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

Once Upon a Miserable Boston Winter: Reminiscing upon brunches/lunches at Canary Square that saved my life during Boston Winter 2015

As a non-cooking single woman, I have not officially (or unofficially) cooked since 4th of July weekend 2014.  When our winter this past year in Boston shut down access to my literal lifelines, I at least brunched well with thanks to good walking boots and uber!

Canary Square has always been my watering hole, but a few changes in kitchen management and staff has instilled in me a new confidence that good eats are a very real thing for me now!

I've enjoyed a beautiful lobster Eggs Benedict with lobster hash, perfectly poached eggs and Hollandaise served in a hot personal skillet.

Lobster Hash

 The quiche was rich and fluffy served French-style with a lightly dressed salad.  I ordered a side of housemade sausage.

Quiche with fig, salad, and housemade sausage

Canary Square has always had great charcuterie plates with a vast diversity in cheeses, meats, jams/butters, mustards, fruits and nuts!  

Their roasted Brussels sprouts are also delicious with umami sauce over crunchy roasted sprouts.

As a watering hole, myself and friends enjoy the libations offered as well...

Joshua's glamour shot after making my favorite hairs of the dog...an Aperol Spritzer!

I've enjoyed a few dinners at this point as well and I'm so thrilled with the kitchen changes.  
Who will save us this winter?

Have you eaten at Canary Square lately?  Let me know what you think in the comments section below!
 

Edible DC/DC Sips- 4th of July Weekend 2015

Dear District of Columbia, I love you. 

Before this weekend, I couldn't conjure up an image of what my social and professional life could be in our nation's capital. 

I would love to live and love in the neighborhoods we drifted in and out of over Independence Day weekend...though not too soon.

As we sat back and took in the vibe of particular neighborhoods, not one person seemed to be in much of a rush. 

On one particular evening later in the weekend, we ordered a car to take us onto the 14th Street Corridor (a street encompassing the Northwest and Southwest neighborhoods of D.C.) and boasting numerous ethnic and diverse food venues, bars, and quaint shops.

14th was where the first streetcar lines ran. It also connects DC to Virginia via a bridge over the Potomac River as well as one culture to another.

 On this night, we started at Dolcezza for some very adult behavior...dessert BEFORE dinner! Gelato!

Georgia Pecan & Salted Caramel Gelato #DessertBeforeDinner

There were major flavors of both gelato and sorbetto on the churn at Dolcezza including Mascarpone & Berries, Champagne Mango, Thai Coconut Milk, Honey Cardamom, Peppermint Stracciatella.

Afterwards, we dined at Le Diplomate, a classically styled French restaurant, from menu to handsome staff, to food presentation, style of outdoor seating and service (in a well-behaved french resto), it was almost reminiscent of Paris but with better manners and attitude on the staff's part. 

As a bonus, I was distracted at least half a dozen times by neighborhood dogs out for walks with or in spite of their owners.

One bull terrier named daisy, with a pretty pink halter and the cutest, sweetest of faces decided, at the very last moment on the stroll down 14th, that she would hold a sit-in, to the amusement of outdoor diners, but not necessarily her owner. 

There would be no active participation in this walk though her "master"/"dad" attempted to go so far as to drag her along one short square of the sidewalk before giving in and tying her to wrought iron in front of a brownstone while he tended to other business.

 It wasn't a rare moment where I didn't ooh or ahh at either the adorable pups walking by, the food being placed down on our bistro table, or the handsome men passing by.  Good neighborhood eye candy!

We basked in the light humidity and slightly overcast sky with a cool breeze back and decided it was better than our earlier attempt to be "real tourist" on the Smithsonian Museum campus upon which we ended up hot and unimpressed at the National Museum of American History vs. our initial intention, the Museum of Natural History. #Fail

Our server Rob was extremely knowledgeable, there was also a Latino server/runner who was in his  #TopModel feelings, serving us long, exaggerated turns as he descended upon and beyond our table (lol) and lovely hostess ladies in navy a line dresses with flats and thin red belts which struck me as the only way I'd want to dress were I officially in the industry ...sans the flats.  Those who know me know I'd swap those for red pumps or stilettos. 

My Full Review of Le Diplomate will be posted soon.

We stayed in Dupont Circle at the Renaissance where I had a few nice bites for one breakfast and one dinner.

The frittata was loaded with fresh veggies (mushroom, spinach, bell peppers, onion), ground turkey sausage and topped with cheese and salsa.

For dinner one night, I enjoyed a large bowl of Maryland crab chowder topped with large pieces fresh crab meat.

The salmon was served with a tangy lemon butter sauce with rice and haricots verts.

Since Derek had arrived two days before I did, he had a surprisingly great handle on the best food neighborhood in which to hang  We both did our research!  

My research came heavily from the perspective of Washington Post Food Critic/Writer, Tom Sietsema who suggested Boqueria for a Spanish brunch. 
Derek's was from getting out amongst the people and having a keen eye for what's happening in the city as well as some historic locations like Busboys & Poets.  So we had a pretty diverse experience together and apart.

One evening, we headed over to to Busboys and Poets (the original location at 14th & V), a community hotbed for racial, political and social change.  The space is named for poet Langston Hughes who worked as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel in the 20's prior to his life as a transformative poet.
There are three other locations in the Metro area.

Langston Hughes at Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC - 1925

The community space features an amazing book collection (for purchase), music, art, food/drinks, and a wholly inclusive vibe from patrons of all ages, ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientation, etc.  We sat at the bar and took in the scenes.  

A busy painting hung on the wall above the back bar kept us entertained for quite some time. 
The beautifully, colorful piece by Anna Rose Soevik was eye-catching and all around fun piece!

Langston Hughes by Anna Rose Soevik- Canvas (19x6 Feet on 5 Panels) 

We enjoyed a few libations and I ordered the Tuna Nicoise salad which was bright, fresh, and pretty much on point for a Nicoise salad.  I didn't expect a huge piece of tuna steak, being that I am used to it with sliced and pan-seared tuna. Had I known, I would have requested a warmer temperature on the prep. 

A new friend did rave about the shrimp and grits and another about the fried chicken and collards!  
Sounds like a must try on my next visit to the District!

The next day we decided on Boqueria, a Spanish tapas restaurant, for brunch.  Boqueria boasts a spectacular Unlimited Brunch tapas, drinks, and sweets for only $39 pp with a time limit of 2.5 hours.

 The entire table has to decide to order this way in order to get the deal.  The server brought out dish after dish and pitcher after pitcher of mimosas, white/red/pink Sangrias, and then two desserts. 

It was almost disturbing how many dishes we had in front of us at any given point.  
The highlights for me were some of my favorite Spanish dishes to begin with.

Check out our feast below...

We were stuffed at this point.  I have no idea how I managed to smile without bursting wide open. 

Even with food restrictions at the table, we were all able to enjoy a full meal.

Albondigas:  classic Spanish lamb meatballs bathed in tomato sauce with sheep's milk cheese and cucumber slices which added a layer of beauty, texture, and color and coolness.

Even though the tapas were unlimited, the presentation did not lack.

Large, crisp spears of asparagus over a puddle of hazelnut Romesco sauce. Simple, fresh, and full of flavor.

A beautiful roasted beet salad with orange wedges, frisee, green pistachios, Valdeon blue cheese, and Sherry vinaigrette

Golden and Purple Beets make for a beautiful dish! 

Outside of the lovely beet fries served at GrassFed Boston, I cannot seem to wrap my brain around eating purple beets, as my grandmother's pickled beets on dinner salads continues to haunt me. I'm all about the golden,however. 

#ChildhoodPhobiaNumber 3 

#FirstWorldProblemsNumber 29840753084

And yes, I am using hashtags in blog posts now (smile).  

Your entire life can be described in fun hashtags...trust me.

Huevos Benedictinos

Wooden tray full of delicious accompaniments:  

• Fresh, warm country bread served with a garlic aioli and olive oil for dipping

• Olives and Manchego cheese cubes 

• Majorcan potato (Tortilla Espanola aka Spanish omelette or Tortilla de Patatas made of potato and egg) cut into cubes and served(very different from the traditional wedge cut) and topped with a creamy dollop aioli.

• Thin shavings of jamon Serrano

The Huevos Benedictinos was beautiful, but I unfortunately could not stomach any more breaded foods by the time it came out.

Griddled and halved English muffins were topped with thin sliced jamon Serrano, a perfectly poached egg, Hollandaise sauce and sprinkled with smoked paprika and chives.

I can hardly call this sauce or include in the title of this dish a Salsa Verde.  It was bland, thin, uninteresting.  Out of season tiny mussels yearned for undeserved recognition.  I had one and decided against giving it much more attention.  With all the bread that ended up on the table, it would have been dreamy to have a sauce worthy of' dipping housemade bread.

Service was attentive and quick.  I highly recommend Boqueria for a hearty meal and creative cocktails.

Of course I had to sample a highly rated ramen shop before leaving DC.  Check out my review of Daikaya which I am adding to my latest ramen article entitled: 

"A Collection of the Ramen, Pho, and Other Noodle Soups I've Enjoyed Over MY Past 6 Month Obsession."

Bar reviews coming soon!

Another Great Meal at Union Republic, Jersey City, NJ (Now Closed)

Once again, Chef Ryan and family at Union Republic showed us a great time while providing eats that transcend the norm.

On our last visit, the bar at the far end of the restaurant was being built behind a tarp.  It was a pleasant surprise to see it up and thriving.  Adding another layer of character along with the cafe/upscale bodega style space in the front and the internet cafe feel of the central space, the bar can easily pass as a mid-day imbiber's cove and a nightcap zone.

Photo Credit: Union Republic Facebook Page

We decided, once again, to order the salad du jour and different ramen bowls.

Butternut Squash Salad: Roasted Squash, Pomegranite Seeds, Avocado, and Mixed Greens, tossed in Ginger Vinaigrette

Carolyn order the Bacon & Eggs Mazeman-a brothless breakfast ramen featuring toothsome noodles bathed in rich miso butter, topped with a poached egg, lardon, scallion, and pea greens.

Bacon & Eggs Mazeman

Because we loved the crisped, sliced pig's ears that comes on the Nose to Tail Ramen on our first visit

 (read all about it, here), we simply had to have them as a 'side dish'/snack.

Pig's Ears

Nose to Tail Ramen with crisp pig's ear slices, pork belly, and seared heart.

A bowl of ramen has been notoriously difficult for me to finish.  Even when I show up with an empty belly, I struggle to consume all of its goodness to the last drop.  I'm proud to say that I finally reached that milestone at Union Republic on our second visit, so it was a total photo opp.  

Thanks to Ahsan Anwar for your photog genius!

Yep, I used a straw...don't judge me!

I love my home state of NJ and UR is like a favorite cousin!  Thanks for another great meal!