Born in Italy, perfected in New York!

If you ask a transplanted New Yorker, what’s the best pizza in Hong Kong? They’ll surely answer: there isn’t any!

Not all pizzas were created equal
Though pizza originated in Naples, Italy, it was popularized, internationalized and significantly innovated on by Italian immigrants who settled in New York. Selling pizza by the slice for example, is a New World creation. The standard New York pizza of today is sort of a larger, more affluent cousin to the pizza from Naples.

While endless varieties of pizza exist, the measuring stick of modern pizza is New York pizza. And it is New York pizza that is astonishingly absent from Hong Kong. (more…)

If you think that the arrival of Din Tai Fung in Causeway Bay is no big deal, think again. Taking up the entire ground floor of the former Delay No Mall, the restaurant alone has turned a place where people hardly tread into a prime dining destination. Stopping by last week, thirty minutes before last-order, there was still a ten minute wait to get in!

What’s their secret? (more…)

BLT Burger started appearing on friend’s Facebook updates over the last few months, so I decided to check it out for myself.

Doing a tiny bit of research, I found out that BLT doesn’t stand for bacon, lettuce, and tomato, as in the sandwich. Instead, the name is derived from the originator, chef Laurent Tourendei. The acronym stands for Bistro Laurent Tourendei.

I had high expectations. How did BLT Burger turn out? (more…)

What’s wrong with this picture?

I don’t know, I like Combos as much as the next person, but they’re not exactly the first thing that pops into my mind when I think of Christmas delicacies! I had to laugh and take a quick snapshot when I spotted them sitting alongside the Christmas offerings in the basement level of Times Square (just outside of City Super.) They even had pepperoni pizza flavor!

Last week while walking through Yau Ma Tei, I discovered I Love Cake, a new shop that’s sort of like a mad scientist’s laboratory for baking!

Located in the middle of Shanghai Street’s restaurant supply area, it’s filled with interesting cake-making tools, accessories, and embellishments. (more…)

If you don’t know what bubble tea is, we’re talking about something you need to try! It goes by various names in English and usually includes a few of the following words: frothy Taiwan-style pearl tapioca milk tea! In Cantonese, there are a couple of names, but the most common is pronounced something like ‘zun (rhymes with gun) ju lai cha’. (Say it fast enough and it won’t make a difference!)

Ten years ago there were bubble-tea places all over the city. Walking around Hong Kong, a few could be found in every major neighborhood. But last year when I had a craving, I had to criss-cross the city just to get a tea. What happened? (more…)

I’ve wanted to try the desserts at Xiao Tian Gu (小甜谷) for a long time, but until last weekend, I’ve never had the perfect occasion. Every time I pass by, the place is bustling with people.

Located along the back alleys of Tung Lo Wan Road, in the Tai Hang neighborhood, Xiao Tian Gu is sandwiched between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau.

Until recently, this area’s been a backwater filled with small auto repair shops and not much else. Because this neighborhood’s been left out of the massive high-rise development that’s reshaped much of the city, it has a special quiet charm. (more…)

Yo Ma Ma is coming to IFC mall!

Just in time for summer, there’s a wave of new frozen yogurt places opening around town. The snack / dessert has been experiencing a revival in other big cities around the world, lead by Red Mango and Pinkberry. Though neither of these chains have made it to Hong Kong yet, frozen yogurt stores are multiplying from Shatin to Soho.

What’s with the new craze? (more…)

Love at first bite! The signature Sift chocolate cake.

Sift, my favorite dessert bar in Hong Kong, just opened a new branch in Wanchai. Located on Queens Road East between Pacific Place Three and the Hopewell Centre, the new location focuses on take-away treats, offering a wide variety of delicacies.

Stepping into the shop and gazing at the scrumptious selections, the display was almost too much to handle! Though not hungry, I definitely wasn’t leaving empty handed! (more…)

The end of a traditional birthday celebration isn’t complete without a basket of birthday buns! Pronounced ‘sau bao‘ in Cantonese, (sounds the same as Sao in Sao Paulo,) the dessert is a colorful treat that never ceases to impress. (more…)