Dr. Foodie Goes Solo in Hong Kong: Part One- The Gardens and Dim Sum My Way

Travel- it's hands-down one of my most favorite things in the world to do (爱). It's quite amazing to open up your world every chance you get and to have been blessed very early in life with the travel bug and a wanderlust filled heart.

Leaving the "comforts of home" and experiencing other cultures- whether alone or with friends and other loved ones- is truly an eye-opening adventure that often forges independence and a love and appreciation for home that you may have previously taken for granted.

Hong Kong is a hustle and bustle island-very reminiscent of my first love-NYC. I found roaming the city (Central/Sheung Wan) just before it awakens is cathartic. I bounced up and down the streets certain that I'd find my way back, but keeping Google Maps at hand. I was primarily in search of Citibank and breakfast.

Passing cooked and raw food markets, cafes, and news stands as their doors slowly awaken to patrons making their way to earn an honest living felt like a great way to start my actual birthday. I rarely even walk the streets of home this way. 

I hit the ATM and strolled on with a renewed sense of adventure singing in my heart- abutting shuffling elders heading to local gardens with their newspapers, young students with earbuds and iPhones distracting their trot, and business men and women in suits and high heels focused on tasks at hand; moms AND dads with babies strapped to bellies and toddlers in tow can hardly wait for lolly-gagging me to cross the road. They have a bus or metro train to catch-no doubt heading to drop their offspring with childcare providers.

Again, I am reminded of NYC-the city that awakes all at once, where you either hustle or get ran over. Where you make it to your destination on time or fall by the wayside.

Hong Kong has the highest number of high rises in the world. The sheer density of  population on the island is bewildering. I now know how small towners feel in NYC, LA, Atlanta, Chicago.

And then there's refuge...the gardens...

Chinese Herb Garden

Shennong, the Father of Chinese Medicine

"Chinese history goes that Shennong was the first medical expert in China and has been widely respected as the founder of Chinese medicine. 

Legend has it that Shennong, during his reign, was concerned about the health of his people who easily got sick. Seeing that taking grains as food could lead to good health, he came up with the idea that the fruits and root tubers of plants might have healing effects. 

He surveyed topography of various places and collected different species of herbs in the wilderness. He tasted various plants and even water from rivers and springs. Then he told his people the healthy way of eating. 

In order to know clearly the properties of herbal medicines, he tried the herbs himself and got poisoned frequently. 

{A publication in the Han (206 BC-220 AD) dynasty, recorded that Shennong had fallen ill more than 70 times after tasting different species of herbs.}" 

It is said that while tasting hundreds of herbs for curing the sick and detoxification, Shennong finally lost his life after taking a deadly poisonous herb called huoyanzi (Radix aconiti sungpanensis).

"The earliest extant work on pharmacology in China was entitled "Shennong Bencao Jing" (Shennong's Herbal Classic) as a token of respect to Shennong. Although the book was compiled circa the Qin and Han dynasties, it was attributed to Shennong as its author and used by practitioner's during the Period of Warring States. It is regarded as one of the four greatest classical works on Chinese medicine.

Every year I get more comfortable with being who I am and this year is no different and, in fact, more powerful. It's incredible to spend time alone in absolute contentment. I was tickled when I found my birth flower, the Chrysanthemum, in the garden and read the description of it's properties and uses/nature and tastes.

My first breakfast was at a popular diner chain called, Tsui Wah Tea Restaurant-know for its quick service and fresh variety of food and baked goods.

What's a Jersey girl without a diner meal anyway?

Continental Breakfast: fried  fish, egg scrambled, beans, and a roll with fresh-squeezed, ice cold orange juice

 Before heading back to my room to relax for a bit, I decided to stop by the Queen Street Cooked Food Market just seconds from the Ibis hotel door. Here are a couple of dishes I sampled.

Breakfast ramen, breakfast burger--- add an egg and breakfast meat to any dish and I'm in breakfast heaven.

See my review of the amazing breakfast ramen (bacon and egg mazeman at the now defunct Union Republic, here)

Ramen from Queen Street Market with Chinese Sausage and fried egg

I've never been a huge fan of Chinese sausage simply because of the sweet versus savory nature of most of them and "meat candy" isn't always a flavor profile I embrace, however, when in Hong Kong...

The broth was decent and the one thing that Chinese sausage impresses upon a dish is a perfect lard/fatty component adding some savory notes and a nice, slick texture whether added to rice or noodle dishes. This dish definitely benefited from this characteristic.

The noodles were more firm than I would have liked, but I didn't specify my expectations, thus that was on me alone.

The market is busy-very busy depending on the time of day you enter. The peak hours are for lunch around noon to 1:30 pm and 5-6:30 pm as you would expect from any food location in a metropolitan area.

It's fun to watch the shop/stand owner's hustle and prepare their goods.

Korean-style rice cakes, also called tteok, are made with glutinous rice flour and can be prepared pan-fried (as the ones above), boiled, pounded, or steamed. I can be a bit fussy over textures and usually am not a fan of rice cakes, but the aroma lead me to drop my inhibitions and I'm glad I did. These had a nice wok char which added a different level of texture than those I've had before. 

There were dozens upon dozens of fresh raw food market stands with beautiful fruits and vegetables on every street and corner.

Hollywood Road Gardens

Hollywood Road is a mix of art galleries, restaurants/bars, coffee/tea shops, temples, gardens and more.

It was the one strip upon which I found myself strolling along daily. You can find anything your heart desires- food, jewelry, spas, art, cocktails, people watching, cafes, etc.

As you go further south on the road (on the cusp of Central and Soho), the restaurants appear to become more westernized, such as the rum bar called Rummin'Tings next door to a Pizzeria named Ebeneezar's and a popular burger joint, Burger Circus.

I enjoyed a small bite at AyuThaiya, a quaint, modern Thai restaurant across from Rummin'Tings where I enjoyed a few bites of charred, market fresh squid marinated in a Thai spicy sauce.

Unfortunately, the Tom Yum Goong soup included overcooked tiger prawns and way too much  lemongrass which served as an impediment to enjoying the broth without bits of inedible plant material in the way.  There were several other Siam soups that sound delicious on the menu.

I mostly drank Scotch after one tiki-style cocktail called Siam Sabai made with tequila, fresh pineapple, lime and dashes of housemade bitters with Thai herbs. 

On the way back to SOHO from AyuThaiya I enjoyed a moment to digest at the Hollywood Road Garden.
Hong Kong is a very green place (reminiscent of all of Boston's green spaces in the middle of the city) which is always welcome in a bustling metropolis. 

Hollywood Road Entrance

Because my sleep cycle was thrown off by being 13 hours ahead of home, I often woke up at 3 am craving snacks, so I decided to visit the bodega around the corner to stock up.

And then, there was UberEats, which I hadn't even had the opportunity to use in Boston...
I had a ramen set quickly delivered directly to my hotel-ramen with pork, egg, and traditional toppings, gyoza, and borscht.

UberEats delivery from New Forest Restaurant

Let's end this post with a succulent suckling pig from Kimberly Restaurant, simply because it's a beautifully, succulent dish...

STAY TUNED FOR...
DrFoodie Goes Solo in Hong Kong: Part Two- Michelin Star Rated Ramen Soups and More

Repost from March 2014: At The Pass with Karen Akunowicz, Executive Chef of Myers + Chang, Boston, MA

REPOSTED FROM MARCH 2014

 I have been "at the pass" with Karen, Executive Chef at Myers + Chang, on a number of occasions.  This particular afternoon, we sat down over Japanese green and jasmine hot tea and chat about her culinary and life paths.  Karen is one of those chefs that will remain eternally humble throughout all of her successes.  She has the type of personality that draws people to her.

A favorite dish of mine at Myers + Chang:  Indonesian fried rice!

I've adored Chef Akunowicz and her extreme talent for a couple of years now, ever since attending her "Sexy Summer Salads" cooking class back in 2012.  You can read about the class, here.  Chef hosts a number of different class throughout the year.  I advise you to go to the Myers + Chang website to sign up now as they fill very quickly.  I'd suggest that you sign up for their email list to learn about classes first.  They are held the first Saturday of the month.  Three dates are usually posted.  The already sold out next classes (Mar. 1st, Apr 5th, and May 3rd) is entitled "Three Little Pigs" where Chef will "focus on the most delicious of the farm animals").  Other events are communal dining experiences for just $88 (88 is a lucky Chinese number) where you will be hosted and served by Karen and the spectacular M+C staff, family style.  The last one on the Lunar New Year, featured dishes like:

Thai style clam chowder, sesame cucumbers, Filipino eggrolls using the sous chef's mother’s recipe, stuffed pork loin with shitake mushroom and Asian pear over greens that was sliced and served at the table, long beans (almondine), which are symbolic of longevity for the new year.  Heather is paired wine and beer with all dishes.  "We love doing things to promote community", says Chef Akunowicz.

Chef Karen Akunowicz at What's Your Beef? Event 2013- BCAE.

Chef Akunowicz began her journey into the culinary world in New Jersey, our mutual home state.   She speaks of this immersion as, "not your typical story of growing up cooking with grandma".  Cooking was one many traditional chores in the Akunowicz household growing up.  "It was along the same lines as cleaning the bathroom or raking the leaves.  Cooking wasn't inherent in me then." 

She recalls a pretty funny moment after having graduated high school when, one day, her mom gave her the keys to the car (which she never did) and simply stated, "Don't come back without a job."  That day, she accepted a job as a waitress in one of our hundreds of diners in the State of New Jersey!  The only other industry to even pose as a rivalry to diners would be malls!  

Two Fun Facts: 

1. New Jersey has the most diners in the world and is sometimes referred to as the diner capital of the world.
2. North Jersey has the most shopping malls in one area in the world with seven major shopping malls in a 25 sq. mile radius

Sources: http://www.50states.com/facts/newjerse.htm#.UxSscs61dSk and having been born and      raised there.

So Chef has been working in the food service industry since the tender age of 16 or 17.  She now has spent almost 20 years of her life working in the hospitality industry.

During her college years at University of Massachusetts-Amherst, she spent several summers back in Jersey working at that diner.  During college, she also spent time working at Claudia's Bakery where she began working front of the house then moved into the kitchen where she could be found doing anything from hand-washing dishes to scooping muffin batter into pans, baking cookies, or peeling onions.

After earning degrees in Social Work and Women's Studies, interviewing for jobs in her areas of study proved to be a challenge.   She then accepted a position as a cocktail waitress and worked in a variety of restaurants around Boston where she learned so much about the industry and how kitchens run.

Eventually, she considered applying for a Masters degree in Social Work and a girlfriend at the time, whom she only began cooking at home to impress, inquired, "Why are you applying to grad school when all you you talk about is what you will do when you run your own restaurant."  Karen describes this as an a-ha moment.  After having cooked, what she describes as awful food for her girlfriend at the time, think oversalted puttanesca with tons of un-rinsed olives and capers, she felt she had the drive, passion, and ambition, but looking back, not the skill set.

Chef Akunowicz, quit her job in a restaurant, applied to and matriculated through the Professional Chef's program and Cambridge Culinary School during which time she bartended at Via Matta and spent the next year honing the craft that we all enjoy today at Myers + Changs.  Via Matta is where she first met famed restaurateur Christopher Myers and the rest is solid history.

Chef Akunowicz considers her sister to be one of her greatest inspirations.  "She is a powerhouse.  One of biggest cheerleaders next to our mom.  A mother of two and a PhD.  She is my biggest inspiration and supporter."  About working with Joanne Chang and Christopher Myers, Karen says, "From day one, they have been mentors, friends, and bosses. They push me and inspire me, not only as a chef but as a human, in showing that they really see my potential and want to help me get further. These are people with their names on the door that entrust me to do things right thing everyday.  It inspires me to be that person for other people.  It’s such a gift."

Cooking show and food television are always things I am curious about when interviewing a chef.  Chef Akunowicz had a similar response to this line of questioning that most local celebrity chefs have, in that it is pure entertainment and can be misconstrued, as much of reality tv can be, as REALITY.  The downside, Chef shares, is that "Kids getting out of culinary school today truly believe that they will graduate and immediately become famous.  There are many years of working for twelve dollars per hour, if you're lucky, as a linecook."  Things are not instantaneous.  This goes for every industry.

Balancing life and love and career can be challenging for any professional man or woman.  I love the way Karen and her fiancee LJ are handling making balance work for them both.  Every Sunday, they go our to a restaurant, toast with champagne to their engagement, and get to working on the next set of plans.  Most of these Sundays are at Barbara Lynch's The Butcher Shop where the staff are fully ivested and involved in the planning.  Their band designer is Laura Preshong on Tremont Street and Karen speaks very highly of her as well.  One of he latest wedding planning faux pas was, after writing all of their invitations complete with a specially made stamp by Karen's mother, the price of stamps changed the very next day.  Karen, and imagine LJ as well, took it all in stride.  The harshest thing Karen had to say about the situation is, "I had to put tacky ass 3 cents stamps on my wedding invitation!  Only me!" 

When digging deeper on balance in life, Karen shared something so profound, I cannot NOT share it on this post:  "Balance in life is a goal.  I know it will never be perfect, but I love my career and it gives me so much joy.  People say that when you’re on your death bed, you wont worry about how many hours you've worked.  And to that I say, but I will be proud of what I’ve done.  I will know that I was successful.  Me, a girl from Kearny, New Jersey, who with the support of my loved ones, became successful in this industry."

To that, I say:  More power to you Chef!  I feel you are one of the most talented chefs I've had the pleasure of getting to know and super sweet to boot!  She gives of her time and talent and has recently been invited to represent Massachusetts in D.C for the Share Our Stregnth/No Kid Hungry campaign gala...that's just how she rolls!

Congratulations a million times to you and LJ on your May nuptials!

After our interview, Karen prepared a few newer items from the lunch menu for me at the chef's bar (my favorite spot in restaurant)!  Bring on the sexy salads!

Kale and shaved persimmon salad with semi-firm tofu, shaved fennel, with Korean chili vinaigrette

The kale salad was an amazing combination of flavors.  The base being the hearty kale adding texture and intense flavor combined with the sweet, acidity of the persimmons adding its own tender, fibrous textures.  Given, the Korean chili vinaigrette and smooth, rich tofu cubes, this salad transports me into the middle of August with a chilly yuzu-based cocktail in hand, basking in the sun.

Another beautiful salad du jour:  The roasted Brussels sprouts sweet and sour dish.  Beautiful, tiny heads of Brussels sprouts are tossed in a tangy sweet and sour sauce with pickled onion for acidity and black sesame seeds adding lovely texture to each bite.

Sweet and sour Brussels sprouts

My final tasting before running off to work myself was a smoky, wok-prepped kimchee quinoa bokkeumbap, a Korean dish typically served with rice.  Karen's was tossed with Brussels sprouts, Bulgoki beef, pistachio nuts, and edamame.

Kimchee bokkeumbap

 Head over to Myers + Chang and sample some of the goods.

Thanks to Chef Karen Akunowicz for her time and sharing her talent with us all!

Disclosure:  This meal was provided at no cost.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Grandma's Dim Sum, 40-24 College Point Blvd, Flushing Queens, NYC- Quarterly #GreedyGirlsUnite Food Tour- March 2015

My girlfriends since childhood and I started a new tradition outside of visiting one another in our respective cities/states during down time and holidays. We are meeting quarterly in a city or part of a city to sample the amazing food! This time we invited one my veterinary colleagues/mentors/friends.

#GreedyGirlsUnite

Our last meet-up was back in early autumn where we focused on lower Manhattan.  We started with the oldest dim sum purveyor in all of NYC, Nom Wah Dim Sum Parlor and ended with ToroNYC with fun stops along the way!  

We decided to make starting with dim sum our opening ceremony of sorts-no matter the neighborhood so we chose Grandma's Dim Sum in Flushing Queens, NY.  

This time we hired the driver we used at the end of our last tour as our personal driver for the day.  Five of us fit comfortably in this SUV and he was extremely professional, even mapping out the most sensible route plan for our list of restaurants.  

Big shout out to Samuel Moore, Uber/Personal driver and new friend to us all.

Located in a shopping mall, you're thrown into the mix of fast paced, almost exclusively Asian shoppers-groups of friends (young and old) and families, pushing baby carriages.  It's high energy.

For nostalgia's sake, I was tempted to grab a slice in the Chuck-e-Cheese located at the bottom of the escalator.  The shimmering costume jewelry and the traditional bakery were also great distractions as we made our way to and from Grandma's. 

We walk in and immediately, our cell phones lose service.  There's a slight, silent panic that ripples through the group until we turn around and face the wifi password on display near the hostess stand.  All is right in the world again.

We seated after only a few minutes by jovial staff.  We all observe the dishes at nearby tables and marvel over what we might order.  After being served a pot of tea, we briefly discuss the "Emperor's Pour" tradition and begin to dissect the dim sum and regular lunch menu.

Because Dumpling Galaxy was next on our list, we chose to not fill up on too much dumpling or shumai dishes.  We did succumb to shumai from the cart along with chicken feet.

I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken feet were more savory versus sweet.  I've had plenty where the cloying confectionery character was too much to bear.

Chicken feet and shumai

Sylvia sampling her very first chicken foot!

Most of my girlfriends aren't shy about trying 'exotic' foods, but I seemed to be the only one willing to order the spicy jellyfish in a group of women who are pretty adventurous eaters.  

It was served chilled and topped with white sesame seeds.  The texture was reminiscent of a seaweed salad-great comparison, Sylvia!  The spice was not at all overbearing and there was piquant notes on the mid-palate.  Each crisp bite resonated between the ears and the outer texture of each tentacle was not at as all off-putting as one might imagine.  It was simple, refreshing starter, but way too large a portion to finish.

We all agreed that a big bowl of bone broth soup was definitely in order, so we decided to share the braised beef noodle bowl.  

Unfortunately, we were all underwhelm.  The beef was certainly tender and the fatty bits superb, but the broth presented no real character, so I asked how long do the cook their bone broth and turns out it's a measly 20 minutes.  Certainly not enough to impart any real flavor from bone that's worth talking about.

I also could appreciate the toothsome, springy noodles.

The bowl of congee with abalone and frog, which both Sylvia and I were looking forward to was even more disappointing.

Lacking much flavor, it was unbelievable that the abalone and frog imparted little to the dish.

Even the delicacies alone fell flat.

The fried chicken with mouth-numbing Sichuan peppers and chili was an overall success with the group.  

Full of flavor and spice, the chicken was also supple and succulent!

The salt and pepper shrimp were simply fried shrimp, but a good batch.

The Dongpo Pork- Chinese pork belly cooked in brown sauce over sauteed bamboo shoots was major!  It's the definition of fat=flavor!

Dongpo Pork

Overall, I'd say that our experience at Grandma's Dim Sum was good.  The people were friendly (I vaguely remember one of the servers putting her number into my phone :0) and the food mostly great!  
I'd definitely check back in next time I'm in Queens.