Showing posts with label Canton. Show all posts

[FOOD] 20141224 Chan Kong Kei 陳光記飯店 @ Macau


Chan Kong Kei is probably one of the more famous restaurant in Macau serving Cantonese style roast meat found in places like Hong Kong and Guangdong.

Running for generations and serving famous dishes of roast duck/goose/pork with their unique recipe of black pepper duck, this little eatery nearby Senado Square is often packed with locals and tourists. So make sure you are early to secure a seat.

Rua Do Dr. P José Lobo 19
南灣羅保博士街19號
Nearest Bus Stations: Avenida Do Infante D. Henrique
Telephone: +853 2831 4116
Opening Hours: 11:00am until 9:00pm

TO GO


The restaurant is actually located a few streets away from Senado Square and travel by foot is highly recommended. It is easily spotted by the main road, beside Luk Fuk Jewellery shop. Alternatively you can take any bus that travels through Avenida Do Infante D. Henrique Road.

Bus No. 3, 3A, 3X, 10, 10A, 10B, 11, 21A, 26A, 33, N1B, N3.



SPECIALITY



You will be able to spot this yellow sign board sticking out far to grab your attention with a picture of a bald guy, Chan Kong.

The restaurant is packed during dinner time but luckily no queue was seen during my visit on Christmas Eve night. Service is mediocre and the waiter will assume you are Chinese tourist by conversing in Mandarin during order.


Ordering is pretty simple, just choose whether you want single, double or triple meat combination and to be pair with either white rice or bowl of soup noodle (wanton noodle). They also have congee, if you fancy one. The black pepper roast duck is their signature dish, hence, it is a must try.


I saved a few pieces of the duck meat before it completely submerged in the soup to preserve the texture before it became soggy. The duck meat is tender with hint of sweetness and black pepper. I ordered the soup noodle because the white rice looks too plain for me. Single serving of meat with rice or noodle combination costs MOP36 (RM15).

If you fancy some exotic dish like duck blood, you may also find it here in Chan Kong Kei with their signature duck blood vegetable. Well, I will skip that.



Good business, almost finish selling already.

SUMMARY


Another roast meat? I had a lot of roast meat during my whole Canton trip, the best being in Yat Lok in Hong Kong, followed by this in Macau. If you fancy some roast meat during your visit in Macau, Chan Kong Kei is a place you will find quality food at reasonable price.

Taste
☆☆☆☆
Good, but not as good.
Value
☆☆☆☆
Reasonable
Service
☆☆☆
Too crowded
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
Slippery floors
Opening Hours
11:00am until 09:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
Nil
Parking
Limited
Website
N/A

GPS: 22.192012, 113.541539
Read More

[PLACE] 20141224 The Mandarin House 郑家大屋 @ Macau


The Mandarin House 郑家大屋, or the Zheng's House is the home of the well known Chinese philosopher and philanthropist, Zheng Guanying 郑观应 (1842 - 1921). Among all, his materpiece i.e. 《盛世危言》 (translate: Golden Age Prophecy) which was first published on 1893 has influenced many country leader in their decision making as the prophecy has provided various transformation ideas and concepts to China back in those days.

The Mandarin House was constructed by Mr Zheng's father, Zheng Wenrui as early as in the 1869, thou history mentioned it was built in 1881. The whole courtyard sits on a 4,000m² land in the Peninsular of Macau with two main court. The uniqueness about the mandarin house is the combination of both east and west architectural design. While the exterior of the house may looked like any other Canton house, the interior is the one that blends in the western culture with the main living hall located at the first floor as opposed to ground floor in conventional Chinese houses.

The house was long abandoned and vandalized in the 90's after a developer purchased the land. After long negotiation, the Macau government successfully regained control of the Mandarin house with the proposed land swap in 2001 and refurbish work was started.

However, the restoration process was not easy with majority of the house were severely vandalised and the government has tried to recover the house to its original look as much as possible. The Mandarin House was finally opened to public in 2010.

10 Travessa de Antonio da Silva, Macau
澳門龍頭左巷10號
Telephone: (+853) 2896 8820
Opening Hours: 10:00am until 06:00pm (Entrance closed at 05:30pm)
Closed every Wednesday except for Public Holiday.

TO GO


The Mandarin House is located along the R. da Barra and R. do Padre Antonio roads with many other attractions along the road like cathedrals, cafes etc. I would suggest those who are able to travel on foot to take this route from Senado Square and stop at each attractions along the way. Clear road signs are available to guide you accordingly.

Alternatively, you may take public bus 18 or 28B to stop at the junction near the Mandarin House.



ATTRACTION



The government has did a very good job in promoting tourism industry with clear road signs and signboards available to guide tourists and visitors accordingly, making it a very seamless experience. The entrance to the Mandarin House is free of charge and there's not many tourists to be seen here despite Christmas Eve (or maybe due to Christmas Eve?).


Brief description of each attraction is also available. You may also find a rubber stamp to mark your visit at every popular destinations.


Two cute Mandarin tortoises located at the entrance of the Mandarin House.


The entrance will lead you the side corridor of the Mandarin House. The entrance is actually at the middle of the picture above. The left is actually a small garden and the right is the building.


Some rooms are equipped with video and audio presentation to explain the history of the Mandarin House.


The traditional style of Chinese house 四合院 which means four sides with building (typically according to NSEW) with a courtyard in the middle.


The main hall entrance of the Mandarin House.


Carved wood window panel with the air well in the middle.


Notice the ceiling design that is different from conventional Chinese houses?


Filmy stairway leading up to the first floor. The design of the stairways is leaning towards western culture.


The main living hall at the first floor, as opposed to conventional ground floor. Even thou the ground are tiled, the whole floor is actually unstable due to the wood frame structure.


The study room where Mr Zheng completed most of his work.

There are a lot more pictures to share but basically these are the highlights of the Mandarin House. The government has did a lot to restore the Mandarin House to reassemble back to its original look. The combination of the east and west interior design and architecture is also one of the main highlight of this place, along with the significant historical presence.

SUMMARY


It's a good detour when you are on the way to Barra temple. Spend some time around to understand the history and to zoom into the details of the house.

Attraction
☆☆☆☆
Interesting architecture and very informative 
Cleanliness
☆☆☆☆☆

Entrance Fee
Free
Opening Hours
10:00am until 06:00pm (Daily)
Entrance closed at 05:30pm
Closed every Wednesday
Wifi
Limited
Parking
Nil
Website
Macau Tourism Website

GPS: 22.188450, 113.534652
Read More

[FOOD] 20141223 Guangzhou Restaurant 广州酒楼 @ Liwan, Guangzhou


Guangzhou Restaurant was recommended by the locals when I asked for the best place to have Cantonese Cuisine. I guessed, if they are daring enough to use the name "Guangzhou Restaurant", they must be up to standard to be able to represent Guangzhou.

True enough, this old restaurant was established way back in 1935 with the name Xinan Restaurant  西南酒家 (West-South Restaurant) but was subsequently burned down during World War II. The present building was reconstructed in 1939 and with its current name "Guangzhou Restaurant", signifying the rich food culture of Cantonese Cuisine.

The restaurant has went through many up and downs over the years and has won numerous awards, a long list of them in fact. Currently, the restaurant group has 11 branches all over Guangzhou with the main branch located at Wenchang Road (Beside Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street), serving both traditional Cantonese cuisine and Cantonese Dimsum.

2, Wenchang S. Road, Liwan, Guangzhou
广州市荔湾区文昌南路2号
Nearest MRT Stations: Jordan, Exit C2
Telephone: +65 (020) 81380388 81389840 81392285
Opening Hours: 07:00am until 10:00pm

TO GO


Disclaimer: Google services are barred in China. You need to either bypass the "Great Wall" or use a VPN. Alternatively, you may use their domestic sites such as Baidu Map.

Directions to the main branch in Wenchang will be similar to my directions to Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street as the restaurant is located right the end of the junction of the upper nine street.

Unfortunately, there's no direct access of Guangzhou Metro line to Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. However, the area is very accessible via public mini buses. I particularly like their bus because it goes through many small alleys where you are able to see the hustle and bustle of local lifestyle.

Dexing Road Terminal: Take Bus No. 17, 79 or 79A
Shangxiajiu: Take Bus 530
Baohua Road: Take Bus 5, 6, 15, 61 or 530




SPECIALITY



Recommended by the locals, the Guangzhou Restaurant is an old building located at the far end of the Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, and with its reputation and location, it's not hard to understand why this place is full of patrons.

You will receive a warm welcome by the reception and waitresses and they will politely ask you what would you like to have and lead you to the correct section. There's even a lift in this building to assist the elderly to the upper floors. Today I'm here for the dim sum instead of cuisine.


The restaurant is a huge three-storey building, with each floor segregated for different purposes, i.e. the ground floor caters for Cantonese cuisine, while the first floor is for Dimsum, third floor is mainly VIP rooms. There's a big opening in the middle of the restaurant with landscape decorations and air well to gather natural light.


With this kind of reputation and setup, don't expect the prices to be cheap. In fact, it is comparable to Hong Kong's pricing and even more expensive than Tim Ho Wan during my visit to HK. 

*Caution: I forget to change my camera settings to RAW, so the white balance will be off*


High pricing comes with high expectations, and to be honest, it did not disappoint. The siew mai 蟹皇烧卖 is one of the I have tried with the price of RMB19 (RM11.50). Every part of the siew mai is made to almost perfection with juicy and tender fillings and well steamed wrappings. 


Next is the stir-fried glutinous rice 生炒糯米饭, with the price between RMB17 (RMB10) or RMB19 (RM11.50), couldn't remember as I didn't foot the bill. The usual glutinous rice that we have in restaurants would normally be steamed. However, to stir-fry the glutinous rice from raw to cooked requires quite some skill as it is very different than just steam otherwise the rice will be either too raw or too dry. I enjoyed this glutinous rice dish as it is not too raw and yet not too dry. The fillings and toppings are just nice to add flavour and texture to the overall enjoyment.


Braised Chicken Feet (Pheonix Claw) is not a dish that's acceptable to everyone but it's one of the signature Cantonese Dimsum. However, I will give this a pass instead. The chicken feet are too fragmented and not presentable. Taste just normal.


Cheong-fun or Vermicelli roll originates from Guangzhou, the locals have this almost on a daily basis with stalls and eateries selling this on almost every corner of the streets in Guangzhou (but all taste mediocre). Hence, this is definitely must try in Guangzhou Restaurant. The typical Cheong-fun wrapped with char siew (BBQ sweet pork) was ordered, and my oh my, I never know a Cheong-fun can taste this good. The skin/wrapping itself is very good, even much better than the one in Tim Ho Wan. Coupled with the light sweet soy sauce, two thumbs up for this dish.


Next is the prawn dumplings and the standard of the restaurant is upheld again with this dish. The prawns are very fresh with very nice texture of the wrappings, steamed to perfection. Flavour is also just nice.


The open-mouth type Char Siew Pau. Although I'm not used to the Char Siew here in China (our Malaysian char siew lean towards the sweet side), I do enjoy the Pau's (bun) texture and Chinese is still the best in making this traditional food.


Instead of the typical Raddish Cake, a Pan Fried Yam Cake was ordered instead. The yam used in this dish is very different from our local Malaysian yam. The texture is more gluey but full of flavour of yam in comparison to our local variant.

SUMMARY


It was a very satisfying meal in Guangzhou Restaurant with top quality dim sum served. However, the price is also towards the high side. The service was good and not forgetting to mention the tea that they served is also of high quality and served in front of you, showcasing the art of tea making (well, not really). A few dishes like the glutinous rice, siew mai, prawn dumplings and Cheong-fun are highligh recommended.

Taste
☆☆☆☆☆
One of the best dim sum I tried.
Value
☆☆☆
Pricey for China's standard
Service
☆☆☆☆☆
Cleanliness
☆☆☆☆☆
Opening Hours
07:00am until 10:00pm
Wifi
Nil
Parking
Limited
Website
http://www.gzr.com.cn/


GPS: 23.113817, 113.245831
Read More

[PLACE] 20141221 Guangzhou Tower 广州塔 @ Haizhu, Guangzhou


The Guangzhou Tower or also known as Canton Tower, is one landmark that you can't miss if you are visiting Guangzhou. Located at Haizhu, next to the Zhujiang River, this 600 meters telecommunication tower (similar to our KL Tower) is one of the world's tallest buildings, and second tallest radio tower to date.

The radio tower is enveloped in a spiralling metal structure, with its striking dynamic colours during the night, which can be seen afar. The tower acts as a tourist spot, broadcasting tower and entertainment centre including restaurants, observatory, bubble trams rotating the circumference atop, the world highest sky drop 500 meters above sea level, 4D cinema and etc.

There's also a trick art museum and wax museum at the base of the tower. The tower is segregated into three main zones with different entrance fee, obviously with the highest platform being the most expensive as well. Entrance fee ranges from RMB50 (RM28) up to RMB150 (RM85). Travel packages are also available which include some access to the facilities within.

广州市海珠区新港中艺苑路
Nearest Metro Stations: Guangzhou Tower Station, Exit A
Telephone:
Opening Hours: 08:00am until 11:00pm (Daily)
Ticketing Hours: 08:00am until 10:00pm (Mon - Fri)
                            08:00am until 10:30pm (Weekends & Public Holiday)

TO GO


Disclaimer: Google services are barred in China. You need to either bypass the "Great Wall" or use a VPN. Alternatively, you may use their domestic sites such as Baidu Map.

Guangzhou Tower is very accessible via public transportation with a Metro Station right underneath the tower and a bus hub nearby at the rear of the tower. The Metro Station is accessible via APM Line (Cyan) or Line 3 (Orange), just take Exit A thereafter.



ATTRACTION



The best time to visit Guangzhou Tower is during night with the beautiful nightscape, unless you are also interested with the activities provided, which you can actually spend your day time here. I took a walk by the Zhujiang river bank after my Guilin Rice Noodle dinner. Surprisingly, despite China being known for its polution, the Zhujiang River is actually quite a clean river and a very pleasant walk by the river bank with cold winter breeze blowing through your chilling spines. Occasionally you will see the night sightseeing ferries or river cruises passing through.


This particular location just before the Guangzhou Tower, overseeing the IFC (International Finance Centre), which is another landmark in Guangzhou. The vast development of Chinese cities definitely put many developing countries into shame.


The tower is very eye catching from afar due to its colourful and dynamic structure. The vibrant colours are projected from spot lights located along the tower spine. I imagined it could be a very nice picture to have during sunset and from a higher vantage point. Unfortunately I do not have knowledge of any good photo spots nearby.


The Metro's Exit A links directly to the entrance of the tower where the ticketing counter is located.


Christmas is around the corner and the tower is accompanied by a Xmas tree at the entrance. The tower obviously dwarfs the tree without doubt.


I skipped going up the tower due to budget and time constraint and just took a walk around the tower. Noticed there was also a trick art museum and a wax museum located at the ground floor. I wrapped up my first day in Guangzhou after the visit and took a late bus back to my hotel after that.

SUMMARY

The Guangzhou Tower is a must visit, be it day time or night time. Tickets are pricey as it is to cater for the tourist crowds. Activities such as the highest sky drop is not recommended for the faint hearted. You can also choose to just visit the observatory and have a panoramic view of Guangzhou city. 

Attraction
☆☆☆☆☆
A must come if you are in GZ. 
Cleanliness
☆☆☆☆☆
Well maintained premise
Entrance Fee
Breakdown according to zones.
Cheapest being RMB50.
Highest floor at RMB150
For more ticketing info please visit their official website via the link below:
http://www.guangzhoutower.cc/english/price.html
Opening Hours
08:00am until 11:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
N/A
Parking
Yes
Website
Guangzhou Tower Official Site (Beware on the English)

GPS: 23.106337, 113.324479
Read More
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)