A Scrumptious Hong Kong Food Tour with Michelin Restaurants and Dim Sum
Written by Kaelie Piscitello
Hong Kong has a huge personality, and its architecture tells the story of a group of people who value individuality. Each towering skyscraper boasts a unique, vibrant color that sets it apart from its neighbors, vying for everyone to notice it amongst the masses of tall buildings that could easily overshadow it. Travelers come to Hong Kong looking to experience its well-known fast-paced lifestyle, metropolitan haven, and, of course, its famous, delicious food!
Hong Kong offers excellent meal options, and I spent most of my time there eating. When westerners think of Chinese food, they often find themselves thinking of the traditional Cantonese food that Hong Kong has an abundance of. As a result, I found myself trying the best versions of all my favorites!
After eating nonstop for three days, I left Hong Kong feeling disappointed because I wanted to stay longer and try more restaurants! About a month later, I am still thinking about several eateries, and I plan to go back and dine there at least once more in my life.
Yat Lok (roasted goose)
As I have learned from Taiwan and Japan, Asia has a plethora of affordable Michelin-starred and recommended stalls all over the place that people come from all over the world to sample. My uncle recommended Yat Lok to me, and I learned that the company owns several locations around Hong Kong. So, after going up Victoria Peak on the tram, I felt excited to try the cuisine at the nearby location.
Yat Lok has famous roasted goose dishes, and so I started by ordering a quarter, and it blew me away! It tasted similar to roast chicken, but with a much juicier texture. The cooks had given the bird’s skin a crispy texture, and no one needed a sauce to add flavor to it. This was my first time trying goose, and Yat Lok’s take on goose made me want to eat it every day.
In addition to the goose, I also ordered the wonton noodle soup. The large bowl came with a fresh cut of crunchy greens blending into the broth, and made me forget about the vegetables. The wontons had a dense and tasty meat filling surrounded by a light wrapper.
I also tried a noodle soup plate bowl, but found the broth similar to the wonton. While I enjoyed it, I did not find it necessary to have two soups at lunch.
Sun King Yuen Curry Restaurant
On my first night in Hong Kong, I set out to find a reputable restaurant near my hotel. I stayed at Woody House in Wan Chai and found a decent selection of Michelin Guides right near me. However, I craved curry and searched for the top-rated Hong Kong-style curry restaurants nearby. Eventually, Google Maps led me to Sun King Yuen Curry Restaurant.
I made a snap decision to eat there and, after a five-minute walk, I found myself at the end of a long line (a good sign). I waited close to an hour to reach the front, and halfway through, the waitstaff stepped outside to inform everyone waiting that the restaurant had sold out of the famous noodles for the day. Many people left afterwards, but I held on for the curry.
Finally, I found a seat at a large table with seven other people and ordered my pork chop. When it arrived, the pork chop was the size of my head! The curry had a spicy flavor and its center contained a giant potato. Of course, the cooks also provided me with a generous helping of rice. After eating until I felt full, I still had a ton of leftover food to save for my boyfriend’s dinner when he arrived later that night.
Log Ye Dim Sum
After two meals, I felt ready to chow down on dim sum! I spent my second day in Hong Kong exploring Kowloon, and ended up in Tsim Sha Tsui near the harbor. After searching Google Maps for the top-rated dim sum places nearby, we landed on a different restaurant, but then we saw the line for Log Ye Dim Sum on our way there. I decided to trust the crowd’s opinion and took a number.
Log Ye’s line moved at lightning speed, and I waited about 20 minutes before sitting down. My boyfriend and I ordered everything that sounded good and then added a few items we saw others around us eating. It doesn’t feel dramatic saying I ate some of the most delicious dim sum I have ever tasted in my life there.
I sampled all of my favorites, including stewed pork, two gigantic shumai, and har gow shrimp dumplings. I also tasted braised chicken feet and fried shrimp balls with lychee coating for the first time.
I loved all of the dim sum, but the meal’s show stopper was the steamed rice with lobster and scallop in garlic sauce. For about $5, it included an enormous lump of rice, baby scallops, shrimp, and half of a stuffed lobster. I have thought continuously about this lobster dish and how it made my vacation.
Honorable Mention: Desserts
For someone like me with a huge sweet tooth. Hong Kong is a great place to try sweet treats! While I cannot remember specific locations, Hong Kong has a fantastic plethora of bakeries on every street corner. I tried all of the classics, including custard egg tarts, doughnuts, coconut bread, and pineapple buns with butter.
This trip, I only regret not saving enough room for desserts. If I could go back, I would spend more time at the bakeries and ice cream shops.
