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Meet the Contributors
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Fergus Fung
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Samanta Pong
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Wilson Fok
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Gary Danko
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Prudence Lui & Anneliese O'Young
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The Gastronought
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Grégoire Michaud
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Catharine Nicol
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Debra Meiburg MW
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Jacqui Williams
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Seema Bhatia
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Natasha Loo
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Vicki
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Fideme Ngau
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Uwe Opocensky
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Kenji Yanagita
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Louis Ho
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Sunny Wong
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Marie-Emmanuelle Febvret
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Vicki Williams
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Dane Alexander Clouston
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ILuvLubutin & SSB
Meet: Samanta Pong
Founder / Editor
Bio:
Samanta Pong graduated from Keble College, Oxford with a degree in Engineering, Economics and Management. Samanta also joined the world of financial services upon graduation. Her strategic move to New York in 2001 was, like Fergus, the critical juncture of her culinary experience. As a graduate student at Columbia University, she had the luxury of sampling a new restaurant every week. Eating became her obsession in New York City.
Samanta’s idea of relaxation is curling up on the sofa with a stack of food magazines. Instead of paying for therapy, she finds cooking more therapeutic than yoga. Her passion for cooking is a blessing for her family i.e. her guinea pigs. The only form of engineering she is interested in these days, is building the ideal kitchen.
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Hong Kong's Dai Pai Dongs
Dai Pai Dongs, literally translated as "large license stalls", are street food stalls that the Government licensed to retired civil servants to operate in the 1950s. These licenses are larger in size than the traditional food licenses, thus the name.
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Are Dai Pai Dongs a Dying Culture?
Over the past couple of decades, Hong Kong has seen a rapid decline in the number of Dai Pai Dongs, with no new licenses issued since the 1970s. Furthermore, the licenses were only transferrable to the spouse (not to the next generation) after the licensee passed away, and could not be sold to a third party.
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Oodles of Noodles
While many Dai Pai Dongs in Hong Kong specialise in wok-and-toss dishes, others churn out heart-warming noodles in soup. To many local Hongkongers, a bowl of soupy noodles is the ultimate comfort food.
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Meet your Maker - Igor Macchia
I have always loved cooking, and when I received an invitation from InterContinental Grand Stanford to join Michelin-star chef, Igor Macchia from Italy during his visit to Hong Kong, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.
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No Dessert For Me, Thank You
As a self-proclaimed foodie, I almost feel like I need to apologise for not loving desserts. That’s right; me, a member of the female species, doesn’t like desserts. Perhaps it is a bit of a cliché to say that all women like desserts and men don’t, but it is true that most of my female friends do like and would order desserts, whereas I have only one male friend who is a dessert fanatic (as in he would order 3 desserts for dinner; that is a fanatic regardless of your gender. Donald, hats off to you.) I eat almost everything, so if a plate of dessert is placed in front of me, there is a chance I will take a bite. But do I crave an apple pie a la mode every now and then? Not that I can recall. When my fellow diners “ooh” and “aah” while studying the dessert menu, I try to be a good sport and do the same but secretly contemplate where I can go for a bite after dinner. Luckily my husband and I share the same wavelength.
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Al Molo
The newly-opened Al Molo at Ocean Terminal is a collaboration between Dining Concepts and the acclaimed New York chef Michael White, one of the nominees of the James Beard Best Chef Award in 2011. Let's see what he has in store for Hong Kong.
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New + Noteworthy - Bettys Kitschen
Harlan (the chef) left, followed by Harlan’s (the restaurant). Ever since the Harlan gang moved out of ifc, there had been rumours about which restaurant would take over the space. There were big, international names flying around. When it was revealed that London restaurateur Alan Yau would mark his first venture outside of the UK at ifc, everyone expected a dark and trendy joint like Hakkasan and Yauacha, two ultra-trendy, very successful Cantonese restaurants in London started by Yau. Then he surprised us all.
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Citibank Credit Card Presents: SPOON by Alain Ducasse
Ever since opening its doors for patrons in 2003, SPOON by Alain Ducasse at the InterContinental Hong Kong has been one of the most sought-after dining experiences in the region. The success formula is simple: breathtaking panoramic views of Victoria Harbour, stylish interior, impeccable service, and most importantly, extraordinary modern French cuisine designed by the world renowned celebrity chef, Alain Ducasse.
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It's Bone Marrow Week!
Ever since taking up the role of editor a couple months ago, I have had all the reasons to dine out and try out new restaurants. Not that I hadn’t been doing that before, but I now need to do it, need being the operative word. It’s all in the name of research! When it is put that way, the guilt melted away immediately and every week I tuck into scrumptious bites at new restaurants and old favourites. What’s better than sharing my week with you all? Welcome to Not Really A Blog. FYI, all photos are shot with my iPhone 4; it is clear that Apple is going to take over the world.
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Greens, Burrata & Pho
The past week my goal was to eat healthily. I define eating healthily as “not eating unhealthily”. That means no eating past the point of no return, no midnight binge fest and increasing the intake of vegetables. Surprisingly the last thing was the most difficult to do. Resisting the leftover in the fridge at midnight when hunger strikes too soon after dinner is easier than eating more greens?
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Just One Exceptional Dinner
I can only write about one dinner this week. Or rather, there is only one dinner worth documenting. Or perhaps it was so outstanding that all other meals paled in comparison. It is always a pleasant feeling when one meal blows your mind and you go home feeling satisfied physically (I really mean stomach bursting) and emotionally. It doesn't happen often but when it does, it is a celebration in itself.
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Jungle Fever
While most of you were slaving away in the concrete jungle that we call home last week, I was in another jungle. A real jungle where lions eat zebras, rhinoceros walk around freely, herds of elephants line up by the waterhole to have a sip, single file no less, and an overpopulation of impalas. If lions are the king of the jungle, then where impalas congregate are the pantry of Africa. They are everywhere.
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Meet Pig
Remember when the movie Babe came out, some people stopped eating pork for a while? That heroic little pig, with that cute voice and that cute name, and the emotionally distressing storyline were responsible for converting some people to vegetarian for good. Nonetheless, the majority resumed to having bacon for breakfast, char-siu for lunch, and baby back-ribs for dinner after the summer holiday.
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Home Sweet Home
After being on vacation for two lovely weeks, I am back to my normal routine, a.k.a. work. Only when there is work does one treasures vacation time. At least that is what I tell myself. When I'm traveling, I have the urge to document every food item I see and every bite I take. If a picture says a thousand words, then I need two pictures for every morsel that passes my lips. It is impossible to write down exactly how everything tastes right there and then so I do it from memory; and since reflecting on a holiday is an extension of the joyful time, every mouthful is a joy in my head.
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Porcini at Grissini
September is the beginning of the school year for many excited students, and it is also an exciting time for many connoisseurs for it marks the start of the porcini season. Porcini mushrooms are one of the most precious exports from Italy. The rich, meaty and heady mushrooms season salads and soups like no other vegetables, but also manage to stand up against more flavourful meats such as beef and guinea fowl.
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Yardbird
Dining at Yardbird, the hottest addition to the yakitori scene in town, reminds me that I'm no spring chicken anymore. I was irked by the no reservation policy, the noisy atmosphere - that's what you party animals call "a happening scene" - and the fact that it is tucked away in the Sheung Wan end of Soho, quite a walk from Central. However, with Matt Abergel (ex-ZUMA) being the brainchild of this, would you expect a conventional restaurant? There are restaurants that offer food and others that offer an experience; Yardbird is the latter.
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It's Been a Crab Week! (Part 1)
After a mini-break from this column last week, I'm back in full force. Last week's food adventures were extremely exciting and I cannot wait to write about them. Crabs are my favourite seafood and I happily gobbled down four meals of crabs in one week. It was a wonderful week indeed.
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The First Dip - Kushiyaki Beco
After the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March, the business for some Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong suffered. However, being Hong Kongers’ favourite cuisine, that was short-lived. We saw the opening of many Japanese restaurants in the past few months, including ramen joints, tonkatsu spots and lots of Japanese smokes - yakitori, yakiniku - and the latest addition is Kushiyaki Beco.
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Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town has an incredibly vibrant restaurant scene and is the melting pot of many different cultures that give the city its charm and lure. It is the highlight of any trip to South Africa and is one of the top ten travel destinations in the world, according to the latest Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Award. While Robben Island, Table Mountain and Cape of Good Hope will take up quite a bit of time, don't miss out on the impressive variety of restaurants in different parts of the city.
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It's been a Crab Week! (Part 2)
After two consecutive nights of crabs, I thought that was the end of my crab feast for a while. How glad I was that it wasn't the case. What would stop me from eating crabs every day, if I could, is not the repetitiveness but what the Chinese doctors call toxin build-up. In the world of Chinese medicine, the nature of crabs is "cold and wet", meaning those with weak digestive system or skin allergy problems should not eat crabs regularly. I believe everything in moderation, which is why I won't be eating crabs again until next month!
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Kaki-furai and Rahmen!
The temperature has dropped a little lately and it makes me crave comfort food. I know I know, that is just a poor excuse, especially when the weather is still in the mid-20s and standing on the street for more than half an hour is enough to make one sweat. However, it is fall in the rest of the world. To some people, fall means the beginning of hairy crab season, while others are getting ready to savour white truffle. In Japan, October marks the start of the Hiroshima oyster season, a time I look forward to every year.
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Hairy Crabs for Lazy People
It is tradition for Shanghainese to go for hairy crab dinners when the temperature drops, but it seems like us Hong Kongers are even more fanatic about these crustaceans. Every year, hundreds of thousands if not millions hairy crab fans look forward to October when these bright orange delicacies are in season. The anticipation of cracking open a crab to see how fatty it is, the feeling of having the thick gelatin-like male roe engulfed in one's mouth, and the satisfaction one gets when sucking the delicate sweet meat through the claws and legs are just a few reasons we love hairy crabs.
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Marco Polo German Bierfest 2011
The Marco Polo German Bierfest has been the most sought-after event of the year and for the past 19 years, it has been an astounding and unprecedented success. This year, it is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Starting October 21, partygoers, beer-lovers and sausage fans will be able to enjoy the festivities once again at the Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel.
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Hit Me Baby (Pig) One More Time
Chinese people cannot live without pork. If you have ever been to a Chinese wedding banquet, then you would know what a suckling pig march-in is. While traditionally, it is considered to represent the bride's purity, these days it simply symbolizes the beginning of the banquet! Although roast whole pigs also exist in other pork-loving cultures - Spanish, Balinese, Portuguese, etc. - I dare say the Chinese has perfected the roast suckling pig.
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New Opening: Greyhound Cafe
A weekend in Bangkok - shopping, spa, food, and booze - is the best remedy to a long week in the office. Hong Kongers love the Thai capital, and there are a few restaurants that all regular visitors are familiar with. One of them is Greyhound Cafe at Emporium Shopping Centre. The contemporary, quirky eatery has been around for over a decade and it opened its first overseas shop at ifc mall 2 weeks ago.
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White Truffle
October marks the start of the much anticipated white truffle season, a time in the year when these hideously expensive - and rather hideous looking - mushrooms are shaved in front of diners at the table or otherwise closely guarded by the chefs. Of course they are no ordinary mushrooms. These prized morsels have this intense pungent aroma that nothing else can replicate.
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Table For One, Please
I love eating by myself. Most people have an aversion of eating alone in public. They feel self-conscious that others are staring and judging. They fear that others would think they are pathetic losers with no friends. That is because very often, this option is not by choice. However, once you make a conscious decision of dining with yourself and only yourself, you become more aware of what passes your lips and it makes for a delicious outing.
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Decadent Cantonese Cuisine
There is a saying in Chinese: Eat in Guangdong. Other parts of China may be famous for their beautiful women or breathtaking scenery, but when it comes to food, Guangdong reins supreme. Guangdong, or Cantonese cuisine is also the best-known Chinese regional cooking in the world. Because of the mass popularity, it is misinterpreted all the time. It is not unusual to find dishes prepared with expensive ingredients that do not complement one another, or others that are made from frozen ingredients and seasoned with artificial flavourings.
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Chef's Table
The chef's table is located inside the kitchen, away from the main dining area and originally by invitation (of the chef) only. It is not entirely sure when the concept of chef's table started but it is the ultimate in dining. There is a saying in Chinese that can be loosely translated as "when one is near the kitchen, there is (good) food". What about when one is inside the kitchen of a top hotel?
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Introducing Chef Carmine Esposito at CUCINA
CUCINA recently welcomed new chef, Carmine Esposito to head the Italian kitchen. Chef Carmine is passionate about authentic Italian cuisine, and he specialises in the making of traditional Italian pizzas. Coming from a family of cooks, Chef Carmine grew up around stoves and pizza ovens. From December onwards, patrons will be able to experience authentic Italian cuisine with traditional taste and a new presentation through Chef Carmine's mouthwatering selection of new dishes.
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Christmas At Home
Although Christmas is at the end of December, all the festivities and celebrations begin at the start of the month. For some people, by the time Christmas rolls around, another round of Jingle Bells in restaurants or a stack of mince pies at cocktails is the last thing on their mind. Christmas is about spending time with loved ones and where better than home to do so? While most of us would not be able to roast chestnuts on an open fire at home, many of us can roast a turkey in the oven. That is, if you have the time to do so. No time at all? There are other solutions too.
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The First Dip: The Principal
The Principal. Does that term send shivers down your spine? Whether you were a good student or not back in your school days, not many enjoyed going to the principal's office. Until now. Another addition to Press Room Group this year is The Principal, the highest end establishment the group has ever operated.
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New Opening - se sa me
When everyone is going back to basic, sticking to one cuisine or regional cooking from an area with a population of less than a million, se sa me opens and announces it serves "Japanasian" food. You guessed it; it is a celebration of Asian food, from north to south, with an emphasis on Japanese cooking. One finds elements of Thailand, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and of course Japan in the dishes. We all had Japanese fusion before; some even became a fan of sushi with mayo and "dynamite rolls". (served in 90% of Japanese restaurants in the US, aka Japanamerican.)
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Lardo di Colonnata
Lardo, a product of pork that was once forgotten and today valued by a lot of people as the most delicious and delicate part of the pig. I know, it's FAT. Many people grimace in horror when they hear that word but those in the know treasure it like hog heaven. Traditional Tuscan food uses up all scraps of food; nothing is wasted. Lardo is a prime example. In fact, it is so good that it deserves its own festival, called Sagra del Lardo (Festival of Lard) in August each year.
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Artistic Conception Dining
When the PR from Mandarin Oriental invited me to a media dinner at Man Wah to have a first taste of the Da Dong promotion in April, I was probably the first to reply a big enthusiastic yes. Firstly, Da Dong is one of my favourite restaurants in Beijing and secondly, I have never had a bad meal at Man Wah. Double whammy.
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Bone Marrow: Love it or Hate it?
Yep, it is not everyone's cup of tea, but if it's yours, oh boy, isn't that the most sumptuous, decadent, and orgasmic taste on earth? Obviously it is my cup of tea. Beef stock would lack the depth in flavour without it, and where would osso buco be without the marrow? I believe it is one of the most under-appreciated food items out there and I can understand why, but I'm here to defend it.
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The First Dip: Lupa
For those who don't know Mario Batali, he is one of the most recognised chefs working in the US and a popular television personality. You know, the guy in orange crocs and baggy shorts, with a ponytail. He joined forces with Joe Bastianich to open restaurants all over the US and Lupa is the first Hong Kong outpost. There are two dining areas: la terrazza (the terrace) and the main dining area. The terrace is an exceptional outdoor space in the midst of Central, overlooking Queen's Road Central. The indoor dining area reminds me of Osteria Mozza in LA and Singapore, with a lot of dark wood and walls of wine bottles. The floor-to-ceiling windows allow natural light to come through.
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A Slice of Perfection
There is an old saying: anticipation is half the pleasure; this sometimes applies to food as well. There are times when I look forward to a meal so much that I envision the whole experience days before. Of course if anticipation really is half the pleasure, then that meal is not very pleasurable, unless you have the imagination of say, a surrealism artist. Anyhow, I had been looking forward to lunch at Robuchon au Dôme ever since it opened at the Grand Lisboa Hotel last year but never got the chance to go. Until last weekend.
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Fit for a Queen
It is not every day that I have the luxury of enjoying afternoon tea. By afternoon tea, I don't mean a cup of tea and some biscuits at the desk; I'm talking about the whole fanfare, complete with extravagant spread of savoury and sweet goodies. June marks the 60th year on the throne for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; the Clipper Lounge, famous for its afternoon tea for decades, is offering a Royal Afternoon Tea for those of us who cannot celebrate with Her Majesty in London.