Well, it was the day for us to go to the Dragonboat Carnival! Something that requires epic effort and great fueling up prior to the event, obviously!
![Macau Restaurant at Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4887592041_be0964597a_z.jpg)
OK, fine, we're not in the actual race proper, except for a "Bathtub Race" for four bloggers. But some of us just woke up early, and decided to start the day right - with FOOD. Never mind that the digital weighing machine told me I was already 1.5kg heavier from yesterday's multiple meals. We ventured out of the hotel and explored the surroundings.
We walked into Macau Restaurant (25-27 Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; tel: +852 2366-8148), in a rather random fashion, but maybe our troop leader Alvin knew a thing or two. The food turned out to be pretty good.
![Macanese crispy roll with pork chop and scrambled eggs](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4887591809_b709ee30cf_z.jpg)
Macanese crispy roll with pork chop and scrambled eggs (HK$25, comes with coffee/tea). I never knew how tasty the Macau rolls were until now. The pork chop is thin but tender, juicy and well-marinated. A worthy challenger to the SME (Sausage McMuffin with Egg).
![Instant noodles topped with mince and fishballs](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4887591565_462b1da6ac_z.jpg)
Instant noodles topped with spicy pork mince and fishballs.
![Crispy rolls with peanut butter and butter; kaya, butter and sugar](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4888196662_8ce16e3293_z.jpg)
The instant noodle sets come with thick toast with peanut butter and butter; or kaya, butter and sugar.
![An ice cold Yuen-Yang coffee-tea will kickstart your day!](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4888192954_d6a2272106_z.jpg)
An ice cold Yuen-Yang coffee-tea mixture guaranteed to wake you up! They do it well here.
![Breakfast sets fit to challenge McDonald's!](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4888192824_9af124c7d0_z.jpg)
Breakfast is served from 6.30am til 11am. There are various sets to choose from. There were also some nice-looking Macau Portuguese egg tarts at the entrance, but we didn't try any.
![Chee Kei has good congee and noodles too](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4887590927_e06081f404_z.jpg)
Chee Kei opposite Macau Restaurant apparently has good congee and noodles too. But it clearly doesn't open for breakfast.
After that, it was time to meet back at the hotel to go for our breakfast proper. The Hong Kong Tourism Board felt it would be good to show us a local breakfast.
![Tsui Wah is a chain of cha chaan teng restaurants](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4888195876_0f81582bb2_z.jpg)
We headed down to Tsui Wah Restaurant, not too far away at 2 Carnarvon Road. This is a fairly ubiquitous chain of "cha chaan teng" restaurants which serve a lot of things from noodles to sandwiches, curries to congee. Mostly comfort food for locals here.
![Stewed pork ribs with soft bones (cartilage) and noodles](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4887594141_e67f07b7a2_z.jpg)
Pork cartilage noodles. Stewed pork ribs with soft bones (cartilage) and noodles. I can't resist cartilage! So I had to have this.
![Japanese style grilled cubed beef fillet](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4888194820_8da828a844_z.jpg)
Darren made a good choice in the grilled cubed beef fillet, Japanese style.
![Sizzling fried noodles with king prawns (Sichuan and Peking style)](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4887593805_d0b8f2b5ea_z.jpg)
Sizzling fried noodles with king prawns (Sichuan and Peking style). The crunchy noodles and sauce were addictive.
![Soupy macaroni with ham](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4888194110_12f796406e_z.jpg)
I notice that macaroni is crazily popular in Hong Kong. Here's a soupy version with ham and something that could be abalone strips.
![Dry-tossed noodles with shrimp roe](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4887593507_80d8a6683e_z.jpg)
One of the better dishes was also the simplest. Dry-tossed noodles with shrimp roe. Very "QQ" noodles!
![Fishball rice noodle soup (kway teow)](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4887592899_cddbed8516_z.jpg)
Others made healthy choices. Fishball kway teow (rice noodle) soup!
![Tsui Wah Restaurant at 2 Carnarvon Road, Tsim Sha Tsui](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4888196244_08957ff566_z.jpg)
Even with its casual dining atmosphere, Tsui Wah still seems like a large restaurant to me than a Hong Kong cafe. Even its neon signboard is quite over-the-top! Prices are pretty friendly though.
![Now we're all ready for the Dragonboat Carnival!](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4887595077_d49333df32_z.jpg)
OK, now we're ready for Dragonboat anything! Here's Darren, looking really pro with those UV-protector sleeves (until you see the cute Mashimaro logo near the watch). Four of the bloggers are going to participate in a "Bathtub Race" - with some funny results!
I'll show you the festive Carnival in the next post!
I also like Macau, but didn't quite like the Portugese Crispy Pork Bun...
ReplyDeletehttp://shiokhochiak.blogspot.com/2008/12/macau-restaurant-tsim-tsa-tsui-hong.html
Oooh, I walked past this but didn't go in as I was heading to Macau the next day! There is another cha cang teng along the street called 98 degrees, which I hear that the locals visit.
ReplyDeleteOh you just reminded me how much I love Macau and the foods there... Totally going there again next year! :D
ReplyDeleteI know Tsui Wah! If i am in HK, i will definitely visit them. Their fish soup/ fish boil soup is boiled with shark bone, no-add-milk-kind :-) And its really flavourful and not salty. Glad you did squeeze in a visit here.
ReplyDeleteAlways love to eat at Macau Restaurant. Tsui Wah food is very good, but there is always a long queue.
ReplyDeleteWOAH!!!! That's alot of food. I'm gonna prepare myself for a feast while I'm there I tell ya :)
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me of our Macanese feast at Macau Restaurant in Hong Kong, rather than in Macau. :)
ReplyDeleteThough I can't seem to really enjoy the food there (maybe wrong orders) but this post makes me reminiscence of that trip.
Macau Restaurant at Lock St is my favourite breakfast cafe whenever I am in HK. Love the 猪仔包 and the milk tea. The tarts are pretty good too, try it the next time.
ReplyDeleteTsui Wah is the best!
ReplyDeleteI think I am hungry. After seeing all this delicious food, I think my appetite is opened. I can't wait to visit this restaurant too. Cazare pensiuni Busteni
ReplyDelete