Old School Cool: Oi Man Sang Kitchen

Is it the cold weather or the holiday season that makes me more sentimental this time of the year? We sat outside on some street corner at night, surrounded by loud Cantonese men, ordered 6 large bottles of Tsingtao beers and wolfed down each dish in between catching up and downing our beers. As expected of a 50+ year old Dai Pai Dong in a working class neighborhood,  the servers were old and rude/non-existent, the hygiene was questionable, but the food was simple, delicious and direct. How did these down-to-earth chefs channel the essence of each ingredient so well? How can sweet & sour pork taste so different from my American Chinese takeout expectations? How can a shapeless gray slab of minced pork possibly be this good? I think I was probably a bit drunk by then. But let's just say the warmth I felt was genuine. My God, I love cheap local food. And I love my friends. And this city isn't so bad right now. After dinner it was time for whisky and more conversation, and my bad week turned out alright after all.

Sweet & Sour Pork

More Pork

Beef & Mushroom

Intestines

Squid

Veggies

Oi Man Sang Kitchen 愛文生
215 Lai Chi Kok Rd
Sham Shui Po

A Cuppa on the Dark Side: Cafe Hideouts in Kowloon

Sweaty teenagers holding hands, clutching cellphones, snacking on sticks of curry fishballs. Tourists lugging oversized Rimowa suitcases, paying their respects to 21st century shrines: Prada. Chanel. Louis Vuitton. Cartier. The imposing bouncer lets them in one by one, and they emerge anew, baptized in the name of American Express--and it's on to the next god, maybe Hermes next time if you're lucky. On Nathan Road, the street hawkers echo--Prada. Chanel. Louis Vuitton. Cartier...and who could forget--iPhone 6. Then there are the old people. White-haired aunts and uncles who just don't give a damn, living the dream of a Hong Kong forty years ago, reading their newspapers with 7am dim sum, reminiscing, always reminiscing, while barking at you to get out of the way like bulldogs guarding their territory. All the while there is a relentless dripping sound, as water free falls from air conditioners to the ground, or onto some poor soul's head, reminding him of all the things he can't control in life.

Welcome to the dark side, baby.

Welcome to Kowloon, or at least the busiest parts of it--my neighborhood, my home. I could write a whole book on the people, the food, the nooks and crannies, but this rambling post is dedicated to what keeps me sane in this urban jungle--my favorite cafes in Kowloon. Most of them are tiny, but that's enough to provide some peace of mind for a couple hours before venturing back out into the crowd. If you ever find yourself in need of refuge in Tsim Sha Tsui/Mong Kok/Yau Ma Tei/Olympic, feel free to hide in these cozy cafes.

1. Craft Coffee Roaster (Olympic/Tai Kok Tsui)

Address: 29 Tai Kok Tsui Road, Tai Kok Tsui

Facebook page link

 

Sandwiched between local Cantonese diners and grocery stores, Craft is a tiny cafe with quality coffee. If you live in Olympic, you probably work in finance and have no time to explore your neighborhood, but give it a try and you'll be surprised by the vibrant life outside of the huge family-friendly malls. Craft is the perfect place to spend your weekend mornings (if you can snag a seat), reading and smelling freshly ground coffee before spending the rest of your day in the office. A slight improvement, but an improvement nonetheless...

2. Knockbox Coffee Company (Mong Kok)
Address: 21 Hak Po Street, Mong Kok
Website link

Mong Kok is a ridiculously crowded place. It's where you go to experience herd mentality in the flesh--as you are helplessly stuck in a crowd with no choice but to follow the general direction, you will understand why individuality is a foreign concept in some places. Everytime I come here I vow never to return, but then I need to buy a new phone or deposit a check, and resign to give this place another chance. That's why I'm very grateful for Knockbox Coffee Company, a quiet cafe (on a quiet street) that only wants to serve and teach Hong-Kongers about good coffee. Set up like a bar, Knockbox wants to give its customers the perfect coffee experience, and I sat in awe as I took in the aromas of my single origin Ethopian coffee and watched the barista patiently brew my cup of coffee. Serving only single origin, direct trade coffee and banning decaf/soy/syrup, Knockbox might seem pretentious from the outside, but its sincerity is evident and I find it beautiful that it celebrates purity and clarity amid a neighborhood of chaos.

             

                

 

3.  N1 Coffee & Co (Tsim Sha Tsui)

Address: 34 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Facebook page link

I'm typing away in this tiny cafe right now, having chugged one Americano and one Chai Latte, and no one has tried to kick me out, even after three hours. So this is what an urban oasis feels like. Being in N1 Coffee & Co is like borrowing someone's small, whimsical dream world for a couple hours--and that world just so happens to have good coffee. I'm not going to ask why there's a merry go round horse hanging out across from me, and they won't dare to ask why I just wasted half my day in this hole. Our worlds overlap for a brief moment before it's time for me to head back out into the real world.

 

4. Kubrick Cafe (Yau Ma Tei)

Address: Shop H2, Cinema Block, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

Website link

If space is what you crave, Kubrick Cafe is the biggest cafe on this list. I don't go there for the coffee (honestly it's not that good), but to read in a space with high ceilings, to smell the scent of lavender tea mixed with new books, to kill some time before catching a movie at the cinema next door. Kubrick is both a film bookstore and a cafe, its name proudly derived from the famous director and evoking an independent spirit, similar to Broadway Cinematheque next door which hosts film festivals and screens independent and foreign films. Located in a historical district in Yau Ma Tei (surrounded by a 100-year old fruit market, the only remaining pre-WWII theatre in Kowloon, and the first hospital in Kowloon), Kubrick represents both nostalgia and modernity, comfort and excitement.

The Four Fundamental Forces of HK Clubbing

 

The physics that govern our universe are a lot more personal than we think. The forces that dictate the movement of atoms and planets are also manifest on a Friday night out in Hong Kong, in a dark, crowded, cigarette-smoke-and-EDM-music filled club on Lan Kwai Fung, acting upon a field of lonely guys and girls looking for fun, romance or an escape from reality. 

After countless rigorous scientific experiments, I present to you the four fundamental forces of Hong Kong's clubbing scene. Given severe underdevelopment in the field of nightlife physics, any suggested revisions to my theory are more than welcome.

1. Strong Nuclear Force

The strong nuclear force is the strongest of the four forces, but only works at extremely close range. Powerful, primal lust glues a nucleus of male and female together, observable from an act laymen call "dancing" or "grinding." This force is so strong it overpowers any repulsion the male and female would have for each other under normal, more brightly-lit circumstances. However, any attraction is ultimately temporary as once the two subjects move more than 1.5m apart, the strong nuclear force ceases to exist.

2. Weak Nuclear Force

Oh, the weak nuclear force, the most misunderstood and overlooked force of all--even I don't profess to know exactly how it works. I can only say that the magnitude of this force is directly proportional to the number of alcoholic drinks the subject has had at the club. Responsible for radioactive decay, the weak force breaks down a fully functional adult into a sad shell of himself, a lost cellphone and useless energy. This force is the root of all instability, poor life decisions and lost memories, but without it life would be less interesting, I suppose.

Origin of the weak nuclear force

3. Electromagnetic Force

The electromagnetic force is Attraction 101: Opposites attract, likes repel. Made famous in Hollywood romantic movies and Jane Austen novels, this force can be observed in the club as well, when a serious and cynical investment banker buys a drink for a cute and talkative English teacher, or when a successful career woman hits on a starving artist. The electromagnetic force works regardless of distance, but from my observations there are definitely exceptions to the rule.

4. Gravity

Gravity--my favorite and the most mysterious force of all. Irrelevant at close ranges and thus not commonly felt at a club, but on the grand scale of things, this is the force that could change your life. When two people feel a gravitational pull towards each other, their attraction is inevitable, as gravity is always attractive and impossible to stop, rendering the subjects defenseless to its power. As they orbit each other, their masses distort space and time, altering their realities forever. The past and the future, friends and family, all these become specks of cosmic dust and all that matters is the present, the imminent free-fall, the cross over the event horizon into a black hole called destiny (or perhaps even love?) Few escape unscathed, but most come out wiser. While the idea of finding a significant relationship at a club seems ridiculous, once in a blue moon the stars do align to bring two people together.

Wine Tasting in Hong Kong: A Beginner's Guide

I absolutely love wine, but my experiences with it before Hong Kong were usually quite bipolar--either I was shamelessly buying cases of $1 wines at the supermarket, or insecurely sipping some kind of Bordeaux, trying to detect hints of wet wool, shoe polish, and self-worth. Who knew there was a whole other universe of exciting and approachable wines? Contrary to appearances, Hong Kong is a gold mine of casual, affordable, and eclectic wine tastings, and in my quest to learn more about what the hell I was drinking, I've discovered a few great companies that offer fun wine events at very decent prices.

1) The Flying Winemaker

Founded by Eddie Mcdougall (HK born and raised in Australia), The Flying Winemaker has a casual and fun approach to wine tasting and education. Their events are a mix of themed tastings and wine classes, and I always discover unique but value for money wines each time. What I really appreciate most is the intimate, laid back environment and Eddie's democratic approach to wine--you can bet he knows his stuff though, since he actually makes his own wines in Australia...

Absolutely loved this Gewurztraminer! Such a memorable taste of lychees and summer, I bought a bottle and drank it while watching Mexico lose to Netherlands, so I guess it soothed the pain somewhat...

Pairing wines with Cantonese roast meats

Hi Eddie

Some bonus pictures from their annual Rosé Revolution boat trip, free flow rosé with fresh seafood lunch, intended to shine a light on an under-appreciated genre:

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theflyingwinemaker

2) Amber Wines

Amber Wines specializes in wine consulting, and you can tell from the personalized approach in their events. They aim to host events that are multi-dimensional and often partner with restaurants for food and wine pairings. While they focus on old world wines, the prices are all very affordable for the quality. I went to their "wines and herbs pairing" where we learned about what kind of herbs bring out the aromas of different wines, enjoyed canapes that incorporated each herb (with the chef present to explain his cooking!), and met other wine fans. I would actually say the level of client service is even more dedicated than The Flying Winemaker, since I still get personalized emails (or so I'd like to believe) about upcoming tastings.

Sauvignon Blanc with Thyme

Gewurztraminer with Cinnamon

Syrah with Coriander

Some Bordeaux red with Rosemary

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/amberwinesltd

3) Cellarmaster Wines

Cellarmaster Wines is actually an online wine & spirits shop, but once in a while they have fun events to showcase their inventory. I went to an "Around the World" event which was absolutely dangerous for my sobriety and bank account--unlimited tasting of over 100 wines from around the world for US$25. Granted, their strategy was probably to get you tipsy enough to buy everything on the wine list...which was extremely effective...

WINES

They also sell some rums--these are from a rum distillery in Fiji, sooo yummy and festive with flavors like White Chocolate and Golden Honey

Chef of Ham & Sherry cutting ham...what's not to like...

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cellarmasterwines


Photos courtesy of: Kenneth Wu, Amber Wines, Cellarmaster Wines

Love, Lust, and Noodles: Lau Sum Kee Noodle Shop

Restaurants, like relationships, come and go in this city. Gleaming lights promising something new, something different, something to surprise our jaded appetites, or just something to fill our void (and memory cards) in the middle of the night. The initial spark, the excitement of the unknown, the spiraling addiction, the desperate desire to believe in the hype....but lust fades and quality speaks for itself. Does anything last forever here? is the most persistent question on my mind as I walk past  another shuttered restaurant that burned too fast and too bright, wondering about the fate of my old haunts the same way I wonder about the boys who never called me back.

"Find a simple guy," my mom told me once, and the same goes for food--at the end of the day, we just crave something simple, dependable and true. In this sense you can't get any simpler than noodle shops in Hong Kong, their low key presence in every street corner at risk of being replaced by the next big restaurant mogul. They are the geek in a romantic comedy, quietly watching you chase the most popular chefs and food trends, comforting you amid your disappointment before you realize that they were the ones who were there for you all along.

Lau Sum Kee in Sham Shui Po is one of these simple guys, albeit one of the more famous ones. But rightly so, as they consistently churn out honest and delicious Hong Kong staples--al dente dry noodles sprinkled with shrimp roe, braised beef brisket and tendon, wonton soup...I basked in its unpretentious and comforting presence, with barely a dent in my wallet. Wrapping up the night with some local desserts around the corner, I was grateful to be reminded that there are still some things that are consistent in this transient city. (The simple and dependable guy part though remains to be seen...)

Lau Sum Kee Noodle
G/F, 48 Kweilin St
Sham Shui Po
2386 3533

Tian Tian Di Dessert House
G/F 120 Fuk Wa St
Sham Shui Po
2398 9499

Conversations at Night (With Whisky)

“I have a very romantic view of the city—sometimes I think we're just billiard balls, moving along our own paths, and once in a while we collide and there’s a spark, there’s a temporary push towards the same direction, but ultimately you hit a wall and separate and go your own way again.”

“...and sometimes you get hit so hard you fall into an abyss?”

“Well the idea is you get to restart the game I guess…”  

An infinite loop of pool playing, that’s really all there is to it. Exhausting, addicting and possibly meaningless—but you have to keep moving, keep colliding, because the alternative is inertia, is solitude, is lying alone at the bottom of the pool table. The alternative of something is nothing and I'd rather have ephemeral warmth than eternal coldness. 

“But don’t you want to believe that people can develop more than a temporary connection?”

“Not in this city, no. There are so many possibilities that you can’t help but want to experience all of them. And too much selfishness—everyone wants to follow their own path in the end.”

“You know, I think you’re imposing this view on relationships because you’re afraid of the alternative—of exposing yourself and making the commitment to understand and love someone. And I get why you prefer this idea of love, I’ve been to the other end before and I know what it’s like to be hurt in a big city, to realize that the city is perfectly capable of moving on without you. It's so much easier to just give up and live for the occasional spark.”

"I don't know...maybe you're right, maybe I've been brainwashed by too many bittersweet romantic movies. But I think it's comforting and beautiful that two people can find refuge in each other, regardless of whether it lasts a few hours or a lifetime. So I wouldn't say that I've given up..."

Mountains and I: Finding serenity on Lantau Island

Where do you go to be alone in this city? I've tried to escape the crowd by foot, by bus, by ferry, by bicycle, by car...but the city remains one step ahead of me, luring me in with mirages of empty alley cafes and untouched nature trails, only to let me down when I discover that these oases are just as flooded with people--weary worker bees like me eager to find a corner of their own, no matter how temporary.

But Hong Kong forgot about me one day in April, when I went on a hike on Lantau Island with a couple of friends. It was supposed to take three hours but ended up lasting six, as we trekked for miles with nobody in sight, enjoyed a quiet picnic at the peak (accompanied by a rock that looked like a vase), stumbled through thorny bushes destroyed by wildfires, slid down treacherous slopes and yelled into the wind that carried our city anxiety away. We got lost for an hour in the mountains, and when you get lost there you really start to understand that nature can never completely be tamed. Google Maps couldn't save us now, but after countless trials we finally made it out and landed--I kid you not--in front of Disneyland. 

This is how I should've grown up, I thought. This is how everyone in this city should've grown up. Limited instructions, no time limits, a will to explore and nature at our feet. 

The few minutes of encountering the absolute unknown and the possibility of being stuck on the same mountain all night made the final step back out onto the highway so much more gratifying. For the Singaporean girl who knew that every test had an answer set and every report had a conclusion, this was more than enough adventure to last me awhile.

At the very least, I now know that in Hong Kong, all roads lead to Disneyland...