Returning to old haunts

It’s March! Apologies for not posting more regularly. I celebrated my Birthday last month, and my friends’ birthdays, and embarked on some new ventures. Most definingly, I went back to my favorite spots in Hong Kong for the first time in ages. Having been remiss in my visits to both of my two favorite places, it was nice to go back and be recognized and know the menu so well that I didn’t have to look at it. It really makes you feel like you belong.

At Italian (Cielo) we walked in and the owner asked “Have you been traveling?” We ordered our food and chatted about the restaurant and what we’ve been doing, then proceeded to enjoy the three courses plus wine and coffee. We come back so often because it is such a good deal: 165 for appetizer, main, dessert, a glass of wine (or soft drink) and coffee. And the risotto is amazing: sometimes they add a hind of smoked paprika that takes it to the next level.  Risotto is also hard to make at home on a stove (very stirring intensive), so it is lovely to have someone else do it for you. It is nice to have a quality Italian restaurant in Hong Kong become a frequented spot. It’s the little things.

I also returned to Tai Lung Fung, a cocktail bar and restaurant in Wan Chai, for the first time in months. This is the first place in Hong Kong where I was served a real whisky sour–with egg white and not sour mix. It is hard to find a perfectly mixed cocktail, but Tai Lung Fung never disappoints. They serve all the classics and their own mixes (I’ll Have Another, is one of the more cleverly named items). Everyone is always impressed. A real gin fizz? No, it’s not just soda water. Sour mix? No, that’s for chumps. The atmosphere is pleasantly kitsch with old newspapers for wallpaper and Chinese lanterns for lighting. Their happy hour is also excellent, going til 9PM for 50$ drinks (a decent value in Hong Kong). I take everyone there if I can, and I really should go back more often.

I haven’t been branching out that much, though I have tried some new places recently (85 South, for example, was well worth it). I also don’t really feel like I need to branch out. It’s been a hectic few months, and I like my comfort zone. Going back to my favorite places over and over again is one of the joys of life. It makes the city feel like home instead of a monolith of crowd. So for now, I shall endeavor to keep going back to the best places. Routine enjoyments sound just right.