Top Foods We Ate In Hong Kong...

 

From the unapologetic speed and chaos of cha chaan tengs to the quiet magic of street-side bites, every dish carried its own kind of nostalgia. Comforting bowls of congee, silky rice noodles, crispy oil-slicked skin roasted goose, "seen teem" seafood sweet crabs, warm and crispy egg waffles and desserts that balance sweetness with just the right touch of restraint- just a short list round up of our best 🇭🇰😋🥢

What stayed with me most wasn’t just the flavours that are inexplicably HK, but the feeling. The rhythm of the city, the efficiency, the simplicity done exceptionally well. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t try too hard, yet lingers long after the last bite. 

So sit back and feast your eyes on our Triple Dragon Squad Operation Top HK foods compilation 🐲🐲🐲:

Top Mention Worthy- nothing says Hong Kong quite like a breakfast inspired by famous must-go cha chaan teng- Australia Dairy Company on Jordan in Yau Ma Tei. 

Daily peak morning queues are real!

It’s the kind of place where efficiency is everything, service is… minimal, and yet somehow, the food speaks louder than anything else. Silky scrambled eggs folded gently served over soft crustless white bread 🍳🍞, a humble bowl of macaroni soup topped with delicate slivers of ham 🥣, golden French toast with crisp edges and a centre melty square of butter 🍞 and that iconic milk tea, smooth, creamy, with just the right tannic finish ☕. So simple, but so magical 💫

Cramped booth seating for 3- faces a wall which screams just eat and go!

This past week, one school morning, I brought a little piece of that breakfast nostalgia for my boys… and watching them dig into those soft eggs and warm bowls of macaroni reminded me why these dishes endure. They’re simple, comforting, and quietly perfect. And that’s what makes it timeless.

 

And still, one of their favourite HK meal experience isn't listed here. It's not Chinese but it stayed. Recreated it homestyle last night with double thumbs up!! Stay tuned for next post 💥

A Kitchen Party Wrap Up At Newcomer Kitchen...

 

It has been a rollercoaster of emotions the last few weeks. Newcomer Kitchen did not get renewed IRCC government funding to continue program operations and our last day is the end of this month. In the midst, we were in full throttle organizing a Kitchen Party event that was part reunion for our alumni (inviting past students all the way since inception 2016) and a big heart thank you to our loyal customers and community partners over the years. 

In addition, we also launched THE GREAT CANADIAN COOKIE EXCHANGE which both promotes the spirit, generosity, variety and flavours of our Canadian communities.

Top left clockwise: With Cheryl Appleton, founder Canadian Women In Food, mother and daugter duo students and friends (the love here is real!), sisters and students, and Lola, one of the first graduates who runs a very successful Nigerian catering business Flawless Cuisine.

To top it all off, we had two graduations for the women completing the winter food business 'Willing To Work' programs and were ensuring we carved time to properly celebrate by handing their certificates, discussing their payouts and taking photos. 

Program Trainer Mary Freij and Hope Flavour

Program Trainer Rachel Adjei and Queens Cravings

At the Party we had:

Great food made by the talented graduating women in our entrepreneurship program...

Topping Rice Biryani Arancini Balls- A Hit!

Samples from our emerging entrepreneurs in our XP food incubator program...

XP Program Women Who've Started Their Own Businesses

Our #GreatCanadianCookieExchange concept- Bring a dozen cookies, take a dozen cookies!

And ended the night with a gorgeous and delicious slab Ukrainian honey cake (part grad, part party) prepared by my past lovely and talented Ukrainian student Liza.

It has been an incredible journey for me over the 3-1/2 years- I have been so honoured to work with such AmaZing and Inspirational women both in the organization and those I've trained in the programs and community partners I met along the way. It has been life-changing by broadening my perspectives and understandings around culture, food and different ways of doing things. I am forever grateful for each and every one who has crossed my path. Your impact will always remain. In the meantime, Newcomer Kitchen is looking forward to build relationships with potential funders and partners, and taking a big break to rejuvenate and reset. If I get the chance to come back, my arms and heart will be wide open once more. So long... for now.

Until then, looking forward and beyond... 

Adventures abound in my travels with my beloved brother to Asia ✈ and ExCited 

for my Chinese community project launch when I return 🤗... Yay! Stay Tuned.

Farmer's Market Success With Newcomer Kitchen...

 

👋 Summer winds down and I'm back on social... AND a pop up return at Evergreen Brick Works this past Saturday with a new cohort of ladies s&nnn's - from Indian, Afghanistan and India with Newcomer Kitchen🌷. 

We nearly Sold Out their delicious sweets served from cookie jars and mixed in a tasting box 🍪! 

So aromatic and delicious offered with their countries' teas that were on brew 🍵! 

This beautiful capture is of our evening program's group of ladies from Syria, Mexico and India who Sold Out their trio of yummy dips the previous weekend at the market. Congrats To All 💐!

Setting up. Market opens. Customers start coming by. I felt the ladies nerves. But once we had a few interactions and sales, the ladies relaxed and got into a confident groove. How extraordinary it is to witness 🥰. 

As Cara, our fierce and lovely Executive Director says "Watching such special women burst into smiles 

Also knowing how scared they are inside 

To do their best, that "positive stress"

And their transformative experiences no matter how small they seem at the time

Are why we do what we do ..." 

Yes, Beautiful and Powerful... ❤ 

Newcomer Kitchen is a Not-For-Profit social enterprise established in 2016. Our mission is to provide social and economic opportunity for newcomer women interested in starting their own food businesses. Women are offered authentic work experiences and are the recipients of the revenues earned from the events.

A look back on a few behind the cookie production scenes 🤗

Final touches of crushed toasted pistachios on crackle cookies.

Look at the rows ands rows of delicious sweet and savoury toasted cumin shortbread cookies 😋!

Freshly baked Afghan cookies that are big and eats like a bread.

Follow me on Instagram @susanssavourit