dOonut 空氣系生甜甜圈專賣店 領展中心店 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

A couple of weeks ago, Jelloman brought me some nama donuts from dOonut 空氣系生甜甜圈專賣店, a freshly opened doughnut shop in Futian that’s been making waves with its almost-impossibly airy doughnuts. Today, it was my turn to return the favor.

I decided to take the afternoon off to enjoy a few hours of game time at some of my favorite arcade centers in Shenzhen but right before diving into game mode, I made a little detour for some doughnuts at Link CentralWalk (領展中心城).

"Dark side of the Moon" — A limited-time only offering featuring a runny black sesame glaze.

The black sesame glaze was everything I hoped for. Nutty, rich, and just the right touch of bitterness to keep things interesting. The pocket of milk mochi in the center added a nice, chewy contrast. The dough was decent but missing that signature nama fluff that makes these doughnuts feel almost weightless.

Right after I enjoyed the doughnut, it was time to enjoy some un-interrupted game time.

Food Rating: 5.5/10

Price: ¥¥

Address: Shop RG013E, G/F, 3 Fuhua Road 1st, Futian, Shenzhen, China

深圳市福田区福华一路3号领展中心城 G层 RG013E铺

Closest Metro Station: Convention & Exhibition Center station (會展中心)

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 10:00pm daily

Maru Kyou Tsuen Wan 麵屋丸京 荃灣店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

Maru Kyou (麵屋丸京) has been on my radar for a while now. A tonkotsu specialist with a growing footprint across Hong Kong, it’s carved out a loyal following. The small lineup in front of their Tsuen Wan branch is enough to pique my curiosity every time I walk by.

This afternoon, I happened to be in the area for a late lunch — and for once, no queue. A rare quiet moment, so I slipped in for a quick solo bowl.

The shop offers three versions of its tonkotsu broth — the classic rich and flavorful one, a spicy rendition, and a 'clear broth' version that looks more like a consommé than your usual pork bone soup.

Clear Broth Tonkotsu Soy Sauce Ramen (清湯豚骨醬油拉麵) ($78) — The name alone had me intrigued and slightly puzzled. Tonkotsu is usually synonymous with thick, creamy, collagen-rich soup, while shoyu ramen is known for its clear, umami-laced broth. So what happens when you combine the two?

As usual, I took a quick sip of the broth before enjoying the noodles. Light, yes. But also deeply savory, with a sweetness that hints at hours of slow-simmered pork bones. It had that layered, lingering flavor of a good dashi, while keeping things clean and refined. A subtle kind of indulgence.

The noodles were on the thinner side, with just the right amount of bite. They soaked up the broth like a sponge, making every slurp count.

The marinated soft-boiled egg was textbook perfect.

I loved the bamboo shoots — thick-cut, sweet, and meaty.

The only blemish was perhaps the charsiu. While decent, it could’ve used a bit more fat to soften the texture and better melt into the soup.

Still, I walked away impressed. This bowl was everything I didn’t know I needed — flavorful yet restrained, rich in essence but light on the palate. Definitely one to come back for. 

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: $$

Address: G/F, 9 Chong Tai Street, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Tsuen Wan

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:30pm, 6:00pm - 9:30pm daily

LMO Freshly Baked by Richard Ekkebus (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

I have already scouted LMO Freshly Baked by Richard Ekkebus at Landmark quite a few times in the past months looking for some night snacks for everyone. The bakery shop spun off by Richard Ekkebus, the culinary mastermind behind Amber has garnered serious attention since its opening but I couldn't seem to find anything I like during my previous visits.

But tonight, when I came home from work and there it was — casually lounging on the sofa like it owned the place!

A box of danish from LMO Freshly Baked, courtesy of one of the good parents who dropped by earlier in the day.

 

Three of the four danish came with fresh fruits on top. I had the one with diced pineapple which was pretty decent although the pineapple was a little more on the dry side for me.

Big thanks to the thoughtful parents who left this behind — you saved me from yet another bakery detour and spared my wallet in the process.

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: $$$$

Address: Shop 237 2/F, LANDMARK Atrium, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Central

Opening Hours: 8:00am - 8:00pm daily