Tuesday 29 December 2009

Day 338 - Tonpeiyaki


Day 338 - Tonpeiyaki, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Dinner at Watami: Casual Japanese Restaurant in Kowloon Bay again.

Watami's Tonpeiyaki is tasty mixture of Pork, Cabbage and Cheese wrapped in an Egg Omelette and drizzled with (I'd guess) Japanese Mayonnaise and Oyster Sauce. Served on a sizzling pan to top it off.

Delicious!

Day 337 - Tuna and Salad Sandwich

I wanted to go for the Sandwich-in-a-bowl but it was sold out (again!) so I decided to go for a plain tuna sandwich.

Day 336 - Sausage and Egg Noodles

... with my standard Dong Yuen Yeung. We stopped at a small village in Lam Tseun, and decided to wait out the rain a little and have brunch. Not really a first rate meal, but I always enjoy dining al fresco.

Sunday 27 December 2009

Day 335 - Ferrero Rocher


Day 335 - Ferrero Rocher, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

As I suppose it is for most families, our boxing day dinner was very similar to our Christmas Night dinner due to the large quantities of unconsumed food. Instead I took a photo of these gift Ferrero Rocher.

Day 334 - Christmas Feast


Day 334 - Christmas Feast, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

A huge Christmas meal with all the extended family around. We bought the giant turkey from outside, but everything else was home-made including Lamb Cutlets, Buttered Sweetcorn, Green Salad, Oven Wedges, Fried Rice and Bacon and Mushroom Carbonara Spaghetti.

Friday 25 December 2009

Day 333 - Orange


Day 333 - Orange, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Feeling a cold coming on, I decided on a good dose of Vitamin C in an after dinner Orange.

Day 332 - Dreyer's Vanilla Chocolate Chip Icecream

Dessert. In retrospect I think I should have gone for the plain vanilla with Milo topping!

Day 331 - Beef with Noodles


Day 331 - Beef with Noodles, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

A quick dinner at the food court in APM after some last minute Christmas shopping.

Day 330 - Hot Pot


Day 330 - Hot Pot, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Hot Pot for my first night back in Hong Kong with all the usual suspects. My favourite is the shrimp wanton, middle right.

Wednesday 23 December 2009

329 - Airline Food


329 - Airline Food, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

This was supposed to be Braised Chicken with Jasmine Rice but it honestly tasted just like so many airline meals before it. At the bun is served warm!

Day 328 - Meatball Sandwich @ Pine Market

At a small supermarket / deli / liquor store I found a (terribly unhealthy) but delicious combined breakfast lunch. Homemade meatballs with a homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese tied this sandwich into something special. Rounded out with a Double Espresso and a free coleslaw (would have preferred a green salad but the options were pasta salad or coleslaw!).

Day 327 - Tandoori Chicken, Lamb Vindaloo and a Garlic Naan @ Lahore Karahi

With a little guidance from my San Francisco travel guide, I ended up at this Pakistani restaurant very close to my hotel.

Fantastic.

The Tandoori Chicken was a little dry, but the Lamb Vindaloo was just amazing and the Garlic Naan the perfect tool with which to clean all remnants of the curry.

Saturday 19 December 2009

Day 326 - Ham & Cheese Filled Croissant, Powdered Jelly Donut and Double Espresso @ The Happy Donut

I stopped for a brief lunch at this restaurant on the edge of Chinatown. Despite the fairly dodgy outlook, the food here was great. The powdered donut was so sweet... just the sugar boost I needed before I headed out for a long run!

Day 325 - Burrito Mojave @ Taqueria Can Cun

After a climbing session at Mission Cliffs I headed back towards my bus and spotted this restaurant on the other side of the street. It was super busy... normally a great indicator of quality and it certainly didn't disappoint. Looking at the menu I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted, Tacos with soft flour tortillas? Burritos with soft flour tortillas? Quesadillas with soft flour totillas?

In the end, I went for the "Buritto Mojave - (The Big One)". It arrived within minutes, served with corn chips, salsa and guacamole, this certainly was a big meal. Filled with meat, beans and a rice mixture, it likely wasn't very healthy but was very delicious. After finishing one, I was highly tempted to try another, but was so full, I didn't think I could manage it!

Day 324 - Tomato Braised Kale & Potato Crosata with Rugosa Squash w/ Creme Fraiche Soup @ Split Pea Seduction

... served with House-made Rustic Country Apple Cider. Taking a suggestion from my mini-lonely planet, I headed down to this trendy, small, semi-open kitchen soup extraordinaire.

I went for a medium pumpkin-esk soup and a half crosata. The soup was good but quite sweet, and I generally prefer a peppery pumpkin soup, while the crosata was crispy and delicious. The apple cider was iced, very think with lots of cinnamon... Fantastic.

Wednesday 16 December 2009

Day 323 - Fettucine Putanesca @ L'Ottavo

The pasta served up at this San Franciscian restaurant was the best Italian food I've had in years!

The pasta had precisly the right blend of gastronomic delights, with individual ingredients providing subtle flavours here and there but overall blending into a wonderful symphony of flavour.

The bread arrived warm, with a soft chewy inner, and crispy outer, served with a saucer of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a tapanade of sun dried tomatoes and chilli.

Even the beer, a Moretti La Rosa, was the perfect complement.

A wonderful meal.

Day 322 - Nugget Burger and House Salad @ Grubsteak

My first dinner in San Francisco. I asked the reception at my hotel for a recommendation and for a "real San Francisco experience" he recommended a nearby place called Grubsteak. Designed like the inside of a tram (or possibly actually the inside of a tram, this restaurant certainly had a lot of that sterotypical US feel about it. I was a little disappointed that most things on the menu were burgers and steaks, but I shouldn't have been surprised. The burger was quite good but still just a burger and the servings weren't huge and no fries or anything extra included, but overall not a bad meal, the unique setting making up for everyday food.

Mini Cakes, Big Votes...

Day 308 - Mini Cakes

Day 308, The Mini Cakes, lead at the start at lead at the end despite a strong finish by the Pre-Race Pasta...

And thus, the weekly photo contest comes to a close. But don't fret, there's more voting to be had. We're going to take a week break (while I'm in San Francisco) and then in the lead up for the finale, Day 365, we're going to have votes on topics like "Favourite Breakfast", "Best Japanese Meal" and the bitterly fought "Worst Photo Ever".

Stay tuned and start perusing the catalogue for winners (and losers)!!

Day 321 - Thai Green Chicken Curry

One of my favourites for a final dinner before heading off to San Francisco for the week.

Saturday 12 December 2009

Day 320 - Lemon Cheesecake


Day 320 - Lemon Cheesecake, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

... with "Dong Leng Char" - Iced Lemon Tea. Dessert at Spaghetti House in Mong Kok.

Day 319 - Smoked Turkey Sandwich


Day 319 - Smoked Turkey Sandwich, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

I was originally planning to go with the trusty Sandwich in a Bowl but after my run, when I arrived at the Cafe, they were sold out! So instead, I decided to go for a regular sandwich.

Friday 11 December 2009

Day 318 - Fried Rice with Choi


Day 318 - Fried Rice with Choi, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

A daily staple livened up.

~Sik (Choi) Fan

Thursday 10 December 2009

Day 317 - La Marzano Pizza


Day 317 - La Marzano Pizza, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

More subtle this time, but that slight blue twinge on the plant in the back gives away the Pizza Express location.

Quite a good pizza, but I would have loved for a pile of fresh rocket on top!

~Sik Pizza

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Day 316 - Mixed Salad


Day 316 - Mixed Salad, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

I was having trouble coming up with a name for this dish. It has Red, Yellow and Green Capsicum, Tofu, Seaweed, Ham, Onion and Sesame Seeds. Rainbow Salad? Vegetable Salad? I decided to go with the generic Mixed Salad. Fairly good, but I was busy chowing down on the home-made wontons (pot to the left)... again!

Day 315 - Pork Chop in a Sweet Bun

The Pork Chop Bun is a Macau tradition and after the race we found ourselves at Tai Lei Loi Kei in Taipa, perhaps the most famous pork chop bun joint in all of Macau. Unfortunately, I couldn't go for the crispy bun version of the bun (it's only served after 3pm) so I went for the Sweet Bun version. Although it sounds a little strange, it was great, almost worth waiting around till 3pm just to have the crispy version!

Pork Wonton with Chilli burns off the competition

Day 302 - Pork Wonton with Chilli

The Home-made Pork Wonton have won again, this time with the aid of a little chilli! Once again, I am running a little late, but the photos will be up! The new poll will be up shortly and voting will be open till Midnight Saturday!

~Sik Fan!

Day 314 - Pre-race Pasta


Day 314 - Pre-race Pasta, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

In preparation for the Macau Half-marathon the next morning, I filled up on spaghetti with a very basic tomato sauce. In the end, the race went great and I had heaps of energy for the entire race, I just wished that I'd gone out a little faster at the start!

Day 313 - Japanese Chicken Curry and Rice

The old favourite.

Friday 4 December 2009

Day 312 - Pan Fried Duck Breast with Pesto Spaghetti

Although it seems like quite a big meal for lunch, this is a fairly standard sized dish.

This dish, in particular, is quite popular among my colleagues, so I thought I should try it but I was actually a little disappointed. The breast had a huge amount of fat that I had to cut off and there was a measly amount of vegies. Perhaps next time I'll just return to my favourite at the Cafe, the Sandwich in a Bowl.

Day 311 - Fried Rice Noodles with Beef and Pineapple

Despite looking really oil (it wasn't - it's corn flour), this dish was quite good. Subtle flavours, but good.

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Day 310 - Spaghetti Carbonara


Day 310 - Spaghetti Carbonara, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Home-made Spaghetti Carbonara last night and although it doesn't sound like a winning combination, it went great with a little tabasco sauce!

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Day 309 - Fried Egg and Enoki Mushroom with Pork Chop and Rice

I saw someone collecting this dish last week, and despite not finding it on the menu, asked for it at the counter and they understood what I meant!

The fried egg and pork chop were great, but the rice was a little bland. An okay dish, but didn't come close to my favourite: Japanese Curry Chicken with Rice.

Day 308 - Mini Cakes


Day 308 - Mini Cakes, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Dessert!

Late, late, late, late...

Day 300 - Roll in a Roll

Sorry Gang, a little tardy with the last couple of updates, but I have been taking photos everyday! Last week's poll was hotly contested between the Roll-in-a-roll (probably with strong old boy support) and the Apple and Cinnamon Crunch Toasted Oats (an action shot). In the end, the Roll-in-a-roll, Day 300(!), won out by a single vote!

The new poll will be up shortly, and voting will end at Midnight on Saturday!

Day 307 - Shanghaiese Mince Pork Noodles

...at the favourite Shanghaiese place in To Kwa Wan. I went for the Mince Pork Noodles this time, but think I prefer the Dam Dam Mein.

On a side note (and somewhat related to Shanghai), I was watching "Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer" last night, and the (lack of) Asian comprehension displayed was unbelievable. First they're flying along in a jet and report about being over "South Eastern China" (which is pretty much where Hong Kong is), the next moment, they're flying alongside (and blowing up) the Great Wall (Northern China and approximately the same distance from HK as across all of continental USA from North to South), and then they crash in Shanghai (Eastern China). To top it all of, at the suggestion of a wedding they say: "I've got an idea" and are mystically transported to a very Japanese wedding (not sure if they're pretending all of Asia's the same or just leaving huge holes?)... Surely this is the kind of thing most Westerners would notice? Maybe not...

Day 306 - Tuna and Salad Sandwich

A sandwich in the sun and a bit of sketching... not a bad lunch-break really!

Friday 27 November 2009

Day 305 - Aussie Cheese Fries


Day 305 - Aussie Cheese Fries, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

... at the Outback Steakhouse in Wan Chai.

In fact there's nothing remotely Aussie about this dish right down to the fact that we call them "chips" and not "fries".

Only a change of decor, and swapping all the "Aussie"s for "Wild West"s would be needed for a lot more accurate restaurant theme!

Thursday 26 November 2009

Day 304 - McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast

I'm not sure what's so deluxe about having to make your own Sausage McMuffin with Egg, even if the egg is scrambled instead of fried. I suppose there *is* the hash brown... and I do like hash browns.

Day 303 - Cold Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Chicken

Although listed on the menu as "Soba Noodles", which would be a Japanese dish, I think this was more similar to Shanghaiese-type Noodles with Peanut Sauce. Nevertheless, it still tasted great!

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Day 302 - Pork Wonton with Chilli

Despite knowing how good these would taste, I held back and was careful not to burn my mouth. Again.

Vegetable Salad, Pork Ribs and Chicken in the background.

Monday 23 November 2009

Day 301 - Dinner at Home


Day 301 - Dinner at Home, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Another "what's in your bowl" photo. Fried Rice Noodle with Chicken, Sliced Sausage, Fried Egg with Soy, Broccoli and a can of Löwen Weisse to cap things off.

Watami Ramen Storms Home

Day 287 - Watami Ramen

Day 287, the Watami Ramen stormed home for victory last week, easily fending off all competitors. As I noted, this is only the second photo to appear in the "365 Days of Food" that wasn't taken with my Pentax. Perhaps the little Casio should get more of a run? The new poll will be up soon... On your marks...

Day 300 - Roll in a Roll


Day 300 - Roll in a Roll, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Return of a Classic. A old favourite and staple at Melbourne High School, I recently read that it's been banned from the canteen (with the exception of fund raising events) for health concerns! Sacrilege! Despite a (probably) heavily romantised memory of them, this home-made incarnation was utterly fantastic.

Day 299 - Tea Eggs


Day 299 - Tea Eggs, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

The Tea Eggs are back after making an appearance on Day 3! Coffee also included in this breakfast, but not pictured!

Friday 20 November 2009

Day 298 - Quattro Carni Pizza


Day 298 - Quattro Carni Pizza, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

... at Pizza Express in Wan Chai (that electric blue lighting in the background should be reminiscent of the same lighting on Day 269!).

Ham on the right, Peperoni Salami on the "bottom", Chicken Breast on the left and Spiced Beef up top.

They asked us when we ordered this if we wanted it divided up or just all mixed together. As I was eating a 'border' piece, I couldn't help thinking that mixing everything up might have been the better choice!

Thursday 19 November 2009

Day 297 - McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder

No, it's not just a re-run of Day 232... This is a lunchtime Double Quarter Pounder, and that was the dinner variety!

Day 296 - Apple and Cinnamon Crunch Toasted Oats

Breakfast action shot.

Tuesday 17 November 2009

Day 295 - Fried Eggplant with Fishmeat

This is a traditional Chinese dish. The vegetable (typically capsicum, peppers or eggplant) or tofu have a lump of ground fishmeat stuck to them and then the whole thing is fried. Much more delicious than it sounds, these Home-made Eggplant versions were fantastic.

Day 294 - Cold Pizza and Subs


Day 294 - Cold Pizza and Subs, originally uploaded by JoeGray.

Breakfast of Champions! All that's missing is a strong black coffee.

Monday 16 November 2009

Sea(food) Monsters Attack, Win Poll.

Day 284 - Mixed Sushi Day 285 - Lobster Pasta

A tie this week between the two seafood options: the Mixed Sushi (Day 284) and the Lobster Pasta (Day 285). I'm a little late posting this week's poll up so the deadline will be extended to Saturday midnight. Get those votes ready, the poll will be up very soon!