When in Hong Kong, eat like a local. Having said that, Hong Kong cuisine (read Cantonese, Colonial, Shanghainese and Western) is a heady mix of flavours from the East and the West. The best way to experience Hong Kong food culture is to hit the streets. Be it early morning or late at night, you will find small hole-in-the-wall kind of kitchens or restaurants teeming with customers, tourists and locals alike, enjoying a meal or two. Here are six food items picked out for you to try when in Hong Kong:
Roast Goose
A Cantonese speciality, roast goose is not just a dish, it’s a tourist attraction. Yes, you read that right. One of the most sought-after dish in Hong Kong, roast goose has its origin from China. It goes by the fame of Guangdong-style roast goose and requires a special kind of goose from Guangdong region. If you want to try the authentic roast goose in Hong Kong, head to Yung Kee in Central and Yue Kee in Sham Tseng.
Dim Sum
Follow the ancient tradition of drinking tea (yum cha) when in Hong Kong and the best place to experience this is in one of the many teahouses in the city. In Hong Kong, what goes well with tea is a steaming bowl of dim sum. There are many dim sum dishes to choose from—from chicken feet to pork to prawn—all good to go with endless cups of tea. When in the city, visit Lin Heung Teahouse in 162 Wellington St in Sheung Wan for best dim sums.
Lo Mai Gai
You will find this in any dim sum restaurants. This dish of steamed sticky rice with chicken or pork wrapped in a lotus leaf is a tasty treat. The dish is gooey and the flavour of rice, meat, sauce and lotus leaf, a food experience worth writing home about.
Pork Chop Rice/Noodles
One of my personal favourite Hong Kong food—pork chop with rice, served with a side of tangy chutney. Pork belly roasted to perfection—crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside—goes very well with a hot bowl of rice or noodles. Yau Wun Roast Meat in King’s Road, Delicious Kitchen in Causeway Bay, For Kee Restaurant in 200 Hollywood Road are some of the best places to try this dish.
Wonton Noodles
A definitely must-have-dish in Hong Kong, this Southeastern China speciality is also a big hit in Hong Kong. This simple dish of egg noodles and dumplings (many to choose from—shrimp, chicken or pork) is a comfort food. Mak’s Noodles at 77 Wellington St in Central and Tsim Chai Kee in 98 Wellington St are some of the places that serve best wonton noodles in the city.
Egg Waffle
A Hong Kong visit without trying egg waffle is an incomplete visit. The most popular of all street foods in Hong Kong, egg waffle is a dish of plenty of eggs, sugar and flour. It’s delicious! Lee Keung Kee North Point Egg Waffles in Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Kee Top Quality Egg Waffles in Sai Wan Ho are places where you can find the best of these eggy goodness.