Ivy's Travel: Hong Kong Food Guide

Hong Kong has always been one of my favorite cities in Asia. I grew up having most of my holidays here since Mom and Dad often take us to China, and we always make sure to transit several days in Hong Kong. I can't exactly recall how many times I've been in the city, probably around fifteen and still a visit here is always, always irresistible.

Not many tourists love Hong Kong because they find the people are rude and it's not really easy to communicate, surprisingly quite many don't really understand English, so if you can speak Mandarin or even better, Cantonese would be great. I do admit the people (seller and waiter) are quite rude but I still find the city to be a great place to visit, not to mention, food heaven. No matter what, Hong Kong will forever stay close to my heart.

Other posts from my previous visits can be read here. I apologize for the low quality and ugly pictures.

DELICIOUS KITCHEN

Shop B, G/F, 9-11 Cleveland Street

Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay

Opening hours: 11am - 11pm

Directions:

MTR station Causeway Bay exit E, turn left, another turn left, walk through Fashion Walk at Paterson street until the corner of cross road, cross the road towards right, turn left on the second alley (Cleveland Street). Delicious Kitchen is on your left. 

This place is my frequent stop whenever I'm in Hong Kong. They serves truly the best pork ribs rice. Fragrant vegetable rice under slices of deep fried pork ribs. The place is popular among locals and tourists. Always packed especially during lunch and dinner time. Seriously, if you can eat non halal food, don't leave Hong Kong without having their pork ribs rice, twice!

HUI LAU SHAN 

My ultimate love! I always make sure to have at least one cup a day of their delicious mango drink. With branches spread all over Hong Kong, Hui Lau Shan is one their local proudness. For dine in, you can also try their popular Mango Sago dessert. Since I always stays at Causeway Bay area, my most to go outlet is the one across Sogo, next to Bee Cheng Hiang. Prepare to get hooked!

YUNGUIXIANG RICE VERMICELLI 

Address: Causeway Bay Area 

Directions: 

From Sogo Causeway Bay, just go straight passing by Causeway Bay Plaza, keep straight until the corner and turn right. Cross the road in your left, enter the first alley. Keep walking and you will see a big red signage with Chinese name in your right. There will be pictures of vermicelli outside the restaurant. 

Or if you are not staying in causeway Bay, exit MTR Causeway Bay station exit B. When you exit, turn right until the corner again turn right, then cross the road in your left, enter the first alley.

Another favorite one. I have been eating their noodles since I was still so young, probably 13 and never get sick of it. Don't know why, I always, always forgot to take note of their address. Just follow the directions above and look for this sign, and you're good. They don't display the English menu, but they have one, so remember to ask for it. Tips go for their number 1, small pot rice vermicelli then add the additional topping choices at the box on their bottom menu. They come with spiciness level which is pretty hot, don't go too high on the level. The portion, even the small one is huge, so be considerate upon ordering.

TSUI WAH 

Address: G/F - 2/F, 15 - 19 Wellington street, Central

Ph. +852 25256338

Central branch open 24 hours 

Other location can be found at: 

http://www.tsuiwahrestaurant.com/eng/info_e.html

Tsui Wah is one of the most popular Cha Chaan Teng (tea restaurant) in Hong Kong. Cha chaan teng is the number one choice for locals (and tourists) to have their meal, especially breakfast. Though the meaning of it is tea restaurant, the place actually serves more than tea. Cha chaan teng in Hong Kong comes in humble street carts, into restaurants. Tsui Wah is definitely the most famous one with branches all over the city. Many also opens 24 hours, so when you have that midnight hunger pangs, worry less. 

The variety of menu at Tsui Wah is a lot! Claimed to be their most popular items are the breakfast set contains of half boiled egg and Hong Kong's signature milk bun. Aside from that, the other popular choice is their fish soup. The broth is amazingly light yet so so flavorful, with bouncy fish ball and fish cakes, makes it my favorite item at Tsui Wah.

Fish Combination and Seaweed in Fish Soup (HKD 45)

Wanchai is walking distance from Causeway Bay around 15 minutes or 1 stop MTR ride if you're not into walking. These three recommendations below are all located at Wanchai, so you could try altogether to save the time, of course if your stomach capacity is flexible enough.

JOY HING
Address: 265-267 Hennessy Road, Wanchai

One thing not to be missed when you travel to Hong Kong is their roasted goose!!! Juicy thick and fat goose. Plus, you hardly find roasted goose anywhere aside Hong Kong. If you are not into goose (but seriously you have to at least try), you can have the pork which also oh so good. I am the kind of person who mostly skipped breakfast, except during travel. My stomach hardly can swallow too heavy kind of food at morning time, but in Hong Kong, I'm gladly did. I could easily eat a plate of rice with succulent roasted goose, every morning if I have to.

Now, Hong Kong comes with good variety of choices when it comes to roasted BBQ, but my favorite one is Joy Hing. I feel their meats are thicker and fatter. :D 

People who worked at Joy Hing might be one of the rare ones, as they are friendly! It is so rare to find friendly server in Hong Kong, however it's a bit difficult as the people who worked there mostly don't understand English, so if you can't speak Cantonese or Mandarin, you probably might feel a bit comfier to dine at KAM's. Another oldie favorite is Yung Kee, price is slightly higher than Kam's and definitely much pricey than Joy Hing.

KAM's ROAST GOOSE (One michelin star)
Address: 226 Hennesy Road, Wanchai

Kam's starts to gain popularity after the restaurant gets its one michelin star. People would queue up even before their opening hours. The restaurant opens at 10am, I suggest you to come at 9am. That's what I did and we get the first round seating. The restaurant isn't big, so if you come late, you would need to wait for second round and it ain't quick. The price is pricier than Joy Hing, probably because of the one mihelin star and the fact that their ambiance is neater, Kam's is a restaurant type while Joy Hing just a humble family business. Dining here might be comfier for tourist as they have English menu and the waiters mostly understand English. For an easy and quick lunch, they have rice set with various BBQ combination. Don't forget to try their suckling pig and roast goose combination rice set. Worth the queue. 

ODDIES FOODIES
Address:
Shop 1F, G/F, 149 WanChai Road, Wanchai
45 Gough Street, Central
Closed on Monday

Hong Kong is famous for their eggettes (waffle with various fillings) and Oddies Foodies is one of my top recommendation. Their waffle is so crunchy crisp served with artisan soft gelato and toppings to choose for. Personally, I'm not a sweet tooth so the portion is a bit too much for me, you might want to order one for share first. Their Wanchai outlet is pretty small, located in the intersection of Burrow Street, so small that if you blink, you might missed it.

Night Wolf (HKD 52)

ICHIRAN RAMEN

Address:
- G/F Lockhart House Block A (440-446), Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay
(MTR Causeway Bay exit C)
- 8 Minden Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui

Yes, it's that popular ramen from Japan. They have two branches, one at Causeway Bay, one at Tsim Sha Tsui. The one at Causeway Bay opens 24 hours, I'm not sure about the TST one. But the latter one is the biggest Ichiran in the world with 182 seats and communal seating, while mostly other outlets come with individual booth seating, a very private seat so that customer can fully concentrate on the noodle.

I didn't get the chance to try Ichiran during both my Japan trip, so I was very excited to finally taste one. We went to the Causeway Bay's outlet at 10.30pm and still have to waited for around 20 minutes. I was told that the Causeway Bay's outlet is similar with the one in Japan in terms of seating and order. The difference is that those in Japan pays in advance via vending machine, while in here, we pay at the end. 

So, was it good? It was. The broth was so flavorful yet it was light and not oily like some of the other tonkotsu soup. The winner is their red signature sauce. When you fill up your order sheet, make sure to circle DOUBLE for the red signature sauce option. It really does brings out more flavor. 

NOSH 
Address: 11 Upper Station Street, Tai Ping Shan

I almost never do any cafe hopping in Hong Kong. The city is probably the only place I go to enjoy their local food and not to be bothered by any trending cafes. The only cafe I often go when I'm in town is Agnes B, but since their shop at Causeway Bay has moved, I skipped the visit on my last trip and I don't have any photos of them taken during previous visits. I recommend you to, though. Agnes B. has collections of pretty cakes.

Anyway, we went to Nosh because of the words on how good their brunch and cakes are. Unfortunately, we didn't try the brunch menu due to stomach capacity, so we only tried their coffee and the famous lemon tart. Judging from those two alone, I would say I had better elsewhere. But if you are bored with local breakfast, do come to Nosh for their brunch menu. Almost all tables ordered one and they looked so tempting. 

URBAN BAKERY WORKS
Address: Shop 322, 3F, The Landmark, Central

I know that salted egg yolk croissant  is not something new nowadays, but before it was trending like now, the first salted egg yolk croissant was created by Urban Bakery, a hip and chic bistro located at the trendiest shopping mall in Hong Kong. The croissant, as expected was very good! Flaky crispy with generous molten egg yolk on the center. It might not look generous on the picture below, but it does in real life.

WONTON NOODLES
One of the most Hong Kong's food is their wonton noodle with the signature thin springy noodles and to die for fresh crunchy shrimp wonton. Honestly, any wonton noodles even in the humble diner or food court is good enough, but these three are my favorites.

HO HUNG KEE (One michelin star)
Address: 12th flr, Hysan Place
500 Henessy Road, Causeway Bay

MAK's NOODLE
Address: 77 Wellington Street, Central

HONG KONG FISH BALL

Address: 309 Hennessy Road, Wanchai (Next to Yoshinoya)

SMILE YOGURT
Address:
- Shop 509, 5th flr Hysan Place
- GF, Harbour City

My favorite place for yogurt in Hong Kong. The yogurt is silky without being too creamy withlots of toppings to choose from.

PIERRE HERME
Address: Level 1 IFC Mall
8 Finance Street, Hong Kong

Hong Kong is filled with lots and lots of great food. Another short recommendation on food related not ot be missed out when you're in the city:

1. Dimsum breakfast
Hong Kong is the home for best dimsum in Asia. You simply must at least have one dimsum breakfast there.

2. Breakfast, lunch, or late supper at Cafe De Coral or Fairwood
Two largest fast food chains,  Cafe De Coral and Fairwood are also things not to be missed out when you need to have a quick, good and affordable meals. Both of them can be found spread all around Hong Kong and Kowloon.

3. Their heavenly street snacks

Jumbo Sticky Rice with Stuffed Fried Dough and Shredded Chicken (HKD 40) 

Can be found in the alley behind Forever 21, Causeway Bay

4. Morning local breakfast with their signature condensed milk bun
Okay, this is by far, Hong Kong's most popular local food, butnever once I tired them simply because I'm not into dairy, so anything with milk and cheese, no matter how popular or good they are, will never make into my list of food. But please, do try.

5. Last but not least, buy big yakult at any convenience store
FYI, only available in Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan. I forgot if Japan also has or not. It's been 5 years since my last trip to Japan.

I've been compiling this post for a while and so happy finally managed to post it. So, thank you so much for reading and I hope this post helps a bit when you travel to Hong Kong. Trust me, the city is a food heaven. 

*post will be updated from time to time