Tsui Wah - My fave cha chan teng

Tsui Wah is a popular cha chan teng chain in Hong Kong, and also one of my all-time favourites. The best thing about it is that several branches are open 24 hours, so you never have to worry about going hungry.

If you get lost in the rather extensive menu, find your bearings from their Top 10 Recommendations list and you should be quite safe. Here are some dishes I've tried:

Hainanese chicken rice. Very fragrant rice but the chicken meat tends to be a bit tough. The soup is always yummy though!

Australia Dairy Company - Egg lovers unite!

One eatery I always find myself going back to again and again is this little gem located in Jordan - the Australia Dairy Company.

Mong Kok finds

Yet another must-try food item in Hong Kong is the roast goose. Yung Kee at Central is undoubtedly one of the most famous places to savour this popular dish, but a friend recently introduced me to Sham Tseng Chan Kee on Reclamation Street, just behind Langham Place Mall in Mong Kok. Having already paid my touristy dues at Yung Kee a few times, Chan Kee will probably be the place to go to from now on. It's not bad tasting, and a lot easier on the wallet.

Langham Place Mall

Since my hotel is usually in Mong Kok, Langham Place Mall almost always features in my itinerary. The entrance of the mall is graced by this "Happy Man" sculpture that weighs a whopping 2,700 kg.

Tao Heung

When I want my dim sum fix but have no time or patience to queue at Tim Ho Wan, I turn to Tao Heung. It's got a great location - in Grand Tower which is next to Mong Kok MTR station and opposite Langham Place Mall. The entrance is not on the side of the mall though, it's facing Nathan Road.

Tim Ho Wan - The Dim Sum Specialists

No self-respecting tourist will leave Hong Kong without having at least one dim sum meal.

One of the places I like to go to for yummy and cheap dim sum is the hole-in-the-wall Tim Ho Wan at Mong Kok. The non-descript location and decor (or lack thereof) belies the fact that this is a one Michelin starred restaurant. Apparently, its owner and chef Pui Gor used to be a dim sum chef at the three-starred Lung King Heen at Four Seasons Hotel.

Accommodation in Hong Kong

One of the questions I get asked a lot is: Where should I stay in Hong Kong?

For me, location is everything. Hong Kong is divided into three main regions - Hong Kong Island (where the central business district is), the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories (which includes outlying islands like Lantau, home to the airport and Disneyland). I've always stayed in Kowloon. Hong Kong Island would be fine too, except for the steeper hotel prices. Since the public transport system is very developed, my typical hotel of choice is one within walking distance of a MTR station.

Langham Place Hotel, a five-star establishment located in Mong Kok, is in a perfect location as far as I'm concerned. Apart from its adjoining Langham Place Mall, there is no lack of eateries and shops at its doorstep.

 

I love Hong Kong

Having grown up on a staple diet of TVB dramas, it is no surprise that Hong Kong is one of my favourite places in the world to visit.

It's been six trips and counting, and each time I set foot in the city, I feel right at home. In fact, it's probably the only place in the world (right now) that I don't mind visiting alone and venturing all by myself. Well ok, I have yet to take a solo holiday, but maybe one day soon I will.

I enjoy shopping, and many a time, I shop more than I should. And Hong Kong is definitely a shopping paradise. Yet, it is not the shopping that I love most. It is the food (yums), and the language. I could probably just sit in a cha chan teng (tea restaurant/cafe) and listen in to the conversations around me for ages. I simply love listening to the perfect Cantonese the locals speak, and try to imitate their intonations and improve my fluency.

Enough about my obsession with Cantonese though, let's move right along... More about the places I like to visit and the food I love to eat in Hong Kong, soon!