Kindly Yours

Noodles made from fish, Chiu Chou Garden Restaurant, Tai Koo Shing City Plaza IV. Milk pudding dessert at Causeway Bay, Yee Shun Milk Company. Tempting and fresh bakery stuff, Sheung Wan, Island. Delights at Chao Yang Restaurant, 27F, ISquare, Tsim Sha Tsui - with a bonus of a fantastic view of the Harbour and the island waterfront. Chicken breast poached and served atop a bed of egg noodles, Virgin Australia flight to Hong Kong. Peninsular Hotel mooncakes for the 2017 autumn season. Ginger laced Tofu dessert, Dream Tofa, Mid-Levels island.

Fish and Tonkatsu broth for the Ramen at Gumshara , Haymarket, Sydney NSW. There can be a camaraderie of the cave when dining the cuisine of north-eastern Asia.    Whether it is due to the colder weather, the cultural imperatives or the nature of the food, one feels warmer inside and it is like a return to the sanctity of the village you know with your heart. There is an emphasis placed with hot temperatures on the stove.   The Ramen stock soup must be sufficiently hot, and it is a breach to serve lukewarm.   The coals under the hot plate at your table are kept a constant watch by the Korean restaurant staff as you place the sheer thin slices of beef or belly pork to get them going.   Teriyaki requires a hot plate that provides texture and seals in the flavours of the slices of marinated meat.   The warmth  of the cooking is matched by the warmth of the wood, decor and design of the layout of the place you eat in.  And then you...

Roast goose, Yung Kee Restaurant, Wellington Street, Central, Island.   Perhaps still with the most exquisite presentation and taste so far, for this dish, the business commenced in the wartime year of 1942. Lobster Club sandwich, Cova at Tsim Sha Tsui. Mak's Noodles at Wellington Street branch  - the serve is smaller than most but each bite has a memorable texture, flavour and outcome on the palate. Radish cake with a spicy condiment - with oomph, bite and satisfaction.   Chiu Chow Gardens Restaurant, Tai Koo Shing City Plaza IV,  Hong Kong Island. Delights counter at the Michelin awarded de Joel Robuchon   outlet in Tsim Sha Tsui. Pork knuckle with egg noodles, Chee Kei Restaurant , Central.

How do you defend your borders and integrity as a nation? Are you surrounded by neighbours who have a different cultural and political emphasis? The historical question is how you deal with and manage such entities without compromising your core values and political existence. One is to actively engage and cooperate with them, integrating mutual interests like trade and economic growth to the extent it will become disadvantageous to be embroiled in a conflict.  In an inter connected contemporary world, it can be unwise to practice isolationist policies and attitudes. The benefits of providing cosmopolitan environments nurture skills, talents and knowledge in your own territory.  However, the question remains as to how you control the proverbial Trojan Horse within your country - those elements that can reveal and show their true colours of allegiance in the event of a conflict. Many multicultural countries will have to deal with this si...

Have your cuppa at the Star Ferry Pier, Kowloon side  -   % Arabica Cafe .   Strong, flavourful and with character - I liked this one best on a recent visit. The KnockBox Coffee Company is pulling people in at all hours with its artisanal style and produce.   We sampled two flavours - nutty and fruity - and I preferred the former choice.   The place is small like a London UK cafe but offers seating beside the wall that goes deep in.    Owner and founder Patrick Tam is a self-made man with his own flavour of artistry and skill.   He was one of the first Q-Graders in Hong Kong Located at 21 Hak Po Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon (photographs above and below). The Cupping Room is sited on the ground floor at 299 Queens Road Central, Sheung Wan, not far from Central Hong Kong Island.  Best to use the MTR station for access, the cafe is in a rather characteristic suburb with ambiance, all types of small businesse...

Chicken Croquettes with Alioli. It was an occasion for a blokes' lunch  - one of our party had sung praises about the Tapas like creations and we could hardly wait!   There are sort of two levels at the B & B, one at street ground level and then a quick step up on the side to the right to an inner chamber, where groups gather, with all female hang outs, families and singles.   There is a licensed bar, the place has a rustic feel and one feels as if a hang out party is about to begin at one corner of the place. There is a Iberian or Mediterranean feel about the menu and place.  I instinctively think of Siesta after our meal.  However, it was not warm the day of our dropping by the B & B, the winter had not fully blown its oceanic winds in this seaside region.   So my palate was ready for something grilled, and there they were.   The chicken on skewers is always a winner with me, here accompanied with cool cucumber and dip...

Vegetarian pastries, including mooncakes. Red is the colour of celebration and festive joy. Freshly prepared pan cakes with moulds, dough and flavour.  Memories of the Shih Lin night markets in Taipei. A happy Sunday morning! Puppetry is a treasured tradition and craft in Taiwan, echoing influences from the Chinese mainland. This fresh sugar cane stall is often operating at the Mall markets. The Indigenous culture in Taiwan gave rise to the Polynesian nations. Takoyaki , snacks which are popular in Osaka but which also reflect the Japanese past in Taiwan.   These pan fried  or grilled dough balls are usually combined with octopus ( Tako ) and are yummy bites on the go in street markets.

It is reported there are currently 300000 university students from outside Australia studying in our nation's universities.  This number of students is larger than the population of the greater Wollongong area, from Helensburgh down the coast to Shell Cove. Wollongong is ranked as the tenth largest conurbation in Australia. These students pay full fees, do not get subsidised public transport in most cities but do contribute to the local economic areas in spending for accommodation, food and daily amenities. Several universities in the capital cities have a significant number of such students, like from China, India and south-east Asia.  Do such International students socially mix with their local fellow students and vice-versa? Many are allowed to work for a capped ceiling number of hours, especially in retail outlets. Graduates of Australian universities are encouraged with bridging visas to continue staying on if they can find related work.  Interna...

A friendly visitor in Hong Kong with family - Mid-Levels. Baked pastries like chicken pies and custard tarts, inspired by Western colonials like Britain and the UK in the 19th and 20th centuries.     North Point Markets. The iconic classic stereotype of a Hong Kong street, with trams, buses, pedestrians and buzz. A downsized fire engine waits on a sloping street in a busy part of the city - Wellington Street. A cloudy and humid morning in Central. The street escalators are still working all right - the other tour experience is to take the train up the Peak. Upmarket shopping at the IFC Mall, Central. Midnight at Causeway Bay. Community game after a passing shower.