Ren Ren Heping Restaurant

Roast Goose.  This is something that is totally inaccessible in Vancouver.  The only place I know that consistency (well, at least somewhat consistently) has it available is Parker Place BBQ & Meat.  However, in Hong Kong, it is not only readily available in restaurants, it is right there for the taking (well, you have to pay for it) at many of the BBQ stalls in and around town.  I considered heading out to Tai Po for some of the best roast goose in town, but figured that was just too far.  Then there was Yung Kee, yet a recent family squabble has left the kitchen in disarray.  So we ended up at a lesser known spot in Ren Ren Heping Restaurant that serves up its award-winning roast goose as well.

To start things off, we got the Watercress, Almond Seeds and Pork Soup which also had some lung and gizzards.  The result was a naturally sweet broth that was not heavy on the seasoning.  There was a meatiness to it while not being heavy nor too rich.  For the main event, we ended up getting a half-order of the Roast Goose which arrived with house-made fresh miu choy.  Sporting a uniformly lacquered deep red hue, the rendered skin was firmly crispy with only a few softer portions.  Underneath, the dark meat was juicy and tender while the even the breast meat was moist.  Flavours were subtle and not salty while nicely complimented by the sweet red plum sauce on the side.

Other than the goose, we also sampled the BBQ Pork which was also nicely lacquered and glazed.  The piece we got was half-fat which meant it was buttery and tender.  With that being said, the meat was still a touch chewy.  Sweet and meaty, the marinade had penetrated mostly all the way through.  This went well with white rice.  Now for a completely different take on pork, we had the Sauteed Pork Spareribs with Pomelo Marmalade and Black Olives.  This resulted in intensely sweet and syrupy ribs with a slight saltiness from the olives.  Texturally, the ribs were firm, yet completely tender with a slight rebound.  This was again went well with rice due to the impactful flavours.

For our one dedicated veggie dish, we had the standard Wok-Fried Pea Shoots with Garlic.  This was well-executed with plenty of wok heat as evidenced by the minimal amount of moisture on the bottom of the plate.  It wasn't too greasy though and there was enough garlic to be noticeable.  The pea shoots were cooked through while retaining a slight crunch.  For the kiddies, we got their favourite being the Stir-Fried Shrimp with Scrambled Free-Range Eggs.  This wasn't as silky as I would've liked, but it wasn't overdone by any stretch of the imagination.  It was still fluffy while mildly seasoned.  There was a bevy of large shrimp which were buttery with a snap.

Arriving super hot and sizzling, the Sauteed Fish Head with Bean Curd Skin and Tofu Hot Pot was quite flavourful.  Since it was the head and bones of the fish, there wasn't exactly a lot of meat to be had.  When we got some, it was relatively flaky and moist.  I loved the tofu as it was silky and the bean curd skin was appealingly chewy and soaked up the sauce.  Something quite interesting was the Stir-Fried Fine Soy Sauce Noodles with Sergestid Shrimp.  Covered with a boat load of dried and briny shrimp, the noodles themselves were chewy and caramelized by the wok fry.  Loved the crunchy sprouts that gave some needed texture to the dish.

One dish that was a bit hit and miss was the Chinese Style Stir Fried Beef.  There was nothing wrong with the sauce as it was tangy, sweet and evenly savoury (there was a bit much of it though).  The problem was the beef as some pieces were tender enough with a caramelized sear while others were chewy and didn't seemed seared enough.  Sporting a light and crispy tempura batter, the Soft Shell Crabs were quite good.  They were decent in size, hence being hearty enough, while still not be heavy at the same time.  There was enough seasoning to provide a salty and slight spice to each bite.

Our last dish was the Stewed Ox-Tail with Red Wine Hot Pot.  It was also bubbling hot when it arrived and at first didn't seem very substantial.  However, after digging around, there was plenty to go around and the meat was tender and moist with some chew left.  Flavours were mostly sweet and even though we saw the tomatoes, there wasn't much tang to the dish. So we came here specifically for the roast goose and it certainly was a solid offering.  As for the  other dishes, it was a bit hit and miss, yet at the same time was decent.  We thought the service was pretty good too.

The Good:
- Solid roast goose
- Decent service

The Bad:
- A bit hit and miss

Yardbird

You'd think that having access to the largest variety and choice of Chinese food in the world would make us happy campers right?  Well, yes and no.  After back-to-back-to-back etc... days of Chinese food, we were about ready for a break.  Now we weren't talking about burger and fries here.  Rather, we made our way out to Yardbird north of Sheung Wan MTR station.  Now when I mean north, I mean up the hill and many stairs.  By the time we arrived at opening, we were a sweaty mess.  But it was worth it though as Yardbird is one of the hottest spots in Hong Kong, serving up some mean Yakitori.

Since we were without the kiddies (thanks to my Uncle), we could enjoy ourselves properly at Yardbird (not really a place to bring kids).  After ordering some sake, we started with the Liver Mousse with milk bread and crispy shallots.  The thick and dense mousse was smooth and natural-tasting.  Many times, pates and mousses are seasoned to the point where we can't taste the liver, not in this case.  The brightness of the onions and the crispy aromatic shallots were a nice compliment.  Next up was one of their signature dishes being the Sweet Corn Tempura looking tasting and majestic.  These balls of batter and corn were delicious and texturally-pleasing.  Only lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, the sweet pop of corn nestled in a crispy and light batter did the heavy lifting.

Next up, we moved onto the Yakitori with a selection including the Duck Meatballs.  These were beautifully lacquered and caramelized where the outside was smoky, sweet and slightly crusty.  Inside, the meat was juicy, tender and mildly seasoned.  The little nuggets of white onion were still a bit crunchy where it added both texture and another level of sweetness.  We also got a variety of Chicken Skewers including Inner Thigh, Neck and Rib.  Our favourite was the inner thigh as it was super juicy, nicely brined and tender.  It was lightly charred on the outside where the flavours were impactful while the natural sweetness of the dark meat came through.  The neck and rib were a bit fattier and had more of a rebound texture.

Staying with chicken (as the place is called Yardbird), we had the Chicken Meatball formed onto the skewer.  This was served with a side of tare and raw egg yolk that was mixed into a dipping sauce.  The chicken skewer was nicely grilled on the outside while the inside was soft, moist and spongy (in a good way).  The sweetness was nicely accented by the salty and smooth yolk dip. Moving away from chicken with our last yakitori was the Pork Belly with daikon ponzu and Welsh onion.  This was also caramelized with a smoky and sweet crispy exterior.  The belly was fatty and also meaty at the same time where it was tender.  The brightness of the onions balanced the heaviness of the belly.

Onto another signature dish, we had the Korean Fried Cauliflower coated with a spicy and sweet gochujang sauce.  It barely clung onto each piece which meant that the whole dish wasn't too saucy nor wet.  Hence, the coating remained somewhat crispy and didn't become gummy.  Inside, the cauliflower was tender and fully-cooked.  I would've liked it firmer though.  Whatever the case, I loved the impactful flavours including the tartness of yuzu.  Even better was the Fried Chicken with garlic and kewpie.  Looking very much like chicken karaage, these large nuggets of dark meat sported completely rendered and crunchy skin.  The meat itself was juicy, well-brined and tender.  The side of sweet Japanese mayo was the natural compliment.

Totally covered with Japanese herbs and drizzled with a mustard vinaigrette, the Ox-Tongue was well-seared and buttery.  It was tender, but still retained a rebound and chew.  Due to the fat content, ox-tongue can be rather heavy.  However, the brightness of the greens and the acidity from the vinaigrette helped balance the dish nicely.  Our last dish was the Duck Fried Rice with shiso, myoga and onion.  This was probably our least favourite items as it had very little pop.  It was well-prepared though with chewy rice, plenty of duck and an interesting herbal finish.  For me, it just paled in comparison to the rest of the dishes.   However, the rest of the items were on point and delicious.  This was a good break from Chinese food.

The Good:
- The yakitori does not disappoint
- Lively atmosphere
- Something different that Chinese food (for us)

The Bad:
- Can get pricey
- Small place, tight seating and you'll have to wait

Chiuchow Garden Restaurant (Infinitus Plaza)

Dim sum again???  Yah, too much of a good thing right?  Since we were in Hong Kong, it is as common as finding bacon & eggs in Vancouver.  Well, it really wasn't our idea this time, rather it was Viv's great-aunt's idea.  Hey, when they are treating, they are allowed to make all the decisions!  We ended up meeting her at Chiuchow Garden near the Sheung Wan MTR station.  This was a perfect meeting place due to convenience.

We had the basics including the Ha Gau (Shrimp Dumpling) and Siu Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumplings).  Although on the smaller side, the ha gau were pretty decent featuring a medium-thick dumpling skin which was chewy and elastic.  The filling consisted mostly of larger chunks of shrimp which were meaty with only a light snap.  Mixed into it was bamboo shoots which were mild-tasting, but there was definitely an aftertaste.  As for the siu mai, they were pretty good with bouncy pork and a noticeable amount of shrimp and shiitake.  It was well-seasoned with a balanced amount of sweet and saltiness.

Although the BBQ Pork Buns didn't looked like the blistered steamed version, it still ate like one.  However, there was much more bun than filling.  Due to the shape of the bun, it was more on the denser side.  As for the filling, it was mostly lean pork that was bathed in a sweet glaze that could've used more savouriness.  We also go the Sticky Rice Buns which were not actually buns at all.  Rather, they were encased with a thin wheat wrapper.  This was a good thing as it meant the starchiness was kept to a minimum.  Inside, the sticky rice was chewy and nutty with enough seasoning including the preserved sausage.

Normally, my son would be turned off at the thought of Spring Rolls without shrimp, but he didn't mind these ones consisting of pork only.  However, I found the pork a bit mealy and dry.  It was also rather mild-tasting and in need of the Worchestershire sauce on the side.  I liked the outside though as it was crunchy and not greasy.  We had to order the Chiu Chow Duck (due to the type of cuisine) and it was not bad.  The duck was fairly tender and mild-tasting while the skin was a bit fatty.  It did have a decent braising liquid which was sweet and lightly salty.  I particularly enjoyed the fried tofu underneath where it soaked up the braising liquid.

Two more usual Dim Sum dishes were the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet) and Steamed Pork Spareribs.  Garlicky and aggressively seasoned, the chicken feet were plump and featured a well-fried skin.  Underneath, the cartilage was just a touch firm while the tendons were soft.  I really enjoyed the spareribs as they were super garlicky and well-seasoned.  Texturally, they were on point with a meaty chew while having the desired rebound.  Most pieces were meaty and the rib portions.  Underneath, the taro helped soak up all the flavours.

Featuring a semi-thick rice noodle, the Donut Rice Noodle Roll was okay.  I found the spread of green onions to be inconsistent where one piece was inundated. The texture of the noodle was soft but a bit floury while the donut was on the denser side and not crispy.  Overall, we found the Dim Sum service at Chiuchow Garden to be decent and certainly serviceable.  Sure, it was chosen due to convenience, but we went away satisfied.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Super spacious

The Bad:
- Service was okay but hard to flag down
- Expensive

Sister Wah

Often, the best food can be found in the least appealing places, in terms of appearance.  That would the be premise behind shows such as Triple-D's, but for me, they have strayed from their original focus (and besides, some of the places are actually not very good).  So being in Hong Kong, it is almost a given one would find good eats at a dive because they exist everywhere and anywhere.  One place I had on my radar was Sister Wah right on the outskirts of Victoria Park.  If one wasn't looking for the place, they would probably walk right past it.

For a group of 11 that consisted of 4 kids, the small little restaurant was probably not the best choice, but the kiddies do love their Brisket Noodles.  That we did order and it was good as advertised (well, they don't really advertise it, but you get the idea).  We had both the lean version with wonton-type noodles and the fatty version with flat rice noodles (ho-fun).  The lean was more beef-shank than brisket.  Therefore, it was soft, gelatinous and tender.  Chewy with an appealing elasticity and rebound, the wonton-type noodles were completely on point.  We found the clear soup to be clean-tasting with the sweetness of daikon and hit of star anise.  The fattier meat was definitely brisket and it had tender type of chewiness especially from the connective tissue.

For me, I had to get some variety and ordered the Tripe Lo Mein (mixed dry noodles).  It was lightly doused with broth so that the noodles remained moist and did not stick together.  Exactly like the previous bowl, the noodles were texturally on point.  I found the neatly sliced tripe to be also well-prepared being buttery with a slight bite.  It was only mildly gamy and lightly seasoned from the braise.  Viv went for the Brisket Dan Dan Noodles that sported a thin peanutty broth.  It had a vinegary hit to it as well as a mild spice.  I would say that it wasn't really that impactful where it needed a bit more of everything.  As for the noodles, they were slippery and not overdone.

On the side, we got an order of the Sliced Braised Beef Shank and it was served neatly arranged on the plate.  It was sliced thin enough that it was meaty and tender.  There was no absence of flavour from the usual 5-spice and sweetened soy braising liquid.  The Fried Pork Chop (Rib on the menu) was another solid side where it crispy and hot while easy on the grease.  The meat was completely tender and juicy with a good rebound texture.  There was also a sufficient amount of seasoning as well.  We were treated to an order of the Fish Balls (and sliced fish cake) by the owner and they were really good.  Lightly sweet with an airy bounce, the texture was very appealing.  In general, we enjoyed most things we tried and wouldn't hesitate to eat it again when in Hong Kong.

The Good:
- Well-prepared brisket and shank
- On point noodles
- Nice owner

The Bad:
- Not a place to linger, just eat and leave
- Not as cheap as one would think

Tim Ho Wan (North Point)

Alright, we were not scheduled to make a visit to any location of Tim Ho Wan despite earning a Michelin star.  Besides, it seems like they throw that designation around pretty carelessly in Hong Kong.  According to many, the place does indeed serve up decent Dim Sum for a reasonable price, but it is not really a destination restaurant since there are so many other great places to go in Hong Kong.  The real reason we made a visit to the North Point location was due to the fact it was convenient for our large group prior to heading out to Ocean Park.

We settled in and made a point of it to leave quickly, but that was easily arranged as that's how they operate anyways.  Food came out expeditiously as expected beginning with the Rice Noodle Rolls (Shrimp, Beef and BBQ Pork).  The rice noodle was medium-thickness and buttery in texture.  It still retained a slight pleasing elasticity.  All of the fillings were pretty good including the buttery shrimp that was decent in size and quantity.  I did find the seasoning a bit too aggressive though.  The beef was tender and had a nice rebound texture.  There was a modest amount of cilantro which didn't overwhelm.  Lastly, the BBQ pork was fairly lean and there was a good meat-to-noodle ratio.

Although they looked rather tiny, the Ha Gau (Shrimp Dumplings) were fairly pleasing.  Featuring a thin and chewy elastic dumpling wrapper, it encased a shrimp filing that was in big chunks.  There was a buttery and moist snap which was accented by enough sesame oil.  One thing I didn't like was the amount of seasoning as the dumpling was pretty salty.  I thought the Siu Mai were also over-seasoned where the saltiness needed to be tempered by hot sauce.  However, it was on point texturally with moist chunks of bouncy pork, shrimp and flavourful shiitake mushroom.  Other than the saltiness, the rest of the flavours were apparent and pleasing.

On the topic of salty, the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet) were the most affected by far.  One bite and the sting of salt rang through my taste buds (the salt-tasting buds that is).  In terms of texture, the outside was plump with a slight bite.  Underneath, the cartilage was on the crunchier side while the tendons were tender while not melted.  Once again, the saltiness continued with the Steamed Pork Spareribs as that was the only seasoning (other than the garlic) that we could taste.  There was an appealing rebound texture to the tender meat where most of the pieces did not include cartilage or fat.

Onto some carbs, we got the Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice) which was presented ol' skool style as one large portion rather than the 3 minis we see these days.  Hence, the sticky rice was more moist and the flavours seemed to be even more in balance.  There was almost a even ratio between tender ground pork, shiitake, sausage and chicken with the rice.  This was probably my favourite dish of the meal.  We also got the Steamed Chicken Rice and it was also decent.  The rice was nutty and dry (a good thing) with a fair amount of tender dark meat chicken on top.  Again, it was aggressively seasoned, but in this case, it was fine as the rice needed seasoning.

Another solid dish was the Beef Meatballs as they had nearly the perfect texture where there were meaty portions blended and bonded by bouncy beef mousse.  Therefore, the meatballs were buttery and appealingly chewy at the same time.  Furthermore, the amount of cilantro was just right and for once, the seasoning seemed to be just enough.  We didn't get any Worcestershire sauce though.  As much as I enjoyed the Deep Fried Dumplings, they were just too oil-logged on the bottom.  Hence, only half of the dumpling was crispy.  Inside, there was just not enough filling to make much of an impact.

Something that was just plain weird was the Spring Rolls with fish and mayo.  The result was a slimy mess inside the greasy, yet crunchy exterior wrapping.  The combination of the savoury fish and sweet mayo made for an interesting mix of flavours.  We felt this didn't work.  For dessert (in a way), we had their signature Baked BBQ Pork Buns with a sweet crispy topping.  The buns were fairly soft and a bit yeasty while the topping made the entire thing more of a dessert.  Inside, the lean pork was also bathed in a sweet glaze that only had some savoury elements.  These were the best dish in my opinion.  Otherwise, everything else was okay but far too salty.  If you are visiting Hong Kong and have limited time, Tim Ho Wan could be a destination, but there are many other choices.

The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Freshly-made dim sum
- Those BBQ Pork Buns...

The Bad:
- Hit and miss
- It is a rushed experience
- It's got a Michelin Star?