Lantau Taste opens

Lantau Taste has opened at the site of the short-lived Brazilian restaurant. It had been the target of much speculation before the sign went up.

It specialises in "Hong Kong food," says the owners. Which basically means roasted meats and snacks like curry fishballs.

One-plate meals (meat of your choice, rice, veg and soup) cost about HK$40ish. The roast goose costs more but is super tasty.

 You know the place is good when locals start crowding on the very first day. Spot the ferry crew.

Mui Wo rocks!

We may not have a bun festival which goes back hundreds of years but we do have a hip music festival that's into its seventh year. This year, despite the typhoon, there was a huge turn out for the weekend's bash. I even spotted metal barriers at the ferry pier... surely a first?

They also had more music stations, starting with one just outside the seafood centre. That was good because it set the mood for those coming off the ferry and heading to the beach. 

And the bands were good. This one, particularly... I think they were called Buskic. They didn't have expensive equipment – their drum box was just that, a box – but they managed to attract a large crowd. The lead singer had a lovely voice.

Silvermine Beach Resort, one of the festival sponsors, really got into the spirit of things. Their pub and snack store did a roaring business.

Apparently, they had quite a few famous local and Taiwanese bands playing over the weekend but I'm not savvy with the Cantopop scene. The leaflet mentioned ToNick, Yellow, Kolor, Killer Soap, Supper Moment and Ignite the Hope... must go and google them.

People had fun, and I think that was the most important thing.

Famous band being interviewed. Anyone know who they are?

Hope the festival will be even bigger next year!

Tapioca tales

Tapioca always gets bad press. The locals have bad memories of eating nothing but tapioca during the Japanese occupation and the expats have bad memories of soggy tapioca puddings.

But when they're freshly steamed or boiled in lightly salted water, they are delicious.

I bought HK$15 worth of the tuber off the woman by the pier and dined on the woody sweet chunks dipped in brown sugar the whole day. Yums!

Return to the lands

Mui Wo has its roots in farming and fishing. And while fishing may be dying a slow death, at least it looks like farming is enjoying a revival.

We haven't taken a walk by the abandoned fish farms (don't you love the phrase? It smacks of "meet you by the abandoned fish farms, Batman" gags) for a while so we were pleasantly surprised by the thriving vegetable farm that has appeared there.

I bought some pak choy from the woman at the pier at HK$10 a bundle. Wonder if it came from this farm?

Cafe fare

Being Chinese illiterate, I haven't dared step into the cha chan teng opposite Wellcome. But I have seen loads of people in it so I knew the food had to be cheap and good.

Today I woke up with a craving for the local fried beef noodles so I finally screwed up my courage to walk into the place.

As expected, they didn't have an English menu but the waitress speaks English so she translated the daily specials for me.

I did get my beef noodles. And it was all I'd expected it to be: juicy slices of beef, oil-slicked noodles, sweet cabbage and an amazing smoky wok hei (wok breath).

All for HK$33, with an iced lemon tea.

It was worth going off the beaten track, food-wise, after all.

Stall-warts

We don't need to go to the supermarket to get fresh produce.

At the pier, there are always two regulars – I call them the Vegetable Lady and the Banana Uncle because I can't communicate more than "How much?" to either of them.

And sometimes, when the weather's good and the tourists spill out from the ferries, there is also Vegetable Lady 2.0, who sets up her stall outside the McDonald's.

Her vegetables are always so fresh that they catch the eye of many home cooks.

When I was there buying her beetroots (HK$13 a catty in case you're wondering), a couple stopped by and got some too.

Because I brought her luck, and translated for her, she gave me two stalks of spring onions. I'll definitely be back!

Buy local produce

Rub unpeeled beetroots with salt and thyme, drizzle with olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar, bung in oven at 200 deg C for 45 minutes... yum!

Feeling hungry yet? This Pui O farm next to the buffalo field has fresh beets for sale: 9261-4472.

By the way, don't throw the leaves away. Boil then up with some sliced pork for a nutritious vitamin-packed Chinese soup.

Rome reopens

My Mui Wo expert (who has lived here almost 20 years) swears by Rome Restaurant. He says it's the place locals go to for cheap but good set meals.

The restaurant, which has been passed down from father to son, closed for much-delayed renovations a few months back and, since it's reopened for business, I've noticed the crowds are back in force.

We haven't gone in because we've been daunted by the Chinese-only menus outside. But my friend assures me they have English versions if you ask for them.

We must go there one day and, when we do, I'll post my gastronomic findings.