Hong Kong culture - dim sum and newspapers?

The locals in Hong Kong enjoy flipping and reading the newspapers especially during dim-sum breakfast and (I guess) as long as they are not rushed over giving up their seats. Maybe that is the only time they can slow down and enjoy their food and tea :)


What I look for in a Perfect Char Siew Bao ~ Cantonese barbecue pork buns:
- served steaming warm...you are at the risk of scalding your hunger-searching fingers when you attempt to touch it
- slightly cracked top in each bun
- soft fluffy "pau" dough, almost sponge cake-like texture
- generous char siew fillings w.r.t the dough (in other words, it cannot be too much dough and nothing inside the "pau" )
- warm moist juicy tasty char siew fillings with right proportions of meat vs "pork fats"
- "pau" fillings should not look too dangerously and artificially red

Luk Yu Tea House
24-26 Stanley Street, Hong Kong
Nearest MTR: Central Station

Tag: dim sum, yum cha

Chinese take-out in Taiwan

Package that shows what's inside...

Most of them deliver FREE (minimum order: 2 boxes) and cost ~NT70 (~USD 2.30 based on 9,May 2008 conversion rate) per person per set. Cheap ?

In Taiwan, Chinese take-outs or more commonly known as 便當** (pronounced Bian Dang), literally meaning convenience-meal, are quite similar to the Chinese take-out rice-plate in the United States. It is hard to find Cantonese Chow Mien/Fried Noodles or Fried Rice here where I am staying. Even if there is...99% chance of finding something not authentic. DOH! So I rather choose what they do better - 便當饭盒 . The "contents" of the meal is somewhat similar to the economic rice/economy rice in Singapore...that is rice with meat+ vegetables.


A very typical Taiwanese rice-set. Mostly preserved/braised/stewed food in a wooden box


台中车头便当
台中市西區中港路一段172號(中港路與大仁街口近英才路)
Taichung Kang Road, Section 1,, # 172
Taichung City, Taiwan

They do it differently here when you asked for delivery. Over the phone, you usually order one main dish (typically meat/fish) - can be braised pork ribs, grilled chicken chop, kung pao chicken etc., and they will pair it (for you) with 2-3 different sides of (really small portions of) vegetables (eg. green leafy, long beans, cabbage, corn kernels, bamboo shoots, onions, preserved vegetables etc). In other words, you get a choice of meat but not the vegetables.

~Less than USD3 per person (lunch and/or dinner)
~FREE delivery to your door step

Why not?

Really a savior on lazy days when I don't even feel like stepping into the kitchen except to open the fridge and get a drink or a ready-snack. Oh, the evil of convenience...I'm falling prey to. But Jeff Bezos, Founder, CEO of Amazon.com did say...most, if not all consumers, enjoy convenience, selection, and low prices. Then, what will stop me in this vicious cycle of Chinese take-out diet? Selection, I guess. I don't know how healthy or unhealthy it can get if I do this continuously.

Time to get back to cooking soon.

** I checked Google translation:
Bento (english) --> 盒饭
便當 --> Lunch
ekiben (english) --> 铁路便当

Why is it that I always get the impression that Bento is 便當 ??

Tag: taiwan eating

Bison or bear jam - traffic situation in national parks

Wildlife, such as bison, use the roads often.

Drivers who gaze around at the sights risk running into a "bear jam" where people have not pulled entirely off the road, or simply slowed to a crawl.


We came across a bison jam. Can you see it?

All cars have to stop for bison to cross the road.



Taken at Teton National Park

Taipei 101

We were at Taipei 101 early and could not even get through the entrance. The doors were not opened yet at 9+am. Bummer! :( ...and we could not take the lift. Yes. The lift in Taipei 101 was touted one of the fastest. Too bad...

Before we headed to CKS Memorial, we did not forget to take many snapshots of Taipei 101...from the outside, all angles, different views.


From far


Near the building, yet wanted to capture the height of Taipei 101


Amidst the trees


Another view, another angle

Some facts:
1. Height: 509m/1671 ft - tallest till 2003
2. The elevators (Toshiba) runs just over 60 km/h; taking you up in ~43secs

So remember, if you are planning a day in Taipei, make this Taipei 101 visit from middle of the day or after. You can visit other attractions such as CKS Memorial, earlier in the day, say 9+am.

Related post (one day in Taipei):
1. Take the Taiwan HSR from Taichung to Taipei
2. Take Taipei Metro
3. Visit CKS Memorial
4. Walk around Ximending and have some braised duck wings
5. Tamsui-PartOne from Taipei
6. Tamsui-Part Two from Taipei