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Pepper lunch, food court, Hysan Place Causeway Bay HK

 Passed by this stall many times but didn't get in the long line.  Finally got my order.  As noted on the paper wrapping the sizzling hot plate, gotta stir the food on the plate immediately.  The nice aroma is the essential part of this self-made "stir-fried" rice.  That told why the teenagers love this and wouldn't mind waiting in long line.  The ingredients weren't something special.  However, not only it saved the cost (cooking) but also some fun for the customers to stir-fry their own meal.

Food Court, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

My local friends told me they have suffered a very high living cost in Singapore. This visit at a food court can tell. Photo 1: Kuay Tiew (stir fried noodle) S$8 (medium portion) (equil. to US$6.5). Was about S$4-5. Photo 2: Stir fried turnip cake (veg.) S$6 (US$5), was S$3-4. These 2 dishes are at average.

Sheung Kee Restaurant, 嫦記, Happy Valley Hot Food stall, Hong Kong

There are some dishes and soup that I miss quite much, like the salted duck egg, pork and mustard veggie soup 芥菜咸蛋肉片湯. Sheung Kee made it just right to my appetite, right proportion of salty duck egg, pork and veggie. Next to it is the must-try sweet and sour spare ribs. Then we had salty fish chicken tofu casserole, preserved veggie steamed with kai lan 正菜蒸芥蘭, and the deep fried garlic chicken. Very dai pai dong - powerful high heat cooking or what we say in Cantonese high "wok" heat 鑊氣.

Central World food court BKK

Every now and then I like visiting food courts in Bangkok. The food may not be the best but it's pretty entertaining to check out each food stall of what they serve. My regular choices are often a som tam (green papaya salad) and a noodle soup or Pad Thai, with a dessert of herbal jelly. Just at about THB100-150, I can have a very full meal. This food court is on the top floor of Central World, behind the supermarket.

Food Court, Siam Paragon BKK

This place isn't any stranger. This time I came here to try these few stalls which are claimed to be the talk of the town. Their dishes are charged even higher than the other stalls (about THB10-20 more, e.g. THB65 for the pig knuckle's rice). After the try and the noodle soup, I went back to the other stalls for my somtam instead. I guess it may be related to the utensils which these renowned stalls' cook are not used to handle well. For instance, the pig's knuckle rice isn't done right as rice was a bit mashy and the pig knuckle wasn't shimmered enough. The soup noodle is a bit smelly.

Apita (Uny) food court, Taikooshing HK

Food court offers various types of food, from noodle soup, steak, stir fried, combo meal to burgers. Uny's basement has changed quite a few times. In the recent 10 years, some food stalls like Wing On BBQ shop, Curry House and Sweet & Thai have been there while all others come and go. It has a reason.

1. Veggie chicken with rice HK$45. Surprised to see half chicken is served. Though we can't expect a fresh chicken at this price, at least the chicken is not over or under cooked and some ginger/salt to season. The rice is huge. This meal is good for 2 persons actually.

2. Can't get away with the nice Thai smile of the lady in Thai & Sweet. Ordered this stir fried flat noodle with veggie and pork in basil, HK$35. Nice stir frying and I like lots of veggie put in it. This way it's not dried out.

3. the shop Sweet & Thai. 4. the shop Wing On BBQ.

Noodle & Congee (元朗學記), Food Republic, Taikooshing, Hong Kong

OK, another noted outlet at this food republic. At first when it was opened, I believe due to some cooking machine or utensils restriction, their noodle is not that good as the one in Yuen Long. So today I felt like a congee and tried it. Found out they used the old method of "high heat" congee boiling. Nowadays many shops talk about the pasty texture (綿) but the original Cantonese congee should be with some cracked rice in the congee as this way you can taste the "rice" aroma. Quite many disregarded the "rice" aroma and just put salt, soy sauce to make it "taste". Then they tend to the "pasty" texture which is usually stirred up by some rice flour and it's the fastest way to make it done and look like the congee is well boiled.

1. the classic preserved thousand year egg and salty pork congee - pretty good! 2. the shop at Republic.

Bafang Dumpling 八方餃子 , Food Republic, City Plaza, Taikooshing, Hong Kong

The food court of Taikooshing Food Repulic has been re-phrasing its food outlets. I believe the Swire management must have noted something wrong with the renovated food court back in 4-5 years ago. This dumpling chain store has been growing quite fast in Hong Kong, with its first few shops in Mongkok and Prince Edward. Quality wise, it's at average, but considering they serve you hot and freshly made dumpling - this is a plus!

1. the basic Beijing dumpling with vinegar. 2. the shop at Food Republic

Emporium food court, Bangkok

Was told that I have introduced some food which may be a bit expensive. So I went to the food court of Emporium. However, it turned out the food is not that cheap at all in terms of quality. In fact, I passed by a very local street stall and heard from the waiter getting a bill of B870 but as I checked on that table of food, it was just a few dishes. So cheap or not - maybe it's sometimes natural instinct to judge from the look of the restaurant. I don't think eating in the street stalls is not that proportionally cheap though I don't mind eating there.
1. beef and beef ball noodle - B50 2. Khao Kum Moo (pick's knuckle rice) - B65 (was B30). However, quality wise, they dropped so much.

3. somtam - very disappointing 4. the food stalls

5. see how quiet of the food court but it's actually almost 9pm. 6. another side of food stalls.

7. the dining area. 8. wasabi ice cream - a bit disappointing.