The social butterfly that our Mumsy is, she needed a quick respite out of Manila’s scene to celebrate her special day with available loved ones prior to her busy birthday engagements – I say available because if she could move mountains, she would have her way of getting the whole family together in Hong Kong.
She kept saying, she was not going to shop – much! Just eat – and so a food trip it was to celebrate her momentous occasion.
We all have our “go-to”eating places in HK, but there are new places to assess – to discover and conquer. Thanks to friends’ insights, this four day birthday bash was a great holiday of non-stop.
Cuisine Cuisine at The Mira
I totally forgot the dessert treat I requested for Mumsy! It was such a pleasant Pre Bday surprise for her. A base of Chocolate Sponge topped with Pear Merengue ❤ Something refreshing and different at the Cuisine Cuisine
http://www.themirahotel.com/dining/cuisine-cuisine/
Check out their All You Can Eat Michelin Dimsum and Dessert Brunch Special every Saturdays 1130AM – 230PM for HKD498PP. It comes with juice and sodas but for an additional HKD150PP you can get free flowing wine.
Loong Toh Yuen at Hullett House
Prior to Hullett House’ renovation, this former HK Royal Police Headquarters was a dilapidated eye sore along Canton Road. It was such a waste of prime space then. Thankfully, it has been restored and re-polished to its former glory.
Named in honour of Richmond William Hullett, a 19th century English scholar who lived and worked in Asia. A dedicated botanist, he discovered, amongst others, a hybrid of Bauhinia, also known as the Hong Kong orchid. The bauhinia flower with its delicate pink orchid-like leaves was adopted as the floral emblem of Hong Kong in 1965, and has proudly appeared on Hong Kong’s flag and coins since 1997. A statue of the flower was presented to the people of Hong Kong by the People’s Republic of China, and can now be found at Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong.
Now a Boutique Hotel, Hullett House pays homage to Hong Kong’s ancestry, with each uniquely themed suite celebrating a period of Hong Kong’s heritage, from Imperial China in the Tsing Lung suite complete with Confucian temple, through art deco 1930s Shanghai in the Pui O suite, and all-white blanc-de-Chine decadence in the Silvermine suite. All come with private balconies offering skyline views and gardens below.
Dimsum Lunch at Hullett’s signature Chinese restaurant – Loong Toh Yuen was a good excuse to breath in the calming colonial atmosphere after a busy “marathon” morning in Ocean Terminal.
Embodying elements of old Hong Kong teahouse culture and King George IV chinoiserie in its inspired décor, Loong Toh Yuen revives long-lost Hong Kong dishes and offers a comprehensive selection of classic dim sum and Chinese tea.
Their dishes were actually comparable to those we’ve eaten in regular restaurants. To be blunt, the food was nothing amazing and slightly more expensive. But it was the ambiance that made our experience a notch more special than eating in a typical Chinese restaurant. Of course…. Every meal except breakfast was her Birthday Celebration this trip!
http://www.hulletthouse.com/dining/loong-toh-yuen
Lady M
We ate here twice and I wish we took home some to share with family. Known for its Signature Mille-Crepes Cake, Lady M has been considered as one of the finest and most celebrated patisseries in New York City. It prides itself in creating the freshest and finest cakes, using high quality confections. We loved their Signature and Green Tea Mille-Crepes! They have two branches in HK – Harbour City and IFC. Avoid the long queues by going off-peak times.
Ho Choi Group at the SilverCord
A regular in our “Go Eat” List in HK. We chanced upon this restaurant as a 2nd choice beside Din Tai Fung as the line was impossible – most often. Chinese food is authentic and excellent! Our bill, considering the quality of our orders is always reasonable! A Great value for money – conveniently located at the Silvercord across Ocean Terminal. Oh! And demand for free oranges as additional dessert. They always have a sweet – complimentary bunch.
Mott32
We reserved Mott 32 for Mom’s Birthday Lunch. The discerning customer Mumsy is, I pre-ordered the signature Apple Wood Roasted Peking Duck and Surprise Dessert for the special occasion.
http://hk.dining.asiatatler.com/restaurants/mott-32-hong-kong
It took us a while to find the restaurant. Tired and a bit irritated with the pretentious feeling of being escorted from the Standard Chartered Lobby down a service elevator to enter through the lavatories, they explained that the main escalator leading to the restaurant was closed on Saturdays. The hassle of entering through the back entrance was easily appeased though as we were welcomed into a warm amiable room with stunning deco – combining Shanghai Colonial with Industrial aesthetics. Service was well-mannered – We also met a Filipino waiter there who was so helpful in ensuring all I planned for Mom came through. Food was really good! We battled a bit with the dimsum (hence no pictures!) and enjoyed all the sumptuous dishes. A typical Corn and Crab Soup was made extra tasty with generous amounts of real corn and crab meat. The Peking Duck was the best we’ve tried – I especially appreciated the wrappers ala vietnamese spring rolls which slid well with the apple roasted meat.
Their famous Iberico Pork Char Siu was outstanding as well – although to be honest, it tasted like good Tocino. Even the little one demanded a share as the older ones were eating with so much gusto! In the end, everyone was content! And they treated Mom to some Signature Birthday Buns made in the shape of a peach with lotus-seed paste fillings.
The bill was no surprise and no regret because we ate heartily! Besides, it was her special day! It was certainly well worth the trek and hole in the pocket for this occasion. Mom the sharp customer, had nothing to critique. She was impressed!
Tang Court at The Langham
To cap off our vacation, we celebrated our last dinner at the Tang Court just a few floors below our room at The Langham. We were curious to try this because of its Michelin 3Star rating. We ordered Ala Carte instead of their tasting menu because we were just so stuffed from all the eating we’ve done. Mom settled for some Chinese favorites of Roasted Goose, Suckling Pig, Stirfried Scallops, Steamed Garoupa, Yang Chow and of course Crispy Noodles for Long Life. We were somewhat disappointed by this rating. The food was good, but certainly not great. Service was ok, but certainly not that great – in fact our server seemed harassed. The whole ambiance was nowhere near a starred restaurant as one might expect it. Oh well! Thanks for the Birthday Champagne with the Fruit Platter anyway!
Where In The World is Penny K 