Monday, February 9, 2009

Pacific Coffee Company - a perfect cup in Hong Kong

I almost forgot to mention about one coffee chain in Hong Kong which is my favourite ... The Pacific Coffee Company was established since 1992 to provide world-class coffee to satisfy Hong Kong, China, and Singapore ...

The Pacific Coffee Brand is recognized as the "Best Coffee in Hong Kong" -- able to win over Starbucks !!! As my Hong Kong Friends mentioned, they do not bother about Starbucks much -- go for Pacific Coffee is better !!! Moreover, the price is also in competitive range ...

In my point of view, I like the coffee taste of The Pacific Coffee Company -- after a little of investigation, I found that they selected only the best Arabica beans from around the world - Africa, Central and South America, Hawaii and Asia.

Further more, in terms of service and generous care to customers, I found that The Pacific Company provided a little more than Starbucks such as :
- Three types of sugar (white, brown, and sweetener)
- a stopper to help coffee not to to fall out from the cup for take away. It was a small plastic use for plugging into the hold of the lid.
- a sleeve for holding hot drinks (in variety of size to fit each paper cup size) -- customers can pick by themselves
- topping for customers to pour on top of coffee (almond, cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla)





To know more about The Pacific Coffee Company visit : http://www.pacificcoffee.com/eng/home.php

To provide a perfect cup, anywhere, anytime ... with total of 67 branches in Hong Kong

Fly back from Hong Kong to Bangkok without eating anything

This was the first time that I did not have anything to eat on the plane ... But I did not worry much since I still appreciated on my Ramen & Popeyes meal at Hong Kong International Airport ...

Departure from Hong Kong to Bangkok by Cathay Pacific Airlines -- special meal was served with a kind of dimsum & grilled skewers ... I noticed that it's a deep-fried chicken, Chao Zhou Dumpling (stuff with pork, bamboo shot, and dried shrimp), Chicken Skewers in Barbeque sauce, and a kind of fried spring roll.










However, the flight attendant was kind enough to check whether I was okay with the meal since there was no rice included ... Therefore, she changed my main meal to be : Rice with Chicken Curry (a kind of peanut butter curry)










Now, instead of me enjoy the meal, the change of meal made me did not touch anything at all -- except 2 pieces of kiwis, and 1 piece of watermelon and a cup of Japanese Green Tea ...

Stupidity of me ... I hate peanut curry ... Not the flight attendance's fault but only me ... Ha Ha Ha

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Last meal at Hong Kong International Airport

I am a kind of strange person -- every time I travel, I prefer having a meal at airport (before flying) ... Hong Kong International Airport is another fun place for me to enjoy an airport meal.

This time I went for Ramen -- no Japanese food the the last 4 days !!! The brand is Ajisen Raman -- a home-style Japanese noodle specialty from Kyushu, Japan (established since 1968) which offers a wide selection of home-style Japanese cuisine, Japanese noodles, rice and snack dishes.

Years ago, Not much of Ajisen Ramen in the city of Hong Kong -- I had to have it only at Airport ... Now, almost in traffic area has Ajisen Ramen Shop (total of 208 branches throughout China) ...


At Airport, I must follow that rule of queuing in and ordered whatever set or dishes I wanted, then I paid and received receipt which showed me a queue number. I must wait till the number was called -- there was a screen shown a number) ... Long queue I must say !!! Finally picking up my tray in different counter and enjoyed at the desk ... Below left is a Miso Soup Set with Deep Fried Creme Potato Cake


Ajisan Ramen
Hong Kong International Airport
Terminal 1 Departure Hall (Level 7)
Service Hour : 06:30 - 01:00




Another thing that I never ever missed at Hong Kong Airport is "Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits" . The thing is that there is no long Popeyes chin in Thailand -- The closest location is in Hong Kong ...

Popeyes is the fast-food chain for quick chicken concept, serving a selection of delicious New Orleans-style chicken in a Cajun sauce and a variety of snacks.

My favourites is, of course, biscuits with maple syrub, mash potatoes with cajun gravy, and cole slaw ...

Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
Hong Kong International Airport
Departure Check-in Hall (Level 7)
Service Hour : 6.00 -23.00

Anyway, there are more restaurant & dinings for you to select at Hong Kong internation al Airport. Visit : http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/shopping/dining/all/dining.html


Another thing I noticed in Hong Kong International Airport was that --
There is Wi-Fi everywhere in Hong Kong International Airport !!!
It's a free service connection to PCCW Wi-Fi airport-wide ...

Thank you PCCW ... your internet was so quick -- I was able to download pictures for my blog so quick that I could not catch up typing ...

A gourmet feast at Aspasia restaurant, Luxe Manor Hotel

This is the place where you can have marvelous breakfast buffet or executive lunch set ... It's a restaurant called Aspasia at Luxe Manor Hotel.

Luxe Manor Hotel is newly opened boutique hotel on Kimberly Road, Kowloon. I did not stay at this place but I came for their famous restaurant ... Famous restaurant because it was prepared by Chef Rolan Schuller (who received several Michelin Stars). Chef Rolan is well known about his passionate of Italian cuisines, therefore, we went for his Italian Lunch Set ...


This executive lunch set are available in choices as seen in right menu. However, the set that were selected that day is HK@198 which consisted of choices of starter and pasta ...

Choices were : Soup of the day (Italian Broad Bean) and Angle Hair with Guarnard Fish & Romanesco ...





















All set was served with bread and olive oil, desserts, coffee or tea ...



Aspasia
39 Kimberly Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Website : www.aspasia.com.hk
Tel : +852-3763-8800

European Buffet from 6.30 - 10.30
Executive Lunch Set from 12.00 -14.30

Gaai Bin Gong where Hong Kong traditional snacks are

In Hong Kong, there is also another food type selling by street side food vendors called Gaai Bin Gong or can be translated as Street Side Store. Yes, it's a kind of street side stalls selling traditional snacks such as fish balls, fried beancurd (tofu) and various dim sum. These snacks are very popular in Hong Kong, especially for all Hong Kongers on the run.

Below pictures are from one of the corner stalls on Lock Road, Kowloon ...




Cha Chaan Teng for Western Chinese Style Breakfast


This is not the best Cafe in Hong Kong but it's one that I can give you as the example for a shop with East meets West breakfast ... This type of shop is called Cha-Chaan-Teng in Hong Kong (Cha= Tea, Chaan = Food).

Yes, Cha Chaan Teng is a mix between Western and Chinese and always serve breakfast called "Sai Chaan" -- for example : Toast, Coffee, French Toast, Fried Spagetthi with Sausage, Fried Chicken, etc.

However, Cha Chaan Teng also sells normal Chinese Dishes such as noodle dishes and rice dishes including all drinks

This is New Island Cafe on Canton Road, Kowloon ... one of the Cha Chaan Teng. I always come to this shop very late at night (as supper -- a meal before bedtime).

In Hong Kong, most of Cha Chaan Teng always sell drink such as hot coffee with tea (a 2 in 1 drink called Yan-Yong) or hot tea with milk (called Yu-Yun)

and of course, Cha Chaan Teng is a bit local cafe in small shop form. Therefore, the price is in affordable level then most of Hong Kongers always come in and out all day long till late night !!!

and that's what I did when I was in Hong Kong ... since I always come for my favourite drink Yan Yong ...

Drinking Water in Hong Kong


Walking along the street of Hong Kong, you can see that all shoppers carry at least one bottle of drinking water ... The most famous drinking water brand is "Watson's Water". Yes, Watson is the Specialty Store (Health & Beauty Store) but Watson also supply drinking water in Hong Kong -- the big one !!!

If Watson jumped into drinking water, of course, Mannings also jumped into this category under the name of "Manning Natural Mineral Water" !!! Noted that Mannings is another health & beauty store chain in Hong Kong over 200 stores territory wide.


I won't say anything in the blog, if I did not say that Manning Water is made in Portugal ... Wow !!! it come this far !!!






Another drinking water is "Bonaqua Mineralized Water" by Coca-Cola Company ...


What I am about to say is that Price of drinking water in Hong Kong is varied among shop -- Convenience Store, Small Store, or Supermarket ... I usually found the small drug store on Granville Road always set price much lower than others ... I don't know why !??!?