Dumplings and wontons @ Stand up Eating

Third time dining here.
This time I tried the dumplings with red oil {which is just dumplings in chili oil}.
The dumplings had a lot of finely chopped garlic on top and the spicyness levels were just right to me.
The service was really good because they provided me a metal fork and spoon when I requested for one.

 

 

Chinese festival and celebrations every day @ Red More

Usually when we see luxurious delicacies such as abalone and fish maw in rich dark gravy it signifies some sort of Chinese festival or celebration.
Fish maw and abalone is a prized dish at restaurants.
It takes skill, knowledge and time to cook it.

Not many of the young generations today know how to cook this type of dish; it is usually cooked by their parents or elderly relatives.

I was really excited when I saw Ivycwk’s review on these Instant Chinese delicacies.
The idea of instant delicacies is really good, you can literally go down there and just have it, which means I do not need to go to Chinese restaurants for it or wait for any special day.

It is so good that the dish is vacuumed packed and convenient to reheat at home, you can buy it as a snack or buy it as a deluxe dish to supplement a dinner party or someone you are visiting when running out of ideas on what to buy them.
Apart from the dishes, they also had deluxe ice creams, soups and health drinks.

 

Before I went to the shop, I visited their website which was rather cartoony and not the image I was expecting for a shop selling abalone and fish maw.
Also from Ivycwk’s review, there was some sort of discount from a coupon.

Anyway, when I got there, the shop was quite Chinesey as expected but totally different to the style of their website.
When I got to the shop, the staffs were not that inviting and gave me the impression that they thought I was not going to buy anything.
They did not even give me the coupon or flyer.

After ordering, they offered to give me discount for the drinks, which they tried to persuade me to get a numerous number of times, but I only wanted to try the ice-cream which I got.

The drinks selection was interesting such as the cashew nut drink, wolfberry and tomato, apricot juice with fritillary.

 

For the instant dishes they had: premium braised abalone, deluxe variety {Buddha jumps off the wall}, braised fish maw, sea cucumber in truffle sauce, braised deer tendon, braised deer tendon in red wine sauce, conch in garlic sauce, and cold conch with duck kidneys and black fungus.

 

As I wanted to try everything, I got the variety box for $120.
The dish was ready within 5 minutes I think. They put the vacuumed seal pack in a pot of water to reheat.

 

In the dish, it had 2 abalones, 4 pieces of sea cucumber, 2 pieces of fish maw, 4 pieces of shiitake mushroom, loose pieces of scallop, and quite a few pieces of whelks.

 

 

Abalone: fairly big, about the size of a tablespoon, it was quite chewy yet soft.
Sea cucumber: it was nice and soft, although there was one piece that was not soft.
Fish maw: nice sticky and soft.
Whelk: tasted how it should.
Overall it was nice, it was slightly spicy because there was some chili in it and I also felt thirsty after eating it.

Lastly I had the bird’s nest ice-cream and again they tried to persuade me to add extra bird’s nest topping on top, which I would have if I was given a coupon or discount earlier.
The ice cream was really soft and melted easily, although I did find bits of chewy birds nest in the ice-cream, it was slightly chewier than usual because of the temperature of the ice cream. I could not taste the Chuan Bei either.
There was also grosvenor momordica icecream but apparently it tastes like coffee, so I didn’t try it.

 

 

Anyway, on my next visit I hope to try the deer tendons, because I have not seen them served in restaurants nor have I heard if this dish!
I am not a fan of Chinese food, so now I do not have to go to restaurant for only one item that I like.

Since 1977 witnessing the Hong Kong 1997 handover and beyond

After numerous lunches at Queen Victoria, decided to try Old China hand.
It doesn’t look inviting from the outside that’s why I never ventured in.
The menu is pretty similar to QV, and on the walls inside there are old pictures of Hong Kong and Queen Elizabeth.
On the menu illustration it represents the best of the British with cartoon illustrations of John Major, Tony Blair, QE, Prince Charles, Camilla Bowles, Sean Connery and more.

Before the food came, the air conditioning felt rather cold, you could see the white cold air bellowing from the air con just like when you open the freezer door, the air con was dripping as well.
There was a slight smell too. However OCH has been around since 1977.
It has witnessed Hong Kong from the seventies to the Handover and now the 21st Century!

The staff there were extremely friendly and changed tables for me.

Ordered the Chili con carne and cottage pie.

First to arrive was the onion soup and toasts with real butter.
After starting on the toast and soup, it was so nice I forgot I was in a freezing environment with dripping air con.
Next came the Chilli con Carne and cottage pie.
When I saw the white sour cream on top of the Chili con Carne I was thrilled, the colour and smell was exactly the same as the British style CCC’s in UK.
I only put a small spoonful of the CCC in my mouth and I could taste the intense chili and cumin, and the red kidney beans tasted how it should. The side of rice that came with the CCC was interesting, it was slightly greased with coconut scent, and the texture of that rice was similar to glutinous rice but not as hard and sticky.

The cottage pie was also good too, it was baked in a ceramic dish.
Anyway I have to come back and try their breakfasts, Sunday Roast with Yorkshire pudding and lastly my favourite grilled cheese on toast!
Hope that they will serve Bubble and Squeak one day!

The reign under Queen Victoria in Wan Chai

Dined here during the month they opened and I have been a regular since.

Came here purely by accident because the Old China Hand pub next door rarely advertises the food it serves, but with the new Queen Victoria here, it finally got back into competition serving breakfasts and daily specials. On the other hand OCH has been opened since 1977!!
I was actually going to eat at OCH but ended up walking into QV.

Before trying QV and OCH I used to wonder if the food came from the same kitchen because both menus were quite similar.

That day I happened to reach the Queen Victoria before the Old China Hand pub, it was newly opened and looked fairly inviting so I went in for lunch.
Inside the pub, the tables and sofas were dark brown and on the walls were old pictures of London and Queen Victoria.

I saw the set lunch menu but didn’t see the main menu, hence I ordered the chili con carne, after I had placed my order, I noticed the main menu.
The choice was amazing, they even had curry sauce with chips.

The chili con carne came rather fast, in fact faster than other pubs, the staff there were friendly and said their food comes fast which was true.
There was chicken and chips too {which I tried another day}, it reminded me of the chicken and chips I had at a pub opposite QMUL in London {now closed }, the chicken was so juicy and the chicken skin was rubbed with salt.

On another day, I had their Breakfast. When the food arrived, I was ecstatic.
Usually the sausages that are served in Hong Kong are just not the ones in UK!
After cutting the sausage and taking a bite my mind was whizzing between all these different restaurants and places in UK from QM’s Drapers breakfast, Littlewoods breakfast, School dinners and college.
Anyway, I don’t know how to explain it, but the sausage had that usual crisp skin that sticks to the knife when cut, and inside it is pink with the smell of herbs.
It may not be an expensive sausage, but it is the same as the ones served widely in UK. The taste is similar to the Chipolatas for Christmas.

Also tried their pies, as well, it is the same ones as UK, the chicken pie has tarragon, and the beef pie was also delicious.
Hope that they will serve Bubble and Squeak one day!

Rock hard dehydrated chocolate cake @ New Phoenix cake shop

After trying their delicious chicken pie, walked past another day and the chocolate cake caught my eye.

 

It "LOOKED LIKE" a really nice Western chocolate cake with a cherry on top.
I asked what it was, but the staff there didnt seem to get my question.
Anyway I got one, and when they picked it up, it seemed really hard and unfresh, but I did not bother to ask for a fresher one.
When it was picked up by the tongs, the cake did not deform or compress so you can imagine how hard it was.
As I was carrying it, the cream in the middle and on the top was so brittle that the cherry fell off with the cream intact.
The taste was totally Chinese, the typical salted chocolate cream.
The cake was dry and hard.
Yuck!