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We both have a huge passion for food! If we aren't eating it we're definitely talking about it and if we're 'hangry' then... you'll know. We are always trying new things and already love Asian food so we wanted to share some of our signature meals.
Meal 1 - Hong Kong - 8/10
Kung Pao Chicken and Minced Pork
Chinese Lemon Tea
Our first meal at a local restaurant in Causeway Bay. The Kung Poa Chicken was delicious, however it was over powered with celery. The minced pork was cooked perfectly and had lots of flavour along with the green beans. The iced lemon tea was sweet and went down with the meal perfectly. The service was great, she must have told us to NOT tip at least 30 times as it's not a thing in Hong Kong (not entirely sure how true that is)
Meal 2 - Hong Kong - Alfie 6/10, Lucy 9/10
(Top) Beef Tendon Soup
Shrimp Wonton Soup
Okay so this is a funny one as Alfie thought he was ordering what seemed to be a nice cut of beef in his noodle soup which actually turned out to be boiled cow ligaments (yummy?). We ate at a tiny local Chinese restaurant where our noodle soup was only £3.50 each (cheap for HK). Considering the tendon meat was really soft Alfie still enjoyed the beef broth itself. On the other hand Lucy absolutely loved her Shrimp Wonton soup, the wontons were cooked perfectly, it definitely cured the noodle soup cravings! We both ended up adding lots of chilli too (maybe too much).
Meal 3 - Hong Kong - 6/10
Spicy Shrimp Wontons
Chinese Chicken Curry
When we go out we love to find restaurants packed with locals as usually that's a sign of good food, we found a tiny but busy local restaurant around the corner from our hostel. Our Shrimp wontons were amazing! Perfect amount of chilli seeds with toasted garlic. The chilli oil at the bottom of the bowl went great with white rice (which they actually didn't have, we've never known a chinese resutaurant to run out of rice). The Chicken Curry tasted like Katsu curry, it had too many potatoes and the chicken was very thin, fried and left with the skin on. Average meal, not very impressive apart from the wontons unfortunately!
Meal 4 - Hong Kong - 8.5/10
Beef with vegetables & Crab with Shrimp
Local Beer
We tried yet another very busy local restaurant at the market today, all of the staff seemed to shout as it had a very busy vibe but it was great. The beef and pak choi was mouthwatering, this is the first time we have had Pak Choi since we have arrived and both were cooked perfectly. The jus at the bottom went so well with the steamed rice. The crab was stuffed inside its shell which was easy to eat and very tasty, however the prawns were only small. The beer complemented the meal nicely as it had a slight lemon twang.
Meal 5 - Hong Kong - 1/10
Shrimp Wonton Soup & Spring Rolls
This meal has been our worst meal so far and it really was a massive let down. Alfie was already extremely 'hangry' so we ended up making a hasty decision deciding to eat at the first busy local restaurant we could find without looking at some of the food... it was awful! The spring rolls weren't even spring rolls, they tasted like fried fat and had no taste about them at all. The wontons were also not cooked properly and Alfie made a bad decision ordering rice noodles - Slimey!
Meal 6 - Hong Kong - 7/10
Chicken Enchiladas
We were in need of some good comfort food and Mexican was definitely the answer! The restaurant's theme and vibe was impressive with dancers and sand instead of a floor. The Enchiladas were great to share, rice was cooked well and the black beans were surprisingly very fresh. The chicken was shredded and not dry whatsoever. Because we were out for the night we washed it down with a couple of house margaritas - delicious!
Meal 7 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 8/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Seafood Rice & Beef in Black Bean Sauce
Roasted Vietnamese Pork
Looks like a hefty meal eh? First of all the Vietnamese know how to cook their meat here as the pork had so much flavour and the beef was cooked perfectly, lovely and tender. The seafood fried rice was a bit disappointing as it tasted quite bland, steamed rice would have been a better option. The Vietnamese rolls were good but you would have to like coriander if you were to order them as it had quite a hefty amount inside the roll. Traditionally there is no meat inside the spring rolls, only vegetables and rice noodles. The fried onions complemented it well so thankfully it came with them. We wouldn't rush back to order them again.
Meal 8 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 7/10
Phó with Beef
Vietnamese Kebab
On our way to find Phó today we were stopped by the sweetest lady selling fresh Vietnamese street kebabs with her husband, so we had to give them a go - they were extremely moreish and we ended up getting two more! The restaurant we chose was very cute with tiny stools and tables. When we finally tasted our first ever Phó (people seem to rave about it so we expected big things) we loved it, it was a very stomach warming dish with lots of delicious beef flavour!Tasty
Meal 9 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 6/10
Club Sandwich
So there should be two meals for this one, however a very hungry Alfie got carried away with his tasty Chicken Vietnamese noodles and forgot! We ate at a quiet small restaurant along Ma May road. Alfie's noodles had a sweet peanut sauce and were topped with freshly crushed peanuts. Lucy fancied an old favourite and a bit of a change from Vietnamese food so played it safe with a good club sandwich, the bacon was cooked perfectly and the crinkle fries were a definite winner for both of us.
Meal 10 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 9.5/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Beef Fried Noodles
Spicy Grilled Squid and Vegetables
Water Spinach with Garlic
(Also known as Morning Glory)
Wow, this meal was SO good. Tonight we ended up grabbing some food with a really cool traveller from LA who shared a dorm room with us. We fancied more Vietnamese food and it paid off as we decided to share all three! The water spinach was incredibly good, it had a real flavour of fresh garlic and the squid was cooked perfectly, not too rubbery and with big cut vegetables - amazing (especially those onions)! The beef was tender and cooked in pepper sauce which really did complete the meal! We washed this down with three cold beers too. Since we have been in Asia for almost two weeks we are now starting to notice how good we are getting with our chopsticks, we love having small bowls!
Meal 11 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 8/10
Chicken and Vegetable noodles
Water Spinach with Garlic
(Also known as Morning Glory)
As meal 8 was so good we decided to visit the same restaurant! The water spinach again was great- Imagine that lovely Chinese taste but with fresh vegetables. The Chicken noodles were another winner with big onions and thinly cut fresh chicken breast. There's also something about Vietnam's steamed rice...it's the perfect combination of sticky yet plain to go with each meal, especially when you add soya sauce and chilli.
Meal 12 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 8.5/10
Bánh mì
Inside Goodness
You wouldn't think a sandwich would be a Vietnamese dish eh? Well let me tell you they do and its world class, so simple but so good! Freshly baked baguette with a choice of filling. We went for chicken and it was nicely diced into small chunks and perfectly stir fried with large onions. It is then completed with Vietnamese sauce, cabbage, chili, mayo and ketchup! YUM. Also, It only costs a whopping 65p!
Meal 13 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 7/10
Ham Pizza
Spaghetti Bolognese
Today we really fancied an Italian as it had been a while since we had a pasta dish. Obviously Lucy and Alfie share every meal so we had half-half (best of both worlds). The pizza was very close to being a frozen pizza but it did hit the spot as it is not easy to find a pizzeria over here. The spag bowl however was delicious! It did take a while to arrive but it was worth the wait. It had good amount of beef mince in a rich tomato sauce. We were pleasantly surprised with how good the spag bowl was.
Meal 14 - Vietnam, Cát Bà Island - 3/10
Chicken Burger & Chips
Sweet & Sour Chicken
Today we ate lunch and dinner in our hostel due to the weather and I can say both of these meals were extremely average. The chicken burger patty was way too small for the bun so some bites ended up being just bread and salad (who wants that?) however the chips were surprisingly good although I'm certain they were double fried. The sweet and sour chicken didn't have much flavour and it tasted liked a value microwave meal from back home.
Stay tuned...
Meal 15 - Vietnam, Cát Bà Island - 7.5/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Chicken Pizza
Spaghetti with Bacon & Mushroom
Can you tell we miss cheese? We had an average breakfast which was included in our stay at the hostel and we told ourselves we wouldn't eat here again today so we thought we would wait until the storm passes and go out for a naughty meal...so we did! The pizza was very cheesy and full of chicken which is exactly what we wanted and the pasta was very similar to a carbonara but with mushrooms. It was very tasty, creamy and the saltiness of the bacon complemented the mushrooms very well. We topped this meal off with a dessert and it was delicious. Alfie prefers crepes but Lucy loves a good American pancake. A well needed carb overload!
Banana Pancake
Meal 16 - Vietnam, Cát Bà Island - 5/10
Chicken & Cashew Nuts with Steam Rice
We had this meal at a lovely beach resort restaurant and if this meal was rated for its ambience it would score very high, however the food wasn't great. The quantity of chicken was good but the quality wasn't - it was fairly bland. It was also overpowered by peppers instead of cashew nuts and the meal in general needed more garlic and spice.
Meal 17 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 8/10
Chicken Tikka Masala, Pilau Rice & Garlic Nan
We love a curry so we were really excited to have our first one in Vietnam. We played it safe and ordered our home favourite Chicken Tikka Masala, it was delicious - we thought it may be creamier however it was a perfect balance of tomato and spices. The garlic naan was thin, crispy and had freshly chopped toasted garlic on top.
Meal 18 - Vietnam, Hanoi - 8.5/10
Seafood Thai Red Curry Noodles
Vietnamese Chicken, Egg and Rice
This afternoon we found a new local restaurant back in Hanoi, a few kilometres away from where we were staying before. This meal was very good value for money! The noodles had that spicy coconut Thai flavouring we have been missing and it complimented the noodles perfectly. There were no problems with the seafood and the chicken was left with the skin on to give it that extra crisp. It had a tasty Vietnamese marinade and we were happy there was extra sauce on the side!
Meal 19 - Vietnam, Hue - 4/10
Pasta with Tomato Sauce
Fried Pork Noodles
It's safe to say this meal was like a pit stop meal in between bus routes on our twenty hour journey. It didn't take long to choose a restaurant and the meal was fairly rushed. The spaghetti was fairly dry and it had that sweet tomato sauce which we are not too keen on. The pork was pan-fried so instead of being quite crispy it tasted over cooked. It was served over cold rice noodles which was a bit strange, however it was nice to eat local food in Hue.
Meal 20 - Vietnam, Hoi An - 9/10
Chicken with Lemongrass & Chilli
Quang Noodles
Banana Crepe
This was our first meal in Hoi An so we did check a few menus and restaurants on our walk through the city centre. We were looking for fine dining and this restaurant was a perfect choice. The quang noodles came with shrimp, pork and quail egg which was cooked in a flavourful jus with thick noodles - It was surprisingly tasty! The chicken with lemongrass and chilli was presented beautifully, it had more of a sweet taste rather than strong chilli as it was served with chunky onions and steamed rice. The crepe was amazing to end the meal, it had cooked banana inside and came with a chocolate sauce. Alfie personally thinks the crepe could have been cooked for a bit longer for that extra crisp.
Meal 21 - Vietnam, Hoi An - 7/10
Meat Ravioli with Pesto
Spaghetti Bolognese
Can you tell we like pasta? It's basically a win-win for us because we share every meal (best of both worlds). It's been a while since we have had homemade pesto, it was smooth, fresh and so tasty. The meat ravioli was cooked perfectly. The spag bowl was good, it had plenty of mince however the sauce was a little too sweet. This was one of the only restaurants so far that have had tabasco so we were very happy customers!
Meal 22 - Vietnam, Hoi An - 8/10
Cafe Latte (our first Coffee)
Prawn, Avo, Tomato, Onion and Shrimp Baguette
As it was pouring down with rain this afternoon we were strolling down the street wondering what to go for when we noticed a bakery across the road, this was the first proper bakery we have come across in Asia so far so we were pretty excited as we knew that meant one thing for lunch - fresh baguettes! The bread was delicious, fresh and had that amazing crisp bakers edge. Both baguettes were absolutely delicious with just the perfect amount of seafood/meat and salad. The cafe latte was a really nice change with the gloomy weather. We will definitely come back here for a cake and another coffee before we go!
Philly Cheese Steak Baguette
Meal 23 - Vietnam, Hoi An - 5.5/10
Fried Beef & Veg Noodles
This meal is a hard one to rate as the squid was so good, however the fried noodles were poor! The veg and beef were cooked well, however the noodles they were served with were in fact fried (unfortunately we thought it was the beef that would be fried) and as the noodles sat in the broth they became very mushy and quite tasteless. The squid alone was fantastic and didn't have that rubbery texture. Although the food wasn't excellent the service definitely made up for it. The restaurant owner was very sweet.
Squid with Chilli & Lemongrass
Meal 24 - Vietnam, Hoi An - 8/10
Juicy Lucy Burger
Grilled Chicken Burger
We did have a little google for the best burgers around Hoi An and it definitely paid off! We both had half a chicken burger and a house special 'Juicy Lucy'. The Juicy Lucy was cooked with cheddar cheese inside the patty which oozed out once we cut through it! Both burgers were cooked to perfection having that flame grilled taste every burger lover wants! They were served with fries which unfortunately were nothing special bringing the rating of the meal down from a ten to an eight - shame!
Meal 25 - Vietnam, Hoi An - 10/10
Phi Bánh mì Special
Inside Goodness
We thought the Bánh Mì in Hanoi (Meal 12) couldn't be beaten until we demolished this one, it's so simple yet so tasty! The restaurant was highly recommended as they slow cook their pork and make home-made chilli sauce which takes a process of two months! The avocado was fresh and the pork meat with paté was delicious - our first 10/10 on our travels and it only cost £1 each for a premium sandwich! The owner was incredibly humble and proud of his business, he even offered to teach us how to make them - fantastic
Meal 26 - Vietnam, Hoi An - 6/10
Pepperoni, Chilli & Sausage Pizza
Ham & Mushroom Pizza
After our worst meal so far this afternoon we needed comfort food - PIZZA! Apparently this place was the best in town, however we were unfortunately quite disappointed. It was oozing with cheese and we could tell the toppings were fresh but the base of the pizza wasn't crispy at all and the layer of pizza sauce was so thin that unfortunately did feel like all we were eating was warm cheesy bread.
Meal 27 - Vietnam, Nha Trang - 7/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Sea Bass Clay Pot
Vietnamese Chicken Curry
Saigon Local Beer
Firstly the setting and ambience of the restaurant was amazing, it was full of lanterns and popularly known for its traditional Vietnamese food. The clay pot had the most flavour and the fish was cooked perfectly, it had that delicious Asian twang. The curry was good but luckily we shared as it got very sickly after a while, it was very heavy with a lot of coconut cream! Also Lucy and I don't really agree with having potatoes in a curry (we just don't get it). The chicken was nicely cut and cooked well. We accompanied this meal with steamed rice and a local Saigon beer.
Meal 28 - Vietnam, Da Lat - 8/10
Sautéed Beef with Satay
Deep Fried Squid
This meal took us by complete surprise! We were 'hangry' (again) so we picked a restaurant at first sight! We ordered calamari as a safe option because it's hard to get wrong but it actually turned out to be one of the nicest calamaris we have had. The beef was nicely shredded and cooked with garlic and chilli, it also had spring onion which complemented it well. We are still not too sure why it said satay on the menu as we were expecting more of a nutty flavour.
Meal 29 - Vietnam, Da Lat - 8/10
Dragon Roll
California Roll & Avocado Maki Roll
We were so excited to discover a popular sushi restaurant as we haven't had it in so long, it was definitely a treat. The fish, avocado and seafood were fresh and the sushi itself was made well, it didn't fall apart. The dragon roll had a home made sweet and spicy sauce which complemented the perfectly cooked tempura. This was obviously accompanied with soya sauce, ginger and wasabi - we do love good sushi.
Meal 30 - Cambodia, Phnom penh - 9/10
Pork Dumplings
Handmade Chicken Noodles
To start we had pork dumplings which bursted with rich flavours and were steamed just right (sometimes they can be mushy). The noodles were handmade by a chef in front of our table and they tasted amazing, you can absolutely tell the difference between these noodles compared to all of the other noodle dishes we have had. It had plenty of meat and the egg yolk assisted the saltiness from the soya sauce, it is fair to say this is South East Asian comfort food and a dish we will not be forgetting for a long time.
Meal 31 - Cambodia, siem reap - 6/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Coconut Rice
Beef Lok Lak
Khmer Chicken Curry
Our first Cambodian meal which took longer then expected because we had a guest with us for ten days, we went completely local by trying their two signature dishes and even went a little different with the steamed rice. Both dishes were full of spices including a strong black pepper taste in the beef dish which went extremely well with the sweet coconut rice. The tender beef was cooked with lemongrass which is common in South East Asia. The Khmer curry however was a little watery, it had plenty of vegetables and the chicken was lovely but the curry itself was a little bland which is unusual as Khmer curry is supposed to be bursting with flavour.
Meal 32 - cambodia, siem reap - 9.5/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Vegetable Spring Rolls
Fish Amok
Khmer Chicken Curry
Cambodian food has redeemed itself - wow this meal was much better then yesterday! The spring rolls were a great starter as they were crispy and golden brown, the curry had great consistency and the chicken was succulent. The Fish Amok was held together by banana leaves and the dish itself bursted with flavour, it was incredibly delicious and very moreish. The Fish Amok dish is steamed and the texture is best described as a paté, it was a new and memorable dish! The reason why it wasn't a ten was because the amok did have a very fishy flavour, it may have been too strong for others. It needed that little more spice to overcome the powerful flavour.
Meal 33 - Cambodia, siem reap - 10/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Prawn Spring Rolls
Chicken Amok
Beef Lok Lak
As our last meal was so good we had to go for Cambodian food again but it was simply down to what restaurant we should choose as it can be a hit or miss. Luckily a british tourist kindly recommended this restaurant after he had just finished his meal and as you can see by the rating it has been one of our best meals yet! We went for the Chicken Amok this time and even though the texture is still best described as a mousse I still cannot describe just how good it tasted, we definitely recommend this dish. The fresh spring rolls were great, the beef was simple but lovely as it had a teriyaki coating which thankfully wasn't too sweet! 10/10
Meal 34 - Thailand, koh samui - 9/10
Chicken Burger
Chicken Baguette
This is definitely a meal we would make at home on a Saturday afternoon so we were especially excited for this one. The burger had two grilled chicken patties covered by a layer of perfectly ripe avocado sandwiched together with grilled cheese, mayo and a wholewheat bun. The chicken baguette was topped with crispy bacon accompanied by beef tomatoes, red onion and salad which made for a mouthwatering yet healthy meal.
Meal 35 - Thailand, koh samui - 8.5/10
Pad Thai Chicken
Massaman Curry with Chicken
Pad Thai has always been one of our favourite Thai dishes, this was an especially good Pad Thai mixed with a combination of subtle citrus, nutty and spicy flavours. We also love how Thai cuisine always has thinly sliced chicken in their dishes whether it be noodles, rice or curry. We asked for the massaman curry to be spicy and it arrived with the perfect heat. The curry itself was not overpowered by the coconut milk and instead had the perfect balance of coriander, cumin and nutmeg. A definite Thai comfort meal, delicious!
meal 36 - thailand, koh samui - 9/10
Fried Squid
Fried Squid
Prawn Cakes
Beef Penang Curry
We found this hidden gem of a restaurant close to our hostel and wow are we glad we did! The prawn cakes opened up our stomachs and taste buds with a crispy golden bread crumb coating with cooked prawns inside accompanied by ginger, chili and coriander. The penang curry had a slightly thinner consistency to what we are used to, however the balance of nutty, salty and sweet flavours made up for this. Not only was the beef thinly sliced but the carrots were too, this was new and something we would definitely like to do at home. The pad krapao with chicken had that fantastic fragrant basil taste with fresh vegetables. Sometimes the chicken is over minced in restaurants so you lose that meaty chicken texture, however this was perfect. Great vibes and great food!
Chicken Pad Krapao
Roast Dinner
Our first roast dinner in two months and we are glad our wait didn't go on for any longer as this roast had everything, including stuffing! We both had a mixed roast which consisted of chicken, lamb, pork and beef, all of which were tender and moist. We could tell the vegetables were microwaved and the gravy may have been a simple mix of hot water and gravy granules but overall it really did hit the spot.
meal 37 - thailand, koh samui - 8/10
Meal 38 - Thailand, Koh samui - 9/10
Piri Piri Chicken Burger
BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger
We went out for dinner tonight with the family friends we are staying with to an Australian Steakhouse, who isn't going to order a burger? The beef burger was of course medium rare with crispy salty bacon and a patty that practically melted in your mouth. The chicken itself was very succulent and the marinade had a slight chilli kick to it which made it even better. The crispy onion rings were beer battered and the fries were chunky and golden. Naughty but very very nice!
Meal 39 - Thailand, koh samui - 5/10
Green Thai Curry
Black Peppered Beef
Yet another first for us in Thailand, our first Thai green curry (a definite home favourite). If we are honest we weren't particularly fond of this meal, perhaps that is because the food we have had recently has consistently been highly rated. Not only was the curry watery it was also filled with bitter vegetables which had a strange texture such as pea aubergines (we are not a fan). The beef was cooked well but it didn't seem to have any full flavours. All in all it seemed both dishes lacked a bit of love.
Meal 40 - Thailand, Koh samui - 9/10
Chicken Pad Krapao
Chicken Penang Curry
Our last South East Asian meal and we ended on a good one so of course we had to order our two favourites! The Pad Krapao chicken was extremely fresh and although minced it was still very juicy. The flavouring was not too overpowering and had a good balance of chilli and basil. The curry had a think consistency again with the perfect amount of spice and coconut milk (we do love our curries spicy!). Both of these were accompanied with steamed rice and a fried egg on top - divine!
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