First Sip: Tantea

Phones eat first. What used to be a joke is pretty much a reality now. With aesthetics as one of the factors consumers heavily consider when dining out, most establishments focus on making its offerings as pretty as possible. From pink burgers to heart shaped pizzas and glittery drinks, we've pretty much seen a lot of quirky tweaks just to make dishes more 'Instagrammable'. One relatively new milk tea player, Tantea, has its presentation and packaging on point giving it the much needed edge in this very competitive industry. 

Hello, Tantea. 

Tantea has been around for a few months now with its first branch in Binondo, Manila. I've been curious with its milk tea offerings but my constant trips out of Manila made it hard for me to pay one of its shops a visit. Luckily, Tantea sent me a message asking if I'd like to have some drinks delivered one afternoon. 

First Bite: Hong Kong Little Kitchen

We've witnessed a growth spurt in the international food scene with more foreign brands coming in the metro these past few years. On top of that, there are also local shops that offer our favorite sushi, pizza, noodles and burgers. And with more restaurants to choose from, it can be challenging to discover the ones worth your money (and limited tummy space). Thankfully, I got to know this under the radar shop in New Manila that offers great Hong Kong cuisine. 

Hello, Hong Kong Little Kitchen. 

Hong Kong Little Kitchen is one dainty shop tucked inside New Manila serving roast meats, noodle soup and other popular dishes you'd find in Hong Kong. I was in for a treat last Saturday when this restaurant spoiled me with some of its bestsellers. 

Beat the Heat: Shari Shari Kakigori House Philippines Opens this June 2019

With summer coming to an end, the heat still lingers and there's no stopping us from wanting cold treats. Thankfully, a new shaved ice dessert shop reached our shores and is up for the challenge to keep us cool. And it has legit matcha to boot!

Hello, Shari Shari Kakigori House!

Shari Shari Kakigori House from Hong Kong is finally opening in Manila this June and will be serving its bestsellers Japanese Tofu Kakigori, Matcha Cream Special, Earl Grey Milk Tea and Strawberry Special among others. As a Manila exclusive flavor, Shari Shari Philippines will also serve Cantaloupe Melon. 

First Sip: Tiger Sugar

Tiger Sugar definitely tested how we Filipinos love milk tea. With hundreds braving the unforgiving Manila heat for hours just to get hold of this popular drink, Tiger Sugar became trending and talked about for months! I also tried to line up one time but gave up after 2 minutes when I overheard someone say "Hmm, okay lang. Not worth it." while holding a cup of Tiger Sugar. I told myself that I'll just try it when the craze for it die down. Months passed and the hype for it is still alive! I guess waiting for 30 minutes won't be that bad so I finally gave in. 

Hello, Tiger Sugar.

Tiger Sugar quickly expanded to four branches in under 6 months and I'm so glad that the locations it chose are all near the places I frequent. 

First Sip: Hui Lau Shan

Summer's here and it seems to be way hotter than before. Thankfully, there are several refreshments to choose from to keep us sane. One new addition to the list is Hui Lau Shan.

Hello, Hui Lau Shan. 

Frequent Hong Kong visitors would be familiar with Hui Lau Shan's inviting yellow signage. Though its cutesy mango illustration may seem like this is brand is just a few years old, it actually has a long history under its belt.

First Bite: Honolulu Café

The influx of foreign brands has been crazy these past years. We've welcomed several establishments that we used to include in our itinerary whenever we go abroad. And one of the newest brands to find its way to our shores happen to be the oldest tea restaurant in Hong Kong.

Hello, Honolulu Café.

Honolulu Café's story began in 1940 when it opened its first store in Hong Kong serving  egg tart, coffee, milk tea, buns and mouthwatering comfort dishes. Regarded as the first and original Hong Kong café dining concept, it is not surprising that a stop here is a must for every traveler up for a gastronomic experience.

When In Hong Kong: Go Jelly Crazy!

I love jello, jelly, gelatin… whatever you call it. It used to be my staple afternoon snack and I remember that I used to get all the grape flavored ones to eat and the red ones to use as my pretend lipstick. I still get to have my jello fix from time to time these days but in the form of coffee jelly, grass jelly or sago’t gulaman. But when we discovered a jello place in Hong Kong, R and I dropped by the place as frequent as we could.

Hello… uhm… sorry, I can’t read Chinese. But this is the place near Canal Road, Causeway Bay. 

R and I headed to the small restaurant one time after dinner. We got curious with why a lot of locals frequent the place and we were greeted by a friendly elder who I assume is the owner of the restaurant.  We told him our order—one bowl of black jello (HK$7). 

Service was quick and we got our bowl in less than 5 minutes.

It was pretty bland as is so R added this orange powder we saw on the edge of the table. 

We sparingly sprinkled some of the said powder and it turned the jello sweet. We then figured that it was sugar. And that was when we went crazy with it. 

It was just your usual bland jello but it being served chilled and topped with sugar made it a refreshing dessert, perfect to cap any meal.

First Bite: Wok2Go

In order to survive in Manila, one must learn to move and act fast. And with the intense daily struggle with city traffic, we are challenged to do several tasks at the same time. Thankfully, a new food concept understands our need to be always on the go and three brilliant minds thought of Wok2Go.

Hello, Wok2Go.

This refreshing concept by Kim Garcia, Marc Soong and Angie Mead King located at Venice Grand Canal Mall is designed to allow its diners to enjoy its savory dishes while being on the move.

When In Hong Kong: Hanjuku Kobo

I’m always on the lookout for lines whenever I travel. I always think that long queues mean good food or deals. And I spotted a relatively long line when I passed by Hanjuku Kobo.

Hello, Hanjuku Kobo!

Okay, perhaps the line isn’t long all the time. We passed by its Tsim Sha Tsui branch (near Nathan Road) thrice and there was barely a line around lunch time. Then again, it was because the store just opened and foodies must be busy having lunch that time. But after an hour or two, the place was packed with locals waiting for their turn to get hold of Hanjuku Kobo’s pastries. 

The long line made me curious and I told R that I want to buy some of the shop's cheese tarts and cheesecakes. But R is allergic to lines and we stayed inside our hotel and napped instead after lunch. 

There was still a line when we headed out for dinner. My curiosity got the best of me and with my best puppy eyes, I asked R if we could line up and buy a few. And he finally agreed. We were fourth in line outside. (The staff control the number of people inside their small shop and I was part of the next batch.)

Hanjuku Kobo has a very limited product range. It only has cheesecakes, cheese tarts and a few other cakes. I went with a box of cheesecakes and two cheese tarts just so we get to try it. Our total was around HK$119 if I’m not mistaken. I recall that the box of 5 costs around HK$75 and the tarts were HK$22 each. 

The wait wasn’t that long as the ones in line sure know what they want. We got our treats in less than 20 minutes. 

And because these goodies could melt, the shop placed some ice packs inside to keep our cheesecakes and tarts cool. There was a problem though… the thin paper bag melted instead. We had to transfer the boxes to another paper bag and eventually get rid of the ice packs. 

I immediately opened the boxes as soon as we got to our hotel. 

The cheesecake had a light taste. it would have been perfect with tea. I loved that it was so moist and fluffy. 

The cheese tarts though were way better! It had a stronger taste and I loved its slight tangy taste! The crust was crunchy and it complemented the soft and smooth filling. It was divine! I would fly to Hong Kong just to get my hands on these tarts! 

Make sure that you include Hanjuku Kobo in your Hong Kong itinerary. 

Tip: Hanjuku Kobo's Causeway Bay branch has less crowd.

First Bite: Milk Trade

Once upon a time, there was a sudden craze for egg waffles. Instagram, Facebook and food apps were bombarded by these delectable bubble waffles in different shapes and sizes. One particular shop that I wanted to visit was Milk Trade. But its location was not attractive at all. I do not want to brave the Makati traffic just for it. Hence when I was able to visit Century City Mall a month back, I made sure that I get to stop by this popular egg waffle place.

Hello, Milk Trade!

R and I rushed to Century City Mall right after a big feast and headed straight to Hole in the Wall. We were so worried that we would be greeted by a closed sign as we got there a couple of minutes before 10 p.m. and a few sites noted that Milk Trade closes that time. 

Luckily, it was still open and the friendly staff of Milk Trade entertained us. She also didn’t turn into a grumpy lady while R and I discussed which waffle goes best with which steamed pudding. After 5 minutes or so, we went with the staff’s recommendation—Matcha Egg Waffle with Chocolate Steamed Milk (PHP150). 

Foodie Alert: Happy Lemon's Bubble Waffles

I have been seeing the mouthwatering eggette or egg waffle of Happy Lemon for quite a while now. The first store I know selling it is Egg-It in Kapitolyo. But I hardly visit the area now so I never had the chance to visit it. So just imagine my excitement when I found out that I do not have to brave the traffic just to go to Kapitolyo or to Makati (to visit The Dessert Kitchen or Milk Trade). Can’t picture it? Just think of a cat person wearing everything with cat prints who never had a cat but wanted a cat and eventually got a cat. Yes, that type of crazy happiness.

But the lukewarm reviews on Happy Lemon’s eggette made me delay my visit to the nearest store. It took me nearly two weeks before I braved the sun and visited the Happy Lemon branch in High Street. 

I asked the server if they have eggette as I didn’t see any signage around. He gave me a puzzled look and I had to repeat what I said. Apparently, he just knows bubble waffle and eggette is unheard of. And so, after a confusing exchange and charades, he told me that they were out of batter. *ugly cry* My 7 minute walk ended up as a waste of time and energy. 

Instead of heading back, I opted to visit Central Square Mall to look for other desserts. I went up to the cinema floor and discovered another Happy Lemon branch! 

I slowly approached the store afraid to hear the words “out of stock”. I hesitantly asked if they have bubble waffle and upon checking the stock, he gave me a sweet yes. *twirls*

When In Hong Kong: Go Crazy Over Salmon!

If I were to choose only one thing to eat the rest of my life, I would choose salmon. I just love it. I love the texture, the color… everything! (Well, except maybe the smell when it is still raw and extremely fishy.) And I saw a gold mine of salmon during our recent Hong Kong trip.

While exploring our hotel’s surrounding area, we noticed that there’s a line of stores near our hotel (located in Causeway Bay, near Canal Road) that sell salmon and hairy crabs. We decided to go to the one that sells ready to eat salmon and got Salmon, Salmon Roe and Sea Urchin with rice (HK$90) and Fried Soft Shell Crab Cutlet with rice (HK$38).

Despite the long queue, service was quick and we got our orders in less than 10 minutes. 

We enjoyed our rice bowls while standing as there were no dining tables or chairs available. They only had those bar tables on the opposite side of the showcases.

I first had a bite of the salmon bowl and it was so good. Though slightly expensive, you’d see that the store was generous with fresh salmon bits. The serving of sea urchin was a tad stingy but it was still okay given the price. The uni was soft and the taste made me reminisce the sea. The veggies added texture and crunch to the dish making it even more scrumptious.

The Fried Soft Shell Crab Cutlet was also delectable but it was quite dry without any sauce. I just wish that it had some salmon or something fresh and not deep fried. Then again… that price tag for one bowl is very attractive.

I wish we have this in Manila. 

Hong Kong Local Night: Noodle Soup

I forgot how frustrating it is to travel in Hong Kong. The language barrier was so high especially in small hole in the wall restaurants. I felt it even more during my most recent visit as R and I went to more small shops for that local vibe. And one of the restaurants we visited was... 

This restaurant. Sorry, (I can't read Chinese.)

The place was packed when we arrived so we assumed that the food served here is spectacular or bang for the buck. 

There was one table vacant when we got there. Since the sole server was busy cleaning and serving food to other customers, she hastily handed to us the menu in Chinese. Though R could read Chinese, he wasn't too familiar with it too. He was able to pick up the words beef, chicken, pork and the like but some were too confusing. 

When we asked for the server's attention for help, she misunderstood it for us being ready to order. Since she was still very busy, she handed a piece of paper and pen for us to jot down our orders. We cracked up! R's shocked face was just too funny. 

The server noticed that we were so puzzled and eventually handed an English menu. (Apparently, we just wasted brain cells.)

With a menu we could read with ease,we ordered Beef Noodles and Wonton Noodles (both at HKD20). 

Our piping hot bowls were served in less than 5 minutes. 

Both look pretty much the same except R's had beef while mine had wonton. The soup base, noodles and vegetables included were all the same. 

I must say, R's bowl was pretty good. It had richer flavors. The strips of beef were pretty good too for the price. My wonton noodle soup was delicious too though its flavors were not as rich.
It was fun to experience Hong Kong like a local. But I think I need to learn the language first. 

This restaurant is near Canal Road and just 5 minutes from Best Western Hotel, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

First Bite: Sen-Ryo

Having Chinese food for dinner for 3 nights straight made me crave for Japanese food in a whole new level. And I was so glad when C offered to meet us for dinner in Sen-Ryo, a Japanese sushi restaurant which is a notch higher than Genki Sushi.

Hello, Sen-Ryo!

The place was packed when we arrived. We had to wait for a few minutes before getting seats. 

And since I am a sucker for sushi conveyor belts, we got bar seats.

Sen-Ryo has a lot of sushi, sashimi and maki dishes to choose from and it was a challenge for me not to over order.

After a while, we decided to go with Prime Salmon (HK$22), Seared Salmon (HK$22), Fried Prawn Roll (HK$28), Dragon Roll (HK$22), Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crab (HK$48), and Spicy Salmon (HK$18). (We ordered two of some of the dishes.)

The first dishes to arrive (or pass by) were the delightful salmon sushi plates. The Prime Salmon was prime indeed with its quality cuts. It was fresh and the smooth and melts in your mouth type.

The seared salmon was divine too. Served slightly warm, it was a feast in my mouth. The smooth and silky texture of salmon and the delightful pop of salmon roe made this dish quite addicting. 

We ended up ordering two plates of this.

First Bite: The Coffee Academics

Whenever I visit a different country, I always ask locals for recommendations as I believe that they know the best ones around. And during my trip in Hong Kong, R’s friend C, recommended The Coffee Academics. Since I’m in love with coffee, I asked R if it’s okay for us to have brunch there and when he said yes, my tummy twirled for joy. And so one morning, we headed to…

The Coffee Academics

The place is very charming with its warm interiors. 

The wooden fixtures made the place homey and ideal for casual meet ups with friends.

Soon, we ordered the following: Slow Poached Eggs Benedict with a cup of cappuccino (HK$98) and 24-Month Aged Iberico Ham Croque Madame (HK$108).

First to arrive was my cup of coffee. It didn’t have a strong kick but it was a good way to start the day without upsetting the tummy. It was also great for those who are starting to learn how to enjoy coffee without sweeteners.

When in Hong Kong: Café de Coral

The Hong Kong food scene is quite overwhelming with all the choices this not so small country could offer. This is the very reason why I didn’t really list down the restaurants I want to visit because I’m bound to find a good restaurant or two in every street. But one restaurant included in A’s recommended restaurants was Café de Coral, a popular quick service restaurant chain in Hong Kong and since we were hungry and were in front of the place, we gave it a try.

Hello, Café de Coral.

The place is very much a notch higher fast food chain. You order in front and head inside to line up again for your food.

R got the Soya National Farm Chicken and BBQ Pork with Rice (HK$42) while mine was Soya National Farm Chicken and Roasted Duck with Rice (HK$42). We also upgraded and got their newest hot beverages. Unfortunately, I forgot what these were called but mine was with ginger.

R’s chicken and pork barbeque dish was great! The tender chicken and pork were glazed with the lovely sweet sauce and it went well with the blanched veggies. The pork though was slightly dry.

My dish, which just had duck instead of pork, was pretty good too. The duck meat was tender and well flavored too and the chicken, just as delightful as the one on R’s plate. The only thing I didn’t like about mine was that the duck was quite bony making it a bit troublesome to eat.

The drinks we ordered were perfect as it was getting chilly that late afternoon and it was freezing cold in the restaurant. We had to dilute it a bit though as the drinks were a bit too sweet to be thirst-quenching.

Overall, it was a pleasant early dinner (though I thought it would be cheaper than the usual restaurants).

Café de Coral has several branches in Hong Kong. Click here for the list of branches.

First Bite: Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung. Those three syllables are music to foodies’ ears and eyes when they found out that this famous chain is finally opening its doors in Manila, thanks to Moment Group of Restaurants. I couldn’t really join or understand the hype as I have never been to one but I was told that it was very similar to Tim Ho Wan which I was not really crazy about. But then I had the opportunity to try this well-loved Chinese restaurant when I visited Hong Kong a few weeks back.

Hello, Din Tai Fung.

We visited the Din Tai Fung Miramar Mall branch since it was the one nearest our hotel. And it sure was a good call as when we arrived, there was no line at all. The mall, which was renovated in 2008, was pretty empty except for this restaurant with a massive floor area.

The first thing I noticed was that there’s a time limit for dining. I forgot to take note though up to how long we could stay. But the French way of dining is definitely out.

We settled with the following dishes: Steamed Pork Dumplings/Xiao Long Bao (HK$58), Braised Beef Noodle Soup (HK$82) and Steamed Taro Paste Dumplings (HK$43) for dessert.

While waiting, we enjoyed our warm house tea (which apparently not the house tea we are used to as we had to pay HK$9 per person for this and water is more expensive).

First served was our xiao long bao which were pretty good. It was juicy and flavorful and dipping it in the black vinegar sauce made it even more delectable. It was also served piping hot so we had to wait a bit to let it cool. However, Lugang Café’s xiao long bao wasn’t far from Din Tai Fung’s. I could settle for Lugang anytime.

The braised beef noodle soup was something else though. It was probably one of the best noodle soups I’ve tasted. The noodles were cooked just right, not too hard nor too soft and the broth had this lovely sweet yet salty flavor. It wasn’t oily too. And the braised beef… it was so soft and flavorful too. (Waaah!  I am drooling now.)