Sampling Treats at Lee Tung Avenue

Love it or loathe it -- Lee Tung Avenue from Queen's Road East

This afternoon I met a food writer friend visiting from Vancouver and after a very good traditional dim sum at Hoi King Keen in the InterContinental Grand Stanford, we went over to Wan Chai where he was taken on a tour of Lee Tung Avenue.

The coffee here is expensive, but expertly made

The are area used to be known as "Wedding Card Street", where shops would help couples get their invitations printed up. They were moved out so that a massive residential/commercial development could come up. In the end it's a pedestrian-only strip that tourists think is neat, while others think it's a gentrification exercise gone totally wrong.

Nevertheless my friend sampled the Japanese coffee at Omotesando Koffee and said it was spot on, very smooth. He admired the clean minimalist design of the place, as well as nearby Japanese bakery Yoku Moku, appreciating the preciseness of how all the cakes were made and presented.

We even tried Calbee, a Japanese potato chip shop that is a nostalgic favourite for Hong Kong people, something I was unfamiliar with. At this place, people can order freshly made potato chips in various combinations, including with soft serve ice cream, or topped with chocolate sauce or cheese sauce.

Typhoon shelter spicy chips with soft serve ice cream

Curious, we tried the limited edition Hong Kong typhoon shelter one that featured spicy chips with soft serve ice cream (HK$38). Just a few minutes later came a large paper bowl filled with the spicy waffled chips with soft serve in a small cup. It was a nice presentation, and there were no broken chips at all -- they are all sorted out during the production process.

The chips themselves were mildly spicy and so when they were paired with the ice cream, the spiciness was dulled, tasted sweet and salty, and there were the textures of crunchy and soft, hot and cold.

At first my friend was indifferent to it, thinking it was bizarre, but interesting. After trying a few more he admitted they began to grow on him.

Previously I didn't understand why people lined up to buy these chips, but now I do, because how can you beat having freshly-made chips? Not that I will specifically go and order these myself, but now I know what all the fuss is about.

Our strawberry-passion fruit rose gelato

We also tried some gelato by Givres and the gelato is scooped up flat and then arranged around a cone like a rose. My friend had never seen this before so we ordered one to try, in strawberry and passion fruit flavours (HK$66 two flavours).

He was very impressed. I had tried it last year in Paris thought not as artfully arranged as this one. The two fruit flavours were delicious and not too sweet. While the amount of gelato isn't the same as other ice creams you'd get in places like Haagen-Daz, at least it's pretty looking!

Hip Osteria in Vancouver

The restaurant encourages diners to eat family style

A good friend of mine who likes trying new restaurants went to Savio Volpe over a month ago and immediately decided to book a table for when I was back in town for me to try it.

The high ceiling and chic interior make this place hip

Located on Kingsway near Fraser, the area used to be pretty much a dead zone because it's a hard place to park and there weren't any particular stores to gives the neighbourhood some exposure, except for maybe buying Bibles?

But in recent years a Mexican restaurant called Los Cuervos Taqueria Y Cantina opened up on the same block, drawing in business with its tacos and margaritas.

Black kale salad topped with pecorino and crisp bread

And now with Savio Volpe, a new osteria that has a total hipster feel, the neighbourhood should gain momentum in becoming a new cool place to see and be seen.

Reservations are a must and we were lucky we made a booking so long ago that we got one of the best seats in the house -- a little nook area by the bar. We liked the high ceilings and the bar also had a guy slicing proscuitto and cheese, while at the back was the kitchen complete with a wood-fired grill.

The friendly waitress suggested the two of us order about four items on the menu and we obliged.

We started with a black kale salad with lemon pepper dressing, pecorino and crisp bread. The kale was chopped into bite-sized pieces and a refreshing, rustic taste. We also ordered clams, but their delicate taste was overpowered by the bits of ham they were cooked with.

Roast suckling pig, topped with fried egg and crackling

Nevertheless we must have gotten the last order of the roast suckling pig -- our waitress immediately put in the order for us -- and it was definitely a winner. The pork was so tender and juicy, topped with a fried egg and crackling that was absolutely crunchy delicious.

This main was accompanied with a side of polenta and gorgonzola that was perfect, and filling too, with its creamy, rich texture. And to wash down the meal we each ordered a 10oz glass of craft brews from local breweries in Vancouver.

For dessert, the gelato was hardly a light affair -- made by local chocolate and pastry shop Beta5, the flavours were bay leaf, lime topped with pomegranate, and chocolate hazelnut. The last one was our favourite -- chocolatey and crunchy make a perfect sweet finish.

Trio of gelato (top) Lime, chocolate and hazelnut, bay leaf

Savio Volpe

615 Kingsway

Vancouver

Tel: 604 428 0072

saviovolpe.com

Cruising Along the Seine

On the boat cruise along the Seine River around Paris

Last night we finished dinner around 8.30pm and had a fun dessert -- gelato scoops fashioned into rose petals on a cone! I had to eat mine quickly because it was melting so fast!

Looking back at the Musee d'Orsay at sunset

Then my cousin suggested we take a river cruise along the Seine River that starts at the Eiffel Tower. The two of us made it there just in time to catch the 10pm sailing for 14 euros.

The sun was starting to set at that time so it was wonderful to see the sky change colour, creating a dramatic backdrop for the Paris landmarks. However it was hard to take pictures from where we were sitting as we were the last few to board the boat.

Notre Dame against the backdrop of the sky changing colours

Nevertheless, the one-hour cruise had recordings in English, French and Spanish, that pointed out the various sites from the water -- Musee d'Orsay, Legion of d'Honneur, Notre Dame, and the various bridges we went under.

Along the way we saw people hanging out by the Seine, either as couples or a group, drinking and dancing. How lively even for a Sunday evening!

By the time we returned back to the Eiffel Tower it was almost 11pm, when the tower would light up in a glittering display -- lights flashing on and off frenetically for five minutes.

It was a good show and us and lots of other people went back to the metro station to go home and have a 6.30am wake up call!

The Eiffel Tower in a glittering sight

Delicious Treats in Florence

Putting the pizzas together before going intp the wood-fired oven in Yellow Bar

Yesterday early morning we were woken up by loud rumbling of thunder and heavy rain. This did not bode well for our trip to Florence, but we bundled up, and armed with umbrellas we took the train from Montecatini Centro to Florence, which took about 50 minutes.

Inside the oven there are pizzas baking on the left

I'll write another post about Florence itself, but we were basically walking in the rain for most of the day which made it hard to take photos and hold our umbrellas at the same time.

By lunchtime our guide felt bad that the day hadn't turned out so well and suggested taking us to a little restaurant she usually goes to that makes fresh pizzas and pasta.

It's called Yellow Bar and it's homey inside, with wooden tables and chairs, an arch brick ceiling and in the back has a wood-burning oven.

Upon our guide's suggestion we ordered the ravioli a la pomodoro, which came out as large relatively flat ravioli, not completely stuffed with ricotta and spinach, and then smothered in a tomato sauce. The ratio of the filling and pasta was perfect -- and of course the tomato sauce very fresh.

A yellow-ish picture of our proscuitto cotto pizza. Yum!

We also had the proscuitto cotto pizza -- fantastic with the thin crust pizza and mozzarella cheese. The pizza was light and crunchy. And paired with a mixed salad was a nice and relatively light lunch.

By now the rain had stopped and sun was breaking which was encouraging.

While waiting for the washrooms in the back we watched the man making the pizzas, throwing the thin dough in the air, then covering them with tomato sauce, adding tiny bits of cheese, then other toppings, a good dash of olive oil and then using a giant spatula to put them into the oven.

About two minutes later the pizzas were basically done -- amazing.

We did a bit more sightseeing at Santa Croce and then it was gelato time. Again our guide introduced us to the best gelato place in Florence called Vivoli which was nearby.

Every spoonful savoured of fig and lemon gelato at Vivoli

And remember the ice cream with bits of ham in it that I tried in Greve the day before? The gelato was also from Vivoli.

But here's it's just the straight flavours, nothing too crazy. I had the same flavours as I did in San Gimignano -- fig and lemon -- and found Vivoli's far better.

The fig flavour was more intense, as well as the lemon for a more satisfying (and memorable) taste!

Yellow Bar

Via del Proconsolo, 39

50122, Florence
+39 055 211766

yellowbar.it

Vivoli

Via Dell'Isola delle Stinche, 7r

50122, Florence
+39 055 292334

vivoli.it

Tuscan Trails: Siena and San Gimignano

A photograph of one of the previous Il Palio in Siena

Our first full day in Tuscany began with a tour of Siena, a beautiful medieval town best known for the Il Palio, or the traditional horse race.

At the centre of Campo Square, which isn't really square but like a nine-section shell that fans out, and isn't flat either; people in the middle are on much lower ground than those on the edge.

Il Palio happens every July 2 and August 16. While the town has about 52,000 people, it is divided into 17 districts, or contradas. These contradas have their own flags and around the time of Il Palio, there are fierce rivalries between the districts.

Siena's Campo Square that is actually fan-shaped

People are born into the contrada -- you cannot buy property and instantly become a member. And each contrada is represented by a flag that features a different animal.

Each contrada wants their horse to win but there is only enough room for 10 horses in the race and so there is a lottery. Up until the race, hijinks can happen from kidnapping the jockey to even trying to steal the horse, or make it drink lots of water just before so it will be too heavy to run fast.

In the race, the jockeys ride bareback, but it's the horse that wins, not the rider, as he may fall off during the race, where the horses must run three times around the square. The winner receives a banner that is either painted or embroidered and of course bragging rights for the year.

The actual race only takes about 80 seconds, but there is lots of ceremony beforehand with the parade of flags of the contradas that dates back to the 13th century, and 30,000 spectators either standing in the middle of the square, or around the edge. Apparently tickets are already sold out for next year...

The Byzantine columns in the Siena Cathedral

Another famous aspect of Siena is St Catherine, whose skull and thumb are kept at Basilica of San Domenico, a cathedral built in the 12th century. She went to this church after she was born in 1347.

Catherine was a mystic, philosopher and theologian who had visions of Christ from a young age which inspired her to dedicate her life to God, but at the same time she was literate, which was very rare for women then.

There is a long story about why the then pope, Gregory XI was in Avignon, France, but she is best known for going there and persuading him to come back to Rome.

She died at the age of 33, somehow not being able to eat or drink, which resulted in a stroke and losing the use of her legs.

Since 1866 she was declared one of two patron saints of Italy, the other being St Francis of Assisi. In 1999 Pope John Paul II made her one of six patron saints of Europe, an event commemorated in Basilica di San Domenico.

After her death she was split up in parts, with her head and thumb remaining in Siena, and other parts in the Vatian and other places... kind of gruesome, but what can you do when everyone wants a piece of you?

Looking at the ornate ceiling in the cathedral's library

Siena is also known for having the oldest working bank in the world called Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

Another gorgeous place to visit here is Siena Cathedral. It took 150 years to build between 1215 to 1370, so the building has mixed architectural styles. It's already striking from the outside with the black and white marble from the Romanesque period, but inside is even more ornate.

You don't know where to look because there's 56 beautiful marble pictures on the floors, more black and white columns and arches inside inspired by the Byzantine period, and alcoves for religious figures. There's one for John the Baptist, with a bronze statue of him by Donatello.

The "twin towers" ahead in San Gimignano

Next door is a library housing large illuminated books that were hand copied and painted and the entire room is covered in fantastically detailed designs and religious images. But beware the angry female security guard who kept telling people "no flash!" and jabbed her finger at the sign. Don't mess with her!

Despite having built this cathedral, Siena wanted to build another one, but only the facade remains. Bubonic plague caused half the population to die off, and also the ground was sinking where they began construction right next to Siena Cathedral. Running out of money was perhaps the main reason the project died.

One more reason to visit Siena? It's considered the best city to live in in Italy for the past three years in a row.

A short drive from Siena is San Gimignano, another medieval town know for its towers. It originally had 72 towers that feature Gothic and Romanesque styles. The towers weren't just used as lookouts, but also for drying out textiles.

There's what's called the "twin towers", with one tower built by a wealthy family that is only slightly lower than the town tower. Apparently a few years ago a Japanese man offered the mayor of San Gimignano a blank cheque to buy the twin towers, but he politely said the were not for sale...

We climbed up to the top of one of the fortresses to have a great overall view of the area before going back down to the city square to sample what is considered the best gelato place in the world.

A bored beagle near the gelato shop

It's called Gelateria Dondoli which has been awarded this recognition in 2006-2007, and 2008-2009. There's a massive line in front, but it moves once people emerge happy with cones or cups filled with gelato.

There are many flavours to choose from, like tiramisu, Illy espresso coffee, caramel, sour cherry, saffron cream and nutella. I chose lemon and fig which was a delicious and light combination that wasn't sweet. We got a large waffle cone for 3 euros and a small spoon. Due to the heat we couldn't savour our gelato and had to eat it relatively quickly. While it was good, it wasn't amazing, but fun to try.