Discover Hong Kong with Hong Kong Tourism Board

There are so many reasons to visit Hong Kong. Not only is it a shoppers’ paradise, this city is also home to some of the most food-obsessed people in the world and produces a great variety of drool-worthy Hong Kong food. Big thank you to Hong Kong Tourism Board, I was invited to visit Hong Kong from 22 – 24 Oct to attend the 2015 Wine and Dine Festival, as well as to celebrate Halloween! Together with me, was Yina and Evonne and you can be sure it was a blast having three girls together eating, shopping and having fun non stop for 3 days. Of course, I promised the two ladies that I would introduce some of my favourite eats along the way too!

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DAY 1

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After we left the airport, off we went to Star Cafe to begin our journey. Situated inside the maze of champagne court, Star Cafe started in 1966 and is part of a unique Hong Kong dining culture called bing shi (冰室) where western food became increasingly popular in Hong Kong with the British colonization after the world war. We had the tomato noodle soup with pork chop and some seriously good braised chicken wings.

Then we checked in to the luxurious Marco Polo Hong Kong which is near Tsim Sha Tsui MTR. It has very spacious rooms overlooking Victoria Harbour.

We did a quick hands-on leather workshop at Fungus Workshop @ Po Hing Fong before heading to the Wine and Dine Festival! Owners Baldwin Pui and Philip Lau have been teaching leather making class since 2009 and they are really passionate about their craft. Bookings are essential and what you choose to make is completely up to you. I made a customised cardholder from scratch for myself and I was taught simple techniques like hand stitch, lining, fastening and leather finishing. I think the most difficult part for me was to hand stitch because you have to sew it in a straight line in the shortest time possible. I always have problem drawing straight lines! HAHA! But thankfully with the help of Baldwin, my card holder was done and I can even customize my name! This is a great gift for your loved ones!

Every autumn, along with the refreshing breeze, Hong Kong brings you a whole month of indulgence with epicurean events from around the globe to set your tongues tingling. Located against the stunning backdrop of Victoria Harbour, the Wine and Dine Festival grounds was a colourful street packed with marquees after marquees with their food and drinks beckoning attendees.

This 4-day event celebrated the various unique food and wine from all over the world. There were 5 thematic wine zones filled with champagnes, party wines, cocktails etc.

We got to try lots of wine and beer that night from 200 different booths and even took a picture with the beautiful ladies dressed in pink from La La La. They sell interesting fruity wines like rose lychee wine, sakura peach wine, strawberry wine etc. One of them looks like Cecilia Cheung!

I still prefer my beers and for the first time ever, whisky and craft beer were also featured at the festival. I tried some interesting beers from Little Beer Room like Death From Above by Garage Project and juicy pear cider! There were also booths showcasing wine accessories, wine education and related trade associations.

There were about 100 booths featuring winning dishes from the 2015 Best of the Best Culinary Awards and signature dishes from many of Hong Kong’s renowned hotels and restaurants, appetizers, BBQ food, desserts and more!

A new addition to this year’s #HKWineandDine festival is the Garden Party – a VIP lounge for ticket holders within lush greenery settings with complimentary champagne and beautiful lighting effects. If I am coming back here next year, I am so going to dine at this beautiful garden party!

Don’t be disappointed that you missed the festival, because there will still be a month of Wine & Dine events, tours, classes, and promotions in Hong Kong from now till 30 November 2015. For more info, please visit http://www.discoverhongkong.com/seasia/see-do/events-festivals/highlight-events/wine-dine-festival.jsp

Watch the video to see how much fun we have!

More videos of our fun in Hong Kong will be coming soon, so stay tuned!

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DAY 2

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On the second day, we started early walking around PMQ before queuing for the famous Kau Kee Beef Brisket Noodle. Opened at only 12.30pm, you can already see a long queue outside this 90-year-old eatery on Gough Street before it opens. The tender beef is in a good bowl of broth cooked with Chinese spices, ladled over smooth noodles. We also slurped a bowl of curry beef brisket & tendon noodles. 再来多一碗牛腩面 please!

Besides all the eating and drinking in Hong Kong, the day for play time is FINALLY HERE! I went to the happiest place on earth! Even though I have been to Hong Kong Disneyland 5 times before, it never fails to make me happy and excited every visit. There are always new things to see and do, and this time I actually got to take a photo with DUFFY! *screams*

It was also my first time having the Mickey waffles which was really tasty and soft.

During the day parade I was waving frantically at Minnie Mouse that has been my favourite cartoon since I was a kid. I’ll let you in on a personal secret – I need to sleep with my Minnie Mouse plush every night and she has accompanied me since my primary school days!

Because we were there during the Halloween period, we need to have some Halloween treats yo! Yina, Evonne and I shared the Main Street Halloween Duffy’s Afternoon Tea Set at Corner Cafe in Disneyland that’s only available during the Halloween festivities!

And that is not all! We also had the set menu which consists of smoked duck breast with tomato and orange salad, grilled veal tenderloin and slow poached beef ribs, pan fried pink perch with lemongrass sauce, and chocolate mousse with Coca Cola creme brulee.

This year at Disney Haunted Halloween, frightful fun was extended to the great outdoors, transforming the once bustling lands into a Ghost Town inhabited by the “dead”. The performers did a great job at making it look as real as possible.

But this is Disney after all, and towards the end of our evening, the night parade rounded up everything on a light hearted note. I can say, this is the most fun Disney trip for me thus far. It was also my first time to sit on the roller coaster, Grizzly Gulch, which made me scream at the top of my lungs. Needless to say, the rides were the most memorable part of the trip.

Watch how much fun we had!

If you think that was the last of our itinerary for the day, you are so wrong! Because we headed straight after for a BEER FESTIVAL! The 24th German Bierfest at Marco Polo Hong Kong is one of the most traditional, authentic and popular German beer festivals in Hong Kong. From 16 Oct – 7 Nov 2015 at Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel Level 6, you get to enjoy traditional German dishes, desserts, sausages, snacks, and beer at this annual event.

I love the Notenhobler Band who was performing at the bierfest. It has been the official band since 1994. The band wears original Oberkrainer clothes, entertaining folks with alphorn-blowing contests and chicken dance routines and sings traditional tunes and hearty folk music. Showtime from 7.30pm onwards and ends about midnight. Hong Kongers really know how to let loose and enjoy themselves. Towards the end, everyone kept shouting “Encore! Encore!” because we really love the music! The night is still young yo!

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DAY 3

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On the third day of the trip, we spent most of the time doing some shopping and eating. I introduced everyone to Kung Wo Dou Bun Chong (公和荳品廠) for a tau huay break! Having been around for more than 100 years, the stall makes their soy bean products from scratch using an ancient stone grinder. Besides having the silky smooth beancurd, I was more intrigued by the pan fried tofu. Their fish paste is seasoned with dried orange peel and pan-fried to a crisp surface while retaining its moisture from within.

And of course, not forgetting my favourite place to have polo bun – Kam Wah Café! Located right on the busy Bute Street, this unassuming-looking ‘char chaan teng’ can easily be spotted due to the crowds outside the restaurant taking away the delicious Polo Buns and other pastries. We had the crispy and flaky polo bun, egg tarts, french toast with a cup of yuan yang.

Thank you Hong Kong Tourism Board for giving me the chance to experience Hong Kong all over again. I have been to Hong Kong so many times, but this trip is different as I get to meet local craftsman, revisit Disneyland and tried most of the rides, experience Halloween, visit Wine & Dine Festival, as well as sing and dance with locals during German Bierfest. I didn’t know Hong Kong has so much more to offer and we will definitely be back! So, if you’ve ever considered travelling to Hong Kong, go now!