Hong Kong is foodie paradise, borne out of the passion the people of Hong Kong have for their food, the city’s proximity to the sea, as well as the city’s cosmopolitan nature. If you have to miss anything on your visit to Hong Kong, let it not be the local food. Here are eight eats you seriously must try there.
Dim Sum
Baked, pan-fried, deep-fried or simply steamed, dim sum is inescapable in Hong Kong. You’ll find them served nicely plated or stacked in bamboo steamers in Hong Kong’s restaurants. You can find them hawked at stalls on Hong Kong’s streets. You can find them containing almost anything, but if you’re not up to being adventurous, you can stick to the classic buns, shrimp shumai and egg tarts.
Beef Brisket Noodles
Slow-cooked to tender perfection served over slurp-worthy rice noodles in a clear broth made rich with Chinese herbs and spices – that’s beef brisket noodles for you. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself addicted to this Hong Kong signature comfort food as many do.
Congee
Congee is what Asians typically eat when they’re feeling sick or cold or simply needing comfort. Congee is simply rice porridge, where rice is cooked until it has almost completely broken down, thickening the water or broth it was cooked in. You can enjoy it plain, but it’s typically served with slices of meat, fish or shrimp.
Pineapple Bread
Pineapple bread is what Hong Kongers call their ubiquitous sweet-flavored bread that’s soft on the inside yet crunchy on the outside. It’s so named because its surface looks like a pineapple, but they seldom contain real pineapples.
Scrambled Eggs and Toast
At first glance, a plate of scrambled eggs and toast look nothing special. But Hong Kongers are crazy over this dish, and once you’ve had a bite, you’ll know why. The eggs are the fluffiest scrambled eggs you’d have tasted.
Hong Kong-Style French toast
If you’re looking for some fat-loaded comfort while you’re in Hong Kong, you only need to find a joint that sells Hong Kong-style French toast. Despite the name, it’s nothing like Western-style French toast. What you’ll get here are two slices of bread slathered with jam or peanut butter, soaked in egg, deep-fried in butter, and then served loaded with more butter and syrup. It’s a heart attack waiting to happen, but you’ll die happy nonetheless.
Hong Kong-Style Milk Tea
This drink is nothing like Taiwan’s bubble milk tea. What you’ll get here is a glass of black tea that’s been strained multiple times until smooth and then mixed with condensed milk. Hong Kongers drink milk tea for breakfast or lunch, and it’s a big part of their tea culture.
Typhoon-Shelter Crab
You can’t expect a port city like Hong Kong not to have a deeply ingrained seafood culture, can you? Hong Kong has some delightful seafood, and typhoon-shelter crab is one of them. Served full of garlic and more chilies, then stir-fried in spice. It’s so named because it used to be made by boat people who took refuge in Hong Kong’s typhoon shelters. There are very few boat people now, but the dishes they invented have become part of Hong Kong’s cuisine.
Hong Kong’s culinary delights are truly a must-try. So prep your taste buds and book your trip to Hong Kong today. Find out what other things Hong Kong has to offer through articles we’ve prepared here!
Leave a Reply