HK’s best happy hour – Stone Nullah Tavern.

http://www.stonenullahtavern.com/

The fun begins at 5pm.  $1 for every glass of alcohol, price doubles every 20 minutes until 7pm.  There’s only one beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon; it stops being a problem after you suck back 3 of them within the first 20 mins for $3.  After which you spend the next 1 hour and 40 minutes on cruise control and drinking at a more reasonable pace.

It’s the best happy hour in HK and beats drinking on plastic stools in the wet markets in the afternoon.  After 7pm, head to the local joints for $20 bottles of Tsing Taos.

Miss Saigon, Vietnamese Food in Kennedy Town

Miss Saigon has taken over the space of Shun Sushi on Forbes Street across from exit C of the Kennedy Town MTR Station.  Unless you can smell the grease from the constant frying of spring rolls or the hearty soup stock that is constantly boiling away in the back, don’t bother.  Miss Saigon is a case of don’t bother and keep walking.

The King of Pho at Miss Saigon.  It looked right but it lacked the taste of soup that has been boiling away for many hours, no depth in flavor.  My suggestion is to use a pressure cooker if you lack the time commitment to make hearty soup.

Miss Saigon, King Pho.

I was expecting lemon grass grilled pork, fresh herbs and a meaty spring roll.  I got a deep fried pork cutlet and lettuce with the same deep fried quality of the appetizer plate.  A photo of real lemon grass grilled pork below.

Miss Saigon, lemon grass grilled pork.  It’s deep fried.

I was expecting this – real lemon grass grilled pork.

I don’t think I will go back.  20% off for the time being but there’s a 10% service charge.  WTF.  At least hide the cash grab?

If you are wanting to venture into Kennedy Town for food, check to see if the restaurant is new.  If so, stay away.

Korean Hot Pot, Chicken Pot – Kennedy Town

The chicken pot restaurant inside Kennedy Town’s Smithfield Cooked Food centre has a new restaurant – Korean style hot pot.  $268 for an order large enough to feed 2 people.

You are given a choice for soup base and two meat offerings.  The rest is spam and hot dogs.

Kennedy Town, Smithfield Cooked Food Centre – Korean Hot Pot.

I don’t see the Korean factor in the hot pot.  It may have to do with one of the soup base being Kimchi.  The tomato cheese base is thick and hearty.  It hits the spot and beats the rip off restaurants on Forbes row.

If you have a third person, revert back to the tried and true chicken pot.

$168 and everyone will love it.

Viet Kitchen in Central

$98 HKD for a bowl of Pho.  It’s decent with the right scent and taste but too small.

$98 HKD is $12 USD for a bowl of Pho in HK’s Central district.  They have a 6 course tasting menu for $600 HKD.  Might as well buy a plane ticket and spend the weekend in Vietnam where a similar bowl of pho is $10 HKD.

I am a sucker for Vietnamese food and it’s always disappointing.  Viet Kitchen is Viet Wrong.  Too expensive and the portions are too small.  I left hungry.

This is real pho.  Loaded with bean sprouts and raw BEEF.  If it doesn’t look like the picture below, run.

K Bites Korean Deli, Kennedy Town

Reasonable Pricing.  Cheap and affordable.  Everything is around the $50 range.

bibimbap

 

japchae

K Bites is korean take out food with the pricing reflecting the lack of space for large parties.  There are a few tables for those that want to eat-in.  K Bites does provide the 10 plate spread of traditional korean restaurants.  Just cheap korean food to hit the spot but lacking the authentic heartiness of true Northern fare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ribcage in Kennedy Town

$55 beers and $299 ribs.  Let’s put it in perspective.  $299 is $40 USD, for one rack of pork ribs or one beef rib.  Fries and Coleslaw are separate add-ons.  You have three options for beer, all of the craft variety but no black beers.  The point of serving beer is to price is low enough for diners to binge drink.  At $55, everyone will order one to try it out and go next door to the 7-11 for the beverage needs.  There’s Tramline and GOV in Kennedy Town for your craft beer needs.

Ribcage’s pork ribs

Pork ribs were dry but $299.  Open Rice reviews for this restaurant are quite stellar so my stomach was ready.

Fries are cooked in beef fat.  Distinct taste, quick way to a heart attack.

Ribcage beef ribs

Beef ribs were tender and moist but $299.  Too expensive.

Ribcage Coleslaw

Food is served take-out style.  Pay first at a sit down restaurant? Am I a thief as soon as I step through the door?  If I pay first, my food will need to be ready on payment yet there’s a noticeable delay in food delivery.  Ribcage charges fine dining pricing.  I left hungry.  I did not need to wear sweatpants afterall.  I had to cut my losses after ordering everything off the menu to take my appetite somewhere else.  I had high hopes for this restaurant but sadly ribs is not something I crave.  Fried Chicken and Mexican Food, yup.  Ribcage – decent food at a exorbitant price, best to start the count down to see how long they can withstand the crushing rents.  I give it 6 months.

Ribcage substitute to put my mind at ease.  Salad from K-town’s best Chicken Pot hawker fare.  $88, yes please.

Shanghainese food in Kennedy Town

gf loves this dish for it’s simplicity and clean taste.

 

Chicken and Wonton Soup

Half of a chicken, wonton and vegetables in soup.  It’s hearty and healthy.  The closest thing to chicken noodle soup.

got addicted to the chicken and wonton soup so I tried to re-create it at home using a pressure cooker.

Restaurant is located at the end of Queens Road West inbetween Belcher’s Street and Yat Fu Lane.

Chefoorder.com – HK’s tiffin service

Chefo Order is a HK website which matches ethnic lunch food to the office hordes.  They currently serve the following areas: Wan Chai, Yau Ma Tei, Kwai Cheng and Tai Po.  It provides a medium through which housewives can develop a cult following to their ethnic cuisines.  Lunch options are available before 11am.  The next day’s options are available at 3pm.  Cut off is 11am the following day and they email/call to confirm once a certain threshold of orders are put through.  It doesn’t make sense for the chef to take time out of their day for 1-2 orders so the threshold is set at 5.

Chicken Biryani – $34

I enjoyed the heat, the spice builds up gradually.  I showed the picture to my Pakistan clients and they were able to identify it as Biryani right away so it’s authentic.  This is my first experience with home cooked Biryani and the only things I can say is I will be a repeat customer.

 

I ordered Aaloo Qeema the following day.  Paratha is very similar to a the chinese scallion pancake without the scallion with loads of butter.  Aaloo Qeema was delicious.  I would have loved to pair the aaloo qeema with rice rather than bread.  I had too much sauce left over.  I found it very different than the normal lunch options.

Aaloo Qeema

with Paratha

The WAN CHAI lunch options are from Chefo are of the Pakistan variety.  I thoroughly enjoyed the meals.  It’s great knowing your business goes to support the chef rather than paying ground floor rents.  Pricing is reasonable and within the normal expectation.  Pick up is always at the MTR station so it’s an excuse to get out of the office and put the legs to work.  I paid for all my own meals.  website is http://www.chefoorder.com

2016 lunch – sardines and avocado

Lunch time offerings around the WAN CHAI area are starting to bore me.  A can of sardines in olive oil with one avocado and a dollop of pasta sauce does the trick.  It will cost the same as eating out but it’s healthy.  A poor man’s guacomole.  You are what you eat.

On wheat bread.  I am a creature of habit and so long as I find it healthy I can eat it on a daily basis.  My gf thinks I’m insane.

Laksa in HK

It’s tough finding authentic laksa in HK.  The owners and staff at this restaurant speak with the Malay/SGP accent so it is sure to be real.

Supreme Laksa for $89.  It’s spicy with a large coconut infusion.  Tastes similar to the best laksa instant noodles available in the supermarket but this version gets the flavours right over a large period of time.  Zero stomach problems so the food is clean.

Katong Laksa Prawn Mee’s laksa supreme

 

Dried noodle supreme for $89.  GF found it too salty.  She would have preferred to order the Laksa.

Decent laksa noodles for $89.  We will be back.  We find Laksa more rewarding than Ramen.  There is another Laksa joint across the street from this place.