Hong Kong – Restaurants & Food
Dai Pai Dong – Easily spotted by their iconic green painted stalls. They are open-air food stalls where the seats take over the street with round tables and folding stools. Dai pai dongs are vanishing now because they can only be owned by the original owner or handed over to a spouse. Over the years the government made the stalls non-transferable, and then came up with incentives to have license holders relinquish their stalls for a fee. Only a handful of true dai pai dongs remain open to this day. They aren’t places you can sit at for long periods of time as they want a quick turnover.
| Best Egg tarts |
| Kowloon Side – Sham Shui Po, Mongkok, Tsim Sha Tsui area |
| EAT – Bakehouse – 8AM-9PM – sourdough egg tarts |
| EAT – Sun Wah Restaurant 新華茶餐廳 – cha chaan teng – also has in-house bakery & makes their own egg tarts (flaky crust w lard) – 630AM-10PM |
| EAT – Gold Garden Restaurant 金園茶餐廳 – puff pastry egg tarts – 630AM-9PM |
| EAT – Keung Kee Dai Pai Dong 強記大排檔 – outdoor street alley HK – spans 75M – 630AM-10PM |
| EAT – Australia Dairy Company – 澳洲牛奶公司 – 730AM-1030PM – Cha chaan teng |
| EAT – Lau Hing Kee Pan Fried Buns 劉興記生煎包 (旺角店) – 12-9PM |
| EAT – Ladies Street Sik Faan Co. 女人街食飯公司 – 6PM-midnight |
| EAT – Kam Wah Cafe & Cake Shop 金華冰廳 – 630AM-9PM – Cha chaan teng |
| EAT – Hing Kee Restaurant 興記菜館 – clay pot rice – also get the oyster pancake w/broccolli – 130-330PM; 530PM-12 |
| EAT – Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop 麥文記麵家 – 12pm-1230AM – the dry noodles |
| EAT – Cheung Hing Kee Shanghai Pan Fried Buns 祥興記上海生煎包 – 9AM-9PM |
| EAT – Taro & Tea 陳茶館芋圓甜品專門店 – 1PM-1030PM – desserts |
| EAT – Kui Fat Restaurant 鉅發冰室 – 24HR – cha chaan teng close to the train station |
| EAT – Hong Lin Restaurant 康年餐廳 – 630AM-12AM – cha chaan teng |
| EAT – Woosung Street Temporary Cooked Food Hawker Bazaar 吳松街臨時熟食小販市場 – cha chaan teng – dai pai dong – 6AM1130PM |
| EAT – Kam Tung Kitchen 金東大小廚 – 7AM-11PM |
| EAT – Kam Yuen Supreme Noodles 金源至尊炸醬麵 – 8AM-9PM |
| EAT – Seventh Son (Tsim Sha Tsui) 家全七福酒家 (尖沙咀) – fine dining – 1130-3PM; 6-11PM |
| EAT – Hoi King Heen 海景軒 – 1130AM-3PM; 6-1030PM |
| EAT – EN Tsim Sha Tsui 宴・尖沙咀 – Okinawan Cuisine 6PM-330AM |
| EAT – Kai Kai Dessert 佳佳甜品 – 12PM-1AM – traditional Hong Kong-style desserts – walnut cream & ginger |
| EAT – 2 Cafe (Mong Kok) 貳號冰室 (旺角) – cha chaan teng – 7AM-1030PM |
| EAT – So Kee 蘇記 – Dai Pai Dong – 6AM-5PM |
| EAT – Ah Chun Shandong Dumpling 阿純山東餃子 – 11AM-11PM |
| DRINK – Espresso Alchemy – 830AM-830PM; Sat-SU 10AM-830PM – rated one of the best coffee in the world |
| Jook sing – Bamboo pole bouncing method |
| EAT – Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle 坤記竹昇麵 – one of the last bamboo pole bouncing noodles – 10AM-9PM – from 2018 – Noodle making demonstrations at the window occur only three times a week during a very narrow window of time: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1PM to 1:30PM. |
| EAT – Lau Sum Kee Noodle (Kweilin Street) 劉森記麵家 (桂林街) – one of the last bamboo pole bouncing noodles – 1130AM-9PM |
| EAT – Good Hope Noodle 好旺角粥麵專家 – one of the last bamboo pole bouncing noodles – 1030AM-930PM |
| EAT – Yue Kee Roast Goose Restaurant 深井裕記燒鵝飯店 – Charcoal Roast Goose – 1130AM-10PM |
| EAT – Amplifier Restaurant – Western – Beef Wellington – 12-11PM |
| Hong Kong Island Area |
| EAT – Yeung Yan Kee Noodle Shop 楊恩記 – 10AM-11PM – freshly made fishballs – get the frieds fish block on the side |
| EAT – Sun Kwai Heung BBQ food 新桂香燒臘 – BBQ Pork – 8AM-9PM |
| EAT – Po Kee BBQ Restaurant 波記燒臘粉麵店 – 1130AM-8PM; closed Sun |
| EAt – Kwan Kee Claypot Rice 坤記煲仔小菜 – 530PM-10PM |
| EAT – Ying Kee Noodle 英記麵家 – 930AM-7PM |
| EAT – An Choi in HK – 12PM-10PM – Vietnamese |
| EAT – Lung King Heen 龍景軒 – fine dining – 12-230PM; 6-9PM |
| EAT – Dragon State Kitchen Restaurant 龍邦燒味小廚茶餐廳 – BBQ pork – cash only – 7AM-10PM |
| EAT – Sheung Wan Market and Cooked Food Centre 上環街市及熟食中心 – 6AM-10PM |
| DRINK – Plantation Tea Bar 半坡茶莊 – Tea bar w/ tea mocktails/cocktail opts – 12PM-11PM; Closed Mon & Tues |
| EAT – Yuk Yip Dessert – Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM; Sun-Thu 1130AM-8PM – black sesame soup & mango sago |
| OR EAT – Sing Heung Yuen 勝香園 – Dai Pai Dong – Macaroni in Tomato Soup with luncheon meat and egg & milk tea – 8AM-330PM; Closed Sun – CASH ONLY |
| EAT – Fiata Pizza – 12-230PM; 6-930PM |
| EAT – Caprice – French fine dining – 12-2PM; 630-830PM |
| EAT – The Diplomat Hong Kong – best burger – 6PM-2AM; Closed Sun |
| EAT – Ho Lee Fook 口利福 – 6-1030PM |
| EAT – Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家 (中環店) – 930AM-730PM – cookie tart egg tart |
| DRINK – Tell Camellia – cocktail bar with tea infusion – also mocktail versions – 6PM-2AM |
| EAT – Big JJ Seafood Hotpot 珍姐海鮮火鍋 – 11AM-11PM; 6-11PM Sat, closed Sun |
| EAT – Lin Heung Lau 蓮香樓 – dim sum – 6AM-4PM; 6PM-10PM |
| EAT – Mono – 12-3PM; 630-11PM; closed Sun & Mon – Latin American Food |
| DRINK – Dead Poets HK – 9AM-1AM – cocktail bar – good cheaper drinks |
| DRINK – Bar Leone – 5pm-midnight; closed Mon – Cocktail Bar |
| EAT – Arcane – 12-215PM; 610PM; Sat 12AM-10PM; Closed Sun – fine dining western |
| EAT – Wing – fine dining Cantonese – 6pm-midnight; Fri 1PM-midnight; Closed Sun |
| EAT – Sun King Yuen Curry Restaurant 新景園咖喱小廚 – Deep fried pork curry – 1130AM-230PM; 6630-830PM |
| EAT – Rose Kitchen 薔紅餐廳 – 7AM-12AM; 11AM-12AM Sun – food court that has half a chicken for super cheap |
| EAT – Kwan Chart Tower Food Plaza 群策飲食廣場 – 8AM-12AM |
| EAT – Sang Kee Restaurant 生記飯店 – 12-230PM; 6-11PM |
| EAT – Under Bridge Spicy Crab 橋底辣蟹 – 11AM-1AM |
| EAT – Ho Hung Kee Congee & Noodle 何洪記粥麵專家 – 11AM-10PM – 1 michelin star – try signature congee & wonton noodle soup |
| EAT – Kam’s Roast Goose 甘牌燒鵝 – 1130AM-930PM |
| EAT – Mother of Pizzas – 1130AM-930PM |
| EAT – Pang’s Kitchen 彭慶記 – 11AM-10PM |
| EAT – Little Napoli Pizzeria – Pizza – 12-3PM; 6-10PM |
| EAT – Honolulu Coffee Shop 檀島咖啡餅店 – 7AM-10PM – egg tarts |
| EAT – Sister Wah Beef Brisket 華姐清湯腩 – 11AM-1045PM – beef brisket |
| EAT – Fook Yuen 福元湯圓 – desserts – 4PM-midnight |
| EAT – Ancient Moon 古月 – Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine – 1230-930PM; Closed Sun – nasi lemak & roti, bak kut teh, chilli pan mee – Michelin Bib Gourmand award |
| EAT – Baker by Lubuds – egg tarts – 8AM-830PM |
| EAt – Sun Kwai Heung BBQ food 新桂香燒臘 – 8AM-9PM – One of the Best BBQ Pork butchers – can choose the section of meat you want |
| EAT – Daisy Kitchen 紫京海鮮飯店 – on the 2nd floor – great for large groups |
| EAT – Ap Lei Chau Market and Cooked Food Market 鴨脷洲街市及熟食市場 – 6AM-8PM |
04/10/25
Macau – Hong Kong – 25 °C cloudy with humidity
We grabbed a van taxi 99HKG (18CAD) to the Outer Ferry harbour to catch the TurboJet to Hong Kong (Sheung Wan port) adult – 175MOP (33CAD) / senior 157MOP ($29CAD) for a 55min 1-way journey.
We got to the outer Harbour Ferry Terminal for 905AM and got the 10AM ferry to Sheung Wan. The gates don’t open until 930AM. You enter and go left to the passport control. Super fast and easy to go through. Walk to 1-10 ports and once you get to your gate, they will take your ticket and ask you how many people you are travelling with and assign your seats.
Go down the escalator to the pier and board. If you have larger luggage you need to put it in the front or the back.
Getting to the MTR from the ferry terminal was just a lot of going down a bunch of escalators and stairs. We stayed on the Kowloon side.
We got to our hotel earlier than our 2PM check-in time but were able to drop off our luggage. We stayed at Wing Tai Guest House – 香港榮泰賓館（家庭旅館). Many of the accommodations I searched for in Hong Kong that were not well known branded hotels, are mixed into residential buildings on different floors. This Guesthouse was separated onto different floors (3 &10) and you had to get through a gated door via a Security guard and go up on a very tiny elevator to get to your floor.
We stayed nearby and had lunch at Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop 麥文記麵家 (cash only). We ordered 2 wonton Noodle soup, one dry wonton noodles & beef brisket Noodle soup 191HKG. The beauty of Hong Kong restaurants are that they are cozy spaces and potentially sharing a table with strangers. Right beside Mak Man Kee is the Australian Dairy Company however it was not open at the time we were there.
We also ventured to Hawk Advertising – one of the last companies to make the homemade old style bus signage. On the main street level, you can get a history lesson and upstairs, you can take a piece of it home in many forms and sizes of signs and keychains. I got a Keychain 35HKG.
There is also an old school Colonial HK Post box nearby and there are many still darted around HK.
After checking-in for both rooms, we all split up to meet with our friends.
Timing wise, a bunch of people from Toronto were in Hong Kong. I met up with them (my friends Tiffany, Chassity, Aggie, Alva & Kinlon) at Mira 1 Mall. We hung out at Espresso Alchemy (ranked on the 100 best coffee shops in the world – this is a different branch location). I got a muscat grape black tea 57HKG.
We walked around and tried to get Bakehouse for the sourdough egg tarts but the location we passed by was already sold out by 5PM when we got there. We walked down to the water for Avenue of the Stars by HK’s skyline. Unlike Toronto’s walk of fame, the handprints of the stars are on the ledge/railing by the water. There are a few statues also along the way with the famous being Bruce Lee & the iconic pig cartoon named McDull (麥兜).
We spotted the iconic Mr Softee Ice Cream truck so I had to get a cone 13HKG. We briefly checked out Musea 11 mall then all parted ways.
Met back up with my brother Andrew and ate at Good Hope Noodle 好旺角粥麵專家 – one of the last bamboo poling restaurants (unfortunately we didn’t come through when they were poling the noodles). We got brisket Noodle soup x2 and Gai Lan with oyster sauce 119HKG. The Chinese menu is under the glass of the table but if you need an English one, it’s under the table in a drawer.
After dinner, we went over to Central to meet up with our high school friend Alfred. He’s a Lawyer that’s been living in Hong Kong for over 10 years. He briskly took us through Lan Kwai Fong (famous bar hopping area but now it’s rather dead) and up to the old prison turned into repurposed space. We had a drink at Armoury Terrace where we were joined by my brother’s best friend Ronald who also now lives in Hong Kong. I got a Tommy’s Margarita 130HKG. The bar closed at 1130PM so we moved to the next place.
We stopped by Draftland for tea infused alcohol. The space has a nice atmosphere and the drinks super tasty. I got the Ceylon Sour (whisky, black tea, peach, lime & bitters) 120HKG.
Last stop was at 十八座狗仔粉. We got faux shark fin soup, fish Siu Mai, spicy fish balls & sweet red bean soup.
We ended the night around 1AM. We hopped into a taxi as we wouldn’t make the last MTR of the night – 92HKG.
04/11/25
Hong Kong – 22-25°C + misty, rain, overcast humidity
From sky to sea in a day throughout Hong Kong. We had an early morning start all the way up to Victoria Peak. We purchased roundtrip tram tickets ahead of time which we just scanned the QR code to enter. They recently replaced the tram with a newer, more modern one. The goal for going up to the peak was to bring back memories for my mother in her youth & recreate a photo from that time period.
My friend Ida (she had moved back to Hong Kong from Toronto a week or two prior) joined us for the day. The Sky decided it wanted to be foggy & overcast for majority of the day. The spot for the photo recreation was near the Lugard Rd lookout. We had to wait a bit for the fog to clear. When we went back down, the line up of tourist going up was so large.
Afterwards, we walked over to Central area to explore. We got to part take in the Central-Mid-Levels Escalators, grab sourdough egg tarts & a mocha from Bakehouse, get a pastry from Vission Bakery & took in the atmosphere of Tai Kwun Complex including the prison & JC contemporary.
For lunch, we had BOLO BOLO – I got a pineapple bun with beef steak + cheese & satay sauce plus an iced bolo pineapple tea 28HKG.
As we were trekking to our next destination via the MTR, I saw a face I thought was familiar & what do you know, it was another Toronto friend Juliette.
We took the island line then hopped onto the Citybus to Shek-O Beach. There is an option to tap your credit card but we found it hit or miss depending on credit cards. It was 9.4HKG a ride. Double decker Citybus. There are options for the tiny red van buses but they are privately owned and not the most comfortable.
My father grew up in Hong Kong and has many fond memories at Shek-O Beach so this visit was a long time in the making. (the fastest I’ve seen him move so far this trip). We took in the surroundings and my father said the area has significantly changed since the days of his youth (he is 75 by the way) but the happy feelings remain.
We made it back to Jordan for a quick rest before heading to our final destination of the day – dinner at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.
We had dinner with Ronald, Michelle, Rachel, Sheldon, Sabrina & Samantha. Honestly so much food but I was distracted by the 2 kiddos and catching up to take photos of the food but know that it was good.
From the days adventures, I observed that the Kowloon side is flat but the Island side is hilly with oh so many stairs and elevations.
