Mr Nice Cafe 好好先生西餐厅 - Jingan - Shanghai, China

Mr Nice Cafe is a cosy café located in Jingan, one of the central districts of Shanghai. It’s easily accessible by train and you can’t really miss it cause it situated close to the famous Jingan Temple. 

You wouldn’t expect to find decent western food in China would you? One would usually be acquainted with faux western food that's usually below average or fusion style. You’ll be surprised because we definitely were. Shanghai doesn’t really have a big cafe culture yet, as compared to say Korea where you see an abundance of little cafes serving great food and coffee.

The cafe is extremely popular with the younger adults and does get busy during lunch and dinner. There are limited seats downstairs and more available upstairs. 

They offer bistro food and if you feel like high tea in the afternoon you could do that too.

Given that it was quite humid in Shanghai, the best way to cool down was to have a nice cold drink.

The ‘Grapefruit Green Tea’ was refreshingly tasty and served in such a cute pot with a swirly straw. 

The ‘Orange Juice’ is freshly squeezed. 

‘Spicy Seafood Pasta (RMB 58.00)’ was my dish of choice.  The balance of flavours was just right with a hint of chilli. There was enough sauce to coat the spaghetti and a generous amount of fresh seafood.  The spaghetti was cooked al-dente. I would definitely order this again if I came back.

‘Spaghetti Bolognese (RMB 55.00)’ is a classic dish and usually the safest option when presented on a menu.  This one didn’t disappoint. A good combination of flavours from the mince, tomato and garlic. 

Having stalked their Instagram account, I was drooling over every picture of their Mille Feuille, a French pastry with multiple layers of puff pastry and crème patisserie in between.

And here it is. That was the most anticipated dish of my entire trip. If you know me well, you would know how much I love eating cakes. Who doesn’t love a good dessert? Way too pretty to eat, just look at this beauty!

The ‘Strawberry Napoleon Cake (RMB 38.00)’ is their signature dessert.  Crispy layers of flaky pastry are separated by a smooth and light cream, then topped with fresh strawberries. It's a match made in heaven.Usually these desserts could be too sweet but their version was perfect and had the right balance of sweetness. 

Can I have the whole cake please?

This was one of my favourite restaurants in Shanghai. I enjoyed the laid back atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of city life. You could sit there for hour’s chit chatting away with your friends if you had the time.

Where?

280 Yuyuan Rd

Jingan Qu

Shanghai China 200040

Opening Hours

Monday - Tuesday: 11am to 9pm 

Wednesday - Sunday: 11am to 10pm

Website

http://www.dianping.com/shop/8903730 

Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Sometimes do you feel like you've eaten way too much? I definitely feel like I over ate this week. Too much good food that I can't say no to. How could one resist right? This will be my last Hong Kong post before I go on a short hiatus to study for my pending exam, then I will be back with more catch up entries.

Mention the restaurant Yung Kee to any local Hong Kong resident and they would most likely know what you're referring to. It's acknowledged as Hong Kong's roast goose institution and is internationally acclaimed.

In the past few years it has made the headlines countless times due to the ongoing family feud over the ownership of the restaurant. Late last year, the court issued a winding up order to take effect for this iconic restaurant so we made it a point to visit before it eventually liquidates in the near future.

It's the only place in Hong Kong that still cooks their meat in a charcoal fired oven as the government no longer issues permits the use of this equipment.

The setting is classy and more formal than the regular barbecue joint that one is use to. This also means the food is much more expensive. It's a big restaurant that occupies a few floors but it does get busy so do place a reservation if you intend on going during prime times.

Having had a big lunch, we decided to order a select few dishes to try.

The 'Signature Charcoal Roasted Goose Leg (regular for 2-4 person portion)' arrived looking rather different to what we had in mind. This was not the leg but the breast! Indeed they gave us the wrong part of the goose so it was taken back to the kitchen promptly.

In a short span of time, the much anticipated goose leg arrived looking stunningly glossy. Hallelujah! They charge extra for the goose leg as it's the most popular part of the goose.

The goose is a much fatter meat compared to the duck and this is what gives it more flavour. You can see that there is a layer of fat beneath the skin. The flesh was wonderfully moist and succulent with a subtle smokey taste. The sweet braised sauce they added made it extra delicious. The skin wasn't very crispy which was disappointing.

A side of 'Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce' was a nice accompaniment to balance out our meaty meal.

These dishes are best eaten with a bowl of hot 'Steamed Rice'.

This was probably the most expensive roast meat meal we had in Hong Kong. In addition to the standard prices there is also a 10% service charge on top. I say go for the dining experience but we probably wouldn't go again unless it was for a special occasion.

Then it was off to McDonald's for their limited time dessert, the 'Sweet Potato Ice-cream Cone'. It was vibrantly purple and that was pretty much the only positive. I do like the regular vanilla ice-cream cones but unfortunately this was too sweet.

Where?
32-40 Wellington St
Central
Hong Kong

Phone no: (852) 2522 1624

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
11:00am - 11:30pm

Website 
www.yungkee.com.hk 

The Famous Berry Donut Van - Berry - South Coast, Australia.

A trip to Berry is not complete without a visit to The Famous Berry Donut Van. The name says it all.

After lunch at the Sourdough Cafe, we took a stroll along the main strip of Berry to explore the little specialty shops. Once we walked a bit, it was off to the van to get the much raved about cinnamon donuts. The smell of these fried goodies could be smelt from a distance away. Made fresh on the spot, these donuts are cooked to order and freshness is guaranteed.

I missed it the last time I was in Berry and have wanted to try it ever since. Give me a piping hot cinnamon donut over those gourmet ones any day.

We ordered the '6 Donuts ($9.00)' to share. These hot donuts are deep fried giving it a crispy outer crust and fluffy inside. Coated with the right amount of cinnamon sugar, they were scrumptious. Oh so good!

What makes these donuts different to those sold by the franchises? It's cooked by hand and not by a machine. They aren't perfectly round and might be irregular sized but they sure do taste great. Though they are larger than the standard sized cinnamon donuts. Yay, more for us.

A must stop when driving to the South Coast.

Where?
73 Queen St
Berry NSW 2535

Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday - Saturday
9:00am - 9:30pm
Sunday
9:00am - 6:00pm

Website
Visit their Facebook Page

Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

A few minute walk up Wellington Street and you'll find Tai Cheong Bakery.

Tai Cheong Bakery is a traditional Hong Kong bakery famous for their freshly baked egg tarts. We actually stumbled upon it by mistake, only stopping to see what was inside after seeing a group of tourists standing at the front of the store.

We were only eyeing one item, the tarts. Look at that yellow hue.

The 'Egg Tarts (HKD 8.00)' are served hot, straight from the oven. Perfectly round with a shortbread type crust. It's buttery and crumbles after each bite like a cookie. The egg custard was firm at the top with a silky smooth and creamy inside. Delicious!

Affordable and worth a try if you're in the area.

Where?
G/F, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace,
Central
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 8300 8301

Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 7:30am - 9:00pm
Sunday: 8:30am - 9:00pm

Website
www.taoheung.com.hk

Kai Kai Dessert 佳佳甜品 - Jordan - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Located in Jordan in the area of Yau Ma Tei, Kai Kai Dessert is a casual eatery that specialises in traditional Cantonese desserts. Having opened more than 40 years ago, it's super popular with both locals and tourists. It has also been featured in the Michelin Guide recently, resulting in an increase in customers. Lucky for us, there was no queue when we went after having dinner close by.

I find that Hong Kong desserts are not too heavy and lighter on the palate compared to Western desserts.

Don't expect too much from their service as they get very busy, so you take a seat, order and the pay at the end.

There are a number of options to choose from at affordable prices that won't break your budget.

The great thing about their menu is it's in both English and Chinese, and there are pictures which makes ordering very easy.

The 'Sesame Seed Rice Ball with Ginger Sweet Soup (HKD 18.00)' is my dessert of choice.

Soft and chewy glutinous rice balls (tong yuen) filled with a smooth and velvety sesame paste is a match made in heaven. Pure bliss. The accompanying ginger soup was not too sweet and had a nice ginger hit. I do love the spiciness of ginger but some may find it overwhelming.

'Black Sesame Soup (zhi ma hu) (HKD 18.00)' is fragrant when eaten and is usually served warm. It's an old fashioned dessert that is viscous but ultra silky without the grittiness and lumps. They grind their black sesame seeds from scratch, no wonder it's so good.

My absolute favourite dessert house in Hong Kong is easily Kai Kai Dessert hands down. We actually went twice and if we were there for more days we would have went more times.These bowls of hearty Cantonese desserts are definitely worth trying. I wouldn't mind having a bowl right now.

Where?
29 Ningpo St
Jordan, Kowloon
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 2384 3862

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
12:00pm - 4:00am

Website
N/A

Shortshop Coffee & Donuts - Melbourne CBD - Melbourne, Australia

I’m back!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

I’ve been on a long hiatus as I found myself lacking the time to write and edit pictures. I also lost the motivation to post but here I am. Hopefully, I can gain back the momentum.

I was in Melbourne a few weeks ago for a short holiday to eat and explore.

Melbourne is a great dining destination as there is so much to try and eat. They have a wonderful cafe culture and shopping is good too, though Sydney is now catching up in these aspects.I got to try a few restaurants that I would definitely recommend such as Chin Chin Restaurant, Little Ramen Bar and Tip00. 

If you read my posts earlier in the year, you would have noticed I was there during the Australian Open for a few days. I decided to go again in December and the weather this time around was much warmer and nicer. I only had three days there but those days were packed from morning till night including a tour to the Great Ocean Road which took the whole day.

If you haven’t been to the Great Ocean Road then you have to go at least once in your life. I was in awe at the amazing views and the 12 Apostles which is really now 8 Apostles (shocking, I know), is just beautiful. I will show you a few photos I took and while it was a bit chilly, the sunshine remained throughout the day which was a bonus.

My best friend showed me some pictures from Instagram of a donut joint in Melbourne called Short Stop Donuts & Coffee. They looked awesomely delicious so we made sure we visited the place.

Short Stop is located in a little lane way off Little Lonsdale Street in the Melbourne CBD and can easily be found on Sutherland St, which is a not too far walk from the free city tram line.

It’s a modern little cafe with a minimalist interior. There are a few tables and a side bench. As seating is limited, it’s not very ideal for larger groups.  

Once you walk in, it smells so good from the donut production taking place on site. Staff are really warm and friendly.

The donut selection available here has a creative spin to it without being over the top. They offer freshly baked donuts in a number of flavours. I hear they sell out early so we ensured that we got there before midday to avoid the chance of them being sold out.

The ‘Cappuccino ($4.00) was a decent cup of coffee albeit a bit bitter. They also offer sparkling water instead of the usual still tap water.

The ‘Australian Honey and Sea Salt ($4.00)’ is a cruller style donut that is crisp on the outside and light on the inside. One bite and the donut melted in the mouth due to its airy structure. It’s dipped in an organic honey and milk glaze and then topped with sea salt flakes to give it that balance of sweet and salty.I really enjoyed eating this donut as it wasn't overly sweet and just right.

The traditional favourite, the ‘Boston Cream ($5.00)’ is a classic donut filled with a vanilla crème patisserie and then topped with dark chocolate icing. The cream was smooth and delectable.

I usually find most doughnuts dry, dense and heavy due to how it is cooked and the abundance of toppings they add to it but the donuts here were delicious. Their flavours are interesting and I wish we had the stomach capacity to try out more flavours. Till next time!

Where?

12 Sutherland St

Melbourne VIC 3000

Australia

Opening Hours

Monday- 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Tuesday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Wednesday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Thursday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Friday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Saturday - 9:30 AM to 4 PM

Sunday - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Website

https://www.short-stop.com.au/

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