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Top 5 places in Hong Kong to eat delicious food - on a budget

I made another recent trip to Hong Kong ( who can resist cheap flights? ) and this time my tummy is demanding MORE.

The only trouble is, that there's too much good food to try, and too little time. So I had to sieve through the list, picked those I wanted to try, queued up, and... well. I think you know the rest.

And so, I have compiled my 5 favourite places for you and your taste buds to enjoy!

1. Tim Ho Wan - Char Siew Bao and Chicken Feet

I know I've mentioned them in my previous post here, but that was at the Mongkok branch which has since closed down, this was taken in their Central branch. I just had to include them in this post because they're so yummy!! For SGD$20 you can feast like a king and that's after you've shared food with your friends.



Check out those bunz

Tim Ho Wan has an outlet conveniently located at Hong Kong station, so immediately after we touched down, my mother and I went straight there, luggages in tow, and waited 20 minutes before we were seated.

Most cafes in Hong Kong are really efficient in seating their customers, so don't be surprised if you're at a table for 3 and they slot someone who's alone by your table!

The moment I've been waiting for... my char siew bao! How do they make the top layer slightly crispy, but the inside so flavourful, juicy and delicious? Plus, the pork inside the buns were in bite sized pieces! A definite must-have whenever you're in Hong Kong, especially since it's the cheapest 1 star michelin restaurant in the world.

PSST! I heard that the Singapore branch of Tim Ho Wan doesn't allow takeaways, and the queue is still hours long. My advice is to wait for their new outlets (rumour has it, Toa Payoh!) to open and then head there instead ;)


If you're a fan of chicken feet, these are irresistible. Soft, chewy and soya sauce. If you've never tried them because it "looks disgusting", you've never had the accomplishment of trying to polish them off! It isn't as easy as it looks :P Finger licking good.

PSST: I like to leave the middle finger for last. Haha!


Tim Ho Wan
Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station (Podium Level 1, IFC Mall) 
Phone: 
2332 3078
Opening hours
Mon to Sun: 09:00 - 21:00

2. Wing Wah Noodle - Bamboo Noodles PLUS Pigs trotters PLUS Tendon

Pounding dough with bamboo poles is a dying art because of how tedious and time-consuming it is. Many restaurants/cafe chefs lack the dedication and passion and prefer to use machines.


In fact, in 8-10 years all noodles cooked this way would effectively be extinct with no one to take over the business. Seize the opportunity when you're next in Hong Kong because they're unlike any noodles we've had in Singapore. You don't know what you're missing til you've tried them!


If you see from the picture below, he's kinda sitting on the bamboo pole and bouncing on it. Imagine having to do this every day for work. No wonder it's a dying art. 

We arrived just before lunch to beat the crowd woohoo! We ordered their signature noodles and was pleased that we barely had to wait :)

Bamboo noodles
About $5 SGD

Notice the colour of the noodles? They are not as yellow or filled with MSG like some places. Before I took my first bite I remembered I had to take a picture to share it with you guys :p


The Noodles were crunchy and you can just imagine the dough being compressed and kneaded with bamboo poles to give that springy, chewy texture! The soup was simple and the wanton's were generous, but the noodles itself really gave the dish its star status.

 Pigs Trotters, Tendon and beef brisket for about $10 sgd. Really value for money!

We also ordered side dishes because I am a hungry, greedy woman. Couldn't decide between pigs trotters, or the tendon so we just ordered a set. Really loved this dish because the meat was soft and tender, the skin had absorbed just the right amount of sauce (some sauces are overpowering). 
Was craving this a few days later already. Am still thinking about it now.




One of the highlights is their homemade red bean soup. It's simple to make but hard to master. It's easy to become diluted, or too thick, but this was just nice and helped wash the meal down. Sweet, healthy and tasty. What's not to love?



We ordered two desserts but this disappointed me a little. The soup was milky, smooth and too thin for my liking. If that's the sort of barley ginko nut type you like (like my mother), then you'll enjoy this!


Wing Wah Noodle
89 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
How to get there: Exit A2 from Wan Chai MTR
Opening hours
Monday-Sunday 11am to 1am

3. Ho Hung Kee - Smoothest porridge in town

One star michelin restaurant, Ho Hung Kee, has the smoothest porridge I have ever tasted. It's packed on weekdays and weekends but lucky for us, people in Hong Kong like to eat efficiently and head off! Some claim that Ho Hung Kee's wanton noodles are spectacular, but I prefer the wanton noodles at Wing Wah. Order one at each and decide for yourself!






We picked century egg porridge and they were better than I expected. I've been eating chinese food, after all, my mother is cantonese, and this was the best porridge I've ever had. It was not overly thick, the century egg didn't have a strange smell (believe me, I know) and was just a delight to finish!



To pile on to the unhealthy choice, we added a plate of fried hor fun, which was really oily but was addictive. 



Alas, this branch has closed down and moved to Hysan Place. You can still get the porridge there though!

Ho Hung Kee(1946) Congee and Noodle Wanton Shop

Hysan Place 1204-1205
Phone2577 6028
Opening Hours11:00 - 00:00

4. Hoi Tin Tong - Guilinggao




When you've been eating too much fried/heaty food, it's easier for you to fall sick, so the best way to balance your diet is to have guilinggao! Depending on your condition (how much sinful food have you been eating?) you'll be recommended with a different concoction.



I picked the original Gui ling gao to improve my blood circulation, kidney function, improve sore throats, and boost strength by removing toxins! It also helps to cool the body down, especially during summer when it's hot and the erratic temperature. I spammed honey (provided) with this because it's quite bitter to me!



I can't really remember what we drank but I think we ordered the Fish and Wild Herb Tea and Gui Ling Tea. They were much easier to drink than the jelly Gui Ling Gao as they weren't as bitter, but their effects weren't as strong. I'd recommend this to people who have never had gui ling gao before in their lives, because knowing that you're drinking turtle soup might put some people off.



You can choose if you'd rather have it served hot or cold. I prefer hot because the herbal smell is stronger, it's better for digestion, and when I had a sore throat,  having cold drinks would irritate my throat further.




It's a chain, I went to the outlet at Causeway Bay opposite Sogo, refer to their website for all the addresses so you can find one near you, with their opening hours and numbers :)

Hoi Tin Tong

5. Dimdim Sum - Custard buns



Many people have been asking me about these piggy buns that I posted on my Instagram/Facebook page while I was in Hong Kong. I thought that the other dim sum we ordered were so-so, but these custard buns are worth highlighting! 



Not only are they cute, but when you break them apart (sorry piggies!) the salted egg custard flows out and was soooo delicious. 

PSST: They also had pineapple buns but I didn't try them as we were too full! Let me know if you tried it ;)




Dimdim Sum
G/F, 7 Tin Lok Lane
Phone:
2891 7677
Opening hours:
Mon.-Sun. 11:00-23:00

Remember to drink lots of tea when you're in Hong Kong to hydrate! :)

Thanks for reading!
If you have any other restaurants you'd like me to check out for my next trip to Hong Kong, or if you've been to these places, leave me a comment below!

Please vote for me (daily if you can!) 
for Best Interpretation Blog at
please! I'd very much appreciate it :D

Angelababy's Cafe in Hong Kong



Admit it. Angelababy is freaking pretty. In her Audrey Hepburn-inspired photoshoot, she captivates and exudes class and beauty. Hundreds, or maybe thousands of girls, wished they had her natural looks, and of course, I'm enamored too.

Which is why I made a trip to check out Angelababy's baby cafe in Hong Kong! 

 Our reaction? Wah, posh.


 We were there on a weekday during lunch time, and there wasn't any queue. Check out the walls, plastered with Angelababy's face in her various photoshoots. The black surroundings made the place look unfriendly and cold. The bit that annoyed me the most was that the table to chair height ratio wasn't correct so I couldn't enjoy eating properly.

All restaurants need to pay attention to detail zzz.

 The lunch menu, with Angelababy in a maid-like outfit. Guaranteed hit with guys who like these sorta things.

We ordered two lunch sets so we got to pick an appetizer and a main course!

 The soup was diluted, and if it wasn't for the fact that my friend and I were starving, we wouldn't have finished it.

 Our duck salad, which was really dry and there was nothing spectacular about it. K next.

Our grilled chicken. The vegetables were really hard and the chicken wasn't piping hot (as evidenced by the lack of smoke), this was 5/10 at best.

 
Grilled Lamb chop which was really juicy and fatty, I thought that this was the best dish among the 4 that we shared. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a must try when you're there, it's only a 6/10.

Overall, it was a really affordable meal, I think we spent about SGD$20 per person? However, I wouldn't come back again because the food isn't a huge draw, and if I really wanted to enjoy Angelababy's photographic presence, I'd surf the web to look at  her pictures. Plus, only two out of the 4 walls had pictures of her, so if you're going just for her, don't expect too much, unless she makes an appearance herself.

Address: 
Baby Café,
Shop 30, 11/F, 
Langham Place Shopping Mall
 8 Argyle St. Mong Kok
+852 2111 1169

Claire's Top 5 MUST VISIT Food Places in Hong Kong!

In September 2012 I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong for 5 days! Flew Tiger Airways and it was about $270 per person, return. Flew off-peak though. I stayed in Mongkok at a hotel which was near the industrial area, not entirely safe at night (saw some red light massage parlours) and hence I won't really recommend it!

Obligatory photo of me

Most days were spent waking up late, having lunch, walking around a bit, having tea, walking around a bit more, having dinner, then head to a bar for drinks, and perhaps grabbing supper (how awesome are late night cafes?) So you can kind of expect how much I had been eating. I haven't stepped on the weighing scale yet.

Wanted to share with you guys my favourite places to eat ;) Will definitely go back to try more dishes there the next time! Am thinking of weekend trips to Hong Kong already, really loved that place apart from random water from air cons dripping from buildings -_- oh, and the impatient service at restaurants. Sorry but I can't read fan ti (traditional chinese)!!

1. Tim Ho Wan

Before I actually flew to HK, I asked around for some recommendations and this was highly recommended by at least 4 friends? I HAD to try it. Was also warned about the queue though.


Went at about 11am? Just to take a number and was asked to come back 2 hours later. They had a branch somewhere else but we wanted to try the authentic, first outlet! We were also asked if we wanted to tapao instead but we declined.

 
Hence, for two hours, we went shopping around Mongkok, and by the time we got back, we saw that our number had passed! No worries though, just told the guy who wrote our numbers on a different list, and within 10 minutes we were properly seated.

 
Ignore my chipped nail. Chanel F/W 2012 colour. If you view this photo in full size you'll be able to see the description :)
The place was relatively small, could possibly only seat 20 people at once? Be prepared to share seats and eat fast though.

Food came relatively quick. When the char siew bao (barbecued pork bun) arrived, we attacked it immediately.

It was SO good.

It wasn't like the typical char siew bao, but the skin was crispy and crumbly, with the barbecued pork tender and juicy. It was perfect. We took a bite and immediately wanted to order more, but we had already over-ordered the other dim sum!




The rest were 'ma3ma2te2' which means average in cantonese. Just eat the char siew bao!

Best of all, it was completely affordable. I think we ordered 8 dishes and it was about 13 SGD per person? We were so full we had to takeaway some dimsum back!

On my last day, I wanted to takeaway some char siew baos to bring to Singapore. I arrived at their shop at 5pm and they made us wait for 20 minutes before telling us that takeaways only start at 6pm. After explaining we were catching a flight, they didn't give a crap -_- and we got chased away. The staff were super unfriendly and uncompromising! Sigh, I guess fame and popularity can do that to a restaurant.

Where? 8 Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon (CLOSED DOWN)
Check out the one at Central / hong kong station!
Opening Hours: 10am to 9.15pm

PSST: Go early just to get a number!

2. Tai Ping Koon (Causeway Bay)


We travelled all the way to Causeway Bay just to try these chicken wings recommended by Fann Wong! They had a few set dishes to pick from, and we decided to grab a set dinner for 2, which included 6 "chicken wings in Swiss sauce".

Started out with a soup that was so-so.

I must highlight their beef hor fun. It was lip-smackingly good. The hor fun wasn't too soft, the sauce not mushy at all, and the beef, wow the beef was flavourful and tender.

When we reached the chicken wings... Wow. They were marinated perfectly and I found myself licking my fingers. (So what if it was a relatively higher-class restaurant?? Chicken wings are meant to be eaten with fingers hehe)

This place is slightly pricier though, about $20 SGD a head, with 4 courses to share! Completely worth it IMO.

Signature Dishes: Chicken wings of course!
PSSTService was much better here and their staff introduced each dish to us with a smile :)

Where? 6 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay
Opening Hours: 11am to 12mn

3. Hing Kee

Sneakily located on the 1F (you have to take a lift up) in a building along the main road, is a 2 generation famed Boat People style cuisine. The walls are covered with celebrity signatures and the queue even on a weekday, was long. We were really lucky to get a small table (big groups have to wait longer) so our waiting time was about 15 mins?



We had no idea how to read the menu so the waitress brought us a photo album hahahah and pointed some of their famous dishes to us. We predicted we wouldn't be able to finish a whole crab by ourselves so we decided to get porridge (congee) and noodles, with some center dishes.
Porridge was really smooth and the duck hor fun noodles was simple superb. I think the noodles were home-made. A really enjoyable meal to spend with your family!

We also ordered sweet and sour pork that was really fragrant and enjoyable :)

Signature Dishes: Stir fry crabs with black beans and chilli, Roast Duck and Rice noodles in Soup and Congee.
PSST!: Everyone seemed to be drinking some flask with carrot and lychee in it. Point to it on the table beside you so you can try one!! It's really good but we had no idea what it was called.
It looks like this

Where? IF, Bowa House, 180 Nathan Road
Opening Hours: 6pm to 5am


4. Hui Liu Shan

Enough main food? Alright I'll share my favourite dessert place that can be found all around HK!

Try their mango desserts! You get to pick your flavours and toppings as well. Mangoes are really sweet ^_^


I was actually feeling a bit 'heaty' and sickly so I took this hot coconut birds nest drink with some eggs? I don't remember tasting any birds nest but this tasted sweet and... rejuvenating. The next day I was as fit as a fiddle!

They have outlets like, everywhere. You can't miss it!

5. One Peking

 Sneak peak for you. Gorgeous, right?

Hidden on the 29th floor is a really nice bar with an amazing view called Aqua.. This one isn't so much food, but indulge in their delicious cocktails. Can't remember which drink I had but it was one of their specials. You get a wonderful view of HK Island and we were lucky it wasn't a hazy night!


Staff was very polite and would switch on their flashlight to guide you towards the toilet and back to your seat. They also came to ask us if everything was fine, if the drinks were good etc. If you have food here, they're quite pricey!



We spent like 2 hours or so here just talking and joking about random things. What's a holiday without relaxing and not worrying about a thing in the world?

Where? 29/F & 30/F, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Opening hours: 12pm to 2am
Website: Aqua HK

Hope you liked my list and get to visit some of them on your next trip to HK!
Will also be giving tips for traveling in HK and more soon! :)

Thanks for reading!

x,
Claire.
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