790 replies to this topic

[hzrt8w]

Thank you for your words of encouragement everybody.

Docsconz, thank you for your kind words.

Boy... now the pressure is on.

[prasantrin]

Ah Leung, you're forgetting something.

Cha xiu bao: You get me scared! What am I forgetting? Tell me, tell me!!!

Me?

[hzrt8w]

So... why November?

I believe November is the best month of the year to visit Hong Kong. Since we don't have any kid, we are not bound to make trips only in the summer.

January and February, it is a bit cold in Hong Kong. Though you can catch the Chinese New Year celebration.
March and April, Hong Kong is typically very foggy. Very humid. Clothes take 3 days to dry.
May may be okay.
June through August/September are typhoon seasons. And the summer heat coupled with high humidity is a bit uncomfortable. When the typhoon hits, there is nothing you can do but sit in the hotel room.
October may still be a little be hot.
November is the best. Dry, warm and nice weather-wise.

Early November may not be good because of the Grandprix in Macau. Late November and early December should be good. Many hotels have good discounts on rooms in the first half of December.

[aprilmei]

I agree with you - November is a great time to visit. The weather here is cool-ish (20 degrees Celsius - what's that in Farenheit?) and not too humid. Pollution is fairly low - I can actually see across the harbour! (it was very bad for awhile). And the autumn/winter foods are the best!!! Don't forget to eat plenty of hairy crabs! I don't think you can get them in the States (can you?) and if they're there, they would be extremely expensive. (they're not cheap here, either). Only eat the males - don't let them try to sell you females - the roe is too hard (like hard boiled egg yolk). Male "roe" is creamy (but don't think about it too much).
You missed rice bird season (I missed out on eating them too, this year) which is a pity - they're one of the most delectable things on earth (if you like eating extremely small birds, heads and all [only thing you don't eat is the beak]).
Oh, and the wind-dried meats are so good at this time of year. Try the yuen cheung at Yung Kee - it's very special there.
Be sure to have at least one meal of bo jai fan - cooked over charcoal, if possible. And try mutton casserole with fu jook pei, water chestnuts and fu yu (Yung Kee is good for that).
You mentioned wanting to eat beef balls in TST - go to the Haiphong Road Temporary Market (nothing temporary about it). There are lots of vendors and they'll all try to entice you to eat at their stalls but ignore them. Go to the place with orange bowls and yellow spoons. Their beef balls are fabulous, flavoured with dried orange peel and star anise.

[Ohba]

What was surprising was how good this stuff was, the Escargot and Sushi was as good as any I’ve had in France or Japan (respectively…. of course). HK is truly is a global kitchen, I think with 21 days you could afford to spend a couple of meals outside the Chinese circle.

But there's an awful lot of really sub-par sushi to be found in Hong Kong too. Let's just say availability exceeds quality by a very wide margin.

[Tepee]

If I had known about this Big Binge a month ago, I'd have gotten hubby to change our holiday plans to HK instead of Japan (sob...mine's only 6 days). It would have been great to discover street food with you as you re-explore it. Heheh, you may LOVE this experience so much that you'd be planning a next trip soon. Just let me know early, hor?

[hzrt8w]

You mentioned wanting to eat beef balls in TST - go to the Haiphong Road Temporary Market (nothing temporary about it). There are lots of vendors and they'll all try to entice you to eat at their stalls but ignore them. Go to the place with orange bowls and yellow spoons. Their beef balls are fabulous, flavoured with dried orange peel and star anise.

Yeah... after all these years they are still there! These beefball food stalls used to be at the corner of Peking Road and Canton Road. When I was 4-7, I passed by their Dai Pai Dong all the time and I watched the sifu's using a ceramic spoon to scoop while the bare left hand to squeeze the beef ball from the mix to make beefballs. And they used a big pounding machine to pound the meat. Boom, boom, boom, boom... And they laid the beef balls in a spiral on a metal tray before cooking them.

I used to live in the employee living quarters of Kowloon Godown (my father worked there) on Haiphong Road. The government demolished the building where we used to live when they built the sort-of highway bypass for Canton Road. Where the Haiphong Road overpass is now, was exactly where I used to live 40+ years ago... And eating at that Temporary Market would be something...

[hzrt8w]

Heheh, you may LOVE this experience so much that you'd be planning a next trip soon. Just let me know early, hor?

Worry not... I plan to make regular visits back, just to eat. Once a year perhaps? If Wall Street treats me right...

[BettyK]

Lucky you! I really miss those trips to HK. Maybe next time you can be our guide.

Have a nice trip and take lots of food pics.

[bethpageblack]

When I am in town (every other week), I always go for the congee at Law Fu Kee. Much better than the congee here in Guangzhou. It's on Des Voeux Rd in Central, a little closer to the Central MTR stop than the Sheung Wan stop. The congee is very creamy, and they fill the bowl with ingredients. I am partial to the pork liver and beef congee. Girlfriend gets the sliced fish congee and a bowl of plain noodles. Get a fried crueller and an order of fried dace balls as well. After that, hike up to Kau Kee (on Gough Street) and order a couple bowls of beef brisket noodle soup. Yes, a couple bowls; the bowls are tiny. I prefer the non-curry version because it's beefier, but the curry version is good, too. Make sure that you know when their hours of operation. That said, there's a beef brisket noodle soup joint in Yuen Long that's supposed to be better. Haven't had a chance to go.

What else to eat? Typhoon Shelter crab? Not sure if it's the season, but it almost doesn't matter. It's going to be good no matter what. Mantis shrimp fried salt and pepper style? Steamed scallop with garlic and vermicelli?

Let's see, what else? There's a pretty good fish ball noodle soup place in Shau Kei Wan. A little off the beaten track, but there's a 20-30 minute queue during peak hours there, just like Kau Kee. It's quite good, but not sure if it's worth all the effort. Let me know if you want the address. It's a pretty famous place, so if you look at HK foodie websites you should be able to find it without difficulty.

I would also go for some milk custard or ginger milk. I am not sure of the best places, but the Australian Dairy and another place whose name I forget at the moment have branches in Jordan, Causeway Bay, etc.

Lastly, I agree with the other poster about HK not being a place for sushi. I wouldn't bother with it.

[hzrt8w]

When I am in town (every other week), I always go for the congee at Law Fu Kee.  Much better than the congee here in Guangzhou.  It's on Des Voeux Rd in Central, a little closer to the Central MTR stop than the Sheung Wan stop.  The congee is very creamy, and they fill the bowl with ingredients.  I am partial to the pork liver and beef congee.  Girlfriend gets the sliced fish congee and a bowl of plain noodles.  Get a fried crueller and an order of fried dace balls as well. 
...
I would also go for some milk custard or ginger milk.  I am not sure of the best places, but the Australian Dairy and another place whose name I forget at the moment have branches in Jordan, Causeway Bay, etc. 

Thank you, bethpageblack. I remember Law Fu Kee very well. After all these years they are still around! I used to work in Central and I went there for lunch every other week or so. I love their fried dash fishball with fermented clam sauce. It's surreal. They have very small dining room and the place is packed like a sardine can. I gotta avoid the rush hour.

Milk custard/ginger milk. "Zhong Lai"... Never tried it. But it is on my list since canuklehead posted pictures of them a while back. I am not much of a dessert person but my wife would love it.

[chocomoo]

Looks like we'll be in HK at the same time! I'm leaving next Wednesday & I'll be there for about 3 weeks as well. Seems like LOTS of people are going to HK this season - thanks Oasis!

Unfortunately, I will not be as diligent as you about taking pictures

I'm actually more excited about going to Tokyo than Hong Kong though (will be there for 4 days)

[hzrt8w]

Looks like we'll be in HK at the same time!  I'm leaving next Wednesday & I'll be there for about 3 weeks as well.  Seems like LOTS of people are going to HK this season - thanks Oasis!

Oh, great! Maybe I will run into you! There are only 7 million people in Hong Kong. Hard to miss.

[SuzySushi]

Looks like we'll be in HK at the same time!  I'm leaving next Wednesday & I'll be there for about 3 weeks as well.  Seems like LOTS of people are going to HK this season - thanks Oasis!

Oh, great! Maybe I will run into you! There are only 7 million people in Hong Kong. Hard to miss.

This is a little OT, but stranger things have happened! On my first trip to Rome, I was walking down the Via Veneto, minding my own business, when I ran into someone who'd been in my Italian class in NYC!!! (How many people live in and visit Rome???)

I hadn't known she'd be traveling there. She had an Italian boyfriend, and he took both of us on to see Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli. On the way there, we stopped to buy a watermelon on the road, which he portioned out with his penknife, and on the way back, we had real Italian pizza for dinner. (Okay... I managed to link this neatly back to food!)

[aprilmei]

When I am in town (every other week), I always go for the congee at Law Fu Kee.  Much better than the congee here in Guangzhou.  It's on Des Voeux Rd in Central, a little closer to the Central MTR stop than the Sheung Wan stop.  The congee is very creamy, and they fill the bowl with ingredients.  I am partial to the pork liver and beef congee.  Girlfriend gets the sliced fish congee and a bowl of plain noodles.  Get a fried crueller and an order of fried dace balls as well.  After that, hike up to Kau Kee (on Gough Street) and order a couple bowls of beef brisket noodle soup.  Yes, a couple bowls; the bowls are tiny.  I prefer the non-curry version because it's beefier, but the curry version is good, too.  Make sure that you know when their hours of operation.  That said, there's a beef brisket noodle soup joint in Yuen Long that's supposed to be better.  Haven't had a chance to go.

What else to eat?  Typhoon Shelter crab?  Not sure if it's the season, but it almost doesn't matter.  It's going to be good no matter what.  Mantis shrimp fried salt and pepper style?  Steamed scallop with garlic and vermicelli? 

Let's see, what else?  There's a pretty good fish ball noodle soup place in Shau Kei Wan.  A little off the beaten track, but there's a 20-30 minute queue during peak hours there, just like Kau Kee.  It's quite good, but not sure if it's worth all the effort.  Let me know if you want the address.  It's a pretty famous place, so if you look at HK foodie websites you should be able to find it without difficulty.

I would also go for some milk custard or ginger milk.  I am not sure of the best places, but the Australian Dairy and another place whose name I forget at the moment have branches in Jordan, Causeway Bay, etc. 

Lastly, I agree with the other poster about HK not being a place for sushi.  I wouldn't bother with it.

I agree, Kau Kee is very good for beef brisket. Be warned, though, they can be incredibly rude and you won't always get what you want - sometimes they give what they want to give you! At the beginning of the day, they like to sell the mai fun or hor fun first (never can remember which) because it doesn't "keep" as long as the other noodle - so they want to make sure they sell it first. So if you want the other, they might refuse! And if you want curry beef hor fun, they won't sell that either - they say curry beef brisket goes better with mai fun. But it's really delicious stuff.

re: fish balls in Shau Kei Wan, yeah, there's a very good place - but watch out for imitators! This place is so succesful that other places opened nearby claiming they're the original. There are two branches that make the "real deal" - they're called On Lee and they're a 22 and 55, Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan, tel: 2560 6897. Look for celebrity autographs on the walls. They make really good beef brisket, fish balls and sliced fried fish cake - all with noodles in soup.

I disagree with everybody who says you can't find good sushi here. Hong Kong has a large Japanese community and Hong Kong people love Japanese food. yes, there's a lot of really crappy sushi but there's also some fabulous stuff - but you have to know where to go and you have to be willing to pay. There are branches of Nadaman here (at the Kowloon Shangri-La and Island Shangri-La), branches of Inagiku (at the Royal Garden Hotel and Four Seasons; yes, I realise they specialise in tempura), there are tucked away sushi shops that are really small but excellent (and expensive). Hung Hom - a big area for Japanese expats - has lots of traditional Japanese restaurants - not just sushi places but with other specialities.

[hzrt8w]

Wow! There is a gold mine of good information here! Please... continue to argue! I will benefit from all the tidbits.

[junehl]

Ah Leung, while you're there are you staying at family's place, hotel, or one of those small hole in the walls. Last time we went, we stayed at this place that was what I thought someone else's home. They were cheaper than a hotel, but all you got was one room and one bed, nothing else.

It was a good deal for how long my parents stayed. I was planning on going there next year, so wondering if those hostels still existed?

And after that let the food talk commence...

[bethpageblack]

I disagree with everybody who says you can't find good sushi here. Hong Kong has a large Japanese community and Hong Kong people love Japanese food. yes, there's a lot of really crappy sushi but there's also some fabulous stuff - but you have to know where to go and you have to be willing to pay. There are branches of Nadaman here (at the Kowloon Shangri-La and Island Shangri-La), branches of Inagiku (at the Royal Garden Hotel and Four Seasons; yes, I realise they specialise in tempura), there are tucked away sushi shops that are really small but excellent (and expensive). Hung Hom - a big area for Japanese expats -  has lots of traditional Japanese restaurants - not just sushi places but with other specialities.

I must tell my girlfriend who's a real Japanese food nut. If possible, can you drop a few names on the authentic restos in Hung Hom? She goes to Tokyo 3x/year just to shop and eat so if there's anything similar I'd much appreciate it. TIA

[canucklehead]

Dude! I am so happy for you to get to go HK and eat and eat and eat! I am going in late December myself. I agree that this is the best time to go - the slight chill in the air whet's the appetitie.

I always go to Farmhouse in Causeway bay - Lo Mai stuffed chicken wings, steamed eggs (see dan), steamed pork cheeks, tremendous home style cooking. The also have excellent clay pot rice (though the portions are huge) - ask for the crusty bits to stirred with broth. Finish with a steamed papaya with coconut milk.

I agree that a trip out for 'pick and cook' seafood is a must. My parents live on Clearwater Bay road - so Sai Kung is the most convienent for us. Ming Yuen in Sai Kung has the added benefit of amazingly crackling roast duck and goose.

I also like Tung Boa (Eastern Treasure) in the Java Street Market for real dai pai dong eating - crispy skinned chicken, prawns in golden sauce (salted duck egg sauce), rice in lotus leaves or pregnant women's fried rice (studded with ginger). Plus there is a dish made with preserved beans and lettuce (I don't the name of it) - it oddly tastes like a delicous hot ceasar salad.

For a real dim sum treat - try Victoria Harbour at SHK Center in Wanchai - the roasted pork belly is great, I think that they have hairy crab xiao long bao (one of the few places where I think it is worth the extravagant price) this time of year, and flower crab steamed with fai dew wine is really fantastic. As for the juices on plate to be tossed with yee mein to soak up all the juices.

Were are you staying?

[hzrt8w]

Ah Leung, while you're there are you staying at family's place, hotel, or one of those small hole in the walls.  Last time we went, we stayed at this place that was what I thought someone else's home.   They were cheaper than a hotel, but all you got was one room and one bed, nothing else. 

June and Lee: We will be staying in Harbour Plaza Hotel, Hung Hom. Off the center of action in TST a little bit. But I like the view of the Victoria Harbour that they offer at a more affordable price. InterContinental would be great to have an up-front view of the harbour. But it has a high price tag to go with their view too.

Hostels in Hong Kong is not that common. Maybe things have changed a bit now. I have never tried those but I think for under US$30 one can find a place to provide a bed and shower facilities... If that's all one needs. For some it might be since you may be out sight-seeing all day and all you need is a place to sleep.

Tourism in Hong Kong is big business. Food in hotels, especially 5-star hotels, are usually very good. Patrons include both tourists and locals. Though the prices are typically on the high side. For my stay I will most likely not eat in hotels but out there in the city. And choices there are plenty!

Edited by hzrt8w, 15 November 2007 - 04:38 PM.

[hzrt8w]

I was doing a little research on the Internet about different good eats and came across this web page/site:

http://www.go2yl.com...id=f04&lang=tra

If you read Chinese, it is a good source. But it only mentioned places in the Yuen Long area.

Anybody knows of any sites/pages that have similar info on restaurants in the Causeway Bay/Wan Chai/Central or Kowloon areas?


I am also hoping to find some good San Chow Nor Mai Fan (fried sticky rice with laap cheung). Is this the season for it (I know it's more for the winter). Any place you have tried?

[aprilmei]

I was doing a little research on the Internet about different good eats and came across this web page/site:

http://www.go2yl.com...id=f04&lang=tra

If you read Chinese, it is a good source.  But it only mentioned places in the Yuen Long area.

Anybody knows of any sites/pages that have similar info on restaurants in the Causeway Bay/Wan Chai/Central or Kowloon areas?


I am also hoping to find some good San Chow Nor Mai Fan (fried sticky rice with laap cheung).  Is this the season for it (I know it's more for the winter).  Any place you have tried?

Yes, it's the season for it. The best I've ever had is street food - a vendor pushing a cart with a huge vat of nor mai fan. Wah, it was so cheap too - something like HK$15 for laap cheung/yuen cheung, an extra $5 if you wanted salted duck leg. But I don't see them around any more. Try jardine's crescent in Causeway Bay - there's a little street near Sogo where all the mini buses line up to wait for passengers. There's heaps of good cheap food on that street but some of the places are moving out because rents are rising. Pity.

[hzrt8w]

...
But I don't see them around any more. Try jardine's crescent in Causeway Bay - there's a little street near Sogo where all the mini buses line up to wait for passengers. There's heaps of good cheap food on that street but some of the places are moving out because rents are rising. Pity.

Thanks aprilmei. I was thinking about that too. Many years ago I passed by that area behind Sogo and saw some street vendors frying the sticky rice on a big wok. It is an excellent treat especially in the winter time. It is exactly what I am looking for and I am just not sure if I can still find them.

[jo-mel]

Fried sticky rice with lop cheong? I HAVE to find a recipe for that! Sounds like my kind of comfort food. At the moment I'm in the garlic,cayenne, chicken broth mode because of a cold, but that sticky rice with the wonderful flavor of sausage would sure perk me up --- or lull me to sleep. Either is fine. Even with a stuffed head, I can still smell the aroma of what it must be like! MMMMMMMM!

[warlockdilemma]

Lucky You,Ah Leung...HK is an gastronomic delight.....If I were to visit HK again ,I would not even know where to start from.....almost like a kid in Charlie's Chocolate factory...Being in Toronto we sort of get everything that one would get in HK,but there is always that X factor which one cannot explain....
Anyways cant wait for ur HK visit series to start,ur Pictorial recipes was something that I used to always look forward too ,till it abruptly ended :-(

Edited by warlockdilemma, 16 November 2007 - 08:55 PM.

[hzrt8w]

Anyways cant wait for ur HK visit series to start,ur Pictorial recipes was something that I used to always look forward too ,till it abruptly ended :-(

Thank you for your kind words warlockdilemma. Well... life changes. Sometimes from unwanted circumstances. I am happy that I can manage to stay on reading/posting on eG. And I haven't cooked a real meal for like... forever. Now I am on the receiving end of delicious Chinese food.

[hzrt8w]

Dude!  I am so happy for you to get to go HK and eat and eat and eat!  I am going in late December myself.  I agree that this is the best time to go - the slight chill in the air whet's the appetitie.

I am so happy for you too, Dude! Our circumstances are different. You live in Vancouver and great Chinese food is plentiful and never far away. For you to go to Hong Kong and eat is not a big deal. For someone living in a cowtown like me, going to Hong Kong to eat IS a big deal.

[hzrt8w]

Friends:

This is the time. I will close up my laptop and will be in transit for the next day or two. After the eagle has landed, I hope to transmit my first Hong Kong food picture to entice you. Out for now, and I will be flying over the quiet Pacific Ocean dreaming about the delicious weeks to come. Minus twenty one pound and counting...

- Ah Leung, somewhere still in a cowtown in America

[jo-mel]

Friends:

This is the time.  I will close up my laptop and will be in transit for the next day or two.  After the eagle has landed, I hope to transmit my first Hong Kong food picture to entice you.  Out for now, and I will be flying over the quiet Pacific Ocean dreaming about the delicious weeks to come.  Minus twenty one pound and counting...

- Ah Leung, somewhere still in a cowtown in America

安全旅途

一路平安

Safe journey! We are all with you and look forward to a feast thru your eyes. Have fun, Xiao Leung !

[Peter Green]

Friends:

This is the time.  I will close up my laptop and will be in transit for the next day or two.  After the eagle has landed, I hope to transmit my first Hong Kong food picture to entice you.  Out for now, and I will be flying over the quiet Pacific Ocean dreaming about the delicious weeks to come.  Minus twenty one pound and counting...

- Ah Leung, somewhere still in a cowtown in America

And the clock is ticking........I'm waiting for this.