Ramen Kureha

Ramen Kureha (拉麵來)
Shop B, G/F
20-22 Wun Sha Street
Tai Hang, Hong Kong.
Tugged away inside a small street in the sleepy part of HK Island,
Ramen Kureha sports such a cartoonish facade that it looks like
it was lifted out of the midpages of a Japanese manga. The interior,
adorned with corny toy miniatures, effused the touch of a charismatic,
jovial spirit. The order was the house special, "Soulful" (魂の一杯),
which was basically a chashu ramen with a seriously thick soup base. The
chashu was a disappointment as it came out dry and without any
discernible taste. The soup base was so thick it could double as a
nice gravy for rice or spaghetti. The noodles, the only redeemer of
the lot, came out al dente as ordered and got some lovely, tangy bite.
At 98 HKD, it wasn't the most expensive in this expensive town but
didn't prevail as a bargain.

Shing Kee Noodles

Shing Kee Noodles
Shop 5, Lek Yuen Estate Market, Sha Tin
Hong Kong

I was made aware of this restaurant after watching a video about it on
Youtube (in Cantonese):

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I14CCjXVgDM?wmode=transparent] (part 1)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ndf64GFjcI?wmode=transparent] (part 2)

I encourage anyone who understands Cantonese to spend the time to
watch it. In short, and despite its slight tendency to proselytize, it
is basically an honest love letter to a family-owned eatery in Hong
Kong. Shing Kee has deep roots in the community, but despite its loyal
following, it is struggling to survive because of soaring costs and
threats of rezoning. The struggle seems to ease out a little (between
the time of the video's filming and my visit), thanks not only in no
small part to recent press coverage but also to the love and care
given to it by its owners and its rabidly loyal customers.

Food was great, but you have to be there to experience it. I implore you to go.

Rating: 1 star to the restaurant for its character and style.

The Vietnam Woods

The Vietnam Woods
Shop 1, York Place
22 Johnson Road, Wan Chai
Hong Kong

Shrimp roll, and beef noodles in tomato broth. This tomato version was
quite savory, and the rice noodles nicely soaked up the flavors of the
soup base, which included plenty of herbs and seemingly Italian(!)
spices. The acidity of the tomatoes also balanced out the fat from the
beef brisket -- the meat of choice here. The brisket was tender but
retained plenty of yummy juices. The casual but comfortable ambiance
provides a good hideout in this busy part of town.