MY TOP 5 'MUST EAT' IN HONG KONG

Hong Kong is definitely one of my favorite cities - It is not only a shopping paradise for shopaholics (like me), but also a food haven for foodies (also me! Haha). From street food to Michelin-star restaurants, tourists are definitely spoilt for choice. I've been there a few times but never once got tired of the food. My last trip there was like a few years back, so I was really looking forward to our recent one. All the food... Yumzzz... Even thinking bout them makes me drool :P Deng deng deng... Let me present to you my Top 5 MUST EAT whenever I visit HK:

1. ROAST GOOSE

What is a Hong Kong trip without a meal of good roast goose? Roast goose is definitely one of the not-to-be missed food when you are in Hong Kong and my favorite place for this is Yung Kee Restaurant. Though Yung Kee lost its one Michelin star in 2011, I still think they sell the best roast goose in HK. Their roast goose is crispy, tender, juicy and gamey! Dip the meat in their sweet plum sauce... Mmmm ~ heavenly! And you've got to order their famous century egg appetizer - it’s very good too!

Regular sized for 2-4 pax costs HKD$200 and extra HKD$60 for the goose leg. Must eat! Slurppp ~

Make sure to try the century egg appetizer too (HKD$12/serving) :D It is really soft and smooth, and the yolk is creamy and flavorful. 

The exterior.

You won't miss this large kitchen display window :P

Yung Kee Restaurant
32-40 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong Island (MTR Central Exit D2, walk up D’Aguilar Street and turn right into Wellington Street)
Tel: +852 2522 1624
Opening Hours: 11am – 11:30pm
Website: https://yungkee.com.hk/

The other place for this is Yat Lok Roast Goose. Yat Lok earned its One Michelin Star in 2015 for its great value and quality roast goose. Unlike its famous counterpart Yung Kee, Yat Lok does not have a fancy set-up and keep its food accessible to people of all backgrounds with its affordable prices. Friendly staff service and well-furbished interiors are non-existent here. It is frequently visited by the locals and table sharing is TOTALLY COMMON here. Some of us may not like the idea of squeezing at mini-size tables with total strangers, but it is literally unavoidable as this tiny shop is super crowded during meal times.

The food price here is reasonable. Diners can indulge in a Goose Drumstick with Rice at just HK$88. 

Their roast goose? Fragrant and juicy, but my portion was a wee bit too greasy for my stomach. 

The shopfront is almost unnoticeable.

Yat Lok Roast Goose

G/F, 34-38 Stanley Street, Central (MTR Central Exit D2 – From Queens St walk across the road toward D’Aguilar Street and turn right into Stanley Street.

Tel: +852 2524 3882

Opening Hours: Mon- Sat: 10am - 9pm; Sun and public holiday: 10am - 5.30pm.

As mentioned previously, Yat Lok serves some pretty good roast goose with a more wallet-friendly price, but I still like the roast goose in Yung Kee better. I also prefer the more spacious Yung Kee where I can sit comfortably and enjoy my meal, without having to squeeze with other customers and being reminded to EAT-FAST-AND-LEAVE coz there are people waiting.

2. STINKY TOFU

Hong Kong street food is a curious mix of the traditional, the intriguing, and the downright weird. No matter how picky or adventurous you are, there's bound to be something to suit your taste. Some may smell strange, some may look strange, but man, people simply love them! And one of my favorites would be ***Drum roll*** The STINKY TOFU!! How most people describe it? Let's see...  Something that smells REALLY bad? Sweaty stench? Rancid smell of a hot steamy sewage? Someone took off their shoes exposing wet socks? Hahaha... But trust me, stinky tofu is actually a lot better tasting than it smells :D The first time I had it was in Taiwan, but many say it’s not as “authentic” as the ones in HK which are much stinkier and stronger. Ever since I tried the HK fried one, I was totally hooked.

The stinky tofu (HKD$12). Love eating it with chilli sauce!

Head to Dundas Street, Mong Kok for this classic Hong Kong street food. We had ours at Kai Kei Snack. Try it and who knows, you might like it! Besides the stinky tofu, we also had the curry fish balls (Another one of HK's iconic street snack), grilled squid tentacles and deep fried pig's intestines *not in picture* (It was sooo soooo salty!)

Curry fish balls (HKD$9/stick) and grilled squid tentacles (HKD$18/stick), which was surprisingly good: Tender and flavorful. Loved it.

It's hard to miss that pungent smell when you are near :P

Kai Kei Snack

41 Dundas Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong.

TIP: If you are a fan of meat and meat parts (namely tongues, gizzards and large intestines) on skewers, head to the famous Fei Jie Snack Shop, which is just nearby.

3. EGG TART

Egg tarts are said to have been introduced to Hong Kong in the 1940s, derived from the Portuguese variety popular in neighbouring Macau, but unlike the Macanese ones, the Hong Kong version comes without the caramelized top surface (like creme brulee) and not always of the puff pastry variety (can be shortcrust pastry). Eat them warm. That smooth bright yellow egg custard, seated inside crumbly fragrant buttery crust... Yummzzz! Of course, the famous place for this would be Tai Cheong Bakery, but this time we decided to try the ones at Honolulu Cafe in Wan Chai, which was just a few units away from our AirBnB :D 

Love the flaky pastry and smooth custard filling!

TIP: Their pineapple buns (Polo bao) are pretty famous too. Not really a fan of that...

Honolulu Coffee Shop

176-178 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (Turn right from MTR Wan Chai Exit A4 - it's only a few minutes' walk away)

Tel: +852 2575 1823

Opening Hours: Mon - Sat: 6am - 11pm; Sun: 7am - 12am.

4. WONTON NOODLES

Am more of a 'rice' person but not eating wonton noodles when I'm in Hong Kong? I can hear my insides screaming, "Noooo!" This is where you will find the best wonton noodles in the world!! In Hong Kong, there are more noodle shops than 7-Eleven outlets < almost every street corner has one >, and our favorite place to slurp up a bowl of authentic wonton noodles? It's definitely at Mak's Noodles. Though Mak's Chee, an off-shoot of Mak’s Noodle chain (one of which had garnered a Michelin star at one time) opened in One Utama Shopping Mall early this year, nothing beats the original. Hand-made crunchy + springy thin noodle, served with intense broth (untainted by MSG) that makes such a punch and succulent wontons with fresh prawns - Yes!!!

Wonton Noodles in Soup (HKD$35). If it’s good enough for Anthony Bourdain, it's definitely more than good enough for us :P

Mak's Noodle
77 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong (About 6 mins' walk from MTR Hong Kong Station Exit C)
Tel: +852 2854 3810
Opening Hours: 11am - 9pm.

We went to their Tsim Sha Tsui branch this time as we were in Kowloon area that very day. 

The Tsim Sha Tsui branch - 19 Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Exit H/R)

*Warning for big eaters: The serving size is small, so might need to order more than 1 bowl! :P

Last, but not least,

5. DIM SUM

Well, it's quite impossible to go to Hong Kong without trying one of their famous dim sums, and the best place to have good ones with a reasonable price would be at Tim Ho Wan. Just like Mak's, Tim Ho Wan opened in Malaysia too (in Midvalley Megamall and One Utama Shopping Mall), but still, what's better than going back to where it all started? :D There are a variety of dim sums to order, but the best is their Char Siew (BBQ pork) Polo Bao - one of their four Heavenly Kings!

The Char Siew Polo Bun (HKD$21). Crusty exterior with a soft interior, filled with juicy and tender BBQ pork!

Besides the bao, we've also ordered these:

Steamed spare ribs with black beans (HKD$16) - One of my favorites and a 'must order' whenever I have dim sums.

Braised chicken feet with abalone sauce (HKD$32) - Hb's favorite.

Steamed Ma Lai Gou (HKD$16) for LO.

Ohh... Did I mention that Tim Ho Wan is one of the world's cheapest Michelin star restaurants??

Tim Ho Wan (One Michelin Star)

Shop 12A, Hong Kong MTR Station Podium Level 1, IFC Mall (MTR Hong Kong Station Exit E2)

Tel: +852 2332 3078

Opening Hours: 9am - 9pm.

So... There you go, my Top 5 "MUST EAT" in Hong Kong. There's definitely plenty more deliciousness to choose from, that makes me wanna go back again and again :P Feel free to leave a comment and tell me what's your favorite/must-try food :)