The Red Pepper Restaurant, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

The Red Pepper Restaurant in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong is famous for its Sichuan cuisine and always packed with expats. This might not sound like a great sign for those seeking authentic local food but it is great for expat tummies and taste buds. We ate the recommendations listed on the front of the menu and tried a few other dishes too. The sizzling prawns are a must - they're brought to you already marinated and placed onto a hot plate on your table to "sizzle" before your eyes (be sure to cover your nose and mouth with your napkin if you'd rather not choke on the pepper smoke). The string beans in minced pork, beef with kumquat and orange, pork with cashews and stir fried mixed veges were all delicious choices. If dining on the weekend you’d be wise to make a booking. Prices for a main meal were around $150 HK for a small portion which is really quite enough when you're sharing a few dishes.

The Red Pepper Restaurant
7 Lan Fong Road,
Causeway Bay,
Hong Kong
Phone: +852 2577 3811
Fax: +852 2881 5355

Purple Cane Tea Restaurant, Shaw Parade, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Purple Cane Tea Restaurant is one of my favourite places to take guests visiting Malaysia. The food is Chinese style however most dishes are cooked in a tea broth making them lighter and less greasy than many traditional places. Every time I've been the food has been very fresh and visitors love the place as they can enjoy a great Chinese meal, in a very clean and chic environment for a great price. It is always packed with locals which is a great sign. Personal favourites are the chicken and lotus root soup in a tea broth, beef with dragon fruit, chicken and cashews, green tea rice and many of my guests have loved the boxing chicken. Of course there is a great selection of tea and once you order a pot you get unlimited refills. The nibblies that are served while you're waiting are a hit too - braised peanuts and pickled papaya. Service has been great every time and the wait staff have always patiently explained the dishes to myself and my guests many times with a smile. The photos here are taken at the outlet in Shaw Parade, however I've also visited the one at The Gardens at Mid Valley and the food is of equal quality with just as pleasant an atmosphere.

Purple Cane Tea Restaurant
Lot GL-02, Ground Floor, Shaw Parade
Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah,
Off Jalan Pudu,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2145 3090
http://www.purplecane.com.my

Vin's, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Vin's restaurant and bar is worth the drive all the way over to TTDI from Ampang. Actually on the DUKE it only took us about 20 minutes door to door and the restaurant is easy to find. Recently opened, Vin's has a nice neighbourhood feel and sells hearty dishes to be enjoyed with hungry friends. The food tastes like good comfort home cooking. It is unpretentious, full of flavour and we had success with every dish we tried. Highlights of our meal were the Shepherd's pie, Maksimo Burger, Chicken Tikka Masala and the Cajun Chicken Salad. Don't miss the orange mango sorbet to finish - a smooth texture with just the right amount of zing served inside an orange skin.

Vin’s
No.6, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1,
Taman Tun Dr. Ismail (TTDI)
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
+603 7725 9053

Espressamente Illy, Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Espressamente Illy serves a decent cup of coffee. A truly great cup of coffee has been difficult to find in Malaysia so I'm very pleased to finally post some good coffee news. Drinks here are more expensive than average, but sometimes to get a good cup you have to pay, especially in KL. They use Illy coffee beans and it appears that their baristas are properly trained too. I'm usually content with a latte or cappuccino but their drink menu is so enticing I've ventured to try a few of their other offerings. Half & Half - half melted chocolate and half espresso - and their frappes have been two drinks I have had more than one of. The main cafe is on street level at Pavilion, Bukit Bintang. There is another smaller outlet in Bangsar Village. Pavilion is my pick though for the crowd watching possibilities.

Espressamente Illy
Level 3, Pavilion KL,
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia
Tel: 03 2141 0028