Hong Kong is justifiably famous for its restaurants and its cuisine, but it’s the variety of food that is mind-boggling. Here are 10 specialities not to miss, from snake soup to whole roast suckling pig
Stuffed roasted suckling pig at Kimberley Chinese Restaurant. Bring a sizable party and some bigger trousers before coming to Kimberley Chinese Restaurant, which specialises in upscale Cantonese cuisine including dim sum, abalone delicacies and the like. However, its main attraction is the roasted suckling pig, a behemoth of a dish. It differs from the traditional dish in that it is stuffed with delicious sticky glutinous rice and roasted whole over an open flame. So the skin arrives roasted to crispy perfection and the inside is filled with fragrant and flavourful mushy rice.
Beef brisket from Sister Wah. Although Central’s Kau Kee restaurant is synonymous with beef brisket in Hong Kong, the city’s foodies know that Sister Wah is the place to go for a refreshing bowl of beef brisket noodles. The stock’s key ingredient is large chunks of daikon (similar to a large radish), making it lighter and sweeter than in many other beef brisket places. Sister Wah started in 2003 during the SARS downturn, but now the minuscule shop is always packed with loyal diners. Many are alumni from the nearby Queen’s College, who make frequent visits even after they’ve moved away. There’s a lovely familial vibe here thanks to the owner, Chan Yee Wah, who is more adoringly referred to as “Wah Jeh”.
Snake soup from Ser Wong Fun .Snake soup is considered a delicacy in the city, as traditionalists believe it wards off colds and other maladies. One of the best places to try it is Ser Wong Fun, which has a 115-year history of serving snake soups. The snake meat is shredded into thin white strips and served in a broth of mushrooms, seafood and lemon leaves. The place is a little shabby and always very packed but the experience is quintessentially Hong Kong.
Egg tart from the Hoover Cake Shop. This beloved Hong Kong staple is most commonly found with two different styles of crust: a crumbly shortcrust, or flaky puff pastry. But the Hoover Cake Shop continues to draw crowds because it makes its tarts with duck eggs, intensifying the custard’s silky flavour and its rich yellow hue. The shop is modest and cosy, and its only ingredient for a winning atmosphere is the deliciously buttery scent of baked goods wafting out.
Hot pot at Megan’s Kitchen. Hot pot is a beloved Hong Kong tradition during the cold winter months – think hot fondue where you dip raw meats and fish balls into boiling vats of broth, rather than Lancashire stew. There are plenty of spots around town to enjoy it, but it’s truly a one-of-a-kind hot pot experience at Megan’s Kitchen. Megan offers a selection of up to three soup bases, and diners can choose from a variety of inventive and colourful broths – from rich crab-and-tomato topped with frothy egg white soufflé to sizzling Sichuan super-hot chilli escargot to the English oxtail, the options are nearly endless. Special ingredients to dump into the soups include Japanese beef with black truffle dumplings, rainbow cuttlefish balls, beef balls stuffed with cheese and much, much more.
