Hong Kong Trip 22nd - 26th May 2010

22nd - 26th May 2010

Hong Kong. Whenever that name comes to my mind it will always reminds me of their reputation as the Hollywood of Asia, the food and more importantly for the fairer sex, shopping! We managed to purchase a 2-for-1 return flight on JetStar from Singapore to Hong Kong for a bargain of S$350 net and a couple of friends P and C is joining us for the trip. My goal and the goal of the ladies are clear and so I have to compromise a little, besides, one couldn't eat 24 hours running, right?

In order to make it more pleasurable to read, I will blog instead of what I have done rather than a day to day journal in this posting. Let's start with accommodation first. Throughout the 5D4N trip, my wife and I have stayed in 3 hotels... the reason being, we couldn't get a room for all 4 nights in the Marriott Hotel in Admiralty. Since we only have 2 nights in Marriott for night 2 and 3, we put up in Wesley Hotel in Wancai, which is within 3 minutes walk away from the Marriott Hotel itself on night 1 and the Royal Pacific Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui on night 4. Needless to say, the Marriott is the best and I feel so upset that we couldn't get all 4 nights. Wesley Hotel is pretty clean and convenient if you don't mind walking a little to take the MTR in either Admiralty or Wancai. The food around the hotel is pretty good and like most other hotels in Hong Kong Island, the room is small but at a rate of HK$600 per night, I guess I wouldn't complain much. The Royal Pacific Hotel is average although the rates they charge is slightly higher than the other hotels at HK$765 per night for a Premier room. Disappointed with the room in the Royal Pacific because the furnishing are old and the bed, not comfortable at all and if you are making your decision based on the hotel website, do not be deceived! The only thing good about this hotel is its location which is situated near to the Kowloon Park.

Our room at JW Marriott Hong Kong

I like the technology that comes along with the room,
which clearly sets it apart from the other hotels

Good thing I brought my laptop with
plenty of movies loaded to help us entertain
ourselves in the evening.
Jazz songs in the ipod also helped
makes soaking in the bath tub more enjoyable

This time around, we only visited two tourist spots i.e. Victoria Peak and Stanley for the been-there-done-that effect for both P and C. We are accompanied by our Hong Kong friend, H to Victoria peak and another HK friend K, K's good-looking boyfriend N and K's pleasant brother, M. We are sort of trying to hook up P and M with our fingers crossed... we'll see how it goes down the road. When we are at Stanley, coincidentally, there is a dragon boat race and man, I sure wish I have bought/brought a tele-lens. Stanley is pretty fun to spend a lazy afternoon with, strolling and haggling in the flea market and dining alfresco in the many cafes and restaurants. If it interest you, there is a Maritime museum at the pier and a temple not far away from the museum.

The view from Victoria peak is breath-taking on a clear day, especially so in the evening time with the daily light shows at 8pm. The weather is pretty lousy throughout our stay in HK but we managed to have a somewhat clear sky on the day we visited Victoria peak although the island seemed to be enveloped in smog.

This photo taken at Stanley

One of the many dragon boats in the Stanley's dragon boat race
Hong Kong city's bird eye view from Victoria Peak

Taken from atop Victoria Peak

Food seemed to be the highlight of this trip for me and I am glad I managed to taste many of the good stuffs thanks to K, N and M for being our gastronomical guide.

Tak Shing Restaurant in Sheung Wan
Beef brisket noodle (4/5)
The beef us soft yet retained the texture of the beef and the
broth was thick and tasty yet not overpowering.
The noodle as all over Hong Kong are springy and good.
Highly recommended!

Roast pork rice (5/5)
Perhaps the most delicious roast pork rice I have ever tasted.
Yes, I have not tasted all the roast pork rice in the world
and have not traveled as far and wide as some of you did BUT IMHO,
this plate of rice is worth trying, so miss at your own peril

Wan ton noodle (3/5)
Wan ton noodle is famous throughout the world and if you
did not try this dish, you have not been to Hong Kong yet.
Unfortunately, the wan ton noodle in Tak Shing is mediocre
as compared to other stalls available in Hong Kong.
I would give this a miss the next time I visit and be contented
with the Roast Pork rice above.

We later had dessert in one of the local dessert stalls, which is
so mediocre I don't even bother to state the name of the stall

Double-boiled white fungus with papaya and steam egg custard

Don't really know how to read the signboard but this shop is
in Wancai and they serve great seafood noodle.
If you are able to read this, do let me know what is it as
someone mentioned to me that it is not the signboard...

8 treasure noodle (4/5)
This bowl of scrumptious noodle is huge! I didn't bother to
count how many treasures there are in this bowl of noodle.
All my mind is thinking is "Eat!"

Next, we are treated to a local steamboat dinner and I do not
know what to expect . Is it a mistake to assume that it
should be the same as those in Singapore???

Fish skin anyone? These sort of food fetish is not my cup of tea...

Do as the Romans do some people say, so in Hong Kong,
you eat Dim Sum and yumcha the way the Hong Kong people do!
Shown below is a unique dessert.
Half red bean and the other hald coconut jelly.

Roast Goose (5/5)
Be warned! DO NOT MISS THIS! If there is anything that
I would want before I die, perhaps the roast goose is
one of those bucket list item! Roasted to a perfect crisp
and yet sealing the succulent goodness in, this roast goose
in the famous Sam Tseng will definitely send your taste buds
on a roller coaster. You may take a taxi from the Tsuen Wan MTR
to Sam Tseng by telling the cab uncle that you wanted to have
roast goose and usually they know where to go.
You may to try out Yue Kee Restaurant.

A good old sundae on a hot sunny day
sold by this good old fashion van ought
to produce a smile out of you anyday

There you go, a sure winner!

We managed to bump into this restaurant by chance somewhere
in Tsim Sha Tsui and initially thought it to be a tourist trap,
but what do you know? The food is good and reasonably priced
and by the time we are about to leave the restaurant, we realised
that this restaurant is frequented by many local celebs!

Do try this restaurant out! Its at Carnarvon Road.

Menu at Tsui Wah Restaurant

The wan ton are scrumptious! I am not sure what are those
powdery stuffs they added into the broth but they sure
make those dumplings tasted great!

Beef Brisket noodle
This bowl of noodle is amazingly better than the one in Tak Shing.
Head down to this restaurant!!!

**NOTE: If you would like to use the photos found in this blog, please seek permission by e-mailing me.