Eating in Hong Kong - 2

We went to Kin's Kitchen in the Causeway Bay area - far more sophisticated and upscale, serving Cantonese food in an emerging SoHo like neighbourhood.  The owner sat with us for much of the meal.  She and her husband (an art critic) entertained alot and friends urged her to open a restaurant.  Not a usual story, but in this case she actually did open not one, but two locations - both of which are prospering.

We opened with Smoked Chicken - wonderful flavour and skin to die for ... but we dislike eating fowl backbones......but this flavour on a french filletted bird would be incredible.

Then, meaty spareribs in sweet and sour sauce.  Fall off the bone meat and subtle layers of flavour....

Followed up with steamed fish and vegetables - a deceptively simple dish that highlights the chef's fine touch.  Perfectly done fish with very subtle flavours that let the fish shine through. 

The finale was one of the great dishes of our lives - stuffed roasted duck.  Skin that shattered and exploded with flavour when you bit in; moist, buttery flesh permeated with exotic flavours - all wrapped around a stuffing that we need desperately to replicte - except our charming host was annoyingly vague about just what was in the stuffing!

Overall we had much fun at Kin's Kitchen and highly recommend both it and the Yellow Door.

Now - something simpler.

We believe that the basic foods define a cuisine.  For Chinese, a basic is noodles and broth.  In Hong Kong there is a street of noodle bars and the one that wins Hong Kong's awards is Mak's Noodles.  It's Ben's Deli (in Montreal) revisited.  Been here a hundred years, glaring fluorescent lights, uncomfortable seating, a staff that turns tables over at blazing speed and delightful food.

A bowl of noodles, plump shrimp wontons, stir fried greens and a side of melt in your mouth brisket flavoured with tangerine and star anise.  We could get cravings for this food

One day we took a ferry to a local fishing village - Cheung Chau - on one of the outer islands in the Hong Kong Harbour.  No cars - rustic and touristy.  Enjoyed a basic meal of sauteed shrimps, lobster in black bean sauce and deep fried port at La Baccarat.  Following photos - the meal, the view and us becoming part of some film crew's commercial or documentary - no releases were offered or signed!

Comments

[Thora]

Yum - now I'll go have my rice krispies !