Pin It
I was bored last night and happened to turn on Star World when they were doing the live coverage of the Miss World 2007 pageant in Sanya. Miss China ended up winning the pageant, as I predicted while watching the darned thing. How predictable!
For the last few years, Sanya on Hainan Island has been the venue of the Miss World pageant. No doubt the Chinese paid beaucoup dinero to the Miss World Organization for the right to host this, and to bring tourist dollars and attention to the island.
While it is customary to include the representative from the host nation into the semi-finals or even the finals, this time they really went too far to kiss up to China.
Was Miss China pretty? She was kinda cute but not gorgeous. Talent? I must admit I didn't watch the pageant from the beginning so I can't judge. What I did see was how badly she failed the questionaire during the final round.
Let's be honest. During the final round, everyone gets the same question. And I am sure that everyone would have had a chance to prepare for the question, especially since Miss China was not the first one picked to answer it. She failed miserably. She stuttered and was tongue-tied, on camera. I have never seen anyone flunk so badly during a Q&A at a pageant. She was obviously flustered and got worse and worse as time went on.
Granted, one can argue that English is not her first language. But of the 5 finalists, only one (Trinidad & Tobago) came from a nation whose official language is English. So why did the other beauties not stumble? And why was China allowed to be crowned Miss World when the whole world saw her screw up so badly?
I'm disgusted with the desire of the world to kiss up to China.
December 2, 2007
My Top 10 Restaurants in the World
Pin It
I was browsing the web and was looking through ChubbyHubby's website, when I decided to read his review of per se. I'm not sure why, but I was suddenly struck by an urge to list out the top restaurants that I have had the pleasure, no priviledge, of dining at.
Since many of my friends know of my reputation (or is it infamy) as a foodie, I am often asked about my favorite restaurants. So here goes:
1. El Bulli (Roses, Spain)
This restaurant deserves every bit of the attention it has been getting. It is the single hardest reservation to make in the world. I was fortunate to have secured a table for June 2006, on my birthday no less! My experience here surpasses any other meal I have ever had, so it will probably remain #1 for quite some time.
2. per se (New York, USA)
Many people would be amazed that I would rank this ahead of the French Laundry, since Thomas Keller is usually found in Yountville, not New York. However, I think the atmosphere of per se just makes the dining experience so much better, although the courses in the tasting menus are almost identical to that of the French Laundry. Last visited in March 2006.
3. The French Laundry (Yountville, USA)
This is Thomas Keller's flagship restaurant and justly deserves its place among my top experiences. It lost out to sister restaurant per se simply because we were seated upstairs and space was very cramped. One can't help but listen in on the conversation at the next table, which is very annoying to me when dining at fine establishments. Last visited in March 2006, a few days after the per se visit.
4. La Tour d'Argent (Paris, France) Given my penchant for creative and nouvelle cuisine, many people may be surprised at the ranking given to this grande dame of a restaurant, the symbol of haute cuisine for many. I am awed by the history of the place, the gigantic wine cellar (the collection was around 500,000 bottles during my last visit), and the amazing courses I had. It was here that I first had milky smooth foie gras d'oie scooped out to me using large dinner spoons. I have also had the caneton on both occasions, and received the little cards with their serial numbers. It's all about tradition here. Last visited in August 2002.
5. Kyubey 久兵衛 (Tokyo, Japan) Despite receiving only one Michelin star in the recently published guide, this is still my favorite sushi restaurant in the world. It is the one restaurant which I must go to during every visit to Tokyo (and only to the Ginza restaurant). I may try other sushi restaurants in the future, but for now Kyubey remains tops on my list. Last visited August 2007.
6. Guy Savoy (Paris, France) My only visit to this restaurant comes months after Guy finally receiving the third Michelin star that he rightfully deserves. I had ordered a bottle of nice white Burgundy, and I was offered different types of bread to pair with my choice of wine! That was a first for me. Last visited in August 2002.
7. Akelarre (San Sebastian, Spain) Maybe it was the drive out past Monte Igueldo on a nice day, but I really enjoyed the dining experience at this restaurant with views of the sea. The food is decidedly creative, like many establishments in Spain. Being able to order in half portions is definitely a plus. Last visited in June 2006.
8. Martin Berasategui (Lasarte, Spain) This Michelin 3-star restaurant is almost on par with Akelarre in my book. The food is wonderfully delicious, creative, and you can order everything in half portions. We sat out on the terrace for lunch on a beautiful day. The only thing marring the experience slightly was the periodic smell of manure floating in with the wind (which was fertilizing the beautifully green hill in front of us. This was also the first experience with how casual the Spaniards are when it comes to dressing to eat - some guy was wearing denim shorts and flip flops while dining at a 3-star restaurant! Last visited in June 2006.
9. Le Bernardin (New York, USA) Eric Ripert is a creative master, and I love dining at Le Bernardin when I'm in New York. This guy can do magic with all kinds of seafood, and the way they pack the large dining room every night is a testament to his skills. Last visited in March 2006.
10. Pierre (Hong Kong) It was tough deciding the 10th place on this list. Admittedly I have had many meals at great restaurants, and some with Michelin 3-stars have not made it into my Top 10. Why do I think Pierre deserves to be here? Well, the food IS extremely good and consistent. And the ambience is also wonderful, befitting a dining establishment of this stature. The biggest downside is the poor and expensive wine list, and the fact that they don't normally allow BYO. Last visited In March 2007.
I was browsing the web and was looking through ChubbyHubby's website, when I decided to read his review of per se. I'm not sure why, but I was suddenly struck by an urge to list out the top restaurants that I have had the pleasure, no priviledge, of dining at.
Since many of my friends know of my reputation (or is it infamy) as a foodie, I am often asked about my favorite restaurants. So here goes:
1. El Bulli (Roses, Spain)
This restaurant deserves every bit of the attention it has been getting. It is the single hardest reservation to make in the world. I was fortunate to have secured a table for June 2006, on my birthday no less! My experience here surpasses any other meal I have ever had, so it will probably remain #1 for quite some time.
2. per se (New York, USA)
Many people would be amazed that I would rank this ahead of the French Laundry, since Thomas Keller is usually found in Yountville, not New York. However, I think the atmosphere of per se just makes the dining experience so much better, although the courses in the tasting menus are almost identical to that of the French Laundry. Last visited in March 2006.
3. The French Laundry (Yountville, USA)
This is Thomas Keller's flagship restaurant and justly deserves its place among my top experiences. It lost out to sister restaurant per se simply because we were seated upstairs and space was very cramped. One can't help but listen in on the conversation at the next table, which is very annoying to me when dining at fine establishments. Last visited in March 2006, a few days after the per se visit.
4. La Tour d'Argent (Paris, France) Given my penchant for creative and nouvelle cuisine, many people may be surprised at the ranking given to this grande dame of a restaurant, the symbol of haute cuisine for many. I am awed by the history of the place, the gigantic wine cellar (the collection was around 500,000 bottles during my last visit), and the amazing courses I had. It was here that I first had milky smooth foie gras d'oie scooped out to me using large dinner spoons. I have also had the caneton on both occasions, and received the little cards with their serial numbers. It's all about tradition here. Last visited in August 2002.
5. Kyubey 久兵衛 (Tokyo, Japan) Despite receiving only one Michelin star in the recently published guide, this is still my favorite sushi restaurant in the world. It is the one restaurant which I must go to during every visit to Tokyo (and only to the Ginza restaurant). I may try other sushi restaurants in the future, but for now Kyubey remains tops on my list. Last visited August 2007.
6. Guy Savoy (Paris, France) My only visit to this restaurant comes months after Guy finally receiving the third Michelin star that he rightfully deserves. I had ordered a bottle of nice white Burgundy, and I was offered different types of bread to pair with my choice of wine! That was a first for me. Last visited in August 2002.
7. Akelarre (San Sebastian, Spain) Maybe it was the drive out past Monte Igueldo on a nice day, but I really enjoyed the dining experience at this restaurant with views of the sea. The food is decidedly creative, like many establishments in Spain. Being able to order in half portions is definitely a plus. Last visited in June 2006.
8. Martin Berasategui (Lasarte, Spain) This Michelin 3-star restaurant is almost on par with Akelarre in my book. The food is wonderfully delicious, creative, and you can order everything in half portions. We sat out on the terrace for lunch on a beautiful day. The only thing marring the experience slightly was the periodic smell of manure floating in with the wind (which was fertilizing the beautifully green hill in front of us. This was also the first experience with how casual the Spaniards are when it comes to dressing to eat - some guy was wearing denim shorts and flip flops while dining at a 3-star restaurant! Last visited in June 2006.
9. Le Bernardin (New York, USA) Eric Ripert is a creative master, and I love dining at Le Bernardin when I'm in New York. This guy can do magic with all kinds of seafood, and the way they pack the large dining room every night is a testament to his skills. Last visited in March 2006.
10. Pierre (Hong Kong) It was tough deciding the 10th place on this list. Admittedly I have had many meals at great restaurants, and some with Michelin 3-stars have not made it into my Top 10. Why do I think Pierre deserves to be here? Well, the food IS extremely good and consistent. And the ambience is also wonderful, befitting a dining establishment of this stature. The biggest downside is the poor and expensive wine list, and the fact that they don't normally allow BYO. Last visited In March 2007.
Excursion to Mai Po Reserve
Pin It
Yesterday DB Asia Foundation organized a volunteer day at the WWF Mai Po Reserve. I had always wanted to visit this nature reserve (I missed the opportunity last year), since access was fairly restricted, so I signed up for this event.
We arrived by coach and was given a quick briefling by the staff. Our mission today is to uproot and remove one of the species of plant invaders, the Mikania micrantha. This is a climber vine originating in South America and probably brought in by migratory birds. Its growth rate is extremely fast, and it latches onto native flora and climbs on top, eventually blocking out sunlight and killing the plants underneath.
A staff from the reserve demonstrated how to uproot the vines by hand or use the scythe to cut it. We had to identify the plant by its distinctive heart-shaped leaves and the its small, pretty flowers. We then split into groups and set off to work along one of the gei wai, the traditional shrimp farming pools that comprise a large part of the reserve.
Removing climbing plants and weeds may sound easy at first, but this thing was growing everywhere...and the difficult thing is that the climber winds itself around the native plant, so often you can't remove it by just simply pulling on it or cutting it with one swing of the scythe - doing so would remove the native plant at the same time. So I had to carefully unwind the Mikania before the removal can be done.
One of the DB staff brought along her three daughters, and it was just a field trip for them. They were happy to be out in nature and out of their home, and pretty much sang the whole time in the fields. We were treated to traditional Chinese children's songs and even to Phantom of the Opera...it was pretty entertaining (and funny). These kids just had boundless energy!
Even though we only worked in the fields for less than 1 1/2 hours, I thought we did pretty well in terms of cleaning up the Mikania. We had 5 large plastic buckets in which to dump them, and I think each had to be emptied quite a few times during the course of the afternoon.
We went back to take a bit of break for snacks and drinks, and proceeded to do a bit of bird-watching with our guide. I had brought along by camera and zoom lens but unfortunately forgot my 2x extender. As a result, 200mm just wasn't going to reach close enough - and I already knew that. I don't think I got any photos which were stunning enough. But we did see a lot of birds - tons of them perched on top of trees (and depositing tons of droppings on the leaves and grass below). In the late afternoon we saw flights of birds returning from feeding at sea.
I was very happy to have finally visited Mai Po, and to have done some work for the benefit of this reserve. I look forward to going back again.
A staff from the reserve demonstrated how to uproot the vines by hand or use the scythe to cut it. We had to identify the plant by its distinctive heart-shaped leaves and the its small, pretty flowers. We then split into groups and set off to work along one of the gei wai, the traditional shrimp farming pools that comprise a large part of the reserve.
Removing climbing plants and weeds may sound easy at first, but this thing was growing everywhere...and the difficult thing is that the climber winds itself around the native plant, so often you can't remove it by just simply pulling on it or cutting it with one swing of the scythe - doing so would remove the native plant at the same time. So I had to carefully unwind the Mikania before the removal can be done.
One of the DB staff brought along her three daughters, and it was just a field trip for them. They were happy to be out in nature and out of their home, and pretty much sang the whole time in the fields. We were treated to traditional Chinese children's songs and even to Phantom of the Opera...it was pretty entertaining (and funny). These kids just had boundless energy!
Even though we only worked in the fields for less than 1 1/2 hours, I thought we did pretty well in terms of cleaning up the Mikania. We had 5 large plastic buckets in which to dump them, and I think each had to be emptied quite a few times during the course of the afternoon.
We went back to take a bit of break for snacks and drinks, and proceeded to do a bit of bird-watching with our guide. I had brought along by camera and zoom lens but unfortunately forgot my 2x extender. As a result, 200mm just wasn't going to reach close enough - and I already knew that. I don't think I got any photos which were stunning enough. But we did see a lot of birds - tons of them perched on top of trees (and depositing tons of droppings on the leaves and grass below). In the late afternoon we saw flights of birds returning from feeding at sea.
I was very happy to have finally visited Mai Po, and to have done some work for the benefit of this reserve. I look forward to going back again.
November 29, 2007
Crappy Meal Again!
Pin It
Dunno why but this has been the week of crap meals... My friend Linda came into town from Singapore, and as usual, she craves Chinese food (especially Shanghainese). So we ended up at Xiao Nan Guo (小南國) in Man Yee Building in Central. I hadn't been there in a while so it was a good opportunity to revisit. What a mistake that turned out to be...
The two starters, century eggs with tofu (皮蛋豆腐) and jellyfish head (海蜇頭) were OK but nothing to write home about. Then they served the noodles with oil and scallions (蔥油拌麪) before other dishes came, which is a big pet peeve of mine. The noodles were as bad as Linda had warned me about (she came two nights ago) - flabby (instead of nice and chewy) and uninteresting.
The tofu skin with veggie (小唐菜百葉) was OK if a little bland. The hairy crab stir-fried with rice cakes (毛蟹炒年糕) was terrible. The crabs had an awful taste to it, which Linda described as tasting of dirt and I certainly thought it was not the freshest. I didn't bother finishing my half of the small crab. The rice cakes weren't that great, either.
Linda and Chris were still a bit hungry, so they ordered two more dishes. By that time I was upset with the quality of the food and everyone knew it. I didn't feel like eating anymore, but didn't want to discourage others from ordering more food. Well, the restaurant didn't redeem itself with the next two courses.
The fatty pork belly (東坡肉) came in an intersting earthen pot and was cut into small pieces. It was not bad but, then again, was far from what it could have been. Chris ordered the deep fried spicy chicken with chili peppers (炸子雞), which is actually not Shanghainese but a dish from Sichuan. Nobody was impressed with this dish, either.
I don't know what happened to this restaurant in the last few years to cause this huge drop in food quality, but I certainly have no reason to go back again.
Dunno why but this has been the week of crap meals... My friend Linda came into town from Singapore, and as usual, she craves Chinese food (especially Shanghainese). So we ended up at Xiao Nan Guo (小南國) in Man Yee Building in Central. I hadn't been there in a while so it was a good opportunity to revisit. What a mistake that turned out to be...
The two starters, century eggs with tofu (皮蛋豆腐) and jellyfish head (海蜇頭) were OK but nothing to write home about. Then they served the noodles with oil and scallions (蔥油拌麪) before other dishes came, which is a big pet peeve of mine. The noodles were as bad as Linda had warned me about (she came two nights ago) - flabby (instead of nice and chewy) and uninteresting.
The tofu skin with veggie (小唐菜百葉) was OK if a little bland. The hairy crab stir-fried with rice cakes (毛蟹炒年糕) was terrible. The crabs had an awful taste to it, which Linda described as tasting of dirt and I certainly thought it was not the freshest. I didn't bother finishing my half of the small crab. The rice cakes weren't that great, either.
Linda and Chris were still a bit hungry, so they ordered two more dishes. By that time I was upset with the quality of the food and everyone knew it. I didn't feel like eating anymore, but didn't want to discourage others from ordering more food. Well, the restaurant didn't redeem itself with the next two courses.
The fatty pork belly (東坡肉) came in an intersting earthen pot and was cut into small pieces. It was not bad but, then again, was far from what it could have been. Chris ordered the deep fried spicy chicken with chili peppers (炸子雞), which is actually not Shanghainese but a dish from Sichuan. Nobody was impressed with this dish, either.
I don't know what happened to this restaurant in the last few years to cause this huge drop in food quality, but I certainly have no reason to go back again.
November 27, 2007
Yummy burger
Pin It
Tonight my friend Chris, who has been staying with me, wanted to have a burger for dinner, so we agreed to meet up at Shake 'em Buns in Causeway Bay. Neither of us have had burgers at this place, even though I had passed by the outlet on Star Street.
We arrive and the restaurant looks busy. There seems to be only single free seats here and there, and we are asked by the waitress to wait for a while. We can't quite understand why a customer waitng for his take-out order has to block off two seats at the counter, so we ask the waitress. She finally, unwillingly, ask the customer if he minds moving to the side.
We sit down at the counter. But we are warned that the food is delivered through the opening facing one of the two seats, and we are asked to keep it open. I am unhappy.
We are told that 2 customers have left and we can now be seated at the counter facing the window. We move over, and quickly realize that there has actually been a free table all along, immediately next to a couple. Why did the waitress not point us to it? I am at a loss.
We sit down, and quickly realize that we need to order and pay upfront at the cashier. Why did the waitress not tell us, before letting us wait 5 minutes for a seat? We are upset, but proceed to order the food and wait to be called.
The food arrives in dribs and drabs. First comes Chris' strawberry milkshake, which he sips happily. Then the burgers come together: Red on the Neck for me (with chili on top of the patty and coleslaw underneath) and South of the Border (not 100% sure of the name) with extra egg for Chris (with guacamole and sour cream). We both decided to forgo the Gang Bang since neither of us thought we could finish it with two patties.
I cut the burger in half while I watch Chris grab his burger and start chomping. Egg yolk and guacamole drips from his burger. I grab a half of mine and bite into it. Soft buns, and very, very juicy beef patty. I start smiling, and quickly finish this half. Both of us turn to thoughts of redemption for the restaurant.
I start on the other half, and by the time I am done redemption has been achieved. The chili cheese fries arrive, and Chris starts to work on them. I decide to let Chris take all the chili, and pick on a few fries. I generally prefer the thin fries served by Mickey D's and Al's Diner, so Chris ends up taking most of the fries. I am satisfied. Chris tries to convince me to order some more food, but I decide to leave well enough alone.
I do have to say that this is probably the juiciest burger patty I have had in Hong Kong in a long time, surpassed probably only by the sirloin burger from Morton's in Central (before it closed). The beef patty is much more fluffy and tender compared to most other burgers. It absolutely kicks Triple-O's butt, and now I have no excuse not to walk the extra few hundred meters from Pacific Place to Star Street. Look forward to trying out other combinations in the future.
Tonight my friend Chris, who has been staying with me, wanted to have a burger for dinner, so we agreed to meet up at Shake 'em Buns in Causeway Bay. Neither of us have had burgers at this place, even though I had passed by the outlet on Star Street.
We arrive and the restaurant looks busy. There seems to be only single free seats here and there, and we are asked by the waitress to wait for a while. We can't quite understand why a customer waitng for his take-out order has to block off two seats at the counter, so we ask the waitress. She finally, unwillingly, ask the customer if he minds moving to the side.
We sit down at the counter. But we are warned that the food is delivered through the opening facing one of the two seats, and we are asked to keep it open. I am unhappy.
We are told that 2 customers have left and we can now be seated at the counter facing the window. We move over, and quickly realize that there has actually been a free table all along, immediately next to a couple. Why did the waitress not point us to it? I am at a loss.
We sit down, and quickly realize that we need to order and pay upfront at the cashier. Why did the waitress not tell us, before letting us wait 5 minutes for a seat? We are upset, but proceed to order the food and wait to be called.
The food arrives in dribs and drabs. First comes Chris' strawberry milkshake, which he sips happily. Then the burgers come together: Red on the Neck for me (with chili on top of the patty and coleslaw underneath) and South of the Border (not 100% sure of the name) with extra egg for Chris (with guacamole and sour cream). We both decided to forgo the Gang Bang since neither of us thought we could finish it with two patties.
I cut the burger in half while I watch Chris grab his burger and start chomping. Egg yolk and guacamole drips from his burger. I grab a half of mine and bite into it. Soft buns, and very, very juicy beef patty. I start smiling, and quickly finish this half. Both of us turn to thoughts of redemption for the restaurant.
I start on the other half, and by the time I am done redemption has been achieved. The chili cheese fries arrive, and Chris starts to work on them. I decide to let Chris take all the chili, and pick on a few fries. I generally prefer the thin fries served by Mickey D's and Al's Diner, so Chris ends up taking most of the fries. I am satisfied. Chris tries to convince me to order some more food, but I decide to leave well enough alone.
I do have to say that this is probably the juiciest burger patty I have had in Hong Kong in a long time, surpassed probably only by the sirloin burger from Morton's in Central (before it closed). The beef patty is much more fluffy and tender compared to most other burgers. It absolutely kicks Triple-O's butt, and now I have no excuse not to walk the extra few hundred meters from Pacific Place to Star Street. Look forward to trying out other combinations in the future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
