Author: Nicole Obligacion

Where to Eat in Hong Kong (Part 1)

Going around Hong Kong was a fun experience for me since I got to taste different flavors in a number of cities. Here are some of the restaurants and stores we visited during our stay.

TSIM CHAI KEE

98 Wellington St., Central

Tsim Chai Kee has been earning Michelin stars since 2010 and is still one of the most sought restaurants in Hong Kong. Without a doubt, it has one of the best wontons in the country! I still remember how the flavors exploded in my mouth after eating the plump and savory wontons in their noodle soup. We ordered the King Prawn Wonton Noodle (HKD 29 / PHP 188). However, unfortunately, the broth was bitter for me. Imagine overcooking onion leeks or chives in the broth and tasting its bitterness with every slurp. Nonetheless, the delicious wontons made the experience unforgettable! If ever you’ll visit this restaurant, you’ll probably share your table with strangers since the place only has around 8 tables inside and is very much visited by locals and tourists.

Tsim Chai Kee is situated right across one of its competitors, Mak’s Noodles. Although, we weren’t able to try the latter one because it opened at a later time (11 am). Based on other reviews, Tsim Chai Kee has bigger wontons compared to Mak’s. Next time, I’ll make sure to drop by!

 

GUANGDONG ROAST RESTAURANT

37 Dundas St., Mong Kok

This was located a few streets away from the Airbnb apartment we stayed at. The staff couldn’t speak English that much, but with the help of a few hand signals and their menu card, we were able to order a bowl of Wonton Noodle Soup (HKD 35 / PHP 227) and a plate of Roasted Duck with rice (HKD 57 / PHP 370). Both dishes were delicious! I liked the broth of this wonton noodle soup more than Tsim Chai Kee’s and their wontons were also very delicious. I liked how they did not skimp on the shrimps. There was a whole, freshly cooked shrimp in each steamed wonton. Aaaahhh! I love Chinese food! The service was also quick. We had our dishes in less than 5 minutes.

 

EMACK & BOLIO’S

26 Cochrane St., Central

My friend had a discount voucher for this ice cream shop, so while it was drizzling, we stopped over and got ourselves a cold and creamy treat! Of course, I got the usual flavor (Cookies & Cream), but I paired it with a waffle cone which was covered with chocolate and crushed Oreos. They have other crazier options for their waffle cones, but because it was too much for me, I chose the Oreo Overload.

 

TAI CHEONG BAKERY

35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central

One of the go-to stores in Hong Kong is Tai Cheong Bakery. Their freshly baked egg tarts are delicious! I am not a fan of tarts, but I enjoyed eating this one! The egg flavor was just right and the tart’s crust was savory. It also had the right amount of salt and sugar. The light filling can be likened to gelatin. I really wanted to bring some home to the Philippines, but I wasn’t sure if they would last the trip. Now, I regret not being able to buy more of the egg tarts.

 

TAI HING

Shop G25, G/F, Grand Tower, 639 Nathan Road, Mong Kok

For my late dinner / early midnight meal, I passed by Tai Hing because I was thinking about Hong Kong’s crispy roasted pork. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to clarify that I wanted the single serving, so I ended up buying the whole serving of crispy pork which was good for 2-3 persons. I ate it with a cup of white rice and their mustard sauce. I wasn’t a fan of their mustard sauce though. But, I liked how they served the good parts of the pork. There was more meat than the fatty part. Plus, the thick skin was delightfully crispy! I would have liked it more if the skin was saltier. But maybe it was because I was just used to eating salty lechon skin in the Philippines. I heard good reviews of this restaurant. Hopefully, I can go back and give their other dishes a try!

Click HERE for more restaurants and food stores we visited in Hong Kong.

It’s Not About Competition

Ping Pong games always remind me of childhood memories with my dad and siblings. More than fifteen years ago, our dad bought a net, a huge piece of plywood, Ping Pong rackets, and Ping Pong balls for the house. Even though it wasn’t the real Ping Pong table, we were still able to learn the sport thanks to Dad’s patience and skills.

Playing Ping Pong is similar to riding a bike. You still remember how to do it even after years of not playing the sport. So, although it has been a while since I last played, I said yes to the challenge of joining the tournament in our office this year.

By God’s grace, He allowed my Ping Pong partner and I to win two games and advance to the semi-finals! Honestly, this was something that I did not expect because the other participants are really good. Plus, most of them usually spend their lunch breaks playing in the office way before HR announced the tournament. During our first two games, I didn’t pressure myself to win. I did, however, practice as much as I could and have fun in the process. But, now that we’ll be competing again, I can feel the pressure!

While my partner and I were practicing against other opponents earlier today, I didn’t do very well. Almost every missed turn or mediocre service that I did, my partner corrected me. Haha! At first, I thought, “Boy, is he competitive!” But, what struck me about his comments was this statement: “Palu-in mo nang malakas para hindi ko na ibabalik sa kanila.” To my foreigner friends, he simply emphasized the need for me to hit a hard and fast ball so that our opponents wouldn’t be able to return it to our side.

It took a while before it sank in me. After practicing and playing during the first two games, I realized that I was just playing it safe. I didn’t risk by hitting the ball as hard as I could. My only goal was to bring it to the other side. But, what my partner said was exactly what I needed to hear. As a team, we need to help each other out and make things easier for each other. Oftentimes, I would return a high ball and our opponent would easily smash it towards our side, making it hard for my partner to return the ball.

Just before I went home today, I had a quick chat with another participant who was staying at the pantry. I joked about how intense the competition was especially for me since I was feeling the pressure from my competitive partner. But, once again, I was humbled by the response of another colleague. She said that my partner’s competitive spirit and comments during our practices are helpful in developing skills. She pointed out that I improved in returning long and low throws compared to how I played a year ago.

She also said that since every hit was 50/50 for me, why not hit it hard, especially if I receive high throws? She gently rebuked me and said that I needed to let go of pressure or hesitation and just practice hitting hard as I aim. She also ended by saying: “Even though I hit the ball hard and it goes outside, I still continue practicing hitting hard the next time. We don’t always get them inside the court, but this is how we’ll grow.”

Wow. All I could say was “Wow!”. As I drove home, it hit me. It isn’t about competition, it’s about constant growth.
It doesnt matter who’s ahead or who’s number one. What matters is that I’m maximizing what I have now in order for me to keep on growing and learning.

In less than two days, we’ll be competiting again. But, this time, I’ll be having a new perspective in my mind and heart. No matter what happens, I will still be very grateful, not only because of the victories we’ve experienced, by God’s grace. But also, because of my colleagues who selflessly coach and help me to grow.

The Lost Boy at Mercury Drugstore

I passed by Mercury drugstore last night to buy some medicine again and I saw the same cashier lady from last week. As soon as I walked over, she gave me a second look and smiled. I then softly laughed and said: “No one’s lost, so far?”. She smiled and replied, “No one.”

Exactly a week ago, we encountered a lost boy inside the same Mercury drugstore.

On my way home last Friday night, I was only supposed to buy things from a hypermarket nearby. But somehow, I felt a strong nudge in my heart to drop by Mercury drugstore (a few blocks away) to buy medicine before driving to the hypermarket. As soon as I paid for the medicine at the cashier, I noticed a young boy (around 9 years old) who was crying. I overheard the cashier lady and the guard at the store talking to him and saying words like “España” and “Dapitan”. In an instant, I realized that the boy was lost!

I offered to help him find and contact his parents through Facebook because he didn’t know his phone number at home nor his specific address. For the next 20 minutes, we did our best to search and wait for the replies of his mom and aunt. But, we didn’t receive any. So, our plan B was to check if he left any contact information when he visitied one of the playstores in the area. The guard at the Mercury drugstore asked the other guard to accompany the kid back to the store. It was already around 8:30 pm.

After five minutes, I received a notification in my phone showing that the mom already accepted my message request! Yes! Immediately, I called her and she picked it up. To my surprise, in the video call, I saw her with the lost boy! They were reunited!! I traced my way towards where they were and said my goodbyes.

I also asked the mom to help the kid memorize their numbers and address so, if ever it happens again, he’ll know the way home. The mom kept on thanking me for helping his kid contact me and I knew that it was all by God’s grace. No wonder I felt the nudge to drop by Mercury drugstore blocks away first, even though there was a Watsons drugstore inside the hypermarket. No wonder I felt a strong urge to charge my phone in the car on the way home from work. I don’t usually do this, but I remember having a quick thought saying “Charge your phone now. You’ll need more battery tonight.”

Sometimes, God uses unusual and spontaneous ways to speak to us. But, if there was something that I won’t forget throughout the experience, it was learning to obey without delaying. I was in the Mercury drugstore at the exact moment that the kid was crying. I had battery and data that night which gave the kid comfort as we waited and tried to contact his mom. In the end, I was also able to talk to the mom about God’s goodness in what happened. All by God’s grace. What if, despite the nudge in my heart, I decided not to drop by Mercury drugstore that night? Then, I would have missed out on this special moment where I witnessed God’s goodness in the lives of the mother and son.

When I got home and until the next morning, the mom and I exchanged messages online to share what we experienced and to thank God together. The lost boy at the drugstore was found! I still remember feeling the joy when I saw them together! Even the cashier lady and the guard rejoiced with me that night!

I can’t help but remember how it is also the same in our walk with the Lord. We all are lost in our sins. But, God has been pursuing us ever since. Because of His unconditional love for us, He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross and rise again to save us and give us the gift of being with Him in Heaven forever. We just need to believe and put our faith in Jesus, our personal Lord and Savior. (Eph. 2:8-9 and John 3:16)

Just like the lost boy at the drugstore, there are so many similar cases out there. And if we don’t act when God tells us to do something, we might miss out on helping them get found.

Britt Nicole said in one of her songs:

“Don’t let your lights go down
Don’t let your fire burn out
‘Cause somewhere, somebody needs a reason to believe
Why don’t you rise up now?
Don’t be afraid to stand out
That’s how the lost get found
So when you get the chance
Are you going to take it?”

 

P.S. Thank you also, Mercury Drugstore guard and cashier lady in Fun ranch, Pasig. :)

Thanks for Putting Your Phone Down, Dad!

At around 9:45 pm, I came home from a long, tiring, and interesting day. To be more specific, something happened between 7:30-9:30 pm tonight that was special to me. I’ll probably share it in a different post. But, those two hours had a huge impact on my heart and I couldn’t contain the joy and peace that I was feeling.

I entered the Master’s bedroom to greet my parents, but my mom was already asleep. My Dad, however, was still awake and was using his cellphone (I think he was playing a game). When I kissed dad, he asked me how I was and where I came from and I decided to take a deep breath as I said: “Dad, I just had a crazy and interesting night. I still can’t believe it happened.”

Sometimes, before, whenever we had the chance to talk in their room at night, he would continue to use his phone while I greeted him or while we exchanged stories. But tonight, he did something that I deeply appreciated. Dad put his phone down a few seconds after I started to share what happened to me tonight.

For the next fifteen minutes, I relayed to him the details of my night as my eyes watered. I got teary eyed not because of pain but because my heart was overwhelmed with joy and amazement at how God personally touched me in my fresh experience. As I shared, Dad eagerly listened and even affirmed what I was sharing. He continued to rejoice with me when I rejoiced and he praised God with me when I acknowledged His goodness and perfect timing. He even gave me a sincere advice to support what I just learned and shared to him.

After our talk, I walked out of the room and shouted “Thanks, Dad, for listening! Oh, and thanks for walking and feeding the dogs earlier too!”. Not only did he do the chore that I was assigned to do tonight, he also made sure to give his full attention to me, his daughter, while I shared my heart to him.

I am guilty when it comes to using my phone while I talk to other people. Sometimes, I even prefer to use my phone instead of starting conversations with friends or family members. But, tonight, I realized and saw how nice it was for my dad to be so interested in what I was sharing. He postponed what he was doing on his mobile phone, put it down on the bed, and engaged in conversation with me.

Tonight, I just want to appreciate my dad for this seemingly simple yet very impactful act of his. From a daughter’s point of view, I know that parents do have a great influence on their children. Their words, actions, thoughts, and even body language can either build them up or discourage them. This is also the same for children towards our parents.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” -Philippians‬ ‭2:3-4‬

Although I know that we are not perfect, I believe that by God’s grace, we can continue to grow in our relationships with each other. Even through the simplest ways, we can show sincere love and care for each other. By God’s grace, Dad continues to grow and improve as an intentional dad at home and I really praise the Lord for this.

Thanks again, Dad, for our quick magic moment tonight! You were the first one to know about my special experience! :)

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About Me

My name is Nicole Obligacion and I started this blog because I was inspired by Hebrews 10:24 and Hebrews 3:13. I love to eat, cook, bake, read the Bible, and encourage. :)

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