Rua Direita Carlos Eugenio, Taipa, Macau
Visited 20th March 2010
Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei is famous for the same culinary treat that Macau is perhaps most famous for; the pork chop bun. A hot cooked pork chop, slapped in a white roll is a simple, but a beautiful thing; a treat that certainly meets my idea of a good time. Despite Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei's mammoth reputation I hesitated to visit for ages because of talk of the massive queue that greets the daily 3pm arrival of the buns. I'd heard plenty of stories of people waiting well over half an hour to try and get one before they sell out at around five. I was on day trip to Macau with a visiting mate and we wondered into Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei mid afternoon, where, despite the pulse of punters, we managed to snag a table.
We stuck with the crowd favourite as this was just meant to be a little snack to tie us over between lunch and sightseeing and the drinks (OK lots of drinks; we're talking flaming cocktails in skulls) and dinner that followed. The pork chop buns at Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei aren't massive, but where they
excel is the flavour of the tender, marinated grilled pork. The unbuttered, unflavoured soft white roll is an excuse to soak up the delicious dripping pork juice (let's call it juice rather than fat shall we). It's such a simple but satisfying snack.
With tasty pork rolls at a bargain price of MOP16 each, what's not to like about Cafe Tai Lei Loi Kei? Well the queue is an obvious nuisance, and while you can't knock success, I wonder if the food's good or special enough to merit lining up for 30-40 minutes? I certainly wouldn't bother standing around so long for a sandwich, when plenty of other places offer similar (if perhaps not quite as good) fare. All that being said, I really do like Cafe Tai Lei Low Kei; the tasty food and outdoor setting in Taipa Old Town make for an authentic and fun stop. If you can grab a table or nab a bun without having to battle the crowds I'd seriously recommend it.
Rua de Santa Filomena, Macau
Visited 4th July 2009
The tourist trek around Macau is one I do quite often. Brunch at Cafe Ou Mon, Senado Square, the ruins of St Paul's, the Macau Museum, A-Ma Temple, perhaps the Maritime Museum, the Venetian and finally a well earned dinner in Taipa Old Town or Fernando’s. This is a pretty exhausting routine, especially when you constantly have to stop your parents and their friends from wondering off. Normally I dump people in the museum and use the time for a little shopping and a quick breather. That's were Cafe E.S.Kimo comes in; this little takeaway place is conveniently located just behind Senado Square.
Choosing a snack at Cafe E.S.Kimo is pretty simple - it's either fried chicken or a pork chop bun - while the choice of drinks is a whole lot more complex with a whole array of bubble teas, juices and frozen concoctions on offer. I grabbed the mandatory porkchop bun and ordered a frozen passion fruit juice to 
suck on. This drink was just what I needed; cold and sweet, it was an instant energy hit with plenty of real passionfruit pulp to give it flavour. The porkchop bun was also pretty tasty; though on this visit the bread was perhaps a bit too dry and crisp for my liking.
Cafe E.S.Kimo is just a hole in the wall takeaway joint, but I dig it. Though the porkchop bun wasn't the best example I've ever had, I like their extensive selection of freshly crafted drinks. At Mop16 for the bun and MOP13 for the drink it's certainly not going to damage the wallet too badly. Though I'm probably influenced by its handy location and the fatigued state I'm in when I arrive, Cafe E.S.Kimo does very well as a purveyor of sustenance for frazzled tour guides.
Shop 24, G/F, Yuen Long West Rail Station
Visited 14th June
Tuesday night: rugby training, a 'few beers', last train home and as I stagger down the steps of the Yuen Long KCR Station suddenly life becomes all about the smell of fried chicken. I don't eat that much 'fast food' but there's a time and a place and if I'm in the mood I normally stop at Big, Big Chick. It's a small shop located near the bus terminus under Yuen Long West Rail Station; afternoons look for the hordes of pushy school kids; other times follow the delicious aroma to the glowing yellow lights. Big, Big Chick - or Big Chicken Big if you're translating literally from Cantonese - is officially open from 8am to 11pm, but they normally keep the vats bubbling away until just after the last train. For those on the wrong side of Castle Peak Rd there's another branch on Tat Fai Path, next to the Yuen Long gutter.
Big, Big Chick is inspired by those huge Taiwanese fried chicken breasts and the menu includes chicken fillets, chicken chunks, chicken wings, chicken drumettes, c
hips and some strange fried sausages. On my most recent visit I went with a chicken breast and a small serve of fries. The chicken breast - which was flattened, battered, crumbed, fried, seasoned and cut into bite size chunks - was extremely tasty and would have been equally good in a chicken sandwich or straight from the bag as I had it. The meat was relatively tender with a crisp outer and it was deliciously seasoned with salt, chilli and a touch of cinnamon. Big, Big Chick cooks to order so my accompanying bag of crinkle cut fries were hot and fresh. The chicken was $16 and the chips $9 so no complaints about the price.
Touting itself as selling "Super Fried Chicken" Big, Big Chick is really just a hole in the wall dispensing bags of grease, but if that's what you're in the mood for Big, Big Chick is the place. 
excel is the flavour of the tender, marinated grilled pork. The unbuttered, unflavoured soft white roll is an excuse to soak up the delicious dripping pork juice (let's call it juice rather than fat shall we). It's such a simple but satisfying snack.
HK SAR Establishment Day meant a day off work and a chance to join the hordes swamping Lamma Island for a walk, swim and lunch. First step on our stroll was this rustic little stall situated on the trail before Yung Shing Yeh Beach. It's the perfect shady little spot for refreshment if you're exhausted by the strenuous 500m walk from Yung Shue Wan. Ah Por Tofu Fa means grandma's tofu pudding and Ching Po, the grandmother in question, has a big reputation for dishing up tasty grub. The setup itself is extremely basic with a simple trestle stall and a mismatch of old chairs thrown together under a big shady tree and shabbily erected tarpaulins.
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