And even more of Hong Kong

As I've been reminiscing about my Hong Kong trip, I found myself missing the city again.  So... I just came back from a short weekend getaway.  Yes, I know, I really can't get enough of Hong Kong.

This time around, it was a relaxed leisurely trip to enjoy the city, the eating, and the shopping (even though I didn't actually buy anything - which still feels so weird).  For part of the leisurely feel of the trip, we enjoyed getting up to room service.  Mandarin Oriental's the Statue Square view provides such a breathtaking way to start each day watching the weekend and weekday crowds bustle around Central.

Staying at the Mandarin allows us to readily eat at the hotel's restaurants.  In our past trips, we've dined at Man Wah and Pierre.  This time around it, we felt like taking things more casual.  Cafe Causette is a perfect place for a quality, yet relaxed meal at any time of the day.  Local publications recently awarded this establishment with the "Best Hotel Burger".  After dining at the restaurant for lunch and dinner, with a classic burger for each meal, I can conclude it is a satisfying burger.  They do, however, need to work on the consistency.  At lunch, the simplicity and minimalism made a clean burger with the intense quality of beef shine.  At dinner, the lettuce and mayonnaise were slathered on too much and made for a messier burger experience.

Hong Kong has been all over the international news these past weeks and months.  It was fascinating to see how protestors are still affecting the city.  The partial closure of Connaught Road is surprising to see in person.  It's such a significant road and protestors are successfully redirecting major traffic.

In other current event news, we also witnessed the ceremony of Remembrance Day, also known as Poppy Day.  While no longer an official city holiday since 1997, it was nice to see how the history of British culture is still alive in the island.

Room service with a view

A classic burger, paired with red wine

Starting off the week at Disneyland Hong Kong

The happiest place on earth!  And because everyone wants to be happy, it's also the most crowded place on earth.  Disneyland Hong Kong is so much fun, but get ready for the crowds and hoards of people.

Following the biking afternoon adventure around Lantau Island, I extended my stay in Hong Kong just a little bit more.  My flight home to Manila was now scheduled in the evening.. so that left me with a good 5-6 hours at the park.  That's more than enough time to get a few rides in.

If you go to Disneyland HK during summer months, get ready for the crowds and get ready to spend money on cold drinks all day to stay hydrated.  It's the happiest, most crowded, AND most sweaty place on earth.  Heat and hoards of people aside, it's still Disneyland.  It's still so cool, regardless of age.

The park is smaller than Los Angeles, but it's slowly growing with many appealing attractions, like Toy Story Land, as well as an Iron Man Experience soon to come.  There are also the familiar rides like Space Mountain and the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.  There are about a handful of rides offering Fast Track tickets before lunch.  It's so worth it.  To cool down, there are also a fun variety of indoor rides and on-screen and live productions, like the Lion King.

Before the sun had a chance to set, I had to take off to catch my flight (where the airport is also on Lantau Island).  If you go to the park and it's your first time, the fireworks show is amazing.  There's something about fireworks in Asia that's so spectacular..

A seas of umbrellas under the Hong Kong heat

Biking around Lantau Island in Hong Kong

Coming from a bustling, chaotic convention crowd over in Hong Kong Island, fresh air and nature were needed to end the weekend.  Lantau Island is a perfect place to get your nature fix.

Thanks to my best friend, who currently resides in Lantau Island, we quickly rented bikes and were on our way to an enjoyable Sunday afternoon.  I'm so impressed with the bike paths - they are so safe and off the road.  It keeps everyone in their own sections preventing accidents for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles.

You can get all the sceneries around this island.  Greenery of trees and mountains, water, and cityscapes.  There's also the view of planes flying from the airport and the speed of trains whizzing by heading to Tung Chung and to the airport.  Water and greenery quickly blended with the rush of a city - it's pretty breathtaking and a great way to take a pause from the routine of life.

I really do love HK

Along the water

Gogyo: A "ramen dining" experience

Ramen is a food I cannot go without.  At least one bowl a month brings balance into my food life.  But, it has to be good ramen because average and mediocre ramen just makes you hungrier for better broth and better noodles.

Hong Kong always has new restaurants every time we revisit.  In IFC, restaurants and stores constantly change or revamp.  Where one ramen shop used to be, another one opened up earlier this year.

Gogyo comes from the creator of the Ippudo Ramen.  Gogyo's concept is "Ramen Dining". It's sort of a higher end ramen dining experience, away from the rush of traditional ramen stalls.  Started in Kyoto, the ramen shop became known for it's burnt ramen, Kogashi.  Here in Hong Kong, there are also a few other bowls, including those similar to Ippudo.  I actually find the broth here cleaner tasting.  Plus, I lean toward places that have clean atmospheres and are relaxed for the diners to eat and drink.  Aside from ramen, there are also artful skewers and yakitori, all made with quality ingredients.  Another fun selling point are the selection of alcohols, as well as craft beer pairings with the ramen bowls and skewers.

Good ramen and good beer!  That's the perfect combination.

Mini Aka Ramen

Can't get enough of Hong Kong

I have come to love Hong Kong because of my mom who summered with her family in the Central district as a child.  Central is really where it's at.  You still feel British Hong Kong, and I love that.  It has culture, discipline, high fashion, great foods, and a true modern metropolitan city feel.

Visiting the city for these many years, we have a certain set of traditions or routines each time we come back: staying at the same hotel, having a Chinese feast, enjoying tapas, and trying out new establishments from international chefs.

Staying at the Mandarin Oriental is a true privilege.  The cleanliness, the service, the attention to detail - it all lives up to its reputation here in Hong Kong.  A benefit in staying at this hotel is the restaurants just upstairs.  The Man Wah has become one of our favorite Chinese restaurants in the city.  They have it all - attentive service, artful presentation, quality, and taste.

On the hotel's mezzanine floor of restaurants, Cafe Causette has a generous list of breakfast items perfect for a weekend brunch.  I'm a fan of corned beef hash, and theirs blew me away.  The plating, the quality of the beef itself and how it all tasted together was just the best I've encountered so far.  There is so much quality and finesse in it.

Across the harbour (via Star Ferry which is a fantastic way to go to Kowloon), Gateway Arcade in Harbour City has a great variety of restaurants.  Our family favorite is Sergi Arola's Vi Cool.  I can't get enough of the tapas and pitchers of sangrias.

Another international chef that has been a long stay in Hong Kong, Joel Robuchon, has recently expanded several outlets of his cafes across the city.  Le Cafe de Joel Robuchon in Gateway is a good place for dessert or for afternoon tea.

Hong Kong is really about the eating.  And I can't wait to go back for more.

View of the harbour
Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Man Wah - A Classic Hong Kong Experience

My first memories of Hong Kong dates back to the late 90s.  And from then on, the city became my respite from trips to Manila.  The city was a breathe of fresh air, and the expat community around Central reminded me of home (which was the San Francisco Bay Area at the time).  I only remember one or two meals that really stood out and that I still carry with me today.

Man Wah is a Hong Kong tradition that dates decades back.  I first dined here as a young girl over the Christmas season.  I can recall the classy fine dining setting and the proper attire of all the diners.  Growing up, I really valued all those meals my parents took our family to when we would have to dress up and indulge in course by course meals and five star service.  It was so special (and that feeling still holds true today).  And then, to make the holiday dinner even more memorable, a line of school girls came in, lined up around the restaurant, and sang traditional songs to the diners.  Wow!  As a girl who grew up endlessly replaying the Sound of Music and Almost Angels, this made me fall in love with the restaurant.

Flash forward 15+ years, and I'm still finding myself dining at Man Wah.  The restaurant remains located on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental - a hotel my grandfather loved, who passed on the love to my mom, who in turn passed on that love to me.  The panoramic views of the city are reason alone to dine here.  Another reason, it's legitimately Michelin starred - and by legitimate, I mean there are other restaurants in the city who earned it by hype, but Man Wah actually earned it and continues to earn it.

And the food!  You know that feeling you sometimes get after eating Chinese food?  Oily, heavy, lethargic, etc.  There's absolutely none of that here.  So much so, we ate there three times over the course of our three day trip!  And trust me we take each meal in Hong Kong seriously since we're only there for a limited time.  Yes, Man Wah is that good.  It's just as delicious as it was in the 90s, maybe even more so.  The best part of it all, it's luxurious while being completely unpretentious.

Today, Man Wah has kept up with the high expectations of food lovers.  It's serving traditional cuisine with worldly influences and unforgettable plating.  I can't tell you which to choose, dinner or dim sum, because both are amazing.  When you have dinner here, you must get the Iberian pork.  Succulent, fried, savoury, with a hint of sweetness.  I can eat this for days.  And the dim sum was almost too beautiful to eat, but I'm glad I ate it because it's the best dim sum I've had in Hong Kong (which pretty much means it's the best dim sum I've eaten around the world).  To top it all off, the service is beyond impeccable.  The captain waiter, Richard, details the meal with such knowledge and passion.  The best part before tasting the food is when the server describes the dish and its background.  Richard excelled in this because he cares for the diners, the food, and the whole dining experience.  Even if it's pricey, the plating, the taste, the atmosphere, and the service makes you want to come back for more, and more, and more.

Deep fried codfish, preserved olive, black bean, five spices

Deep fried crab claw coated with minced shrimp

Hong Kong Hype, Part 2: Catalunya

On the other end of the hyped Hong Kong dining scene spectrum (Hong Kong Hype, Part 1) is the highly revered Catalunya.  We came here just after New Years for a special night with Chef Albert Adria who flew in from Barcelona via Singapore.  Coming fresh from Spain just a few months prior to this evening, we were blown away with the casual fun eating at Tickets.  Technically executed modern and traditional Spanish tapas by one of the famous Adria brothers.  Tickets became sole reason to want to revisit Barcelona (as I favor the other Spanish cities like San Sebastian, Madrid, etc.).  Now the food and the chef were flown in for this special evening in Hong Kong.

I've been curious about Catalunya since it's opening, as the number of articles and reviews highly praise the food and staff, many of whom trained with the Adria brothers at the former El Bulli.  Coming from my family's roadtrip in Spain and eating in a number of restaurants from the Adria-trained chefs, we had expectations and excitement for the night.

...And it turned into one of those highly anticipated nights that became a complete disaster.  This has to be one of the biggest letdown meals I've ever experienced.  First of all, the meal was over $450 per person inclusive of wine pairing, all pre-paid weeks prior to the meal.  With that price, you just naturally expect a flawless night.  After being seated and given the menu, expectations continued to excite and rise.

The first courses came out and looked great.  All these small bites for a fun start.  The server lacked details of describing what we were getting.  Okay, fine, that loosely passed me.  After the "snacks" a traditional course of jamon and pan con tomate came out.  This was high quality, melt in your mouth jamon.  So quality, so good, and only found in Spain.  After savoring the slices, we saw that one of the obnoxiously loud tables next to us were onto their next courses and did not touch the jamon plate.  Whaat?  We kept eyeing the plate all night, and it was not touched.  How can you go to a Spanish restaurant and not appreciate the jamon??  What kind of customers are they?  As we saw some of the servers nearby gush over these customers, it was clear these people were just here to be seen and not the eat the meal.

Because of whoever these people were at the tables next to us, our table was completely forgotten.  Between courses we did not get a change of plate or utensils.  You might think that is too much to ask, but for a meal this costly it's the least you expect from the service.  Our food was getting served without any explanation.  You can tell the servers were overwhelmed with the crowd, but this is a restaurant that's always fully booked.  Shouldn't they be ready for this kind of rush?

We also had to remind our server that we had the wine pairing.  When the sommelier came to our table he told us were were just a part of a handful of people who paid for the wine pairing.  He explained to us how it's completely ridiculous to have a wine pairing for this kind of meal.  Too many flavors and how can you possibly pair wine with that.  Seriously?!  You're a sommelier - first of all, it's your job, and second, with Spanish wines it's very possible.  Spanish wines were made for tapas and its multitude of flavors.  He was just not into the task at hand.  So much so by the second courses, he completely forgot about us and we had to ask our server to take care of our wines.  By the third course we voiced out our annoyance, and were given unlimited pours of the wines.  That might have worked 5 or so years ago, but my liver is too aged and experienced to gush at free alcohol from a douchey guy.

To make matters worse - and this is the real icing on the cake - before pouring a new wine, we were given new glasses.  Or so we thought.  The counter next to us had new plates, glasses, cutlery, etc.  The shelf on the bottom of the counter had all the used things waiting for the servers to take it to the kitchen.  My mom had a clear line of sight of this counter.  The server gave us two glasses on the top counter, and was scrambling to look for a third glass for our table.  It was taken from the bottom shelf.  Yes, the used glasses.  Not even realizing it, it was served to our table.  My mom asked for a new glass because of what she witnessed.  Gross, right?  You know what's grosser?  The server kept getting glasses from that used shelf and serving it to other tables, including Chef Adria's family table!  We could not close our mouths from the shock.  Unbelievable.

We couldn't stand it at this point and started to show in our faces we were not having a good meal.  When the managers approached us, we voiced our complaints and even told them about the used glass incident since we finally had their attention, and they used the excuse that they weren't ready for the rush.  I just can't buy that.  When they realized we were real food fans and well traveled to know that we were just in Spain, they began acting faster with us.  We weren't complaining about the servers being slow.  A couple of them were actually nice and tried their best.  It's how they were taught and the attitude of the managers and that sommelier.  It's like they think just because they came from El Bulli they don't have to try anymore.  In Spain, I was expecting some stiffness from the higher end restaurants.  Not at all.  They were all so relaxed and friendly like we were in a neighborhood restaurant.  There was none of that genuine friendliness here.

To appease us, they gave us desserts to take home, El Bulli books, and had Chef Adria (who we had already met in Barcelona at his Tickets) greet us at the end of our meal.  Was all that enough to make us come back to Catalunya?  Sadly, no because you can't change attitudes that fast, and when you carelessly give tables used glasses that's a huge no turning back for me.  If people are still flocking to them because they want to tell others they ate here, I can't imagine them getting their heads out of the clouds and being humble.  The restaurant is successful because of the social scene wanting to the seen.  Not because of the whole package experience of food AND service.

Menu for the night at Cataluyna

Hong Kong Hype, Part 1: Tim Ho Wan

Eating is like appreciating art.  It's subjective to your preferences and not the opinions of others.  Modern day marketing, social media, and those wanting to be of "society" have changed some dining scenes.  Eating in certain cities and restaurants has become a status symbol, rather than the joy of good food and the dining experience.

Hong Kong used to be my favorite city in the world because of its eating and vibrancy.  Unfortunately, the city has rapidly changed in the past few years; actually, the change is incredibly evident in just this past 1 or 2 years.  British Hong Kong and that Hong Kong standard have vanished.  Orderliness has given way to the crowds and clusters of mainland China rushing in.  As for the food, there still is a lot of great eating and dining in Hong Kong.  However, you can't readily trust reviews or articles because it can just be marketing or popular because it's the place to be seen or to say you've eaten there.  So really it's a matter of trying it for yourself to determine: hype or the real thing.

Tim Ho Wan at the Hong Kong Station is not the Michelin rated location, but it serves the same food in a cleaner-ish setting.  There's always a crowd and a wait at all times of the day and night.  In general, a long line means it's worth lining up for, right?  No way.  What a complete let down.  The food is ordinary and the service is absolutely, ridiculously awful.  We ordered a lot, and they treated us as though we were an inconvenience for giving them business.  They rushed us to finish our meal by cleaning all the tables around us, putting up chairs, mopping the floors, AND turning off the lights and shutting down the front gate halfway.  Whaaat?  This is the food service industry?  This is what people line up for?  This is a reflection of Michelin?  Literally ridiculous.

Hong Kong Hype, Part 2: Catalunya.

English menu at Tim Ho Wan HK Station

Pineapple Bun
Pale and soft with no texture on top,
while lacking a punch of BBQ pork taste inside.

Thai with a golf course view in Hong Kong

A trip to Hong Kong usually involves endless walking and eating around Central and Tsim Sha Tsui.  If there's enough time and stomach space, I usually venture out of Central and into Sheung Wan, Wan Chai, and Causeway Bay.  Basically sticking to the bubble of Hong Kong Island.  So when there's even more time and good company, it's refreshing to explore beyond HK Island.

Hong Kong International Airport proudly has a nine-hole golf course just 10 minutes away from the airport.  A free shuttle takes you there to enjoy the links and the clubhouse.  In the clubhouse sits a Thai restaurant, Erawan, which serves home-cooked Thai cuisine with a relaxing golf course view.  

The restaurant provides indoor seating when it's raining or too hot and outdoor seating when the weather is just right.  It's a peaceful and tasty escape from the bustle of the city.  Whether you're a golfer or an eater, this is a fun option for something completely different.

If you can't see the slide show check out my Flickr album: Thai Golf Course HK

Dim Sum in Tung Chung

Before heading home from our one week family vacation in Japan, it was time for a brief couple of nights in Hong Kong.  We frequent Hong Kong for two reasons: 1) We usually patronize Cathay Pacific, so it's a mandatory stop.  On flights back home Manila, it's always an option if we want to stopover or stay longer in Hong Kong.  2) I love Hong Kong and I can never get enough of this city.

Two nights in Hong Kong allowed for a full day to catch up with my best friend in his new place in Tung Chung.  Tung Chung is located relatively close to the Hong Kong International Airport.  For those of you who enjoy bargain shopping, there is a nice outlet mall with imported brand names located right at the MTR stop.

Before checking out his new pad, we walked around the outlet mall for something to eat.  After a week of Japanese food, I was ready for some dim sum.  So Federal Palace was the perfect place.  Even though we were only 2 people, I still wanted to enjoy some classic Cantonese bites while in Hong Kong.  I left the ordering to the local, and I just requested ordering plates I don't always get.  My love for constantly trying new things.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

If you can't see the slide show, check out my Flickr album: Tung Chung Dim Sum

High Quality, Local Eats in Hangzhou

24 hours in one city. Every meal counts. Every bite counts.

Lunch was already pretty good, so I was hoping dinner would be similar. I was wrong.

Dinner at Jin Sha, also at the Four Seasons, was so much better. It was the highlight of the trip.

We ordered all the local specialties, like the Beggar's Chicken which was brought to our table with a mallet. My brother had the opportunity to hammer it open. Fun!

Even the vegetables, which were so simple, were so packed with flavor while still making the taste of the vegetable the star. And the highlight of the night was the pork buns! The pyramid layered presentation was beautiful and so creative. Pork buns in Asia are to a higher level of ridiculously deliciousness.

Place your cursor above "Notes" as some of the pictures have captions.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Jin Sha

WLB - West Lake Bistro at the Four Seasons Hangzhou

After the train ride into Hangzhou, we were ready for a late lunch. The hotel bistro seemed like the perfect place.

WLB, West Lake Bistro, is one of the restaurants at the Four Seasons Hotel where we enjoyed our overnight stay. The bistro has a variety of International and Local menu selections.

The main reason, aside from convenience, that we chose the restaurant is that the menu offers Dong Po. Dong Po and Zhang Yimou's show are the only 2 reasons why I wanted to take my family to Hangzhou.

Dong Po is pork belly braised with soy sauce, sugar, and Chinese wine. It's named after its creator, Dong Po, who improved on the traditional recipe while exiled in Hangzhou.

We learned about this from a National Geographic special and tried the recipe at home. So melt-in-your-mouth good! Then we had it in Taipei and Hong Kong, ridiculously good!

So the Dong Po in its originating city has to be amazing, right? Well, this definitely did not disappoint.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: WLB

Four Seasons Hotel in Hangzhou

A family trip to anywhere. The requirement? A nice hotel.

In researching accommodation in Hangzhou, I was really excited to see a brand new Four Seasons in Hangzhou, which opened in October of 2010. Perfect!

The property is located along the Westlake. It combines traditional Chinese architecture on the outside and a modern minimalist Chinese look on the inside. For a getaway location, I was hoping for a more thematic setting and atmosphere. The interior felt a bit impersonal, as though we were in a business hotel.

Nonetheless the stay was clean and comfortable. The best part of the hotel was the restaurants, which will be featured later this week.


Here are pictures in and around the property:

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Four Seasons Hangzhou

Visiting the Historic West Lake in Hangzhou, China

After a sight and sound spectacular in Yangshuo, I had to see more of Zhang Yimou's Impressions' shows throughout China. If you found the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony impressive, I highly recommend seeing at least one of those shows in your lifetime.

When my family planned a trip to Shanghai, I included Hangzhou into our itinerary just to see Zhang Yimou's Impression of West Lake.

A short hour high speed train ride, and you're there. Hangzhou is a big city that has a historic lake. At the end of the 13th century, Marco Polo had declared Hangzhou to be "the City of Heaven, the most beautiful and magnificent in the world."

Away from the bustle of the city and the crowds of tourists, a boat ride on the lake is a relaxing retreat (and authentically mainland CHina with our spitting boat driver).

The Zhang Yimou show is another impressive production. We sat in the VIP boat seats, but I would actually recommend sitting in the middle of regular seats to enjoy the center point of view of the show.

The lights, the thematic colors, the cast, and the number of them are all sights to see. Zhang Yimou continues to succeed in his craft.

From big cities to rural, China is filled with so many cities and towns to visit. They are all so different with unique natural or metropolitan settings.


Here are some pictures from my trip to Hangzhou. In the days to follow, I'll feature our hotel and, of course, a couple of the memorable meals.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Hangzhou Fall 2011

Top 10s of 2011: Top 10 Favorite Cities

It's been another successful year of traveling! I've been back to my favorite cities and I've discovered new favorites as well. The list constantly grows and changes after every trip and at the end of each year.

These are my favorite cities that I traveled to this year. I took out San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila, and New Haven because I go there so often and for long periods of time that it seems a bit unfair to include them in this travel list. But, expect to see at least SF on my favorite food cities list tomorrow

These are the 10 cities I traveled to this past year. My favorite cities are ranked according to cities with the tastiest foods and repeatability to go back.

My Top 10 Favorite Cites from 2011:
10. Kathmandu (to be posted in January)
9. Pokhara (also to be posted in January)
8. Hangzhou (to be posted this coming week)
7. Boston
6. Shanghai
5. Chiang Mai
4. New York City
3. Taipei
2. Hong Kong
1. Bangkok

Can't wait for my 2012 travels!

Next Top 10s: Top 10 Favorite Food Cities

Din Tai Fung in Shanghai, featuring the best bite of food this year.

From first bite, Din Tai Fung became one of my food meccas. Every visit, every location in Taipei and Shanghai, every basket.. it's all soo good.

Just like in Taipei, when I'm in Shanghai eating at Din Tai Fung is a personal requirement. Actually, eating there at least twice is a personal requirement.

Every location has a few different dumplings on their own menus. After touring the observation decks of the World Financial Center, my family and I had a late lunch at DTF. I knew this was going to be a great meal. What I didn't expect was to have the greatest bite of food...maybe ever, but definitely the greatest bite from this entire 2011.

Last spring, I had a fantastic meal in Benu in San Francisco. One of the tasting menu selections was Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao. It was excellent with a distinctive foie gras taste and a beautifully thin wrapper.

Months later, I encountered another foie gras xiao long bao here at the Din Tai Fung in Shanghai. Without any need for a name brand chef and without any need to spend hundreds, this foie gras xiao long bao puts all else to shame.

You know when you eat something great, you get silenced for a moment. You enjoy the taste in your mouth, maybe make an appreciative sound with your mouth closed (assuming you have proper eating manners, that is), and then comment on how spectacular it was after you swallowed the food or drink.

This totally was not like that. One tiny bite from the dumpling to get the soup...the soup hit my lips and tongue. OMG, the screaming intensity of the goose liver hits you. That overwhelming goodness doesn't leave you time to enjoy a silent moment. The taste involuntarily had my mouth and brain verbalizing the utter goodness. The juice almost trickled out of my mouth because I had yet to swallow my first little bite. Manners wiped away. Any thought other than this amazing goose liver vanished. You can't help but let out an expletive to describe the goodness. It's that amazing. Hands down, best bite this year. Hands down.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: DTF SWFC

Hotel Eats in the Peninsula Shanghai

The first time I visited Shanghai last year, my parents and I stayed at the brand new Peninsula Shanghai. It was still on it's soft opening and it had already impressed up. Peninsula Hotels really stand up to their reputation of great service and a memorable stay.

So for my second trip back to Shanghai, we happily came back. After long days of touring and eating through Shanghai, it's such a great feeling to come back to a comfortable, clean hotel.

Last time, we dined in the Lobby Lounge for breakfast and at Sir Elly's for a special dinner. All the meals were excellent and memorable.

This time around we had breakfasts and also a late night meal in the Lobby Lounge. The food is satisfying and filling, and the portions are generous! After a long day of flying and driving, settling into the hotel with a comforting meal is the best way to end the day.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Shanghai Lobby Lounge

Aside from the Lobby Lounge, we also tried out the Chinese restaurant, Yi Long Court. I was a bit disappointed that they served only Cantonese cuisine and not Shanghainese cuisine. When I'm in Shanghai, I want to have all the local specialities.

That disappoint lead to greater disappointments. The food was decent and the service was poor, especially for a Peninsula establishment. What happened?? They were all young guys who were not trained for high end Chinese dining. You'd expect the Chinese restaurant in Peninsula Shanghai to be really impressive and memorable.. sadly, that was not the case at all. You're definitely better off leaving the hotel for a Chinese dinner. If the service improved, I think the food would have tasted better. This was definitely one of those cases where a negative affected the whole experience.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Peninsula Shanghai Chinese

Back in Shanghai

If you need proof that China is taking over the world, all you need to do is visit Shanghai. The sights of their architecture leave you awestruck. The commerce and economy leave you impressed.

The rich history is evident throughout the parts of the city. Through the people and the architecture, you can see the influence from neighboring countries and Europe. You can see the old Europe along the Bund and the new futuristic skyscrapers just across the Pudong.

Day and night, Shanghai is an amazing city that can really take your breath away.

Here are some pictures of a few sights of the city. For more pictures, check out past entries from my visit last year.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Shanghai Fall 2011

Top 10s of 2011: Top 10 Favorite Restaurants in the World

Now this is a difficult list to rank. There were countless of amazing eats this year. These past two years of living in Asia have been phenomenal for my taste buds and stomach.

My Top 10 Favorite Restaurants in the World from 2011:
10. People's Palace, Manila
9. Ye Shanghai, Hong Kong
8. Jin Sha, Hangzhou
7. Wolfgang's Steakhouse, New York City
6. Bocadillos, San Francisco
5. Every restaurant in Eataly, New York City
4. Sen-ryo, Hong Kong
3. Sala Rim Naam, Bangkok
2. Every single Din Tai Fung in Taipei and Shanghai
1. Chef's Table at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chiang Mai


Next Weekend's Top 10s: My Top 10 Favorite Cities from 2011

Ramen in Hong Kong

Lately my craving has been for quality ramen. Instant ramen cannot cure this craving. I'm talking about milky tonkotsu ramen with chewy noodles. You can't find this just anymore.

Since I was in Hong Kong, I took the MTR to Kowloon just for a bowl of ramen at Ippei-an in Elements malls. It was so worth it!

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