Hawaii Day 1: Express Lunch at the food court

Our first stop upon arrival was at the nearby Ala Moana Shopping Center; where we headed to their food court for lunch.

I can't believe that my first meal upon landing in US was Chinese; as we opted for a Chinese lunch from the famous and bustling Asian food chain; Panda Express.


Our economy fast lunch; at only USD$9.75 (and additional 4% tax) for two entrees and a choice of noodles/rice. (Additional USD$1.00 for fish or prawn; as originally the price is USD$8.75)

From top left: Braised broccoli and cauliflower, hor fun, and steamed fish fillet with soy sauce and ginger

Additional side order of Chinese deep fried spring rolls (USD$2.50)


Fortune cookie of the day!:)


I enjoyed the meal, and I think it was definitely the right choice!:)

Can't wait to explore what this famous island has to offer!

Historical cakes from Lao Shan Tang (老山塘)

As my posts on this year end China trip is coming to a close, I am featuring an interesting and friendly neighbourhood stall which is a gem I discovered while traipsing down the seven mile long streets of Shan Tang; and taking in the charms from day to night.

Lao Shan Tang (老山塘) or simply translated to mean Old Shan Tang, is a stall located towards the final quarter of the Shantang Street and tucked away a little hidden from sights near the scenic bridge where most of picturesque shots like these were taken.


The stall is located by the side of the street and not many stopped by, although I caught a few who halted their steps to look at the interesting process of the cake making.


Lao Shan Tang is run by a middle-aged local couple; and it seems that the husband was the one making the cakes.


While other restaurants or snack food stalls impress with wide varieties on their menu, Lao Shan Tang only has two types of cakes to offer; the Plum Blossom Cake(梅花糕) and Hai Tang Cake (海棠糕)


There may not be lots to offer from their stove, but the charm of this old stall is in its long time existence and the history of the cakes which dated back to as far as more than 300 years, earned its spot in the newspapers and media as proudly featured here on the menu.


The cakes probably had their history described here; and it is interesting to those of you who are unable to read Chinese, they are actually flower-themed cakes.
The Plum blossom and Hai Tang are both flowers popular in China; and the history of these cakes did not lie only in its origin (from flowers) but also in the place from where it originated.

Mei Hua Gao (梅花糕), or Plum Blossom Cake started its story since the Qing Dynasty, where it gained its stronghold fame then after Emperor Qianlong, one of the most renowned rulers in the dynasty, tasted and sung praises for this humble cake.
The Emperor was on one of his incognito trips through the southern part of the Yangtze River when he sampled an aromatic local snack which had its shape like a plum blossom flower. The pleasantly sweet yet light crisp and non-greasy taste of the cake won the Emperor's heart and he liked it so much that he gave the name of the Plum Flower Cake to the snack and given it much glory it deserved and the name stood until this day.
It was said that the Emperor even thought the cake exceeded the qualities of snacks served from the Imperial kitchen and it quickly became a favorite snack following reports of the royal encounter with it.

The Plum Blossom Cake takes its flour form above the mould shape of the flower; although it may not be apparent from the top as shown in the picture here.



The cake was made of flour baked on the stove and then sprinkled with sesame, candied tangerines and winter melons, and a few sweet condiments, giving it that light sweet flavor yet pleasantly crispy and not greasy at all, as how the Emperor described it centuries ago.


The Hai Tang cake(海棠糕), was also made of the same type of mix although with a different type of flower mould and there is not much sources to trace on the origin of this cake.




However, this snack is still mentioned to be a traditional snack in Qibao Town and also a delicacy on the streets of Shanghai with its simple recipe of light crisp of the cake covered with thick brown sugar and red bean.


Costing only about RMB5 (~MYR2.50), this is a reasonably priced snack and the type that I like; especially when it is hot from the stove and snuggles warmly in the hands against the chill of the weather.

The best part is the subtlety of the couple who runs the stall; though not one with many words, they certainly did not wave their fame in their customer's faces as they humbly stayed under their aging shack of a stall by the streets and under a tree while quietly busying their hands making the cakes individually.


I would definitely recommend a taste of this cake, and also to enjoy a taste of a historical snack of China; just like how one would take in the charm of the lovely scenic streets of Shantang.
The two are definitely the treasures of Jiangnan!:)

When in Shanghai, Eat like the Locals

As the saying goes, 'When in Rome, do what the Romans do' and this applies to China or any other country one visits as well in order to soak in the local culture and experience for oneself the diversity.

That was the main reason that we took a walk off the beaten path; away from the busy streets with all the fancy and luxurious restaurants and also the familiar faces of the fast food outlets to do a little exploring on our own and find a place where most locals were having their lunch.
Of course, with the help of our knowledge of the Chinese language (thank God for that when you are in China), we strayed off the main and busy streets and walked into the small lanes and alleys.


The small lanes are dotted with little eateries and stalls, where one just buys off the cart or the steamers and there is barely place to sit. Busy city dwellers and lunch goers are spotted buying their lunches from stalls like these and running off with their lunch in plastic bags.
There are also really small eateries which were packed with people and there are only 2-3 tables available inside the shop.

We walked further and found two larger eateries; well, one was actually a restaurant and the other was crowded with people.


Well, as it seems, the latter seemed to fit the bill perfectly and we knew it when we set foot into the shop which served fast lunch (economy style) and also famous noodles, from ironically, Suzhou.


There were two levels located inside the shop; with a makeshift platform for a half level upstairs for more dining tables.


It was a good thing that the lunch crowd was starting to disperse when we were there, although we did have to share a table with a guy who was having his lunch alone.

There is still one habit of the Chinese I could never get used to, and that is having to spit or cough even while having meals.
I don't even want to imagine that spit pot underneath each table, and well, as they say, if you were to eat like the locals, you will have to get used to their practices.


A glimpse of our lunch, a proper meal with three dishes, a soup and white rice; typical of a normal Chinese meal.

The price was quite reasonable for such a filling meal too; it cost only about RMB14 for this, which approximates to MYR7 for lunch.

You can read about the full details of lunch in my food blog here

One thing to note, don't expect high standards of hygiene in local eateries like these though, as I have mentioned above.
If you are extremely picky, I'd advise fast food or the modern dining outlets (which I do prefer sometimes too, due to the hygiene levels)

However, it can be fun too, to venture to the local favorites and enjoy the local experience.
Though, a word of caution; be sure of where you are heading to and keep to the path where you know where to return to and beware of suspicious characters.
Don't act like you are lost even if you are, and just be cool and steady.
Of course, the best is if you have a GPS or a local guide with you if you do not know Chinese. That way, you can explore even more local eateries with better food and prices.

What to Eat in Hong Kong?

When you are in Hong Kong, you will find that you do not have to worry about what to eat; the question will always be, "Which one to eat?"

Here I have compiled a list of food to try when one is in Hong Kong:
1. Dim Sum
You can do research around the areas where you are staying as they each have their local famous dim sum restaurants :-)

Hongkies love their dim sum so much that some restaurants even serve them during lunch.

I have tried dim sum for breakfast and for lunch too, and it really depends on the restaurant ;)
Hong Kong is the land of dim sum; an extremely popular choice among the locals and it will be a waste if you leave Hong Kong without trying out their dim sum!

What to try for dim sum:
- Prawn Dumpling (Har Gao)


- BBQ Roast Pork Bun (Char Siew Bao)


- Chee Cheong Fun (Flat rice noodles served with roast pork or shrimps with soy sauce)


- Radish cakes (Pak Thong Gou)


2. Try eating at the local coffee shop, but be wary of the loud-voiced servers.
Things to try in a coffee shop/stall:
a. Mixed Milk and Tea (Yin Yong)

This drink can be found in most coffee shops and stalls, and is an extremely popular drink during tea time ;)

b. Buttered Toast



c. Por Lor Bao

This doesn't seem like the version I see most of the time, so I am not really sure.

3. Wanton Noodles (Soup or dry version)



The egg noodles here are more springy to taste compared to the ones we have here locally.
It is ideal for wanton noodles lovers!

4. Roasted Duck/Goose

This may not be the choice for the weak-hearted; due to the exotic dish and also the oily nature the way the Hongkies love it.

5. Street Food/Snacks
The Hongkies love to eat at any time of the day; just like the majority of Asians and you can find an abundance of street food/snacks everywhere on the road.
a. Curry Fishballs (this can be rather hard to find (good ones), and some may not be able to stomach it when you need to eat by the roadside)


b. Egg Waffles (Gai Dan Chai)


c. Pork Bun (this is famous in Macau; Tai San Pa)


d. Put Chai Gou with red beans (yellow ones)

This can be really hard to find; as in the olden days the trade was an old man would always be found on the streets pushing a cart selling these.
There are two versions; the white and this yellow one.
Most would prefer the yellow one which comes with red beans (including myself!)

6. Steamboat

This is extremely popular especially during the autumn and winter season as the weather gets colder. Their steamboat style is slightly different from Malaysia, try it and you will know
(I will post on my very own steamboat experience in my food blog)

7. Yau Char Kwai (Youtiao in Mandarin, or Deep fried crullers in English)

It goes well with either soya bean or plain white porridge.
For soya bean, they recommend to go with their local favorite; sticky rice, which I did not get to sample.

8. Steamed Cakes
- Ma Lai Gou (Steamed Malay cake)

Nothing really special, because we have this locally too;)

- Steamed Egg Cake


9. Tau Foo Fah (Bean Curd Custard)

It's easily found everywhere, and some taste really good. The best must be the one on Lantau Island; near the Giant Buddha area.

10. Sweet soup for desserts


You can find them anywhere; especially near Mongkok, Jordan, Yau Ma Tei.
The famous dessert shop is in Sai Kung, but they do have branches everywhere in Hong Kong too.
The most popular desserts among the locals are:
Red Bean soup dessert (grinded to thick paste)

The red bean soup is cooked with dried orange/mandarin peel and is sometimes served with lily bulbs and lotus seeds.

Black Sesame soup; also a thick paste type of soup


There are still so much more things to try in Hong Kong, which I have yet to share, but needless to say, my list tells you the vast variety of food available in Hong Kong!

If you need more information, you can drop me a mail or message me here, and I can help you with any question. I am no expert, just sharing my experiences :)

Enjoy your trip to Hong Kong, and with this, I wrap up my posts on Hong Kong :)