This is part 3 of our Hong Kong Foodie 5 series where I ask my favorite Hong Kong food bloggers 5 questions about what and where to eat in Hong Kong.
e*ting the world
Another great blog with really great pictures. Strangely, also another great blog with Aussie bloodlines – e*ting was born grew-up in Australia and has been “physically and usually” in Hong Kong for 13 years on and off. 3 out of the 5 Foodie 5 blogs I’ve chosen include 2 Aussies and a Brit. This commonwealth connection is likely due to the fact that I’m only looking at english language blogs…..Also cool is the Hong Kong List maintained on the blog that lists great places for visitors to eat based on food type.
Included in each review are address as well as a handy Google map.
In addition to her blog, you can also find e*ting on twitter at @e_ting (note the underscore). Links go to Openrice or e*ting’s blog.
1. What is the best place in HK for Noodles and BBQ?
I think we’d be better off splitting that into 2 questions!
Noodles – for the generic yellowish kansui Cantonese noodles (thin or wide) that come with wontons, my top pick would be Mak An Kee, i.e. the “other”, not-listed-in-every-guidebook ?Mak’s.
BBQ – I’m a big fan of Joy Hing in Wanchai, though it’s more like a grubby food stall than a restaurant. Their siu yook (crispy skinned roast pork) is ace, as is their char siu (ask for “boon fei sau” – half fatty/half lean).
If you really want to get off the beaten track, try Wing Hop Lung, on the border of Sham Shui Po and Prince Edward – again excellent siu yuk – I’ve only ever gotten take away though.
Most BBQ places also do ribs in the same sauce as char siu, called “siu pai gwut“. It’s kind of like southern BBQ ribs but drier and sweeter. A char siu chain that’s pretty good is Tai Hing. They’re also famous for their cold milk tea, served sitting in a bowl of ice so the ice doesn’t dilute it.
Canto restaurants such as Yi Xin, Fu Sing are known for their cha siu; even the generic Maxims/Jade Garden chain also does decent versions.
2. Where should I go to grab a snack while Mrs A|T shops at Times Square?
First, head into Times Square with her and drop her off on the lower level of Zara – you’ll find J.P. Hevin on the same floor for some chocs to start off with [Update: JP Hevin is no longer at Times Square]. Then flee and go to Ho Hung Kee for wonton noodles and/or congee (they got a Michelin star, but that doesn’t mean much in this town if you ask me – all you need to know is that they’re good).
The gai daan zai at the big snack stall right by Times Square is also decent, so you could grab one of those (and a few curry fish balls or something, if you must…). Lastly, if you have time, duck into Cafe Corridor for a coffee (or pick her up and she can rest her shopped-out feet there too).
If it’s nearing dinner time, you could try Kusuya Rakuen on Dang Lung Street, my favourite Okinawan izakaya – get a seat at the bar. (I’d been desperately trying to keep it a secret for the past few years, but word has gotten round and I can no longer walk in on a Friday night without a booking, so what the heck – I’ll share!) If there are more of you, you could try hot pot at Paradise of King Asia (yeah, weird name).
3. Where is the best late night Milk Tea place?
Milk tea is usually had during the day, and I like For Kee’s, though they’re primarily famed for their pan-fried pork chops (see #5). Late at night, you can’t really beat the 24-hour Tsui Wah – their milk tea is passable, but nothing overly spesh.
4. Where is the best place in HK to go for dessert?
For western plated desserts, Sift dessert bar; for cakes and a good hot chocolate, the Mandarin Cake Shop (at the old Mandarin Oriental)
For Chinese milk-based puddings, such as ginger “clashed” with milk as loved by Francis Lam, or the ‘nouveau’ mousse-like chocolate milk pudding, the mini-chain Yee Shun;
For Chinese-Japanese milk puddings, Xiao Tian Gu;
For egg tarts – Honolulu or Kam Fung for the flaky pastry variety, Tai Cheong for shortcrust pastry (at Tai Cheong, also try out the sugared donut – sa yoong, and palmiers)
5. What is one thing (or more) that everyone coming to Hong Kong should eat?
I’ll definitely go with the “or more” option. Where do I begin?! Not an easy task, this…
Australian Dairy Company, or their HK-island side doppelganger Hokkaido Dairy Farm for breakfast/brunch. It’s a cha chaan teng – diner/cafe – an essential category in HK eateries. These two specialise in breakfast (though you can have most of the items all day). The classic macaroni in “soup” with (very processed) ham is something almost every HKer has grown up with, but has been described to me as macaroni in dishwater – you’ve been warned!
Gai daan zai, the quintessential waffle-like HK street snack and an integral part of childhood.
Pan-fried pork chop from For Kee, be it on rice (with stewed tomatoes/a runny egg/green veggies) or in a hamburger-like bun (the latter is only served after 2pm or so).
Fried rice of any sort from Ball Kee, a dai pai dong (DPD) that’s outside the DPD cluster on Graham/Gage streets. Awesome “wok hei” (breath of the wok) in action.
Toasted crispy bun slathered with condensed milk, either at Tsui Wah (see #3), or at Sing Heung Yuen, another DPD.
Dim sum – there are so many places you could go, depending on your preferences re: budget, atmosphere. (Personally I like dim sum but I don’t have a fascination with it like a lot of people do, maybe I’ve just been spoilt…) I’ll just do a quick low/med/high – it’s by no means the be all and end all of dim sum lists, it’s but a taster. Low: Tao Heung. Med: Manor. High: Fook Lam Moon (but I heard it’s better if you ‘know someone’), otherwise perhaps West Villa