It's been more than 3 years in Hong Kong! Time flew, weight grew and finally I have an idea why. Haha! Thanks to the absolutely amazing food that Hong Kong has. It's a culinary fusion of most of Asian cuisine offering authentic and as well as modern & fusion versions.
But Hong Kong has some great local food which is made in other parts of South East Asia also but best had in Hong Kong as per me. So below are 20 of my best Hong Kong local dishes which one must have when they plan a visit here-
1. Char Siu-
A cantonese dish of roasted barbecued pork which is is mouth watering & delish to the core. Mostly using the pork belly and lathered in this sweet savory sauce. This is made in almost all restaurants here but some specialize in this and are very good.
The good one's I have had are at Duddell's at Central, Greater China Club at Lai Chi Kok.
2. Dim Sum-
Nothing is better than dimsum you get in Hong Kong. Piping hot small bites of happiness these are. Eaten throughout the day there are so many varieties of these that you cannot stop wanting more. There usually are small shops along the streets that also do varieties of pan fried dumplings that you can take away on your way to office.
My favorites are Shumai, Hargow, chiu chow style and the ever famous xiao long bao. No matter what you do, do not miss the dimsum.
3. Bao (Bun)-
Bao or Buns are fluffy breads filled with great meats or veggies also. My favorites being char siu bao (BBQ pork buns), steamed pork buns, sesame paste filled glutinous rice buns. Best had hot!
4. Hong Kong Style Breakfast-
Hot bowl of soup noodles or macaroni with slice of meat (Spam) and egg sandwiches/ condensed milk on butter buns. It's a delightful meal usually paired with piping hot milk tea. It's the perfect meal to get one energized to kick start the morning.
One of the good places to have this is Australian Dairy Company.
5. Hong Kong Milk Tea-
My favorite drink here. Hong Kong style milk tea also know as 'Ee Lai Cha' is the perfect thing to start my day. This is the closest thing to masala chai in India which I love. Made with evaporated milk or sometimes condensed milk also, with a strong tea flavor to give you that fresh start to the day.
You can usually order with lunch or breakfast sets easily.
6. Cart Noodles-
Another thing that is so popular here are the hong kong style cart noodles. You can pick the soup base and noodles with an assortment of different toppings to add to you soupy noodle meal. One can find these in small local shops near office and residential places, these are super homely and wonderful during winters.
My favorite store is a place called Golden Thumb at Lai Chi Kok near my office. I love their Hot & Sour soup base so much I am there every 2 weeks.
7. Sweet & Sour Pork-
A delicacy liked by a lot of expats these crunchy and juicy bite sized pieces of pork tossed with seriously sweet pineapple and bell peppers are my favorite. Most of the local places I go I enjoy ordering these time and again.
8. Dai Pai Dong-
The local vendors along inner streets which sell variety of noodle dishes and rice bowls. Perfect bowl for quick and meals but you should ideally look up online to go to some of the better ones and roadside vendors at all places cannot be trusted everywhere for quality of the food. Ask the locals, they know it best.
9. Wet Market Food Courts (Tung Po)-
So almost all districts in Hong Kong have wet markets for fresh veggies which usually have an area of food shops selling great local food housing large number of people. Each locality has one kind of these though I have been told over the years these have closed down too.
One of the most popular ones is the North Point Tung Po restaurant which attracts locals and expats alike with huge groups coming over for great food, drinks and fun. The people who run the place have a fun loving attitude and join into your tables to have fun with you playing and dancing to Michael Jackson's beats to keep the night alive and kicking.
10. Fish balls-
These a a local street snack enjoyed by around the season. They are steamed, pan fried and served with a savory sauce on top. Fish balls are even found in in soup cart noodles and yummy small bites of food.
11. Egg Waffles/ Eggette-
Egg waffles/ eggettes are round ball shaped waffle cones found at many places and are another much loved street snack. In a lot of places the batter is flavored for other distinct varieties like matcha, green tea, etc but the original vanilla flavored are the best so far. These are best has warm and can be topped with chocolate sauce, ice cream, fresh cream and fruits.
My favorite so far is from Givres on Hong Kong island, topped with a rose shaped ice cream the mixture of hot and cold is a perfect delight.
12. Roast Goose-
Crispy skin and succulent meat the roast goose is a definite must for Hong Kong. I haven't had it in a while and maybe I will soon but this is a yummy preparation and I really like the crispy skin on top. Chan Kee Roast goose is the best place for this in Hong Kong.
13. Yum Cha-
Homely meal with family and friends on a weekend to celebrate good news or spend quality time together. Yum Cha is the perfect meal to get together with loved ones. There are baskets of dim sum, char siu, turnip cakes, glutinous rice steamed in lotus leaves, mini clay pots which adorn the lunch table. The warm food mostly comes in small bite sized quantities for ease of eating and talking which can be washed down with tons of 'cha' either jasmine tea, chrysanthemum team etc.
My favorite place for yum cha is 'Lei Garden' both in Tsim Sha Tsui and IFC.
14. Hot Pot-
A winter favorite this is again a family & friends meal to be had together. A big pot of bubbling flavorful broth (different varieties are available) in the center and all sorts of meat, veggies, noodles and dumplings to be cooked in it can be ordered.
Accompanied with small bowls of condiments like chilli, XO sauce, fried garlic, peanuts, chopped coriander, sesame paste, soy sauce etc to be paired with this meal is a delight. There is a lot going on around the table with everything being dunked into the broth to cook and the eaten, it's an extremely festive feeling that everyone participates in.
15. Egg tarts-
The most delectable of all sweets in Hong Kong & Macau region. It's not overwhelmingly sweet and has a great set vanilla egg custard in the center of a very delightful flaky pastry. The top maybe left as is or in some cases is blow torched with sugar to give it a nice brown caramelization. Best eaten warm, my favorite ones are from Koi Kee Bakery in Macau.
16. Pineapple Bun (Bo Lo Bao)-
Sweet and crunchy on top bun which has absolutely no trace of pineapple in it. It is a delicious tea time snack with served with a thick layer of butter and complements very well with the HK style milk tea.
Named pineapple bun simply for their look these fluffy buns are a delight. I have had these at multiple places but they say the best is at Kam Wah Cafe on Prince Edward, Kowloon.
17. Hong Kong style French toast-
This is not your regular french toast! Nope, this gets better. Completely coated with batter and lightly fired until crisp this toast is served with peanut butter spread inside and topped with condensed milk and butter. This is amazing when had hot. Slurp! Get these at any cha chan teng.
18. Wanton Noodles-
A favorite of many locals wanton noodles are a staple lunch and breakfast for many in HK. It is quite the comfort food for many here. The tasty rich broth, the eggy noodles that have a bite to them and the shrimp and pork wontons in the broth with spring onions defines this bowl of joy.
Mak's Noodle in Central is considered to be the best but you can have these at many shops during your stay here.
19. Beef Congee-
Every place has one dish that is perfect for someone who needs to get well. Congee is the go to dish if you feel unwell or low. My fav is Beef Congee, this wholesome bowl is basically rice porridge with lean ground beef, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and spring onions.
Cooked to perfection this bowl has mood changing abilities. My fav is at a local restaurant near my office at Lai Chi Kok.
20. Claypot Rice-
Another delicacy from the autumn winter cuisine collection of Hong Kong. Let the winter's set in and you can find families flocking to restaurants for claypot rice. Cooked in a special clay post over a specific vessel these are mostly found in restaurants and not made at homes now a days.
Multiple different versions of fish, beef, preserved veggies, mushrooms and chicken etc can be had with flavorful soy sauce. What is most liked it the crisp crust the rice forms on the base of the clay pot.
Enjoy Hong Kong's food as it has something for everyone. There's rarely anyone I know who has gone not been happy with HK's finger licking food. There's something for every palate!