Hong Kong : Tiny Bites

Celebrating Chinese New Year around the Pacific Rim

5 Comments Tiny Bites ConsultingJanuary 26, 2009

We timed our getaway to Asia with the crazy Christmas and New Year festivities in the Philippines and received an unanticipated bonus: witnessing the lead-up to the Year of the Ox. Macau and Hong Kong went buck wild with red and gold, so we joined in on the ride, completing the celebratory circuit last night at Richmond’s Aberdeen Centre. Here’s the tour.

We left the eternal Christmas of the Philippines for the glitz of Macau in mid-January, expecting relief from the crowds that large holidays beget. Not so. The cultural duality of Macau meant that large Chinese New Year floats were already set up in San Malo Plaza. Portuguese edifices were laden with red lanterns and strings of lights. Media and tourist alike vied for the best ops in front of each New Year’s structure.

Coincidentally, we had chosen Long Kei, one of the few Cantonese restaurants in the city, for our lunch spot. From our table on the ground floor, we chewed on some of the most light-handed Cantonese cooking we had ever ingested while watching group after group tromp to the upper floor for what I guess to be dim sum (quite comical really; it was like a circus clown car in restaurant form).

Fish maw and egg drop soup

Braised seasonal vegetables in oyster sauce

Steamed pork spare ribs in apricot sauce

Typical multi-lingual format of restaurant menus in Macau

4 subsequent days in Hong Kong meant more Chinese New Year sights, sounds, and culinary delights. Disneyland Hong Kong happened to launch its New Year’s makeover on the day we decided to visit. It was a treat to see childhood Disney favourites wrapped in Asian apparel and to pick up Disney souvenirs that were decidedly one of a kind.

Mickey mouse fruit

Love against the castle

Happiness display

No trip to Hong Kong is complete without a banquet, so we corralled as many friends as we could muster on short notice to join us for an extravagant set dinner at Peking Garden Restaurant. We savoured Peking Duck (my favourite and the specialty of the house), an assortment of delicate meats, vegetables, and seafood, and a cool demo of handmade noodle-making in a spacious, sumptuous dining room.

Sliced whitefish with olives, vegetables, and scallion oil

Peking duck!

Noodle-making demo

Since we had so much fun enjoying the imminence of Chinese New Year in Asia, it seemed only fair to join in on local festivities upon our return. New Year’s Eve was spent in Aberdeen Centre in an atmosphere that reminded us all too fondly of Langham Place in Mong Kok.

The meal that we had at Northern Delicacy did not remotely compare to the food we enjoyed in Macau and Hong Kong. The handmade noodles were bland; the honeymoon fried rice compensated for its lack of complexity with a coronary’s worth of grease. Our favourite dish, the spicy wontons, was glaringly absent.

The one point of redemption was the steamed pork dumplings (known to me better as “soup dumplings”). Lesson learned: we’ll revert to our routine of having dim sum at Northern Delicacy and finding someplace else to satisfy our dinner cravings.

Northern Delicacy
4151 Hazelbridge Way | Aberdeen Centre, Richmond
(604) 233-7050

In our attempt to last till the clock struck midnight, we wandered the halls of Aberdeen Centre amongst a most jovial crowd. Perhaps we were too jetlagged or lazy or old, but we faded well before 11pm, with just enough energy to buy a coconut bun from Saint Germain Bakery and take in a Cantonese skit at the mainstage.

Nevertheless, we arrived home full and happy, our sadness at having left Hong Kong momentarily abated, with high hopes for what fortune the Year of the Ox will bring.

Categories: Asia, Beyond Vancouver, Food, Hong Kong, Macau, Restaurants, Richmond, Travel

Bites of Asia Series: the razzle dazzle of Hong Kong

Leave a Comment Karen HamiltonJanuary 14, 2009

This post is part of the Bites of Asia series – a set of posts I wrote in December 2008 before we left for 27 days of exploring the Philippines, Macau, and Hong Kong. If you’d like updates of our trip as it happens in real time, subscribe to my Twitter feed or better yet, follow me on Twitter.

By now, Kurt and I should have hopped on the jetfoil from Macau to Hong Kong. As much as I missed the Philippines and the family that I have there, this is the place that I had been looking forward to all trip.

I’ve already shared my favourite Hong Kong eateries when I wrote about it a few months ago, so I’ll keep this post focussed more along the non-food stops we have planned.

Happy Valley Racetrack

As if we had never spent a dime in speculation all trip, first stop is likely Kurt’s pick: betting on the horsies at Hong Kong’s fabled racetrack.

floodlit track, originally uploaded by mikesten.

Victoria Peak

Colleagues took me up to Victoria Peak last year on a clear and breezy August evening. I’d like to do the same for Kurt (though he may have to hold my hand as we climb and descend the 7 stories of terrifying floating escalators).

Monkey Mountain

Hoping to reconnect with old friends with a Saturday hike up “Monkey Mountain”: a place in the New Territories famed for the horde of primates that distract you in your ascent.

Monkey Mountain, originally uploaded by pnoeric.

Lantau Island and Disneyland Hong Kong

My idea: seeing the temples and giant Buddha on Lantau Island.

Originally uploaded by moonsheep.

His idea: visiting the ho-hum Disneyland Hong Kong on Lantau in an effort to visit all the Disney theme parks in the world (only one remaining on the list will be Disneyland Tokyo).

Disney in the Stars, originally uploaded by bredgur.

Shopping, shopping, shopping

My idea entirely. I may pick up an extra suitcase just for the flight home =)

More food exploration

If time and budget allows, I really would love to splurge at a private kitchen or Michelin-starred restaurant. My first trip had me wanting to check out Spoon, but reviews haven’t been so enthusiastic lately. We have yet to choose where to alight for some Asian fine dining; I’ll have to tell you how it goes down via live updates from Twitter or via blog upon our return. Rick Green of BC Brews, who had passed on great tips for eating in Macau, also had some thoughts to share about Hong Kong dining:

Not a big fan of Chinese interpretations of Western food in Hong Kong. Looking for something French-wise, I would recommend Indochine 1929 in Lan Kwai Fong (California Building) if it’s still as good as it was in 2000. A really great restaurant was Zahra @ 409 Jaffe Road, Wanchai — Lebanese. Apparently, it is closed now . I haven’t found Lebanese in Vancouver quite as good, although Kayan in the old Tojo’s on Broadway is worth a visit.