Reports on Hong Kong dining

[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. 

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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. 

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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!

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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!

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

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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 November 15, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[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/food.asp?id=f04〈=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/food.asp?id=f04〈=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?

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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]

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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.

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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 November 17, 2007 by warlockdilemma (log)

[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 :-(

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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.

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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

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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

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

[hzrt8w]

Landed safely at HKG, local time 0640. Transited to Hung Hom. The first impression after 8 years: a WOW! Big changes.

And a disappointment. The harbor view (North Point) once enjoyed by this hotel (Harbour Plaza Hotel) is now blocked (a good portion of it) by a newer building. When I watched the video people took of Harbour Plaza Hotel, that building wasn't there!

Haven't had our first meal yet. But the in-flight meals onboard Cathay Pacific were quite nice. Though the Chow Mai Fun breakfast was a little dry.

Weather-wise: ugly overcast. Couldn't see through the clouds/fog from above 3000 feet. The last thing I notice was the Phoenix Mountain to our right through the fog... 1 minute later, touch down.

We flew most of our way above China instead of the Coastal water for some reason. I kept seeing city lights. Perhaps to avoid the jet streams.

First meal will be something quick and light, probably somewhere nearby...

Edited November 19, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[Cadbury]

I'm so looking forward to this. I might need a drool-proof cover for my keyboard .

[insomniac]

Landed safely at HKG, local time 0640.  Transited to Hung Hom.  The first impression after 8 years:  a WOW!  Big changes.

And a disappointment.  The harbor view (North Point) once enjoyed by this hotel (Harbour Plaza Hotel) is now blocked (a good portion of it) by a newer building.  When I watched the video people took of Harbour Plaza Hotel, that building wasn't there!

Haven't had our first meal yet.  But the in-flight meals onboard Cathay Pacific were quite nice.  Though the Chow Mai Fun breakfast was a little dry.

Weather-wise:  ugly overcast.  Couldn't see through the clouds/fog from above 3000 feet.  The last thing I notice was the Phoenix Mountain to our right through the fog...  1 minute later, touch down.

We flew most of our way above China instead of the Coastal water for some reason. I kept seeing city lights.  Perhaps to avoid the jet streams.

First meal will be something quick and light, probably somewhere nearby...

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was wondering how you'd react to the new HK with rampant harbour reclamation and smog from the SEZ industrialisation just over the border....pretty disheartening to me.....at least the food is still stellar

ps. CX flies the great circle route (shortest) LAX or SFO-HKG which brings you into HK over China for the last bit of the flight

[hzrt8w]

ps. CX flies the great circle route (shortest) LAX or SFO-HKG which brings you into HK over China for the last bit of the flight

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Hi insomniac! Thanks for the tip. I seemed to have seen lights all along the flight, and not just the last few hours before landing. I was flying (west) to perpetually chase the darkness (the night time flight). I really couldn't tell from the lights if we were over Alaska, Russia or China...

And I just found out I have made a mistake! There is Harbour Plaza Metropolis Hotel, which is next to the KCR station (where I am). And there is a Harbour Plaza Hong Kong Hotel - harbour front, which is where I wanted to be! Both are in Hung Hom. Oh well... better be smarter next time. It is really hard to book things over the Internet without some local helps...

Will start uploading some food pictures tomorrow...

Edited November 19, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[jo-mel]

Happy the trip went well. Nice for you to be home again and to see what they were doing while you were away. You can never go back to the past, so you simply adjust to the new.

I had been going to ask you what the flight meals were. When I kept China my food logs, they included all flights and all flight food is not the same!!

So ------ no more landings as in the past before the new airport? I use to love it when the pilot would announce that they would be on the ground right after a right turn. And he did just that -- a right turn and straight down and you were there! LOL! I loved that ride!!

Now --- on to the food!!