Jervois Cafe Sheung Wan 蘇杭冰室 上環店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

I was running errands in Sheung Wan this afternoon, and as always, they dragged on until late afternoon. By the time I was done, it was far too late for lunch.

It’s been a while since I last visited Jervois Cafe  (蘇杭冰室) so I decided to head over there to get my deep-fried chicken leg (生炸雞脾) fix.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — Creamy, with just the right amount of milk to balance the richness of the tea.

Barbecued pork and scrambled eggs over rice (滑蛋叉燒飯) — It suddenly occurred to me that I’ve never tried the cafe’s signature dish, which is even more popular than the deep-fried chicken leg.

I thought it was quite decent. The runny scrambled eggs worked well with the sweet soy sauce, as expected, but the barbecued pork was a little fattier than I would have liked. Not bad, though it could have been better.

I have the afternoon off today so I could take a leisurely walk around central a little.

Food Rating: 5/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, 3 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Sheung Wan

Tel: +852 2352-7778

Opening Hours: 7:30am - 9:00pm daily

Goose King Roasted Restaurant 唯一燒鵝 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

Another morning meeting had dragged on far longer than anyone wanted, and by the time we finally walked out of the conference room, it was already 1:45 pm. Everyone agreed it was time for a proper lunch before heading back to the office to get some real work done.

Unfortunately, the Hung Hom area around where we just had our meeting isn’t exactly a foodie’s paradise. After checking out a few spots with little success, we settled on Goose King Roasted Restaurant (唯一燒鵝). I have honestly not eaten here before, but one of the guys who used to work in the area insisted their barbecued goose was excellent so we took his recommendation.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — The balance was a little off. The tea came through strong, but it lacked that fragrant depth you hope for.

Steamed rice with barbecued goose and pork (叉燒燒鵝雙拼飯) — The barbecued goose certainly lived up to the hype. It was leaner than ones from some of the more famous spots, yet the smokiness was unmistakable and deeply satisfying.

The barbecued pork, on the other hand, was a mild letdown. While texture was fine, it was simply too salty for my palate.

The guys asked me to settle the bill that afternoon, and why not? It had been a long, hardworking morning so we all deserved a little reward.

Food Rating: 5.6/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 4, LG/F, Ka Wai Plaza, 46-48 Ma Tau Wai Road, Hung Hom, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Hung Hom

Tel: +852 9234-6933

Opening Hours: 10:30am - 9:00pm daily

Delica Hans at Grand Lottle Hotel (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★★☆

I’m taking the noon flight back to Hong Kong, so I haven't planned anything in the morning. My driver was due to pick me up at the hotel at 10:30am, which didn’t leave enough time to venture far.

But I did remember that I left myself a personal note about one little place close enough for a quick visit — Delica Hans at the Grand Lotte Hotel, just a few steps from where I was staying.

Delica Hans is a French patisserie that doubles as a boulangerie, offering a small but delicious selection of pastries and baked goods. Of course, I didn’t come for the bread.

Pure Vanilla (₩18,000) — There were other tempting options like the hazelnut-themed Noisette d’Or and the Matcha Entremet among them but as a fan of Madagascar vanilla and in the mood for something sweet at breakfast, this felt like the better choice.

This was truly a vanilla lover’s dream, with multiple layers and textures of vanilla from top to bottom. If I’m being picky, a touch of something with stronger contrast, like salted caramel, might have brought out the vanilla even more. Still, it was delicate and thoroughly enjoyable.

I didn’t have a world of time to enjoy this. By the time I got back from Delica Hans, it was already 10:20am. And my driver will be here any minute! 

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: ₩₩₩₩

Address: 1 Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: City Hall / Euljiro 1(il)-ga

Tel: +82 02-317-7148

Website: https://www.lottehotel.com/seoul-hotel/ko/dining/bakery-delica-hans

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 10:00pm daily