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Showing posts from August, 2011

Day 6: Peking Garden (Pacific Place)- Admiralty, Hong Kong

After a stroll in Hong Kong Park , we headed downstairs for a meal at Peking Garden in Pacific Place. We would have gone to Shang Place in Island Shangri-La (apparently where the mango and pomelo sago dessert was created), but since it was full, we headed towards Peking Garden, one of the two large Chinese restaurants in Pacific Place. Peking Garden, as the name may suggest, is famous for its Peking Duck; however, it does serve up a  plethora of fine Chinese food in an environment that Pacific Place says "resembles an ambiance of modern metropolitan America." It does certainly feel decidedly western; the crown moldings on the walls and comfortable chairs give a sophisticated, not tacky, Western feel. We were seated next to a wavy wood and glass wall that gives a modern touch to an otherwise classic environment.Yes, we could see the people in the elevators and vice versa, but this is undoubtedly a cool touch. Even the tea had a Western influence. The typical Chin

Day 6: Hong Kong Park- Central, Hong Kong

An advantage of staying at any hotel at Pacific Place (especially the Island Shangri-La and Conrad) is the proximity to Hong Kong Park. Hong Kong is a bustling city, and Hong Kong Park offers a calm environment in an area bustling with business activity. Like the Expo Promenande , Hong Kong Park has its own host of various monuments. This monument commemorates the opening of Hong Kong Park, which opened in May 1991. With the holiday season, Hong Kong businesses seem to decorate profusely. One restaurant put out these nutcrackers along the stairs to the restaurant. Besides the lush greenery, random art exhibits are placed in open spots. I don't really understand this particular one though; is this supposed to represent a community? Other monuments, like this one dedicated to WO 2 John Robert Osborn VC, are also in the park. Like most monuments, these reveal many details when one walks closer to glance and enjoy them. Hong Kong Park also offers some great views of the

Machi Fusion (Lunch-Nice Time Deli)- Arcadia

Don't judge a book by its cover . From the outside, Machi Fusion seems to represent its name well-- the dark windows and the modern looking signage gives an impression of a restaurant catered to a younger crowd. Inside, the same story continues. Plenty of simple, clean cut lines and an exposed brick wall. A glance at the menu though usually surprises most people; Machi is a combination of two ideas that would usually be separate restaurants. During the evening, it is a karaoke/pub/bar style restaurant with Taiwanese fusion food (the Taiwanese aspect is already different than the usual fusion==Pan-Asian), but during the lunch hours, Machi Fusion serves food of the restaurant Nice Time Deli, a (traditional) Taiwanese restaurant that the owner of Machi used to operate. There are two menus for lunch as a result-- one from Machi Fusion, and one from Nice Time Deli. We however ended up ordering dishes from the Nice Time Deli menu. Machi's sauteed "A" vegetable (A菜

Sesame Grill- Arcadia: Several More Revisits & New Items

Over this summer, I have gone to Sesame Grill several times and have tried some new items that I'd like to share with you readers today. There are definitely more restaurant posts coming; likewise, more travel posts are coming along the way! (tell me what you want more in the comments section please!) One of our visits was during Father's Day; as a result, the restaurant was decked out with white tablecloths, brighter lights, and a special menu in addition to the regular menu. In the past, only special menus were available on holidays, but in this occasion everything was available-- good for those who like options! One of my companions ordered from the special menu, of which he selected clam chowder as the appetizer. Sesame Grill's clam chowder is quite refined; as you might notice in the picture, the mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) is cut into miniscule cubes. Although the broth has plenty of clam flavor, (as expected from quite visits) it is quite heavy in the cr