The Japexican Take on Fermented Goodness: Kimchi.

Kimchi can be a little intimidating for the uninitiated, think about it, a little portion of unidentified stinky and spicy vegetables may be a little off-putting for some, but the Koreans have been at it for  hundreds of years, and they seem to be doing alright. 

Fermentation is one of the best ways of preserving food, by creating the right condition for good germs to grow we prevent the growth of nasty and harmful ones, allowing us to keep food for a very long time (the yummy flavors are just a tasty cherry on top of the cake) this was particularly important in Korea, where winters can be really harsh and months can go by without fresh produce.

Even today, many Korean families gather together in November to prepare huge batches of Kimchi to last the whole winter, in summer, lighter less fermented Kimchis are prepared and consumed with salads. Kimchi is so embedded in Korean food culture, that new houses are built and sold with a Kimchi fridge. But hey, I don’t blame them, it is fucking amazing, it goes great with grilled salty meats as its sourness cuts the richness and fat of meat, it goes great on the side of any rice dish, it goes great as part of a nice pork belly stew, it goes great on top of some korean tacos or why not, just on top of a rice cracker (I confess I do this more often than not). So hey, why not give it a chance, after you overcome the funkyness you will discover a nice, complex and delicious little thing that goes well with everything.

And as it turns out, we are now re-discovering the benefits of fermented foods, apparently Kimchi is great for your gut, aids in digestion and is, a real superfood… but honestly, who gives a fuck when the thing is so goddamn delicious? So, without further ado, and before hipsters ruin it for the rest of us, here is my no fuss Kimchi recipe. Thank me later.

Kimchi ready to start fermenting.

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!

Hong Kong Eats: Xiao Long Bao at The Crystal Jade

It is true that  Hong Kong is not known for their dumplings, Cantonese cuisine focuses in other spectra of the Chinese-Style cooking. But whatever, I am a sucker for dumplings, specially "Soup Dumplings", so while there, and telling to myself that since I was already in the area, I might as well find some good dumplings, and after asking around on the streets (turns out that the locals love Dumplings as well, and how can they not?) everything was pointing towards "The Crystal Jade" for a hefty serving of these beautiful bastards. 

Xiao Long Bao

First things first, Xiao Long Bao are not your typical dumpling, they do belong to the same Baozi family, however they are filled with a chilled rich filling, at this temperature the filling has a gel-like texture, but during the steaming process, the filling melts down into a delicious soup-like texture which gets trapped inside the dumpling, giving you then an amazing spoonful of soup inside a delicate and almost paper thin wrapping, out of this world.

When we got to the Crystal Jade I realised that it is a chain restaurant with locations all throughout Asia (and very soon to be present in the USA, in San Francisco), this made me a bit uneasy, I am not a big fan of chain anything, but I was extremely hungry, so I decided to give them a chance. Fuck did they prove me wrong! I had since come back in multiple occasions and every single time I leave the place so incredibly satisfied.

They offer a great variety of dishes in their surprisingly large menu, but they do take special attention in their signature dish, the Xiao Long Bao, from which you have a couple of options to choose from, they also offer some other mouthwatering dumplings, amazing side dishes, vegetables and the noodles are pretty good as well.

As in many restaurants throughout Hong Kong, the tea is unlimited and will keep coming until you tell them to stop, the service is extremely fast and the servers are quite nice (as you will discover, around here servers tend to have an 'attitude' but I actually love that about them, the have that edge you want without being rude). The dumplings will be the first thing to come out of the kitchen, as they keep making them continuously so there is virtually no wait, it is a very efficient production line, the fresh veggies will come second, then the warm veggies and sides, and lastly any other main dish you ordered. Whenever I go out I usually order a few dishes and I like sharing everything with everyone.

The Crystal Jade was a pleasant surprise, chain restaurants are usually not this good, but then again, Hong Kong breaks a lot of stereotypes when it come to food. It is a great place to come with friends or family.

Crystal Jade

Many locations in Hong Kong and South East Asia

http://www.crystaljade.com/

Price Range: 200-300 HKD pp.

More Xiao Long Bao

A hefty portion of Chinese Broccoli

Eel in a smokey sweet sauce

It all looks amazing (From Left to Right: Chinese broccoli, eel, pickled cucumber and xiao long bao)

Eel with Scallions.

Awesome (From Left to Right: Eel and scallions, pickled cucumber, a lonely dumpling, my magic combo of soy, chilli and vinegar for the dumplings)

Warm Greens

Noodles in Spicy Peanut Sauce.

More views of the goodness.

Other type of Dumplings.

Hong Kong Eats: Pork buns at the Cheapest Michelin Starred Restaurant.

I consider myself a food enthusiast, a fanatic of sorts. Food is my passion, whether it is cooking, reading about it, watching TV shows about it, and my Traveling (my other passion) involves a great deal of eating and cooking, so needless to say, it has been a dream of mine to visit a Restaurant that has been awarded with a Michelin Star however, visiting a place like this usually means spending considerable amounts of money and transporting yourself to a big enough city(in most cases).

Hong Kong is not the cheapest of places, to be fair it is quite expensive in most things. But if you are smart, and know who to ask and where to go you will find places that are more than reasonably price, in fact, they could be very cheap, and very good I might add. I haven't had any bad experiences dining in Hong Kong, I know it sounds presumptuous and a bit naïve as there MUST be some bad places, but you, my dear reader are no average traveler/foodie, you know your shit, you know how to make your research, you know who to ask, you will find  the good places. And THIS is definitely one of the good ones.

The Michelin Guide was created by the Tire Company at the beginning of the century to increase the automobile demand and in time, the tire demand. Over the years the Michelin Guide has grown so much that it is now considered the reference to which any other guide must be compared, it has become the go-to reference for fine dining.

Having a Michelin Star means that the food is exceptional amongst their competitors of the same type of cuisine, it means that it has great quality and consistency, overall it is recommended to visit this place. Betting the reputation of the guide, their critics and their experts. There are also two and three star ratings, but I have never had the chance to experience any of those so I will limit my comments to only say that having two starts means "Excellent cooking, worth a detour from your way"  and three stars means "Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey" I hope that one day in the near future I will be writing you guys about this.

But lets get back to business , Tim Ho Wan is a Dim Sum restaurant, which means they specialize in small portions of bite-sized (almost) pieces of deliciousness designed to be eaten with your tea. But Dim Sum nowadays is eaten at any point of the day and in many different forms.

Tim Ho Wan has several locations across Hong Kong, all of them awarded the mentioned Michelin Star. I have personally visited 2 of those locations and the food is great in both. Consistency is one of the things they have.

There are no reservations and people is seated as first come first served basis, which to me is the best way, even if it means waiting in line for some time (which you must probably have to do, although I would recommend you to be here after 9 pm when the wait is shorter). Once inside you will quickly be placed in a table (the place is a bit crowded so bear that in mind), at your disposal there  will be a piece of paper and some pens, that is how you order (they also have the papers in English, so don't worry).

They are famous for their BBQ Pork Buns, and for good reason, they are amazing! Delicious sweet BBQ pork inside a soft bun, they come in threes and are super cheap, you will order one serving, and immediately after the first bite, you will be ordering seconds if not thirds, I GUARANTEE IT! Their Turnip Cake, Steamed Egg Cake and Vermicelli Rolls are also quite good, if you are hesitating on what to order, start with their 'Divine Four'.

• I recommend you to order the 'tea portion' which gives you virtually unlimited fairly good quality' red tea.
• There will always be some chilly paste, vinegar and soy sauce which you will use to season your dumplings. Apply generously and at will to your selection of dumplings.

* I apologize for the half eaten items in my photos, and the missing photos of some items, but everything was so good and we were so hungry that we could not wait for the photos (something that rarely happens).

Pork Buns, Turnip Cakes, Phoenix Talons and Dumplings. 

We ordered several things , I will give you a description of them, but my words will not give this amazing dishes the justice they deserve, I will try though.

1. The Pork Buns: Just imagine how the gods created this amazing concoction out of a pastry so light and deliciously seasoned that can only be made out of heavenly clouds and filled them with what I can only think of pieces of Angelic Pork swimming in a BBQ sauce that creates instant happiness.  Yeah, they are that good. We ended up having like four servings of them suckers.

The Pork Buns.

2. The Turnip Cakes: Pan seared squares of deliciousness. I had never liked turnip, until now, I just considered it the boring cousin of carrots, but believe you me, I have no idea what they put in this, but if you combine the soft, salty and semi-sweetness of the cake with the bold taste of the chili sauce they come out with, boom! Instant taste bud gratification.

The Turnip Cakes

3. The Vermicelli Rolls: Are you a fan of liver? This is for you. You never really liked liver? This is definitely for you! Somehow the filling of these rolls has turned down the harshness of the liver taste into a mild but rich paste of awesomeness. It has all the big flavors of liver but somehow they have tuned down all the little things that must people don’t like.

4. The Steamed Egg Cake: What can I tell you? It is fluffy and light as fuck! Seriously, think of the lightest and fluffiest madeleine you have ever had, and take it even further. Its not predominantly salt or sweet but a combination that ends up being just awesome.

5. The Phoenix Talons: Asian cultures have a long term relationship with phoenixes (which are way different and more awesome than our western counterparts) hence the name of this dish, which is basically Chicken Feet. Ha! But don't be mislead or discouraged by this description, they are awesome, packed with flavor and with a combination of textures that your mind is gonna love!

6. The Dumplings: I always end up judging my Dim Sum by the quality of the dumplings being served. And allow me to continue this mental blow job I am giving to the guys at Tim Ho Wan, this dumplings are amazing, perfectly steamed, perfect size, thickness and the fillings are just fresh and perfectly seasoned. 

Some amazing dumplings.

The service is amazingly fast, super friendly and the food is constantly good.

I hate myself a little bit for loving this place so much, seriously. I can eat everywhere, anything but I generally have something to say, something to add, or something that in my mind would make the places better. Tim Ho Wan was my "shut up and take my money" place. If you are around HK and are looking for some great food and overall a great experience, don’t hesitate, this place will BLOW YOUR MIND!

Tim Ho Wan

Several Locations

Price: Less than 100HK (roughly 10 euros)

Website: http://www.timhowan.com

Hong Kong Eats: Char Siu

Before my return to the Old Continent. I did some traveling. This is the first entry on my special

about the amazing foods I ate in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a melting pot of cultures, religions and of course food. First thing to remember is that this region is, in fact, Cantonese, which means different language and of course different food from the typical Chinese food we all know.

That being said, what better way to start than with one of the staples of Cantonese cuisine? Char Siu.

The amazing Char Siu

Char Siu is the Cantonese version of the Sunday Roast. Delicious pork (belly, shoulder or neck) seasoned with honey, five spice, soy sauce and rice wine, all roasted in a wood oven (traditional but not so common anymore) at relatively low temperature and for quite a long time, resulting in a beautiful piece of meat that is crispy on the outside and is soft and moist on the inside. Yes, it is as good as it sounds.

You will see these type of meat hanging in the windows of countless places known as Siu Mei, there you will also see ducks, geese, sausages and pigeons prepared in the same awesome way, resulting of course in a culinary overload.

The rule of thumb here, as in most places in the world, is to avoid the tourist areas and try to find the place with the most amount of locals and that looks more authentic. I followed the recommendation of a good friend of mine, who got the recommendation from another guy, and in the same way I hope I can convince you to visit this magnificent place.

Joy Hing's Roasted Meats is, no questions asked, a hidden jewel. Inconspicuously located on a side street of Wanchai with no signs outside, this little place (And when I say little, I mean it, they have like eight tables in a 5 x 5 place) offers such an experience. There is a line outside practically all the time, people come here to get some take out or grab a quick bite (out of respect to the other people waiting you try to make your stay inside as fast as possible). It is one of the few Siu Mei left in Hong Kong that still uses a wood oven to roast their meats, and this oven is constantly working, I would guess that the go through several pigs a day, seriously!

But the wait is worth it. Once in, you have to find a place to sit, which most likely will be sharing a table with 5 other locals that are very concentrated on  their plates to even look at your foreigner face. The servers speak a little English, but to be fair, you don't need that, you came here for one thing and one thing only: Char Siu! So, when the server comes to you and mumbles something in Cantonese that you probably  don’t have a clue what it means, just look him in the eye, smile and say: Char Siu! Big! Rice! Cha! And you are done, 2 minutes later you will have the most amazing plate of roasted meat you have ever tasted with a hefty portion of rice. Tea is free by the way and is usually on the tables for you to serve in a paper cup. This stuff is so  good that you will for a little while forget everything about anything, you will concentrate on your plate just like the locals do, and before you realize it you will have consumed almost a kilogram of meat. Amazing!

You will get a little receipt which you will take to the lady at the cashier and pay. The last time we ate like there was no tomorrow and ended up paying around 90 HKD (roughly 9 Euros) between two people. It was so awesome.

I hope that these lines have managed to convince you to visit this amazing place!

Joy Hing's Roasted Meats

265-267 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, China

Price: Less than 100 HKD

The Night Markets

If there is one thing and one place you must visit during your stay in Taiwan is the night Market. Let’s get something straight, something that everybody kept telling me and I kept reading in blogs and articles and refused to believe myself, but it is very true; Taiwanese Night Markets are a lot to take in for the newcomer. What can I tell you, they are busy, packed, noisy and in a simple explanation a fucking overload for all your senses. You will immediately notice the amount of people, the brightness and colorfulness of all the stalls, the pungent smells (both good and bad), music and people shouting, and the lack of personal space. But come on, you came here to experience everything, so, now that you have overcome the smells and personal space issue (which in my case were the hardest thing, because noise and lights are alright in my book), take a deep fucking breath and just dive in this fantastic ocean of new things and possibilities.

The parking lot of a Night Market 

Stinky Tofu

There are many things that are considered staples of the Taiwanese gastronomy like the Beef Noodle Soup, the One Thousand Year Old Eggs, the Tea Eggs and the Bubble Tea, but Stinky Tofu is, no questions asked, THE food to eat when you come to this Island.

You have probably heard the stories already, so I will start this post with two confessions:

1. I love Stinky Tofu, well, depending on how it is prepared.
2. I didn't like it at first.

First Preparation.

Minoru's Diary in Taiwan: The Day to Day Life

Tainan is a very peaceful and easy going place. The locals find it big, noisy and fast paced, but, to be honest, it is nothing like that. If you are used to the buzz of a big city, Tainan will be one of those places where you can just retire and relax.

Yes, there are a lot of scooters and some traffic, but that is only around rush hour (i.e. 8 a.m. or 6 p.m.)  and yes, there is quite a lot of pollution in the air. But there is something about the place that makes it seem, for lack of a better word, peaceful. Maybe is the fact that after 8 p.m. there is little to no traffic, after 10 p.m. there is little to no people outside.

You can always find people around fishing, immersed in their own thoughts.

Fisherman

Boiled, hot and spicy goodies!

As I have come to realise during this past week while losing myself in this gorgeous city, is the culinary obsession that the Tainanesse (not sure if this is the correct way of calling them, but fuck it) have with food.

Menu and prices.

There are many exotic things and many not so exotic ones, and this, more than exotic is unique and interesting; think for a second on a buffet, an omelette bar and a Japanese shabu-shabu, are you there yet? Ok, now forget the details of each of these things and let us meet this local delicacy.

There are literally hundreds of this kind of joints around Tainan, the first thing you will notice is a cart outside the little shop containing a ridiculous amount of delicious things; from blood-rice cakes, sausage and meatballs, to any kind of fresh veggies, noodles and mushrooms of all sorts, passing through all the imaginable (and unimaginable) permutations of tofu.

The goodies

Let's Roll Some Oysters!

From the outside, Chen’s Oyster rolls looks a little bit like your typical fast food chain, but don’t be fooled by these looks, Chen’s Oyster Rolls holds great surprises for your taste buds. It is the real deal, real fast and delicious food and all of the ingredients are acquired just a few meters away in the Fish Market; its hard to get any fresher than that!

The logo!

Soup In Your Dumplings (No kidding!)

The firs thing you can notice when approaching HaoWeiDao (上海好味道小籠湯包) Soup Dumplings (other than the giant red and yellow sign) is the open kitchen, in which a group of cooks in red shirts prepare the dumplings with great mastery. The dough is rolled with small and thin pins then they are filled with a gelatinous broth; savoury, packed with meat (or not) and different veggies. Then in the hands of a couple of “dumpling masters” they are closed and beautifully placed in the steamer.

The craftsmen behind this lovely creation.