The Tao of Food

The Tao of food

It's no secret that the Chinese have always cherished exquisitely prepared, thoughtfully presented and delicious food. In China business has long been conducted over banquet tables and every Chinese friend will tell foreigners that no meeting or social gathering is considered complete without a good meal.

A spicy hidden gem with lyrics

Hidden away on a narrow, steep street in a non-descript commercial building in Central is a long-time tenant that serves spicy Sichuan cuisine. Sichuan Da Ping Huo is a private kitchen that is well-known to many in Hong Kong as the restaurant where the meal ends with a song from the chef.

Coffee culture: a symbol of middle-class lifestyle

Before I ever made my way to the Middle Kingdom, just hearing the name China would conjure up powerful pictures in my mind.

One-of-a kind dining in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's chefs are a versatile bunch who can move with ease between different culinary traditions, bringing together not only old and new, Chinese and Western, but haute and humble, coffee and tea.

Pies that rise to the occasion

A piece of warm crusty pie on a chilly winter's day is ultimate comfort food, and for Hong Kong residents, the options are pretty wide when it comes to a nice slice.

Economy of scale

The Shanghainese have long been known as shrewd bargain hunters. And now, they've married this skill with the latest online innovation from the United States - group purchase - or what is popularly known as tuangou in Chinese.

Inertia can be delicious

The "ancient city" of Pingle, as it is often called, is 90 km west of downtown Chengdu, Sichuan province, but does not appear to be that ancient if you're inside the funky Music Memories bar, in the city square, on the southern bank of the Baimo River.

'Tis time for dumplings

The dough is almost always made from wheat flour, which most families buy by the bag.The dough is easily done and all you need is enough elbow grease to make it smooth and pliable.

Michelin-rated dim sum for the hols

When guests arrive from abroad, Cantonese dim sum is almost always on their lists of things to do in Hong Kong.

Food like grandma used to make

With lines of local customers waiting out of The Grandma's at 3 pm on a Monday afternoon for dinner, you can't dispute the fact that family-style dining is the latest trend in Shanghai.

Agua ready to charm yet again

For many, the reopening of Agua Spanish Restaurant has been long-awaited. The restaurant was launched at Ch'ien Men 23 and enjoyed a good reputation, with several Beijing publications citing it as their pick for best restaurant.