If you’ve ever had Hong Kong-style curry at a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong café) or a local Cantonese restaurant, you know how uniquely fragrant, rich, and slightly sweet it tastes. Unlike Indian or Thai curries, Hong Kong curry has a mild heat, deep umami, and a subtle hint of […]
If there’s one dish I can never resist on a menu, it’s Chinese takeout-style wings. No matter where I go, if I spot them, I’m ordering them. There’s just something about that crispy, golden-brown exterior, the deep umami flavor, and the perfect balance of seasoning that makes them impossible to […]
f you’ve ever visited a Hong Kong-style café (cha chaan teng), you’ve likely seen Baked Curry Pork Chop on Rice on the menu. This Cantonese-Western fusion dish combines crispy, juicy fried pork chops with fragrant Hong Kong-style curry, all baked over a bed of rice with melted, bubbly cheese on […]
There’s something so comforting about steaming hot mussels bathed in an aromatic broth, where each bite is infused with layers of flavor. If you love the briny goodness of mussels but want something beyond the usual garlic-white wine sauce, these Vietnamese-French Fish Sauce Mussels are for you. This dish is […]
Salted Egg Yolk Softshell Crab is a modern take on classic Chinese flavors, balancing the richness of buttery salted egg yolk with the crisp texture of deep-fried crab and a hit of heat from jalapeños and dried chilies. This dish is the perfect appetizer for seafood lovers, delivering bold umami, […]
If you’re looking for a dish that blends French technique with deep tomato richness, this Tomato Parisian Gnocchi with Tomato Butter Sauce is a must-try. Unlike traditional potato gnocchi, Parisian gnocchi is made from choux pastry (pâte à choux), resulting in a light, airy, and slightly crispy texture when pan-seared. […]
I’m Patrick Kong (AKA Patty.Plates) and I was born in Vancouver, Canada to Chinese immigrant parents. My father was a Guangzhou city boy, and my mom a village girl from Toisan. Both my parents have been cooking their entire lives - my dad even owned a small food court restaurant at one point (it was NOT good… sorry dad). My dad mainly saw food as a means of sustenance (both literally and economically) while my mom saw food as the glue that held our family together and connected us with the motherland.
