“Don’t waste that, let me get you a paper bag". Despite my protests in halting Cantonese, the affable old man disappeared into the crowd, only to reappear a minute later, triumphant paper bag in hand. After thanking him profusely, I pocketed the sweet, sticky pastry and showed off the finished product to him with a grin.
I met this kind stranger at a shockingly crowded dim sum cafe along Wellington Street, where sharing tables is the norm. After staring at me throughout my meal, wondering why this Chinese girl speaks neither Mandarin nor Cantonese, but shared a language closer to the gwei los (foreigners), he must have decided that I was simply a clueless tourist, overwhelmed by the madness that is Lin Heung and needed help navigating this old establishment. He was right.
It’s first come, first serve at Lin Heung, where locals battle it out with tourists
Hong Kong is a culinary delight – whether you’re squashed between strangers, or sipping tea at a fine dining restaurant. Either way, you’re likely to walk off with a full belly and a grin on your face.
With food at every corner, I’m constantly amazed at how slim Hong Kongers are. I believe the secret lies in eating multiple small meals at all hours of the day, a practice that Zhaowei and I certainly embraced. Portions are also suitably sized, from exquisitely crafted dim sum to a steaming bowl of comforting porridge. No up-sized options, thank you very much.
TO DO
Besides being known as a foodie’s heaven, Hong Kong is also a shopper's paradise. With good reason – you can’t go a block without bumping into a shopping centre, a new shopping centre under construction, or a makeshift stall selling all and sundry.
In fact, Zhaowei ended up going nuts and doing way more shopping than I did, despite his earlier predictions that he wasn’t going to spend money. Yeah right.
I’m not going to go into a how-to on shopping, but the usual hunting grounds at Central, Causeway Bay and Mongkok are good bets to start off. My favourite haunt is Festival Walk, located at Kowloon Tong station. The LOG-ON shop, a mish-mash of stuff ranging from Porter bags to lemon juicers, is a delight to spend time in.
| Check out colonial buildings |
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| Bank of China, with ubiquitous double decker tram |
Sadly, as with many metropolis cities, old buildings are often torn down or left to crumble until some other development builds over it. Traces of Hong Kong’s colonial past are gradually being replaced by shiny, glass and steel monsters devoid of character. So check out the few buildings still standing due to active lobbying.
| Climb Victoria’s Peak |
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| A bird’s eye view of towering residential blocks |
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| The traditional method of going up the Peak, using a gorgeous wire-pulled funicular |
Perhaps it was my oxygen-starved brain, or the lactic acid build up, but climbing the Peak was an exhilarating experience. The road is sloped at a 45 degree incline, and it’s amazing to see the 50-storey buildings tilt the wrong way. A good way to work off calories too.
A wrong turn while searching for the tram station after taking the Mid-Levels Escalators led us up the path of a one-and-a-half hour trek. We passed an overseas school, complete with screaming foreign kids and maids sitting around chatting with one another, and maids walking furry dogs.
You can always hop on the tram (HK$25, or SGD4) for the ride down.
| Go island-hopping and get religious |
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| 28-minute cable car ride from Tung Chung, Hong Kong island |
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| The world’s biggest outdoor seated Bronze Buddha |
Excitement builds up as I catch a glimpse of big Buddha sitting serenely atop the hill, as my cable car moves towards Ngong Ping Village. Even from a distance, the bronze statue is impressive.
I’m not really a Buddhist, but that doesn’t mean I can’t accumulate some good luck by climbing 328 steps to show my sincerity, before asking for good health.
Aside from visiting Buddha (free), and viewing Buddha’s tooth (HK$20, SGD3.25), the nearby Po Lin Monastery is also worth a visit. Catch a glimpse of a monk hurrying along for scripture class, or eat a simple yet tasty vegetarian meal of soya milk curd and two snacks (included if you view Buddha’s tooth).
The Big Buddha is located on Lantau island, which is also great for trekking. Judging from what I can see from the cable car, you most definitely need a day or two if you intend to hike all the way to Buddha.
EATING
I’m not even sure where to start, simply because there are so many choices, so many great food places, that it’s hard to narrow down.
In that spirit, I’ve only chosen places that I’ve tried on a few occasions or places that are interesting enough to warrant a visit.
| Yung Kee, Wellington Street |
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| A chef posing with the famous roasted goose |
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| Sweet, pungent century egg |
Yung Kee is a curious place. It has won numerous awards, most notably one Michelin star. While the food is certainly tasty, it suffers from a lack of consistency.
I’ve been there 3 times – the first, a disappointment, the second visit sent me into a culinary tizzy, and the third left me dissatisfied and confused. A meal will set you back HK$400 (SGD65) for half a goose, a soup, a vegetable and tea.
But I really love the century egg (HK$20, SGD3.25), which is best described as pungent and yet not cloying or too sweet. Goes perfectly with the preserved ginger slices.
| Lin Heung, Central |
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| Chicken feet and pork rib rice |
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| Customers shoving their way around the cramp walkways |
Let’s be honest, the food at Lin Heung is not great. But this crowded eatery is fantastic to people watch, experience sharing a table with perfect strangers, and negotiating your way around steaming kettles of water sat precariously on a burner, or beating the crowd to a waitress pushing out steaming columns of dim sum.
Zhaowei, being a gentleman, decided to wait for the crowd to disperse before attempting to order some food. Let’s just say he came back empty-handed on a few trips.
| Luk Yu, Stanley Street |
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| Pan fried carrot cake |
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| Customers dressed to the nines |
When we finally located this place along Stanley Street, the waiter were initially hesitant to let us in as the lunch crowd was about to arrive and people in the know make reservations (get your hotel to help you). After enquiring and learning that we could indeed leave within the hour, he sent us upstairs.
And what a transformation from the crowded streets below. Waiters in crisp, white uniforms usher you to your seat, before taking your tea order. The menu changes every day, so you never know what might pop up, such as pork wrapped in liver (siew mai). There are special rooms cordoned off by old Western-style saloon swing doors. Not cheap (a few dishes cost us over SGD60), but well worth it.
| Itamae sushi, Festival Walk |
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| Unagi sushi |
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| Conveyor belt eating |
The long queue to get in is testament both to the popularity of Japanese food and the quality of this restaurant. The fish is extremely fresh, the selection wide. There are two branches, one near Sogo in Causeway Bay and the other at Festival Walk in Kowloon. We had to wait over 45 minutes (and spent over SGD40), but the icing skating rink on the ground floor made for good people watching.
SLEEPING
Boutique hotels have sprung up in the last few years and there’s no shortage on choice. I personally prefer staying on Hong Kong island. But if you prefer gritty Hong Kong, there are plenty of choices in Kowloon as well.
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| Warm, brown tones |
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| excellent rain shower |
Butterfly is excellently located near many great eating places. It’s also a ten-minute walk from the Hong Kong MTR station, which is where the Airport Express ends. It can get tricky if you have a lot of luggage to maneuver, as there are stairs and escalators to navigate. I would suggest taking a cab if that’s the case. (SGD183 per night, on Hotels.com; we got it for SGD160 per night during off-peak season)
Rush hour on the MTR
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