not a critic and this is not a review but I can say it was a fabulous experience which will stay in my mind for a very long time. When you go to a restaurant of this standing you know it’s going to hit your pocket but at the same time you have to try as much as you can and order as if it’s your last supper! Stand out dishes for me were :Canapés of truffled crab in a crisp potato cylinder and a crunchypita bread filled with eggplant and served on a bed of warmed cumin seeds which gave a gentle aroma whilst eating. First amuse: foie gras lollipops dipped in raspberry gel and garnished with tiny circles of beetroot and crisp gingerbread. Second amuse: pea puree, morels, white asparagus cappuccino, a match made in heaven! Outstanding!
Bread service to die for: two butters or an olive oil from Provence which didn’t even taste like olives: amazing like freshly cut rape seed! Small baguettes, focaccia and olive rolls to name a few.
Food: We ordered well: two starters each, a main course and a dessert. Tasmanian salmon, Iberico pork, foie gras raviolis, longoustines, Greffeuille Lamb, Tagoshima Wagyu, Nyangbo 68% chocolate, organic lemons.
Beverage: Champagne to start, Burgundy to continue, Cognac to digest and an espresso from a weasel’s poo to finish.
Photographs from an iPhone are normally great but I just didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures as if I was stealing the Mona Lisa. The ones that are here are the best of the bunch. An impressive meal from a great chef and an exceptional service demonstration which I have not seen in many years: my hat is off to these guys, Bravo!
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Overall an amazing few days topped off with the best meal I have eaten in a decade. Would I go back? Hell Yeah!! Soon? Probably not but it’s in my five year plan!