Steffi Eats Around HK: Coffee Over Lights
Part 2 of 3 of the HK 2015 Special (A follow up to 08.19.2015: Firsts)
We initially planned to take a bus to go to the Avenue of the Stars along Victoria Harbour; but since the public bus stops successfully evaded our line of sight, we decided to simply walk going there from the museum. We didn’t really know how far our destination was, all we knew was that the harbour was in sight; and that was enough for us to trudge on.
VICTORIA HARBOUR
Our first step on the pavement of the Victoria Harbour was bittersweet. We knew for certain that we were in the right area; but judging from where the crowd was gathering, we discovered that we were on the exact opposite end.
Sure, we had to walk for a number of kilometers; however, the interesting contrast brought about by the towering cosmopolitan buildings sandwiched between raw nature proved to be an interesting and refreshing background.
AVENUE OF THE STARS
If you tire of this scenic view, entertainment springs from the pavement area itself. Placing an eastern touch to the famed Hollywood Walk of Fame; the classic 5 pointed stars of Hollywood celebrities have handprints of local celebrities as counterparts in the Avenue of the Stars. The stroll would have been more memorable if I actually knew the celebrities featured along the boardwalk; but seeing fellow strolling visitors giddily place their hands on the handprints assure me that these individuals were noteworthy in their own right. The truly noteworthy ones though, get an erected statue of themselves on the avenue.
CLOCK TOWER
Another spot where tourists gather to take photo op’s would be that of the towering Clock Tower. Taking a photograph of it proves to be quite the struggle as you have to battle and nudge it out with other tourists wanting to get that artsy shot, or the perfect selfie; alongside the difficult lighting setting provided by dusk.
UNAR COFFEE
The schedule of the A Symphony of Lights show runs every 7:45pm and 9:00pm. Since we had a couple of hours to kill, we decided to go around their ferry terminal. HK’s ferry terminal in Central would have to be one of the most unattractive and unkempt areas I’ve seen in Hong Kong due to its dark, damp, and cluttered environment. That’s whyUnar Coffee was such a pleasant surprise inside the station.
UNAR COFFEE’S ICED CUCUMBER CAFFE LATTE and TAI CHEONG BAKERY’S EGG TARTS
The shop’s elements scream hipster, from its interiors, down to its attempt in wordplay. I decided to order the most hipster item I can find in its menu, and I wound up sipping through its Iced Cucumber Caffe Latte (HKD 45). Your taste buds would definitely be in for a surprise due to this refreshingly eclectic mix. It sure was the perfect drink to unwind to after our long afternoon stroll.
An interesting contrast is presented by Unar Coffee’s next door neighbour stall, Tai Cheong. This conventionally oriental stall of black and red hues serves up local pastries. Its egg tarts caught our attention; but failed to meet my expectations. The crust was bland and messily flaky. Personally, I prefer the sweet custard filling; in contrast, its filling was on the saltier side (similar to those served in Singapore’s Chinatown).
VICTORIA HARBOUR (GATEWAY SIDE)
Since we still had some time to kill before the show, we decided to go to the Harbour/Gateway malls, to look at the star cruise ships, and do a little of window shopping. The highlight of this rest stop though would be basking in this breathtaking view of Victoria Harbour at dusk.
A SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS
Finally, it was time for the A Symphony of Lights show, made possible through a collaborative network of both private and public organizations. As a row of buildings each displayed its own set of pompous lights, I was psyched to see a spectacular show. Sadly, after catching just ten minutes of the show, we already grew tired of its mediocre and repetitive display (the Ayala Triangle Lights Show had more oomph than this!) so we just decided to make our way back home.
08.20.2015: BREAKFAST AT YEE SHUN
YEE SHUN’S MILK PUDDING
Since we intended to part ways for today (the guys went to HK Disneyland, while I did some exploring of my own), we decided to grab a hearty breakfast together. Nick recommended Yee Shun to try its famed Milk Pudding.
YEE SHUN’s BREAKFAST SETS (HKD 33)
We again struggled through a non-English menu; fortunately, some Mandarin words were familiar. We each ordered a breakfast set which featured a noodle soup dish, toast, eggs, sausage or luncheon meat, and a cup of coffee or milk tea. I didn’t enjoy my set because the coffee was bland; and I was given a milky noodle soup (similar to sopas) to pair with my sandwich. I’m not a fan of sopas, so that explains my lack of enthusiasm towards this set. All in all though, it was a cheap filling meal that gave us the energy to kickstart our busy day ahead.
