Comfort food. Mac and Cheese

For the most part, I tend to eat and cook rather healthy. I mean, I try, the most delicious foods in the world are far from  healthy. And every now and then (and to be honest, more often than not) I like treating myself to something delicious, and fattening. Needless to say, I am a sucker for creamy/cheesy things.

Mac & Cheese holds a special place in my memory. And I'm actually talking about the orange and radioactive barely resembling cheese deliciousness that comes in a blue box. An orange powder that somehow is reconstituted into a luscious sauce, it is like magic. That was one of the first things my mother allowed me to cook, and somehow it became some sort of a Sunday afternoon treat. Just the thought of it brings me happy memories of simpler times. And I still eat those bad boys from time to time, just when I feel really homesick, however they are filled with sodium and other nasty stuff, so instead of that, I came up with this recipe, using all natural ingredients and top quality cheese, this is one mother fucker you really don’t want to miss. Enjoy my Mac & Cheese with Spanish Butifarra.

Special for the Sweet Tooth. Oreo Cheesecake

It is no secret that I am not an avid baker, there is something very structured and strict about baking that I really don't enjoy, well, at least that is true for proper baking. Adding the fact that I rarely crave sweets we get to the fact that Minoru Baking is something that happens once in a blue moon. However, when it happens, I try to go to the simple things and the things that don't require the strictness and rigidity that baking usually does.

A few weeks ago, one of my friends turned 27, he enjoys sweets as crazy and I would say any kind of desert is his kind of dish,  so to celebrate him I decided to make my Oreo® Cheesecake. We actually ended up eating the cake without him, but that is another story.

So, if you have never baked, and you would like to try something simple as fuck that would wow all the people around you, this is for you. Enjoy, thank me later.

Look at that ridiculously good looking slice!

Hong Kong Eats: Spicy Crab at the Temple Street Night Market

People that I have talked to before my trips to Hong Kong have told me that the Spicy Crab was something that should definitive not be missed. There was a recurring thing, this Crab is amazing and a must try. The directions were never specific, always a vague comment regarding a corner near Temple Street Night Market, that some attractive girl would most likely approach us and invite us into the restaurant. This all seemed a bit sketchy.

So we finally embarked into the journey, we would go and find that crab. After a quick stroll around the Night Market (which to be honest there wasn’t anything impressive about the market itself, some electronics, and cheap things, maybe a good place to buy cheap souvenirs, but after the Taiwanese Night Markets, this is nothing) turning our heads in every corner looking for the elusive crustacean, and then the attractive girls wearing a 'San Miguel' beer white dress showed up from a corner inviting us in, I felt like being invited into a brothel, a bit sketchy, however, there is something almost sexual about this crab. There, I said it. The whole experience was like the sketchiest, messiest and most satisfying sexual experience you have ever had, picture that, add some greens and cold beer, and you get to this.

The Sexy Crab

The place looks like any other working class restaurant in Hong Kong, cheap tables, menu on the wall and an amazing smell surrounding the area, but there are a few differences that makes this place special, the amazingly cold beer, the kitchen paper rolls on each table (most of the places will not have anything to clean your face) and the Crab (Duh!). They actually have all the Crabs alive in plastic container bubbling up at the entrance.

So we ordered a big cold beer while we decided what to get: the crab, which you actually get to choose, some scallops with garlic and chives, we saw some greens on the table next door which looked delicious so we went ahead and order them (these are actually off the menu and are extra delicious) and because we wanted something more veggie-like we ordered the fried tofu (which was actually quite alright but I could definitely live without).

The service is incredibly fast, and the food came all at the same time (which is something I love, since my usual drill is to order a bunch of things and share everything with everyone), the veggies were amazing, garlicky and perfectly cooked, the scallops were perfect and had a little surprise, they were served with some vermicelli noodles, the tofu was bright and crispy, but let me tell you, the crab was just PERFECT, served below a mountain of crispy garlic, chives, spices and crumbs, perfectly cooked, the crab itself is amazingly sweet and tender and blends perfectly with the spices to create a wonderful mouthful of awesomeness… It was indeed a food orgasm.

After indulging ourselves in the sweet delicious carcasses of dead crustaceans we left the joint with hope in our eyes and happiness in our bellies. We could not have asked for a better dinner.

Beware that the crab could get a bit expensive (around 500-700 HKD for a big one) whilst the rest of the dishes are super affordable, so, you don't have to get a crab to get delicious food, but it is worth it, I can tell you that. So, your choice. However, even if you are just backpacking and you budget is a bit short, I think you can spare yourself from some other things just to enjoy this. You will not be disappointed. 

Temple Street Spicy Crab

No.210 Temple Street, Hong Kong.

Price Range: 100 - 400 HKD pp (Depending on what you get)

With two sexy companions.

Garlic Veggies, fucking YUM!

Fried tofu, pretty good, but not amazing.

Scallops, simply amazing.

Hong Kong Eats: 24 hr Breakfast & The Cha Chaan Teng

As your grandma has told you since you can recall people nagging you: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, regardless of the time you take your breakfast. So, imagine you wake up at 6 pm after a heavy night-morning of drinking, or you suddenly find yourself craving an omelet at 2 am, what do you do? Well, if you are in Hong Kong it is just a matter of moving to Wan Chai (Or Central) to The Flying Pan.

The Menu at the Flying Pan.

The Flying Pan offers, in its two locations in Hong Kong, a 24 hour Breakfast Menu, so whenever the time, whatever your alcoholic state, this place can calm those cravings you know you sometimes get, those cravings that can only be satiated with some omelet or maybe some benedict eggs.

They have an excellent menu, not too big, not too small, just right. You get to pick one of their combo menu items or make your own, it is pretty straight forward. They offer a hassle free western-style breakfast experience, which after being in Asia for a while, will make you very thankful.

 Choose between a broad selection of great food that includes:

• Descent bagels (a treat so rare to find around these places)
• English muffins
• Omelets
• Frittatas
• Benedict Eggs
• Other types of eggs
• Yoghurts
• Fruits
• Teas
• And Coffees.

While you are deciding what will settle your inner beast, get yourself a Bloody Mary, or a mimosa or a Bellini, hell, you can have a Gin Tonic or any cocktail you can imagine, they bar is very well stocked and has very affordable prices. By the way the service is fast and extremely nice, you know, that is always appreciated. 

Enjoy your 11 pm breakfast + cocktail and thank me later.

Awesome eggs Benedict with fresh avocado and pico de gallo.

The Flying Pan (Wanchai)

3F/L 81-85 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2528 9997

http://www.the-flying-pan.com

***It is a bit difficult to find, it is in the third floor of an inconspicuous building, you need to get there and go up. There is no visible sign outside, but be patient, it is worth it.

Price: Around 100 HKD

The Flying Pan (Central)

G/F 9 Old Bailey Street, Central, Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2140 6333

http://www.the-flying-pan.com

Price: Around 100 HKD

While we are in topic, lets talk about a staple of Hong Konese breakfast, the Cha Chaan Teng. But what the hell are these places with the funky name and huge lines of locals in the mornings ? (to be fair, they are packed pretty much all day). If you have ever been around Hong Kong, Macao, Main land China or Taiwan, you probably have come across one of these places that offer inexpensive and often delicious food.

Back in the day, western food was a novelty only available to the rich and powerful. Eventually, the cooks started experimenting with their interpretation of western food, eventually opening small joints that would offer tea and a broad menu of 'Asian Western' food. These joints were a total success among the working class people and gained a place amongst the hearts of the locals. Nowadays western food is broadly available but people come to the Cha Chaan Teng to enjoy the 'Asian Western' food as it has gained presence and validity of its own.

Asian Spaghetti and Meat balls, omelets, toast, crepes, chicken soups and other 'Western' classics were transformed and molded into a practically indistinguishable long lost brother of their original counterparts. A visit to one of this places is surreal to say the least:  it is completely fast paced and filled with locals which can be a bit intimidating for some people, then there is the menus, which are extensive and totally in Chinese, then there is the waiters who are always in a hurry and might ask you to seat in the communal tables. But hey! Relax! It is not as hard you think, just go with the flow, look the waiter in the eye and tell him how many (when in doubt use your body language), sit where they tell you, if there are locals around, say a quick hello and order (if you don’t know what you want, look around and point to what looks appealing or go for the good old point the menu in Chinese, it is very difficult to go wrong here, all food is good and is not really that bizarre), when the food comes, eat it with gusto, enjoy it, get up, say good bye, pay and leave, people come and go here and they are used to eat and leave very fast, it is not a place to stay and chat. Don't forget to observe around while you eat, this is a great experience, the atmosphere, the people, the food, it all comes together in a scenery worthy of Dali.

The food might not look that appealing and might resemble the food a college freshman would cook on a hot plate in his dorm, but trust me, this food is delicious, comforting and will make your belly happy, very happy, in fact, one of the best plate of scrambled eggs I have eaten was in The Australia Dairy CO.  A cha chaan teng in Hong Kong.

The Australia Dairy CO

47 Parkes St, Hong Kong

Price: 50 HKD

A long queue is always a good sign.

Looks plain but it will fool you.

Those were seriously some of the best scrambled eggs I have ever had!

Japexican goes Italian, Manicotti.

I have been meaning to write down this recipe for a long time. And this weather and mood seems perfect. Manicotti is a bit of a controversial recipe (Actually, once you have started to cook Italian and you have Italian friends you will realise that virtually ALL dishes in Italian cuisine are subject to controversies, interpretations and the fact that each friend will say that their mamma's version is the best one), some people prepare it with a pasta shell similar to cannelloni, and some other use crespelle (the Italian version of Crepes). I use the crespelle, in my opinion it gives the dish a silkier consistency and that feeling of comfort food that we all need right now!

This recipe was given to me by the mamma of a very good Italian friend of mine, and as such, I regard it as the best, so, if you disagree, you suck!

Anyways, here is my (slightly adopted version of the Mamma's recipe) Manicotti recipe.