WINTER MELON SOUP WITH DRIED SCALLOPS AND LOTUS SEEDS

This soup is suitable to consume in such hot weather.  It is a refreshing soup good for cooling the body and strengthening the spleen and the stomach.

Boil the melon with the skin on as it has the effect of promoting diuresis and reducing water retention.

Simmer in chicken stock with dried scallops, winter melon, dried chinese mushrooms and lotus seeds for 2 hours.  Season with salt and ginger.

PALAIS RENAISSANCE ANTOINETTE

Another outlet of Antoinette at Palais Renaissance

The place is much smaller than the one in Penhas Street and seatings are close to one another which did not allow for much personal space

Tempting displays

Beautiful displays of their signature cakes.  Wish for big stomach space to accommodate all cakes at one go.

With so much to choose from and could not resist most of the dishes in the menu we decided to share the appetizer and order the main course for each of us.

Savory thick pancakes with sausage to go with cream and maple syrup with sides of arrow leaves and tomatoe

Smoked duck breast and eggs to go with toasted bread.  The duck breast was smoky and lightly salted.  They were thinly sliced.

The main course comes in big portion which is too much and heavy for 1 to handle.   Sharing is the best way to enjoy

Al dente spaghetti in robust tomatoes sauce with prawns, squids and mussels

Gnocchi in creamy carbonara sauce with bacon topped with poached egg

Peppery linguin with shredded crab meat and baby tomatoes

Seafood in puff pastry with seafood sauce

Light cheesecake with berries.  The cake is so light that it melts in the mouth.  The cream is extremely light that you felt you are swallowing bubbles.

Marvelous apple cake with light taste of green apples.  The sourish of the cake goes well with the light fruity French Apple Tart tea and fragrance Jasmin Perles tea

TEOCHEW FOOD

There are many good and cheap food in Hong Kong.  It needs not be high end restaurants.  This Teochew eatery is located in a quiet neighbourhood in Sheung Wan and is always crowded even during weekdays, reservation is a must.

A small eatery with their signature dishes shown along the wall menu

To bring home a bottle of their preserved lemons?

Pickled vegetables and dried bean curd

Started off with Teochew oysters porridge to warm the stomach on a cold night

Their signature braised goose and the gizzards

Succulent prawns with broccoli and celery in XO sauce

Deep fried oyster omelette.  The oysters are fresh and huge and paired well with vinegar chilly sauce

Deep fried sour plum spare ribs  -  pair well with rice

Vegetables claypot

Melt-in-the-mouth stew cabbage with Chinese ham

Deep fried lotus pancakes and prawn balls

Hong Kong style tau-sau

Fruits platter to end the meal

BAKED COD

Good food is a consolation when you are unhappy.  It is a blessing to come home to a nice house with a nice kitchen where all unhappiness are forgotten and there are good food awaiting.  

Working life is a battlefield with ugly and frightening office politics, especially when there are jealousy and back stabbings to achieve goals.  These are people whom you think you can trust but turn out to be horrible monsters.

Marinate fresh cod with seasonings & herbs and wrap each piece with bacon to bake

Serve with arugula leaves, potatoes, tomatoes and zucchini.  Drizzle lemon juice over fish before eating

GUNEY DRIVE

Guney Drive comes to East Coast to set up shop at Changi Terminal 3.  Long quene is common sign at this popular place but the wait is fast as the place is large enough to accommodate at least a hundred patrons.  Prices are cheap at $4-5 for a standard dish.

Settle down for a thirst-quencher drink, Ba-Long-Long made from sour green fruits with dried plum

Tasty Lo-Bak with fried tau-kau accompanied with sweet and chilly sauce

Assam laksa -  a good balance of sweet and sourish flavor served with plenty of fish, pineapples, cucumbers, onions, bean sprouts and mint.

Full bodied flavor broth prawns noodles with spare ribs, fish cakes and vegetables.  A spoonful of the shrimp paste gives a full kick to the soup.  My DH drank up the last drop.

Cannot compare with the actual Penang fried kuay teow and the dish lacked the wok-hei as usually found in fried kuay teow.