What and Where to Eat in Hong Kong (Part I)

Do not leave Hong Kong without eating at a cha chan teng or dai pai dong. The former can be found everywhere while there are only a handful of the latter left as the government stopped issuing licenses for them due to congestion and hygiene problems. Both, and cooked food centres similar to our hawker centres, sell anything from po lo bao to cart noodles (or instant noodles with egg, ham/luncheon meat/sausage) and rice. In Singapore, we may have shared table with strangers at a coffeeshop, food court or hawker centre. But here, it is normal to be seated with strangers at restaurants especially at crowded places. Now…what should you eat in this former British Colony that justifies the almost-four-hours flight? Having been here a couple of times over the last few years, these are my recommendations:

Chinese New Year 2016 – Goodies Galore

With Chinese New Year (CNY) round the corner, have you bought festive goodies and new clothes? While I would not be able to help you on the latter, could share on the former. I went not once, not twice or even thrice but four times to Takashimaya's CNY Festive Celebrations. There seemed to be fewer stalls selling nuts, baked and fried goods. Instead, there were more dried goods and frozen seafood stalls with even SK Jewellery jumping on the bandwagon. What stood out this year was many stalls were baking pineapple tarts on the spot, so the place was filled with the aroma of butter and sweet pineapple. I ordered the ones from SunnyHills, and kueh lapis from Bengawan Solo. As Kee Wah Bakery did not bring in its Chinese sweet crispies, I bought its pineapple shortcakes and almond crisps which I fell in love with after someone bought and brought it back from Hong Kong as souvenir.

Chinese New Year 2015 – Goodies Galore

The Cookie Museum was strategically located at the main entrance of Takashimaya's Chinese New Year (CNY) Festive Celebrations so customers could sample and purchase without squeezing through the alleys. But there was none to speak, potential or otherwise, when I was there over the weekend. Could it be because most people would have tried its cookies before and needed no more convincing to buy? Doubt it was due to its atypical of the usual CNY goodies' packaging since Christine's by The Cookie Museum and Home's Favourite use similar colourful metal tins, and their stalls were packed with people jostling for samples. Near a side entrance where one of the cashiers was, Christine's by The Cookie Museum were giving out freshly-baked mini versions of the actual cookies. They were good, just like The Cookie Museum's sakura apple cookies, though I found both price tags too steep.

Chinese New Year 2014 – Goodies Galore

I know I should be writing about Chinese New Year (CNY) but have been dragging my feet on it and now, the festival is less than a week away. As I have tried most of the CNY goodies from stalls at Takashimaya's CNY Festive Celebrations in previous years, I would just highlight the new participants this year – 3 Bites Full, Fresh Seafood House, Kuuki which offers cookies (I tried and like the hazelnut ones) in transparent bottles with metallic covers and brightly-coloured stickers or colourful metal tins, Kuo Yuan He from Taiwan, Serenity Spanish Restaurant that opened its 2nd branch on the 5th floor of the shopping mall after VivoCity, and Yi Lai.

Chinese New Year 2013 – Goodies Galore

Used to bask in Chinese New Year (CNY) atmosphere at Chinatown's Festive Street Bazaar every year but now prefer the CNY Festive Celebrations at air-conditioned Takashimaya Square (B2) with tamer crowds. A smaller affair with fewer stalls and none selling clothes, potted plants and pomelos meant customers get a bit of everything here and less of the same. No more dizzying choices with just one to three stalls each hawking dried and waxed products, canned abalone and frozen seafood as well as mandarin oranges, noodles and decorative items. Other than a few Japanese stalls, participants this year include Macau's Choi Heong Yuen and Taiwan's Isabelle. Interestingly, Hong Kong's Eat Drink Tea sells neither tea leaves nor tea bags but sachets of organic white, green, red and black tea essences in pretty boxes. The only traditional nuts and preserved fruits stall, by King of Melon Seeds, also has childhood munchies in sampler packs.