1MB Travels: Hong Kong: Prince Restaurant

Last year, Prince Restaurant provided one of the best meals on my trip to Hong Kong - so I was excited to return this year. This time, for dinner, on my second night back!

We were greeted immediately with the lovely trio of 'welcome dishes' - guava with plum salt, peanuts and XO sauce*. The guava was again fantastic, with its refreshing, crunchy, subtle sweetness enhanced by the sweet/tartness of plum salt. You can dip the peanuts in the XO sauce, or save the condiment for use in dishes later in the meal.

To kick off dinner, the Soup of the Day ($198HK / ~$26US) definitely got our attention with its seahorse tails and sea whelk mixed in with chicken and Chinese herbs. As standard for Chinese restaurants, they bring you the full pot of soup, pour the broth into individual bowls, then scoop out the "tong ja" or solid ingredients used to make the soup, into a separate bowl for you to eat. Too bad the seahorse was not used whole...we only got the tails...

Knowing my love for truffle and the new and unusual, my mom had us try the Stir Fried Bean Sprouts & Glass Noodle with Egg, Dried Scallop and Truffle ($138HK / ~$18US) - the price may seem high for a stir fry dish with all veggies, but once we smelled and saw (in that order!) the unmistakeable specks of real black truffle integrated throughout the dish, we thought it was worth every dollar.

I normally don't like bean sprouts, it's so bland and boring - but it works surprisingly well in perfect balance with every other element here to create a dish that's nothing short of divine in taste and texture. The crunchy sprouts, yieldy glass noodles, soft fluffy clouds of egg and shred of dried scallop was made intoxicatingly fragrant with heat from the wok (that you can taste in the food) and the scent of black truffle. So simple a dish, yet so sophisticated and delicious. This was easily our favorite Chinese dish made with truffle, in recent memory.

Next up: another dish I haven't had before,which has a beautiful sounding Chinese name 艷影紗窗 that translates in essence to "Mysterious Beauty" ($128HK / ~$16US). Which doesn't really tell you much about what it is, but makes sense once you see it.

Steamed bamboo pith rolls, stuffed with slivers of mushroom and bamboo shoots, topped with goji berries, are placed in alternating rows with kai lan.

The name of the dish refers to the beautiful veil-like quality of the bamboo pith, somewhat see through where you can sort of make out what's inside but you can't see it clearly, you just sort of see a shadow of it. The name is supposed to poetically evoke the shadow of a beautiful woman glimpsed through a veil or thin curtain - in a romantic, not creepy way - get your dirty minds out of the gutter.

But what in the heck is bamboo pith you ask? I had to do some detective work too - it's 竹笙, a type of mushroom with a porous veil that hangs down from the cap. It's also known as "Long Net Stinkhorn", but the cooked version at least doesn't smell bad or tate bitter as its name may imply, it's used in savory dishes but has a lovely subtle sweetness - Bamboo Pith is a more appetizing name. Once cooked it shrinks and the net becomes tighter, but still semi-see through - the look and texture reminds me of fish maw (an expensive Chinese delicacy: the air bladder or swim bladder of a fish, which sounds unappetizing but has an exquisite light and soft spongy unique texture and very subtle, not fishy, taste) - so this is sort of the more affordable alternative.

This dish was also simple, but novel, and beautiful to look at. I loved the delicate texture of the bamboo pith, gently bathed in starchy but clear broth, and offset first by the light crunch of the slivered mushroom and bamboo shoots stuffed inside, then by the heftier crunch and pops of green in the stalks of kai lan. Loved this.

For our last dish (I was still jetlagged and not ready for a full on meal with dessert etc.), we had the Fried Sticky Rice with Preserved Sausage ($168HK / ~$21US). This though amazingly delicious - you can taste the individual grains of rice distinctly, and fragrance released by a nice hot wok (always one of the signs of the chef's skill), with rich but perfectly restrained flavors punctuated by bits of juicy preserved sausage. Our only complaint about this dish would be the price - it's mysteriously more than the one with truffle, and doesn't have a lot of seafood in it (beyond the shreds of dried scallop).

All in all, another great meal at Prince Restaurant - pricey but worth it in my opinion overall (fried rice being the exception) for the fine dining level Chinese. It's going on my list of favorites in Hong Kong!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

*Note for tourists: there is a charge for the three 'welcome dishes' ($54HK for all three / ~$7US) - you can probably decline them if you don't want to get charged, but we've never done this as it's not customary. There is also a small charge for tea service, though you get unlimited refills of Chinese loose leaf tea of your choice ($15HK per person / ~$2US though it all comes in one pot for the table). There's also a 10% service charge that is automatically charged to the total bill, which is standard to all restaurants in Hong Kong - this is basically the tip, it's not expected for you to leave more, but if you received exceptional service and wish to leave more, it would make your server extremely happy.


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Hong Kong
Prince Restaurant
5/F, The Lee Gardens, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Ph: +852 2577-4888

Website: princerestaurant.com.hk

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1MB Travels: Hong Kong: Farm House

"Healthy food" is something I have never enjoyed, as a concept - I know that's not a "smart" or "good" thing to say, but the reality is that it usually involves words I don't like - that for me boil down to restraint and/or sacrifice, and removal of joy. Like, eat this because it's good for you (not because it's tasty - because if you are honest with yourself, do things like flax seed or oatmeal or low-fat anything really taste good? I would have to make a conscious decision that it tastes good to me, in order to get it down - i.e. trick myself). Of course it's not good to eat yourself sick, so not overindulging or balancing it with exercise etc. is needed - but for what I put into my body, I choose to err on the side of allowing me to appreciate and enjoy life, instead of being in a constant state of resistance and denial. What's the point of a healthy body if you are going to malnourish your soul? I'm sure healthy-eating advocates are now going to say, there are ways to make health foods tasty, give it a chance etc...well, read on.

"Healthy" has become a bad trigger word for me - but "farm to table" and "seasonal", things that are TASTE-driven (because what is in season will be freshest and thus most delicious, same with what a farmer has nurtured with care locally, that has not had to be frozen or artificially preserved in order to travel great distances) I love. The health factor is a 'perk' of sorts, and not the singular goal.

So it was that my first meal on this trip back to Hong Kong, we arrived at Farm House in Causeway Bay.

Chinese food is of course not known for being health-conscious - but nose to tail, farm to table, local, seasonal, has been a way of life, forever (though often in the past without intention), and before these became trendy / buzz words. With the huge caveat that preserved foods are ingrained in the culture also - but they don't all involve artificial ingredients.

Farm House is an example of a restaurant that encourages health by understanding customers' needs, and offering taste via local, quality ingredients, and preparations that are mindful of health.

The restaurant opened in the '80s without a set menu, and was completely farmers' market driven - over time, they started catering more to customers' favorites, creating a menu that retains the philosophy of sourcing locally and never to use MSG, letting the quality of their ingredients shine through with great flavor. They wanted their little restaurant, tucked away in a corner of an office highrise, to continue to be a reprieve from the busy city life below. In 2010, they were awarded one Michelin star.

Our lunch started with a dish of bitter melon, with XO sauce on the side for dipping. Bitter melon is a Fall/Winter vegetable that is similar in color and texture to green bell peppers, but tastes, as its name implies, bitter.

I didn't like this as a kid, but now it's an interesting and refreshing way to wake up your taste buds in prep for a meal. Everything after will taste sweeter in comparisan.

Next up: one of my favorites as a kid - Baked Sea Whelk with Goose's Liver ($68HK each = ~$8US) made with chopped up sea snails and foie (!!!) and onions in a lightly curried sauce, baked for a nice light crust over the top.

My brother and I used to eat this up quickly so that we can take the shells home, it was so pretty. My poor mom's handbag always bore the brunt of debris from stray bits of food left in the shells.


Dim sum are also offered at lunch at Farm House, so we got a few classics to snack on. Their Fried Radish Cake tasted fresh, light and full of flavor - and most importantly didn't, as other places that make their food with MSG would, make us reach immediately for our drinks (thirst is a telltale sign of MSG).

We also got some Xiao Long Bao aka Shanghai Dumplings - made with smooth rounds of pork and a light, clear, flavorful broth inside a fresh-made dough wrapper that was lovely in its lightness. We didn't love the presentation, in individual foil cups (that lesser restaurants use with the expectation that their dough wrappers will fall apart - the foil cup can catch the leaked soup. Restaurants with craftsmanship will usually just place the XLB on a paper liner in the bamboo basket, knowing it will hold up).

But regardless of presentation, every element of these XLB were fresh and delicious, and we made use of a tip from a famous local food critic on the proper way to eat these: put the XLB in a spoon, then bite off only the top (so that the bottom is still there to hold the broth inside), then tilt spoon with the rest of the XLB back to drink the broth while eating the rest of the XLB in one bite.

This takes some practice and I've still to do it perfectly - a great reason to keep eating XLB as if I need one!

Then came my favorite dish, a special created by the chef at Farm House: "Whatever" Steamed Egg White with Seafood.

This is their upgraded version of a classic popular Hong Kong home-cooked dish - steamed egg with soy sauce. It's usually made with just those two ingredients, plus water, and eaten with plain white rice. Easy, simple and tasty. The shortened name of this dish in Cantonese also sounds like the words for "whatever", a popular phrase used to politely defer to the group when it comes to ordering at restaurants (since Chinese meals are served family style, it's considered rude if you are not the host to just order - it shows you don't care about others. There's always a few minutes of back and forth "whatevers" and "what would you like"s to show you are not difficult or selfish, and discussion of suggestions before a committee decision is made).

So out of this classic dish and restaurant custom, the chef created this upgraded, playful dish of steamed egg white only, that was smooth as the silkiest tofu but much lighter, and topped it with fresh shrimp, sprinkling of whatever veggie is in season, dried scallops, and salted egg yolks. The toppings give the steamed egg custard rich flavors while the egg custard gives it the smoothest base to hold the dish together. Everything again tastes so fresh and light going down. And the clever joke it that when customers can't decide what to order, they can go ahead and order the "Whatever". Everyone wins. (Plus, by the time you realize that it's 'healthy' - no grease, no MSG, high protein low fat - it's already too late, you've already decided it's delicious and inhaled the entire thing in one breath). Loved this dish.

We also got a Vegetable Stew at my dad's request that was a beautiful saffron color, but since I don't love vegetables this wasn't a stand out to me, and I would have liked more flavor from the stew.

For dessert: Fresh Make (sic) Sweeten (sic) Almond Cream with Egg White ($35HK / ~$4US) - this is a classic served hot with strands of egg white added.

I've always loved this soup - it's not overly sweet, and so smooth. Almond is also supposed to be good for your skin (as usual with Chinese foods, no scientific explanation of why, it's just thousands of years of learning from trial and error I guess?).

Another dessert classic with a twist: Steamed Bun with Bird's Nest and Custard Cream ($18HK each / ~$2.25US) - bao shaped and 'painted' to look like peaches used to be served as a birthday treat, but now are a fairly common sight on Chinese menus year round. Farm House makes theirs with a 'molten' filling made of egg yolk and sugar and bird's nest (bird's nest is essentially the solidified saliva of a species of birds - swallows or swiftlets? - used in building their nests - and is another Chinese delicacy that "everyone knows" to be good for your skin). Loved these fluffy buns with the subtly sweet center.

Farm House also makes their own preserved sausages. These flavorful meat tubes are typically served in winter, cut up and used for sticky /fried rice - and typically made with pork and/or pork liver.

There was a big display of them by the cash register, and we noticed that they had duck liver sausages as well (500g gift box for $130HK / ~$16US)!!!

Again these may not be 'healthy' products - but they are made locally from quality ingredients and supports nose to tail use of every part of the animal - so in our minds they are 'good'!

We had fun browsing through their little shelves of other house made food products as well by the exit - and left with several packs of duck liver sausages. Too bad US Customs will not let me bring some back to the LA!

All in all, a great time at Farm House and start to this year's culinary tour through Hong Kong!

[For more photos of fun / good eats from my HK trip, check out the album on my Facebook page!]


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5 stars
Service - 5.5 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 90%
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Hong Kong

Farm House Restaurant
1/F, Phase 1, China Taiping Tower, 8 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Ph: 852-2881-1331

Website: farmhouse.com.hk

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Happy New Year!

As we ring in the new year across the globe, many are taking a moment to reflect on the past year as well. I am so grateful for an incredible year filled with delicious culinary discoveries, foodie adventures and some amazing people who have led/inspired/excited/included/joined me along the way.

Here is a shortlist of my 'best bites' of 2011 (I am sure I am forgetting something or other, but here goes):

Most Mind-Blowing Dishes I Almost Didn't Eat, They Were So Beautiful:

What: Soymilk Panna Cotta, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin, Geoduck Clam & Fresh Wasabi
Who: Michael Cimarusti from Providence
Where: Los Angeles - Breadbar Ibaraki benefit
Why: So simple, yet so incredibly creative and beautiful

What: Lavender Tropezienne Tart, Aloe Vera, Lychee
Who: Ludo Lefebvre
Where: Los Angeles - LudoBites 007
Why: Looks like Christmas morning (forest floor morning after snowfall, perfect and untouched by human hand), tastes like summer spa getaway

Best Fusion:
What: Miso-Sake Glazed Black Cod Taco, Wasabi Guacamole, Pickled Shishito Peppers
Who: Brock Kleweno
Where: Los Angeles - Yamashiro Farmer's Market (Seasonal) / Komida
Why: Fine dining quality fusion street food under $10! - amazing combinations of ingredients that are simply crazy delicious and addictive

What: Crispy Pork Belly Lettuce Cups
Who: Sang Yoon
Where: Los Angeles - Lukshon
Why: Pork belly AND fried pig ear. Mix of savory/sweet/tart flavors and juicy/crunchy/crispy textures is incredible and instantly addictive. Makes me want to quit my day job and camp out in Culver City every day waiting for Lukshon to open for lunch.




Best Street Food Actually Served on the Street

What: Coconut Cakes
Who: Sri Windsor Cafe
Where: Hollywood Farmers Market
Why: Takes your taste buds on vacation to Thailand without requiring air travel, every Sunday morning.

Best Things I Put in My Mouth That Were Alive Minutes Prior:

What: Chili / Black Pepper Crab
Who: Long Beach Seafood / Da Dong by Fatty Weng
Where: Singapore
Why: Unbridled, incredible flavors that miraculously do not overwhelm freshness and sweetness of the crab meat

What: Live Shrimp
Who: Budaoweng (DIY hot pot restaurant)
Where: Hong Kong
Why: These guys are gigantic, and so fresh they literally leaped out of their bowl before we could dunk 'em into hot broth to cook. Also, DIY hot pot was so much fun as a small group activity - and Budaoweng gets top points for presentation as well as high quality ingredients served in an upscale setting.

What: Port Wine Barrel Oyster Stew / Crab in Shaoxing Wine with Steamed Egg Whites
Who: Che's
Where: Hong Kong
Why: Wine infused seafood!!!

Best Form of Fowl Play

What: Roast Goose
Who: Yung Kee
Where: Hong Kong
Why: It's so perfect it's 'not fair' that it's so far away from LA. Fat/meat ratio and flavor - probably because the family roasts their birds fresh daily on the premises and have been doing it for generations.

Best 'Shrooms To Give Legal Foodie High

What: Tartufona Pizza
Who: 8 1/2 Taverna (now closed)
Where: Los Angeles - Studio City
Why: It's genius. Gorgeous truffle shaved thinner than paper, dropped over mascarpone fondue and mozzarella with shitake mushrooms on fluffy crust - one whiff and you lose all control of your senses. But the place has since closed - which is one of the reasons for this blog - I hope that in talking about incredible and lesser known places like 8 1/2 Taverna, that it will in some way, no matter how small, help keep good food from small businesses around.

What: Creamy Polenta with fricasee of truffled mushrooms
Who: Scott Conant
Where: Los Angeles - Scarpetta
Why: One of the best polentas I've had in the city. Taken over the top with amazing mushroom sauce.

What: Umbricelli with fennel sausage and black truffle (special) / Risotto Porcini with Blueberries
Who: Michael Young
Where: Los Angeles - Ombra
Why: Fresh shaved truffle over fresh made pasta. Lush risotto with an unexpected ingredient that works perfectly together. Pastas made beautifully and creatively. In the Valley. The authentic Italian way - according to an actual Italian staffer from Italy.
Best Food Event:

What: LA Weekly Gold Standard
Who: Jonathan Gold
Where: Los Angeles - Petersen Automotive Museum
Why: Best of LA from A-list restaurants to street food fare, as well as an entire aisle of wineries, handpicked by Pulitzer-prize winning food crtiic Jonathan Gold, who is probably the only person with enough pull to bring these purveyors together to offer unlimited samples for just $60 (general admission). This event was unpretentious, well organized, generous with samples and feels truly 'for the people' - had an awesome time, can't wait til the next one - love it.

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Here's to more fabulous food discoveries to come in 2012.

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!