First an introduction:
We loved eating in Hong Kong, and particularly in our small neighborhood restaurants. They were unpretentious, the food was delicious and the service almost always excellent. The restaurants were generally huge but impressively organized--like nowhere else on earth--with fantastic service (no matter how busy they were) and glitzy chandeliers. There were layers of staff: the ones who seat you, the ones who take orders, the ones who schlepp the food from the kitchen, the ones who serve the food that the schleppers schlepped and the clearers. Typically there was at least one person in each of our local restaurants who spoke English. Usually, your food comes in the sequence ordered or all at once, if you want. Sometimes you are served serially (which we don't like).
When you sit down, typically tea is brought, sometimes with peanuts or other nibbles (which we like to have when we're waiting). While these things show up on your bill (costing HK$10, typically, each), we would order them anyway and it is nice to have them come immediately. We learned that we could order the type of tea we liked--either pu er or pu-li (a Chinese red tea) or kok fa (a chrysanthemum tea)--instead of jasmine (which we think is tasteless).
Often the huge restaurant rooms are partitioned to accommodate the mahjongg players who click their way through the evenings. The decorations for weddings are displayed long after the events and make the rooms look more kitsch.
Many restaurants serve red bean puddings for free after the meal. If not a pudding, then there is fruit that is served. Our favorite "offered" puddings were a water chestnut pudding and an almond pudding. Yum!
One of the things that tickled us was the custom in restaurants for the people at the table to wash their dishes and chop sticks with the hot water in a bowl provided. This custom endures professional dishwashers in the kitchen and is endearing. When we didn't do it ourselves, our server often did it for us.
And all of the restaurants were non-smoking areas (unless there was a patio for smoking)!
Most of the following restaurant reviews are posted on the HungryGoWhere website. Click here to see the restaurant reviews that we have posted on that website http://www.hungrygowhere.com/.
HungryGoWhere is great resource and helped our eating a lot. You can tell which of the reviews below are also on HungryGoWhere—if they have ratings they are posted on HungryGoWhere. No ratings mean that the review is exclusively on this list.
(Exchange rate US$1 = HK$7.70)
We also ordered Deep Fried Curd Rolls with Shredded Mushroom Beijing Style HK$28. It was unusual, crispy and very good. We also ordered Curry soup with Pig Skin and a Fish Ball HK$20. For dessert we had steamed stuffed bun with egg yolk HK$8.5. For dinner we had an egg-sea urchin dish that was unusual for HK$68 but it wasn't as tasty as it should have been.
Most of the following restaurant reviews are posted on the HungryGoWhere website. Click here to see the restaurant reviews that we have posted on that website http://www.hungrygowhere.com/.
HungryGoWhere is great resource and helped our eating a lot. You can tell which of the reviews below are also on HungryGoWhere—if they have ratings they are posted on HungryGoWhere. No ratings mean that the review is exclusively on this list.
(Exchange rate US$1 = HK$7.70)
Okay, here goes with our restaurant reviews!
1. Tin Wan, Aberdeen, Hong Kong
1.1. Tai Kei Barbeque Restaurant, 5 Tin Wan Street G/F Tin Wan, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel.: (852) 2555 6632. (Opens at 6:30 a.m.) We generally spent HK$80 per person.
o Overall: 7.3
o Food/Beverage: 7.3
o Ambience/Setting: 5.9
o Value: 7.9
o Service: 8.1
There are a number of local eateries (and at least 3 restaurants) in our neighborhood of Tin Wan (near Aberdeen) but Tai Kei was our favorite.
Audre at Tai Kei in Tin Wan, our favorite local eatery
There is a take away area for pork, duck, barbeque, chicken and pigeon. In addition there is an ample space for tables and stools. It is usually crowded and we sit with other people. It is not an expensive place. One time we had a combination plate of meats, another time we had the fish plate meals and a third time we brought clams and crabs which the kitchen cooked very well for us and charged us HK$20 per dish. The service is good; the people who work there try to be helpful (not too much English is spoken). If you are in the area and need "a good, honest meal," this is the place!
1.2. Shining Star Restaurant, Tin Wan Shopping Center, No. 301, Level 3, Tin Wan, HK, Tel. (852) 2555-8800.
o Overall: 7.3
o Food/Beverage: 7
o Ambience/Setting: 6.9
o Value: 7.3
o Service: 7.8
The food and the service at this restaurant are really good. It has a barbecue take away area too. We've eaten at this restaurant about 6 times--for breakfast dim sum, lunch as well as for dinner and we have always had a pleasant and enjoyable time. When you sit down they bring tea and peanuts which we like. We've had their roasts, their casseroles and their desserts. We recommend this restaurant!
1.3. Tin Yuen Chum Che Nice Food Restaurant, 80 Shek Pai Wan St., Tin Wan, Aberdeen HK, Tel. (852) 2580-7720. We spent HK$54 per person.
o Overall: 5.8
o Food/Beverage: 5.3
o Ambience/Setting: 5.3
o Value: 6.2
o Service: 6.2
This place is very popular, particularly at lunch. We're not sure why. There isn't anything special about the place or the food. We had Bamboo clams in a black bean sauce (that didn’t have enough black beans and wasn’t tasty enough) and Tofu with Tung Choy.
1.4. Sun Bo Seafood Restaurant, Ka Wo St., Tin Wan, Aberdeen, Tel. (852) 3602-5593. We spent HK$118 and it was not worth it. We had one seafood casserole that was small and not tasty enough (HK$88 and it did it have enough seafood in it (only shrimp pieces). Also had one bread with chives in it and sesame seeds on top of it for HK$14. The balance of the bill was for 10% service and tea HK$5.
1.5. Uptown 88, 88 Shek Pai Wan Tin Wan, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, tel. (852) 3106 2812. We spent HK $58 per person. Uptown 88 is very close to abeo, our serviced apartment in Tin Wan, Aberdeen. We were delighted with our first meal there in May 2009 when it first opened. The owner was there and spoke English; the manager was also very helpful (and spoke enough English).
o Overall: 6.0
o Food/Beverage: 6.4
o Ambience/Setting: 6.1
o Value: 7.4
o Service: 4.2
We really liked the steamed egg dish which was light and had diced century egg in it. On another visit we spent HK$90 and had a tofu with vegetable dish that was good (although the sauce was a bit too gloppy) and a Szechuan hot pot-like dish filled with dried chilies and vegetables, bean sprouts and fish. It was an unusual dish and we liked it—it wasn’t too spicy. The chicken with rice dish served at Uptown 88 is very good and is served with 2 sauces: a peanut sauce and a minced garlic sauce. The restaurant has added live fish and shellfish that you can choose from containers outside.
We stopped going to this very convenient restaurant because the service deteriorated badly as it became busier. Young staff has been hired who were terrible. It was no longer an enjoyable experience for us. Hopefully, the restaurant will "get its act together".
2. Aberdeen, Hong Kong
2.1. Dragon Paradise Restaurant on 58-62 Old Main Street, Aberdeen, Tel. (852) 2873-6403 (also may be called: Shanghai Tin Lung Lau, 58-62 Old Main Street, Shop C, G/F, Hip Sing Building).
o Overall: 6.8
o Food/Beverage: 7.4
o Ambience/Setting: 5.9
o Value: 6.7
o Service: 7.2
We know this restaurant by the name Dragon Paradise which the English speaking waiter wrote on the business card that he gave us. By any name this restaurant serves delicious food with very good service; it's a neighborhood institution. As soon as you sit down they serve tea and peanuts, a practice we like. We like their hot and sour soup very much. We've been to this eatery 5 times. The first time we went we had to wait for a table outside. An English speaking customer helped us to order and we sat at a table with a couple who helped us too. We had the Hot and sour soup that was very good, the Shanghai noodles with cabbage that were excellent and the Eel and bean sprouts. The second time we went we had the Shanghai Noodles and a Casserole with beef. For dessert we had a Red bean pancake. It was less busy and the older male server had time to talk to us (in English). Another time we had the Shanghai dumpling dish that was also very good. During other visits we've had casserole dishes and a tofu, mushroom and vegetable dish that were also very good. The Shanghainese food at this restaurant is just as good as it is places that are much more expensive.
2.2. Odeon Taiwanese Cafe, Shop 3, G/F, Site 5, Aberdeen Centre Shopping Centre Arcade, Aberdeen, Tel. 3152-0810, e-mail: info@odeongroup.com.hk, web: www.odeongroup.com.hk (open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.). We spent HK$72 per person.
o Overall: 6.7
o Food/Beverage: 6.6
o Ambience/Setting: 6.6
o Value: 7.1
o Service: 6.5
There are many branches of this restaurant and the one we tried in Aberdeen was good, as was the service. We were brought red tea and we ordered a light meal of the following appetizers: one marinated kelp (HK$25), one deep-fried lotus root stuffed with minced pork (HK$25) that was really yummy, one dried octopus & diced chicken with rice in bamboo (HK$40), one coffee milkshake with pearl sago (HK$28) and one mango mein mein ice (HK$12.50). We liked it!
2.3. Blessing Dessert, 120 Old Main Street, Aberdeen, Shop 3, Tel. (852) 2555-2929 (Open 1 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.) We spent HK$20 per person.
o Overall: 7.1
o Food/Beverage: 7.1
o Ambience/Setting: 6.1
o Value: 7.1
o Service: 8.2
This small, pleasant place has lots and lots of yummy desserts. The staff is nice and we had two delicious puddings/soups.
2.4. Koon Thai Hai Nam Chicken (Wah Lee Building), 15 Tsung Man Street B1/F Wah Lee Building, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 28788282. We spent HK$69 per person.
o Overall: 6.5
o Food/Beverage: 6.6
o Ambience/Setting: 5.2
o Value: 7.9
o Service: 6.1
We had a very good meal there. It was recommended that we try the restaurant so we did. It’s a little hard to find. It is on an alley off of Tung Sing Road. Tung Sing Road is off of Aberdeen Main Road near Aberdeen Reservoir Road. On the corner of Aberdeen Main Road and Tung Sing Road is Greenland Café on one side. On the other side of Tung Sing Road are huge signs overhead on Aberdeen Main Road: one yellow one for Prime Credit and one blue one for Promise.
Once you are on Tung Sing Road, look up. There is a huge sign for Koon Thai Hai Nam Chicken pointing right, towards the alley where the restaurant is. The restaurant is two steps down, is clean enough and pleasant enough. There are chairs with hard seats so we choice the banquette instead. The service was rapid and we had The Hai Nam Chicken in Thai Style with Rice HK$39. The chicken was tender and delicious. We decided we needed more so we ordered the Green Curry Chicken with rice HK$36 which was excellent—very tasty. We also had a Fried Morning Glory Thai Style HK$35. All was very tasty. For dessert we had one sticky rice with mango and coconut milk HK$28.
This restaurant does what it does very well. The whole meal cost HK$138 plus tip (which was not included). If there was a criticism it was how serious the staff seemed. However, when we left we got smiles and thank yous (in Thai) that were genuine.
This is another review of this restaurant:
http://www.timeout.com.hk/restaurants-bars/features/11106/koon-thai-hai-nam-chicken.html
The website for the restaurant is: www.koonthai.com.hk
2.5. Jumbo Floating Restaurant/Jumbo Kingdom, Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen, H.K., Tel. 2553-9111, web: www.jumbokingdom.com. We spent HK$147 per person.
o Overall: 5.3
o Food/Beverage: 7.1
o Ambience/Setting: 8.1
o Value: 2.4
o Service: 5
We took the launch boat to Jumbo Kingdom from Aberdeen and we were seated in Dragon Court. We brought a coupon for a free appetizer and were given a slice of cucumber on a plate with 2 marinated shrimp on it. There weren’t any peanuts or other tidbits to start. The room was beautiful. The service was just this side of proper—no warmth and a little too much haughtiness. For our main we had the sautéed silver cod with bailing mushrooms. The portion was large enough (2 good-sized fillets) and there was a good-sized portion of bailing mushrooms that looked a lot like enoki mushrooms. The sauce was exquisite. It was only the price—HK$228—that was about double what ALE thought it should have been and that was the problem. Actually every price on the menu was about double what we think of as a normal price. No sweet was offered after dinner. The bill was: one sautéed silver cod with bailing mushrooms HK$228, rice HK$15, 2 (ordinary) teas HK$24 = HK$$267, plus service of HK$26.70 equals a total of HK$293.70.
The ride to and from Jumbo on the launch was beautiful—going there at dusk and coming back with all of lights on the harbor lit. The boat is over-the-top lit-up like a brilliant Christmas tree.
Jumbo Floating Restaurant
Jumbo Floating Restaurant is a tourist attraction first and a place for food second!
2.6. Genki Sushi (Aberdeen Centre Phase 3), 1-5 Nam Ling Street Shop 9, 11 & 13, G/F Aberdeen Centre Phase 3, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 25807156, web: www.genkisushi.com.hk. We spent HK$50 for lunch per person.
o Overall: 6.9
o Food/Beverage: 7.8
o Ambience/Setting: 5.9
o Value: 6.4
o Service: 7.3
We love the Japanese steamed egg pudding-like-dish we called chawan mushi. We ordered the one from the menu at Genki Sushi and it was very good. Another dish that we ordered from the menu was deep fried soft shelled crab (HK$35). They were sweet and crispy--just like they should be. A third dish we ordered off of the menu was sea urchin sashimi (HK$35) that was very tasty. It was difficult to resist dishes from the mechanical conveyor belt in front us so we had one of the special (HK$9) sushis. It was good too. The only thing we didn't like was the puff ball dessert (HK$9). It was too western.
2.7. Cheung Fat Restaurant, 58-62 Old Main Street, Shops A + B, G/F, Aberdeen, Tel. (852)2553-2885. (When we were there, I noted that the address is slightly different than that listed on HungryGoWhere.com) We spent HK$65 per person.
o Overall: 6.8
o Food/Beverage: 6.9
o Ambience/Setting: 5.6
o Value: 7.6
o Service: 7.2
This eatery was recommended to us and we were glad we tried it. The place is simple; the service was very good and the people were nice. We had steamed fish which was tasty and well-prepared and frog cooked in a sauce. We ordered by looking at what other diners were eating and pointing because there was no English speaker or menu in English.
2.8. Shan Loon Tse Kee Fish Ball, 80-82 Old Main Street G/F Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 25523809. We spent HK$44 per person.
o Overall: 7.3
o Food/Beverage: 7.9
o Ambience/Setting: 5.1
o Value: 7.6
o Service: 8.6
We've had 2 very good meals at this local eatery. It was recommended to us twice. Once we went at 5 p.m. just before they were closing and once we went at lunch when it was bustling but we didn't have to wait in line. We had the fried fish skin (very good; typically we don't like deep fried stuff), a really great sautéed, flat and rectangular wanton-like delectable, and a great fish ball soup (with jyu zaat dumplings), a side order of a rectangular fish concoction and fried fish balls. Our total bill was HK$88. The person serving us was delightful and spoke to us in pretty good English. The woman sitting at our table was quite friendly and helpful. So the experience was a delight.
Here is another review of the place:
2.9. Paramount Banquet Hall (Sui Shun Village Cuisine), Shop F, 1/F, Site 5, Aberdeen Center, Nam Ning Street, Aberdeen, Tel. 2884-9808, e-mail: siushunvc@biznetvigator.com, web: http://www.paramountbanquethall.com/. The restaurant opens at 6:30 a.m. for dim sum and stays open until 10:00 p.m. at night. Generally, we spent HK$100 per person.
o Overall: 8.4
o Food/Beverage: 8.1
o Ambience/Setting: 8.2
o Value: 8.6
o Service: 8.7
There are 4 locations of the restaurant around HK and at one time the Aberdeen location was probably our favorite restaurant! We have eaten there 8 times and for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is delicious, the service is attentive and the restaurant (which is huge) is pleasant.
There are sometimes promotions and the staff will bring a delicious dish for free. We have been impressed with the dim sum choices. There are fish tanks for fresh fish. The crispy chicken is excellent. If you are an English speaker, ask for Emmy. She is a delight. Go and enjoy!
2.10. Sam Yeung Ho Teahouse of Guilinggoa, Chinese Herbal Tea and Sweet Soup, 16 Wu Pak St., Aberdeen, Tel 2873-2822. It's open from 10:30 a.m. to 12 midnight. What they do, they do very well.
o Overall: 7.5
o Food/Beverage: 8.1
o Ambience/Setting: 7
o Value: 7.1
o Service: 7.6
DM orders the deo fu fa (sweet tofu) that he loves and ALE tries new things each time. The servers are helpful and friendly. It's a great place.
2.11. Greenland Cafe (Island Building), 190 Aberdeen Main Road Shop 1-3, G/F Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 25524022.
o Overall: 6.8
o Food/Beverage: 6.9
o Ambience/Setting: 5.1
o Value: 6.3
o Service: 9
It was crowded when we arrived but we were well-looked after. It's one of the few places in Aberdeen we have seen for juices and desserts. We ordered the wrong drinks (punches that were flavored water) and didn’t like them. The manager gave us 2 fresh mango juices when we explained in English why we hadn’t drunk the ones we ordered. They were excellent and just what we wanted!
2.12. Uphaar Indian Restaurant, Shop 1, G/F Abba Shopping Mall, 227 Aberdeen Main Rd., Aberdeen, Tel. 2552-0064, e-mail: uphaar@netvigator.com, web: www.25520064.com HK$246 (Open: 11-3 and 6 to 11 pm). We spent HK$123 per person.
o Overall: 6.3
o Food/Beverage: 7.2
o Ambience/Setting: 5.7
o Value: 5.7
o Service: 6.5
We were surprised and delighted with the quality and quantity of the food at Uphaar. The room is tiny and it is not well decorated. The server is proper. We had lamb Kashmiri style (HK$60) that was very good and a Chickpea chana masala (cooked with onion, tomato) for HK$40 that was quite tasty. We ordered a Pulau rice (HK$25) which we liked, a Garlic Nan (HK$18) that was good, a Salty lassi (HK$20) that was very good, and a Dessert (gulab jamoon) for HK$20. The restaurant also makes a very good Masala tea (2 = HK$18). We were impressed.
2.13. Tai Hing Roast Shop Group (Aberdeen Centre, Site 5), 6-12 Nam Ning Street Shop A, G/F Aberdeen Centre, Site 5, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 25529820. We spent about HK$63 per person.
o Overall: 6.3
o Food/Beverage: 6.4
o Ambience/Setting: 5.9
o Value: 6.2
o Service: 6.6
This is a chain (or a franchise) and makes a very good impression. It’s light and bright, clean and inviting. The food is not the greatest. We had a combination duck/goose and barbecued pork dish and a wide noodle dish with a little meat and vegetables in it. The duck/goose was tough and the skin wasn’t crispy enough. It pork was good although too fatty. The noodles were very good and tasty. The service was also very good.
The web address is: web: www.taihingroast.com
2.14. Pleasant Palace, 1/F, Aberdeen Centre Site 3, also known as Foo Lum Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant (Aberdeen Center Site 3), Nos. 1, 3 & 5, Nan Ning. St., Aberdeen, Te. 2553-0699, web: www.foolumgroup.com. We spent about HK$75 per person.
o Overall: 3.5
o Food/Beverage: 3.5
o Ambience/Setting: 3.5
o Value: 3.5
o Service: 3.5
No peanuts and the service wasn’t good. We've had one lunch and one dinner at this restaurant (with 2 different names). Cecilia (also known as Maggi) is a Spanish speaker and very helpful to us in deciding what to eat. We were disappointed with the flavor of the food each time we went and the service staff (other than the 2-named Cecilia/Maggi) was inattentive. . Based on the two times we've been disappointed, we doubt that we will return.
For lunch we had: Corn Soup with fish bladder HK$28 and it was bland and uninteresting. Kind of like Cantonese egg drop soup.
For lunch we had: Corn Soup with fish bladder HK$28 and it was bland and uninteresting. Kind of like Cantonese egg drop soup.
We also ordered Deep Fried Curd Rolls with Shredded Mushroom Beijing Style HK$28. It was unusual, crispy and very good. We also ordered Curry soup with Pig Skin and a Fish Ball HK$20. For dessert we had steamed stuffed bun with egg yolk HK$8.5. For dinner we had an egg-sea urchin dish that was unusual for HK$68 but it wasn't as tasty as it should have been.
2.15. Kumanoto Japanese, No. 10 Tung Shing Rd. (1/F-2/F), Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel. (852) 2668-9393. We think it is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. We spent HK$87 per person.
o Overall: 7.8
o Food/Beverage: 7.4
o Ambience/Setting: 7.6
o Value: 7.9
o Service: 8.2
We spent HK$175 for 2 and had a lovely meal. The space is very nice and calming. The service was very good too; with an English speaker to help us. He suggested that we have 2 set meals and we did. It was a lot of food and we had some to take home for a lunch. With the udon soup meal we also got a 3-piece mixed sushi and a salad. With the sautéed noodle dish we got a sashimi dish and a miso soup. We were brought a small dessert when we asked for something sweet. It was a red bean roll that was unusual and good. The meal was delightful.
2.16. Myanmar Thai Palace, Comfort Center, 108 Aberdeen Old Main Street Shop 5, G/F, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 28702080. Open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. We spent about HK$85 per person.
o Overall: 7.9
o Food/Beverage: 7.6
o Ambience/Setting: 7.5
o Value: 8.2
o Service: 8.1
We spent HK$170 and had a very good meal at this nice restaurant. It is small and pleasantly decorated with posters of Thailand and other Thai decorations. The tables and chairs are comfortable and the service is excellent. Benson Chan, one of the owners is buzzing about and speaks good English. He took good care of us. We had a Thai green mango salad with seafood and a sautéed baby oyster dish, Thai style with scrambled egg and black pepper. Both were very tasty and we enjoyed them. For dessert we had little sago and coconut cream tarts wrapped in pandamus leaves.
2.17. Wang Jia Sha (Aberdeen), 6-12 Nam Ning Street Shop E, 1/F, Site 5, Aberdeen Centre, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 2873 3030. We spent about HK$100 per person.
o Overall: 7.3
o Food/Beverage: 7.1
o Ambience/Setting: 7.2
o Value: 7.4
o Service: 7.6
We have eaten at Wang Jia Sha a few times and have enjoyed it. The service is very good and the food is too. It is in Lonely Planet guidebook but don't let that put you off. They bring delicious pickles and tea when you arrive. The first time we went we had
Sautéed shrimp in duck egg yolk (HK$92) which were crispy and unusual. We also had Wang jia sha “tan tan” dumplings in Spicy sesame (actually peanut) sauce (HK$30). There are a few desserts on the menu. The first time we ate there we had an unusual Soufflé with red bean inside (HK$300.
The second time we went we had:
Menu item 102: minced pork dumpling 4: HK$24 which were excellent
Menu item 105: pan fried dough cakes with sesame: HK$34 very good
Menu item 129: smoked duck egg: HK$10 delicious
Tan tan noodles: HK$30 very good
Menu item 104: pan fried minced pork soft bun: HK$46 very good
Menu item 605: steamed sweet 8 treasure sticky rice: HK$24 good
We recommend everything!
2.18. Carnival Seafood Restaurant, Aberdeen Centre, Site 4, Shop 2, 1/F, Aberdeen, HK, Tel. (852) 2518-8398, web: www.starseafood.com.hk. We spent HK$110 per person.
o Overall: 7.7
o Food/Beverage: 7.3
o Ambience/Setting: 7.4
o Value: 6.7
o Service: 9.2
We had wonderful service at Carnival Seafood Restaurant We spent had a whole fish steamed with green onion (that was delicious), Tung Choi and a mango pudding. We were brought peanuts with the tea (and they were re-filled when we asked). The waiter wrote out the names of the dishes in English and Cantonese for us. For dessert he brought us complimentary dishes of Water Chestnut creams (which we really liked).
2.19. Hsin Kuang Banquet Hall (2/F, Block 3, Aberdeen Center, Chenghu Road (or 6-12 Nam Ning Street 2/F Aberdeen Centre, Site 3), Aberdeen Tel. (852) 2555-7283.
o Overall: 7.3
o Food/Beverage: 7
o Ambience/Setting: 7.2
o Value: 7
o Service: 8.1
We've eaten at the Tin Wan, Aberdeen location of Aberdeen Hsin Kuang Restaurant (1-12 Ka Wo Street (at the corner of Tin Wan St.), Aberdeen, tel. 2555-7283) and at the Aberdeen Centre location. Both meals were very good and the service was very good too. We like that a dish of peanuts arrives automatically with the tea. At dinner we spent HK$249 for 2 and had small abalones, a dish of Tofu, mushrooms and bok choy and Shrimp with garlic and scallions. We were offered a bowl of red beans for dessert which we enjoyed. At lunch we spent HK$92 for an eggplant and minced pork casserole. We chose a plate of assorted desserts from a display counter at the Aberdeen Centre location.
2.20. Tak Hing, 5 Chengtu St., Aberdeen, Tel. (852) 2555-0348. We spent HK$120 for two but don’t remember it. We ordered one Roast pork, barbecued pork combination, one Tung Choy/water spinach in chili and garlic and one rice.
2.21. Veggie Source Restaurant, B/F & G/F, Shop 1, 1-5 Nam Ning Street, Aberdeen Center, Tel 2554-5837, Hours 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. We spent HK$45 per person.
o Overall: 3.9
o Food/Beverage: 1.4
o Ambience/Setting: 2.8
o Value: 6.8
o Service: 4.4
The basement location was not appealing. DM likes the sweets at Veggie Delight (upstairs at G/F at the same location). So we decided to try the restaurant in the basement. The menu wasn’t giving us any ideas as to what to eat so ALE walked around and chose from the dishes other people were having. We had one flat noodle dish that was almost tasteless. We also had a spinach, egg, “cheese”, preserved egg dish that was not interesting. It was awful, really. But it was cheap.
2.22. Viet's Choice, Shop 2, G/F, Site 2 Aberdeen Centre, HK 2553-3744. We spent HK$52 and it was terrible. We had one disappointing pho soup and one disappointing Vietnamese roll.
3. Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong
3.1. Fat Kee (Harbour) Rest Popular Treasure Ltd, (We think the name of it is Wealthy [Rich?] Seafood), Shop B& C, 57-63 Main Street Ap Lei Chau, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong, Tel. 2580-8528 and 6102-9430, (open 5:30 p.m.) We spent about HK$100 per person.
o Overall: 7.7
o Food/Beverage: 8.1
o Ambience/Setting: 6.1
o Value: 8.1
o Service: 8.3
The place is simple with stools, although they have some comfortable chairs with backs which we used. We chose a combination of snails, bamboo clams, baby clams (from outside Styrofoam tanks) in black bean sauce and scallops steamed with garlic and vermicelli. It was very, very good. Once we sat with another couple who we talked to; it was fun.
We've been to this restaurant about 6 times for shellfish and fish. We thought its name was Rich Seafood but Fat Kee Treasure Restaurant's address and telephone number is the same as we were given. It is a great restaurant for us because we can choose what we want from the Styrofoam containers outside.
Eating crab at Fat Kee on Ap Lei Chau
The clams and snails in black bean are terrific. We also like to order the lotus seed "ling au" vegetable with angled loofah. The vegetables are crisp and the sauce is very good. We really liked the way the crab was prepared. The staff is very nice to us (and finds us chairs with backs, so we don't have to endure the stools).
When we come in they immediately put tea and peanuts on the table which we really like. We think that it opens at 5:30 p.m. and closes at 9 p.m. One night when we were there by 8 p.m. they said that we were too late.
When we come in they immediately put tea and peanuts on the table which we really like. We think that it opens at 5:30 p.m. and closes at 9 p.m. One night when we were there by 8 p.m. they said that we were too late.
3.2. El Greco, Mediterranean Seafood Grill, G/F, 5 Wai Fung Street, Ap Lei Chau, South Island, H.K. Tel. 2328-2138, e-mail: cocobay@biznetvigator.com, web:www.toptables.com.hk. We spent a whopping HK$414 for two. First we were offered pickled vegetables and olives and then Pita grilled with garlic and Cold water flavored with a lemon slice. It’s a nice room with a lovely park view. We got there early but were the only customers for the evening. The service was very good and the music was pleasant Greek songs. As usual we shared everything. We ordered “Sardelles sth Skara” – Grilled Sardines in Vine Leaves marinated with lemon and fresh oregano. (HK$160). The 3 sardines were a little dry but there was enough juice underneath to compensate. The vine leaves were a little unusual and good to eat on their own. The fish were cooked on a bed of sliced potato, onion and tomato. It was a very good dish. We had 2 glasses of Boutari Mantinia 2008 (Greece) described as a strong varietal with aroma of flowers and citrus fruit (HK$78 x 2 = HK$156). It was not as good as it should have been. For dessert we had a Baklava (HK$60) which was a new take on an old favorite: a light layer of phyllo on top with lots of walnuts in honey (or sugar water) inside. We liked it. We asked if we could bring our own wine next time. Yes, we were told but the corkage would be HK$200. We doubt that we will ever return. It was one of our most expensive HK meals but not the best one.
3.3. Blessing Dessert, 43 Ap Lei Chau Main Street, G/F, Ap Lei Chau, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong, Tel. (852) 2554-5886 (Open 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Closed on Tuesdays). We generally spent about HK$23 per person.
o Overall: 7.1
o Food/Beverage: 7.1
o Ambience/Setting: 6.1
o Value: 7.1
o Service: 8.2
We went back to this shop again and again and are always happy with the desserts and the service. It is light, clean, neat and fun.
4. Cyberport, Hong Kong
4.1. Pho' Vietnamese Cafe, Shop 302, Level 3, The Arcade, 100 Cyberport Road, Cyberport, H.K. Tel. (852) 2989-6308 (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) We spent HK$146 for two and were not impressed. No tea was served for free (it was HK$20). We had the steamed Vietnamese roll that was actually just a steamed packet of minced meat and not tasty. Then we had 2 large pho’ that were okay but at HK$52 each were too expensive.
5. Central, Hong Kong
5.1. Wah Fung Roast Meat Co., Ltd., 112-114 Wellington Street (next to Habibi Cafe--see below), Central, H.K. Tel. (852) 2544-3466 or 2544-4588. This is a very special place. It was on television (Pearl) and described as one of the only roast shops that has a license in Central to make roasts in the traditional type of oven.
One of the last traditional roasting ovens in Central Hong Kong at Wah Fung Roast Meat, 112-114 Wellington
We met the owner and her daughter (Mrs. Rosa Ko and her daughter Shirley) and were told that the daughter was planning to make the shop into a restaurant.
Mrs. Rosa and her daughter at Wah Fung Roast Meat, 112-114 Wellington, a most extraordinary place
We tasted everything and the chicken liver was extraordinary—so creamy on the inside.
5.2. Habibi Cafe, Shop A, 112-114 Wellington St. Central (Next to Mid-Levels Escalator), Tel. 2544-3886, www.habibi.com.hk. We spent HK$270 and it was a bit of a change in cuisine for us but it was a once in a lifetime event. We ordered 1 cold mezze plate HK$85, 1 hot mezze plate HK $95, 1 dessert plate HK$30, 1 mint tea HK$30. It was too expensive for what it was.
5.3. Maxim's Palace at City Hall, Low Block, City Hall, Central, HK, Tel. 2521-1303. We spent HK$205 for two and thought it was a tourist trap. We had one We had a scallop dish with calamari (HK$125) and we had rice the price of peanuts was HK$17 and the price of tea for 2 was HK$24.
6. Soho, Hong Kong
6.1. Phukets Thai Restaurant, 1/F, 51 Elgin Street, SoHo (above Ricos), H.K. tel. (852) 2868-9672 HK$250 for us HK$568 total for 4. It wasn’t good, just pretentious.
7. Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
7.1. Sheung Hing Chiu Chow Sea Food Restaurant, 37-39 Queen's Road West, Sheung Wan, H.K., Tel. 2543-7794. We spent HK$75 per person. It was an enjoyable chiu chow meal.
o Overall: 6.6
o Food/Beverage: 6.8
o Ambience/Setting: 6.1
o Value: 6.9
o Service: 6.7
The food was very good. We also thought that the service was good. We had a light meal; one main and one vegetable dish. The vegetable dish was very well prepared! The servings were generous and we had enough leftovers to take home. It was the right place at the right time for us! (It is not in our neighborhood so it would not be convenient for us to return.)
8. Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
8.1. Chuen Cheung Kui, 489 Hennessy Road, 7/F & 8/F Causeway Bay Plaza Phase 1, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 25773833. We spent about HK$95 per person.
o Overall: 7.3
o Food/Beverage: 6.8
o Ambience/Setting: 6.8
o Value: 7
o Service: 8.6
It’s a nice big room and the service was great. We were able to communicate well enough to order chrysanthemum tea (which we love). While no peanuts are served we were happy to look around and enjoyed the ornamental fish tank. We started with Roasted Chicken Liver (and the waiter was able to advice us to order the small portion) HK$40.It was delicious and had enough leftover to take home. We had chosen this restaurant because we wanted to try Hakka Chicken Baked in Salt. We ordered one portion (HK$75) and it was huge; the chicken was good not great (but we don't think it was the restaurant's problem). We also ordered the Mixed Vegetable in Casserole (HK$58) which was filled with mushrooms, fungus and lots of interesting vegetables as well. For dessert we were brought a water chestnut and ginger soup that was very good. We had a very nice meal.
9. Wan Chai, Hong Kong
9.1. Ho Choi Seafood Restaurant, 3/F, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, H.K., Tel 2598-9828, e-mail: info@hochoi.com, web: http://hochoi.com. We spent HK$900 for 6 people. It is our friends’ favorite restaurant. Unfortunately we were under-whelmed fortunately we had fun with our friends. They didn’t bring peanuts automatically and we had to ask twice. We started with chrysanthemum tea that was delicious and it was replaced (for some unknown reason) with oolong tea that wasn’t a big hit. This is what we ordered--3 starters: Szechuan chicken (very good), Tripe salad (okay), Jelly fish with cucumber (very good). Then we had winter melon soup (okay). For our mains we had Shrimp (bland), Crispy chicken (that wasn’t crispy), Eggplant with chilies (that wasn’t spicy) and Tung choy (that wasn’t tasty). For dessert we had a tapioca, mango and cream pudding that was good.
9.2. Under Bridge Spicy Crab or as Hungry Go Where calls it: Chili Crab Under the Bridge [405-419 Lockhart Rd., Shop C, G/F, Wah Fat Mansion, Wan Chai (Exit C from Causeway Bay Station),tel 2893-1289; 401-403 Lockhart Rd., Shop B, G/F, Wan Chai (Exit C from Causeway Bay Station), Tel 2834-6818; 429 Lockhart Rd., Shop 6-9, G/F, Wan Chai (Exit C from Causeway Bay Station), Tel. 2573-7698; 414-424 Jaffe Road, Shop 1-2, G/F, Chinaweai Centre (Exit C from Causeway Bay Station), Tel. 2834-6268] We ate at the Jaffe Rd. location. We met Jon and Angi Pendleton (for the first time) who had been traveling the world for a year (and found our blog quite by accident. They have a great blog, click here to check it out). Jon and Angi really wanted to try hairy crab and we had selected Under the Bridge Spicy Crab because we thought they would have hairy crab. They didn’t have it so we had one crab in a batter, like tempura, that was crispy.
The chilli crab at Under Bridge Spicy Crab or Chili Crab Under the Bridge
The crab was quite large but also expensive at HK$350. It was over-cooked and not as sweet as we would have liked. The tempura batter was unusual and good. We also had clams, a pumpkin soup with a curry flavor and a vegetable dish with an egg sauce. We had 4 beers and they served watermelon for dessert. The meal cost HK$592 for 4 people and we left a tip for the waiter, Leo, because service wasn't included.
9.3. Carrianna (Chiu Chow) Restaurant, 1/F, 151 Gloucester Rd., Hong Kong, Tel. 2511-1282, web: www.carriachiuchow.com. We spent HK$330 and it was very good but HK$100 more than we usually spend. The room was nice and the service was good. The special goose served with vinegar was good but not spectacular. The other dishes we ordered were unusual and good. First 4 teeny tiny cups of Chiu Chow oolong tea were brought then Xian pin (jasmine) tea and pickled vegetable arrived automatically. We ordered 1 eel soup (HK$110), one Soyed goose Chiu Chow special (HK$78), one Fried eu fu noodles Chiu Chow style (fried cakes served with vinegar and sugar) HK$68 (reminiscent of mei grob in Thailand). Then dessert teeny tiny cups of Chiu Chow oolong tea were brought. For dessert we ordered one Sweet White Fungus soup (HK$20) and one Sweetened Soup Chiu Chow style HK$18.
10. North Point, Hong Kong
10.1. Golden Federal Restaurant (North Point), 500 King's Road, Shop 202, Island Place, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 2628 0183. We spent HK$80 per person.
o Overall: 7.1
o Food/Beverage: 7.1
o Ambience/Setting: 7
o Value: 7.1
o Service: 7.1
We had Afternoon Tea and unusual dim sum. The place was packed when we arrived at 2:30 pm (the start of Afternoon Tea). While we were waiting, we walked around and chose dishes from looking at other people's tables. The most unusual dim sum dish for us (though we now know that it is something that every pregnant woman must have) was the pig's knuckles. We loved the pickled ginger in that dish. We also had the Fried tofu Rice roll filled with water chestnuts, shrimp, celery and meat that was really good. We had a bun that was fried and filled with meat, and a filled bean curd roll and a Ginger/soy milk and egg white pudding. All yummy.
11. Stanley, Hong Kong
11.1. Saigon at Stanley (Contemporary Vietnamese Cuisine), Shop 101, Murrary House, 90 Stanley Main Street 1-2/F Stanley Tel:(852) 2899-0999, http://www.chiram.com.hk/. We spent HK$683 for 4 people. We had a free coupon for an order of Vietnamese rolls. The restaurant brought shrimp crackers and water. We shared the free appetizer, 1 fish, one vegetable, one chicken curry and one dessert. Sitting outside was delightful, even in the heavy rain. The setting is really lovely. The service was very good and the food was surprisingly tasty. We had a wonderful evening.
12. Shek O, Hong Kong
12.1. Shek O Chinese and Thailand Seafood Restaurant, No. 303 Shek O Village, Hong Kong, Tel. (852) 2809-4426. We spent HK$111 per person.
o Overall: 6.5
o Food/Beverage: 7.2
o Ambience/Setting: 6.3
o Value: 6.2
o Service: 6.2
It is open air but it is a non-smoking space. It has fans and it was quite pleasant. We had a seafood hot pot with red curry sauce that we asked for medium spicy. It was perfectly spicy, it was full of seafood and it was delicious. With that we had a papaya salad that was very good and some tung choy, prepared well. We ordered 2 desserts: one a water chestnut with coconut milk and one a black sticky rice with coconut milk. Both were good. It was a delightful lunch and we had enough to take home for another lunch!
13. Tsim Sha Tsui , Kowloon, Hong Kong
13.1. Din Tai Fung (Silvercord Branch), Shop 130 & Restaurant C, 3/F Silvercord, 30 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Tel. 2730-6928, web: http://www.dintaifung.com. : www.dintaifung.com.tw. We spent HK$306 for the two of us and it was very good and up to our expectations (we’ve eaten at this restaurant in Taipei and in Singapore).
The precious dumplings at Din Tai Fung
We ordered one Tossed Shredded Bean curd with seaweed and bean sprouts HK$28 (good not great), one Braised dry bean curd with black mushrooms HK$28 (great with a slightly sweet flavor), Xiao long bao (steamed pork & crab dumplings HK$68 (6) fabulous, one Sheo Mai (steamed pork and shrimp packets HK$68 for 6) fabulous, one Steamed sticky rice dumpling stuffed with pork HK$32 (it was log-shaped and had a slightly sweet flavor), one Noodles with peanut and sesame sauce in Taiwan style (HK$30)and Dessert: steamed red bean paste bun (HK$15). Tea was HK$10.
13.2. Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, Shop 3328, Level 3, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Tel. 2622-2699, e-mail: cjinfo@crystaljade.imsbiz.com.hk, web: www.crystaljade.com. (Opening hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) We spent HK$205 for us. DM really liked the food. When we first arrived we ordered the Appetizer called Crispy Eel (HK$46) and it came before the main dishes. It was excellent--very crispy and a tiny bit sweet, in a coating of a soy sauce-like mixture. The other dishes we ordered followed, when they were ready. We liked the Fried “La Mian” noodles with seafood and assorted mushrooms (HK$62) but there was enough seafood and mushrooms to be interesting. The other dish we ordered was also from the appetizer list. It was Assorted Vegetables in Deep Fried Bean Curd Skin (HK$48). We’ve had this dish before and both times we really have liked it. For dessert we had Glutinous Dumpling in Ginger Soup (HK$24). The ginger was a bit strong but the dish was still a success. The service was excellent. The view of the harbor is a delight. It is an elegantly casual place.
13.3. Han Sung Co. Korean Restaurant, G/F, 10 Kimberley St., Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Tel. (852) 2367-5025, (open 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.). We spent HK$100 for two and it was totally disappointing. It is a pleasant, tiny space where people share tables. Small dishes of kimchi and radishes were served automatically. Water was served, not tea. We had the noodles in the picture on the outside window. They were not interesting—they only had onion in them and were not at all spicy (HK$50) and the vermicelli noodles with vegetables (HK$50) which were also bland.
13.4. London Restaurant, 612 Nathan Road, 3/F-4/F, Good Hope Building, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 27718018. We spent HK$64 per person for dim sum.
o Overall: 6.4
o Food/Beverage: 7
o Ambience/Setting: 6.1
o Value: 6.3
o Service: 6.2
We had a wonderful dim sum lunch. It has carts and has a station where food is made to order. Although it was crowded we were seated immediately in this large room. No one spoke English but we were well taken care of nevertheless. We had a marinated snail dish, a savory pancake, a stuffed green pepper dish, shu mai, a rice roll filled with shrimp, a soy milk pudding served in a coconut, and several desserts. It was just what we wanted and we enjoyed it!
14. Austin Road West, Kowloon
14.1. Olive (Elements) Shop R008, 3/F, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, tel. 2810-8585, web: www.diningconcepts.com.hk. It was a very expensive meal, with an expensive bottle of wine, but quite enjoyable. We had Olives Mezza HK$118 (hummus, cheese, Fatima’s Fingers, baba gannosh, jou jou bread and olives, one Lebanese style cabbage filled with lentil rice pilaf, caramelized onions and tomato, fresh mozzarella and pomegranate salad HK$138 and Garlic and sweet spiced veal shank with butternut pumpkin Tagine HK$198.
15. Mong Kok, Kowloon
15.1. Hui Lau Shan (Healthy Desserts), G/F, 58-60 Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon, Tel. (852) .2781-1626. We spent HK$49 for two delicious desserts.
16. Jordon, Kowloon, Hong Kong
16.1. Szechuan Style, G/F, 119-121 Woo Sung St., Jordon, Kowloon, Tel. (852) 2780-2288. We spent HK$190 and it was good. We ordered: one Special Flavor Duck in Casserole with seasonal vegetables (HK$88), one Minced pork & salty fish with eggplant in casserole (HK$45) and one Preserved egg with green chill (HK$30).
16.2. Hui Lau Shan (Healthy Desserts), Shop C, G/F, Kam Shing Building, 24A-26 Jordan Rd., Jordan, Kowloon Tel. 2314-9092 (or 2442-1882). We spent HK$40 for two delicious desserts.
17. Kuen Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
17.1. Hop Lee Seafood Restaurant, Hung To Road, Kuen Tong, Kowloon, H.K., Tel. 3580-0818. We spent HK$80 bit we don’t remember it.
18. Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong
18.1. Chinese Local Snacks, G/F, 228 Temple St., Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Tel. (852) 2388-8933. This is what we had and it was only okay: one Fried big corbicula with black beans + chili (HK$40), one “spicy liquor boils the floral whelks” (HK$60), one Ma Lazhan dried shrimp stewed Tung Choy in casserole (HK$45), one rice and 2 beers (HK$28).
19. Kowloon City, Kowloon, Hong Kong
19.1. Beijing Halal, G/F, 23 Lung Kong Road, Kowloon City, Kowloon, H. K., Tel. (852) 2718-3809 (open 11:30 a.m. to 12 midnight). We spent HK$117 for two. A modest little place that caught our attention because we thought that there would be Arabic flavors. The only interesting dish we had was little fried buns filled with a tasty meat mix. It was called “Veal Goulash 2 pieces” (HK$20). The other dish was egg whites with crab that was pretty tasteless (HK$58). We ordered a sliced rice cake dish in XO sauce and were given the wrong thing—a regular rice noodle with seafood dish. We wanted the one we had ordered and were able to get it. One waiter offered us 2 milk teas for free. The cashier wanted to charge us. When the bill turned out to be HK$148 for what we thought we had ordered, we knew it was too much. So we protested. It was reduced to HK$117.
Afterwards we had barbequed clams at Golden Thai ($HK$48) which were very good and unusual. We thought that they would be tough but they weren’t. They were succulent and tasty. They were served with a spicy Thai-type sauce.
20. Diamond Hill, Kowloon, Hong Kong
20.1. Wansu Korean Kitchen, Shop 214, Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill, Kowloon, H.K. Tel. (852) 2955-9066. We spent HK$195.80. The room is nice enough for a shopping mall restaurant. We didn’t like our robot, officious, negative server but the food was good. We had a set meal for 2 (HK$178) with 2 rice bowls, lots of little typical Korean appetizer dishes, sashimi, soup, an interesting chewy noodle and kimchi dish. The rice bowl dishes actually were unnecessary there was so much other stuff to eat. We asked that one be packed for take away and the young man threw it out. We waited until an entirely new one was prepared for us to take away.
21. Tsuen Wan, New Territories
21.1. Tin Ka Yunnan Restaurant (Luk Yeung Galleria), 22-26 Tai Tsuen Road S20-21 Luk Yeung Galleria Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 3741 0881. e-mail: cs@everbless.com.hk. (open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) We spent HK$90 per person.
o Overall 8.1
o Food/Beverage: 7.7
o Ambience/Setting: 8
o Value: 8.4
o Service: 8.1
It’s small and so are the tables. They are spaced well and we didn’t feel crowded. We ordered the eggplant in sweet soy sauce (HK$25) to start. It was served cold and was very good, with a nutty sauce. We ordered the sea snails with preserved vegetables (HK$32) that was a good dish. The preserved vegetables were really just over-cooked cabbage, however. The Fried Yunnan Morel Fungus with squid and broccoli (HK$72) was excellent because the morel were fabulous. They looked like French morel but the taste was more earthy and unusual. Really, a great taste. We recommend you try this restaurant!
21.2. Paramount Banquet Hall Siu Shun Village Cuisine (Emperor Plaza), 55 Chung On Street 2/F Emperor Plaza, Tsuen Wan, N. T., Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 9415 0744. We spent about HK$85 per person.
o Overall: 8
o Food/Beverage: 8.2
o Ambience/Setting: 7.2
o Value: 8.4
o Service: 8
We loved going to the Aberdeen Branch of Paramount and we are delighted that Tsuen Wan, where we now live, has a new branch. The food and service are very good. When you sit down tea and mixed nuts are served (which we really like). We had the "promotion" for HK$10 (can you believe that?) which was a delicious steamed Garoupa. We also ordered Cucumber and jelly fish (HK$38) and a really, really good Braised assorted vegetables with bamboo piths (HK$68). All in all a delightful meal and we would recommend the restaurant.
21.3. Federal Restaurant, Shop 18, Level 3, Discovery Park Shopping Center, 398 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, N.T. Tel. (852) 2626-0883, web: www.federalrestaurant.hk (opening hours: 7:30 a.m. to 12 midnight). We spent HK$190 for two people. They serve a pickled celery dish and tea automatically which we like. We were able to read enough of the promotion board to understand that there was a lobster special for HK$58. That was confirmed by a hostess and we decided to have that. We chose to have it in garlic and it was fabulous. One of the servers said that it was from Boston and we confirmed that when we saw its shape and tasted the sweetness of it. Lobsters from the waters of Massachusetts and Maine have a distinctive look and taste. They are truly unique in our experience. The preparation was perfect—the cooking didn’t dry it out and the garlic added to the pleasurable taste. We also ordered a vegetable dish (HK $38) that was delicious and a Shanghai noodle dish (HK$55) that was good but could have been tastier. We were served delicious melons for dessert. This was an outstanding meal at an unbelievable price.
21.4. Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, Shops S22-23, 2/F Luk Yeung Galleria, Tsuen Wan, N.T., Tel. 3692-4078, e-mail: info@nansiang.com.hk, web: www.nanxiang.com.hk. We spent HK$196 for two people and for some reason that we can’t remember we were given a 5% discount. The food was really good and the ambiance quite pleasant. The service was very good too. They serve a yummy mixture of peanuts and seaweed. We ordered one seafood soup with sliced hairy melon (HK$52) one deep fried mashed shrimp balls with crab roe stuffing (HK$48) and one fried sliced glutinous rice cake with Matsutate mushroom and shanghai vegetable (HK$52). For dessert we had one steamed glutinous rice cake with osmanthus (HK$20).
21.5. Tao Heung Restaurant (City Landmark I), 68 Chung On Street, Shop A, 5/F, Tsuen Wan N.T., Tel. 2940-7838, web: www.taoheung.com.hk We spent HK$ 88 for two for dim sum and HK$188 for dinner.
o Overall: 8.8
o Food/Beverage: 8.5
o Ambience/Setting: 8
o Value: 8.9
o Service: 9.7
They were having a special on steamed shrimp for HK$40. The order was huge and really delicious—served with a soy sauce and chili mixture. We also ordered a tofu dish that was a little bland. ALE went to the table where they had the hot pot condiment trays and got a little of everything to add to the tofu and then it was very good. We also ordered a vegetable dish made of winter melon, bamboo pith, assorted mushrooms and broccoli. It was excellent. Our server was very good and so was her English. For dessert, we had an almond pudding that was served hot. It was very, very good. All in all, a delightful meal which cost HK$188 for 2.
We went back the next day because I thought I dropped my eyeglass case on the floor next the table where we were sitting. Indeed I had and the maitre d’ remembered us and had it in the lost and found for me. PHEW!
We had to wait for about an hour but we had a wonderful dim sum experience on a Saturday.
We went back the next day because I thought I dropped my eyeglass case on the floor next the table where we were sitting. Indeed I had and the maitre d’ remembered us and had it in the lost and found for me. PHEW!
We had to wait for about an hour but we had a wonderful dim sum experience on a Saturday.
Adorable dim sum at Tao Heung in Tsuen Wan
We were seated at a large table with two different groups: a family and a mother and daughter. They were pleasant and it made our experience better. A man a neighboring table also helped us to order because there weren’t carts at this restaurant. There were pictures of some dishes and there was a menu of some of the items with translations in English. We had about 6 or 7 dishes; all were well prepared and tasty. And they were served hot! We recommend this restaurant highly! Our dim sum experience cost a grand total of HK$88 for 2!
21.6. Mini Paris Vietnamese Restaurant (Cheong On Building, Tsuen Cheong Centre), 114-128 Sai Lau Kok Road Shop 49-51, 1/F Cheong On Building, Tsuen Cheong Centre Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 24151573. (The address I got from the wall is: Shop A80-A84, Tsuen Fung Centre, 144-172 Castle Peak Rd., Tsuen Wan, N.T., Tel. 2415-1573.) It is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The first address is probably close enough for people to find it! We spent HK$65 per person.
o Overall: 6.5
o Food/Beverage: 6.2
o Ambience/Setting: 5.1
o Value: 7.2
o Service: 7.4
This is one of 5 branches of the same restaurant. It is simple and crowded, with small tables close together. We talked to the man next to us because he was really sitting at the same table with us. We had one salad and 2 dishes called Snacks on the menu. We had the Shredded Chicken Salad Vietnamese Style (HK$40) which was good but needed more mint, bean sprouts and herbs. The Crispy Soft Crusted Crabs with salt and pepper (HK$48) were crunchy, sweet and plump. The Vietnamese Steamed Bun Hoi (HK$22) was an unusual dish of egg white crepe that was rubbery (like Ethiopian bread) covered with green onion and crispy onion. The dish is served with lettuce and we gathered that you are supposed to put some of the bun hoi in the lettuce and then dip it in the sweet chili sauce that is provided on all of the tables. It was good but probably a “once in a lifetime” kind of dish for us. For dessert we had one black sticky rice with coconut milk (HK$10) which was good and one herbal jelly with coconut milk (HK$15) that wasn’t as good as ALE had expected.
21.7. Chiuchow Garden Restaurant (Luk Yeung Sun Chuen Shopping Arcade), 22-66 Wai Tsuen Road Shop G27, G/F Luk Yeung Sun Chuen Shopping Arcade, Tsuen Wan, N.T., Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 24983381, web: http://www.maxims.com.hk/tc/index.asp. We spent about $147 per person.
o Overall: 6.4
o Food/Beverage: 6.2
o Ambience/Setting: 8.1
o Value: 5.4
o Service: 5.9
This restaurant is part of the Maxims Chinese Cuisine Group. It is nicely decorated and has linen napkins. The restaurant was noisy once it was crowded and the service was only okay. Actually, the food was good but not great. Automatically a small dish of crunchy pickled celery with peanuts, tofu and beans was served. It was good and sufficiently different from what we had before elsewhere to make it interesting. We ordered the Signature Combo of Chiu Chow Specialty Appetizers for one (HK$40) and it was good. It had 4 items: jelly fish, cold meat, deep fried fish ball and tofu. For our main we ordered the Braised Sea Cucumber and chicken in casserole (HK$108). There wasn’t much sea cucumber in the dish but what was there was good and the chicken was excellent. We also ordered Poached seasonal vegetables in bouillon (HK$68). Instead of an assortment of vegetables (which is what we wanted) we got water spinach in a good broth. For some reason another vegetable dish arrived which we hadn’t ordered that the server wanted us to pay for. When we insisted we hadn’t ordered it, he took it off the bill. No complimentary dessert was served. We wouldn’t return.
21.8. Victoria Habour Roasted Goose Seafood Restaurant, We couldn't believe our good luck in finding this restaurant in the Empire Plaza 2/F (not the Entertainment Center), 55 Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan, N.T., tell: 2668-1892, web: www.hoikonghk.com.hk. We spent HK$92 per person.
o Overall: 8.1
o Food/Beverage: 8.4
o Ambience/Setting: 7.4
o Value: 9.6
o Service: 6.8
In July 2009 they were promoting lobster and we went back 2 times to have it. Once we spent an incredible HK$96 (by weight) for the delicious lobster (that looked like lobster from the state of Maine in the US) and the other time we spent HK$86 for it. The one lobster we ordered (which was more than enough for the 2 of us) was perfectly cooked in a sauce of soy sauce and green onion. We also ordered a vegetable dish each time we went that was very good and were served water melon after the meal. The service was good enough but we couldn't find an English speaker to help us.
21.9. Hak Ka Hut (City Landmark I), 68 Chung On Street Shop 3B, 3/F City Landmark I Tsuen Wan, N.T., Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 24069338, web: www.taoheung.com.hk and http://www.taoheung.com.hk/eng/main/index.jsp. We spent HK$96 per person.
o Overall: 7.8
o Food/Beverage: 8.2
o Ambience/Setting: 7.2
o Value: 8.1
o Service: 7.6
We liked this restaurant even though it was noisy and we liked the room and the decor. The chairs were very comfortable and the tables were large enough. The bill was HK$191 and no service, tea or sauce charge was added. The Hakka chicken was scrumptious! They have about 6 branches around HK and do what they do very well. The menu was easy to order from, having good photos. Everything that we ordered was delicious. We had the Baked chicken with savory sauce (HK$65) a triumph that was tender, tasty and perfectly cooked. We also ordered 2 vegetable dishes. One was sautéed lotus root with fungus and fresh lily bulb (HK$45) that had crunchy lotus root and a tasty sauce. The other was sautéed Yunnan cucumber with mixed mushrooms (HK$50). This dish was excellent the sauce was unusually textured and tasty. There was so much food we had lots of leftovers to take home. For dessert we chose 2 different dishes. The fresh mango with vermicelli and sago in a mango sauce was delicious and the other sweet was good. The bill was HK$191 and no service, tea or sauce charge was added.
21.10. Eatery Tsuen Wan, G/F, 23-25 Market St., Tsuen Wan, N.T., Kowloon, H.K., Tel. (852) 2498-0130. We spent HK$85 for two and had an okay meal. We ordered on fish ball soup with pork wanton and one tofu with vegetables.
21.11. Golden Shanghai Cuisine, Shop 16, level 3, Discovery Park Shopping Center, 398 Castle Peak Road, Tsuen Wan, N.T. Tel. (852) 2625-0066, web: www.FederalRestaurant.hk. We spent HK$180 for two and it was just okay.
21.12. Beppu Ekimae, Shop P9, Luk Yeung Galleria, Tsuen Wan, MTR, N.T., Tel. (852) 2498-0798. We spent HK$190 for two and liked it. We ordered one baby sand crabs that were delicious and it’s the first time we’ve ever seen them on a menu or in a fish shop. We had one eggplant, one salmon brisket (HKE38) and one sake steamed clams (HK$38).
21.13. Fung Shing Restaurant, 4/F, 264-298 Castle Peak Rd., Nan Fung Centre, Tsuen Wan, N.T., Tel. (852)2498-4333. We spent about HK$107 per person.
o Overall: 7.5
o Food/Beverage: 7.9
o Ambience/Setting: 7.1
o Value: 7.7
o Service: 7.2
They bring peanuts and tea while you’re ordering and waiting for your food. The room is the standard, large restaurant room. There is a section for hot pot diners, too. We noticed a neighboring table had clams in a vegetable, black bean sauce so we ordered that and they were very good. They were tender, small morsels. There was a promotion on steamed fish in soy sauce with green onion and so we ordered that. It was excellent, sweet and perfectly cooked. From the menu we chose a dish of pork-stuffed appetizers that were tasty but strange. We also ordered a mushroom and bamboo pith vegetable dish that was very good. For dessert we were brought a green bean soup that was a little too sweet but very good. Because of the promotions, the meal was very affordable. Even without, it would have been a delicious meal with good service and at a good value. We would recommend this restaurant.
22. Tsem Tseng and Sham Tseng, New Territories
22.1. Lucky Dessert, 92-93 Castle Peak Road (Tsing Lung Tau) G/F Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 24969163. We spent HK$25 per person.
o Overall: 7.4
o Food/Beverage: 7.2
o Ambience/Setting: 7.4
o Value: 7.6
o Service: 7.4
We stopped by and had 2 desserts after dinner. We ate outside and it was pleasant with the fans. We had one really yummy cold pudding with mango, sago and (I think) little noodles. The other dessert was good too but there are many, many more we want to try!
22.2. Indian Hot Pot Curry Restaurant, 69 Sham Tseng Village G/F Tsuen Wan, N.T. Hong Kong, tel. (852) 2496 2060. We spent about HK$145 per person.
o Overall: 6.6
o Food/Beverage: 6.9
o Ambience/Setting: 5.7
o Value: 6
o Service: 7.6
There is a patio for dining (which has a view of a parking lot and the highway). We chose to sit outside in front of a big and effective fan to keep us cool. They bring (for free) Pakoda which were good and 2 different sauces. Both of the sauces are good: one a mint sauce and the other a tomato one. We ordered a masala papa dam to start (HK$15) and a salty Lassi. The papa dam was only okay but the lassi was good. For our main we ordered the lamb butter masala (HK$72) and the saag paneer (HK$68) with a pulau rice (HK$29). The lamb was good although there was too much fat on the meat. The saag paneer was good too but not exciting. The pulau rice was also good. For dessert we ordered one gulab jamun (HK$18) and one masala tea (HK$20). Both were good and big enough for the two of us. We have had better Indian food but would recommend this restaurant nonetheless.
22.3. Kcal, 88 Sham Tseng Tsuen, G/F, Sham Tseng, N.T., tel. (852)2491-2678 HK$118 (owner Wakey Cheung's e-mail wakeycheung@yahoo.com.hk) This restaurant, with European cuisine, was recommended to us as an excellent place for a very reasonably priced and complete lunch. And it was terrific. We spent HK$59 per person. The owner, Wakey Cheung, is attentive and charming, and so are the servers. The owner told us he travels to Europe to get new recipes and he changes his menu periodically. He also said that he has a herb garden for the herbs that the restaurant uses. And, he has a function room.
o Overall: 9
o Food/Beverage: 8.2
o Ambience/Setting: 8.5
o Value: 10
o Service: 9.2
We had 2 special lunch menus which include: soup, bread, a main course, dessert and a drink. ALE had the baked rice with pan fried yellow grouper in thyme sauce (HK$43). DM had the NZ Premium Steer Strip loin Steak in Black Pepper Sauce (HK$48). We had one very good vegetable soup in a tomato base and one okay cream of mushroom soup with corn which was too thick in my opinion. The bread that came was excellent and we even bought extra to take home. The fish I ordered was served on top of white rice and accompanied by excellent vegetables. The fish was tasty and well-prepared. The thyme sauce had a base of cream which I didn't like and wish the menu had specified. DM loved his steak. It was juicy, served medium rare as requested and tender. This dish was served with the same excellent vegetables that I had. DM was able to choose from pasta, baked potato or rice. He chose pasta and it was well-prepared and el dente. For dessert a mango mousse cake was served and DM really liked it. For our beverages we chose one coffee and one fresh ginger with lemon honey. It was a very nice meal, served well, in a lovely atmosphere. Rod Stewart music was playing and it was pleasant. There is an outdoor eating area but it was too hot to sit outside at lunch (even with the fans).
22.4. Sah Ji Kaw Japanese, 87 Castle Peak Road Sham Tseng, Sham Tseng, Tsuen Wan, N.T. H.K. Tel. (852) 2496-0884. Open: 11 – 15:30 and 17:30 to 2 a.m. We spent HK$200 for two and it wasn’t interesting. We had 2 fish plates and a vegetable dish. It took a really long time and was only okay.
22.5. Vietnam Kitchen, 86 Castle Peak Rd. Sham Tseng, Sham Tseng Tsuen Wan, tel. (852) 2491-6398. We spent HK$208 for 3 people and had a non-memorable meal. We had Vietnamese rolls, crab salad, noodles and vegetables.
22.6. Chan Kee Roasted Goose Co., Ltd. G/F 63 Sham Tseng Tsuen, Castle Peak Rd., Sham Tseng, N.T., H.K., Tel. (852)2491-0722. We spent HK$137 per person.
o Overall: 8.3
o Food/Beverage: 8.5
o Ambience/Setting: 8
o Value: 8.1
o Service: 8.4
They bring peanuts, pickled onion and tea which is great when you're waiting for your food. We really liked sitting outside on a nice night under the tent. The servers were very good and one spoke good English and was helpful. The business card that we were given by this restaurant has its name Shan Tseng Chan Kee Roasted Goose Co. so we had the roasted goose! (HK$120) It was delicious; perfectly cooked, tasty and tender. The assorted vegetable dish that we ordered was excellent too. They also brought deo fu fao, which we love and which was a very good rendition. We had a great meal and would recommend this restaurant.
23. Shatin, New Territories
23.1. Star Seafood Floating Restaurant, 55-57 Tai Chung Kiu Rd. Shatin, N.T., Tel. 852-2635-3788, web: www.starseafood.biz.com.hk. We spent $105.50 and had a very good meal. We used a coupon for 2 glasses of wine and pigeon. The pigeon was delicious. We ordered a seafood casserole that was good. We also ordered dessert and got a complimentary red bean dessert.
23.2. Shanghai Xiao Nan Guo Cuisine (New Town Plaza), 8Shatin Centre Street, Shop 709, Level 7, New Town Plaza 1, New Territories, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2894 8899. We spent about HK$118 per person.
o Ratings: Overall 8
o Food/Beverage: 8.3
o Ambience/Setting: 7.1
o Value: 7.5
o Service: 9.1
We've been to the branch on 68 Des Voeux Rd. Central and the one in New Town Plaza Shatin. Both are very good and innovative. We loved the innovation (for us) that at each place setting at the Des Voeux branch there were 2 sets of chopsticks for each person. One set was for taking food from the communal dishes and the other set was for the diner to eat with. How hygienic!
We also liked that pickled turnip automatically came with tea. We had
Sheng Jian bao (lightly pan-fried buns with soup inside). They were very good. We had an unusual and good vegetarian bean curd roll served cold in special sauce (HK$35). We also had the special promotion: shrimp in gloppy tomato sauce like sweet and sour (HK$94) which we would not recommend. For dessert we had Red date stuffed with sticky rice (HK$38).
The service was very good and the design of the space is nice.
Sheng Jian bao (lightly pan-fried buns with soup inside). They were very good. We had an unusual and good vegetarian bean curd roll served cold in special sauce (HK$35). We also had the special promotion: shrimp in gloppy tomato sauce like sweet and sour (HK$94) which we would not recommend. For dessert we had Red date stuffed with sticky rice (HK$38).
The service was very good and the design of the space is nice.
23.3. Chelsea Noodle House, 35 Kong Pui St. (near Yuen Chau Kok Park and the Regal Riverside Hotel; in front of a sign that says Yi Shing Square), Shatin, N. T., Hong Kong, Tel 2686-8402.We spent HK$59 for two people for breakfast.
o Ratings: Overall 8.6
o Food/Beverage: 8.6
o Ambience/Setting: 7.4
o Value: 10
o Service: 8.4
We love this place for morning dim sum. The selection is large for such a small place and if you are a Cantonese-challenged tourist, there are many bamboo steamers outside to look inside (to make choosing easier). The Regal Riverside buffet breakfast is too expensive and too huge. Chelsea Noodle is an excellent alternative and an authentic experience.
The small space is very well organized with clean lines and lots of drawers on the walls to keep things out of sight. The tables are close together but it’s not too crowded. At the end of each table is a drawer with chopsticks, toothpicks and even napkins (what an innovation). We like the shop for breakfast and it is always lively. But it is open all day and is very convenient from the Regal Riverside for an economical breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The small space is very well organized with clean lines and lots of drawers on the walls to keep things out of sight. The tables are close together but it’s not too crowded. At the end of each table is a drawer with chopsticks, toothpicks and even napkins (what an innovation). We like the shop for breakfast and it is always lively. But it is open all day and is very convenient from the Regal Riverside for an economical breakfast, lunch or dinner.
23.4. Keung Kee Chicken Congee & Seafood Restaurant, 11-16 Hong Pui St. (across from Yuen Chau Kok Park and near the Regal Riverside Hotel) Shatin, N.T., H. K. Tel. (852) 2646-0928 (open 7 a.m. to 12 midnight) We spent HK$252 for two. They serve peanuts and tea immediately which we love. We ordered one steamed fish promotion (HK$48), one bean curd (HK$58), one abalone (HK$64), one sago Pudding (HK$15) and one water chestnut pudding (HK$15). We were happy.
23.5. Simply Thai (New Town Plaza Phase 1), 18 Shatin Centre Street, 703, L7/F New Town Plaza Phase 1, Shatin, N.T., Te l: (852)23966569. We spent HK$56 per person.
o Overall 7.6
o Food/Beverage: 7.4
o Ambience/Setting: 7.2
o Value: 8.5
o Service: 7.6
Our lunch "set" for one person cost HK$52 plus service and was more than enough for the 2 of us. We started with a delicious Thai soup that had enough spice to wake us up and enough kafir lime leaves and lemongrass to make us think we were in Thailand. For our main we chose the sliced pork stir fry and it was also very good with lots of good fresh herbs. Jasmine rice and a choice of tea or coffee was included in the price. The service was very good and the space was nicely decorated. When we objected to the Western (loud) music, the volume was lowered so it wasn't a problem. We recommend this restaurant. For dessert we added the mango sorbet which we didn't think was good.
24. Sai Kung, New Territories
24.1. Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant, G/F, 51 - 55 Hoi Pong Street, Sai Kung, Tel. 2792-6938 We spent an enormous HK$430 for 2 (HK$215 per person) and we think that this restaurant fleeced us.
o Overall: 5
o Food/Beverage: 6.6
o Ambience/Setting: 6.1
o Value: 0.2
o Service: 7.2
We were lured by the fish tanks to the first location we came to at 87-93 Man Nin, Sai Kung. It was hot outside so we went in and were seated upstairs. It was noisy, the air conditioning was too cold and we couldn’t understand how the menu worked. There were descriptions of dishes but without prices. The server who spoke English was too busy to help. Sometimes, in other restaurants, we choose from the dishes other tables are having. But the other diners were finished or having dim sum so the dishes weren’t interesting to us. We wanted to have shell fish. So, we left.
We walked along the sea front and saw another branch of Chuen Kee where 2 women were sitting outside having 2 interesting-looking shell fish dishes. We decided to eat the same things that they were having and to sit outside too. We didn’t ask the prices. We were brought peanuts and tea. One dish was bamboo clams in a chili sauce that was quite tasty. The bamboo clams were tender and sweet. The second shell fish dish was large crayfish or large shrimp-like things that were deep-fried with chilies. There wasn’t much meat and eating them was difficult because the meat was stuck to the shell and you almost had the eat the shell to get at the meat. The vegetable dish that we ordered from the menu cost HK$58 and was very good. It was bamboo pith stuffed with mushroom pieces and accompanied by asparagus. The sauce was nice and the dish was unusual and well-prepared.
We were brought watermelon for dessert. The service was good although one server “hovered” too much and talked to us too much. (She was practicing her English.) It was nice to sit outside but it was too hot, even with the fans pointed to us.
We were shocked when we got the bill; it was HK$430 (about as high as we have spent on any meal in HK). Each of the shell fish dishes had a price for the item and a price to cook the item. No wonder the menu had no prices by the description of the dish. The dish and its contents are priced separately. The back of the menu had a chart for the dish and the number of persons and the price presumably could be calculated by knowing choosing the shell fish, getting a price and multiplying by the amount shown in the chart in the back of the menu for the number of people. This is way too complicated (particularly for non-Cantonese speakers) and designed to snag the unwary. We would not go back and not recommend this restaurant.
24.2. Sauce, 9 Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung, H.K., Tel: 2791-2348. We spent HK$230 and had a lovely non-Asian lunch sitting outside with our friend.
25. Lamma Island, Hong Kong
25.1. Rainbow Seafood Restaurant, 1A-1B, 23-25 First St., Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island, H.K., Tel 2982-8100, e-mail: rainbow@rainbowrest.com.hk, web: www.rainbowrest.com.hk and web: http://www.rainbowrest.com.hk/english/main/ . We had a perfect lunch at this restaurant at the water’s edge after our hike on Lamma Island. We spent HK$433 for 3 people and had a feast. We had one order of Spicy prawns (HK$100), one order of Fried clams with black bean (HK$60), one order of Spicy sea snails (HK$150), one order of Fried e-Fu Noodles(HK$60) and tea (HK$24).
The seafood feast at Rainbow Restaurant on Lamma Island
It's a great restaurant.
Wow! What the attractive pictures! After reading your restaurant reviews, I cannot stop looking forward to eating there. Thank you for the comments, which would be my guild of HongKong traveling.
ReplyDeleteWow - I have to ask how long you were there. Thanks for giving me some serious reading.
ReplyDeleteTom
Hi Tom, these reviews represent 4 months of delicious and fun eating in Hong Kong.
ReplyDeleteVery informative with just the right to keep you wanting to read more, well done!!
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