Vignettes of the World
The Stories of Food
I like visiting the local wet markets of Vietnam. The colors and smells of fresh produce in the markets are always so stimulating. Busy scenes of vendors selling food to morning shoppers are the best show of Vietnam’s vibrant street life. So on this free …
With more than 70 years of history on its back, the Better ‘Ole is a rare gem in the New Territories. It is the oldest British pub with continuous operation in the New Territories, and perhaps in Hong Kong. It certainly was the first in …
I dug in, as soon as the waiter set down the steamed meatloaf. Man Sing Bing Sutt’s Food What is Hong Kong without its Bing Sutt’s? In Chinese, “bing sutt” means “ice room,” named as such because these establishments were the first in Hong Kong …
An entry on Hong Kong’s historic restaurants is long overdue. This day I went to La Taverna, Hong Kong’s original Italian restaurant, for lunch. Established in 1969, La Taverna was the first traditional Italian restaurant in Hong Kong. The original owners of the restaurant were …
The Mini Great Wall Trail of Cheung Chau is an easy walk on the southeastern coast of Cheung Chau for under two hours. It has acquired this name because of the trail’s stone-paved and stone-fenced features. Another popular island trail is in Cheung Chau north, …
I told the taxi driver that I was going to visit a restaurant for a meal. The address was reading a bit odd to me, it says Opposite No. 35, Nguyen Truong To Street, Hue. The restaurant’s name is a nondescript Nguyen Truong To Nem …
“Like its elegantly designed streets and architecture, most Vietnamese generally regard the food from Hue to be the most refined in all of the country.” Songs of Sapa at 78. Luke Nguyen on Vietnamese Food For anyone interested in the food of Vietnam, I recommend …
When I was young, I was always fascinated by a beautiful natural lake that I saw when the train passed between the University and Tai Po Market stations. Back then, it was simply a lake with a lone rock in its middle. This scenery in …
It is with sadness that Hoi An Cafe, with 69 years of history behind it, has now permanently closed, as of October 2021. Reports suggest that the owner had to close it because nobody was going to take over the operation of the restaurant. Farewell …
I was born the same year as the Gala Café of Tsuen Wan. I have not heard of it until last year, but thankfully it was not too late. For forty years, Gala Café was the local favorite in Tsuen Wan. It was especially famous …