Entertainment

A gourmet trip to HK

Danee Samonte - The Philippine Star

June 13, 2011 | 12:00am

Manila, Philippines - As I got comfortable on my seat at The Chinese Restaurant (yes, it’s the name of the restaurant) located at the lower lobby of the new Hyatt Regency Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, a small plate of barbecued pork or char siu appeared at the table. It looked like ordinary char siu but as the pork morsel landed on my tongue, a burst of flavors exploded and it was sooooo tender it almost melted in my mouth. I quietly exclaimed “Oh My God!”

This is the best char siu I’ve ever tasted in my life. It was so good I barely noticed I almost cleaned the plate. This was just the appetizer. Next to arrive was cubed mini tofu in a plain bowl. Tofu on its own is almost tasteless but this unassuming preparation set the bar for flavor and delectability.

Then, it was an almost clear soup with tiny bits of scallops, crab and chicken served in a hollowed Hawaiian mini papaya. The sweetness of the papaya contrasted the flavor of the soup. My hosts Chris So (Hyatt’s public relations officer) and Karen Ching (marketing communications manager) informed me that we have just started sampling some of the restaurant’s signature dishes. More came: Dim sum, delicate steamed fish cooked in tomatoes, scallions and bok choy, etc. By the time we finished, I think I’ve gained five pounds. For the next hour, we toured the new Hyatt and I was in awe.

Flashback to 1972: I still remember my first visit to the Crown Colony (presently known as Hong Kong, China). The Philippine peso was twice the value of the Hong Kong dollar (HK$2 to P1) and the logical and practical place to stay was the Hyatt Hotel Kowloon because it was right smack in the middle of the premier shopping district Tsim Sha Tsui. That early, the service at the Hyatt was already five-star quality and accommodation was very comfortable. Ever since that trip, I have always endeavored to stay at the Hyatt Regency Kowloon or Hyatt TST (Tsim Sha Tsui).

That’s me with Chris So (left) and Karen Ching, Hyatt Hong Kong’s PR officer and marketing communication manager.

Most memorable of my stays was in the ’90s when I would accompany my good friend Edward Tan (former owner of Channel 5) almost every month and booked rooms at the Regency club floor and stay at the Regency club lounge all day to conduct business meetings, do fittings with the tailor, have socials with friends or chill and sip a good cup of Java. When we got hungry, we would ask Silas (one of the long-time personnel at the Regency club, now an assistant manager at Galaxy hotel in Macau) to order some Prime Rib at Hugo’s, one of the best fine dining restaurants in Hong Kong that has long deserved some Michelin stars. My frequent visits at Hyatt TST earned me a Hyatt Platinum Passport card fast and it made me enjoy free stays at any Hyatt property worldwide.

When Hyatt TST closed on New Year’s day in 2006, I felt sad because not only did I lose my home in Hong Kong, I also lost my favorite hangout, jeweler, pharmacist and tailor. All these establishments were either at the ground floor or basement of Hyatt TST.

Last year, my good friends at Hyatt Hotel & Casino Manila, Joy de Mesa and Loni Balagtas, informed me that Hyatt TST was back and opened quietly on Oct. 2 2009. I got excited and looked for it in one of my trips to Hong Kong. I thought I’d find it at the old location on Nathan Road but didn’t. In its place was a sprawling multi story mall called I Square that housed my favorite records/dvd shop HMV, jewelry stores and an assortment of restaurants. After asking around, they pointed me to Mody Road where the side entrance of Holiday Inn Golden mile was located. A few steps down was a humongous mixed mall/apartment/hotel complex called K-11 that housed the 64-floor Masterpiece apartments (the 11th tallest building in Hong Kong) and the new Hyatt Regency Hotel TST. K-11 is a six-storey mall with a nice assortment of restaurants including a supermarket and a sprinkling of apparel, jewelry, mid-level designer shops and some wonderful art like a giant Mona Lisa made from 6,000 pieces of toasted bread. Because I was flying back to Manila that day, I promised to stay at Hyatt TST on my next visit.

Hyatt’s signature Char Siu ,Yummy soup in Hawaii and Tofu

That happened last June 7. Bereft of any signage, we had to navigate around the block to look for the entrance which was located on Hanoi Street. The actual lobby was on the fourth level which was accessible via elevator from the entrance. The lobby was small compared to the old Hyatt TST but the decor was warm and tasteful. Located at the lobby too was the coffee shop that looked very conducive for dining and a scaled-down version of Hugos, the signature fine dining restaurant of most Hyatt hotels worldwide. The Chinese Restaurant I earlier raved about is located a level below and accessible through the mall.

The greatest asset of the new Hyatt TST is still the location. There’s an MTR station at the basement, the hotel is within a mall complex and just a few steps away from endless shopping, restaurants and other business establishments. The rooms and suites have very comfortable beds and almost every creature comfort you could ask for including in-room espresso coffee machines. I’d like to point out too that every room has an unobstructed view of either the Hong Kong skyline or Victoria harbor. For health buffs, there’s a fully loaded gym equipped with the latest high-tech equipment on the 10th floor and a decent size swimming pool and jacuzzi amidst a tropical setting on the eighth floor.

Unfortunately, I only had one day to spend at the Hyatt Regency in Kowloon as I had to travel to Macau for a business meeting. As I bid adieu to my room (uncannily my room number 2211 was my birthday), I vowed to return soon and try the other Cantonese delicacies I wasn’t able to savor at The Chinese Restaurant.