Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

One of the intentionally aged teas, Pu-Erh has a loyal following.


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Sep 24th, '12, 19:32
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by apache » Sep 24th, '12, 19:32

If you in that area again, this might worth a visit.

http://www.ufood.com.hk/restaurant/deta ... 0104600296

I haven't been there yet, but I heard a lot from another forum, and this shop seems to be one of HK Tea Forum members' dens.

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Sep 24th, '12, 20:42
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by MarshalN » Sep 24th, '12, 20:42

I personally don't find much interesting at Sin Fook

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Sep 24th, '12, 21:27
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 24th, '12, 21:27

Ah yes, I know of Sin Fook, but since I wanted to get something done I walked right past Kowloon City Plaza. Didn't go back up past it. I'll try and check it out anyway since I'll be in the area.

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Sep 25th, '12, 05:37
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 25th, '12, 05:37

Image

My stainless 'teapot' and the tray I picked up yesterday. After looking on Taobao, I see the little stainless pot is actually used for oil in the kitchen, but it's working a treat so far and the handle doesn't get hot.

The tray is meant for steaming fish/dumplings/etc, but it works a treat on top of the round tray I was using before, and I only had to walk a block to get it. I can brew tea all day without emptying the tray underneath and it saves the Formica from getting stained, so I'm happy.

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Sep 25th, '12, 08:10
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by apache » Sep 25th, '12, 08:10

jayinhk wrote:Ah yes, I know of Sin Fook, but since I wanted to get something done I walked right past Kowloon City Plaza. Didn't go back up past it. I'll try and check it out anyway since I'll be in the area.
Just saw the news, they are going to move on 26 Oct, and will be serving some old / aged teas on the day.

http://www.hkteaforum.com/forum.php?mod ... a=page%3D1

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Sep 25th, '12, 10:05
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 25th, '12, 10:05

I bet a lot of people will show up for that! :D

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Sep 26th, '12, 02:58
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 26th, '12, 02:58

Went to Sin Fook and Ming Heung today: two VERY different places. I went to Sin Fook first and asked what they were famous for, and they said pu and TGY. The lady working there was very helpful. One thing I didn't expect was aged loose sheng! I tried some 20 year+ sheng (even labeled wet stored) and it was very nice, so I had to take some. I also picked up some long jing and liu bao. I thought it was interesting they sell in taels as well as cattys. It was a very modern looking shop.

Marshal's recommendation was much larger and much older. They had a lot of Yixings and no English labels anywhere. Interestingly I have yet to see a pot with clay as nice as the one I bought on Marshal's advice.

All in all, I had fun, tried some good, strong old HK sheng, got my task done and had good Vietnamese food.

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Sep 26th, '12, 03:20
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by MarshalN » Sep 26th, '12, 03:20

The place where you bought the pot is the best in town for yixing at a good price

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Sep 26th, '12, 11:07
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 26th, '12, 11:07

Yup, I'm quickly realizing that and really appreciate the recommendation! I love my little Yixing. From reading your blog, I believe you bought quite a few there in one go, correct?

Ming Heung is definitely worth buying some tea from the next time I'm in the area. I couldn't believe the sheer size of the operation when I looked in there, and it's another one of the stores that looks like it's been around since the 50s. It's a pleasure to be able to buy tea from businesses with history!

Sin Fook was an entirely different beast. Ms Chan (the lady who was working at the time I went in) was aware of the HKTea forum (she mentioned it, not me) and told me to check it out. Somehow she assumed I could read and write Chinese. I should probably learn more than the 10-20 odd characters I know now. ;) She was really cool though, and even offered me a piece of cake since we were drinking sheng, but I told her I was going to be having lunch after.

I'm really enjoying this sheng. It brews dark like shu, but one sip and one look at the leaves and you know its sheng. Still has a little bitterness and astringency, but its very pleasant, and it has the spiciness shu doesn't have.

After my last post, I decided to visit a porcelain store I spotted in Happy Valley. I really DON'T need anymore teaware, but I had to check it out. Glad I did:

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Some of the aged sheng.

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Liu bao.

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Longjing: interestingly, they keep it in the fridge and recommended I do the same!

The rooster cups and the Japanese one were only $16 HKD (around $2.10 USD).

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Sep 27th, '12, 01:10
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by MarshalN » Sep 27th, '12, 01:10

As someone else already said - further down the rabbit hole you go

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Sep 27th, '12, 01:54
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 27th, '12, 01:54

Yep, I realized that when I was on my way home with three bags of tea and four cups I don't need :lol:

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Sep 27th, '12, 02:10
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by debunix » Sep 27th, '12, 02:10

MarshalN wrote:further down the rabbit hole you go
I've actually come very close to finishing off 3 beeng of puerh, all purchased in 2009. And I have finished off one or two smaller bricks since I first got beyond the Rishi tuos. At this rate the beengs I have left mostly intact should last me for another dozen years.....if I don't buy any more. But I've already bought a humidity monitor for the new house and new puerh storage....

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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 27th, '12, 02:30

That's a lot of bengs! Glad I can still see light at the top of the hole :shock:

I'm trying not to spend too much on tea right now: being able to buy small amounts of decent tea by crossing the street does make things easier, in that I don't really need to buy cakes, and also harder since I can just walk in and buy tea in about two minutes! No more tea purchases until October 25th :mrgreen: not much I can buy as far as tea goes in the Philippines, but I may have to check out the Chinatown in Manila while there.

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Sep 28th, '12, 00:05
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by jayinhk » Sep 28th, '12, 00:05

Woke up around 9 after staying up a little too late on TC last night. Got right to work, so I didn't get a chance to try Marshal's recommended breakfast of jar leung, but I did make it to a local bakery for some pork dumplings. One of the items at the bakery had the name of an antibiotic, so I tried to explain that to the owner without using the word antibiotic. She laughed, didn't understand, but gave me one of the little coconut covered buns for free. I told her I didn't actually want one, but she insisted and said they were delicious, so I took one. A lot of the women in this neighborhood get a huge kick out of me speaking Cantonese, and some people even try and help me by politely correcting me when I make mistakes.

Walked over to the good dim sum place and picked up some shrimp cheong fun (rice rolls), har gau and some ngau yuen (beef balls). The woman there was like, "whoa, you speak really well. Were you born here?" I told her I was, but overseas-educated, so my Canto isn't good (much easier than explaining I went to school with the British army and police brats right in town).

Then I visited another bakery that has these little custard-filled puffs (I know that sounds super-manly) I've been eyeing for a few weeks, and went in and got some. I thought they were cream puffs (lol), but custard is even better. :)

Washing it down with some of the delicious longjing I bought a few days ago: I didn't know green tea could be this good! All in all, a great morning!

Sep 28th, '12, 00:59
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Re: Thoughts from a new Hong Kong bo lei drinker

by shah82 » Sep 28th, '12, 00:59

you'll be as fat as the Maitreya...

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