Hong Kong (香港) - Tsui Wah Restaurant (翠华餐厅)

Cha chan teng (茶餐厅) is an establishment of Hong Kong, part of every Hongkie's life. Like our kopitiam, a visit to the city island is not complete without a stop at one of the many cha chan tengs. Almost all cha chan teng opens till late at night, serving as a food joint for those who work overtime or just looking for late night snacks. And a perfect restaurant for us hungry tourists caught in a long queue descent from The Peak.

Tsui Wah Restaurant

Tsui Wah Restaurant is definitely among the famous ones in the island. With several branches scattered across Hong Kong, it definitely not that hard to look it out and we went to the one nearest to us, in Central. It was about 11 p.m. when we reached the restaurant, a late dinner we were having. The crowd was thin but what do you expect at this hour?

At least it's not deserted

We made our orders to the surly waiter, something we kept seeing throughout the trip. Well, the islanders are not known for their well manners, anyway. The meals we had were nothing to shout about and were rather pricey. The milk tea was bland, something that even the adorable cup cannot compensate for. The noodles were dry and a bit tasteless, according to my friend and his sister.

Milk tea (奶茶)

King Prawn in XO Sauce with Tossed Noodle

Stirred Noodle with Shrimp and Szechuan Chili Sauce

Luckily, I find the one I ordered (noodle in fish soup) was flavourful, albeit a tad too peppery. As for the pork chop bun, a simple delicacy that fulfilled its purposes of filling our stomachs.

Fish Balls and Fish Cakes with Rice Noodles in Fish Soup

Crispy Pork Chop Bun with French Fries

I can't remember how the crispy bun with sweet condensed milk tasted. A spark in your mouth? Delightful? Nothing special? No, nothing in my mind. Maybe that is the answer itself.

Crispy Bun served with Sweet Condensed Milk 

Prices (subject to change)

King Prawn in XO Sauce with Tossed Noodle - HKD 50

Stirred Noodle with Shrimp and Szechuan Chilli Sauce - HKD 50

Fish Balls and Fish Cakes with Rice Noodles in Fish Soup - HKD 32

Crispy Pork Chop Bun with French Fries - HKD 33

Crispy Bun served with Sweet Condensed Milk - HKD 16

Milk Tea - HKD 16 (hot), HKD 18 (cold)

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

There are a total of 25 branches all over Hong Kong. Hence, it is not hard to find one nearest to your location. The one that we went to is located at Wellington Street, Central which opens 24 hours. To look up for its branches and operation hours, go to this website. 

Ipoh - Burps & Giggles

I was slightly early on purpose as I wanted to give a thorough exploration of the cafe before the meet up. Armed with my faulty Nikon, I began clicking the shutter button, capturing anything that fancied me. Since its opening in August 2012, I've only been in for a total of 3 times, inclusive of this latest venture. Back then, I was based in the capital city and my trips back hometown didn't involve leisure hours in cafes.

If you doesn't look properly, you might have miss it

But the third visit is as good as any to begin taking in its foods and decors. While I have yet to really taste all its offerings, at least I can say that I am very much delighted with its quirky and interesting concept. As for the delicacies, I just tried their cappuccinos twice (mocha on my first visit) and chocolate cheese cake. The former is a standard cup of caffeine while the latter is a subtle taste of goodness.

Berry Berry

Cappuccino

Chocolate Cheese Cake

But I wasn't here just to taste the food. I was meeting up with Adam, a fellow blogger who, together will be going to the #TSBreakAway contest organized by Tourism Selangor. Since we were the only 2 participants in Ipoh, why not get to know one another before this coming Saturday? We ate, we chatted, we discussed about the upcoming event. An hour plus later, we left.

Marilyn wishes to see you again

Personally, I quite like the cafe, mostly for its ambiance. While the foods are rather overpriced by Ipoh standard, it will not stop me from coming once in a while, sipping caffeinated drink, with a book to pass the time. Continue reading for photos of its many interesting decorations.

Penang - China House, Beach Street

Back in the month of August 2012, I took the advantage of the Merdeka holiday to have a one day road trip to the island of Penang with few of my hometown friends. I can never get enough of George Town, the hip and happening state capital of the Pearl of Oriental, even after spending 3 years of my university life there.

China House, Beach Street

This time around, the main objective of this road trip is to hunt down those beautifully painted mural arts along the streets of Penang commissioned by the state government for the George Town Festival 2012. However, the first stop was not for the feast of the eyes but rather to please the callings of our stomachs. Actually, it works both ways since the foods are aesthetically appealing and fulfilling.

Today's special at China House

China House is becoming quite a regular staple whenever there is a road trip to Penang. Maybe it’s because of the companions for the journey but somehow, this hip café is slowly turning into the place-to-be for brunch or lunch for us. Located along Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai), China House used to be the Kopi Cine at the corner of the Stewart Lane but due to the expansion, it has been relocated to the present spot. And it is for the better for the new place is more spacious and can accommodate a larger crowd as well. Plus, it is easier to find compared to the previous lot.

The array of cakes welcoming you in

One of the main attractions, to me, is its laid back atmosphere and inviting interior decorations. I just love how the management team of China House retains the original structure of the heritage building and renovates it with retro decorations. 

China House's interior

This is one way that I just like when it comes to preserving historical buildings. Rather than leaving it in a dilapidated states like many old shop houses in the Old Town district of Ipoh, old Chinese shop houses in the UNESCO enclave are given a new lease of life in a form of chic cafes and boutique hotels. 

Old world charm at China House

Of course, it goes without saying that its foods are delicious as well. Main courses are as followed: