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ChocoYOU – your very own custom designed chocolates

15 Apr

chocoyou hong kong

Life without chocolate simply would not be worth living; as I am reminded each year when I decide to give it up for Lent, I need chocolate in my life. It is the friend who is always there, no matter how hard times get; the friend who will always, without fail, put a smile on your face and remind you that despite work stress, homesickness or those ‘that-time-of-the-month’ mood swings, things really aren’t that bad.

When, one gloomy day, I received an email from Alexis Kwong Alvarez, the founder of ChocoYOU, inviting me to taste some tailor-made chocolates, did I hesitate? Silly question. I responded immediately and put my creativity to the test on ChocoYOU’s website.

ChocoYOU is Hong Kong’s first and only custom-designed chocolate website; in three very easy steps, you choose your chocolate, choose up to five toppings, enter your details and less than three days later you will receive the most exciting package straight to your door.

chocoyou hong kong

The beautiful packaging makes these chocolates the perfect present, whether you’re treating a loved one, or simply treating yourself (it’s more than ok to buy yourself presents, especially if they involve chocolate). The chocolates are handmade in the ChocoYOU studio in Sheung Wan, so you can guarantee they will be fresh and made with a true chocolate lover’s passion.

The website offers a whole range of infusions, toppings and decorations, some classically associated with chocolate, others slightly on the wacky side. The beauty of it is that there are no restrictions, so if you really want to create pink chocolate with crispy chicken ramen, crystallised lavender and gold flakes, you are more than welcome to (although I would probably not recommend it!).

chocoyou hong kong

Wanting to taste a range of chocolate, I ordered one white, one milk and one dark, each made with rich, creamy Belgian chocolate. Starting with the white, of which I am not usually a fan, I chose to top it with caramel crunch and M&Ms, which not only looked beautiful, but was also possibly the best white chocolate I’ve had in a long time.

For the milk, I chose pink Himalayan salt, cashew nuts and sprinkles. The contrast between the creamy, sweet chocolate and the hint of salt created a delicious balance that was hard to stop eating.

The dark chocolate, my absolute favourite, consisted of chilli, cornflakes and red chocolate hearts. The chilli creeps up on you very subtly, leaving you with a warming, satisfying tingle in your mouth.

If you don’t consider yourself to be very creative, or are in a rush to fulfil your chocolate cravings and don’t have time to create your own bar, you can always choose one of ChocoYOU’s signature pre-designed bars.

Now for the best part of this review – Alexis wants to offer you, my dear readers, a 10% discount on your very own ChocoYOU chocolate bars! From now until 16th June 2013, enter the promo code DIMSUMAPR2013 when you check out and you’ll receive 10% off your final bill – the perfect excuse to treat yourself!

Prices start from $70 per bar, with additional charges for each topping. Delivery is a flat rate of $45 for Hong Kong deliveries, which is removed if you collect the chocolates from the Sheung Wan studio yourself. No minimum order and they also deliver outside of HK – check the website for more details.

www.chocoyou.com

Email: info@chocoyou.com

Tel: +852 2327 9902

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Winners for Jason Black’s Cookbook Competition Announced

22 Mar

cow pig chicken jason black hong kong

Jason Black’s recipe tester competition for his exciting upcoming cookbook cow pig chicken has now closed. We had an overwhelming number of responses, most of which were truly excellent. This made it almost impossible to select the top five entries, but, after very careful consideration, we have managed to narrow it down to five lucky winners.

We were surprised at the very generous offers to help from some fantastic chefs, some of which are even working at some of our favourite venues too! Testing the recipes is really about ensuring that they can work under most conditions, not just for able chefs but also for amateur home cooks. We were therefore unable to select the professional chefs, and the almost professionals, even though we would have loved to work with them. Practised cooks, who would most likely be able to cook a gourmet feast with their eyes closed, would have instinctively tweaked the recipes as they went along, or at least skim read the instructions, knowing what was coming next. The real challenge is following the recipes to the letter, in order to make sure that each step is logical, accurate and successful. We have no doubt that every single applicant could have done a superb job, but of course, with it being a competition, not everyone can be a winner.

And so, without further ado, the five lucky recipe testers are:

Sally Collier

jason black cookbook cow pig chicken

Sally is a keen cook, having grown up in her mother’s home catering kitchen.  Originally from Trinidad, she has lived in Australia, the US and the UK and now finds herself enjoying her fifth decade in HK.  Her favourite meal is a good roast with all the trimmings, followed by a lavish dessert, all of course accompanied by a great bottle of wine.

Karen Herrero

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Karen is a 32 year old Spanish citizen who grew up in Canada. In the past 10 years, her job has moved her from Canada to Belgium to France and 2 years ago to Hong Kong. She enjoys the chaotic lifestyle in Asia and is thankful to have a full kitchen to support her unique form of mediation… baking! She loves cooking and hosting brunches and dinners with a focus on European and Middle Eastern flavours.

Veronica Mihno

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Veronica, 45, is from Sydney, Australia. Her mum says she started eating solid foods at 5 months old … and frankly she hasn’t stopped since! She has travelled to 33 different countries and makes it her mission to sample whatever culinary delights she finds. She no longer buys traditional souvenirs; she buys kitchen utensils. She has been living in Hong Kong for 13 years and is still delighted with a new find at the wet markets, and you will most certainly find her puttering about the foreign food isles at supermarkets. She is an all round cook, but the best compliments from her friends and guests are for her roasts, pastries and cakes. “Yumm-o!”

Payal Patel

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Payal is a relative HK ‘newbie’ having moved here from the UK about 5 months ago.  She would be lieing if she said  she ‘lurves it’ just yet, but she’s definitely finding her way and making the most of what HK has to offer – which as you well know is plenty and some! She is pleased that she has not limited her experience thus far to merely bar hopping; she has been to some wonderful restaurants, been on numerous hikes and thrown in some travelling too. 

There’s nothing fancy about the stuff Payal likes to cook–large portions of unpretentious comfort food.

Megan Smith

jason black cookbook hong kong cow pig chicken

Though often referred to as ‘that girl who likes cake’, which, by the way, she takes to be a positive rather than negative reference, her real name is Megan Smith. Having graduated in the UK just last June, Megan hopped on a plane to HK as fast as she could to begin a new chapter of her life here. Currently “22-years-old going on 62″, she enjoys eating, food, cooking, food, baking, food, running (usually towards the prospect of food), rowing (often followed by food) and reading (about food). “Greedy? Me? Never!”

These recipe testers were selected on the basis of their excellent responses to the question “what makes you think you have what it takes to be one of Jason’s elite recipe testers?”

We are all very excited about cow pig chicken and can’t wait to get started on the recipe testing! Updates will follow, so watch this space to see how the book is coming along and when it will be on the shelves for you to buy.

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Il Moro

6 Mar

the dim sum diaries hong kong

il moro hong kong

For so many restaurants with mediocre service, identical menus and lack of personality in Hong Kong, once in a while there comes the complete opposite; a restaurant with individuality, charm and a larger than life character. Il Moro in Sheung Wan is one such restaurant.

To say that the chef-owner Joseph is quite a character would be an understatement; he is full of life and very opinionated, and one of those people who makes you wonder if there’s an off button somewhere. Yet I don’t mean this in a negative way at all, for Joseph is what makes Il Moro what it is: a quirky one-of-a-kind Italian restaurant that serves genuinely delicious food from the heart.

il moro hong kong

It isn’t a large restaurant, and in fact until recently it had no signage whatsoever, making it even more of an intimate space. The interior is beautifully decorated with brightly coloured murals and Mediterranean-style plates, whilst another wall is adorned with Italian ingredients, which I assume can be purchased.

Once upon a time there was not a menu in sight, for Joseph assures diners he can make ‘anything you like’, provided he has the fresh ingredients in stock. Due to complaints about his style from people who just weren’t accustomed to it, he has now given in and menus are provided, although Joseph will still gladly tweak any printed dishes depending on what you’re after.

il moro hong kong

We began with a buffalo mozzarella salad and an enormous vegetarian platter laden with artichokes, grilled courgettes, peppers and aubergines, beetroot, celery salad, aubergine salad and a few types of cheese. Never has a vegetarian platter tasted so good. Taking in the colourful décor, the gorgeous Testarossa Montepulciano wine (which Joseph fittingly described as a ‘macho man’) and the wonderful fresh flavours of the starters, it was easy to imagine ourselves transported to the Mediterranean.

il moro hong kong

The black truffle pasta with leeks in a creamy button mushroom sauce is a must try; it is rich, but in a good way, each mouthful lightly perfumed with that gorgeous truffle flavour that keeps you going back for more. The penne pasta, though not made in-house, is imported from Italy and noticeably high quality stuff.

il moro hong kong

Another star dish was the seafood risotto, cooked to just the right al dente consistency with a generous amount of wonderfully fresh seafood. There is something rustic and authentically Italian about it that makes it stand out from many substandard risottos you find in HK.

il moro hong kong

The ossobuco Milanese, braised veal shank on a bed of grilled polenta, was heavenly. The meat was incredibly tender and the chunky root vegetables made it comforting and warming.

il moro hong kong

My choice of pasta amatriciana, although slow in coming, was definitely worth waiting for. The linguini was again perfectly al dente and liberally coated in a delicious tomato sauce with rich guanciale and pecorino cheese. I asked for chilli in mine, which made it even more amazing. The portion size was a little too generous however, and I was devastated that I couldn’t finish it.

Joseph serves most of the dishes himself, running backwards and forwards from the kitchen so that he can personally assist his customers; something I love in restaurants. My only real complaint about Il Moro is that rather than being shown a bill at the end of the night, Joseph just tells you how much you owe. Of course, for delicious food and five bottles of wine between six of us, $500 a head wasn’t outrageous, but considering Joseph supposedly gave us two of these bottles ‘on the house’ the other three must have been super pricey bottles!

Dining at Il Moro is an experience, both for the scrumptious authentically Italian food and for the lively atmosphere. It certainly is one of a kind and I already look forward to my next trip there.

Il Moro

G/F, Shop C, 2 Lok Ku Road
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2581 1809

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KimChi Private Kitchen

1 Mar

the dim sum diaries hong kong

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

The best private kitchens are the ones that take some good navigational skills to find and are housed in a nondescript apartment block, allowing for a truly private meal. Newly opened KimChi in Hung Hom ticks both these boxes.

Unless you’re very Hung Hom street-savvy, I’d recommend getting a $20 taxi from the MTR station, as KimChi really isn’t easy to find. Once you’ve located it and gone up to the seventh floor in the rickety old lift, you will find an elegant, shiny-wallpapered dining room set up for a maximum of 12 people.

Despite the name, KimChi does not serve Korean fare. The name is actually an amalgamation of the two owners’ names: Kim and his girlfriend Chi, the chef behind the incredible food. There are two choices of set menu – Molecular Cuisine Set or Red Chamber Banquet Set, both priced at $350. We chose the latter, which was especially tailored to include traditional Chinese New Year dishes, with a slight molecular twist. What surprised me is that Chi can create the sort of intricate, beautifully presented dishes you’d expect to find at a Michelin-starred restaurant, yet she has never had any form of professional training; she taught herself by watching hour upon hour of cooking programmes through her sheer love of cooking.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

The first dish to be served was the fried eggplant cube. This combination of finely diced aubergine with garlic, ginger, peppers, mushrooms and minced pork, served with optional chopped nuts was exceptional. It was absolutely bursting with flavour, causing silence around the table.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

To follow, the Lotus seed with green delight soup was slightly less impressive, although I still polished mine off. The lotus seed and chicken component of the soup was rich and creamy, balanced by the slightly lighter spinach and fish component. I liked the added texture of the whole lotus seeds but found the soup as a whole a little too heavy, especially as it was only the second course of the night.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

As a Chinese New Year special, we were served some sticky rice lollipops. I don’t know why I’ve never had these for CNY before and I’m sad there was only enough for one each! They had a slightly crispy exterior that gave way to a wonderfully chewy interior, all sprinkled in grated coconut to create an unexpected yet delicious dessert-like treat.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

People often ask me what the strangest things I have ever eaten are. I think I can now add braised deer tendons to this list. I had no idea people even ate such things! The presentation was beautiful, like a flower emerging from a plant pot. Inside this ‘plant pot’, beneath the delicious pak choy, was a melange of deer tendon and fish maw. Although I enjoyed the taste, I couldn’t really get over the slimy, unusual texture of the tendons, a view shared by most people around the table.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

The half boiled pigeon egg with white mushrooms had a very delicate flavour, which some argued could be described as bland. Once the soft-boiled egg yolk was mixed with the mushrooms and shredded pork, however, it was excellent; all the textures and flavours worked well together to create a lovely, warming dish.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

Having given up wheat for Lent, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to eat the crab dumpling. We asked Kim, however, and he completely made my evening when he confirmed that the dumplings were made with rice flour. The huge dumpling, served in a light tomato sauce was packed full of fresh crabmeat, delivering an amazing taste, enhanced by the perfectly chewy dumpling skin.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

As a palate cleanser, a cute fish-shaped chestnut and carrot juice sorbet served its purpose just right, ready for possibly my favourite dish of the night.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

Just a glance at the chicken stuffed with frogs legs was enough to wow us all; encased in crispy tofu skin, topped with chestnut paste and sprinkled in icing sugar, it looked like a decadent dessert. Although the thought of eating frogs’ legs scared a few around the table, one bite of this dish and their fears were long forgotten.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

Unfortunately my decision to give up wheat for Lent did get in the way of the crispy cream pine nuts puff; all I could eat was the delicious custard, pine nut and cream centre, of which I definitely made sure I scooped up every last bit! Judging by the sounds of delight I heard around the table, apparently the flaky homemade pastry was also incredible.

Service at KimChi is efficient and you can tell that all of the team are passionate about what they do. Albeit a little after we’d started eating each course, the lovely Chi came out to explain each of her dishes to us. I am still amazed at what she is capable of doing without a hint of training.

As with most private kitchens, KimChi is BYOB, with the most bizarre yet endearing corkage policy: you pay $150 per colour of wine! The total bill per head including service charge is therefore around $420 – definitely a reasonable price for well thought out food that is as delicious as it is interesting, and will certainly take you far out of your comfort zone.

KimChi Private Kitchen

Flat C, 7/F, Loong Wah Building
36-42 Baker Street
Hung Hom
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 5364 6623

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Jason Black’s Cookbook Competition – Do You Have What It Takes?

27 Feb

I think you are all aware of how much I truly love food. If I wasn’t eating out all the time visiting as many restaurants as possible to try to give you, my readers, a comprehensive guide to Hong Kong dining, I would be found in the kitchen, putting my love of food to good use and cooking up a feast. Now it is time to see how much you truly love food, and in particular how much you truly love cooking.

jason black cow pig chicken

The wonderful Jason Black, chef behind Shore and my favourite, The Salted Pig, is writing a magnificent cookbook entitled ‘Cow, Pig, Chicken’. It will contain recipes from his two already well-established eateries, as well as an exciting new concept, which will be coming soon.

I am honoured to be working as Jason’s editor on this project and, having seen the recipes, I know this is going to be a pretty phenomenal cookbook.

cow pig chicken jason black hong kong

We need you!

In the final stages of putting the book together, Jason now needs your help! In order to make sure that his recipes are spot on and will work in a home kitchen as opposed to a just a restaurant, Jason needs some able cooks to volunteer as recipe testers.

cow pig chicken jason black hong kong

The prize

The five lucky winners will be provided with the following:

  • Ingredients to test a selection of the recipes in their home kitchen
  • Inclusion in the credits of the book
  • Photos in the book of them testing the recipes (either in their own kitchen or in Jason’s test kitchen)
  • A free copy of the book, with their name on the front cover

How to enter:

All you have to do to enter and stand a chance of being included in Cow, Pig, Chicken is answer the following question:

What makes you think you have what it takes to be one of Jason’s elite recipe testers?

Please send an email with the subject heading ‘Cow, Pig, Chicken’ with your answer to thedimsumdiaries@hotmail.com before Friday 15th March.

Jason and I will handpick the five lucky winners based on the five best answers and contact these winners at the end of March.

Recipe testing will commence after Easter.

Good luck and happy cooking!

This competition is now closed. Thank you for all your excellent responses.

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Common Ground

7 Feb

common ground hong kong

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I decided to find a quiet spot that had wifi, where I could while away the hours, have some lunch and get some serious writing done. Brand new Common Ground on Shing Wong Street, just up the steps from Oolaa, fit the part perfectly.

This quirky shop cum café is owned by Joshua and Caleb, the twins behind Twins Kitchen, and their friends, brothers Laz and Sean of Protest Design Company. It’s a small space with limited seating and a kitchen perhaps smaller than any of your kitchens, yet I absolutely love it.

common ground hong kong

The team of four have made this little space into a very cool hangout. It sells unique jewellery and fashion accessories, plays very chilled music (including music by Caleb’s lovely girlfriend, Shiren, if you ask her nicely), and generally exudes the kind of atmosphere that makes it impossible not to want to spend hours there.

common ground hong kong

The décor is unique and adorable; shelves and tables are made of scrap wood, chairs are mismatching, exposed light bulbs hang from the ceiling, whilst cute little jars masquerading as plant pots adorn every surface.

The food and drink menu is currently very limited, given they are still only in soft opening phase, however the few things it does have are well-executed and don’t leave you wanting more; I don’t actually think the menu need be much longer.

common ground hong kong

I opted for the scrambled eggs, following Caleb’s recommendation. This is not usually something I order out, as I rarely find a place that beats homemade scrambled eggs. However, these creamy, decadently delicious eggs, served simply with a spoon and pieces of toasted rosemary ciabatta, put my homemade eggs to shame. Apparently the secret to making them so incredibly creamy is to cook them in a bain-marie as opposed to using direct heat. I know where to find good hangover food the next time I need it.

The salted hot chocolate was also divine, with just the right level of savoury to balance the rich chocolate. After a hardcore Pilates class, I thought I deserved just a little bit of indulgence.

I spent four hours at Common Ground that day; I kept meaning to leave, yet something about the cosy atmosphere, friendly service and incredibly interesting people I met (including a singer, an artist, the owner of Teakha and a Chinese caligraphy artist) made leaving a bit of a challenge. I look forward to spending many a pleasant afternoon at Common Ground in future…

Common Ground
19 Shing Wong Street
Central
Hong Kong

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Urban Discovery’s Hei Fai Food Walk

21 Jan

Urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

Kowloon is considered by many of us to be ‘the dark side’; a faraway land only to be visited when dreaded visitors appear and demand to go there. Even then, the temptation to hand them a map and claim other priorities does enter our minds, and you know we’re all guilty of that. However, there is so much to be explored, particularly when it comes to food. Yet if we want to eat like the locals, where do we go and what do we order when there is no English menu in sight?

The Sassy girls recently embarked on a ‘Hei Fai Food Walk’ tour courtesy of Urban Discovery. Starting from Jordan MTR station, our knowledgeable guide Edmond led us on a culinary tour of local eats, finishing up over four hours later with satisfied bellies and cultured minds in Yau Ma Tei.

Urban discovery hei fai food walk

Our first stop, Wong Chi Ka (which apparently translates to ‘the home of the king’) was a cute little dumpling shop not far from our meeting point. Here we not only tasted some amazing rice noodles with chicken in sesame peanut sauce, incredible xiao long bao (my all-time favourite) and ‘turnip crispies’, but we also learnt about important Chinese food etiquette. For example, we learnt that ‘Hei Fai’, which means ‘move your chopsticks’ is what the host at a Chinese dinner party will announce before anyone around the table is allowed to serve themselves food. Try to enforce this around a table of hungry expats each fighting with the Lazy Susan and all you will get is a round of evil glares.

Urban Discovery Hei Fai Food Walk Hong Kong

We also learnt the correct way to eat xiao long bao and the secret behind how the chef manages to get the broth inside the delicate dumpling skin. I won’t give away the secret but it is quite a clever one.

Urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

Urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

Edmond then led us to Mak Man Kee, a popular noodle shop that always has a queue outside. As with most of these noodle joints, the turnaround is so quick that we barely waited five minutes before being seated. The difference with this noodle shop is that the noodles are handmade with duck eggs as opposed to chicken, giving them a distinctive, slightly chewier texture. One of the house specialities is braised pork trotter with noodles. Although the idea of eating pigs’ trotters may not sound appealing, having been cooked for over four hours, the flavour and texture was divine, although sadly there wasn’t enough meat on it. The less offensive sweet and sour pork option was also delicious, as were the prawn wantons.

urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

A leisurely stroll through the night market, where naturally us girls simply had to make a few purchases, took us to a typical Chinese teashop just in time to shelter from the rain. In the beautifully decorated teashop, Edmond had a surprise in store for us: turtle jelly. I think of turtles as pretty cool little creatures (thanks in part to the way they are depicted in Finding Nemo) and perhaps naively assumed that would make them taste good. I can assure you that no matter how much sugar syrup you add to turtle jelly, it will never ever taste good. Determined to make myself like it, however, and encouraged by the fact it is supposed to be incredibly good for you, I kept trying it. Regardless, I can now safely add this to my list of food I dislike, along with chocolate-orange.

urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong


A non-food related part of the tour involved having our palms read. We kindly asked our palm reader to only give us the good news, and he proceeded to amuse us with hilarious proclamations of our good health, wealth, careers and love lives. My favourite part was when he told me I would marry a rich, handsome, happy and ‘mentally mature’ man. Yes please!

urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

Dai pai dongs, or street-side food stalls, are gradually becoming extinct. Where there once were hundreds of unlicensed food stalls lining our city’s streets, there are now only about 28 licensed ones (the term dai pai dong in fact refers to the ‘big license’ these restaurants must have in order to function). In a lively dai pai dong just off the market, we tried a range of seafood dishes including delicious deep-fried prawns and deep-fried squid, as well as the restaurant’s famous dish: claypot rice with chicken and Chinese sausage. This is one of the few restaurants that still use charcoal to cook the claypot rice, giving the dish a distinctive flavour.

urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

urban discovery hei fai food walk hong kong

Our last and final stop was of course dessert, at Gourmet Desserts Café, a bustling place serving both Chinese and Western desserts. When Edmond asked us what we wanted, we pointed to everything on the menu and he pretty much took our word for it! We tried almond soup, a ‘flaming snow mountain’, two types of chocolate fondant (plain and whisky), ginger soufflé and chestnut crumble; needless to say we practically rolled down the stairs onto the MTR!

Hei Fai food walk, at $550 per person for the incredible and fulfilling adventure I have just described, is the perfect way to spend an evening, whether you’re just visiting Hong Kong, have guests in town, or have been here for years. We all need to be taken out of our comfort zones once in a while, and if outside of that zone is delicious food, then what’s the excuse?!

www.urbandiscovery.asia

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Le Canelé D’or

4 Jan

IMG_1957

I had a very exciting delivery last month. After having spent the day between my bed and the sofa due to horrible sinus pains, the doorbell rang and I was presented with a little box of delicious-looking canelés hand-delivered from Le Canelé d’Or.

For those unsure what canelés are (as I was, I must admit), they are unique little cakes from the region of Bordeaux in France. We all know Bordeaux is famous for its wine, but having tasted these canelés, I think it also deserves some recognition for its cakes.

le canele dor hong kong

What’s special about these cakes is that somehow they manage to have a thick, hard, caramelised shell, yet at the same time an unexpected, almost custardy interior.

According to myth, canelés were created by nuns in a Bordeaux convent well before the French Revolution; local winemakers who used egg whites to clarify their red wines donated the yolks to these nuns, who used them to make a version of these scrumptious cakes.

le canele d'or hong kong

Le Canelé d’Or was set up by French-born Florence Lamarlere and her husband. When Florence realised how difficult it was to find canelés in Hong Kong and how fun they were to make at home, she immediately saw a gap in the market, especially given how large the French population is in Hong Kong. They don’t have a physical shop in Hong Kong, but through a very easy to use website, you can order your sweet treats at the click of a button, whether you’re entertaining guests or simply feeling very indulgent. And as they offer free delivery to most places in Hong Kong at only 1-2 days’ notice, you can satisfy that sweet craving nice and quickly!

le canele d'or hong kong

Although some argue that the traditional recipe of vanilla bean and rum should not be tampered with, Le Canelé d’Or have added their own unique flavours to the mix, including Mediterranean (orange liqueur and orange zest) and Irish (coffee and whiskey). I agree that the traditional version is delicious, but my personal favourite is the Mediterranean canelé, which is packed full of flavour and not at all too sweet. We tried them both hot and cold and frankly I can’t actually tell you which way I preferred them as both ways worked perfectly.

These delicious treats come in two sizes: grand size (6 for $150) or cocktail size (25 for $175) to serve any purpose. Paired with a cup of tea or a glass of cold milk, these cakes make the perfect breakfast, afternoon snack or even dessert. Although I told myself I would try and have a healthy January, I’m already trying to think of an excuse to put in my next order!

www.lecaneledor.com.hk

Email: info@lecaneledor.com.hk

Tel: +852 6186 2564

 

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Top 10 picks of 2012

3 Jan

the dim sum diaries new year top ten

They say that as you get older, the years begin to fly by faster and faster. I thankfully can’t exactly say I feel old just yet, but I can certainly say that time really does fly and I am now wondering in amazement where on earth 2012 went.

As usual, my year was filled with far too much food and wine. Thankfully the calories are yet to catch up with me, although I do fear that one day they might, so, just in case, I decided to join the LRC swimming team towards the end of the year, mainly so that I can eat more and not feel too guilty about it! So if you wonder how I am not the size of a house, I can tell you that it involves a lot of 6am starts and either running around (at Circuit25) or swimming at an ungodly hour.

The Dim Sum Diaries turned one in April last year – a very proud moment that sadly went by without a celebration. I should start making plans as of now for its second birthday and welcome any suggestions (or even presents!). From what started as merely a hobby directed at only my close friends and family, The Dim Sum Diaries is now being read by hundreds of people all over the world. I’m not entirely sure what people in Kuwait, Estonia or Suriname for example are doing reading about restaurants in Hong Kong, but whoever you are, and indeed wherever you are, thank you for your support and I hope I have been able to provide you with interesting reads to satisfy your food cravings.

Considering the fact that I reviewed almost 100 restaurants last year, narrowing it down to the top 10 is no easy feat. I’ve never been great at decision-making but I’ve had to force myself this time, so here goes nothing… In no particular order, my top 10 reviewed restaurants of 2012 in Hong Kong, whether brand new or simply new to me, are:

top 10 dim sum diariesLiberty Private Works – Since going here in February, I have been recommending it to everyone for all sorts of special occasions. It is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, as each one of the eight courses is prepared before your eyes with utter precision. Definitely a must-try.

 

top ten dim sum diariesGrassroots Pantry – I described this place as somewhere I would go when I need a food-hug. If you think vegetarian food is boring, think again, for Peggy and the team at Grassroots make their food far from boring.

 

top ten dim sum diariesSeema’s Private Kitchen – Seema is possibly one of the nicest and humblest chefs I have ever had the pleasure to meet and is a phenomenal cook. Her food, served in her own house, tells the story of her journey ‘from Africa to Asia’ and the sheer passion she puts into it is evident in every mouthful.

 

top ten dim sum diariesThe Chinnery – Everything about The Mandarin Oriental speaks of elegance and class, and The Chinnery is no different. Amongst the British classics, it serves some of Hong Kong’s best curries in a timeless setting.

 

top ten dim sum diariesOtto e Mezzo – This restaurant definitely deserves its three Michelin stars. Everything from the drinks, to the service, to the delicious food is perfect, and apparently they do an excellent aperitivo too.

 

 

top ten dim sum diariesThe Salted Pig – If you like pork, you’ll love this place. The super casual vibe, no-frills food and reasonable prices are enough to keep me going back again and again.

 

 

top ten dim sum diariesChautari – You don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant to find delicious Indian food. This is some of the best I’ve come across in Hong Kong and what makes it even better is the friendly service and silly-cheap prices. You can honestly eat more than your bodyweight in curry and not even pay $200.

 

top ten dim sum diariesChez Patrick – I can’t believe it took me so long to try Chez Patrick. This is definitely a gem in the city and although I never saw the old location, the new one is beautiful. Save space for the cheese, you won’t regret it.

 

top ten dim sum diariesLucy’s – Lucy’s is a lovely restaurant tucked away in Stanley Market. It’s been going strong for almost 20 years and I can definitely understand why. I just received Lucy’s cookbook for Christmas and can’t wait to try to recreate some of her recipes!

 

top ten dim sum diariesChicha– Hong Kong’s first Peruvian restaurant has become something of an institution already and they’ve even had to build a bar across the road to cater to the hordes of people that go there every day.

 

 

Ok, I know I said top 10, but I’ve thrown in an extra one just because I couldn’t not include it, so number 11 is:

top ten dim sum diariesLa Cantoche – This down to earth eatery in Sheung Wan serves up wholesome French food with a Southeast Asian twist. You can spend hours here gorging on comfort food in a fun, casual setting, and it’s also great for big parties.

 

So that was 2012. What’s to come in 2013? A lot more food! I still have yet to try 22 Ships, View 62 or Bistro du Vin to name but a few, and I’ve heard a lot of whispers about many more exciting restaurants opening soon… I can tell it’s going to be a great year for The Dim Sum Diaries, beginning with a new facelift very soon. Keep watching this space and join me on my culinary adventures.

Happy new year one and all!

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Merry Christmas from The Dim Sum Diaries!

21 Dec

Christmas Dim Sum Dim Sum Diaries.

Christmas is definitely one of my favourite times of the year. It’s a time for sharing, caring, spending time with family, listening to jolly Christmas songs, and of course eating and drinking to your heart’s content.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my lovely readers a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2013. May all your Christmas wishes come true and may your bellies be filled with far too much turkey! I will be spending the holiday in Phuket with my family, so in our case our bellies will be filled with plenty of Thai green, yellow and red curries, but I’m certainly not complaining!

On a less happy note, around the world there are many people who won’t be having a very merry Christmas. In thinking of those less fortunate than ourselves, let us particularly remember the families of the poor little children and teachers who were brutally killed in Connecticut on 14th December. May the victims rest in peace and may their families suffer no more heartache. That is my Christmas wish.

Thank you once again for all your continued support and suggestions throughout the year. I hope that next year will take me on many more exciting culinary adventures and I can’t wait to share them all with you!

Love, happiness, peace and turkey to you all,

Ale

xxx

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