Sometimes, a relaxing weekend can be just so easy. A cup of coffee from Nespresso machine, then some little snacks from La Madeleine de Proust, that makes the perfect afternoon.

I am no doubt a true fan of traditional Chinese food. Unlike many other cuisines, Chinese food has so many variations that you can make tons of good food with just one ingredient. For example, you can find fried or grilled fish in western food, but you have more than eight ways to cook a fish. Such cookery magic captivates me, and I am always ready for surprises by the Chinese restaurant chefs.

If you are a foreigner, I can tell you that the thing you see in your city which is called Chinese food is probably just crap. Fried noodle and sour and sweet pork? Yuck. That's why I so want to invite you to visit my little city Hong Kong, and this will be the place I will introduce to you for the real Chinese food, Tai Fung Lau 泰豐樓 (泰豊廔).

It is one of the oldest restaurants in Hong Kong that serves mainly Beijing cuisine. Don't expect modern and trendy design here. Instead you will enter a world of 80s with old chairs, pink table cloth and ceramic wall tiles. Even the plates are the old plastic ones that appeared in nearly all homes in 1980s.

We started the dinner with this Wok-fried Tofu (鍋塌豆腐), which is a famous Shandong dish. Fried but with little oil, you can actually smell the egg when it is brought onto the table. It was fried but amazingly light.

Who could miss the Peking Duck when they were in a Beijing restaurant? Crispy with little fat, this is probably one of the best ducks in the town.

The Wonton and Chicken in Stone Pot (砂鍋雲吞雞) surprised us, not with quality first but with quantity. This dish was not expensive but in the pot you could find more than 10 wontons and one huge chicken leg! In a world where many restaurants like to rip people off with smaller dishes, it is hard to find a place like this to offer what you have paid for. And yes, a whole chicken leg!

We thought we would had some dessert before leaving this great Chinese restaurant, but it came before we ordered it. Souffle Egg White Balls with Red Bean Paste (高力豆沙) was great, and they were huge. The whole thing was not overly sweet, and it was actually the sugar that made it sweet.

It feels so good to be in the 80s ambiance enjoying traditional Beijing dishes. Nothing is expensive here , and every dish is big. Right, you get what you pay for, and more! I like the fact that there is nothing fancy here. You have the true taste of the old days in a comfortable place: no extra deco, no extra design, no fusion or so-called modernized food. You will realize that the best food exists in its simplest form with no additives, and Tai Fung Lau will prove it to you.

It is funny that in Hong Kong, many cool Japanese restaurants hide themselves in the commercial buildings, usually the old ones. You feel like you are going into the building for a meeting, but actually you are looking for good food.

These places however are not cheap, and when the price is high, you expect much more than just ordinary ramen or skewers. You cannot sell by displaying crazy skills because you are in a room without display windows, and you can only sell by food quality.

Kozy Okonomiyaki Teppanyaki is open only for several months, but it sounds like it already made some noisy in the city. You may not be lucky to get a table now at such a popular but small restaurant, but sitting at the counter is not a bad idea, as you can enjoy the cooking show by the chefs.

The menu was not big with only one page, but you can probably find what you want to try, from meat to seafood, from omelet to okonomiyaki. For drinks, you can choose from the typical kyoho grape soda to the rare Calpis drink (rare in Hong Kong).

The ingredients look unsurprising, but they are all fresh. The chefs definitely know how to do teppanyaki well, as the vegetable is still fresh and juicy after being pan fried for quite some time.

I didn't have much expectation on the omelet. The cheese omelet looked just like the usual omelet you saw before, until you found melting cheese inside the egg. The half-molten egg layer with the melting cheese was like a bite of Heaven!

The green salad with Japanese-style poached egg was a letdown. The egg was overcooked while the condiments were not well mixed with the vegetable. That's why we decided to put our full attention to the seafood.

The tiger pawns were awesome. The chefs did not waste the legs of the pawn. They removed the leg part with the shell from the body, then pressed them hard on the griddle so that it was made into a yummy chip. That was amazing!

In no way should you miss the oysters. They were big and juicy, and with only salt and spring onions, the oysters tasted even better than the shrimps!

Okonomiyaki was well done too. It did not break when the chef moved it onto my plate, and the air was filled with the smell of egg and teppanyaki sauce. The oden was however only so-so, and definitely not a spotlight item on the menu.

With all the chefs coming from Japan, you can be sure you are tasting the very traditional and high-quality food from the griddle. The restaurant is small but cozy, and the chefs are kind and skillful. They don't mind chatting with you while handling the food on the hot plate. If you do visit, I would recommend sitting at the counter, but be quick as there are only eight seats!

Sun Dou Ke 新斗記 may not receive that much attention like those popular high-class Chinese restaurants at the hotels, but you can always see a queue in Cheong Lok Street. Even more, its recent one Michelin star (2012) places it right under the spotlight, and now you can only get a table by making a reservation in advance.

There is nothing fancy here, from the items in the menu to the ambiance. The Hong-Kong-style glass fish tanks and the brick walls remind me of the old days of this town, and I wonder if they can bring back the great flavours from the past too.

However, nothing is completely old, because there are also some modernized Chinese cuisine. We started with the Marinated Goose Feet (涵水鵝掌) and the Baby Pigeons in Soy Sauce (鼓油皇乳鴿).

The baby pigeons, according to the menu, is the "heirloom" of this restaurant. This looks much bigger than a baby pigeon! The soy sauce did not overwhelming the dish at all, and the meat was very tender. Indeed a very traditional and well-done starter.

Sweet and Sour Pork (咕嚕肉() is no doubt equally popular among both local and foreign people, but this place did it just right.

The Big Fried Shrimps with Soy Sauce (鼓油炒蝦) took me by surprise. It was delicious as all the flavours went into the meat of the shrimps. The shell was fried so crispy that you so wanted to eat it together with the meat.

Pipa Tofu (琵琶豆腐) is also one of the common dishes for Chinese people like us, but the chefs here didn't do it sloppily. The pork mixed with the tofu was not tough and matched with the soft texture of tofu. It was deep fried but nothing felt oily. Same for the next dish, the Deep Fried Fish Fillet with Corn Sauce (粟米斑塊) was also tasty. It is rare to see such a big piece of fish these days, as many restaurants tend to reduce all the ingredients in size. Instead of pouring the sauce over the fillets, they were served separately, and that helped to keep the fillets dry and crispy.

The Roasted Suckling Pig (燒乳豬) cannot be missed. For those who are too scared of the fat under the crispy skin layer and of the lack of meat (some just have the skin layer with fat underneath), you can be sure that this pig will not disappoint you.

The Ginger Fried Rice with Crab and Egg White (蛋白花蟹炒薑飯) was surprisingly well done, and they managed to make it good without adding too much oil. The only thing is that they need to provide us some tools to finish the crab, as the chopsticks alone couldn't do the job, obviously.

Others were not bad, and we also had their famous Fried Noodle with Soy Sauce (鼓油皇炒麵). It was however overwhelmed by the pig lard, and I felt like throwing up afterwards.

Thank God the noodle didn't ruin the whole meal, as everything else was above standard. I like the fact that the restaurant didn't do fancy deco on the food, or any fusion that mix and mess up the food. What they do is merely cooking the ordinary dishes in a professional way. When a local like me tries them, I can immediately recognize it and feel excited about it. If you are not familiar with our local cuisine, you can be sure that this is the place to bring you the true taste of Cantonese food, and that you will be very much amazed.

Let them eat cake! That's the slogan from the renowned bar and restaurant Sevva, and yes they really want you to eat their cakes!

If you know a little bit about history, you should know that "let them eat cake" is a quote from the famous Austrian Queen of France, Maria Antoinette. Actually, while most people attribute this quote to her, there is no evidence that this line was exactly spoken by her. It was a line said by a "princess" after knowing that the peasants had no bread to eat.

Out of the history class, we only know that we can definitely eat some cakes, especially if they are from Sevva. Interesting enough, many people who know Sevva don't know about the cake counter, unless they have really gone there asthis counter is situated right at the lobby.

Some people may think I am crazy, and yes I am because I bought this cake to celebrate my birthday instead of people buying it for me. This is not any typical cake, and this is only available from Sevva. It is Maria Antoinette's Crave!

This crazily colorful cake is probably one of the most popular cakes on the shelf, and I guess no other shop makes such a cake. With the macaroons and cotton candy all over it, this cake is like many girls' dream come true.

Every bit is edible, including those pearl like balls.

It is normal if you think this is very sweet after looking at all those colors and the cream and the cotton candy. You are right that it is sweet, but only for all the things you see on the outer layer. Beneath the cream is green layers with mixed berries, which are incredibly light. That is perfect to mix with the sweet macaroons, and I am so amazed by this combination. The chefs don't just care about the look, but also pay much attention on how ingredients of the cakes are mixed together.

We had a little mistake here. The cotton candy part should fall right onto the top surface of the cake instead of standing like a tree. It was a takeaway cake and so they separated them apart for easier delivery. I didn't cut off the excessive support and so it looked like the candy was hanging in the air. Anyway, it still looked very impressive. If you love cakes, you will definitely love this one, and if you love this one, I am sure you will love Sevva!

Man Yah is a strange place. Located in an "oriental" hotel selling Chinese food, this restaurant has more foreign customers than local people, and things are served in a foreign manner. However, the lack of typical Chinese tea restaurant characters, including the noise and fast movement, does not seem to be a big problem. I don't mind Chinese food served in a western way, as long as the food is excellent.

The place is not big, holding only 10 tables as far as I can see, but everything is elegantly decorated. It looks a little old with those scratched wood panels and metal teapots, but at the same time very modern with the sharp colors like pink table cloth. It is weird that Man Yah is only accessible through that tiny door next to the MO Bar, as if this is a secret hideout.

We did not come here for the Michelin star, as the stars don't mean anything to me now. We came here for only one reason: in search of good food.

Seriously, you can find all different kinds of Chinese food in Hong Kong. Great tea houses and Chinese restaurants are everywhere, so what is so good here that attracts both tourists and local people to come and eat?

The meal started with the typical honey barbecued pork (蜜汁叉燒皇). The amazingly well-prepared meat was so tender and contained nearly no fat, and I was already addicted to it.

The next dish was the must-eat Sweet and Sour Pork (on the menu it said US pork, not sure why it has to be emphasized) (懷舊咕嚕肉), something that the foreigners just love to order. It was amazingly light even with that kind of sauce, while the pork was still all juicy after the deep-frying.

The Deep Fried Spiced Prawns with Chili-garlic Sauce (醬燒脆蝦球) looked unsurprising, but you know it wasn't normal prawns. Inside the crispy layer was a huge prawn, big, fresh and crunchy. Nothing more nothing less, and that's why it is so good.

Then my favourite came, the Sliced Duck (half).

Again, it looked really ordinary, but below the thin crispy skin layer was just a tiny layer of fat, perfect for those who take health too seriously. The duck meat was not rough at all, and the portion was in the right size.

Finally, we wrapped up the dinner with this Braised Rice Casserole, with Conpoy, Octopus and Ka Mei chicken (瑤柱章魚嘉美雞粒窩仔飯). When it was opened, the air was filled with the smell of octopus and conpoy. It was indeed mouthwatering.

The best part of this rice was that it was not oily at all, and even with the heavy ingredients (conpoy and octopus can make some really heavy sauce), the rice was not too filling. Everything was blended in nicely. Following was the dessert, Sweetened ginger tea, with Glutinous Rice Dumplings with Peanut Filling (薑茶手搓湯丸). We also had the complimentery dessert set, a coffee jelly and a small cake.

Dining at Man Wah was a relaxing and high-class experience. Somehow I did not expect much from this kind of Chinese restaurants because I doubted if the big price tags was more related to the deco than the food. However, the quality of food is unquestionable, as seen from the food above. The food we ordered is not fancy at all, just ordinary Chinese food, but they still excite the diners with their care in preparing and cooking the food. It is like each dish is carefully tailored, and with just that kind of obsession, Man Wah is certainly one of the best in the town.

Those who look for the greatest pasta in the world would definitely know the big name of Michael White. Coming from New York, he is not a native Italian at all, but his interpretation of Italian cuisine has inspired and captivated different people around the globe. Now, you don't need to visit Osteria Morini or Alto in New York, because he has opened his shop in Harbour City, Hong Kong!

Al Molo took the place previously occupied by Habitu Ristorante, and brought a New York touch into the busy shopping mall. If you don't mind, you can also choose an outdoor table so that you can enjoy the spectacular signature skyline of Hong Kong.

If you are looking for just spaghetti, I suggest you having another look at the menu. They serve more than typical pasta (though they also come with extraordinary quality, making them not really that typical), and you can find some rare types like fusilli. Even the ingredients are carefully chosen: while most of the restaurants only use two kinds of flour to make the pasta, Al Molo uses four, and by varying the proportion of each during the mix, you can have different kinds of soft and hard pasta.

The starter was a Fior di Zucca - squash flower fritters, buffalo mozzarella, anchovy, fresh tomato passata. Interesting combo, and it worked well.

Maccheroni - cured pancetta, carbonara sauce, black pepper. This is a must-eat item. The short pasta was very chewy, and the carbonara wasn't too thick or heavy. It looked ordinary but you will definitely love the texture and fall in love with this.

Osso Buco - braised veal shank, bone marrow, saffron risotto, sautéed spinach. You didn't expect much from a risotto in a pasta place, but surprisingly it was very well done. The rice was great, and while the creamy sauce was thick, the portion was small and just right, making the whole thing not too filling. The meat was tender too, and the bone marrow inside was actually the real exciting centerpiece.

Fusilli - spiral eggless pasta, zucchini, tomatoes, basil pesto. It is not easy to find this kind of pasta. I missed it much after trying it in Italy! I didn't expect at all that this veggie fusilli was this great, light and chewy.

Pinosini - squid ink angel hair, seppia ragu, leeks, spicy n’duja. Some people may not like this thinner relative of spaghetti, but will find this pasta pretty interesting. Angel hair is of course nothing new to me, but I haven't seen this curly kind. The texture was a little harder than the typical angel hair, and the ragu sauce was a good mix with the spicy flavour.

Of course we didn't have enough, and added my favourite Quattro Formaggio to the table. It was not bad but obviously not as good as the pasta.

There was no question about the quality of pasta and food here. On top of the excellent quality, you can also find good amount of creativity in the dishes. While you are amazed about how the flours are mixed to form different pasta of unique textures, you will also be excited about how the ingredients and sauces are prepared, which truly bring out the best of the noodles. Together with the marvalous view of Victoria Harbour, Al Molo is certainly the best place to enjoy top-notch Italian in the busy Tsim Sha Tsui area in Hong Kong.

Some people like to eat out, but many of them still like the taste of home better. Of course, no MSG, no extra coloring, no fancy deco, and most important, no extra cost. Cheap but good, who doesn't love that?

I eat a lot, but I am not a pro in cookery at all. I actually cook for only a few times, but this is about to change. When you start to appreciate food, you also start to appreciate the skills and effort in cooking. You realize that the chefs spend so much time in finding the right ingredients, and in preparing the food before putting them onto the stove. I believe, you always have to put your heart into it in order to make a dish that people are crazy about.

This is just a little attempt for me, pan-fried mackerel with miso. It is not hard to make at all.

Of course, still far from the quality of this Ox-tail in Red Wine Sauce by mum!

Yummy!

Madam Sixty Ate is a newly open restaurant in Wanchai, and is a wonderful place to visit. Since I am not a good writer and at the same time I found this wonderful article from Time Out online magazine about this place, and perhaps I will let that author do the wording this time, supplemented by my own pictures.

All the words below are from here.

Madam Sixty Ate isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a gastronomic narrative that’s brimming with quirky little details and fun personal touches. Located on the first floor of the swanky J Senses complex, the elevator opens up to a massive painting of a pig in wooly attire. From there, you’re presented with two options: enjoy a bespoke cocktail in the study room-themed bar and lounge area, or head straight into the dining room for your feast. If you opt for the latter, you’ll be guided past the long open kitchen where chef director Chris Woodyard (former culinary director at the W Hong Kong and chef-owner of Three Clicks West in Annandale, Australia) and head chef Andrew Braham turn out stunning pieces of edible art.

There’s a seven-course tasting menu but we strongly recommend you go à la carte as this is where some of the best dishes are hidden. The ‘paella for Pedro’ for example is an excitingly different iteration of the iconic Spanish dish. Pieces of mussels, rabbit and sashimied shrimp are arranged ever-so-carefully around cubes of chorizo, puffed rice and popcorn. The whole thing is laid to rest over a narrow strip of powderised dried tomato and embellished with crunchy sheets of black squid ink. Every bite is a new layer of textures and flavours; every bite tells a different story.

Top: Port marinated terrine of foie gras, house raisins, pistachio powder and beets; bottom: Torched prawns, prawn toasts and tomato pepper ragout.

Other starters feel less thrilling compared to the paella. The trout ceviche arrives as a gorgeous composition on the plate with folds of translucent, pink fish decorated with fresh herbs and smears of citrus sauce. This looks better than it tastes though. The fish is dry and underseasoned, devoid of the tang and spicy kick that defines your typical ceviche. We sampled another signature app, this time from the ‘charcuterie’ section – a foie gras terrine served with tonic water gel, zested orange and two thin slices of spice bread. The foie is subtle with a smooth consistency that spreads easily. It’s delicious in its own right but is easily overshadowed when devoured with the fruit-studded toast.

Bonito Marmitako, seared bonito and mussels and chorizo with ragout of tomato and piquillo pepper.

Thankfully, Woodyard and Braham return to peak performance when the mains roll out. The restaurant’s take on the Basque Country’s marmitako fish stew is plated like a miniature seafood garden. A large hunk of seared bonito sits proudly atop a bed of mussels and chorizo sausages. The fish is stellar – the oily flesh is milky soft and imbibed in the spicy, zippy flavours of the tomato and piquillo pepper consommé. The skin is crisp, with a thin film of gelatin underneath that melts on the tongue.

Twice cooked lamb loin on chestnut and Ossau Iraty tart finished with lamb jus.

The ‘pig in sheep’s clothing’ is another fun offering. A fatty slab of Mangalitsa pork belly is slow-cooked to show off its wagyu-like qualities. The meat is then garnished with curls of crispy pork crackling and an insanely satisfying lasagne laced with plenty of cheese and tender pork cheeks. This is definitely a keeper.

Blobs of vanilla mousse and milk sorbet temper the tart fruit.

Creativity is kicked up yet another notch in the sweets selection. We guarantee you’ve never had a mille feuille the way Madam Sixty Ate does it. The whimsical plate starts with an extrusion of rice pudding mousse stabbed with crisp shards of dehydrated and candied apples. Blobs of vanilla mousse and milk sorbet temper the tart fruit and round the dessert off on a mellow note. If you only have room for one dessert though, make a beeline for the honey parfait – a messy, sweet and salty medley of chocolate mousse, crushed chocolate flakes and salted caramel on crunchy, sticky bits of crumbled honeycomb.

Honey Parfait with Chocolate Mousse, crumbled honeycomb and popcorn

There’s plenty of heart put into Madam Sixty Ate and this shines through in both the excellent food and service. A meal here is a fun and exciting experience and it’s something we’d happily try again sooner rather than later. (by Dorothy So)

Hong Kong is a wonderful place, where you can find all kinds of delicacies. From Chinese to Italian, from French to Mexican, you can find them all just in this town, and some of them are even the best of the world. However, where is Hong Kong stuff?

Of course we have great Hong Kong food. No, it is not dim sum, not wonton, but dai pai dong! Yes, there is no comfortable armchair, no fancy decoration, no high-end food, but it has what the other luxurious restaurants don't have: a taste of Hong Kong!

There are many dai pai dong in Hong Kong, and most of them are now moved to the interior, usually in the modernized and air-conditioned wet markets. Among them, the famous Tung Po is definitely a place shouldn't be missed. Situated on the topmost floor of the Java Road Municipal Services Building, this dai pai dong is always a popular spot. If you don't make any reservation, I am sure you have to wait outside for an hour to get a table. People don't just come here for food, but for music and dance!

That is one of the staff in the restaurant, and it seems that he gets high every night around 10, holding bottles of beers and dancing around tables. Of course, he is still sober, and don't try to leave without paying.

We don't drink beer with glasses here. We use bowls!

It is definitely different from drinking with glasses, and we feel like we are back to the old Chinese eras in which people talked boldly like kungfu heros! The Asahi beer tastes really good, and even better with this...

Deep-fried baby pig knuckles are perfect companions with beer. They have little meat and under the crispy skin layer is just cartilage and stuff like that. Fat? Most probably gone in the deep frying process!

The next dish is also a great companion of wine. If you are a foreigner, you probably won't like this, it is deep-fried frog legs!

For your knowledge, it is a kind of frog commonly known as East Asia Bullfrog, found in many parts of Asia. It is not disgusting like you may think, and it tastes like chicken actually, but softer like fish. It is truly yummy stuff!

Next is a signature dish in Tung Po, the pitch-black Cuttlefish Ink Noodle with Cuttlefish Balls!

It is so dark that it stinks all your teeth and lips instantly, making anyone know what you have just eaten. I was taught that you should not brush your teeth after eating this because the brush will push the stink further into the enamel. Anyway, this is good stuff!

The other dishes are pretty ordinary but they are all great. They are Deep-fried Chicken (風沙雞), Fried Shrimps in Egg Yolk (黃金蝦) and Edible Chrysanthenum in Hotpot (沙鍋皇帝菜).

People in this place are all very high, and I guess it is not just because of the alcohol but also the whole atmosphere. Those who serve you come to your table not only to add more beer into your bowl, but also drink with you! After 10pm, they sometimes may get some beats up with their loud speakers and subwoofers, making the whole place like a disco. That is like a climax for the meal!

This is the beat of Hong Kong, and this is the place to feel Hong Kong!