Wang Fu – 王府

Wang Fu sells Northern-Chinese style dumplings, with a choice of over 20 interesting varietiesj of fillings, cooked only upon ordering. These tasty dumplings showcase the chef’s skills. The owner is a retired chemistry teacher from Beijing, who jokingly claims he prepares the marinades for the different types of fillings as meticulously as a chemistry experiment.

He is precise about the proportion of meat to vegetable in his dumplings, and insists on recreating an authentic taste by adding fennel seeds hand-carried from Beijing.

Their Fried Sauce Noodles does bear the hallmarks of the Beijing-style dish: a slight sweetness with fragrant meat. The noodles are not quite springy enough but the authentic taste makes up for it.

Sweet and silky smooth wan dou huang is a melt-in-your-mouth dessert made of pea flour – HK$14
The tomatoes in the Tomato and Egg Dumpling are firm, not mushy, and blend perfectly with the egg – HK$32

ADDRESS: 65 & 68 Wellington Street, Central
TELEPHONE: 852-2121-8006
OPENING HOURS: 11am-10pm
DIRECTIONS: Central MTR Station, Exit D1 & D2

 

Wing Hop Shing Restaurant – 永和成茶餐厅

This restaurant serves Hong Kong’s best claypot rice, according to Craig Au Yeung. It is also theh only restaurant in Hong Kong that bakes its claypot rice in an oven. The owner was formerly a baker and he enchanced on this method of preparation when faced with overwhelming customer demand. by using the oven to cook the claypot rice, not only could he cope with the continuous stream of orders, he also married the best of east and west culinary techniques.

Wing Hop Shing’s most famous dish is Claypot Rice with Beef and Egg. Old rice grains are added to hot water before it boils, then cooked over a gas stove for about two or three minutes before baking in the oven at 180′c. The baked rice is the put on the stove at high heat for one to two minutes, before cooked minced beef is added. The marinated beef retains its tenderness as its juices infuse the rice, Stir in the egg and let the semi-cooked, runny texture blend with crunchy bits of charred rice fro a divine taste sensation.

Besides claypot rice, cha chan teng offerings are also available here. Their Beef Sandwich is highly recommended. Other treats include their tasty egg tarts and pineapple buns, both freshly baked in the restaurant, and yun yong milk tea.

Claypot Rice with Beef and Eggg is Wing Hop Shing Restaurant’s signature dish – HK$29

Yun Yong milk tea is smooth, aromatic and does not leave a bitter aftertaste – HK$11

Egg Tarts fresh from oven – HK$4

ADDRESS: G/F, 113-115 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan

TELEPHONE: 852-2850-5723

OPENING HOURS: 6am to 4pm (closed Sundays)

DIRECTIONS: Sheung Wan MTR Station, Exit A2

 

Mido Cafe – 美都餐室

A landmark on Temple Street, Mido Cafe is a rare find in Hong Kong. It exudes an ambience reminiscent of cafes in the last century. Stepping inside is akin to entering a time tunnel.

Their pineapple buns are fluffy and exquisite, perfect with a cup of yun yong milk tea. The Spare Ribs Baked Rice is an oven-baked dish of sweet and sour spare ribs with fried rice and eggs, topped with a homemade sauce make with fresh milk. Eat it while it’s piping hot to fully appreciate the cruspy crust of
the spare ribs contrasting wtih the creamy (but not overly oily) sauce.

One fo the highlights on the menu is the Fried Noodels with Sliced Pork. Thin noodles are fried till golden brown. Pork slices are pounded slighly before stir-frying quickly in a broth. Kai lan is added and the savoury mix is then pourde over the crispy noodles.

Noodles are pan-fried till golden and crunchy, and topped with pork slices – HK$40
Their signature dish, Spare Ribs Baked Rice has a unique texture, and is best eaten hot – HK$48

ADDRESS: 63, Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei

TELEPHONE: 852-2384-6402

OPENING HOURS: 8:30am-9:30pm

DIRECTIONS: Yau Ma Tei MTR Station, Exit B2

 

Lin Heung Tea House – 莲香楼

This 80 year old tea house is described by Denny Ip as “packed from morning till night whether on normal days or public holidays”. Get there early as there is always a throng of patrons watching the kitchen doors intently, ready to spring up from their seats once the steaming baskets of buns are served.

If you are easily deterred by crowds, you can forget about getting a taste of their dai bao or big chicken buns – only 100 are baked each morning. The fluffy doughs melts in your mouth. Break it open and enjoy a delicious aroma of tender chicken, dried mushroom and salted yolk. It requires skill to make dai bao as the skin has to be thin yet not split when it is stuffed and steamed.

Another item on the must-try list is the bun with lotus paste and salted egg yolk. A thin crust covering silky smooth, sweet lotus paste paired with salted egg yolk is an impeccable combination.

Prices are reasonable and the restaurant still uses traditional dim sum trolleys which makes for an authentic Hong Kong yum cha experience.

ADDRESS: G/F, 160-164 Wellington Street, Central
TELEPHONE: 852-2544-4556
OPENING HOURS: 6am to 11pm (closed from 4:30 to 5:30pm)
DIRECTIONS: Sheung Wan MTR Station, Exit D1
TIPS: Best time to go is between 2 and 3pm when the crowd thins out slightly

 

Cheung Hing Coffee Shop – 祥兴咖啡室

This unassuming coffee shop is known for its celebrity clientele. According to the shop owner, when Stephen Chow comes here, he orders his favourite Spare Ribs Rice. Celeb Couple Anita Yuen and Julian Cheung are big fans of the Curry Beef Brisket. The curry is made from a blend of more than 10 spices, including a special ingredient from Fujian. This spice mix is then blended with fresh coconut milk, similar to Indian curry.

Gigi Leung, Leon Lai, George Lam and Cecilia Cheung come here for the yun yong milk tea and pineapple bun with butter. The yun yong here is fragrant and smooth, minus the bitterness. The pineapple buns are made with the finest grade of flour, and the shop sells between 200 and 300 pieces a day. The egg tarts are also a must-try – the crust and custard filing are done to perfection.

ADDRESS: G/F, 9 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley

TELEPHONE: 852-2572-5097
OPENING HOURS: 6am to 6pm
DIRECTIONS: Happy Valley Tram Terminus

 

Sang Kee Congee Shop – 生记粥品

This 40 year-old congee specialist has combined three shop spaces into one. Its Fish Congee, Fresh Crab Congee and Congee with Pig Giblet are all delicious. For the Fish Congee, they use only tench, a river fish which does not have a fishy or muddy odour. The fresh crab congee has a light taste, and it’s recommended that your stir in the crab roe to let the flavour infuse the congee. Also good choices are the hor fun, noodles and stewed beef brisket, which are available only after 11am. Do try the Pan-fried Fish Cake which has a lovely, springy texture.

A whole crab is used for the Fresh Crab Congee (HK$37 a bowl).

ADDRESS: G/F, 7-9 Burd Street, Sheung Wan
TELEPHONE: 852-2541-1099
OPENING HOURS: 6:30am to 9pm (closed on Sundays )
DIRECTIONS: Sheung Wan MTR Station, Exit A2

 

Wai Kee Congee Shop – 威记粥店

The best dough fritters in Hong Kong, according to Denny Ip. Business is so good, they sell up to 1,000 of these crips, springy fritters a day. Besides dough fritters, the steamed carrot cake also comes highly recommended. Soft and fragrant, it’s served with a special dip.

The carrot cake is made with glutinous rice that is handground till fine – HK$6
Minced Beef congee is cooked till the rice achieves a smooth, velvety consistency – HK$10

ADDRESS: 82, Stanley Street, Central
TELEPHONE: 852-2551-5564
OPENING HOURS: 7am to 7pm (closed on the first three days of Chinese New Year )
DIRECTIONS: Central MTR Station, Exit D1 & D2

 

Cafe De Coral – 大家乐

This 39 year old fast food chain has 125 branches all over Hong Kong. In the morning, you can sample authentic Hong Kong delicacies like for mai kai (glutinous rice with chicken), roast duck and char siew (barbeque pork). Cafe de Coral also offers a Breakfast Set, where you can choose either the salted egg, mussel and lean pork congee, or macaroni as main course, to go with a barbecued pork bun, egg sunny-side up, pork cutlet and coffee. With the food prepared by a central kitchen, you can be assured of consistency and quality.

Each meets West in the Breakfast Set, where you can have congee with coffee.

ADDRESS: Shop 2307, Level 2, Gateway, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
TELEPHONE: 852-2175-0181
OPENING HOUSRS: 7am to 9:30pm
DIRECTIONS: From Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station, Exit G, take the underpass towards Kowloon-Canton Railway’s East Tsim Sha Tsui Terminus Exit P2, then walk another 5 minutes

 

Kam Fung Restaurant – 金凤茶餐厅

The 52 year-old Kam Fung Restaurant claims to serve Hong Kong and Kowloon’s No. 1 Freshly-bottled Chilled Milk Tea. What “freshly-bottled” means is that milk tea is bottled and chilled immediately after it’s made. No ice cubes and added and hence the rich flavour of milk tea is not diluted. A steaming cup of yun yong makes a great accompaniment to the Fresh Beef Sandwich with Eggs.

Fresh-bottled Chilled Milk Tea is rich and thick, with a sweet aftertaste – HK$13.
Fresh Beef Sanwich with Eggs – HK$15, and Hot Yun Yong – HK$13

ADDRESS: 41 Spring Garden Lane, Wan Chai
TELEPHONES: 852-2572-0526
OPENING HOURS: 6:45AM-7PM
DIRECTIONS: From Wan Chai MTR Station Exit B2, walk towards the direction of Johnston Road until you reach Spring Garden lane then turn left