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Travel
Roast Goose @ Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家, Central Hong Kong
May 11th
Yung Kee Restaurant located at the heart of Central is one of the top restaurants in Asia according to various restaurant guides. They serve a number of award winning Chinese dishes but Roast Goose is the main reason why they are so popular. Just how popular you ask? Well, the demand for Yung Kee’s roast goose is so high that as many as 300 birds are sold daily and it is even served in first and business class on board Cathay Pacific’s flights. So with that in mind, we thought Yung Kee was worth a visit despite their reputation of being expensive.
Among the many places we ate in Hong Kong, Yung Kee is be the classiest of all. Service is much more friendlier and attentive too, which kind of explains the prices here. And maybe because we already expected the price to be sky high, we were not very shocked when browsing the menu. In fact, we found Yung Kee’s pricing is similar to what Yue Kee is charging. Half a bird (two to four person portion) costs $240 while a quarter (two-person portion) goes for $120.
Looks mouth-watering good, right? It definitely is. Sadly, the reality is that it will be very difficult for us to get a roast goose that could match the flavor, smoky fragrance and texture of Yung Kee’s in Malaysia. No matter which piece you pick from the plate may it be the thigh, drumstick or breast, the meat tastes equally juicy and delicious. And of course the crispy skin with a thin layer of fat underneath was our favorite part.
Kung Lee Sugarcane Juice & Pudding @ SOHO Central, Hong Kong
Apr 25th
When sugarcane is mentioned we usually think of its juice and how great it would be to have an ice cold cuppa to quench that thirst during hot days. But have you heard, seen or even eaten sugarcane pudding in Malaysia? I guess not – which is why we hunted for this unique dessert in our last trip to Hong Kong. Our destination was Kung Lee, a half-decade old shop that has been churning out fresh sugarcane juice, pudding and herbal jelly at Hollywood Road, Central since 1948.
If you ask me, the sugarcane juice here tastes no different compared to those sold by Malaysian hawkers. It has the same grassy flavor, freshly squeezed and contains no additional sugar.
Chatuchak (Jatujak) Weekend Market @ Bangkok
Apr 19th
Among the many places that we visited in Bangkok, Chatuchak (or Jatujak) Weekend Market is one of the few we truly enjoyed, so much that we would not hesitate to return again. It has thousands of stalls selling a wide range of products including cheap and delicious local foods. The atmosphere and setup are very similar to our pasar malam but it is a whole lot bigger, easily ten to twenty times the size of a typical pasar malam. But first, you should know that Chatuchak Weekend Market is only open on Saturdays and Sundays 9am to 6pm just like the name says. So plan your trip accordingly if you wish to include Chatuchak Weekend Market into your list of places to visit.
Not only the vendors are not pushy, you will also be pleased to know that the whole market is a smoking free area! If you have a nice budget for shopping I am pretty sure you will have a good time here. Why? Because even a non-shopper like me who did not allocate any money for the visit bought quite a number of items – mainly artifacts, handicrafts and of course, lots of food and drinks.
There are a few ways to get to Chatuchak Weekend Market and I think the easiest way is by the BTS Sky Train. From any BTS station, board the northern bound train and alight at Mo Chit station. Then, just follow the signs for the market. Look at the crowd and the number of vans ferrying locals and tourists outside the market, it should give you a good idea on how popular it is.
If you don’t feel like walking there are free shuttle tuk tuk services in the market. From what I see, not many people are taking it, most still prefer to walk.
There is also a Chatuchak Plaza within the market where small food courts and shops selling more expensive goods could be found. It is somewhat like a maze and feels stuffy inside due to the roofing (lack of ventilation) Because of that I would suggest going in there only after you are done touring the exterior market.
Dried Shrimp Roe Noodles @ Lau Sum Kee, Sham Shui Po
Apr 14th
Lau Sum Kee Noodle House at Sham Shui Po is famous mainly for two things: ‘Ha Zi Lou Meen’ (Dried Shrimp Roe Noodles) and their succulent homemade ‘Sui Gao’ (Dumplings). There aren’t many places in Hong Kong that still serve this noodle, which explains why Lau Sum Kee is highly frequented despite being a small and cramped. Their competitive pricing is also another reason for their popularity, with noodles priced only between $20 to $40.
Here’s their signature noodle in its simplest form – just noodles seasoned with lard, sauces and topped with lots of dried shrimp roe @ $30.
