The

The
mysterious food blogger Clerkenwell Boy takes us to his
favourite haunts in Hong Kong. Get ready to drool. And then check
out his eating guides to
Sydney and
London.

Dim sum (brunch)

Dim Sum is a form of brunch which involves sharing a wide array
of bite-sized dishes. The tradition goes back centuries to when
chefs would cook dishes to ‘touch the heart’ (the literal
translation for dim sum) of Chinese emperors. The popularity of dim
sum began to spread as tea houses along the ancient Silk Road
would serve snacks to entice hungry travellers.

Lin Heung Tea House (old school)

Established in 1926, this is one of the oldest tea houses in
Hong
Kong. The atmosphere is rather hectic but you’ll be feasting
over some of the most traditional dim sum in the city.

Yum Cha (modern)

This is THE place to go for an emoji dim sum feast. Think cute
piggy BBQ pork buns and don’t miss the exploding custard buns…
check out the videos on Instagram.

Tim Ho Wan (Michelin)

The cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world – join the
queues and make sure you order their famous baked barbeque pork
buns. If you can’t be bothered queuing and want to go all-out, book
a table at Lung King Heen (at the Four Seasons hotel) – the first
Chinese restaurant to receive three Michelin stars.

Dumplings and Noodles

Din Tai Fung

My go-to place for freshly made XLB (xiao long bao) soup
dumplings in Asia. Founded in Taiwan in the 50s, the dumplings are
made on-site and the whole menu is reasonably priced.

Mak’s Noodles

Noodle specialists since the 60s, these guys have been
consistently serving up some of Hong Kong’s best wonton noodles
(the noodles are extra thin and springy here).

Ho Hung Kee

Probably my favourite place to go for a nourishing bowl of
congee (rice porridge) wonton noodles and ho fun (stir-fried rice
noodles) – it’s also the first wonton-noodle restaurant to be
awarded a Michelin star.

Eat with the locals

Tsui Wah

A classic ‘Cha Chaan Teng’ (literally translating to tea
restaurant) – the most famous branch is on Wellington Street and
open through to the early hours of the morning. Go there for the
deep-fried french toast and fried pork chop buns, washed down with
a glass of Hong Kong-style milk tea (served hot or cold).

Tung Po

A lively ‘dai pai dong’ (street food stall) made famous by
Anthony Bourdain. Go there for the beer (served in porcelain bowls)
fresh seafood and deep-fried salt and pepper pork ribs.

Shanghai Hong Kong Noodle Shop

Join the queue for the freshly made soya milk (served hot or
cold and sweet or savoury) and the sticky rice rolls (filled with
deep-fried dough, pickles and pork floss). If you’re still hungry,
head across the road to the various street food vendors for some
traditional clay pot rice (cooked to order and extremely delicious)
or spicy curry fish balls served on a stick

Roasted, Barbequed and Grilled

Yat Lok

Go early (or brave the queues). The legendary slow roasted goose
with crispy skin served on steamed rice is THE must-order dish. The
barbeque pork noodle soup is also worth a try.

Spring Deer

Pre-book a table and order the Peking duck. If you’re hungry and
are able to order a few days ahead, try the beggar’s chicken
(wrapped in herbs and slow-baked in clay)

Le Garçon Saigon

A beautiful modern brasserie with French and Vietnamese
influences, make sure you order the grilled yellow chicken (served
with fresh rice paper and Vietnamese herbs and spices). Create your
own spicy wraps and wash them down with some brilliant cocktails
from the bar.

The hottest tables

Ho Lee Fook

A fun and modern chinese kitchen inspired by old school Hong
Kong cafés and the spirit of late night NYCChinatown hangouts,
enter on street level – past the Mahjong tiles and wall of waving
cats – and you’ll find yourself in an atmospheric basement
restaurant. Order the ‘mostly cabbage, a little bit of pork’
dumplings (inspired by the chef’s childhood and his mum’s recipe)
and the delicious roasted goose (which paired surprisingly well
with the Hong Kong style deep-fried French toast – served with
maple syrup and condensed milk).

Belon

Widely acclaimed chef James Henry rocked the food world when he
left the iconic Bones restaurant (now closed) in Paris. So when I
heard that he would head up the kitchen at Belon – a new Parisian
bistro in Hong Kong – a dinner booking at this venue went straight
up the priority list. The skilful cooking really showed off each
ingredient to its best potential – from the Hokkaido uni with sweet
potato waffle, through to the thoughtful desserts. Bring a friend
and order the whole chicken to share (stuffed with herbs and
truffles and roasted to perfection).

The Pawn

Housed on the site of a historic pawn shop dating back to 1888,
the building in which this concept store/restaurant is housed has
been beautifully renovated and now includes a lifestyle store on
the ground floor (Tang Tang Tang Tang) a cocktail bar on the first
floor, plus a bright and airy restaurant on the second floor
serving traditional and modern British cuisine by celebrated chef
Tom Aikens.

Yard Bird

Yardbird is a modern izakaya-style restaurant that specializes
in yakitori (skewered, charcoal grilled) chicken. Save room for the
chicken, egg and rice.

Views

Caprice

Beautiful high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, an open kitchen
plus impressive views over Victoria Harbour, this two-Michelin
starred restaurant dishes out classy French fare. My favourites
included the roasted langoustines with peas. The freshly baked
bread and salted French butter are worth a trip alone. There’s also
a range of brilliant desserts and a fantastic selection of artisan
cheeses.

Cafe Gray Deluxe

Housed on level 49 of the trendy Upper House, the afternoon tea
offering is extremely popular with locals, tourists and celebrities
so make sure you book ahead. Ask for a window table overlooking the
harbour and check out their tea-based cocktails.

Inakaya

Located on the 101st floor of the International Commerce Centre,
the Japanese-inspired area is a fun and lively space where chefs
prepare and grill various dishes to order over an open flame right
in front of diners. Each dish is delivered to guests on traditional
wooden paddles. Diners are also invited to help make a traditional
mochi (a sweet rice cake) which was both entertaining and
delicious.

Bakeries and Desserts

Tai Cheong Bakery

Hong Kong is famous for its bakeries and the flagship Tai Cheong
store in Central (opened in 1954) sells the best freshly baked egg
tarts in the city. You can buy them individually but most people
walk out with a box full of goodies.

Kam Wah

Serving up Hong Kong’s favourite ‘pineapple buns’ – these are
soft pillowy rolls with a super light texture and a sweet crunchy
golden crust (resembling the exterior of a pineapple). The buns
actually contain no fruit and are best served warm with a large
slab of butter washed down with the local milk tea.

Mammy Pancake

The popular ‘egglets’ (also known as bubble waffles) have been
given modern twist here with flavours such as matcha, chocolate,
sesame and sweet potato.

Via Tokyo

One of the most instagrammed dessert spots in Hong Kong, Via
Tokyo dishes out matcha soft serves with special flavours including
black sesame and Hokkaido milk.

Best of the Rest

A morning visit to the local markets.

An evening adventure around Lan Kwai Fong and the mid-level
escalators to seek out the latest cocktail and wine bars.

A ferry ride and day trip to Macau or nearby islands.

For more ideas on where to eat and travel follow Clerkenwell Boy
here.