Category: food

Hong Kong Bans Japanese Seafood

Hong Kong will ban imports of aquatic products from 10 areas of Japan from Thursday 24 August, after Tokyo said it would start releasing wastewater from the tsunami-stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Environment Minister Tse Chin-wan said the administration is taking a relatively conservative approach with the imports ban, limiting it to what he called high-risk coastal prefectures, as well as neighbouring areas.

The 10 prefectures involved are Fukushima, Tokyo, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama.

The ban covers all live, chilled, frozen and dried sea products, sea salt and seaweed.

Treasures of Hong Kong：The Soy Sauce Factor

This week’s RTHK Hong Kong Stories takes a look at the legendary Sammy’s Kitchen and its founder Sammy Yip.

Yip opened a steakhouse in Sai Ying Pun in 1969, serving up hotel-quality food at affordable prices – so as to allow the general public to experience the indulgence of a steak dinner.

To cater to the tastes of local Chinese diners, he later developed Hong Kong-style Western dishes, also known as “Soy Sauce Western Cuisine”.

https://youtu.be/IGrxSJl4Dow

Sammy’s icon neon sign was saved when the restaurant relocated and is now on display at the M+ museum.

sammy's kitchen sign

Sammy’s Kitchen
204～206 Queen’s Road West,
Sai Ying Pun
Tel: 2548 8400

No Eating Food Expo…

With the weather hot, wet and miserable the no eating Food Expo, which runs from 11-15 August, looks very enticing – crowded though it will be.

As usual there’s a cornucopia of edible delights and special promotions to enjoy. Many of the companies were still building their stalls at today’s media walk-through but here are a few things, amidst the mounds of mooncakes and noodles, that caught our eye.

Social enterprise company Hello Cocoa makes speciality chocolate items while supporting and employing Hongkongers with special education needs.

For those tired, at the end of a long day, there’s Trevijano‘s range of healthy premade risottos, couscous, and quinoas. Each packet is good for 3-4 people and they look delicious – we have yet to taste the cooked versions – and a simple way to add variety and flavour to any meal.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220810-Food-Expo-2022/i-QdbqXNt

Absolutely the cutest item on sale at this year’s Food Expo is the Propolia bee (S69).

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220810-Food-Expo-2022/i-H2PX5T8

Local cookie company Cookieism have an expo promotion on their tasty, but small, American cookies: 5 cookies and another item for $100.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220810-Food-Expo-2022/i-mSfjNWK

For something a little different… Black Churros

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220810-Food-Expo-2022/i-6vhHtTK

On the 3/F there is a wide assortment of massage chairs and foot massagers on display/sale – and while the chairs will be too big for many flats the idea of having a foot massager at home to help relieve the many stresses in today’s Hong Kong is very appealing.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220810-Food-Expo-2022/i-rbfXFGc

Fancy a Korean BBQ at home several appliance companies have home BBQ machines on display/sale.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220810-Food-Expo-2022/i-FvFsXKG

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220810-Food-Expo-2022/i-26fGJK5

Food Expo, Hong Kong International Tea Fair, Beauty & Wellness Expo, Home Delights Expo
When: 10am, 11-15 August, 2022
Where: HK Convention & Exhibition Centre
Tickets: $25 from HKTicketing/Octopus App

images: bc magazine

Covid Test Needed to Enter Bars & Clubs

From today you will need a negative RAT test to enter local bars and clubs.

“Patrons are required to present proof of a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) result obtained within 24 hours before entering bars, pubs, clubs or nightclubs from June 16 to 29” announced Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan.

According to the government announcement, customers will need to show a photo of the RAT device with their name, testing date and time written on it as proof of taking the test – before they can enter.

Local illustrator surrealhk perfectly captures the new rule.

Cod-licious – The Chippy, Granville Food Square, TST

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away… Ok, it was Chater Garden in 2015 – but today in twenty twenty-two it feels like a different time and place – an Englishman frustrated at the quality of fish and chips found locally imported a complete fish and chip shop, The Chippy, from Derby.

A bit extreme perhaps, but the massive queues and smiling faces at the Best of British pop-up event proved he wasn’t the only frustrated Hong Kong diner yearning for quality fish and chips. At the end of the week-long festival, the Englishman said he hoped to open a permanent version of The Chippy soon…

Is ‘seven years’ soon? I’m not sure, but the newly opened ‘The Chippy’ in Tsim Sha Tsui certainly scratches an itch. Crispy battered succulent Icelandic cod served on a bed of hot chips – simply delicious!

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220611-The-Chippy-Tsim-Sha-Tsui/i-2jDK4tR

And yes you will want to Instagram your beautiful-looking meal, but do it quickly so you can enjoy the freshly prepared meal hot. There are two sizes of cod; the Signature a 10-12oz fillet ($188) and a regular (5-6oz fillet, $108) served in a “Cod Save the Queen” Chippy Box full of plump English chips.

The Granville Food Square location seats around 60 and as well as fish the menu includes battered jumbo sausages, Pukka pies, mushy peas, curry sauce and proper gravy – all imported from Derby. Cold beer and drinks are also available in the food court and delivery options will be added soon.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220611-The-Chippy-Tsim-Sha-Tsui/i-hDBL8vQ

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220611-The-Chippy-Tsim-Sha-Tsui/i-3dpSj6t

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220611-The-Chippy-Tsim-Sha-Tsui/i-WFPxHN3

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220611-The-Chippy-Tsim-Sha-Tsui/i-CfZRmwJ

The Chippy – Tsim Sha Tsui
Granville Food Square, 46-48 Granville Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Tel:
Opening Hours: 11am til late

Vegetarian Fish and Chips at Chip In

Recently Chip In a local social conscious fish and chip chain sent bc an invite to try their new vegetarian fish and chips. Intrigued, a Saturday afternoon visit to their branch in The Vantage at Hung Hom was arranged.

In all honesty, we weren’t expecting much, if you want to eat fish (or meat) then, at the moment, nothing matches the real thing for flavour or texture.
And the same is true with ‘vegetarian’ fish, in a direct comparison – really there is no comparison – to cod the beautiful flaky white pieces of cod are delicious. And ‘fish and chips’ is really cod and chips, nothing else is better battered and deep-fried to a golden hue.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220514-Vegetarian-Fish-Chips-Chip-In/i-TGRrx9D

That said if you don’t try to compare it to the real thing, the vegetarian soy product is not that bad. It has a reasonable texture and flavour, if a little salty, and it holds the batter well.

And for dessert, there are Chip In’s unique deep-fried Oreo cookies, sweet chewy and delicious!

If your vegetarian friends have been keeping you away from your local fish and chip shop, then invite them along to Chip In in Sai Kung or Hung Hom and everyone will be happy.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/20220514-Vegetarian-Fish-Chips-Chip-In/i-FfZLKf5

Chip In:  Sai Kung
Shop 11, G/F, 9 King Man Street,
Sai Kung, Hong Kong.
Tel: 6418 6575
Opening Hours: 11am – 7:30pm

Chip In: Hung Hom
Unit 28, G/F The Vantage, 63 Ma Tau Wai Road,
Hung Hom, Hong Kong.
Tel: 9452 3373
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm

Feasts ’n Treats Dining Offers

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is launching its “Feasts ’n Treats” discount dining promotion today (2 June). 20,000 sets of half-price cash vouchers, valid at 800 restaurants, will be offered for six consecutive weeks.

Feasts ’n Treats cash vouchers worth HK$200 or $400 will be sold at half price (HK$100 and $200, respectively) for use at participating outlets. At the promotion website, https://feastsntreats.openrice.com pick the restaurant and buy the voucher. New voucher quotas go on sale every Thursday at 10am.Feasts ’n Treats 2022

Vinexpo Rebrands and Moves to Singapore in 2023

After twenty years Vinexpo Hong Kong is no more. The government’s covid restrictions on travel and the bar and restaurant trade have essentially forced the popular wine exhibition to leave Hong Kong for a location where over 1000 global exhibitors will be able to participate.

CEO of Vinexposium Rodolphe Lameyse commented on the move “Unfortunately I and my shareholders consider that Hong Kong is not where we want to be in the future.”

Vinexpo Asia will take place at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore from 23-25 May 2023.