Lady M IFC (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

I'm getting myself ready for the business trip next week but there were a few things I needed to take care of before I could start packing. That brought me to the Apple Store at IFC this afternoon. Although I didn’t get much resolved with my iPhone upgrade, I took the opportunity to check out Lady M’s new “Sesame Mochi Collection” afterwards.

Black and White Sesame Mochi Shortcake — The new collection includes a Black Sesame Mochi Mille Crêpes cake with roasted sesame and chewy mochi, but that wasn’t the one I was interested in trying. Instead, I had my eye on the other newcomer, the Black and White Sesame Mochi Shortcake.

Built on a rich black sesame base, the cake features white sesame from Kuki, a renowned Japanese brand with more than a century of history. The outer pastry cream combines Kuki white sesame and mascarpone, giving it a silky-smooth texture and subtle, elegant nuttiness.

The soft, slightly moist black sesame sponge, was beautifully matched with rich, fragrant white sesame cream, and freshly made black sesame mochi, all arranged in distinct layers. Together, they created a delicious combination of flavors and textures.

To me, it had all the elements of a sweet dumpling (tang yuan) with black sesame filling — except that it was presented in a totally different form and with entirely different textures. I found that very, very interesting.

Gâteau Nuage — Little nugget has been studying hard for his upcoming exam, so I got this for him to cheer him up a bit.

I’m heading straight home after picking up these sweet treats. There’s still a lot to do before the trip, including getting the data transferring from my old iPhone to the new one. Hopefully, I’ll get it all done soon.

Food Rating: 7/10
Price: $$$$
Address: Shop 2096A, 2/F, IFC, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Hong Kong Station
Tel: +852 2865-1099
Website: www.ladymhk.com
Opening Hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm daily

Cheung Hong Yuen Kai Tak Sports Park 祥香園餐廳 啟德店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

We’re back at Kai Tak Sports Park for another round of pickleball this morning. Somehow, we can always find an empty court here, while finding one anywhere else in the city center on a weekend is virtually impossible.

I have to admit, it was pretty good exercise playing semi-outdoor pickleball here under the roof. 

Afterward, we headed to Cheung Hong Yuen (祥香園餐廳) for a quick breakfast. Of course, it was the time that the kids woke up, realizing their parents weren’t around, and our phones started ringing off the hook almost simultaneously.

We knew exactly what to order, since Cheung Hong Yuen also has a branch not far from our home.

Pineapple buns with butter (菠蘿油) — Since they are famous for their local-style bakery goods, I had to take a flyer on this house specialty.

These buns are freshly baked in limited batches. Unlike some cha chaan tengs, which reheat pre-made buns throughout the day, Cheung Hong Yuen usually serves them piping hot straight from the oven, with a thick slab of cold butter for that classic hot-and-cold contrast. Not bad.

Hong Kong-style Milk Tea (凍奶茶) — Brewed the traditional bing sutt way, it’s perfect with the baked goods. The tea was pretty strong again today.

Milk oatmeal (鮮奶麥皮) — I don’t usually order this when I’m eating out, but sticking with this morning’s healthy theme, I decided to break the habit.

It was nice to work up a full-body sweat after this morning’s workout. Deeply satisfying and physically rewarding. Now, I just need a quick shower to cool down a little.

Food Rating: 5.1/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 1, G/F, Kai Yan Court, 6 Muk Lai Street, Kowloon City, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Kai Tak

Tel: +852 5975-4011

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

The Mandarin Cake Shop (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

I am taking the afternoon off today, and rather than heading home early, I decided to take a leisurely walk around Sheung Wan and Central. There was one stop I have been looking forward to all month — the newly renovated The Mandarin Cake Shop.

For the past year or so, The Mandarin Oriental group has been heavily promoting its massive US$100 million, four-phase transformation. It’s hard to miss the campaign, with advertisements everywhere including on the face of the trams.

The group’s properties are nearing the completion of their top-to-bottom redesign, and the Mandarin Cake Shop has officially reopened after a spectacular facelift. I have seen glimpses of the new space on social media earlier in the week, so I was eager to try some of its new creations. Finally, the time had come.

The shop felt much more modern chic than before. 

And there was a slightly larger seating area for those looking to enjoy afternoon tea.

I headed straight to the display counter to check out the new offerings, including mango sticky rice, Café Macchiato, and Paris-Brest Hazelnut Cake.

Even the takeaway box has a new design.

1963 Mandarin Cheesecake ($72) — A long-standing fan favorite dating back to 1963, the Mandarin Cake Shop’s signature cheesecake has received a subtle makeover.

It still has the same buttery-soft texture it’s been known for since day one.



Osmanthus Pear and Caramel ($92) — A lovely marriage between seasonal pear compote, delicately floral osmanthus mousse, soft almond sponge, and a center of miso caramel ganache.

I liked how the miso caramel ganache added subtle savory depth, balancing the floral, fruity, and caramelized notes of the dessert but I wished the osmanthus and pear flavors could have come through more distinctly. After all, they should be the stars of the dessert.

I've had a ton of desserts in Seoul last week so I was thinking about taking a break from my consumption of sweet treats but these were really too beautiful to pass up. I guess the break could wait a little.

Food Rating: 6.8/10
Price: $$$$
Address: M/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Central
Tel: +852 2825-4008
Website: https://hongkong.mandarinorientalshop.com/collections/cakes-and-confectionery
Opening Hours: 8:00am - 8:00pm (Mon - Sat), 8:00am - 7:00pm (Sun)