Philippine Asian News Today Vol 18 No 18 | Page 26

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PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY September 16 - 30, 2016

The Roundabout
By: Sandee Siytangco – Masigan

The Roundabout – Hongkong Like A Local

After years of staying away cult favorite that has locals
from Hongkong, I recently went lining up and out the alley
back with a group of girlfriends. fronting the shop. Their
One of them is practically a lo- nougat tins are in such
cal and promised us Hongkong demand that they only albeyond the usual retail outlets, low two tins of each kind
touristy Tsim Tsa Tsui and the per customer, per visit. At
perfunctory trips to Ocean Park 100$ HK a tin , they are a
and HK Disneyland. There are steal and make great gifts
two things that never change in or pasalubong.
We walked back on
Hongkong even after years of being away… the first is that walk- our own. Some opting to
ing is a staple. Even if they have rest before dinner, while the
one of the best transport systems others took advantage of
in the world, most locals still walk the three hour lag to shop.
endlessly. The second certainty is I chose to go back to the
that Hongkong has some of the hotel, but not without stopbest food on the planet ( Chinese ping by Venchi for one of
the best dark chocolate
and otherwise).
For our all-girls weekend, gelatos in the city.
That night, we manour hotel of choice was the Pottinger Hotel on Stanley Street., aged the short but steep
also fronting Queen’s Road in trek up Lang Kwai Fong
The rooms at The Pottinger Hotel
Central, miles away from my late St. to Carbone…a two-year
father’s favorite Marco Polo
Gateway Hotel on Canton
Road, Kowloon. The Pottinger is a quaint boutique
hotel with a European esthetic. Flanked by the fashionable
COS store and Venchi – an
Italian gelato and chocolate
shop. For our group of foodies, it was centrally located as
we just walked to most of the
restaurants. The Pottinger is
small but charming, like your
aunt’s French drawing room
combined with delicate Chinese brush paintings and 600
thread count sheets.
Day 1
Our group at Fu Sing Seafood Restaurant
Our first stop was Fu
Vongole I would’ve polished off
Sing Seafood Restaurant. Fu
Sing has quite a few branches in old Italian bistro on the 9th floor a whole order of three pieces by
this country of 7.2 million people. of the LKF Tower fronting Wynd- myself. And if by chance you still
We strolled to the one located ham Street. Carbone reminded have room for dessert, like we
at Grand Millenium Plaza about me of Italian trattorias in NYC did, go for the New York Cheeseten minutes from the Pottinger. with well prepared , hearty food cake –it was light, fluffy, tangy
It isn’t a Michelin star contender in generous portions, all served and unctuous. The perfect end
yet , but have the distinction of in a comfortable and elegant to our first day. ( To Be Continbeing Michelin recommended. atmosphere. It was a tad too ued )
And although the name says noisy for my taste, but
“Seafood”, they are more known I enjoyed the evening
for their barbequed pork or “char nonetheless.
Our
favorites
siu” pork. They also have fantastic dimsum at reasonable prices, were the Prime Porterbut the star of the show is the house steak - 40 oz of
pork. Fu Sing’s char siu pork is perfectly grilled beef
so soft it quivers when hanging with rosemary oil and
from between chopsticks. Every charred garlic ( worth
table in the jam packed dining every dollar and caloroom had at least one order. Call rie)… Branzino - also
and reserve in advance because grilled with lemon and
all tables are full, even on week- three sauces and the
days and they do run out of the Linguini Vongole.
At
Carbone,
char siu pork.
Their fried tofu was also when the waiter says,
a revelation. It tasted like fried you shouldn’t leave
chicken and could easily beeaten without trying Mario’s
Meatballs, take his
like popcorn.
From Fu Sing, it’s a sh ort word for it. They are
five minute walk to Jenny Bakery out of this world delifor the best black sesame and al- cious! If I weren’t so
mond nougat. Jenny Bakery is a full from the steak and
Fu Sing’s famous Char Siu Pork
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Proseco and Proscuito at the Pottinger bar

Venchi’s deep dark Chocolate Gelato