We know it's shocking, but...

Shocking News!! Jamie & I will be travelling to Hong Kong (again? I hear you say) this year at Christmas time. We fly out a few days before Christmas 2013, and then spend 12 or so days just hanging out round "the island". For a treat, we have shouted ourselves a harbour-view room for the last few nights in the Mandarin Oriental, so that we may watch the New Year's Eve fireworks! What a cracker (sorry)! Jamie doesn't know this yet, but I plan on getting a pretty techy point-n-shoot camera (as opposed to my very functional but heavy DSLR). So do stay posted for some amazing snaps of Hong Kong life. Oh, and I have a countdown on by work desktop. Only 198 days, 19 hours to go (or so). Love Julie & Jamie Fox The Travelling Foxes xx

Tasting Menu at Bo Innovation

Now that I've moved past the "raw prawn" episode (see previous blog), I'd like to share the tasting menu from Bo Innovation (Hong Kong).  The description of the dish is in brackets:

TOMATO

(pat chun, "lam kok")

IBERICO 36

(morel, vermicelli) 

this was jamon wrapped around morel mushroom & vermicelli noodle. Best dish award.

FOIE GRAS

("mui choy")

COD

(white miso, saffron, sauternes, seaweed)

I took a photo of this one, it's on my FB account. Delicious!

MOLECULAR

("xiao long bao") which of course we know as shanghai dumplings. Tasted right, but weird texture.

SCALLOP

(kaffir lime, kyoho grape, passion fruit, shichimi potato)

CENTURY EGG

(pickled ginger) nothing more to say on this one.

PLATS Choose one from the following:

SUCKLING PIG (sichuan vanilla, apple, peas)

LANGOUSTINE (mustard, salty egg, cauliflower, black truffle, duck sauce)

PIGEON (wood fungus, shiitake rice cake, "choy sum")

CARABINERO RED PRAWN ("har mi", lo mein, chili, sage) - my choice

SAGA-GYU BEEF (black truffle, soy, "cheung fun") - Jamie's choice

DESSERT

PINEAPPLE

(bun, white chocolate latte)

PETIT DIM-SUM

The Foxes visit Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant

Day 3-5, Hong Kong

I'd always wanted to experience Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant in Aberdeen Harbour since my sister went there on her honeymoon in the '80's (hi Lyn).  On Wed 31 Aug we travelled by sampan to the restaurant, where jumbo prawn crystal dumplings lived up to their name (the chunks of prawn were huge) and so fresh you'd swear the prawns were only fished out of their tank that morning.

A plate of steamed & wonderfully fresh assorted veggies accompanied the stir-fried lobster with chili & garlic crumb which sent both Jamie & I into gastronomic heaven.  IT. WAS. SO. GOOD.  The waitress was surprised when we said no to dessert, but was sympathetic when we explained we were eating our way around the island!

Thurs 1st Sept saw Jamie attending a full-day Chinese BBQ Cookery Class (where he was the only student). He had a ball, but promises to fill you in on what he learnt later (there's blowing up a duck with a mouth pump involved)!

Friday was another day of leisurely shopping (did someone say iPad2?), and that evening we had reservations at Bo Innovation, a top-class restaurant that is on many "must-do" lists when visiting HKG.  The restaurant only has tasting menus (as opposed to a la carte), and we chose the most easy to maneuver (read: cheapest option).  Even so, that was 8 courses!

I'm going to leave the description of the courses til the next blog, because as my friend Sue puts it, the blog quickly turns into "War & Peace"!

Love
Julie & Jamie
xx 

Tue 30 Aug - Zuma @ The Landmark

Tue 30 Aug, Zuma,  The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

On Tues night we dined at Zuma, a modern Japanese restaurant housed in The Landmark, central Hong Kong.  Really an izakaya rather than a restaurant, dishes are small & designed to be shared, like the tapas style of dining that has swept the world.

Starting the evening with a champagne & Crown Lager on a balmy 27  degree night,  Sevva serves drinks whilst overlooking the banking district on Hong Kong Island.  We moved from the terrace to our table at Zuma & shared some moorish edamame, steamed & sprinkled with sea salt.  Wash that down with a chilled glass of Italian Pinot Grigio, and you have one happy duck!

Soft-shelled crab with a fresh cucumber & coriander salad helped cut through the slight oil of the deep fryer, whilst the grilled scallops with daikon & black sesame seed was a mouth pop sensation.

The highlight of the meal however was the spicy wagyu beef, less than the size of a fist, sliced and cooked to perfection.  Grilled jumbo prawns (more the size of scampi than prawn!) were served sliced & back in the shell.  A wonderful fresh seafood finish to the meal.  

Of course we returned to the terrace at Sevva for a night-cap, and to watch the Island slowly turn off its lights in preparation for another day of drinking, dining and high-flying deals!

Tune in next time to read about Jamie's cookery class!

Julie & Jamie
xx

Hong Kong, Days 1-2

After almost being denied entry into Hong Kong (again!) we dropped our bags at our hotel & set off for some unbelievable yum-cha.  Ahhh some things never change.

The restorative powers of yum-cha are not to be sniffed at, or rushed, so after a leisurely lunch & watching the passing parade, we couldn't help but stop off & purchase the necessities. For me, that means make-up, skin care, clothes & most importantly SHOES, and for Jamie, gadgets, shirts, and BBQ Sausage Mong Kok style flavored chips. I know.

Dinner on day 1 was at the Michelin-starred Morton's of Chicago. You wouldn't expect a steakhouse to be so popular in HKG, right? But Morton's is in the Sheraton & I guess they get a lot of Americans staying there.  Whatever, because I chose the filet mignon, which was the tenderest piece of meat I've eaten in a long time.  Such a great evening, only slightly off put by the fact that Morton's is one of THE destinations for special birthday dinners, with the staff singing "Happy Birthday" six times while we were there, and that's on a Monday night!!

Day two was slightly more low-key, with us not getting moving until 11am, brunch followed by more shopping, and a refreshing dip in our rooftop pool. Tonight we are dining at Zuma at The Landmark Oriental hotel.  Supposed to be a top class Japanese restaurant, and the way my tummy's grumbling, I just hope service is up to speed!

Photos will follow on Facebook in the near future! Til next time

Julie & Jamie
xox

The Adventure Awaits...

The Travelling Foxes are flying off to Hong Kong (yes, again) on Sunday, 28 Aug.

We are looking forward to the authentic yum-cha, the great shopping, the culture and of course the wonderful dining.

After 6 days of indulgence, we fly overnight to Cairns & transfer to the wonderfully peaceful enclave of Port Douglas, for some serious R&R.  So the way I see it, go hard in Hong Kong, sleep it off in Port Douglas.  The Hangover II has got nothing on us...

Til very soon,

The Travelling Foxes
xox

Packing's Done, Now Let's Get To The Flying

Welcome all lovers of Foxy & his travels!

We are all packed, and about to head to the airport for our flight to Hong Kong. Only a 9hr flight, but ugghh it's overnight. Hopefully our clever planning will see us fed first (we've ordered the 'special' meal, so should get served first), and then off to ni-ni's, waking up refreshed when we land at Chek Lap Kok!


Stay tuned for Foxy's adventures whilst in HKG!