'Chinese Wine: Pie in the Sky?' Decanter, April 2010, p.60-63 China's role as a rising wine market has been in the media a lot recently. I suppose that for a country of 1.3 billion even a 0.001% increase in consumption must be perceived as a boon for struggling wine exporters around the world. Yet despite all this salivating about China as a potential export market the vast majority of wine drunk there is still locally produced. Edward Ragg's article in Decanter turns away from speculation on China as a wine consumer and rather looks at China as wine producer.
Visiting a Chinese supermarket isn't necessarily my idea of a good time, but if you ever manage to barge through to the wine aisle you'll be greeted with row after row of Great Wall Cabernet, along with a small international selection of which Jacob's Creek is normally the choice offering. China is the World's sixth largest producer of wine, yet we rarely hear a thing about these home grown drops. The reason for this lack of acknowledgement is perhaps simple; the wine normally sucks. I try to taste a bit of Chinese wine and am regularly disappointed; the vast majority of reds are undrinkable, though the whites, when young, can be more palatable. Ragg's article is an interesting account of Chinese wine production. He discusses the differences between the big three companies (Changyu, Dynasty and Great Wall - who have much of the market stitched up) and the smaller more boutique operations that benefit from foreign investment and wine makers. Casting a critical eye over China's established vineyard areas problems of frost, storms and humidity are mentioned, though some of these are offset by an abundant supply of cheap and plentiful labour. Ragg also makes an interesting point about China's the obsession with Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape he argues that is responsible for many of its unripe, bitter reds; he suggests that Merlot, Gamay and Tempranillo would be more sensible alternatives . I enjoyed the article that I thought offered a fair summary of the state of this massive country. As a Hong Kong resident I'd love to see the Chinese wine industry come online; how good would it be having an abundance of locally produced, good value wine available just across the border?
I've just noticed British comedian and wine lover Olly Smith's new series of videos on YouTube. Titled Drink Tank the five minute videos introduce different styles of wine in fun and accessible way. Though primarily aimed at those new to wine, the videos are definitely worth checking out as their light hearted and over-the-top manner will raise a smile. Visit the YouTube channel.
HK Magazine 15th January 2010 This blog is so far behind that I'm basically ignoring posts tagged with 'media watch'. So despite the temporal irrelevance of this post I still thought it was time to stop and pay tribute to HK Magazine. For a rag you pick up for free in bars the quality of the reporting is generally excellent and the paper as whole isn't afraid to grapple with controversial issues. Our beloved mag is only published weekly, yet it's coverage of dinning around Hong Kong is more extensive than the total weekly output of the daily South China Morning Post. This week's magazine featured a five page guide titled 'Taking it to the Streets' about Hong Kong's dai pai dongs, an accompanying article about bureaucratic threats to these traditional outdoor restaurants, three restaurant reviews plus an introduction to a new restaurant, a page of food and beverage news and Amy Ma's 'Hot Tables' column. And how much do we pay for all this goodness? Nothing, yep that's right folks, a total cost of zero point zero dollars. It's time we all said thanks to HK Magazine.
TVB Jade, 9.30pm, Sundays Like so many pathetic Western expats living in Hong Kong I can't speak Cantonese. I'm ashamed and embarrassed, yet never get off my arse to do anything about it. Yet despite my lack of the local lingo, often these days I find myself dragged in front of the TV to sit through the dribble that gets palmed off as TV here. Without even being able to understand the dialogue it's obvious that the acting is terrible (95% of the time by a former Miss Hong Kong contestant) and the plots simplistic (though probably no different to Neighbours, Home and Away or the other Western equivalents). However the one show that I do enjoy on local TV is TVB Jade's Beautiful Girls' Kitchen. The show takes three female Hong Kong celebrities - read models, singers and actors - and throws them into a live kitchen where they must prepare series of dishes which are then judged by a group of blokes. It's often staged, terribly sexiest and totally politically incorrect, yet offers a whole world of entertainment. My favourite bit would have to be when the girls are required to butcher, clean and cook live seafood with, as you can imagine, often disastrous consequences. Many would argue that it's a derogatory comment on women and while the attitude of the judges is often disgustingly patronising, I however think it's a more of a reflexion of Hong Kong society where very few of my generation can cook for themselves and the cult of celebrity is rampaging out of control. Beautiful Girls' Kitchen is so so wrong, but so so funny.
'A Little Bit Country' South China Morning Post, 4th December 2008, p.C7 I love it when Yuen Long gets a bit of press and today's article in the South China Morning Post by Prudence Lui and Anneliese O'Young titled 'A Little Bit Country' offered Yuen Long a little bit of love. The article pays tribute to Yuen Long's unique culinary traditions, traditions that have emerged as a result of its heritage as a farming community and market town. While Yuen Long may have developed into a modern population centre, many of its 600 plus restaurants still reflect culinary links to its rural past. The article mentions the renowned Tai Wing Wai restaurant, Hang Heung Cake Shop, Ho To Tai Noodle Shop and strangely Pizzeria Giovanni. Tai Wing Wai which is famous for its awesome value 'walled village' cuisine and massive celebrity owner Toto and the Hang Heung Cake Shop, renowned for its wife cakes, are both worthy of mention. I am however confused how Pizzeria Giovanni fits in as 'traditional' Yuen Long cuisine; in all honesty I really don't like this place and the only reason it hasn't got a terrible review here is that I can't face going there to eat it's lousy, third rate attempt at Italian cooking. I'm also disappointed that no Nepalese, Indian or Pakistani restaurants get a mention as these cuisines are an integral part of dinning in Yuen Long. However the map accompanying the article did mentioned a few more of Yuen Long's finest including the New York Cafe, Shaffi's Indian and Kei Kee Dessert. Let's not be too critical; the article talked up Yuen Long, I love Yuen Long and that's that. Yuen Long may be a little bit country, but it's also an outstanding place to dine.
'Yuen Longings' HK Magazine, 5th September 2008, p.12
Everyone knows Yuen Long; it's the "cultural capital of the northern hemisphere", a "place where magic happens" and for me it is home. I was pretty impressed then to see a feature titled 'Yuen Longings' in this week's HK Magazine. The article by Cherry Ko suggests places to "eat", places to "play" and places to witness Yuen Long's diverse "history". The restaurants Ko suggests are Wing Nin Noodle Stall, an egg roll joint, the every popular Tanaka Sushi and Red Penny Thai (which is probably technically in Kam Tin). While brief the article raises awareness of some of the many things to be in Yuen Long. OK I'm a bit biased but Yuen Long really is where "the magic happens"! Read the article online or visit Yuen Long's great little tourist website.
'Wine-cellar Proposal for Bunkers' South China Morning Post, 30th June 2008 p.C3 I worked in a hotel in England once where the jacuzzi was an old World War 2 machine-gun bunker. The cost and hassle associated with demolishing the reinforced concrete walls meant it was simpler for the owners to cover it in tiles and then fill it with jets, water and pale, bikini clad holiday makers. Vivienne Chow reported in Monday's South China Morning Post of another alternative being offered for some of Hong Kong's old military bunkers.
The article details the 'discovery' of a new series of bunkers near Lei Yue Mun by Gregory De-eb, who by chance runs Crown Wine Cellars; a facility that is located in disused bunkers at Shouson Hill near Deep Water Day. By filling the bunkers with wine it is suggested that a historical site could be preserved while helping supply adequate wine storage; something Hong Kong will apparently need if it is going to realise the much toted label and become an 'international wine hub'. The article, if nothing else, at least draws the reader's attention to the need for better wine storage in Hong Kong; we'll have to wait and see if bunkers are the answer.
Explore some of Hong Kong's historic bunkers for yourself by walking the Wong Nai Chung Gap trail.
'Food.com' Post Magazine, 22nd June 2008, p.57 This week's copy of the Sunday Morning Post seems to have gone through a bit of a face lift. While the never ending advertisements for hyper trendy, hyper stupid clothes are still clogging up space, there's been a bit of a rearrangement of the food and drink section. One new column is titled 'Food.com' and this week it starts with a bang by featuring Hong Kong food blog Cha Xiu Bao. While brief the article is really just a list of the blog's achievements it great to see the SCMP giving more time to online affairs, especially Hong Kong food blogs!
'Supermarkets not so super with their prices' South China Morning Post, 8th May 2008, p.C3
Escalating food prices around the World have been in the spotlight recently. While the issue certainly doesn't have the same gravity in Hong Kong that it does in developing nations it has still been getting a fair bit of local media attention. An article in last Thursday's South China Morning Post grabbed my interest as it reported the results of the first fortnightly survey of local grocery prices by the Hong Kong Consumer Council. The report compared the prices of fifteen items in supermarkets and small grocery stores in Wan Chai. It found that the local shops were between 1.7% to 65.8% cheaper than the supermarkets, an average saving for the shopper of 12%.
I love European cheeses, processed meats and imported chocolate. I drink litres of milk each week and consume tubs of yogurt. All these items are only available from the supermarket, many from expensive supermarkets that don't have branches in the western New Territories. Yet I also consume fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat, cans, pasta, dried fruits and fresh noodles, items that are all available from local grocery shops, markets and elderly ladies sitting on the street. To eat what I want I buy certain things from the supermarket, but when I have a choice I know who I'd rather give my money to. The questions I ask when shopping are: how's it packaged, is it organic or locally grown, what's the quality like and who's more deserving of my money - a local small business or corporate giant? If things are slightly cheaper from an old lady sitting on the curb this is an added bonus of buying her spring onions, for me the real impotence is who does and who doesn't get my money. Check out the Consumer Council website.
I love coffee; I really love coffee. It's something that you really wouldn't want me to prioritise you or even wine against. So you can imagine that a TV show entitled The Great Italian Cafe on TVB Pearl last Tuesday had me very interested. The idea of coffee, travel and Italy merged into one tidy package seemed like my idea of a good time, perhaps not quite Dr Who, but still a fair bit of viewing pleasure.
This first episode was set in Venice and Australian presenter Paul Khoury took us through 'a journey' of the coffee culture of that great city. What they unfortunately neglected to mention was that when the program was titled "DeLonghi presents The Great Italian Cafe" it really was DeLonghi presents. As Khoury trundled around the cafes, bars and homes of Venice it seemed the only purpose of him being there was to show some snappy shops of DeLonghi coffee machines. The information passed on was average, the host lacked personality and TVB should be ashamed of them selves for running a show during prime time that was so obviously an extended advertising feature. The Great Italian Cafe, try the 'Great Advertising Wank'. Visit program website (they obviously need the publicity).
'Tipped Off' by Pavan Shamdasani HK Magazine, 25th January 2008, p.16 "What's up with the Hong Kong service industry?" wrote Pavan Shamdasani in last week's HK Magazine. Shamdasani, searching for reasons to explain Hong Kong's apparently terrible service asked if the city was too fast paced for decent service, if it's a cultural difference or if terrible service is due to the minimal wages received by waiters. The average monthly salaries of fast food and restaurant staff were compared to office assistants, janitors, telesales and retail workers, who all received noticeably more; though hotel waiters were a lot better off than their industry peers.
Many of the restaurants I visit are in Yuen Long; well away from the flash hotels and high prices of Central. Out here service is often uninspiring, yet strangely seems to be worse in Chinese restaurants. Even places that offer higher quality dinning, such as Wing Wah, still have shocking service. Is there a link between Chinese restaurants and bad service? Perhaps the process of serving the centre of table rather than individuals has created a culture of inefficient rudeness? Is it the disinterest of dinners or the nature of the job that cause a lack of enthusiasm? Or is it, as Shamdasani suggests, related to pay and working conditions? What ever the truth of this assumption one must ask why is service in many Hong Kong restaurants seen as being so bad?
I hate the 10% "service charge". This compulsory levy charged in virtually all Hong Kong restaurants is a counter productive lie. If prices can't cover the cost or running a restaurant put them up 10% instead of fibbing on the menu - if the service charge is compulsory it should be included in the price not as a crafty hidden footnote. Calling it service charge is another fallacy; it doesn't go to the serving staff so why pretend it does? If I'm asked to pay service charge I don't tip, if I'm not I virtually always do. Scrapping this dishonest 10% would mean putting up perceived prices, but all would benefit; consumers from actually seeing how much they're paying and service staff from clientele who are more likely to tip. Some Hong Kong restaurant have fantastic service - the New York Cafe, Olive and Pearl on the Peak are three obvious examples at different price brackets - so scrap the myth of a "service charge" and at least offer an environment in which those that do a good job can get rewarded.
'Toast of the town' South China Morning Post, 11th January, p.C1
It was fantastic to read in today's paper that two Hong Kongers have passed the Master of Wine exam. Jeannie Cho Lee and Debra Meiburg, both Hong Kong residents, are now well on track to becoming Asia's first Masters of Wine when they hand in their dissertations in June. The Master of Wine exam is heralded as one of the most difficult in the world and from last year's eighty-two candidates only twelve passed. Congratulations Debra and Jeannie.
'Perfect Match' by Simon Tam South China Morning Post, 3rd January, p.C7
I've previously been critical of Simon Tam's Thursday wine and food column; 'Perfect Match'. I argued the average cost of the wines was often ridiculous and matches like Grange and 'joong' rice dumplings and Krug and a fry-up were excessive to the extreme (see here). This week however things look a lot better as Tam suggests wines to go with Thai style raw prawn 'sashimi'. The three wines chosen have an affordable average price of $178. His inclusion of Mateus Rose was superb. Despite what snobs in the wine establishment may think (and luckily I'm too young to be influenced by the older generation's produce against rose based upon the once syrupy, sweet tackiness of this beverage) at $98 and widely available Mateus is an honest and accessible suggestion. While I haven't had the Antinori Montenisa Franciacorta Brut from Lombardy I've recently been impressed with Italian sparkling and don't begrudge it getting a gig. And then there's Tam's final suggestion, the Plunkett Gewurztraminer 2007, a wine I love with biased flamed passion. I use to live relatively near the vineyard in Victoria's Strathbogie Rangers and it's fantastic to see a wine that's not a style Australia is usually acknowledged for from a region that most Hong Kongers would never have heard of. Well done Tam it's great to see you're on the money this week.
'Supermarket faces flak for U-turn on plastic bags' South China Morning Post, 27th November, p.C1
I was disappointed to read in today's South China Morning Post that the ParknShop supermarket chain has scrapped it's levy on plastic bags after just five days. The decision to charge shoppers 20 cents per plastic shopping bag was a brave attempt to reduce Hong Kong's terrible waste. Hong Kong is a city of about 6.9 million, yet we disgustingly use 23 million plastic bags daily, that's three a day or twenty-three per person per week. ParknShop cited "public criticism" as the reason for the withdrawal of the levy.
For me I see a situation where yet again the selfish nature of consumers has overcome concerns for Hong Kong obviously polluted environment. I visited ParknShop once during he charges and was impressed to see people bringing their own bags or refusing them for small items, yet this has all stopped now that plastic bags are free again. The attitude here is one of laying blame elsewhere, most often on the belching factories across the border, and ignoring Hong Kong's own contribution to the disgusting state of its environment. The amount of "public criticism" that ParknShop received suggests that the bottom line for most Hong Kong consumers is their wallets. If charging for bags will stop their pointless use I say bring back the charge and make us pay $2 or even $10.
'Let's Do Launch' by Sally Robinson Age Epicure, 30th October, pp.4-5
Most Tuesdays, while sneaking in a morning coffee at work, I have a quick browse through the 'Epicure' section of The Age Online. I always enjoy reading about what's happening in the food and wine scene back home in Melbourne, but this week was pleasantly surprised to see the feature article was about Australian chefs in Hong Kong.
The article, written by Sally Robinson, looks at the experiences of chefs who are not just working in Hong Kong, but opening restaurants here. She sums the appeal of Hong Kong by saying "for chefs from Melbourne thinking of expanding overseas - or just working somewhere different - Hong Kong is an obvious choice. It's close, it's an exciting place to live and it has one of the most vibrant dinning scenes in the world." Robinson discusses challenges identified by the chefs such as staffing, working in partnership with local companies, adapting to Chinese palates and the lack of seasonal produce. Venues mentioned with the Australian connection include Pearl on the Peak, Olive, Malouf's Arabesque Cuisine, Cecconi's Cantina, Opia at Jia and Frites.
Olive in Soho is one of my favourite restaurants in Hong Kong and I was delighted to discover that the consultant behind their fine Middle Eastern food is Melbourne chef Greg Malouf. Greg's also opened Arabesque, a restaurant at the new Elements Mall; this temptation could almost encourage me to push through the vacant eyed crowds starring at designer baubles and actually visit this new centre of grotesque consumerism in Kowloon West. Read the article.
Every Sunday I read the Post Magazine from Sunday's South China Morning Post. Though I'm entertained I'm never really 100% satisfied as the amount of food and drinks coverage is really pretty disappointing for a city of Hong Kong size. Hidden between double page spreads advertising obnoxious clothing I'd never be seen dead in is the wine column 'Uncorked'.
’Uncorked’ doesn't review wines, but offers wine education related comment; it often talks about a grape variety, region or wine style. This week the column started with "Call me crazy, but I think Hong Kong is a lot like Napa Valley California". What follows is an article that is, I assume, meant to be amusing but ends up being the opposite. The loose similarities drawn between the Napa Valley and Hong Kong range from the occasional person having a mud-bath; to Ocean Park and the Stirling Winery both having Gondolas; to the observation that both locations have local indigenous inhabitants. What’s also ignored is the fact that the supposed similarities are based upon the behaviours of an elite minority and that they are far out weighted by the differences. "Call me crazy" but it really wasn't much of a wine article.
'The Perfect Match', South China Morning Post, 28th June 2007, C7
I enjoy reading Simon Tam's wine and food matching recommendations in the South China Morning Post every Thursday. Each week Tam choices a different (and often seasonal) dish and reviews three wines to match. What impresses me most is that he focuses on picking wines that emphasis the different flavour elements within specific dishes.
This week's dish was the "classic British fry-up" to which Tam matched three different beverages. His selections were: 1} Belvedere Vodka for a Bloody Mary ($280) - good call; a favourite drink of mine; 2} Guinness ($12) - not something I would have thought of, but hey it could defiantly work; and 3} Krug Grand Cuvee Champagne ($1398)- yes a $1400 bottle of champagne! Is he serious? If someone else was paying for it no doubt Krug would go well with any breakfast whether it's crumpets with jam, yum cha, eggs Benedict or Fruit Loops. Yet who in there right-mind would spend this type of cash for a drink to have with bacon and eggs? There a plenty of interesting sparkling wines available for a tenth of the price and plenty of food that is better suited to complementing the Krug. Why isn't Tam recommending something that is both accessible and realistic?
Looking back at his recommendations for the previous couple of weeks I'm even more confused. Last week's (21/6) recommendations were to accompany apple crumble and vanilla ice-cream; Tam selected: 1} Veuve Clicquot Rich Reserve 1999 ($609); 2} Chateau Guiraud Sauternes 2001 ($835); and 3} Dow's 10 Year-old Tawny Port ($265). The previous week (14/6) leading up to Dragon Boat festival Tam discussed 'joong' rice dumplings and suggested 1} Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2004 ($398); 2} Penfolds Grange Shiraz 2001 ($5980); and 3} Veuve Clicquot Rich Reserve 1999 ($620).The wines Tam has suggested over the last three weeks have an average price of $1443 a bottle and even without the Grange an average of $687 (remember these are wines to accompany a fried breakfast, a snack and a dessert). I certainly have no problem reading about top end wines, but if one is recommending wine to match with food why isn't Tam offering some affordable options?
TVB Pearl, Monday 23rd April, 8pm I'm currently watching 'Ever Wandered About Sausages' on TVB Pearl; a BBC production series that explores 'the science and history behind the food'. Hosted by Paul Merrett it offers some interesting viewing, despite annoying, jumpy editing. The first dish Paul prepares is the 'classic' toad in the hole. Baking sausages covered in thick batter really isn't my idea of the perfect meal. Though what I found really fascinating was that this was, according to Paul, "home cooking at its best", especially when accompanied by frozen peas and granulated gravy! Why the frozen peas, when peas are one of the few fresh vegetables that constantly grow well in the English climate? The second recipe contrasted British home cooking with French, Paul prepared a cassaulet. Fresh ingredients were treated with love and care to produce a dish that really did look like "home cooking at its best", without even the help of granulated gravy. Later in the show the discussion moved to the controversial haggis (is it or is it not a sausage?) but I was more disturbed when a picture was flashed of a deep fried haggis in a Scottish fish 'n' chip shop. Haggis I love, but precooked, drowned in batter, soggy and oily from a fish n chip shop? Forget it. Fish n chips, is another 'classic' UK dish, yet for my money it's going to be better anywhere else in the World; outside of the UK it will at least be cooked fresh rather than served soggy from a Bay-mare. I've had many fantastic meals in the UK and know some excellent British home cooks, yet why oh why does British food culture keep pushing and portraying below standard food as its greatest successes? Excellent game, Plymouth Gin and the World's best strawberries, focus on the positives not frozen peas and granulated gravy! Finally the subject of sausages. Oh sweet Sausages, the one thing I crave. You can buy good pies at Sai Kong, Taste sells Coopers beer and every Yuen Long supermarket has Vegemite, yet where can I get a decent snag? Does anyone know a good butcher in Hong Kong making homemade sausages?
China's role as a rising wine market has been in the media a lot recently. I suppose that for a country of 1.3 billion even a 0.001% increase in consumption must be perceived as a boon for struggling wine exporters around the world. Yet despite all this salivating about China as a potential export market the vast majority of wine drunk there is still locally produced. Edward Ragg's article in Decanter turns away from speculation on China as a wine consumer and rather looks at China as wine producer.
Ragg's article is an interesting account of Chinese wine production. He discusses the differences between the big three companies (Changyu, Dynasty and Great Wall - who have much of the market stitched up) and the smaller more boutique operations that benefit from foreign investment and wine makers. Casting a critical eye over China's established vineyard areas problems of frost, storms and humidity are mentioned, though some of these are offset by an abundant supply of cheap and plentiful labour. Ragg also makes an interesting point about China's the obsession with Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape he argues that is responsible for many of its unripe, bitter reds; he suggests that Merlot, Gamay and Tempranillo would be more sensible alternatives . I enjoyed the article that I thought offered a fair summary of the state of this massive country. As a Hong Kong resident I'd love to see the Chinese wine industry come online; how good would it be having an abundance of locally produced, good value wine available just across the border?
This blog is so far behind that I'm basically ignoring posts tagged with 'media watch'. So despite the temporal irrelevance of this post I still thought it was time to stop and pay tribute to HK Magazine. For a rag you pick up for free in bars the quality of the reporting is generally excellent and the paper as whole isn't afraid to grapple with controversial issues. Our beloved mag is only published weekly, yet it's coverage of dinning around Hong Kong is more extensive than the total weekly output of the daily South China Morning Post. 
This week's magazine featured a five page guide titled 'Taking it to the Streets' about Hong Kong's dai pai dongs, an accompanying article about bureaucratic threats to these traditional outdoor restaurants, three restaurant reviews plus an introduction to a new restaurant, a page of food and beverage news and Amy Ma's 'Hot Tables' column. And how much do we pay for all this goodness? Nothing, yep that's right folks, a total cost of zero point zero dollars. It's time we all said thanks to HK Magazine.
Like so many pathetic Western expats living in Hong Kong I can't speak Cantonese. I'm ashamed and embarrassed, yet never get off my arse to do anything about it. Yet despite my lack of the local lingo, often these days I find myself dragged in front of the TV to sit through the dribble that gets palmed off as TV here. Without even being able to understand the dialogue it's obvious that the acting is terrible (95% of the time by a former Miss Hong Kong contestant) and the plots simplistic (though probably no different to Neighbours, Home and Away or the other Western equivalents). However the one show that I do enjoy on local TV is TVB Jade's Beautiful Girls' Kitchen.
The show takes three female Hong Kong celebrities - read models, singers and actors - and throws them into a live kitchen where they must prepare series of dishes which are then judged by a group of blokes. It's often staged, terribly sexiest and totally politically incorrect, yet offers a whole world of entertainment. My favourite bit would have to be when the girls are required to butcher, clean and cook live seafood with, as you can imagine, often disastrous consequences.
Many would argue that it's a derogatory comment on women and while the attitude of the judges is often disgustingly patronising, I however think it's a more of a reflexion of Hong Kong society where very few of my generation can cook for themselves and the cult of celebrity is rampaging out of control. Beautiful Girls' Kitchen is so so wrong, but so so funny.
I love it when Yuen Long gets a bit of press and today's article in the South China Morning Post by Prudence Lui and Anneliese O'Young titled 'A Little Bit Country' offered Yuen Long a little bit of love. The article pays tribute to Yuen Long's unique culinary traditions, traditions that have emerged as a result of its heritage as a farming community and market town. While Yuen Long may have developed into a modern population centre, many of its 600 plus restaurants still reflect culinary links to its rural past. 
The article mentions the renowned Tai Wing Wai restaurant, Hang Heung Cake Shop, Ho To Tai Noodle Shop and strangely Pizzeria Giovanni. Tai Wing Wai which is famous for its awesome value 'walled village' cuisine and massive celebrity owner Toto and the Hang Heung Cake Shop, renowned for its wife cakes, are both worthy of mention. I am however confused how Pizzeria Giovanni fits in as 'traditional' Yuen Long cuisine; in all honesty I really don't like this place and the only reason it hasn't got a terrible review here is that I can't face going there to eat it's lousy, third rate attempt at Italian cooking. I'm also disappointed that no Nepalese, Indian or Pakistani restaurants get a mention as these cuisines are an integral part of dinning in Yuen Long. However the map accompanying the article did mentioned a few more of Yuen Long's finest including the New York Cafe, Shaffi's Indian and Kei Kee Dessert. Let's not be too critical; the article talked up Yuen Long, I love Yuen Long and that's that. Yuen Long may be a little bit country, but it's also an outstanding place to dine.
Read the article 
I worked in a hotel in England once where the jacuzzi was an old World War 2 machine-gun bunker. The cost and hassle associated with demolishing the reinforced concrete walls meant it was simpler for the owners to cover it in tiles and then fill it with jets, water and pale, bikini clad holiday makers. Vivienne Chow reported in Monday's South China Morning Post of another alternative being offered for some of Hong Kong's old military bunkers.
This week's copy of the Sunday Morning Post seems to have gone through a bit of a face lift. While the never ending advertisements for hyper trendy, hyper stupid clothes are still clogging up space, there's been a bit of a rearrangement of the food and drink section. One new column is titled 'Food.com' and this week it starts with a bang by featuring Hong Kong food blog Cha Xiu Bao. While brief the article is really just a list of the blog's achievements it great to see the SCMP giving more time to online affairs, especially Hong Kong food blogs!
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"What's up with the Hong Kong service industry?" wrote Pavan Shamdasani in last week's HK Magazine. Shamdasani, searching for reasons to explain Hong Kong's apparentl
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