Restaurants
Savoring the Best of Hong Kong’s Restaurants
Hong Kong is indeed a superior gourmet’s paradise in all of Asia. Not only does it offer a delicious array of Chinese food but virtually all types of food that appeal to your stomach is available in Hong Kong. Unlike other people from other major Asian countries, Hong Kong-ers take pride in their food tradition and quality. From fusion fare, traditional and contemporary dim sum restaurants, exotic hawker stalls and cafes, Hong Kong offers a little something for everyone to savor.
It is an undisputable fact that Hong Kong’s dim sum is indeed one of the best in the world. The word dim sum is literally derived from the Cantonese phrase “yat dim sum yi” and translated; it means “a token from the heart”. This is because Chinese housewives would prepare these dishes to impress their husbands and gain more love in return. Like its name implies, delicate morsels of Cantonese fare made from meat, vegetables, seafood and other succulently prepared ingredients are carefully placed inside small steamer baskets. In Hong Kong, these little dumplings are served in carts pushed by petite waitresses making their rounds among restaurant patrons. Must-try dim sum dishes include “har gao” which are steamed shrimp dumplings encased in delicate flour layers, “siu mai” which are steamed dumplings with meat and prawn fillings as well as “char siu bao”, steamed soft buns that contain barbequed pork.
Hong Kong is also known for its tempting array of hawker fare. Even the most affluent residents travel from across the Island just to taste irresistibly prepared hawker food. One great example of Hong Kong’s famous hawker snacks is their unquestionably renowned stinky tofu or fondly known as “chao tau fu”. Stinky tofu is typically fermented beancurd which emits a strong odour, but just like the durian fruit from Malaysia, it can both turn off and appeal to different types of people. The scent of a stinky tofu can be detected from afar but it tastes surprisingly mild once you gain the courage to bite into a quivering piece of tofu. In Hong Kong’s “dai pai dong” or hawker stalls, it is first deep fried before being drenched in oyster sauce and placed into paper bags to be sold to both eager and adventurous foodies.
Other delicacies worth trying include the Hong Kong Peking duck. This crispy duck dish is a delight to nibble into and is usually sold in both upmarket restaurants as well as the humble market place. Hot pots are also great to savor especially with friends and family. Traditionally, it is said that eating hot pot and drinking hot Chinese tea will help foster family ties as each member of the family will be huddled around the delicious meat-and-vegetable dish.
Before leaving Hong Kong, don’t forget to sample other simple but tasty dishes as fish balls on sticks, tender beef noodles and wan ton noodles. These are highly affordable food but don’t let the price tag fool you. It is considered poor man’s food but it is part and parcel of being a Hong Kong-er so you must not miss tasting this food before exiting the country. And if you are adventurous, you can also try dishes made from pig’s intestines, pigs’ blood and pig’s skin. If these are not exotic sounding enough, you can also try dishes made from snake meat.
Happy sampling!