Off to [Chop Chop] for Chinese Roast

Whenever you go to have Chinese roast, you will always hear the chop chop noise [Chopping] in the background!!
The chop chop noise is meat being chopped up on the chopping board so I guess this is why they are called Chop Chop!!
Chop chop also means hurry up or to be quick in English.

The joint is located on the corner with two entrances and meats are displayed nicely at the counter.

There is an English Menu which make it expat friendly.

Chop Chop's signature dish is the Roast Pork Belly Rice where it first debuted in Stephen Chows God of cookery film aka Sorrowful Rice (#黯然銷魂飯).
It comes with egg and soup as a set.
The rice is a little different as they use premium rice which is harvested once a year at Wuchang city along with some wild rice.
As for the eggs, these come from young hens which produce smaller but nutritious eggs.

It was definitely a fulfilling meal as the meat was lightly charred on the edges but perfectly tender and moist.
Also tried the Chop Chop Char Siew which was leaner compared to the belly.

It really depends on which cut you like, for me I preferred the leaner cut as it was meatier and the charred edges were crispy with a slight stickiness.

To go with drinks, the the Crispy pork belly was just the treat.

The chef definitely had perfect chopping skills as you can see the pork is uniformly square with clean cuts and sharp 90 degree edges !!!!!
The meat and fat was evenly defined so each piece was moreish with a nice crispy texture. The roast was so good that I got some takeaway.

I like the way they use paper boxes like GoodBBQ as you won't get any CFC odour in the food.
It is always good to see Chinese roast going to the next level by becoming modern and presentable.

[Chop Chop 食神叉燒]
Shop 3, G/F, 18 Wang On Road, North Point
Near the Petrol Station

Lovingly made in Hong Kong by [Little Farmer]

I was attracted by the restaurant decor because it gave me the impression they were serving healthy dinners.
The decor was relaxing and made you feel at home.

There was a lot to offer on the menu and the prices were very friendly.
What I appreciate is that they use locally farmed poultry, Black Iberian pigs to local organic vegetables.

Each dish on the menu is inspired by Chinese phrases which portrays the way people communicate and behave in Hong Kong.

Started with fresh juices that cost $18 per glass where no sweeteners are added. There was papaya pumpkin, Jackfruit, red dragon fruit and pumpkin, lemongrass and lime barley water and longan water. The combinations were good and healthy.

For mains, the star of the show are the noodles which come in a rich chicken broth infused with Chinese ham or Miso broth made with Iberican Pig Bones. Both broths were strong and MSG free. The set which a drink and dish only costs $68.

As well as noodles, there is healthy mixed grain rice to choose and here is the meat free option with mushrooms as a main dish.

The pork and ginger was cooked in ginger juice so it had that appetizing ginger fieriness.

Last but not least was the spare ribs which are set alight in front of you. It was sweet and sticky like perfectly roast charsiu.

Definitely coming back for more noodles because I like broths. Next time I will try the mushroom noodles.

[Little Farmer 小農夫拉麵食屋]
G/F, Moon Lok Dai Ha, 169 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan

Kee Wah Bakery's 2018 Mooncakes

Kee Wah Bakery is a chain of bakery stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States, founded in Hong Kong in 1938 by Wong Yip Wing (1911–1999), they are well known in Hong Kong and overseas Chinese communities for their traditional Chinese pastries and delicacies.

It is also famous in the UK because stores in Chinatown would import some and people from HK would send them over. However, in the recent years people have been getting fed up with traditional mooncakes due to health reasons and family sizes are as not big as before.

The traditional sized mooncakes would last you for days because they are quite sickly and during the mooncake season, there are so much mooncakes about that when you share it with people, the chances are that they have already had some.

Before the festival, many bakeries are already selling mooncakes which attracts people to buy new and specials flavours for themselves, then nearer the festival, people will start buying mooncakes for others.

Anyway, there are so many varieties at Kee Wah, ranging from traditional to modern ones that there is a mooncake for everyone.
Thank you Kee Wah Bakery for all these mooncakes.

This year was sweet and refreshing with the new Lemon and Honey with Pine Nuts Egg Custard Mooncake.
Lemon Custard is now my favourite!!

Personally the Lemon was addictive because it was moreish and there was a Western element to it.
[Only available at the Wanchai flagship store].

The 80th Anniversary gift box had my favourite Red Bean paste pastry with 15-year old Mandarin peel, Chinese Ham mooncakes with assorted nuts and the traditional White lotus seed paste mooncake with yolk.

Chinese Ham mooncakes with assorted nuts:

In collaboration with Eu Yan Sang, there is Red Bean paste pastry with Mandarin peel from Eu Yan Sang!!

Red Bean paste pastry with Mandarin peel from Eu Yan Sang:

The Assorted custard mooncakes includes the delicious new Honey with Pine Nuts Egg Custard Mooncake.

In the Assorted Mini Panda Mooncake Gift Box you get mini white lotus with yolk, mini egg custard and mini red bean paste with yolk.

[Tristar Kitchen] twinkling bright in Shatin

Fell in love with Tristar when they first opened in CWB so I decided to try this one instead of the new branch at Wanchai because the menu offers more here!!

Since I travelled all the way to Shatin, I decided to try the Taiwanese steamed buns and Shaved ice as well as the noodles!
On the menu, they offer you a choice of three different noodles including thick and thin because some people can be quite particular about them.
Just like the celebrity kiki noodles, they have thin and thick.

For noodles, ordered two alcoholic ones: hua diao wine and the Kavalan Single Malt Noodles.

The Kavalan Single Malt Noodles were a shock as I didn't realize there would be flames!!

First they torch the beef slices so that they are cooked then they add some malt and flambee the noodles.

Compared to the standard beef noodles, the whisky gives it a sophisticated aroma and malty taste to the broth and the malt that they sprinkle on top enhances the taste even more.

As for the [hua diao wine beef noodles], the broth was on the sweet side and I chose the thin noodles so that it would absorb the broth.

For snacks, had the Taiwanese steamed buns which was filled with soft gelatinous beef and preserved vegetables.
The buns were soft and pillowy with satisfying beef in the middle drizzled with sweet gravy.

For dessert, finished with the shaved ice.

I didn't realize it would be that big and you also get extra condensed milk and brown sugar syrup on the side which I didn't use as it was sweet enough.

There are eight toppings to choose from but this was confusing as not all are shown at the counter and the menu doesn't clearly specify which 8 to choose from.

The shaved ice was surprisingly good because the brown sugar syrup that was already on there tasted nice and when it got slushier, the taste was refreshing.
I appreciate the quality brown sugar syrup they used as it wasn't cloyingly sweet and addictive. Overall, it was worth my time checking it out.

Improvements: English descriptions would be helpful on the Menu!
DISCLAIMER: I haven't been to Taiwan before so I am only commenting on the taste.

[Tristar Kitchen 三星台菜食堂]
Shop 128, 1/F, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin

Contemporary Chinese Fare to the next level at [Madame Ching]

Madame Ching is a modern Chinese restaurant and roast house on Star Street.

Their Head Chef Son has done a good job in bringing diners a new way of enjoying Chinese cuisine. He crosses culture and culinary lines which really works.

For drinks, began with the [Drink affogato] and [Iced Lychee and red date tea]. 

Drink affogato: 

[Cream gelato, homemade raspberry sauce, balsamic vinegar and soda water]

Iced Lychee and red date tea:

Here were the dishes that we had: 

++++ 

General Son Chicken:

This was chunks and big chunks of pure chicken meat in delicious crispy coating smothered in sweet and sticky syrup complemented by the fiery Sichuan peppercorns and chili. I loved it as it was all lean white meat without any bones or fat. 

++++ 

Brussels Sprout Uni: 

To be honest, I haven't had any uni dishes as good as this! 

I liked the way the uni was laid on the brussels sprout leaves which had a lovely colour contrast as well as taste. 

Beneath the leaves there were some cream and some soy sauce dots which you eat together for a wonderful taste infusion of sweet creamy uni flavoured by the soy sauce. 

All that is then contrasted by the dill and crisp raw brussels sprout leaves that wake you up from the creaminess.

++++

Hamachi Crudo: 

This was simply delicious slices of hamachi drenched in thick moreish sweet and savoury sauce complimented by the chives and red shiso leaves.

++++

Roast Duck:

The roast duck was really comforting and how it should be. It tasted exactly like the ones in UK and you can visibly see it had been uniformly roasted by the colour and the smoothness of the skin.. 

I appreciate the way the thigh bone has been removed except the drumstick bone so you still have an intact quarter duck there. 

The plate was clean and oil free which was really appealing before you even ate it. 

It definitely sends me memories of eating in China Towns so I was really happy.  

The pickles were good too, chunky with a nice crunch and pickled taste. 

I know locals don't appreciate this but I am sick and tired of brittle bones in every bite and being served just skin, fat and bones. 

++++ 

Brussels Sprouts roasted Jus:

Vegetables are a must and I loved the fact brussels sprouts were on the menu. 

On top they were garnished with crispy shallots!! 

Nice bite size vegetables that you can pop in your mouth.  

++++ 

For carbs, there was fried rice or the dan dan noodles. 

Had the [Burnt ends Egg Fried Rice] which was soft and fluffy. 

There was something different about the grains of rice, they tasted like Basmati rice/long grain rice although I am not sure.

++++

For dessert, finished with the [Ma Lai Go with Ovaltine Custard]: 

In contrast to the local sponge cake, this one was much better as it was firmer and more cakey. 

As I am English, I crave for cakes all the time and the thick ovaltine custard had a strong malty taste which was insanely delicious with a sweet touch that cured my dessert craving.

++++ 

To summarize, I was totally impressed with everything and this is how Chinese food should be. FRESH, PRESENTABLE and DELICIOUS 

With the contemporary twists to the dishes, Manuel and the team have successfully made me like some Chinese dishes that I would not normally eat in Hong Kong but definitely would eat here!  Hong Kong is so lucky to have the Pirata Group.

[Madame Ching]

5 Star Street, Wanchai

http://www.madameching.hk/