Just Breathe...

With the onslaught of second semester assignments, readings, job applications, student government elections (and the list goes on..) it seems that I've barely had a moment to breathe. I keep reminding myself that I can do it, I just have to keep focused and prioritize activities each day. Although I am determined, I can't help but feel a bit depressed--- like I'm an automaton, checking off the boxes, moving from one task to the next. Not even the random splurge at Lane Crawford seems to be able to boost my mood. Normally retail therapy makes everything better! Is this a sign of a more deep rooted problem? I surely hope not!



On a much brighter note, I am very glad to be back as I've missed my girl friends! It was great to see all my local HK and JD friends last weekend. To the left are my best gfs in HK, Bonnie and Justine.

I've also been much happier about returning to delicious Hong Kong food and Asian-sized portions. I was starting to get a little ice cream belly while being home in the States! It seems that I've finally gotten over my bronchitis so that means no excuses for logging in gym time. I must admit though, hiking up the hills in central and the mid-levels is no joke so that's been great exercise.


Since I've been back, I've been going back to some of my favorites including Wasabisabi in Causeway Bay and Nha Trang in Central. Below are some highlights:


I can't get over how delicious the soft shell crab spring rolls are at Nha Trang. I have to eat these almost every other day and at $46HKD, they're very affordable!


In addition to knock-out pho and other standard Viet specials, their Shaken beef with fried garlic, snow peas, and cherry tomatoes is also an outstanding dish. It's rare to eat good red meat in HK but this dish definitely hits the spot at $68 + $15 for a side of garlic rice


Moving right along, I can't stress how good Wasabisabi is, especially when they offer 20% the bill when you sit at the bar. It saddens me to see them so empty at peak dinner time on a Monday night.

Oh-toro and uni sushi wrapped in shiso leaf ---so beautiful, it melts in your mouth ($110 for two pieces)


My favorite appetizer hands down is the seared foie gras and Japanese cucumber. It's a very hearty portion for $88HKD! I could eat three servings with a bowl of rice as a meal. For foie lovers, this is a must!


Main dish: Australian Wagyu beaf tenderly wrapped around morels, seared, and served with daikon. Not pretty to look at but absolutely divine to eat!


Main dish: This was the grilled giant prawn with uni sauce. Sadly, the execution failed as the prawn was not cooked properly throughout and the uni sauce was entirely one dimensional. It needed an additional flavor, perhaps a citrus like yuzu or even shiso leaf to make this dish worthy of a two thumbs up. I would definitely discourage any one from ordering this dish.



Thankfully, the meal continued onto a glorious finish with the indulgent but perfectly portioned green tea creme brulee. I just can't seem to get enough of this dessert. There's something about the creaminess of the brulee that pairs so nicely with their caramelized top. If I didn't care about calories, I would eat this every day. Seriously.


Lastly, has anyone tried rice pizza yet? I walked by this establishment while shopping near Sogo in Causeway Bay with Justine. She tried to convince me that there are some tasty options but I'm a bit skeptical...something about a rice based crust topped with ham and pineapple just seems wrong!

Back in Action in Hong Kong!

Winter break went by at a whirlwind speed and it seems like it was just a few days ago that I flew back to the States, only to have to pack up again and return to Hong Kong. Even though I missed the warm weather of HK, I thoroughly enjoyed spending the holidays with my family and friends. Unfortunately, I got a nasty case of bronchitis and lost my voice toward the tail end of my trip but I'm hoping for a full recovery by the end of this week.

While home, I took the opportunity to visit some of my favorite restaurants and ate like a champion. I was a little overwhelmed by my re-introduction to American sized portions my first couple of days but my stomach soon stretched out again to accommodate the non-stop food extravaganza. Some of these highlights included Pearl Oyster Bar, Le Pescadeux and Stamatis in Astoria, which was on the top of my dining out priority list. My sister's Christmas dinner was also a definite culinary five star experience from her perfectly roasted prime rib to the heavenly truffle mashed potatoes.

Although this blog is supposed to be dedicated to Hong Kong, I know many of you are from NYC or will be visiting so I've posted some comments and photos of all the yummy things I gorged myself on. Back in Boston, I got to enjoy Mom's home cooking and nothing beats her braised mushrooms with smoked oysters and steamed lobster. Now that I've put on about three pounds, which is actually substantial on a person that's only 5'1", I will need to hit the gym hardcore! Thank goodness I received some lovely Lulu Lemmon work-out clothes from Santa this year which will motivate me to exercise comfortably and somewhat in style ^.^

Classes for my second semester officially began today and I'm already pooped! Nonetheless, this semester I will resolve myself to get even more involved with school and will push myself to do even better academically. Perhaps this means less partying and more studying haha! All right, enough about me, onto the restaurant reviews!

NYC: Pearl Oyster Bar


To this day, Pearl is still one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Their fresh seafood never disappoints and their homemade tartar sauce served with their hot and crispy fried oysters ALWAYS hits the spot. I rarely have clam chowder, but when I do, it's at Pearl because they put in a lot of yummy bacon =D


Stamatis Greek Restaurant in Astoria


I have been meaning to eat here for over a year now. Thanks to my sister who drove, we finally were able to try out the famed Greek restaurant that came highly recommended by friends. Their portions, price point, and quality ingredients made the entire experience worth trekking out to Queens for. I particularly liked their dips, octopus (the most tender I've ever had!) grilled lamb chops, and fried zucchini. Between 4 people our bill was $131 and we ordered enough food to easily feed a party of six. Great food and great value!

NYC: Le Pescadeux

My good friend Adriano, recently took over as Executive Chef, for this cozy restaurant in Soho. Don't let the homely decor fool you, the food is elegant and flavorful. Then again, I would expect nothing less from Adriano, who cooks with a distinct flare and consummate attention to detail. We had the 5 course tasting menu priced at $50 per head. Wine pairing is also offered at an additional$30. For all those wine lovers out there, make sure you get to know the owner and sommelier, Bruno---he has a heavy pour!


Second dish from our tasting menu: Fried escargot with pesto


Braised bbq pork shoulder served with fried sweet potato coulis


Our party with the executive chef himself, Adriano Ricco.

Hong Kong: Shanghai Lane




Shanghainese food is very popular in Hong Kong. With a myriad of options from Xuo Nian Guo and Crystal Jade, I was not expecting particularly outstanding results from Shanghai Lane, which is hidden on a small, primarily pedestrian street on the edge of Central and Sheung Wan. Their homemade lian mien, almost translucent dumplings, perfectly fried pork chop over veggie rice, and braised nappa cabbage with Chinese ham were all outstanding. I was thoroughly impressed by the delicacy and well calculated flavors of each dish. Given the location, decor, and quality of food, I thought the prices were very reasonable as well. I would definitely come back! (they have two other locations in HK as well)

Quarter Deck Club in Wan Chai



Who would've thought there would be such a lovely restaurant on the waterfront in Wan Chai? I was originally skeptical given the location of this restaurant. I am also usually rather wary of western restaurants in Hong Kong so I did not expect to be pleasantly surprised by the good (although not great) food served up by what appeared to be an empty restaurant. I found this to be a shame as the views were great. I would stick with their grilled seafood options (giant grilled prawns and seafood platter were very tasty) and the jumbo lump crab cake was pretty descent as well. I'm sure this place is great in the spring and summer as they have ample outdoor seating.