Port Moresby Restaurant Guide

I have been in Port Moresby long enough to have eaten in the various restaurants and holes in the wall establishments to know where to eat and which places to avoid. There's never been anything published out there about the restaurant scene and I find that what you can read about in the guide books are not comprehensive as people who visit here usually do not have enough time to try all of what this city has to offer.

In today's post, I will try to shed light on where to dine for every occasion be it a casual meal or a dinner date. What I enumerate below isn't arranged according to the best. If it's not in here, then that means I do not recommend the place. Either I got a bacterial infection from it which I have had 5 cases so far or the food is crap and there is no hope for improvement. I will also mention some restaurants here whereI don't think it's worth your money to go to.

a. Bacchus - fine dining, It's located at airways hotel. I like their cheese pasta and their steak.

b. Rapala - fine dining. I like their steak and their lobster espresso. I frgot the exact name of the dish but it is served in a little shot glass of sorts. This place is by the piano inside Crowne plaza.

c. Holiday Inn - bleah. Service is poor. I hope they get better. I miss their butter cookies which they used to serve with their coffee. It was one of the best in town. Located at Hohola.

d. Jepello's - italian cuisine. Located along Waigani drive heading to Holiday Inn near Big Rooster.

e. Ela Beach Brasserie - Their pizzas are very good tand they are well known for it so I do recommend coming here for their pizzas. Located on Ela Beach.

f. Ang's  - I love eating their barbeque pork, roasted pork and roast duck. Your order can sometimes take close to an hour to come when they're busy. Come here during dinner time and you'd be surprised by what they have. Located at Gordons.

g. Daikoku - an institution when it comes to dining in Port Moresby. I love their shabu-shabu salad, creamy prawn, and lobster with cheese. Located at Harbour City.

h. Hog's Breath - It is a franchise from Australia known for their steaks. Their burgers are small though when compared to other places. Try their tex-mex if it's available. I also prefer to order their prime rib plain with a side order of mushrooms. Located inside vision city.

i. Big Rooster - the only fastfood place that lasted so many years. They have locations in outstations. Their chicken is really salty! I still remember the first time I had it. However, it has a particular flavour which you crave for and through the years, their chicken has been a secret delight for me. I prefer the fried variety.

j. Chowmaster - this place is located on 2-mile hill. They serve delicious Filipino food and they also  deliver. They have an eat-all-you-can deal on Sundays that is excellent value for money.

k. Plaza Restaurant - located before RH Hypermart at Gordons. They have excellent butter chicken and have a few dishes that can give other restaurants a run for their money. The only nbad thing about this place is that they allow smoking inside and it can get very smoky especially on Saturday nights.

l. The Woks - their milk tea here is good and their lunch menu isn't bad at all. Food gets served fast so it's a good lunch place. Located at the Digicel compound.

m. Ten - I like their variety of sushis and their tofu. Located at Vision City.

n. Red House - this place is good for lunch. They have good noodles and have a wide variety of dumplings. It is located behind the Coke bottling plant in Gordons.

o. Dynasty - this is the biggest restaurant in Port Moresby with large private rooms for parties. They have delicious yumcha and Chinese dishes that have a Malaysian influence. It is located inside vision city.

p. Golden Bowl - this is probably one of the oldest if not the oldest restaurant in the city. Tony the owner still runs it and he still serves his customers personally. They make good siomai, siopao and beef balls. I also like their hofan and congee. However, it is not the cleanest restaurant in town. Located in-between vision city and parliament where the government buildings are. It is close to the derelict pineapple building.

q. POM Steak House - this place is clean so don't worry about getting an upset stomach here but I don't find the food good at all. It's not cheap either. This is located close to BS mart where Datec and KK Kingston are located.

r. Seoul House - one of my personal favourites, I love coming here for their small private rooms. They also serve Thai food here. Try their yukwhe which is raw minced beef mixed with eggs and apples. It's delicious! Located at 5-mile across Jack Pidik park.

s. Brian Bell Home Centre - they make sandwiches and fresh muffins here that aren't bad. Located at the Brian Bell Home Centre at Gordons.

t. Popi's coffee shop - this place is also one of my personal favourites for lunch. Excellent choice of hot stews and sandwiches along with one of the better baked cheesecakes in town. Located inside Foodworld.

u. Brian Bell Boroko - ah... this place is hidden away. It is located one the 1st level besides the jewelry shop. They make good burgers and club house sandiwches. They also have quiche.

v. Super Fried Chicken - As the name implies, they serve fried chicken and a variety of fast food dishes. Located inside SVS 2-mile. You can also go to sweetheart bakery when you're there for the brownies or the chicken pastry. 

w. Kenmaity Fried Chicken - ever since this place opened, fans of fried chicken have been torn apart whether they prefer Big Rooster's batter fried chicken or this place's fried chicken that seems to use a bit of cereal in the batter. Their chicken it seems is a bit crispier because of this. I'll let you decide who makes the better fried chicken. They have branches all over town too though I doubt that they ever had a branch in Texas as they lay claim too. 

x. Vision City supermarket - this is more like an upscale kai bar or cafeteria. Don't discount this place though. Their roast chicken that comes in a few flavours isn't bad at all. Take away a chook to serve at home. Located inside the supermarket besides Brumby's.

y. J Mart Erima - this supermarket also has a kai bar inside and I have to say that their chicken isn't bad at all too. It is worth a try. Just take it home though. Located close to the airport at the Erima roundabout.

z. House of Cheesecake - they make good frozen cheesecake and they also cater and deliver. This place is located inside Garden City in Boroko.

aa. Sister's - located at plaza guest house close to the Waigani tunnel  roundabout. They serve Malaysian-Chinese food. I like their noodles that get served in an egg pouch.

ab. Magi Seafood - I wasn't inspired with their food but maybe they have improved since I last ate here. Located on the service road parallel to Poreporena freeway at the Gordons industrial area.

ac. Seaview - located close to town at the Ela Beach roundabout, this place serves Malaysian-Chinese food too. In fact, a lot of the Chinese restaurants around town are Malaysian influenced. Their food isn't so-so.

ad. Raintree Lodge - my friends say they make excellent pizza. I'll have to try this place soon before I leave the country. Located at Boroko. The restaurant is attached to a nice lodge with a nice garden.

ae. China Restaurant - another forgettable restaurant. It is located behind Jepello's. I remember though that their braised beef wasn't bad.

af. Deli KC's - I used to come here every Sunday. They now serve pizza too as their pizzeria is soon to open. They make good pasta and sandwiches and they have a proper cheese room. They also make a good espresso. Located by the poolside at Airways.

ag. Crowne Plaza -  the cafe is known for its daily themed buffets. The food isn't bad at all but don't order the pizza. It rated as one of the worst during my pizza showdown a couple of years back. Located on the 1st level of Crowne Plaza.

ah. View Restaurant - located by the poolside of Airways, they serve Asian-inpsired food as well as continental. I prefer eating at Deli KC's or Bacchus though. I don't like their buffet.

ai. Shady Rest - this place is located along Taurama not so far from where all the clinics and hospitals are. They serve good indian food and they even had an african buffet at one point which they have since discontinued.

aj. Lamana Hotel - Chef Ranjit makes good indian food. I like his cheese curries. This is located inside Lamana hotel close to where NCDC is.

ak. Wild Orchid - It was a wise move for Gateway hotel to renovate their restaurant as it was terrible before. Today, wild orchid is a nice upscale casual dining restaurant with good food. Located at 6-mile. 

al. Enzo's - this place is also located at Gateway hotel but is more known as a pizza place. Ela Beach's and Jepello's pizzas are better though but it's still not bad.

am. Food Depot - the city's first mainstream take away delivery place. I have yet to try their food out. Located at Korobosea.
an. Phoenix - I love their spicy szechuan cuisine. They serve these noodles that have a sauce made of peanuts and chillies which is just delightful. This place is located not so far from the roundabout where Foodworld is.
ao. Hideaway - this place really is hidden away. Located on the road going to 6-mile, I remember having their roast pork years ago which wasn't bad. I can't say the same for their other dishes though.
ap. Weigh Inn - I like their pies which they serve on Tuesdays only as well as their potato wedges which is one of the best in town. The restaurant looks a bit dodgy though. This is located at the bottom of Poreporena freeway just before you reach Harbour City. You have to make an abrupt left turn as soon as you reach the bottom.
aq. Golden River - I remember liking their salt & pepper squid but not much else. This place is inside the Tropicana compound.
ar. Bon Cafe - they keep on improving and I think they have the best chai latte in town though I have to say that they just mix it from a powder and it is not brewed. I like their sandwiches. Located in various locations around the city.
as. Espresso Bar - I forgot the name of this cafe but it is on the ground level of Deloittes tower in town. They have a varety of cakes and they serve light lunches. It's not bad at all. It's definitely worth a try if you can find parking.
at. Harbour City cafe - they make an ok lunch here. I wouldn't intentionally come here though just for the food though I don't mind the pies they sell downstairs in the bakery.
au. The Point - this place serves an odd mix of Japanese and Filipino food. I'm not really crazy for this place and you'd have to shout me a meal here before I'd go. Located inside the steamships Waigani compound.
av. Grand Papua - currently the better standard in terms of hotel dining, this is the newest classy hotel in town. So far, they have the best breakfast buffet too. I like their steak too.
aw. Courts cafe - a new hangout for a lot of guys, this place seems packed often. I don't mind their sandwiches here but don't get the ones that are pre-packed. Order something from the menu. The pre-packed ones are bleh. Located inside Courts by the Boroko drive roundabout.
ax. Asia Aromas - another institution in Port Moresby dining and on of the few places where you can get waffles for dessert. Try their cold chicken, salt & pepper crab and lobster in thai sauce as well as their lemon grass prawn. It is best to order a day in advance. Located in town inside the steamships strip mall.
ay. Good Day - I love their kiampong and their 3-meat combos that have roast pork, roast duck and barbeque pork. I alsolove their salted egg prawns. Located off Boroko drive before you hit the Gordons public market.
az. Duffy's - This is a new place close to Hitron on Gabaka street. Their coffee is good. They also have a lot of pastries and serve light sandwiches for lunch.
ba. Figaro - This is a franchise from the Philippines. They just opened inside Vision City. I had their pasta and some pastries and they weren't bad. They offer liberica beans which you can buy by the bag.

There are a lot more places that I didn't mention here like the clubs such as the Yacht Club that serves good pie when Sean makes it. I also didn't mention the bakeries like Brumby's, Donut King, Sweetheart and a few more. I'll probably write about them too in the future along with the cake ladies of Port Moresby. These are housewives that make cakes to order and they are not bad at all. The best chocolate cake in town is actually made by some nuns.

I'll probably write about other food establishments located in the outstations around the country in the future.

Anyway, that's all for now. I hope what I've put down here would be of help in your quest in looking for dining choices around our city. Ciao! 

Zenith El Primero HW

Zenith is not a well-known name when it comes to watches. Well, that statement isn't completely right. Zenith is now a well-known name for watches for the average person. In horology circles, it is a well-respected name with a history starting as far back as 1865. Throughout their manufacturing history, they have received numerous awards for their movements (the gears inside the watch that make the hands turn) and are best known for the El Primero, the first automatic movement for a chronograph introduced in 1969.

The El Primero movement runs at 36,000bph (beats per hour) making it one of the most accurate movements available. Just to show you how well-engineered the El Primero movement is, a Rolex movement runs only at 28,800bph. Your average automatic watch would run at 18,000bph while some upper grade models would run at 21,000bph. The El Primero movement was such a marvel that Rolex saw it fit to use the El Primero movement in their early Daytona models. However, Rolex has now discontinued use of the El Primero movement as they have developed their own chronograph movement. The Daytona models that had El Primero movements still have a big following and mint specimens can eaily fetch well over US$12,000. 

The designation of HW in the El Primero watch I am featuring today is short for handwound. This means that I have to wind the watch manually. The power reserve of this particular watch is about 40 hours. The dial of the watch is enamel coated with lume applied to its indices and hands. There is a tachymetre scale in the outer edge of the dial and a window showing the date is located between 4 and 5.

The case is highly polished giving it a mirror-like finish. The pushers for operating the chronograph function clicks solidly and the crown is signed with their logo. As this is a handwound watch, you have to wind it to make sure that it runs. Around 40 turns of the crown would give it a full charge though I usually just turn it 25 times as I prefer to wind it more frequently. You pull the crown once to adjust the time and you pull it a second time to adjust the date.

The case back of this particular watch is made of sapphire crystal allowing viewers to marvel at the decorated movement inside. Watching the decorated movement function is fascinating. An automatic watch would have a large portion of its movement covered due to the presence of a rotor unless it has a micro rotor movement.  

There are three subdials on the watch dial. The right-most subdial features subseconds. The left-most subdial has a 60 minute register and the bottom subdial features a 12-hour register.

I love this watch. It is a watch to be loved by other horologists. I still remember when I went to a well-known watchmaking family and they were impressed that I chose to wear Zenith for meeting with them. Here is a parting shot of this watch on a different strap.

Ciao!

15 minute steak dinner

Ok, I left the office at 6:35 in the evening and I was hungry as can be. I was in the mood for steak but I didn't want to eat rubber from most of the restaurants in the city so I decided to make a quick steak dinner.

I wanted something filling, cheap and quick. I decided I'll have some couscous with the steak so off I went to food world. As I wanted something cheap, I'll write down the prices here. I bought everything from foodworld.

The ingredients:

1 small onion - 50 toea

1 red chilli pepper - 35 toea

couscous - K1.20 for a serving and a half

chopped cashew nuts - K3.50

porterhouse steak - K10.00

Total - K15.55

The procedure:

Chop half the onion and set aside. Take the other half of the onion and slice it. Cut the chilli lengthwise and take out the seeds and then chop it up. Heat up your pan and fry the steak 3.5 minutes for each side over a medium flame for medium rare which is how I like it.

Now while your steak is cooking, put your couscous in a bowl and pour some boiling water in it. Put just enough so the water goes slightly above the couscous' level and cover it well. Any more would make it mushy. After 2 minutes, the couscous is done and throw in the chopped onions, the chopped chilli and the chopped cashews. Mix it all together and throw in a bit of butter and add some salt. If you have some lemon juice,, throw a little in but the couscous would be alright without it.

Once the steak is done, saute the sliced onions in the leftover juices and oil from the steak. Now serve it all together on a plate. There you go, a nice steak dinner for less than K20 in less than 15 minutes!

Here are a few photos:

chop half of your onion, chop the chilli 

pan fry your steak - don't forget to salt it

my 15 minute steak dinner

Enjoy!   

Chinese New Year 2012 in Port Moresby

Hola mi amigos y amigas! I am back from my refreshing holiday and have since gained 2 kilograms which have curiously chosen to gather around my midsection. My trousers are now tighter than ever thus allowing me to discard the use of belts and I cannot wear my slim fit shirts anymore as wearing them makes me look like an overstuffed burrito! Luckily, I left my fat clothes here.

Anyway, it is Chinese New Year and we are welcoming in the Year of the Dragon, the luckiest sign they say in Chinese astrology. Mainland China is preparing for a baby boom this year as a lot of couples want their babies to be born this year so say goodbye to population control!

In Papua New Guinea, there is quite a large community of Chinese who have been here since the turn of the last century. The first Chinese came to Papua New Guinea courtesy of the British who brought them over from the colony of Hong Kong making them Cantonese. They settled in Rabaul and started their families. Today, Chinese from this initial community are called PNG Chinese. These would be the Seetos, Chius, Chans, Wongs, Chins and many more. A lot of them have been educated in Australia which sets them apart from the other Chinese communities.

The next lot of Chinese were immigrants who came from Malaysia and Indonesia. They came around the 70's and 80's and established themselves in the business community. Most prominent from this community would be the Tjeongs, Hanafis, Tjandras, Tans and a few more.

The last batch started coming in the late 90's and from the last decade. This batch came straight from Mainland China and are more known as mainlanders. Most of them cannot speak English and have established small trading posts around the country though some of them have done quite well and established themselves as territorial distributors.

Anyway, enough about history. Yesterday, the office where I work at invited the Cathay Club to have their lion dance in front of our main door. We have this annually so I have seen the club's lions increase through the years. Today, a lot of the participants are Papua New Guineans who have embraced the entry of the Chinese New Year. The lions first group together and then start their dance.

As per tradition, a head of lettuce is hung from the main door along with a packet of money. The lion dances around the lettuce and eats it. It then spits it out at the audience though this year, your truly was the lucky recipient of all the lettuce. It all landed squarely on my face. After the lettuce is spat out, the audience can feed the lion packets of money for good luck in the new year.

The lion then enters the establishment and dances all over to scare the bad spirits away. To end it, firecrackers are lit at the entrance to scare more spirits away while the lion bravely dances around the exploding pyrotechnics. However, our lion this year was careful enough not to dance close to the exploding firecrackers.

Here are some photos:

head of lettuce and red envelope

firecrackers!!!

lion heads

baby lion

preparing for the dance

bowing before the dance

let's dance!!!

preparing to eat the lettuce

yummy!!!



chewing (shredding) the lettuce



feeding the lion packets

papua new guineans watching the lion

the band

lions having a moment's respite

firecrackers are lit up!

kaboom!!!

take a bow

and it is done. adios!!!

The whole event lasted 20 minutes and it was all over right after the last firecracker exploded. The dancers and musicians were given some refreshments after and they went their merry way. I cannot remember a year wherein I never saw lions dance. I found it interesting that this year, there were a lot of new faces, Papua New Guinean faces in the lion troupe, a positive sign.

c'est moi, monsiour richard!

Happy Chinese New Year! Exit the rabbit, enter the dragon!!!