Mini European Holiday at Cafe Loisl

Cafe Loisl

Tai On Terrace, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong (link to map)

Rating: 8.3/10 

Price: Around 30-50 HKD for coffee/tea and 60 HKD for dessert
You know you have found your favorite cafe, when you don't hestiate to take the MTR for 40 minutes, walk up close to 100 steps of stairs for a cup of coffee and maybe a slice of cake.
Although, I do have to admit that Cafe Loisl is much more than cup of coffee (if it was just a coffee i'm craving, there's always Barista Jam with its amazing lattes, beans and what not)...

To me, Cafe Loisl is everything I miss about Europe. 
I had heard about this place for a while, and its alluring tag of 'viennese cafe' in Hong Kong... But it just seemed to good to be true. Could such a place really exist in Hong Kong? 
In Amsterdam, a nice cafe meant sitting outside, enjoying maybe one too many coffees in the sun.. it was about the whole atmosphere, the weather and a lifestyle...

SO there it was, I had expected nothing from Cafe Loisl, but it had given me my secret-european getaway. It was a beautiful cafe, tucked away from the city center.... where we could actually sit outside and fool ourselves into thinking we are on a holiday.

     

The owner had obviously an eye for details..... everything from the tea-sets, the waiter's clean and simple black and white uniform and the wooden chairs... it was just as if it was plucked straight from Vienna and plunged into streets of Hong Kong.

Anyhow after spending ridiculous amount of time looking around, taking photos and being excessively giddy at finding such a place.. .we finally calmed down enough to take a look at the desserts (after ordering coffee too!)

We went for the Applestrudel and Mille-feuille and 3 cups of Wiener Melange (espresso with foamed milk)  :)
I had never tried Mille-feuille and although the Applestrudel was suppose to be the specialty, i loved the Mille-feuille even more! :D 

Having not known what it was... I looked it up in Wikipedia! 

Mille-feuille (French pronunciation: ​[mil fœj], "thousand sheets"),^[1] vanilla slice, custard slice, also known as the Napoleon, is a pastry of French origin.
Traditionally, a mille-feuille is made up of three layers of puff pastry (pâte feuilletée), alternating with two layers of pastry cream (crème pâtissière), but sometimes whipped cream, or jam are substituted. The top pastry layer is dusted with confectioner's sugar, and sometimes cocoa, or pulverized seeds (e.g. roasted almonds). Alternatively the top is glazed with icing or fondant in alternating white (icing) and brown (chocolate) stripes, and combed.

Thousand Sheets.... What a name for a pastry eh? :)
I also loved the Wiener Melange! It was a little bit lighter than piccolo latte but definitely stronger than a latte, and it went perfectly with the desserts! :) It took so much restraint to not go for another cup straight after.

I returned almost days after my first visit here... I just had to show off to a German friend that such a place existed in Hong Kong! Although he was also skeptical at first, we soon found ourselves perfectly content enjoying the sun and indulging in a slice of strawberry cheesecake (AMAZING) with cup of  proper black coffee!

I also took a peak at the Menu.. and fund two MUST try items! Sacher Torte and Currywurst! How long has it been since I had either of those! 

I love love and love this amazing place and I will definitely return again and again, and will extend to this post with all the lovely desserts I will try!
P.S look at this cute logo for the cafe... :D (You can tell i'm completely hooked!)

Spontaneous Yakitori at Yardbird

Yardbird

33-35 BRIDGES STREET

SHEUNG WAN, HONG KONG

Rating: 8.2/10 

Price: Around 400-500 HKD per person (incl. drinks)

I had been dying to go to this restaurant that seemed to be making the top list of almost every HK-restaurant-related blogs! So when my friend suggested we try something 'Asian' just as we were walking through Sheung Wan, I knew this was the chance to drag him to go try Japanese Yakitori.

Convincing him was easy enough, and by the time we walked in (which was actually rather early at 6:00PM) the whole place was already getting quite full with drinks being poured, converstaions already flowing and dinner being served. I loved the atmosphere in the restaurant as well, and the waiters were so friendly guiding us to our table (which is shockingly rare in HK) that I already started secretly loving the place before we even started eating.

I had planned to wow my german friend through my in-depth knowledge of the asian cuisine, but upon seeing the Menu i was just as lost as he is.. we had absolutely NO idea what to order, how much to order and what was even edible! (they had everthing from chicken kidneys to oysters to hearts!)

Just as I was getting slightly panick-y and regretting the on-spot decision to come to Yardbird without really looking into how and what i'll be eating, our incredibly friendly and helpful waiter swept in to recommend and help us plan our dinner for the night...

Following his advice, we started with the Cucumber Salad with Miso Dressing (70HKD) which i have to say was one of the best cucumber salads I have ever had in my life! The miso dressing went perfectly with the fresh cucumbers and the pine nuts, and we ended up eating everything.. down to the last sesame on the plate.

The portions are rather small, so make sure to order a couple! The waiter sugested we order around 2  appetizers, 3 or 4 skewers each, 1-2 main dish and if still hungry (we weren't)... rice or noodle plate!

Our next appetizer was this Sweet Corn Tempura (85 HKD). Although I had no inkling of what it would look like, this puffy corn ball  was the last thing I had expected! And it tasted as good and surprising as it looked!

Oh, they also have an extensive drinks menu with funky sake and sochu (and cocktails) but we stuck to Draft Sapporo Beer .. which was rather disappointing only because they gave it to us in such tiny glass... boo...

Anyhow after a great start to our meal, we were finally ready to eat some Yakitori
As this extremely cute logo of Yardbird, it was all about chicken tonight! :)

Source: Yardbird

Although I did ultimately fail to convince my friend to try out funkier parts of the chicken (oh silly europeans), with the help of our waiter we decided to go for Chicken Breasts, Meatball and Oysters. 

All three were wonderful.... and the chicken was so juicy and succulent that even my friend who was skeptical as to how good skewered chicken could be was won over! The meatball also looked like a huge larvae (but even the resemblance didn't stop us from gobbling it up), the best part was as our waiter lavishly promised was Chicken Oysters.

Now. I have no idea why they are called oysters... In Korean i'm pretty sure it is what we label 'butt-hole'... to which in comparison guess 'oysters' is a better name..
As soon as I saw it I recognized what it was! (but thankfully didn't yell out 'it's the BUTTHOLE!'

My brother and I used to fight over this part of the chicken, as it was the fattiest, juiciest and absolutely best part of the chicken (unless you're one of those diet-frenzy-fat-free people).
AND.... it was MUCH better than how I had remembered it to be. Leaving me with a huuuuuge smile as shown below! :)

Sadly, because a. we were too hungry and b. i was dying to try the food the photos of the 'meatball' and the 'breasts were too blurry, buuut!!! I can vouch for the fact that it is delicious!

And Alas, it was time for our 'main dish' which was called KFC (which can't be anything except...fried chicken...could it?) BUT despite the place being all about chicken, and the obvious connection to FRIED CHICKEN... in Yardbird, KFC stood for Korean Fried Cauliflower (75HKD), which is basically the same dressing and flavoring as what we would put on Fried Chicken back hom in Korea but done on Cauliflower.

And... although I do intensely love chicken, this dish was delectable to a degree that did not leave me missing  the fried chicken in Korea! Plus.. it made me less guilty about eating it than fried chicken too :)

In the end it was a lovely dinner, and although we skipped on getting the rice dish as neither of us were really hungry to begin with,  I think if you come in for a proper dinner you should aim to include one more main dish and maybe a rice dish to share! The total bill came to 300HKD (yardbird has no service charge), i'd guess it would usually be roughly around 200HKD more if you include one or two more dishes and a cocktail!

Although it was a little indulgent, it was totally worth the price and we left the place enthusiastic about our new found interest and amazement in Yakitori and could not wait to return one day for more! Maybe next time (although he insists he won't) will finally get my friend to try out a heart or two.

Finding my Dream Houses...

Although my aspirations in life had never been about getting 'rich', i've realized from very early on in my age that things I want to eat, do, and own requires a whooooole lot of money.

So until then, I'm just going to hoard a list of all the things that should rightfully be mine... one day at least :)

First one being... an beautifully furnished and well designed place such at this one...

The Beaumont House by Henry Cleinge (source: Arch Daily)

This House located in Montreal, Canada embodies everything I could wish for in my appartment. Immensily spacious, simple and dauntingly beautiful... I especially love how the bare concrete concrete walls go so well together with the wooden ceilings asnt the pristine white sofa.. Oh and the bookshelves... and the huge window.. and and the sleek black coffee table. It's divine. It's Perfect.

Now... apparently the budget was 800,000 USD. Well now I know how i'll be spending my first million! 

New York Style Loft in the Heart of Barcelona

"a former carpet warehouse recovers splendor after a reform that respects its roots, combining industrial and pieces with a lot of hisotry with new custom made"  Miss Design

Lazy Day Trip to Peng Chau Island

I've realized being without family to celebrate CNY with leaves you hating the holidays... you miss your family, all the shops are closed and you're left being bored in your room.

Anyhow to escape the holiday-boredom, we decided to take a day trip to Lamma Island the 3rd day after Chinese New Year. At least majority of the shops were going to be open, and we thought it would be a nice relaxing day at the beach! But alas, apparently family obligations for the Chinese last only till the 2nd day or so, because there was an incredible hoard of Chinese Tourists everywhere in Hong Kong! To make matters worse, apparently Lamma Island was one of the top tourist destinations... and the queue for the ferry ride was too long for us to bother with it.

Changing the plan at the last minute, we decided to take the ferry to the Peng Chau island instead... which was not a bad idea except for a fact that we did not know anything about the island beforehand. The ferry ride cost around 40HKD each way, and takes around 30 minutes... but the boat ride is quite pleasant and reasonably steady.. :) 

Surprisingly, the island turned out to be lovely. There wasn't much to see, but the island was quiet, lazy and perfect to walk around. There were so many of these lovely deserted crumbling old houses as well as narrow alleyways that were so much fun to photograph!

Oh and make sure you take the hike up the Finger Hill for a nice walk and a beautiful view overlooking the Hong Kong island. We got there around 2pm and left the island around 6pm as there weren't too many options for dinner... but we did have a very cheap and yummy lunch at a local restaurant!

If you ever need to relax and run away from the hustle and bustle that is Hong Kong, this is the place to spend a day hiding away with a friend or two. :)

Healty Vietnamese at Noodlemi

Noodlemi

2 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Rating: 6.8/10 

Price: Around 70-80 HKD 

 I've been quite lazy these last few days and have neglected my promise to myself that i'll blog at least 3 times a week (or was it more?). It's not even the fact that there has been much happening in my life,  if anything i've been constantly fighting boredom and lethargy....but I guess more than anything i didn't really have any drive or motivation to do much...

Anyways! Today is a Monday, and i would've hopefully by the end of today have finished 3 drafted blog posts and started my assignment to find methods of preventing discoloration of canned food. 

Yuck.

BUT before my wasted stint of doing absolutely nothing, I did manage to check out two places I had been dying to go to since last semester in ONE day. One of which was Noodlemi :)

It's proximity near the Sheung Wan station, made it really easy to find and walk to (especially after how hungry we had been) and the food came relatively quickly too!

Plus, right next door was the newly opened K-roll! (mmmm... must venture one day to get my korean food-fix).

View Larger Map

Not that i'm as particular as some of my friends are to MSG free or gluten free food, I did appreciate the fact that there are slowly but surely a growth in healthy food around Hong Kong (or at least people are finally paying attention to what actually goes inside their food!) AND, compared to other 'msg/gluten free-health-oientated' restaurants, this one was suprisingly cheap! 

I also loved their very cute menu with 'Choose mi', 'Bite Mi" and "Wrap Mi" and their relatively small but brightly lit bistro-like interior with the high-chairs and wooden tables :) 

We ordered 3 dishes and decided to share!

After long deliberation, we decided on Raw Beef Pho, Soft Shell Crab Rolls and Fried Fish Noodles!

The Raw Beef Pho wasn't as good as the one at Nha Trang and the Rolls were equally good, but the Fried Fish Noodles were so delicious! :D 

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Although the fresh fish was quite salty and quite heavy, it paired perfectly with the noodles that were only slightly seasoned with vinegar, salt and lemons/lime(?). 

BUT i have to admitt, the best part of the dish was dipping EVERYTHING it in the rich chilli-sauce that reminded me of the 초장 (korean spicy-sweet sauce)... kind of ruins the whole point of light/fresh meal though eh?

Verdict: mmm....so-so?

AT the end of our meal, we all concurred that although we did love the freshness and lightness of the dishes, it wasn't anything spectacular.. definitely not worth the 40minutes mtr ride into town...

However if you're ever near by and in need of a quick and healthy light lunch then this is the place to go! :)

But the best Vietnamese Pho by far is still at Nha Trang (Central) and there's hardly any price difference either!

2 Days of Apple Detox

I finally did it!  I've been meaning to go on a detox program for months and months but being back home surrounded by endless supply of food had made it impossible to do so!

After being back in Hong Kong, I looked into several options including detox juices at Genie Concept or making my own juice, banana diet etc. etc.  Although the juices from Genie Concept were appealing, paying 600HKD/day was a little too pricey for me… So when I read about the apple detox, it seemed like the easiest and cheapest option for me!

I've never been a fan of one food diet, but I've always loved eating apples so If I was going to eat only one thing for 2 days.. it might as well be the food I love right?

But as I will explain later on this post... it wasn't half as fun or easy as I had thought it would be... but in the end I MADE IT THROUGH and that alone makes me happy :)

3 days leading to the detox

    The various programs on internet all talked about preparation for the detox... which includes lowering the daily caffeine value (oh….) and cutting down on food in general. Being a caffeine addict, and as I have already gone through a serious case of caffeine withdrawals after exams,  I made sure to limit my daily intake of caffeine to 1 cup of coffee + 1 cup of tea for the week prior, and then finally cutting back on all forms of caffeine the day before the detox.  

     In terms of food, for the 3 days leading to the detox, I had:

               Breakfast: 1 large apple and 10 almonds

               Lunch: 250g of Chicken Salad

               Snack: 1 large apple

               Dinner: Vegetables and Steamed Eggs 

I kept clear of breads and pastas and tried to orientate my diet mainly on fruits and vegetables and getting into habit of drinking more water than usual (aimed for 2).  It really helps carrying a small water bottle with flavoured with sliced apples / cucumbers / lemons/ strawberries/ mints etc.

On the last day, I bought 10 Fuji Apples for the next day. There doesn’t seem to be any restrictions on which apples you should go for – so I just picked my favourite type, although many blogs suggests that you get a variety of different apples to make the whole process a little ‘easier’.  

Below is the nutrition info on Fuji Apple. As you can see it's mainly sugar so if you have trouble with your glucose level or like my mom have stomach aches after eating apples at night (as it is slightly acidic) this is NOT the diet for you!

I have to admit, despite all the preparation that was put into preparing for the detox, I allowed myself one last glass of white wine before going to bed – you know just to get myself motivated ;)

Day One:

    Before starting the diet, I weighed myself in the morning just for record and took photos of myself for reference afterwards. I weighed in at 51.8 kg (my height is 167cm) before I had any food or drinks. 

I've never been much of a breakfast person, so I started my day with:

              1 Fuji Apple and 1 bottle of 250 ml of water (with lemon!)

Around 12, I started getting really hungry so I had 2 apples and another bottle of water. I wasn't particularly full afterwards but still energetic enough to attend classes and go about for the rest of the day.

From then till 6PM I had 2 apples as snacks in between.

I didn't want to be tempted with food or other people eating food, so I went back to my room early enough and told my friends I had dinner plans instead!

By 6PM, I was much more tired than usual and sleepy (probably from lack of energy), but having read that herbal tea and honey is allowed, I ate 3 apples and a large mug of manuka honey tea for dinner.

The Manuka Honey Tea temporarily stops the pangs of hunger! It's quite amazing! It's just a spoonful of honey mixed with hot water, but because it was the first 'hot' meal of the day, my hunger was quickly alleviated and I felt until bed-time.

In total I ate 8 apples (1040 kcal) + 1 tbsp of Manuka Honey (60 kcal)

On a side note, this detox made me go to the bathroom over 6 times a day! Don't know if it's the water I'm drinking or the apples, but make sure you do this where the toilet is easy accessible.

Day Two:

   I had read about people waking up rather energetic... and that was what I had hoped for ! But instead, I woke up absolutely famished and had 2 apples as soon as I got out of bed. It was only after chugging a bottle of water, I felt slightly less primal and could start the day as a civilized human being.

   I was worried about the ‘bowel movement’ everyone complained about, but surprisingly my stomach felt fine (except for the excess urination).  I was delighted to find myself weighing 51.2 kg (-600g), but it was probably due to the lack of food the day before.

I went about my day as usual, but I was noticeably more tired and less energetic throughout the day.  I was constantly sleepy, and even took a 2 hours nap in between despite it being a rather relaxed day without vigorous activities. I had 4 apples throughout the day instead of at one sitting like the day before.

This seemed like a better way of dealing with the hunger as I was in a constant state of being half-full rather than swaying from starving to feeling bloated. I also drank a lot more water, and also switched to drinking hot water as I found it helped soothe your craving for PROPER HOT FOOD.

After lunch, when I ran out of apples I switched to Royal Gala as the thought of eating more Fuji Apples were making me sick. Tip for anyone looking to do the apple detox: buy a variety – you’ll thank me later.

Around 4PM, I was feeling incredibly sluggish and despite eating another apple I nearly quit as I was just getting so tired and sick of eating apples. It helped that I was doing this with a friend, as I had someone to complain with and go get another apple in the meanwhile.

For my final dinner, I had 3 apples and 2 cups of Manuka Honey Tea, and Lemongrass Mint Tea (herbal teas are allowed). 

I'm glad I opted for 2 days of detox instead of 3 days (as many had chosen to do so in the internet). However, it retrospect despite getting bored/tired of eating only apples, your body definitely adjusts to the lack of food by the end of the 2^nd day.  I think getting through the 2nd day will be the toughest for anyone, so I suggest you keep clear of other people eating food, snacks, coffee and wine.  

Day THREE:

I weighed myself in the morning, and was shocked to find out I had dropped down 50.9kg.  I probably will gain most of it back when I switch back to a proper diet but I had decided to do the detox mainly for the purpose of cleansing myself than the weight loss.

Although it had been only 2 days, I felt (or maybe strongly hope) my skin being cleaner and in general my body being lighter. I stomach also felt cleansed (no more of that icky indigestion feeling) and it felt nice to be 'empty' in a strange way.

BUT despite it's advantages when I ate my last apples and finally some raw cashew nuts for breakfast. I loved not having to only eat apples.

I also got a big chicken salad without dressing with tomatoes, kidney beans and chickpeas with my final apple of the detox program.. One thing is for sure, you sure learn to appreciate real food and the richness of a diverse meal! 

Weekend Brunch at Herbivores

Herbivores

33 Tong Chong Street, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

Rating: 7.5/10 
Price: Around 100-150 HKD for a late-Benedict lunch

There's bee a great deal of posts and hype about this new vegetarian restaurant in Soho these last few weeks! I can't remember there being such an interest (even if it is amongst the international community) in vegetarian dining or even healthy-dining in Hong Kong 3 years ago when I first came!

In fact I was rather depressed and horrified at the distinct lack of healthy options.. but now it seems to be a new one opening every month or so!

Anyhow, I've been eyeing this new restaurant for weeks, but not being wise enough to make reservations ahead of time.. It had always been full during the lunch hours.

My friend and I had planned to go to La Cantoche for lunch, but sadly it was closed for lunch that day... :(

So, we quickly walked our way back up to Central to find a rather empty Herbivores open for late-weekend brunch! 

After great effort to not go for another Benedict, we both chose Grilled Halloumi Toast with Eggs!

I had not thought I would ever get Halloumi cheese in Hong Kong!

The portions were small-ish (not a big hearty brunch)

but the grilled cheese and the scrambled eggs were cooked brilliantly with just the right amount of seasoning for a healthy light brunch :)

Despite it being 'fresh' and 'light' it did leave me a little hungry, and plus brunches are nothing if not for their lovely and guilty indulgences...
   I had thought the dessert would be some sort of muesli or yogurt.... but instead it was a delectable tin full of slightly frozen chocolate mouse.

I usually don't like the texture of chocolate mouse, but because it was slightly frozen it was as if it was an wonderfully soft choclate-y and delightfully velvet-y chocolate ice-cream..

Both of us loved the brunch and especially the dessert... I mean who can say no to chocolate? 

Feeling slightly guilty (as one should after a brunch)

we decided to walk to Barista Jam for a cup of coffee and a little eye-shopping to walk off the indulgence and return home for dinner.

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Island East Markets and Weekend Brunch at the News Room

The News Room

33 Tong Chong Street, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

 

Rating: 7.5/10 
Price: Around 100-150 HKD for a late-Benedict lunch

What do you do on a lazy Sunday afternoon, where you are bored out of your mind but had not planned anything in particular to do for the rest of the day?
  Although many men (sorry for the gross generalization) do not seem to understand the reasoning, but to me it makes perfect sense to call up bunch of friends and head out for a late-brunch!

 
Plus, there was the Island East Markets to check out right next door, so it was the perfect excuse to indulge myself with some eggs Benedict!

All three of us got Eggs Benedicts.
Well.. I kind of forced my friends to get them, as they were unconvinced as to how poached eggs can outweigh pancakes or french toasts...but after long hearty promises (although with slight hesitation) they complied and we were served with double Eggs Benedict with Salmons :)

The eggs were fresh and perfectly poached, and the muffins toasted to the right crispiness!
It was absolutely a delight, and these girls were won over by the beauty of Eggs Benedict after the first bite or two!

Island East Markets

I had planned to check out this mini-market for months but Sunday being a designated lazy day... and not being able to find another enthusiastic grocery/market shopper.. it had always been delayed till today!

The market itself was smaller than I had thought it would be.. but it had a wide selection of fine foods, organic vegetables, hand-made jewelry.. and to my surprise root-beer and gingerale!

If I had not planned to go to Taipei the next day, I probably would've bought more vegetables and fruits but today I stopped myself at a glass of Coffee, a croissant and a necklace! 

The Market is held in Quarry Bay. It only took around 5 minutes walk from the station and was really easy to find!

The First stall was Ming-Cha... selling exquisite Oolong Tea with an even fancier name! Although I loved the tea that I had sampled... I did have a whole box of tea (with Every Fruit tea imaginable and.... tons of chinese tea as well)... So on we moved on to the Levain Bakery Stall

I had always planned to go to Levain Bakery in Central... so it was a great delight and a surprise to stumble across their stall selling oh so many french breads and pastries.
I'm usually very good at staying clear of carbs... mainly rice and pasta... but when it comes to bread...especially ones as delicious as these, I seem to forget I am on a diet!

I had really wanted to buy a loaf of the sourdough bread or the dark-rye bread but thank god I had trips planned the day after or I really would've bought all of them!

In the end I opted for a Hazlenut Chocolate Croissant.!
Maybe it was my guilt, or maybe it was the paper-thin crispness of the pastry that went perfectly with the chocolates and hazelnuts... but I had devoured this little croissant in less than a minute.. and was left wondering what I had just eaten.

It was beautiful!

We then found this small booth selling hand-drip coffee! :) I never can resist the smell of fresh coffee and the barista was kind of cute! :) on a side note they said they also offer hand-coffee classes... and I have a friend in mind that is perfect to drag to these things!

Hopefully I will end up going (reasonably soon) and blog about it as well!

The coffee I did try was from Kenya, and it was very different from the ones I had tried previously. It had a very distinct earthy flavor that I hadn't tasted before! I'm not quite sure if it is unique to the region or not but maybe next time when I buy coffee beans, I'll try Kenyan ones and see!

I finally bought these cute necklaces in shape of dragonflies for my mom and I! They were only 200HKD and very cute indeed! :) Overall, today was a perfectly successful and delicious Sunday afternoon!