Gold coins on the run

I’m flying out tonight for my annual wine tasting trip, but still had time for one more dinner in Hong Kong.  I met up with Tigger and family for a quick one, and I took them to Manor Seafood Restaurant (富瑤海鮮酒家) so I could get my fix.

I started with a bowl of snake soup (蛇羹), which was pretty disappointing.  There was simply not enough ingredients (like snake meat, for example) in the bowl, and the chef had decided to starch up the soup.  Not the mark of a good snake soup… perhaps something I’d expect from places like Sher Wong Fen (蛇王芬) but not when I’m being charged the prices I’m paying here…

Roasted “gold coin” chicken (懷舊金錢雞) – I saw pictures posted by Dyson 2000 a couple of weeks ago, and they brought out my cravings for this.  The cholesterol sandwiches have just gotten thicker with each visit, and I’m totally loving it!  I can't get enough of this multi-layered creation of chicken liver, barbecued pork and lard in that wonderfully sweet honey glaze.  I originally ordered one for each of us, but it looked pretty daunting to some of the others... so I ended up with two of them.  I was very, very happy.  But honestly, though... two of these babies is a lot to take in!

Hot and sour shredded potato (酸辣土豆絲) - this was pretty decent, and the ladies inhaled the dish between the two of them...

Steamed crab with Shao Xing wine (花雕蒸大花蟹) - I wanted to have this signature dish again... and this time the flower crab was humongous!  The flesh was very sweet, since the crab was fresh.  The best thing, of course, is always the sauce that is made from chicken fat and Huadiao wine (花雕).  I passed up the claws as I normally do, but had most of the body of the crab.  Yum!

Of course we asked for the leftover chicken fat to be mixed in with some noodles.  Incredibly rich and decadent.

Diced beef with spring onion and butter (牛油蔥粒爆牛柳粒) - this was OK.

Bean vermicelli pot in Fukjen style (福建粉絲煲) - this was really good... and I wish I had more room in my stomach to fit in more of this!  Done at high heat to maintain the right dry texture, while searing some of the ingredients to release the fragrance.

Stir-fried choy sum (生炒菜心) - sooooo good...  Stir-fried with chunks of pork lard... and the lard cubes were seared and so delish...

Very stuffed, and very happy.  A perfect meal to send me on my way to France...