Su Yan Tian Shi
plainfaceangel.blogspot.com
Popular foodie Patricia Wong, the ‘plain faced angel’ of the blogosphere, has proved many times over the influence of food blogging on Hong Kong dining habits.
After she once made biting remarks about the food quality at Freshness Burger, and drew huge responses on the web, the restaurant chain’s management sent her an email of apology and arranged an exclusive burger tasting. Wong, looking confident in casual jeans, says, “One thing readers love about my posts is when I make my comments really frank.”
Begun in 2006, her blog has long topped the thousand-strong list of ‘Cuisine & Leisure blogs’ on Hong Kong online poll site top-bloggers.com, and currently has over 5,000 daily page views. The gastronome shares restaurant reviews, culinary news, and recipes with the city’s internet-savvy food enthusiasts.
To stand out from other food blogs, Wong, a website designer in her professional life, emphasises that fabulous pictures are key. “I spend as much time on photo shooting as editing, because I believe that an appetising photo reflects your passion for the food,” she explains; hence the luscious-looking cakes and gleaming layer of congee.
Besides attracting diehard foodies and secret admirers, the blog brings other unexpected benefits and opportunities. “I’m often invited to food tastings in new restaurants, and also by different brands to try out new products and give feedback,” she adds. “Recently, I’ve been asked to try out a pair of new trainers that are meant to tighten your butt, and then say a few words in my blog.”
Despite recently expanding beyond her original culinary remit, Wong is still foremost focused on food. In an exclusive, she revealed to us her new plan: to review the worst restaurants in town and publish a provocative list to shock and surprise readers. Not so angelic, then.
Wong recommends www.wretch.cc/blog/trufflerose (“an attractive Taiwanese blog that shares seasonal recipes”).
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