GO EAT HONG KONG:Hong Kong's streets may be filled with skyscrapers but there are many cheap, Michelin-starred, gems to hunt out. DANIELLE MORANgrabs some chopsticks
SPILLING A STICKY, dark liquid on a crisp, white tablecloth is never a relaxing way to begin a meal. It takes years off the perpetrator; making you feel like a guilty six-year-old.
But in an instant, the attentive staff at Hong Kong’s Din Tai Fung (Yee Woo St, Causeway Bay) whisk away my dropped chopstick and hide the offending soy sauce stain with a box of their famous, Michelin-starred, dumplings. And just like that, all is forgotten.
Diners watch the immaculately attired chefs at work as they weigh out exactly 1 gram of dough for each dumpling wrapper, roll, shape, and fill it with 16g of filling before sealing each one with 18 pleats and steaming them as each order is called.
Don’t neglect the spicy won tons but make the hairy crab and pork shaomai dumplings a priority. The dumpling wrapper itself is a physics-defying mix of lightness and sturdiness. So sturdy that not a single dumpling crumbles despite our clumsy attempts to wolf them down.
Some crunchy Chinese spinach in garlic and noodles with peanut sauce or shrimp-fried rice are a tasty accompaniment to this introduction to the art of dim sum.
And the kind soul who has offered up their credit card in this Michelin-induced binge is rewarded with a welcome surprise as the bill comes to just under €55 for 10 substantial plates, and drinks, for three people.
Although bookings aren’t necessary in the restaurants mentioned, it’s wise to adapt to the Chinese timeframe and eat dinner early. Those who make it to Din Tai Fung by 7pm won’t have to join the queues that form later.
Hong Kong is full of contradictions: its skyscrapers perform a nightly lightshow while the fresh seafood restaurants of Lamma Island lie a mere 15 minutes away. It embraces its colonial past unlike any other country – it’s difficult to imagine a Possession St in Ireland – yet its Chinese origins are just as present.
And, there seems to be an inexpensive Michelin-recommended restaurant on every street corner. A key part of the dim sum ritual, often forgotten in our westernised Cantonese restaurants, is of course, the tea. And there is nowhere better to learn the art of tea drinking than another Michelin favourite, Luk Yu Tea House (24 Stanley St, Central), an art deco cafe full of old Hong Kong splendour where it seems that time has stood still since it first opened in 1933.
In between mouthfuls of barbecued ribs in bean sauce and won tons in chicken broth, visitors will learn that they are some social rules that bind the Irish and the Cantonese. Much like the traditional Irish host, the Cantonese will not allow a guest’s glass to empty. It’s a charming practice but unsuspecting travellers should be careful not to fall into a never-ending cycle of pouring, drinking only to find your waiter pouring again.
If you do want to do as the locals however, hunt out tiny tea experts, Teakha (Tai Ping St, Sheung Wan), a newly opened bakery that offers up an endless collection of fragrant teas and irresistible cakes pulled straight from the oven. The green tea cheesecake, in particular, is not to be missed.
While most of Hong Kong’s well-known eateries sit on the westernised Hong Kong Island, an afternoon visit to Kowloon offers the chance to view that infamous skyline from the water and to take a HK$2 (20 cent) cruise with the Star Ferry.
An ideal spot for the obligatory photo in front of Hong Kong’s sparkling harbour is Hutong (1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui). Named after the small, winding neighbourhoods of China, Hutong is more expensive than the restaurants recommended but its spectacular skyline view and cocktails make it a fun choice for a more formal dinner. A standout dish is the surprisingly mild soft-shell crab . . . if you’re brave enough to dig through the basket of chillis that surround it!
For a more authentic local bite, follow the Kowloon crowds to Tim Ho Wan, (Kwong Wa St, Mong Kok) another Michelin favourite. If you can’t stand the two-hour wait for lunch, head to the IFC (International Finance Centre) shopping mall to pick up some of his crispy, sweet, sticky barbecued pork buns.
Tim Ho Wan’s is a great place for a filling brunch after a night spent sipping cocktails in one of Hong Kong’s bars with a view, such as Sevva (Prince’s Building, Central), where soft background music blends with a heart-stopping view of the sparkling city of lights before you.
Indulging in just dim sum however, doesn’t give a true representation of Hong Kong. The western-eastern city hums a number of different tunes and, in order to really eat like the locals, visitors should spend an evening in the company of the very friendly Gary at ABC (Queen St Cooked Food Market, 38 Des Voeux Road). Offering an Italian-influenced menu, Gary and his inconspicuous food court-style set up are popular among Hong Kong’s many European expats. Ask for the suckling pig and allow the wine to flow.