Chiching Chiu Chao Cuisine Shenzhen Bay MixC 至正潮菜 深圳灣萬象城店 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

We were supposed to have our Chinese New Year celebration here, but it was so full that we had to scramble for an alternative plan which turned into a casual Korean dinner at CAAN. It was a little odd to have Korean food to celebrate Chinese New Year, and to make matters worse, we were sitting outside the restaurant with virtually no service. Ordering was done by scanning a QR code. That was not a good start to the Year of the Horse for us.

I eventually decided to come back and check out this restaurant, Chiching Chiu Chao Cuisine (至正潮菜) at Shenzhen Bay MixC (深圳灣萬象城), myself. I had a feeling it would be a good one.

Stir-fried choy sum (生炒菜心) (¥58) — My server thought it was a little odd to serve me greens before the starters arrived, but I said, “Hey, why not?” This was pretty nice and crunchy.

Deep-fried shrimp cake with nori (紫菜煎蝦餅) (¥68) — I could smell the wonderful aroma from a distance away.

I love the crispy crust made with seaweed on the outside, and of course the diced shrimps, complemented beautifully with the honey sauce. Definitely a must-try item here. 👍👍

Deep-fried minced pork roll (潮式炸棵肉) (¥58) — This took a while to arrive. In fact, I was almost done with the other two dishes.

A very traditional Chiu Chao starter with minced pork and water chestnuts trapped inside a spring-roll-like wrapper that was both crispy and chewy at the same time. There was also a hint of coriander that added a lovely fragrance to the dish.

This was a very, very delicious meal. I overheard a guy at the table next to me raving about how good his dishes tasted, and that his family from Chiu Chao made him an expert of course. I’ll definitely bring my family back for another visit.

Food Rating: 7/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop 410, Zone A, Level 4 Shenzhen Bay MixC, 3213 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区粤海街道海珠社区科苑南路3213号深圳湾万象城L4层A区410号铺

Closest Metro Station: Houhai (后海)

Tel: +86 (0755) 8660-6809

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 4:00pm, 5:15pm - 9:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/1e/P2uM

Tova by Paulo Airaudo (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

My quest for some of the best basque cheesecakes in Southern China has taken me north of the border this afternoon. After a healthy stint of game time at Coastal City Shopping Mall (海岸城購物中心), I took a leisurely walk over to Shenzhen Bay MixC (深圳灣萬象城) for a sweet treat I have been looking forward to for a while.

My destination was Tova, an upscale Spanish restaurant and dining concept by celebrated Chef Paulo Airaudo who’s also behind two Michelin starred Restaurant NOI in Hong Kong.

It was around 5pm so the main dining room was still in prep mode.

It was a little warm this afternoon but I was more than happy to sit outside at the bar area.

Basque cheesecake (¥58) — Nice, wobbly custardy texture similar to the one I had at EN Coffee last week.

I love that melt-in-the-mouth sensation, the kind that makes every bite pure joy. Compared with most Basque cheesecakes I’ve tried here, where the flavors can be a little subtle, this one tasted rich and satisfying without being overly cheesy. Definitely the best I’ve had in Shenzhen so far.

And there's that hugely underrated strawberry sauce to go with the cheesecake.

I still have another couple of hours to kill before my train ride. Fortunately, I am at one of the most spacious shopping complex in Shenzhen where there’s no shortage of interesting shops to explore.

Food Rating: 7.1/10 (Based on the basque cheesecake)

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop CB134, Zone C Shenzhen Bay MixC, 3213 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区粤海街道海珠社区科苑南路3213号深圳湾万象城C区CB134号铺

Closest Metro Station: Houhai (后海)

Tel: +86 19925390859

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 9:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/ce/7KgM

Chun Tian Tea Company Shenzhen Bay MixC 椿田熟成茶行 深圳灣萬象城 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Shenzhen Bay MixC (深圳灣萬象城) has long been a hotspot for Hongkongers, especially since the opening of its Phase Two (二期) last December. Now, the luxury shopping mall is set to make another splash with the soft opening of Pink Street (粉紅大街) — an entire avenue of trendy cafés, restaurants and boutiques under the same roof.

I was on a mission to track down a tea brand that’s been blowing up on social media..

Founded in Shanghai back in 1924, Chun Tian Tea Company (椿田熟成茶行) is a premium milk tea brand known for its “Oriental Aesthetics” and its signature “Aging (Mature) process”. While the storied tea company started off in Shanghai, it has become a major viral sensation in Shenzhen since 2025.

The star of the menu is their "Black Warrior" series including their standout "Black Warrior Matured Pu'er with Sweet Potato Pearls" (黑武士熟成普洱薯丸) and a new tiramisu-flavored creation.

Golden Brick Silk Stocking Milk Tea (金磚絲襪奶茶) (¥22) — But for milk tea, I am a total purist.

This one features a silk stocking milk tea base (絲襪奶茶) with a floating ice made with the same milk tea. To me, the flavor was vivid, brisk, and intensely aromatic—almost reminiscent of Ceylon tea. It was refreshing yet complex, and it completely lived up to the hype.

It was nice to finally cross this social media sensation off my list. Even better that it was a weekday and there wasn't a lineup at all.

Food Rating: 6.3/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop B1-51, Pink Street, Shenzhen Bay MixC, 3213 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区粤海街道海珠社区科苑南路3213号深圳湾万象城粉紅大街B1-51号铺

Closest Metro Station: Houhai (后海)

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/20/GGuM

Taste Four Taste 嚐 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

I am spending some well-deserved me time in Houhai (后海), Shenzhen this afternoon. With plenty of time left before my train departs, I decided to sit down for a proper lunch at Elements Shopping Mall. 

Taste Four Taste (嚐) has officially replaced Tasty Congee & Noodle (正斗粥麵專家) as my go-to spot for noodles and congee in recent months. In fact, I’ve been coming back for one particular dish so much so that I just can’t help myself.

Stir-fried noodles with barbecued pork (乾炒叉燒麵) ($132) — They have a different version of this with flat noodles but there was no question in my mind about which one tasted better.

This came with incredible "wok hei" (鑊氣) resulting in the springy and slightly chewy texture. I also like the fact that it's not over-seasoned with soy and salt, and that the noodles didn’t end up greasy the way they often do at other places we’ve seen in Hong Kong.

I used up all 15 minutes I've got for this meal to fully enjoy my stir-fried noodles. Now, it's time to run to the rapid train station!

Food Rating: 6.5/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 1005-1006, 1/F, Fire Zone, ELEMENTS, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Kowloon

Tel: +852 2433-7711

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm daily

Right Tea-rific 威水茶檔 by Flower Drum 鋒膳 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

Right Tea-rific (威水茶檔) is a modern cha chaan teng in Wan Chai, brought to us by the team behind Flower Drum (鋒膳). I’ve been intrigued by the photos of their egg tarts and pineapple bun with butter (菠蘿油) doing the rounds on social media over the past few months. With an early meeting in Wan Chai this morning, it gave the perfect excuse to drop by for a quick breakfast.

Despite the limited space, I managed to get a seat without having to share a table with a stranger.

A closer look at the menu made it clear their breakfast offering isn’t quite the usual Wan Chai tea restaurant fare. You won’t find classic satay beef noodles or that familiar instant-noodle combo with egg and luncheon meat. Instead, the lineup leans more towards polished, “classy” sandwiches and homemade bakery goods.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — The tea was pretty strong and it would likely be better off with a little more condensed milk for a smoother, rounder profile. But despite being slightly off balance, I thought I thoroughly enjoyed that tea base (茶底).

Pineapple bun with butter (菠蘿油) — Not exactly how I drew it up. I was looking for a bowl of instant noodles but when that wasn't unavailable, I improvised.

This was quite decent. If the bun was served hotter so the butter could melt a bit more — I think it would taste even better.

Flower Drum is known for its barbecued meats, so I was honestly surprised their menu doesn’t feature a few of its signature items like char siu. Adding those would likely make the fans very happy.

P.S.  There’s no breakfast set served here, ladies and gentlemen. It’s à la carte only.

Food Rating: 5.8/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop D, G/F, Harvard Commercial Building, 105-111 Thomson Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Wan Chai

Tel: +852 6805-1818

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 4:00pm daily

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

I am back to Jervois Cafe (蘇杭冰室) for my favorite deep-fried chicken leg (生炸雞脾) this afternoon.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — As usual, I started with a glass of iced milk tea. The tea was again very smooth and velvety, with deep tea flavors.

Deep-fried chicken thigh and scrambled egg over rice (生炸雞髀炒蛋 配飯) — This beloved street-food staple features a thick-breaded piece of chicken thigh and drumstick, served alongside a serving of runny scrambled eggs. It’s finished off nicely with a homemade sweet soy. Pretty solid!

It's always nice to be back in Sheung Wan for this. Now time to go back to work.

Food Rating: 5.4/10

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

EN Coffee Causeway Bay (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

It was a great lunch at Roganic. I have always enjoyed my dining experiences there and I think I am already missing this place!

After lunch, I spent some time strolling around the busy streets of Causeway Bay. It’s been a tough few weeks dealing with family matters and trying to resolve conflicts between different family members (including me). I’ve never been a good negotiator, and being the youngest in the family definitely doesn’t help.

While I was enjoying my quiet me time, I decided to add two coffee shops in the area to my agenda. Both are well known for their hand-drip coffee, but I was more interested in their dessert menus this afternoon.

EN Coffee (often stylized as E N) was the second café on my lineup. The moment I stepped onto their mezzanine level, I knew it was special — the place was absolutely buzzing with people of all ages. Their coffee menu includes some high-quality, artisanal specialty coffee options, and they also have enough small bites like sandwiches and a duck wrap to make the visit extra satisfying.

Basque cheesecake — I went straight to dessert with their signature basque cheesecake. It’s known for its soft, runny, almost foamy texture, so it was an easy choice for me.

I really love the fluffy, wobbly texture, but personally I'd like it to be a little more cheesy. 

The temperature was also a little off for me. It was slightly too frosty for me. I like it served closer to room temperature (if that’s possible). This reminded me a lot of the cheesecake from Mr. Cheesecake. Like a dense defrosting custard.

And that’s another basque cheesecake crossed off the list this week. I just hope I can keep up this pace — one basque cheesecake a week!

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop G06, Leighton Centre, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Causeway Bay

Tel: +852 6628-3034

Opening Hours: 8:00am - 8:00pm (Mon - Fri), 9:00am - 8:00pm (Sat - Sun)

Roganic (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

For years, Roganic has been one of my go-to restaurants whenever I wanted a casual fine-dining experience. That said, things changed after their relocation to Hysan Place last year when their online booking system no longer accepts reservations for solo diners. As a result, I’ve only been back once.

I had a company event in the morning, and thanks to the early start, I arrived at the restaurant slightly ahead of schedule. It didn’t take long before I was comfortably seated by the window, with a great view of the entire dining room.

Chioggia beetroot, ox tongue, pine nut crumbs — The meal got off to a fast start with a small nibble made with aerated Chioggia beetroot, sour cream, slow-cooked ox tongue and pine nut crumbs. I’m a complete sucker for anything with beets, so this was right up my alley. Even better, the contrasting textures and flavors made it genuinely enjoyable.

Preserved winter truffle honey bread, cultured brown butter — The winter truffle honey brioche was nice and flaky.

But my favorite cultured brown butter (now topped with sea salt) in town lost its soft touch. 😪😪

Heirloom tomatoes 🍅, whipped mussel, sugar kelp — The amazing tomatoes from Chiayi (嘉義) in Taiwan served with tomato water and seaweed oil as a base, were finished off with fresh mussels, dill, crunchy kelp crumbs, and a very interesting mussel emulsion. Light, bright, balanced and very refreshing.

Dry aged duck, longan honey, Kalibos cabbage, blackcurrant, perilla — My main dish was dry aged duck from Guangdong, roasted and drizzled with longan honey. The sauce made from the duck bones and the accompanying beetroot purée added depth to the dish without overpowering the duck.

The crispy duck has long been one of the true highlights since the restaurant first opened here, and it has never disappointed. Today was no exception: the duck was succulent, full of flavor, and beautifully executed from start to finish.

The second serving came as braised duck meat, elegantly topped with a slice of blackcurrant-flavored Kalibos cabbage dotted with beetroot gel.

Ruby strawberries, hibiscus, baked rice pudding — Dessert was a symphony of berry flavors. Fresh ruby strawberries with preserved hibiscus, and strawberry sorbet served on a bed of Taiwanese vanilla-infused and baked rice pudding. It was very British. Comforting, refined, and at the same time wonderfully delicious.

I thought service was excellent today. Very attentive as usual and different servers came to check up on me to ensure that I thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I guess I should be coming back a lot more often.

Food Rating: 7.7/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 402 & 403, 4/F, LEE GARDEN ONE, 33 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Causeway Bay

Tel: +852 2817-8383

Website: www.roganic.com.hk

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:00pm, 6:00pm - 9:00pm (Wed - Sun)

OUR Bakery MixC World 萬象天地店 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Dubai chocolate — the viral, luxurious chocolate bar known for its creamy pistachio–tahini filling and crispy toasted kataifi ("knafeh") — has absolutely taken the world by storm since it first blew up in late 2023.

Since then, the concept has expanded far beyond the original bar. In Hong Kong alone, I’ve seen Dubai chocolate brioche, toast, cakes, and more all carrying the same signature flavor combo. In Korea, it’s the viral Korean Dubai chocolate chewy cookie (or dujjonkku) that’s currently making waves in Seoul.

This Korean version takes direct inspiration from the original Dubai chocolate bar: chocolate + pistachio + shredded kataifi. But here’s the twist — this cookie comes with a thin chocolate marshmallow shell, giving it an almost rice-cake–like chew rather than a traditional cookie bite.

I had the chance to finally experience it personally while we were at MixC World (萬象天地) in Shenzhen this afternoon.

OUR Bakery is one of the few Korean bakery spots in Shenzhen and Hong Kong offering this popular cookie. They make them fresh in-house in an onsite kitchen — small batches, one tray at a time.

Little nugget decided to grab a soft serve here while we waited for our chewy Dubai chocolate cookie.

It took a while but eventually a fresh tray of Dubai chocolate cookies came out. As expected, it didn’t last long (sold out in minutes) but we didn’t waste a second grabbing a few on the go.

Dubai chocolate cookie (¥23) — This really tasted more like a mochi than a cookie. It delivers the flavor explosion of the original Dubai chocolate in every single chew.

The outer “crust” flavored with cocoa powder, is slightly chewy, almost like a glutinous rice wrapper. Inside is the same famous filling: creamy pistachio–tahini blended with crispy toasted kataifi.

I thought the texture was a little funny at times (cuz I was expecting a cookie not a mochi) but I did enjoy the soft, sticky mixture of melted marshmallow, cocoa powder, and butter combining well with the rich fillings of crunchy toasted kataifi (shredded pastry), creamy pistachio paste, and tahini.

According to my little personal assistant (AI), a Korean Dubai chocolate cookie goes for around $40 to $70 these days, so these ones at OUR Bakery selling at ¥23, these ones at OUR Bakery are definitely a huge bargain.

Food Rating: 6.5/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop NL167, MixC World, Shennan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, China

深圳市南山区深南大道华润万象天地NL167号铺

Closest Metro Station: Hi-Tech Park (高新园)

Tel: +86 (0755) 8696-5772

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 12:00am daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/e5/TauM