Cafe Tutmak

I can't live without coffee. I was so thankful when I discovered Cafe Tutmak at Ubud in the midst of my withdrawal symptoms. One of the best lattes I've ever had. The coffee was strong and nicely roasted. The foam on top of the coffee was just the right consistency. I went back to Cafe Tutmak every single day while I was at Ubud. My friend and I ended up carting 8 kgs of grounded coffee and coffee beans back from Cafe Tutmak, as gifts and for our own drinking pleasure!

Ibu Oka

Finally tried Ibu Oka's babi guling after hearing my friends rave about it for months. Did some walking through padi fields and worked up an appetite before making my way to Ibu Oka. The best part of the meal to me is the crispy skin. Skipped most of the gravy since I can't take spicy food (so un-Singaporean!!). I was told by a friend after I came back from Bali that the gravy is actually the best part of the meal, not the skin. So looks like I have to make another trip to Bali. Anything to justify a few days of relaxing by the pool and enjoying the great Balinese hospitality.....

The Bitter Gourd Convert

I was recently introduced to Okinawan food when a friend brought me to En Japanese Dining Bar at Causeway Bay. Found some similarities between Okinawan food and Chinese food, e.g. the stir-fry method is commonly used and pork seems to be a staple in the Okinawan diet. Love this dish.... Stir-fried bittergourd with egg, tofu and pork..... From what I read, the Okinawan bitter-gourd is a great anti-oxidant. At some point, I will need to learn to cook this at home to save on the monthly trips to Causeway Bay just to eat this, and enjoy the detoxing benefits more...

The Art of Kaoya and More

Back in HK and ready to post my gastronomic experience in Beijing. Finally got a chance to try 大董烤鸭. After a few pieces of 烤鸭, I usually feel very chia lut. But not one at 大董. Surprisingly it was not as greasy yet still flavorful. Now I know why 大董 is so popular. The restaurant was very crowded even though it was a weeknight... In my greedy attack of the 烤鸭, I forgot to take pictures. Must remember the next time I'm there....

The menu at 大董 is amazingly thick. Took my colleagues and me a long time to go through the menu....It can pass off as a coffee table book with artistic pictures of the food. The actual food were also presented as if they were art pieces.

Was quite impressed with two other dishes. One was a starter of duck liver wrapped within jelly. I must say this was the best-tasting duck liver I have ever had, better than the ones from French restaurants.... The citrusy jelly was a refreshing contrast against the duck liver, cleansing the palate after every bite of the duck liver (which can be a little fatty).

Another dish I liked was the tofu with a filling of what tasted like hei bee hiam in the middle. Again, the tofu with its delicate texture and taste was a sharp contrast against the filling which was slightly spicy. I think I'll be back to 大董 again on my next trip. Not so much to have the 烤鸭 again but to try out more dishes which look so alluring in the "coffee table book"...

Livers and Heavenly Toast

I've never been a fan of pork liver, or maybe I've never had pork liver cooked the right way. It's always been either overcooked or with a horrible smell. I finally found a place to get my folic acid dosage without having to hold my nose... 维记 in Sham Shui Po does pork liver just right. The family running the business has three shops lined up in alternate lots in the same row. The pork livers are cooked only when orders are placed and are served in steaming hot soup with instant noodles. What's nice about the pork liver is it's not overcooked despite being thinly sliced.

But what will keep me going all the way to Sham Shui Po again (and it has indeed) is the kaya french toast. Beats any french/ kaya toast I've had anywhere else in the world. It's not overly sweet, the "egginess" is just right and definitely doesn't make my intestines feel like it's been attacked by a litre of oil. Apparently the kaya is freshly made every morning and both chicken and duck eggs are used. Tried to buy the kaya but was refused by the boss (or one of the aunties in the family?!). Coupled with the 奶茶, which is very fresh because of the high turnover, I was a very satisfied customer again today.

Licking the Chocolate Spoon

Finally got a chance to try out the desserts at SPOON by Alain Ducasse. At HKD225, the sampler of 4 original/classic desserts was good value and gave us the opportunity to try out a few items at one go (important for me who's supposed to be on diet!). I thought the desserts were good, especially the cheese cake but I wasn't completely blown away. Maybe my expectations were too high...

Loved the design of the restaurant and the view of the HK Island skyline is stunning! Perfect place for important dates and marriage proposals...