Off the Map

My Lonely Planet to Hidden Gems Off the Map

Since elementary school, I have always been assigned to select restaurants and hotels for family trips. Back then, Mom relied on two main sources: the few travel blogs available in the early 2000s and the thick, HEAVY Lonely Planet, which I flipped through so much that by the time we actually set off, the pages were practically falling out. My childhood dream (aside from becoming a translator) was to be a Lonely Planet editor. While LP may no longer be in print, I’ve decided to create my own little “Lonely Planet,” filled with my personal travel and food adventures.

Hanoi Food Diary | 河内美食”辣”评

Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg Foodprints

BROWSE BY REGIONS & CATEGORY

Food Map Across the Globe

Growing up in Canton (Southern China), my cooking has always been rooted in Cantonese cuisine, followed by other Chinese and Asian dishes. But with my partner Charles’ supervision and his occasional cravings for non-Asian foods, I’ve been slowly expanding my culinary horizons across continents—one dish at a time!

New Recipes (&Adventures)

Lab notebook documenting best practices, failure, reflection and resources just like a peer-reviewed paper (not really..)

Mentaiko Spaghetti

The first time I had mentaiko spaghetti was at a Japanese-French fusion restaurant called Bon, Nene in San Francisco. I had never been a fan of fish roe, and in general, I find cooked fish too fishy. But the mentaiko sauce at Bon, Nene surprised me: creamy but not greasy, rich but somehow still refreshing, with a texture that hold on to every strand of spaghetti tightly. That dish hooked me on mentaiko ever since.
Air-Fried French Fries

Another air-fryer project because I was craving French fries after a new Super Duper Burger opened near me! Of course, I had to make it health(ier), but still crispy and satisfying.
Canmore & Banff: Food + Walkaround Recommendations

Trips always fade faster than I expect, but somehow I can still remember exactly where we had our favorite meals. In Canmore and Banff, beyond the postcard views, it was the hidden alley restaurant with creative cocktails, the unexpectedly outstanding Indian food, the peaceful creek trail, and the whimsical riverside walk that kept coming back to mind long after we returned home.
烧排骨 | Cantonese BBQ Ribs

A classic Cantonese BBQ platter is one of my favorite comfort foods. At a BBQ shop or Cantonese restaurant, it usually comes with a choice of soy sauce chicken or white-cut chicken, paired with one or two BBQ meats such as char siu, BBQ ribs, BBQ wings, or crispy roasted pork. Over the years, I’ve […]
2026 San Francisco Best Croissant Competition

Judges’ Ranking My Personal Ranking Others finalists: Octavia, Le Marais, Bonjour Bakehouse, East Bay Bakery 1. Compagnon Bakery TL;DR: I think this is the rising star of the Bay Area croissant scene (menu and story here). Their Croissant au Beurre had everything I look for: fragrant butter, crispy exterior, airy lamination, and a light, flaky […]
客家酿豆腐 | Hakka Yong tau foo (Tofu block stew)

Yong tau foo is one of the most representative Hakka dishes. My parents never made it at home, so I only got to enjoy it when we visited their Hakka friends for dinner or ordered it at a restaurant.
南乳咸煎饼 | Ham Chim Peng (Savory Donut) with Fermented Red Bean Curd

Other than steam rice rolls with beef and egg, Ham Chim Peng is the one thing I must eat every time I go back home. From what I’ve seen, <5 Cantonese restaurants in San Francisco sell it. It’s less common than the “beef tongue” fried pastry (which, by the way, contains no beef tongue, just named after its shape). But Ham Chim Peng is my true favorite, because I am completely obsessed with the subtle but distinct aroma of fermented red bean curd.
芋头糕 | Cantonese Taro Cake

Other than Cantonese radish cake, I’ve always deeply missed taro cake. To be honest, I prefer radish cake slightly more. Restaurant taro cake can sometimes lack the taro taste, after all, it’s a very mild flavor, and a bit firmer, even slightly drier compared to the soft, savory radish cakes. So I want to see if I could make a taro cake that tastes better than the ones from the restaurants.
Milk Bread / Milk Loaf ｜牛奶吐司

Walk into almost any Asian bakery and you never fail to find milk bread lined up next to its siblings: milk bread with raisin, taro, red bean, matcha, and so many more. But the OG plain milk bread is always the most versatile.