土樓三弄 Hakka cuisine highlight (八月芳), Xi Yue (a Maxim's restaurant), Quarry Bay HK

Maxim's has been improving gradually on their food and service quality. Occasionally the group introduces certain specific Chinese cuisine. This summer season they highlighted a number of Hakka dishes. As I went thru' the menu, my first choice is this one "pickled yam" (photo 1) - a very long lost friend (that I only had it in my school time). When it was served on the table, the sesame on it was really original. This is the classic pickled and it's almost a forgotten recipe. Photo 3: salty chicken. 4: turnip, fish ball and smoked chicken casserole. 5: peppered pig's knuckle. 6: steamed rice with yam. 7: red date yellow wine sweet. 8: pumpkin crispy cake. All these are pretty good, especially the casserole, pig's knuckle and yellow wine sweet.

醉瓊樓, Tsui King Lau, Wanchai HK

The name of this restaurant is not patented but it often reminds me of the first time my mother brought me to the one in Hong Kong Mansion (Causeway Bay). I still remember the deco. of that restaurant is like what's in photo 1, but so crowded and noisy. The first time I tried a chicken in such a aromatic salty flavour. I was so impressed with it even though I might be just around 5 years old.

On and off it's hard to find a nice chicken among the various Tsui King Lau. Until 2003, my best friend and I found this one in Wanchai. Their chicken is awesome and not even a single time I would be disappointed. At this latest visit, I tried their bitter bourd with pomfret. I was thrilled and even inspired to try this dish by myself. I like the way they used bitter gourd to shimmer the pan fried pomfret and the black bean sauce isn't too overwhelming. Everything goes so well with each other.

泉章居 - Chuen Tseng Kui, Causeway Bay Plaza HK

It was a big news years ago when his restaurant sold its premises on Percival Street and moved in Causeway Bay Plaza. So the end result is that the old chef can't get used to a new kitchen with all the modern utensils. Its fans and followers gradually left. The last time I gave it a third trial was in 2008 and it was still much below expectation. Out of curiosity, I gave it a fourth trial lately. I am glad that its renowned chicken and some other dishes [fish maw, mushroom & sea cucumber casserole (photo 8)] are coming back after such lengthy struggling years. *photo 2 shows how the old time of washing cups and bowls.

Man Fa Hung Restaurant 萬花紅, Soho, Central, Hong Kong

This restaurant has been in this upper Central area (Stantun street/Elign Street) before the area is called Soho. It somehow attracts some foreigners to try something local, rather than those vivid hip restaurants.

1. This kind of simple decoration would mean "local" to those foreign visitors. 2. Deep fried "white rice" fish/squid in chili salt HK$48. Though it's not the best, this is the original style of chili salt, unlike Jade Garden putting a lot of garlic without chili and salt.

3. Dried shrimp with baby veggie HK$50. The dried shrimp is not of good quality but I wouldn't complain since it's just HK$50. Anyway, what caught my attention is that they rinsed the baby veggie very thouroughly - no mud inside the stem. This kind of baby veggie is very difficult to rinse. 4. Chicken baked in raw salt HK$98. It may sound expensive but they use lively killed chicken (not the fridge one). Further noted is that they didn't "polish" the dishes. In most restaurants, stir fried dishes would be completed with a final touch of oil to make it shiny. Or they would use some soda to make it look nice. The dishes here are quite original.

5. green bean sweet - very nice fragrant herb. 6. the shop.

四餸一湯 白飯任裝/ 佐敦醉瓊樓 Tsui King Lau, Jordan, Kowloon, Hong Kong

四餸一湯 白飯任裝 - not meant for free rice but a phrase for telling people to get more

rice from the delicious dishes. There were many Tsui King Lau back in the 70's/80's

and I was told the one at Hong Kong Mansion (the big mansion on the triangular area

off Sogo to the west, Fashion Plaza (was Daimaru) to the north and Hennessy Rd (tram

way) to the south) was the original one. Later on that one closed and various Tsui King

Lau carried on with Hakka cuisine with the renowed chicken baked in raw salt, five belly

pork stewed with preserved veggie...etc. So I got to try this one at Jordan which has been

over 30 years.

1. the classic table setting. 2. the menu. Suggested set is the 4 dishes plus one soup at HK$268 including a half chicken ($90). The other dishes are at around $50-68, and soup at $60.

3. Look at this nostalgic red chair. 4. This is the renowned chicken baked in raw salt. Pretty good!

3. pork stewed with preserved veggie. A nice one and it's not that salty and heavier taste. So it may not be very original but good for any health conscious people. 4. Nice steamed rice.

5. stir fried veggie. 6. minced pork stuffed in tofu on veggie. This tofu is a bit too overcooked and very oily.

7. Carrot and pork soup - so so. In conclusion, I would prefer Wanchai Tsui King Lau. 8. See ths uncle and I believe he must have spent all his time in this restaurant.

9. See this restaurant still practise the traditional way of bill order.

10. even more nostalgic. 11. the shop outside. BTW, there were quite a lot of Thai tourists in this restaurant.

東江好棧 Eastern Hakka cuisine, Kornhill, Hong Kong

Passed by this restaurant several times and finally tried it.

1. Sunny dried duck with taro 荔芋臘鴨㷛 HK$68. Overall the taste is quite nice and the sunny dried duck is very aromatic, but the taro is a bit too mashy. It's probably from not deep frying well before shimmering it. 2. steamed rice - good one.

3. South Africa abalone HK$38 for one. It's a very bargain one though it's from South Africa. This one should be the 24 pieces per catty quality and the selling price is around HK$2,500 to 3,000. The chef did a very nice job in shimmering it for long hours with nice chicken/pork stock. Besides, it's not heavily seasoned with oyster sauce. 4. See a nice stir fried bean sprout is like this - no heavy juice or sauce left on the plate. HK$60 and it's pretty good.

5/6. the restaurant.

Chui King Lau 醉瓊樓, Wanchai, Hong Kong

1. Stir fried Choy Sum: at a recent research, Choy Sum has the highest EQ10 among all the vegetables. No wonder my grand mom often told us to eat Choy Sum only. I think at the old time the Chinese already studied how good Choy Sum is. Unfortunately, the Chef first boiled the Choy Sum in hot water, and let it stand for a while. Upon the customer's order, he just quick stir fry it. The texture and nutrition of Choy Sum has gone. I often suggest not boiling the food in hot water unless it's necessary. 2. "Abalone" mushroom duck feet on lettuce - quite disappointing that the duck feet wasn't stewed enough - too hard to chew.

3. ToFu hot pot - also quite disappointing. The tofu is too dried. 4. Steamed garlic shirmp - they should use some bigger shrimp and they pour too much oil and garlic. Too overwhelming

5. Stewed duck on veggie - this one is good! Shang Palace should look at this dish on their duck dishes. First they should use the five spice powder to brown the duck and then stew it for a long time. Shouldn't use the BBQ duck and just braise it for a while. 6. The signature dish - this one is still very nice.
Steamed fish with preserved veggie - after trying this dish, I think we should order those Hakka cuisine instead of the local Cantonese cuisine. The last 3 ones are typical Hakka food and are really nice.