6 must-visits in Hong Kong
Recently, together with Lee Kum Kee, I went on an unforgettable food trip to Hong Kong. There is nowhere else in the world where you get to know the people and culture better through food than in Hong Kong. From street food to Michelin-starred fare and from the wet market to a high-end restaurant in one of the countless skyscrapers that fill the city – this is where you need to be. Or at least, where I had an amazing time.
Cantonese cuisine is steeped in authentic flavours and references to bygone eras at every level. Time stands still there, while simultaneously moving at lightning speed. The flavours are simple and complex at the same time. Not that the preparation methods are necessarily so complicated. No, the contrast has more to do with the key ingredients of Cantonese cuisine. With flavourings such as soy sauce and oyster sauce, whose most important ingredient is time. Patience is rewarded, that much has become clear to me by now.
Never before in my life had I eaten at so many special places in such a short time. Sometimes the food blew me away, while at other times it was the story behind it, or the busy guests chattering over one another who would lecture you, unsolicited and in an insistent tone, about what you should order. Often it was a combination of factors. It is almost impossible to capture such an overwhelming trip in an article, but let me at least list the addresses that stood out most to me.
Mak’s Noodle
Wonton noodles with a reputation. Ask any local for the best place for wonton noodles and they will send you to Mak’s Noodle. All Mak’s Noodle locations are run by students of Mak Woon-chi, who is considered Hong Kong’s wonton master (he brought the dish from Guangzhou to the big city in 1920). The Wellington Street location used to belong to his son, by the way. At the very least, order his signature dish here: the wonton noodles. Traditional, simple and flavourful. Great as a snack, but order something else too and you will have enough for dinner as well. In that case, go for the stirred noodles with minced pork sauce. At least, if you can take the heat. Multiple locations, see website
Kam Wah Café
Have you ever heard of pineapple buns (bo lo bao)? I certainly hadn’t until recently, even though they are Hong Kong’s most famous buns. Strangely enough, there is no pineapple involved; the bun takes its name from its appearance – although I have to say I don’t really see the resemblance. Kam Wah Café is a traditional Hong Kong style teahouse and, according to many, the best place for bo lo bao. Inside, it is complete chaos, and pineapple buns as well as egg tarts (!) literally fly off the counter like hot cakes. It is so busy here that a fresh batch comes out of the oven every ten minutes. The sweet, brioche-like buns are served warm with a thick (really very thick) slice of butter in between. Honestly, what more could you want? Apart from a huge glass of iced milk tea, that is.
Fa Yuen Street Wet Market
Around the corner from Kam Wah is Fa Yuen Street, where a hysterically busy market takes place every day. From ‘designer’ clothes to sneakers and trendy headphones; they have it all here, for next to nothing. Personally, I don’t find these kinds of markets all that interesting; at most, they are fun to see once. Five minutes later, you squeeze through the crowd as quickly as possible towards the Fa Yuen Street Wet Market. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this. Everything you can buy here is guaranteed to be fresh, fresher, freshest. Think clucking chickens and croaking frogs, all over the place. 123A Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tim Ho Wan
Another very Hong Kong thing: queuing for really good food. Yes, even for breakfast. At Tim Ho Wan, you can enjoy a Michelin-starred dim sum experience 24 hours a day. With a rumbling stomach and a view of tables piled high with steaming baskets, the wait is quite a challenge, but it is more than worth it. Besides, once you reach the front of the queue, you are given a form to tick off what you want to order, so at least you have something to do. Don’t expect tablecloths here; you eat in an unpretentious and uncomplicated setting, but the food is incredibly flavourful. Though next time I’ll probably skip the chicken feet on an empty stomach. I think. Multiple locations, see website
Yee Shun Milk Company
Milk pudding made with rich buffalo milk from their own farm. Sounds good? It is. Whether you visit Yee Shun Milk Company before or after dinner, you must not skip this place. The buffalo milk is first boiled and then steamed. Sugar and egg white are then mixed in, and the pudding is chilled until fully set. The milk pudding comes in several flavours – from coffee milk to steamed egg pudding – but the original milk pudding is the best in both flavour and texture. With the very first bite, I was transported straight back to my childhood, when I couldn’t sleep and my mother would give me a mug of warm milk with a little sweetener stirred in. Those were the days, and you can relive them in Hong Kong.
VEA
Well, what can I say about this? Everything at VEA is surprising: from the food and the way it is served to the interior, you simply don’t quite know what you’re experiencing. We sat in a private room with a view of the kitchen. We could see the chefs, but they couldn’t see us. A strange sensation. And then the food… I don’t even know where to begin. Among other things, we ate quail eggs marinated in rice vinegar and smoked, served in a bird’s nest shrouded in smoke. Magical. And the rice puffs with salt cod purée were served in a music box playing music that reminded the chef of his childhood. A complete James Bond experience – and they recently received a Michelin star too.
