Of course I made it out to
Sai Kung for my birthday weekend.
THE PLAN
Day: Hike to Waterfall
Night: Dinner at Mandy's Private Kitchen for a Home-cooked Caribbean Dinner
Part Two: Saturday, Oct. 22
DAY: HIKE TO WATERFALL
We hiked to Tai Long Wan beach (directions
here)
At the northwest corner of Tai Long Wan beach, we followed the river (and some cows) on our left instead of continuing up the trail on the mountain. Continue following the river, do not cross the bridge over the river.
Trudge through the well trodden path along the river until the waterfalls and pools come to view. It's a short 5-10 min walk. You'll have to climb some rocks to get to the Sheung Luk stream and waterfall so wear good shoes.
Kids were jumping off the side of the cliff wall, back flips and triple somersaults!
It was pretty amazing to chill in these clean water pools. Never thought I could do that in Hong Kong. The rocks are covered in a lot of moss and are slippery, that's the only thing that was a bit off. Other than that I was incredibly blissfully pleased.
After chilling for a few hours at the rock pool we trekked back to Sai Kung Town and found our way to Mandy's Private Kitchen for a home-cooked Caribbean dinner!
NIGHT: MANDY'S PRIVATE KITCHEN
The genuine hospitality and friendliness of Mandy, her family and kitchen team was incredibly refreshing and comforting. To have someone open up their home to a group of strangers is quite something, and I'd say pretty unusual for Hong Kong. You can just tell and taste how much love goes into Mandy's cooking.
Mandy, our talented chef and host for the evening
Mandy's fabulous cooking team Fairy and Mrs. T
Everything was delicious but I can't highlight everything
so exceptionally delicious dishes are in BOLD RED.
All the food was prepared buffet style / family style so the dishes were placed on a table indoors, while we sat at the dining table on her outdoor patio overlooking Sai Kung Town with a view of the sea.
Alfresco dining at it's finest and most comfortable
Outdoor Pool
The meal was enjoyed with mostly red wine, highlight was the magnum sized (equal to two regular bottles) Chateau Lyonnat Lussac-St. Emilion 2005 courtesy of Federico. I learned that magnum sized wine tastes better than regular sized bottles.
Jamaican Beef Patties
Tender spicy beef incased in authentic Jamaican yellow flaky pastry
Caribbean Potato Salad
I'm normally not a fan of potato salad because it tends to be too mayonaisey and heavy, but I really enjoyed Mandy's version - it was super tasty and light and the potatoes were cooked perfectly. I went back for another two more servings. It was so popular among my friends that they requested I bring the entire dish outside and keep it on the table.
Fry Bread
Traditional West Indian Corn Bread
Caribbean Condiments
The Mango Rum Chutney (red one in the back) was my favorite! These condiments all went very nicely with everything actually. Just provided that extra kick of spiciness and punched up the flavor.
This is only "nibbles"!
Now for the main courses!!
Daniel, Mandy's charismatic husband carving the Leg of Lamb with sincere concentration
I stole a quick nibble of the lamb...it was amazing.
Steel Pan - Leg of Lamb
Marinated in a secret blend of Trinidadian spices for 5 days
then slow bbq'd under a low heat
Wow. This was incredibly delicious.
Loved how it was cut in thin slices, so tender and juicy.
Carnival Times
Fresh fish, prawns, tomato and sweet pepper, marinated with a light blend
Trinidadian Chicken Stew
Spicy rich chicken stew with fresh lime, onions and tomato
Callaloo - Pumpkin and Spinach
Rice n' Peas
Mandy's BBQ Jerk Chicken Pieces
Chicken marinated then basted in her popular jerk marinade
!!!!!!!
THIS WAS OUTSTANDING! Just cooked perfectly, so tender and juicy, skin was flavorful and crispy. Several friends actually stated this was the best chicken they've ever had in Hong Kong. And then one of them corrected themselves by saying it was the best chicken they've ever had, PERIOD. I really wish I could have had more than one piece!
Happy and satisfied diners
Mandy and Daniel's lovely daughter Seonah mixing us her secret competition winning drink, complete with cocktail umbrellas
Cheers!
And to top it all off...
TWO CHOCOLATE CAKES!!
On left: Chocolate truffle cake from Mandarin Oriental bakery (not part of Mandy's)
On right: Homemade fresh cream double layer chocolate cake from Mandy
I love chocolate and these were seriously two of the best chocolate cakes I've ever had. The chocolate truffle was just out of this world smooth, rich, but not heavy, a signature gourmet cake! Mandy's cake was just awesome, home baked with lots of love kind of a cake. The fresh cream in the middle was quite special, with pieces of orange in between. The two cakes actually go really well together.
My hands say it all
Thanks to everyone who made it out to the hike and dinner, I really had a wonderful day!!
Mandy's Private Kitchen
Sai Kung Town
9816-9946
mandysprivatekitchen.com
