The recent visit to Taipei was an impromptu. We didn't plan for too much of the itinerary but shortlisted a few Taiwanese delicacies.
We were staying at Dandy Hotel, there was a short walking distance from the hotel to the near by MTR station, but we were happy since there are a lot of shops, restaurants, bakeries along the road, who knows if there is any hidden gems somewhere.
We spotted Sweet Spice bakery one day while heading to the MTR station. The big banner attracted us, NT99 for a Tiramisu. I'm talking about one whole Tiramisu cake, not a piece of Tiramisu. But I didn't buy it right away, because I don't want to lug the box of cake to tour Taipei city.
So we bought it on the way back to hotel when we return. It's really fortunate that there are still a few left and thanks to myself that I still remember.
Upon arriving at the hotel, we took the cake out of the box and started to scoop a mouthful of the Tiramisu to savor. It was heaven. It tasted just nice. The bitter sweet taste compliments each other, it's creamy, soft and fluffy. The alcohol taste isn't that strong and just right, the cocoa powder on top brought out the sweetness of the mascarpone cheese with cream.
This is definitely the best Tiramisu I ever have, it beats the Tiramisu served by well known restaurants and 5 star hotels. Furthermore, it's only NT99.
We finished the whole cake that night itself without realizing and swear we're going to get another the next trip there.
If you happen to be in Taipei city now, visit them at 台北市忠孝東路3段6號
There is pizza every where on the street but getting a bite of pizza that is delicious and tasted just like the one in New York street, it has to be Fat Angelo's in Hong Kong.
We're introduced to Fat Angelo's during the 2009 Hong Kong Wine and Dine festival. We just can't get to forget how good it tasted eventhough we dirty our hand grabbing the pizza and eating at the side of the walkway, but the environment didn't ruin the pizza, it's still good as it is.
We finally have the chance to sit down and enjoy the food at this very cozy restaurant. The restaurant is dimly lit, very spacious, with the decoration made up with food cans, pastas, it's quirky but impressive.
We were there for the buffet lunch, HKD298 each, it must be expensive but definitely worth the price. The buffet lunch is made to order from the menu, all items on the menu is available to order but limited to 2 orders each time. The buffet is inclusive of refillable drinks and 2 special drinks with choices of alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
- Fat Angelo's menu.
- Home-baked Garlic Bread Toasted with Mozzarella Cheese, yummy!
- Crispy Soft Shell Crabs, served with spicy garlic aioli sauce for dipping. The sauce compliments the deep fried soft shell crabs.
- The signature pizza, it's crunchy at the edge and chewy in the middle, perfecto!
- Fat Angelo's specialty Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, so tender, I would like to have another.
- What is best to end a meal with a hearty Tiramisu.
Overall, the food is good, very comfortable environment, very good service, the average food waiting time is reasonable. Oh, not forget to mention that they serve salad and a basket of varies bread to all their guests, but we opted to bypass those as we are saving the stomach for delicacies.
We visited the restaurant located at Tsim Sha Tsui, they have restaurants at Causeway Bay, Wanchai, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Tsuen Wan.
The New York Style Little Italy in the heart of Asia, Fat Angelo's.
Salmon is one of my favourite dish. It tastes good in raw, medium-rare or even well done. The aroma of the flesh itself isn't like any other fish, it's fragrant, juicy and tender. Do a bit of study on salmon, you will love it even more as it contains high protein, high Omega-3 fatty acids, and high vitamin D which is good for health.
This is a recipe of Crispy Salmon from Gordon Ramsay that we cooked.
Ingredients:
Salmon with skin
Garnishes:
Potato
Crab Stick
Chives
Lemon
Cherry Tomato
Instructions:
Vinaigrette:
1. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into a bowl
2. Add in one table spoon of olive oil
3. Add some freshly ground black pepper
4. Add a pinch of salt to taste
5. Stir the mixture together
Garnishes:
Potato:
1. Cut potato into cubes and boil it until soft
2. Mash the potato, then add in minced crab stick and chopped chives
3. Add few tablespoons of vinaigrette prepared into the potato and mix well
Cherry Tomato:
1. Cut cherry tomato in half
2. Line a foil paper, add a few drop of olive oil on the foil
3. Line tomatoes on top of the foil and sprinkle some salt and ground black pepper
4. Cook in over for 15mins under 190 degree celcius
Salmon:
1. Marinate salmon with a pinch of salt.
2. Heat the pan and add olive oil to the pan, just enough to cover every edge of the pan.
3. Slowly slide the side of salmon with skin into the hot pan.
4. Cook until the orange color salmon turned pink until half of the slice
5. Turn it over to cook the other half
6. When the other half of salmon is cooked, turn it over again to continue to fry the skin of the salmon to keep it crispy
Serves the salmon with potato and cherry tomato. This crispy salmon is perfect to go with the vinaigrette as it creates the freshness after each mouthful of the fatty salmon. Delicious.
Upon arriving Macau at the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, the breathtaking view of Macau will certainly attracting your eyes but eventually, your eyes will be captured by this extra ordinary building of MGM Grand hotel.
- The majestic MGM Grand.
At MGM Grand lobby, the dimly lit lobby is quiet but magnificent. Everyone you meet is politely nodding to you with a smiling face. This is the great hospitality I would appreciate. To the contrast of the lobby, the transparent roof of skylight dome brings the sunshine to the Grande Praca that immediately catch your eye once you walking through the aisle of lobby. The European-inspired facades and a myriad of terraces, created the ambient as if you are walking in the city of European country.
On the left of the Grande Praca is where the restaurant Rossio located. A buffet breakfast that cost MOP180 per person is definitely not cheap, but everything that you get to enjoy at Rossio is worth more than the price.
At Rossio, the impressive open kitchen has everything you craving for as breakfast. A varieties of salad, breads, ham and bacon of English breakfast dishes to Chinese dim sum, steamed bun with BBQ pork, porridge and a lot more that your little stomach only have room for a piece of everything, unless you are a big eater. There is the cook to order omelette that you can ask to add in your favourite fillings to the omelette, this has to be the best omelette so far.
- The Grande Praca that showing "Lights & Sounds” tribute daily after sunset.
- The table setting at Rossio.
- The cute mini fruit jam available at every table for you to enjoy.
- The well equipped open kitchen at Rossio.
- The friendly Chef is making the omelette.
- My choice for the first round.
- Man's choice for the first round.
- We opted the outdoor seat of Rossio overlooking the beautiful Grande Praca.
- We enjoy watching the detail of the unique structure while having breakfast.
Food, to me is not other than something to fill up the stomach and tasty food is being served everywhere on this earth. Savouring good food is no longer a luxury because most people afford it now. The true enjoyment of food is the companion, the serene surroundings that makes each and every single piece of food you take turn into the moment of joy.
Mark MGM Grand Macau in your itinerary to Macau. Enjoy life, enjoy in style.
My man and I love to eat. Not only eating out, we actually enjoy preparing food in our little kitchen, little but very well equipped kitchen.
This beef wellington isn’t a very simple dish to prepare but it definitely worth trying.
Ingredients:
Beef Wellington
- 400g Beef Tenderloin
- 2 Portobello mushroom
- 4 thinly sliced Parma ham
- Mustard
- 1 piece of ready-made puff pastry sheet
- 1 Egg yolk
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Potatoes
- Dried mixed herbs
- Black Pepper
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Green Pea
- Marinate beef tenderloin with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Pour olive oil in a frying pan and quickly fry the marinated beef on all sides. Brush mustard on all sides and allow it to cool.
- Chop finely the Portobello mushroom and fry it on a clean pan until the mushrooms are dried. Set aside and cool.
- On a flat surface, roll out cling wrap of around half a meter long. Line slices of Parma ham on it.
- Spread the mushroom evenly on top of ham.
- Place the beef at the middle of ham and mushroom; roll it up tightly with the edge of ham covering the whole beef, twist both end to secure the wrap.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow the shape to set.
- Thaw the ready-made puff pastry.
- Unwrap the meat from the cling wrap.
- Brush egg wash on the edge of the pastry and place the beef in the middle.
- Roll up the pastry to make it a cylinder share. Trim off excess puff and egg wash over the top.
- Bake at 200c for 35 – 40 minutes.
- Cool it off for a while before cut.
- Peel potatoes and slice it to scallop size.
- Heat olive oil in the pan, add in peeled crush garlic and fry until light brown.
- Pour in sliced potatoes and cook through it until both sides are lightly brown.
- Sprinkle salt and black pepper onto its.
- Add in a pinch of mixed dry herb and stir it well.
- Remove garlic before serving.
- Boil green peas in a boiled water pan for 5 minutes.
- Add in sprinkle of salt before draining the boiled water.
Set out the Beef Wellington on a side of a big round plate along with side dishes of green peas and potatoes and enjoy!
This is a more like a Japanese style of home made cream puff with custard filling instead of whipped cream. All ingredients are easily found in the kitchen and very simple to prepare.
Ingredients:
Puff
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoon of corn flour
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon of melted butter
Steps:
Puff
- Preheat the oven to 190 degree Celsius.Add sugar, butter and water in a pan and bring to boil.
- Move the pan off heat and add flour in the butter mixture and stir quickly with a wooden spoon.
- Add in eggs and egg whites in the mixture, stir and mix until no more lumpy flour.
- Using a square baking paper, fold it diagonally twice to create a triangle like a coffee filter, or you can use a clean plastic bag.
- Pour the dough in the baking paper, cut off the tip and squeeze out as small mounds on a baking paper lining on baking tray.
- Bake them in the oven for 30 minutes. Cool the puffs and slice it halves horizontally.
- Add egg yolks and sugar in a pan without heat.
- Add in corn flour in the pan and stir until smooth.
- Add in warm milk in the pan gradually and put the pan on low heat and stir the mixture until thickened.
- Move the pan off heat and add in butter and mix well.
- Fill the puffs with cream and you are ready for a hearty dessert.