Food Adventure

Hong Kong is a city of lights, a dancing kaleidoscope of neon effulgence; a city which only recognizes those who are well-equipped with copious amounts of dough; a city that inhibits a diverse range of individuals, from those who are absolutely down-to-earth and humble to those pretentious kind who yearn to be in the limelight of the upper class society as well as those who have, of course, actually "made it" and deserve to parade/flaunt their wealth around like nobody's business (flashy cars, designer goods, high tea sessions, etc).

It is interesting. Every nook and corner of the city has a different vibe.

I have experienced dining in the shadows of dim streets, surrounded by some sort of foul cesspool odour which mildly penetrates the highly polluted air of Hong Kong...to exquisite fine-dining sessions surrounded by candlelight, complemented by the complex harmonies and less percussive melody of bossa nova music that subtly serenades us in the background; these restaurants are usually located in the upmarket streets of Soho. Nonetheless, it is the bedraggled places that serve the most flavoursome and palatable food at such a bargain. In lament terms, such places would be known to us, Malaysians, as hawker centres and in the local Hong Kong dialect, Cantonese, as "dai pai dong".

The above photos highlight the interesting attributes to why Hong Kong is a country that is rich in history and culture. The left image was taken at a local coffee shop tucked away in the nook and corners of Mong Kok (right image). I was consuming what is known to the locals as "chi faan" - meat floss and deep fried flour sticks wrapped in glutinous rice accompanied with a bowl of warm soya bean milk.

 At the corner of Argyle Street, a shop that sells an assortment of finger food, even the infamous "smelly tofu". My favourite is the spicy fish balls, "laat yu daan".

 Besides immersing myself in the tasty delights of Hong Kong, it was also a great opportunity to catch up with the boyfriend. There was, however, this amaaazing place we dined at for dinner called Inaniwa Udon - Nabe Japanese Restaurant, which is located at the spanking new mall known as Elements at the International Commerce Centre, Kowloon side.

Inaniwa Udon noodles boast an impressive history dating all the way back to 1665. Uncompromising when it comes to taste, these noodles are prepared to a time-honored secret recipe, passed down from generation to generation for more than 300 years. The result is a superb tasting, smooth textured noodle that maintains just the right amount of firmness.

We also ordered a delectable fresh platter of pork and wagyu beef strips for our shabu shabu.

Our shabu shabu.

Our shabu shabu condiments and my delightful order of cold udon. My anticipation was running abnormally high as this eating method of dipping cold noodles into cold soup is the epitome of eating noodles, which was craftily handmade by a noodle artisan. Indeed, ice-bathed to perfection.

Finally, something that is NOT TO BE MISSED whilst in Hong Kong.

  New York Fries

New York Fries is a Canadian fast food restaurant that mainly serves french fries and hot dogs. They also serve poutine, The Works (with chili, cheese sauce, sour cream, bacon bits and green onions) like the above, Veggie Works (with cheese sauce, sour cream, tomatoes and green onions), and Pepsi-Cola brand beverages. 

However, Ireland's Potatoes is still the better bet. Here’s their slogan: 

“There are two things in the world that can’t be joked: 1) Marriage and 2) Potato”

  

Oh, don't you simply ♥ the wide spectrum of food that is available in Hong Kong?