Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Thy Lovely Eggettes in Hong Kong: Lee Keung Kee (LKK) North Point Egg Waffles 利強記北角雞蛋仔


Who doesn't like snacks? When you roam around Hong Kong, it's impossible to ignore these wafting aromas of who knows what. As I explore Hong Kong like never before, one of the things I enjoy doing is letting my nose take me to where I ought to be, and that includes tracing the source of some of the most highly patronized snacks in Hong Kong.


The LKK North Point  Egg Waffles
利強記北角雞蛋仔

Across the HKU Space in North Point, is this wonderful hole-in-the wall store, where people line up for a quick snack fix - Lee Keung Kee (LKK) Egg Waffles 雞蛋仔 (gai dan zai). It's not exactly hidden, but it's a hole-in-the wall store that you won't notice much until you see a queue outside. These waffles have egg-like nuggets that have crunchy exterior and spongy yet custard-like interior. It's always a treat to snap a piece of eggette and pop it into your mouth as you walk amidst Hong Kong's Metropolis. I have walked past it several times and people would usually line up during peak hours (before lunch, after lunch).

Regardless of the time, you will find yourself lining up with the locals for egg waffles. As you wait for your turn, you'll be quietly pondering: "Egg waffles, egg waffles, egg waffles or maybe good old waffles?" The typical waffles are giant waffles, folded in half, sandwiched with peanut sauce and condensed milk. Then you'll shake it out, saying: "Yes, I want egg waffles, egg waffles it is!" 

 The LKK North Point  Egg Waffles
利強記北角雞蛋仔

It's one of those things that makes you question yourself whether you're really hungry or you just wanna have one, but who cares? It makes your day, heaven amidst the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.

The LKK Egg Waffle Review:

Yes, I bought 2, one for me and one for Mr. DQ - because you can never have enough. Queuing didn't really take that long; you see, these waffle ladies are the masters of waffle molds. It's all flippin' and rollin' out sheets and sheets of egg waffles. Though time is relative, I suggest you try it right before peak hours - sounds impossible, I know. I haven't experimented with the time, but I'll say, around 3-4 pm will be safe. No problem when queuing with the locals, very civilized indeed. The funny thing is that ones your turn is up, you don't really have to say what you want because they already know, all they need is the number of egg waffles you want (haha). You are also ensured that you get it fresh from the mold, because they never have the chance to stack up. 

As you can see, mine was almost half when I reached home. I love how it's crunchy outside yet soft and spongy inside, there's almost like a custard filling of itself (sorry for the not-so-well lit picture). It's also not too sweet, it's delightfully warm, eggy and light. Although it didn't last long, I tried to leave some for around 20 mins, it's still tasty and crunchy after, and the custard inside was still preserved.

 The LKK North Point  Egg Waffles
利強記北角雞蛋仔

I've tried other hole-in-the wall shops near Victoria Park, one was not as crunchy on the outside and one didn't really have that custard-filling on the inside. There's also that distinct flavour that you binge for with LKK's egg waffles. I also tried another one in Tin Hau, with half of if in chocolate, not much difference.

For a pancake fanatic, this is another level of pancake pleasure. They sure got it wrong with what they said about Pringles, that "Once you pop, you can't stop." I'm not sure if it's equivalent to U.K.'s fish and chips on newspaper, but it sure is here a mainstay in Hong Kong.

Price: 
- 16 hkd = approx. 105.60 php

Likes:
- Crunchy exterior, custard-like interior.
- Very efficient and telepathic iron waffle mold lady masters haha.
- How it is near my place, also only a few blocks from the North Poing MTR station.
- It's open until 11PM, perfect for a pre-midnight snack bwahaha.

Dislikes:
- It's really sad when you finish one and you regret not getting 2 instead.

Tips: 
- Some queuing might be necessary when it's peak hours, mostly around lunch time and off-work hours, so come by irregular hours like 11-ish, even 3-4pm.

Address: 
492 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong

Keywords: LKK, egg waffles, egg pancakes, eggettes, egg puffs, Hong Kong, 雞蛋仔, 北角雞蛋仔, 利強記北角雞蛋仔

For more egg waffles information, check out this article for list of other egg waffles in Hong Kong. It's included in my bucket list haha


P.S. RIP to Robin Williams 
(a.k.a. Mrs. Doubtfire), whose character made me cry and laugh at the same time. We'll miss you, you reminded how a father's love could go beyond the imaginable. You made me wanna be a writer after watching Dead Poet's Society,
" Carpe Diem. Sieze the day, boys. Make your lives extra-ordinary."

Saturday, June 14, 2014

The Big Bite in Hong Kong

Eating Chinese food in Hong Kong puts me in a state of comfort and pure joy. Soy bean milk, dim sums, noodles, egg pancakes, and of course the street food stalls selling curried fish balls, siu mai, and beef balls to name a few; I'm sure there are a lot more to discover! However, there are some days when you crave for other tasty treats like burgers and fries, but the usual McDonald's just won't do. 

One of the perks of living somewhere near the North Point Ferry, bus terminal and MTR is finding slightly hidden good eats. I heard that it used to be in a mall until it closed down. Fortunately, it is now a few steps from my place (haha). The Big Bite (TBB) was indeed a twist for my taste buds from the Asian food that I've enjoyed for a few weeks now. I've been walking across TBB for a couple times at different times of the day. After seeing several people lining up during dinner time, I wondered what the fuss is all about. 

Once I entered, it was like being transported to another part of the world. The stuffed animal toy-adorned wall is cute, it had heads of bear, deer and moose. The Big Bite was packed with people on a Friday night. Luckily, we found a table for two at around 8 PM and chose what to order from the table menu.

Once decided, one of us ordered our meal from the cashier then went back to our table. Space is limited in Hong Kong; so if you are a 6 foot-tall man, get ready to squeeze in with your friends, it's easier to chat with each other anyway. 

I really appreciated the English-written menu and the English speaking cashier, I think that this is a plus for a expats, who just wanna have a good time like how they are used to in their hometowns. Though we opted for lemon teas instead of beers, I do not recall seeing Molson Canadian beers in common stores like Wellcome or 7-eleven stores in Hong Kong, so it might be some kind of a treat for people who like Molson Canadian.

The Big Bite Review:




For each burger or hotdog meal, one can opt for an additional set meal from poutine, onion rings, or chili fries, plus 1 drink. The lemon tea was okay, the onion rings was crunchy and perfectly seasoned. The poutine was a winner; it had gravy, topped with mozarella-like cheese that stretches as you eat them.


From left to right, clockwise: Sloppy Joe Burger, Fat Bastard Burger, Lemon Iced Teas, Onion Rings, Poutine 



The Big Bite Burgers: Sloppy Joe Burger and Fat Bastard Burger


I had the Sloppy Joe Burger, I liked how the consistency of the chili, not too spicy or oozy, just enough to complement the thick beef patty. Mine had 2 big slices of pickles, tomato and lettuce. I'm not sure if there is a piece of hot pepper in it, I just realized that the temporary sensation of heat while I was wolfing down from the middle part of the burger. The heat was not from the chili nor the beef patty, it was a good kind of heat though. I gave up with the last 3 bites, too full to finish it even if I hadn't eaten in the last 8 hours. 
 The Big Bite Sloppy Joe

Mr. DQ had the Fat Bastard Burger. It had a slice of tomato, lettuce, cheese, bacon and double beef patty in it -beef overload! The juice from the meat was dripping from the burger, so make sure you lean a bit forward when eating.

The Big Bite Fat Bastard

Note: Like we usually do, we use the "flipped burger eating method", wherein we flip the burger's base to top and eat our way down in order to anticipate the juicy drips, then flip again when necessary.

They have a wall of fame for people who survived the Homicide Wings on Tuesdays - they say that it's lethally spicy! When you order beer, you can eat all chicken wings you want (or you can) for 3 hkd each. I'm not sure if I can, but I surely wanna try and see how others survive this challenge.

Price:
Sloppy Joe Burger - 57 hkd = approx. 323 php
Fat Bastard Burger - 88 hkd = approx. 498.08 php
Onion Ring + Lemon tea set = 33 approx. hkd 187 php
Poutine + Lemon tea set = 33 hkd approx. hkd 187 php

Total Bill:  211 hkd (tax included)

Likes:
- Huge beef patty with no MSG aftertaste.
- It's a walking distance from my place; a place an expat could just run into when in dire desperation from homesickness.

Dislikes:
- The burger hangover. Though my mouth is watering as I write this blog, I had the burger hangover right after I ate, had to nibble on some strawberries to cleanse my palate. 
- Burger patty needs more character, which will make me wanna go back for the distinct taste that it has.

Verdict:
- It's a place for basic home goodness burger fix.
- Above average price for a usual meal in Hong Kong.
- Good atmosphere for a hangout night.

Tip:
For people who do not like eating along with a lot of people in a restaurant, try coming in from 1 to 4-ish in the afternoon.

Address:
Shop 4B G/F Kar Fu Building, 196-202 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong.

For more information about The Big Bite, click here.

Keywords: The Big Bite, Big Bite, Fat Bastard, Sloppy Joe, Molson Canadian, North Point, Hong Kong, TBB


Friday, June 6, 2014

Hong Kong: Tim Ho Wan (添好運) - Cheapest Michelin-starred Restaurant - First Visit

Lunch Time at Tim Ho Wan (添好運), Central, IFC Mall, Hong Kong

One of the most awaited restaurant opening in Manila this year was Tim Ho Wan (添好運). I heard that it is well known for its Pork BBQ Buns (酥皮焗叉烧包) and it is by far, the cheapest michelin-starred restaurant in Hong Kong. I just had to get my hands on them. There were several occasions when I was near Tim Ho Wan (添好運) branches during my visit last February in Hong Kong, but my attempts of dining in any of Tim Ho Wan (添好運) branches in Hong Kong remained futile, until the very last hours before our flight to Manila. I saw for myself that people really do line up for a 'yam cha' (飲茶), lunch or dinner during peak hours at Tim Ho Wan (添好運), I did not bother to go near.

Tim Ho Wan (添好運) dessert counter, Central, IFC Mall, Hong Kong

I just had to had a piece of it! So, I went to Tim Ho Wan (添好運) dessert counter, a couple of stalls away from Tim Ho Wan (添好運), Central, IFC Mall, Hong Kong.

Coconut with red bean cake, Tim Ho Wan (添好運)

It came with a disposable fruit spork, the cake was yummy and light, the consistency is more of a jello or pudding. I liked how the taste of the coconut dominated, no overwhelming sweetness from sugar. It passed my wobble test, though it needs more body to save it from falling into tiny pieces.

Last day in Hong Kong, we had an early luggage check-in at Central, IFC Mall , Hong Kong. What else is there to do in Hong Kong in the midst of a winter day in February, but to EAT! I was sitting idly on the benches before the flight to Manila, when I was reminded that Tim Ho Wan (添好運) had a branch downstairs. I quickly went down the escalator to check it out. 

Hooray! there were less people and I was able to come to the cashier's table, where the pieces of order form were displayed. I found myself ticking 2 orders of the well-known BBQ Pork Bun (酥皮焗叉烧包) or 'Char Siu Bao', as they call it.

BBQ Pork Bun (酥皮焗叉烧包), Tim Ho Wan (添好運)

As you can see, I already ate one even before I remembered to take a picture of these golden buns. The bun was sweet, crispy and pastry-like. The texture and taste of the bun reminded me of the topping found in Pineapple Buns (菠蘿包) - another tasty treat found in Hong Kong local bakeshops.

BBQ Pork Bun (酥皮焗叉烧包), Tim Ho Wan (添好運)

BBQ Pork Bun (酥皮焗叉烧包), Tim Ho Wan (添好運)

BBQ Pork Bun (酥皮焗叉烧包), Tim Ho Wan (添好運)

I heard that people are also lining up just to get a taste of these BBQ Pork Buns (酥皮焗叉烧包) in Tim Ho Wan (添好運) branch in Manila, Philippines, maybe when I go to Manila next year.

My palette had always been delighted in every food stall and restaurant that we visited or passed by in Hong Kong. I was surrounded with my kind of comfort food, from a wide selection of Dim sum and all sorts of hot Cantonese dishes, pure ecstasy is what I call it. It surely is my kind of food, my kind of town.

Tim Ho Wan (添好運) Review

Likes:
- Light and crispy bun and sweet savoury pork filling
- Creamy coconut texture of the dessert
- Set price is insanely affordable, given the quality of the food

Dislikes:
- I declare that one order of 3 BBQ Pork Buns (酥皮焗叉烧包) is not for sharing because having just 1 is not enough, 2 makes me happy, having 3 makes my day.
- Mandatory 3 hkd for refillable tea servings (You can always take the food away if you are not a tea person)

Price:
BBQ Pork Bun (酥皮焗叉烧包)  around 17 hkd = approx. 72.8 php
Coconut with red bean cake around 11 hkd = approx 61.6 php


Verdict:

A winner!
I dream about my next visit to Tim Ho Wan (添好運)
I have observed that prices might slightly vary per location, I will verify this. Nonetheless, food items are in an average price of 14 to 20+ hkd.
When comparing the price range alone of Tim Ho Wan (添好運) Manila and Hong Kong, fixing one's Dim sum cravings in an authentic dining place in Hong Kong is much exciting and affordable.


Keywords: food, Tim Ho Wan (添好運),  BBQ, BBQ Pork Bun, Pork Bun, Char Siu Bao, Char Siu Pao, hong kong , dimsum, yamcha, 飲茶

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Spotify is now in the Philippines (Update)

Check out updates from Globe's GoSurf Plan (old PowerSurf) and get Spotify for Free!
Image by Spotify (Perszone van Spotify) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


Wanna Spotify without using up your allocated mobile internet subscription? Since the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) A.K.A. Data Capping has taken effect, Globe changed its Surf plans by offering GoSurf instead of PowerSurf. Globe has allocated a separate data allowance for Spotify! You can enjoy Basic or Premium Spotify access for a first time 6-month trial period. 

These are the available GoSurf promos for Globe prepaid and postpaid subscribers.

For Prepaid Subscribers:
GoSurf Validity
GoSurf Price
GoSurf MB Allocation
GoSurf Free Spotify
GoSurf  Spotify Allocation
GoSurf How To Register
1 Day
10 Php
10 MB
Basic
200 MB
Text GOSURF 10 to 8888
1 Day
30 Php
50 MB
Basic
200 MB
Text GOSURF 30 to 8888
2 Days
15 Php
20 MB
Basic
300 MB
Text GOSURF 15 to 8888
3 Days
50 Php
250 MB
Basic
400 MB
Text GOSURF 50 to 8888
30 Days
99 Php
100 MB
Basic
1GB
Text GOSURF 99 to 8888
30 Days
299 Php
700 MB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 299 to 8888
30 Days
499 Php
1.5 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 499 to 8888
30 Days
799 Php
3 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 799 to 8888
30 Days
999 Php
5 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 999 to 8888
30 Days
1799 Php
10 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 1799 to 8888
30 Days
2499 Php
15 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 2499 to 8888


For Postpaid Subscribers:
GoSurf Validity
GoSurf Price
GoSurf MB Allocation
GoSurf Free Spotify
GoSurf  Spotify  Allocation
GoSurf How To Register
1 Day
30 Php
50 MB
Basic
200 MB
Text GOSURF 30 to 8888
2 Days
15 Php
20 MB
Basic
300 MB
Text GOSURF 15 to 8888
3 Days
50 Php
250 MB
Basic
400 MB
Text GOSURF 50 to 8888
30 Days
99 Php
100 MB
Basic
1GB
Text GOSURF 99 to 8888
30 Days
299 Php
700 MB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 299 to 8888
30 Days
499 Php
1.5 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 499 to 8888
30 Days
799 Php
3 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 799 to 8888
30 Days
999 Php
5 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 999 to 8888
30 Days
1799 Php
10 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 1799 to 8888
30 Days
2499 Php
15 GB
Premium
1GB
Text GOSURF 2499 to 8888

Review of Globe for Spotify:

Having a Globe prepaid or postpaid plan does not automatically give you free Basic or Premium Spotify Access. If you want to enjoy Spotify via Globe's GoSurf Plan, you have to register first by texting to 8888.

E.g. If you normally get a prepaid load of 299 per month or a monthly postpaid plan of 299 per month, register and enjoy Spotify by following these steps: 
  • Text GOSURF 299
  • Send to 8888
Why register to Spotify using GoSurf Promo? Aside from the allocated MBs for GOSurf subscription that you have usually used for internet browsing, Globe has allocated separate MBs for you to enjoy music streaming via Spotify!

Please take note that if you use up your allocated Spotify MBs and you still want to enjoy Spotify, Spotify will use your allocated GoSurf subcription MBs. Now, you might be also thinking the same first question that I had - How would I make sure I haven't used up all my spotify allocated MBs?

E.g. For GoSurf prepaid plan Spotify Status check:
  • Text SPOTIFY STATUS
  • Send to 8888
      For GoSurf postpaid plans, Globe advised to download My Data Manager to monitor data usage.

I would suggest for postpaid GoSurf users to follow these steps when checking Spotify MB usage:
  • From your android phone/tablet, select Settings
  • Under Connections Tab, Click Data usage
  • Scroll down and see how much MB was used for Spotify
If you are currently subscribed to Globe's prepaid/postpaid plan 999, registering to Spotify will enable you to enjoy and maximize Spotify Premium by linking your account into 3 mobile devices.

What's great about Spotify's 6-month trial period is that you can enjoy Spotify for succeeding 5 months even if you do not continuously subscribe to any of the GoSurf Plans. Once you have registered in any GoSurf promo as a postpaid subscriber, you will be automatically enrolled for a 6-month trial period for Spotify Premium Promo subscription. If postpaid users do not unsubscribe from Spotify, it will automatically renew itself with default value of Spotify 299 per month.

If you want to register for a premium account in Spotify, register by texting to 8888.


Spotify Validity
Spotify Rate
Spotify MB
How To Register to GoSurf Spotify
Spotify20
1 Day
20 Php
200 MB
SPOTIFY 20 to 8888
SPOTIFY 20 to 8888
Spotify30
2 Days
30 Php
300 MB
SPOTIFY 30 to 8888
SPOTIFY 30 to 8888
Spotify99
7 Days
99 Php
500 MB
SPOTIFY 99 to 8888
SPOTIFY 99 to 8888
Spotify299
30 Days
299 Php
1 GB
SPOTIFY 299 to 8888
SPOTIFY 299 to 8888

Steps to Unsubscribe from Spotify:
  • Text SPOTIFY STOP
  • Send to 8888

I hope that I'm getting this right. Let's Spotify!

Visit Globe for more information.

See previous article about Spotify