Mak's Noodle @ Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - 麥奀雲吞麵世家 @ 禮頓道銅鑼灣香港

Cuisine: Chinese / Cantonese (Noodle)

Map: Mak's Noodle @ Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - 麥奀雲吞麵世家 @ 禮頓道銅鑼灣香港

Price: HKD70 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 12 July 2014

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 3/10

Value for money: 8/10

Services: 3/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Thinking of a quick noodle meal with delicious wonton in Hong Kong, Mak's Noodle may be one of the answer for you. Mak's Noodle is a specialist in noodle (obviously), wonton, and braised beef for over 40 years. There are quite a few shops in Hong Kong. However, this is the one on Leighton Road in Causeway Bay.

Here you pop in, take a quick meal, and off you go. Nothing really fancy here: no fancy looking food, no lovely and cool atmosphere, no kind staff to please you but only drooling noodle dish that will make you come back again.

First, you just need to have in mind whether you are looking for noodle in soup or tossed noodle, else no noodle at all. Then pick your favourite alongside ingredients: wonton, dumpling (similar to wonton but just a little fancier filling), beef brisket, beef tendon, pork, and etc. Within a few minutes, you order will be ready and off you go another few minutes to finish the dish. I personally love the wonton and beef tendon here. They can go pretty amazingly with either noodle in soup and tossed noodle. To make the meal more meaningful, I would recommend a side dish such as Beef Brisket and Beef Tendon and Chinese Kale with Oyster Sauce (soft and enjoyable) just like what we had.

The points about Mak's Noodle are ingredients and balance, I suppose. I have found that noodle was cooked at the right point (again as the Italian may say al dente), nice and yummy filling of wonton and dumpling were in generous portion, beef was braised until tender, and flavour of soup was rich but not overpowered. If I were to live in Hong Kong, I would sure be a regular customer here. On the pricing wise, this is not one of the cheapest joint for noodle but not ridiculously expensive (mostly in the range of HKD40 plus/minus). I would say it is valuable. Anyway, bon appetit if you have a chance to visit Mak's Noodle.

Wonton and Beef Tendon Noodle in Soup (HKD48)

Wonton Noodle in Soup (HKD34)

Wonton and Dumpling Soup (HKD38)

Tossed Noodle with Beef Brisket (HKD48)

Beef Brisket and Beef Tendon (HKD78)

Chinese Kale with Oyster Sauce (HKD25)

Mak's Noodle @ Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - 麥奀雲吞麵世家 @ 禮頓道銅鑼灣香港
37 Leighton Road
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong

Open Hours: daily 10:00am - 11:00pm

Tel: +852 2893 0006

Fu Sing Shark Fin Seafood Restaurant @ Yee Woo Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - 富聲魚翅海鮮酒家 @ 怡和街銅鑼灣香港

Cuisine: Chinese / Cantonese

Map: Fu Sing Shark Fin Seafood Restaurant @ Yee Woo Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - 富聲魚翅海鮮酒家 @ 怡和街銅鑼灣香港

Price: HKD160 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 11 July 2014

Food: 7/10

Atmosphere: 5/10

Value for money: 7/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [1=poor ---- 5=average/standard ---- 10=outstanding/exceptional]

Fu Sing is another big famous Chinese restaurant on the islands of Hong Kong. Understand that there are 2 branches: one at Wan Chai and this one at Causeway Bay. Fu Sing may be well-known for its seafood dishes (obviously from its name), however, the dim sum lunch is as well top of the class. The one at Causeway Bay is within the walking distance from MTR Causeway Bay and is on the 1st floor of 68 Yee Woo Street. You will spot Din Tai Fung on the ground floor. The place is spacious but do not expect anything fancy for decoration: just ordinary Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong really. For the service wise, it is at least not so rude but still Hong Kong style. The pricing of dim sum menu is not expensive but not cheap. Expect to pay around HKD150 per head (English menu is available with photo which is really convenient). By the way, the place can be crowded so a call ahead would help. For us, we arrived around 1pm, there were a few tables available but the place was still packed.

Fu Sing Shark Fin Seafood Restaurant @ Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

store front at Causeway Bay branch

local style HK restaurant

illustrative dim sum menu #1

illustrative dim sum menu #2

Dim sum here comprises of traditional range, nothing fancy really for Fu Sing. All dishes looked pretty much ordinary but delicious. The first four we had were pan-fried juicy meat dumplings (6/10), steamed pork dumpling with mushroom (7/10), steamed shrimp dumpling (6/10), and steamed juicy meat dumpling in Shanghai style (7/10). These four are basic and classic dim sum menu but were of good quality. I would not have to say much about these juicy and tender touch menu.

pan-fried juicy meat dumplings (HKD40, 4 pieces)

dumpling dipping in vinegar sauce

steamed pork dumpling with mushroom (HKD34)

steamed shrimp dumpling (HKD40)

steamed juicy meat dumpling in Shanghai style (HKD40)

Next dish of the meal was steamed beef ball with bean sheet (7/10). This is a simply delicious dish. Again it was so tender and was with rich flavour. I could have all of the three in the basket by myself. The next two are not to be missed at Fu Sing: baked walnut and roasted chicken cake (8/10) and baked barbecued pork bun (8/10). Baked walnut and roasted chicken cake was recommended by one of the staffs. I was not disappointed at this dish at all. It was more like a tart in fact. The tart dough was crisp but still soft touch texture. The filling was yummy rich flavour with walnut as the third dimension of texture. Baked bbq pork bun, on the other hand, was soft but with cracked skin layer. The bbq pork filling was really delicious. I do like the balance flavour between sweetness and saltiness. Only if there were more filling, this would be a simply 10-point dish. BBQ pork bun can be found anywhere in Hong Kong but Fu Sing is sure one not to be missed and also value for money from my perspective.

steamed beef ball with bean sheet (HKD28)

baked walnut and roasted chicken cake (HKD40, 3 pieces)

baked barbecued pork bun (HKD40, 3 pieces)

yummy bbq pork filling

Lastly, those heavier and more filling menu are perhaps a compulsory thing for dim sum. We had, everyone favourite (I suppose), steamed buns with melting salty egg yolk paste (7/10) and steamed lotus seed purée with egg yolk (6/10). I would say that both had really nice filling. The melting salty egg yolk had a minor touch of sweetness to cut saltiness of egg yolk, whilst lotus seed purée was so fine and smooth with not too sweet taste on the palate. Nevertheless, these two shared rather turn down point in common which was the dough. We think that if the bun was softer, they would be much better dishes, especially the later one due to much larger size. Be warned that steamed lotus seed purée with egg yolk bun is really big and it could fill up your stomach easily. I would suggest you to share this with someone. Don't go for one each like us.

steamed buns with melting salty egg yolk paste (HKD34)

runny filling

steamed lotus seed purée with egg yolk (HKD18 each)

so smooth lotus seed purée

Fu Sing Shark Fin Seafood Restaurant @ Yee Woo Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - 富聲魚翅海鮮酒家 @ 怡和街銅鑼灣香港
Floor 1, 68 Yee Woo Street
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong

Open Hours: daily 11:00am (10:30am for Sunday) - 11:00pm

Tel: +852 2504 4228

Yuan Chinese Restaurant @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok - ภัตราคารอาหารจีน หยวน @ โรงแรมมิลเลนเนียม ฮิลตัน กรุงเทพ

Cuisine: Chinese (dim sum)

Map: Yuan @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok - หยวน @ โรงแรมมิลเลนเนียม ฮิลตัน กรุงเทพ

Price: THB1,000 per person without alcohol (what we paid for)

Visited: 23 March 2014

Food: 5/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 3/10

Services: 5/10
Scale: [ 1=poor ----- 5=average/standard ----- 10=outstanding/exceptional ]

It was a fine Sunday that I had an unexpected chance to visit Yuan @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok. Never heard of its popularity before. The first impression was a surprise that the place was indeed full. There would be not seat for us without reservation surely. The second thought came into mind that this must be a good meal.

On the side of atmosphere, I do like the fact about large windows that offer clients good view of Chao Phraya River and the sunlight of course. The place is spacious with each table at good distance apart. However, the decoration and furniture range give somewhat confusion in terms of mood and tone to my sense.

Yuan Chinese Restaurant @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok

spacious restaurant with good view of Chao Phraya River

As in other Chinese restaurants nowadays, Yuan offers the "all you can eat dim sum" too which comes at the price of THB850++ per head. Personally, the buffet thing can always be expensive if you are not a big eater. But you can the chance to try a little of many things. Anyway, I did give it a go even buffet has never been my kind of thing.

I did not try many dishes during the occasion as there were only 2 of us. Yet, it should give you enough range to get the impression of dim sum at Yuan. None of the dishes I ordered were great. They all were just standard dim sum that you don't even need to come to high end restaurant for it. The one disappointment was mango pudding. It was kind of soft, meaning no bouncy texture. I do not like it though.

Perhaps, my initial thought about this place to be fabulous was wrong. It was ok to eat. But surely not buffet thing as it won't boost appetite that much. By the way, there is no BTS or MRT near Millennium Hilton Bangkok so driving only. Well, I personally won't give this place a return if there are still many better places for dim sum in town. But if you were to come here, make sure you do ask for window seats to at least enjoy the view of Chao Phraya River. Below is the list of what I experienced.

deep-fried taro puffs with roasted pork - เผือกทอดหมูแดง (6/10)
steamed prawn dumplings (har kaw) - ฮะเก๋า (6/10)
steamed white prawns with crystal fish flakes - กุ้งเต้น (5/10)
snow fish stuffed with shrimp - ปลาหิมะสอดไส้กุ้งนึ่งไข่ขาว (5/10)
steamed crab legs with minced shrimps in curry sauce - กรรเชึยงปูนึ่งผงกะหรี่ (6/10)

roasted duck and roasted pork - เป็ดย่างหมูแดง (5/10)

marinated cucumber with jelly fish - ยำแตงกวาแมงกะพรุน (5/10)

mango pudding - พุดดิ้งมะม่วง (3/10)

deep-fried taro puffs with roasted pork - เผือกทอดหมูแดง

stuffed taro and roasted pork

steamed prawn dumplings (har kaw) - ฮะเก๋า

steamed white prawns with crystal fish flakes - กุ้งเต้น

snow fish stuffed with shrimp - ปลาหิมะสอดไส้กุ้งนึ่งไข่ขาว

steamed crab legs with minced shrimps in curry sauce - กรรเชึยงปูนึ่งผงกะหรี่

roasted duck and roasted pork - เป็ดย่างหมูแดง

marinated cucumber with jelly fish - ยำแตงกวาแมงกะพรุน

mango pudding - พุดดิ้งมะม่วง

Yuan @ Millennium Hilton Bangkok - หยวน @ โรงแรมมิลเลนเนียม ฮิลตัน กรุงเทพ
123 Charoen Nakhon Road
Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San
Bangkok 10600

Thailand

Open Hours: 11:30am - 10:30pm daily

Tel: +66 (0) 2442 2000
Web: http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/thailand/millennium-hilton-bangkok-BKKHITW/dining/index.html
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Hiltonbangkok

One Harbour Road @ Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Cuisine: Chinese (Cantonese / Dim Sum)

Map: One Harbour Road @ Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Price: HKD300 per person (what we paid for)

Visited: 28 September 2013

Food: 8/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Value for money: 9/10

Services: 7/10

As for our quick visit to Hong Kong for business/short-break between 26 - 28 September 2013, we indeed did not waste our chance in the search of decent restaurant to be added into the profile. We had come across this restaurant "One Harbour Road" at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and thought that it might be a good idea to have dimsum with a good view of Victoria Harbour.

Yes indeed, it did not disappoint us at all. The restaurant itself is beautiful and elegant. The venue is in duplex format with decor that resemble high-end Western/Chinese mansion: the cosy ambient, the fountain, grand window with good view of the harbour, and the gorgeous fine china.

One Harbour Road @ Grand Hyatt Hong Kong

comprise of 2 spacious floors

large window with good view of harbour

large table available: perfect for family meal

For those who seek for private dining, a few large room format are also available upon request. Though, we were only there for lunch and of course dimsum to be more specific, the service quality of this restaurant is more towards higher end than many other fine Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong: staffs were attentive and provided good recommendation on the choice of dishes.

Menu range for dimsum here is not wide but comprises of quality selection. As for wine list, One Harbour Road provides a satisfactory range of selection (also 5 choices of red and white each for wine by glass), however, at really high marked-up. For example, I had a glass of Michele Chiarlo Superiore le Orme Barbera d'Asti 2011 (89pts) that costed HKD130, in which you can get the whole bottle at this price on high street.

private dining room

selection of wine by glass (red)

3 common dipping sauces

For the traditional dimsum range, we had Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Bamboo Shoots or Ha Gow (8/10), Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumplings with Crab Coral or Shu Mai (7/10), and Steamed Pork Dumplings "Shanghai" Style or Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (8/10).

These traditional dimsum may not be spectacular on the look but taste yummilicious. Ha Gow was filled with really large and sweet prawn and Shanghai Xiao Long Bao was juicy and tender. For Shu Mai, it was not fabulous but deliciously enjoyable.

Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Bamboo Shoots (HKD68)

Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumplings with Crab Coral (HKD58)

Steamed Pork Dumplings "Shanghai" Style (HKD56)

What I really love about dimsum is cheong fun with bbq pork and I did not miss my chance to taste. Rice Flour Rolls with Barbecued Pork or Cheong Fun BBQ Pork (7/10) was typical. The sauce came separately which was a good idea as some people may or may not like the dish to be soaked with sauce. If the rice flour was thinner, this could be a standard fabulous dish of One Harbour Road.

Lastly but the loveliest dish, Baked Honey Barbecued Pork Buns (9/10). The buns were so yummy that we had to double our order. It was kind of crisp and soft and honey bbq pork filled inside was drooling: mild sweetness, tender, and savoury. What a magic that combines dough and bbq pork together. This was probably one of the most delicious bbq pork bun we have had in Hong Kong.

The only point that let our meal down was there were only 2 of us and we could not try more dishes. Next time we will make sure there are more friends and family accompany us. (^[]^)

Rice Flour Rolls with Barbecued Pork (HKD75)

sauce came separately

Baked Honey Barbecued Pork Buns (HKD56)

good filling of yummy bbq pork

One Harbour Road @ Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Floor 7 and 8 Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
1 Harbour Road
Wan Chai
Hong Kong

Open Hours: 12:00pm - 02:30pm for lunch (from 11:30am on Sunday) and 06:30pm - 10:30pm for dinner daily

Tel: +852 (0) 2584 7722
Web: http://hongkong.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/OneHarbourRoad.html
FB: https://www.facebook.com/grandhyatthongkong