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

Gi Kee Restaurant

Remember my previous post about finding good food in the diviest of places?  Well, if you thought Sister Wah was already a strange place to find good eats, then our choice of dinner spots was even more so.  Recommended by my uncle, Gi Kee is not really a restaurant at all.  In fact, it is takes over the food court at the Wong Nai Chung Municipal Services Building during after hours.  Cordon Bleu trained head chef Chan Chung-Fai puts out food that is beyond the plastic stools and scummy floors of the run-down food court.  However, this is the setting and as such, the prices are very reasonable for fresh seafood and carefully crafted signature dishes.

We started off with a big plate of Garlic Fried Mantis Shrimp which was a real treat.  These were aromatically crispy on the outside while the tail meat was still moist and springy on the inside.  It was naturally sweet, briny and there was an appealing taste of the sea.  This was amped by the boatload of fried garlic and peppers which added the necessary savoury umaminess.  Hot on the heals of the shrimp was the Stir-Fried Clams in black bean sauce.  These buttery and plump clams had a tender chew to them.  They were briny and sweet which worked well with the salty and garlicky sauce that had a touch of spice.

The Garlic Fried Chicken was attractive too due to its rich deep hue as well as the mound of fried garlic on top.  It ate very well with rendered crispy skin and tender lightly-brined meat.  The dark meat was juicier than the white meat, but it wasn't too dry.  The plethora of garlic meant that the umaminess was kicked up a notch.  My favourite dish of the meal was the Steamed Razor Clams with garlic and vermicelli.  These were buttery and plump with a firm rebound.  They were naturally sweet and briny with the benefit of another mound of garlic.

For our vegetables, we had the Red Fermented Tofu Buddha's Feast sporting vermicelli, eggplant, baby corn, bean curd skin, bak choy and mushroom.  I found the veggies on the softer side including the vermicelli.  Flavours were sweet and mild where I thought the amount of fermented tofu was too conservative.  I was a bit apprehensive of the Salad Spareribs as I'm not a huge fan of anything mayo with my meat.  Well, this wasn't any different, but at the very least, the pork ribs were tender and the sauce was slightly sweet.

Lastly, we had the Baked Oysters with onions and peppers.  I found the oysters to be really large, plump and briny.  The starch coating got a bit gummy from the moisture during baking, so that wasn't appealing.  In terms of flavour, it was rather mild with only some savoury elements and some pepper.  Again, for the kiddies, we got them both a fried rice and some Yee Mein.  There was not much to say about the rice, but the yee mein was pretty average since it was rather wet.  It did taste okay though as the seasoning hit the right balance between salty and sweet.  For a place that is located where it is, Gi Kee offers up some pretty good eats and supremely fresh seafood.  If you can make it out to Happy Valley, it is certainly worth a try.

The Good:
- A good selection of live seafood
- Pretty solid eats
- It's got that secret divy location thing

The Bad:
- Not the most glamorous dining arrangements 
- Don't expect a lot of service 

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

Jumbo Floating Restaurant

Okay, I must admit some of my restaurant choices can be on the "touristy" side of things.  Hey, nothing really bad about that since some are popular for a reason.  However, I try to stay away from actual tourist traps that usually included a gimmick of sorts (ie. a view, location, recognizable name or been on TV).  Well, the Jumbo Floating Restaurant satisfies nearly all of those criteria and more.  It wasn't my idea as Uncle Willy suggested it (sheepishly), but hey, I was game since I'm no food snob.  So we made our way out there after a day at Ocean Park.

Arriving at the pier, we took the short tender to the restaurant (part of the experience) along with the predictable tourist groups.  We ordered a la carte starting with the Peking Duck.  Carved table side, this was a pretty large duck that yielded plenty of usable skin.  It was in a nice lacquered hue and was more or less crispy.  However, the layer of fat was noticeable and some of the fattier pieces were not crispy.  We found the crepes to be excellent being thin, tender and not dried out.  The 2nd course was the usual Duck Lettuce Wrap which was subjected to a good wok fry.  Flavours were mild and caramelized, but the duck itself was pretty dry.

I enjoyed the Bamboo Pith with egg whites and crab roe as the flavours were sweet, a bit briny and restrained.  This was key as this dish was delicate and too much salt would've destroyed it.  The egg whites were soft and fluffy and the amount of crab and crab roe were impactful.  On the other hand, there were far too many crab shells which meant we had to pick them out of our mouths.  Presented as a large portion, the Chinese-Style Beef Tenderloin was prepared medium-rare to rare.  This was okay by me because that meant the beef was moist and fairly tender.  There was just enough sauce to coat each piece, but it needed more tang.

For some strange reason, I liked the Braised Silky Tofu with mushrooms and Shanghai bak choy.  I'm usually quite the meat eater, but the texture of the fried tofu was appealingly meaty and buttery at the same time.  The oyster-based sauce was silky and not overly salty.  There was a good amount of tender shiitake mushroom as well.  As much as the Deep Fried Chili Salt Squid looked super flavourful, in reality it was not.  It was crispy though, but in a dry manner (where the batter was a touch mealy).  The squid itself was tender and had a nice chewiness though.


For the kiddies, we ensured that they were taken care of with the Yeung Chow Fried Rice (without any greens).  I do enjoy nutty dry rice, but this was taking it a bit too far as it became cumbersome to eat at the end.  The rice was just too hard and didn't go down very well.  Too bad as the wok fry was good and there was plenty of lean BBQ pork and crystal cold-water shrimp.  Lastly, we had the Stir-Fried Yee Mein with flowering chives.  This was pretty good with chewy noodles with the bright crunch of the chives. To the right of the noodles in the picture was a plate of sliced pork rolls which were a bit dry, but still soft and tender.  Overall, Jumbo pretty much met expectations - being a touristy, overpriced and average-tasting restaurant.  Go there if you must, but not really necessary.

The Good:
- Nice location
- Cool tender ride to the restaurant
- Decent service

The Bad:
- Hit and miss food
- Expensive
- Tourist trap

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?