When travelling, it can be difficult to find really good, reputable spots to enjoy tasty, authentic local food. Hong Kong Foodie Tasting Tours are a great way to find these hidden gems and sample signature dishes, without the research, hassle or getting lost along the way.
We took a foodie tour of Central and Sheung Wan on our first full day in Hong Kong, immersing ourselves in the sights, sounds and smells of the districts.
Our excellent tour guide Silvana showed us how to eat like locals, introducing small independent, family-run eateries that aren’t on the tourist trail.
We arrived to meet the tour group at The L Place at 2.15pm, having just enjoyed a Dim Sum lunch at Duddell’s in Central. With already full stomachs, we were daunted by the prospect of more food, but luckily the taster dishes were spread over 3 hours 45 minutes with plenty of walking in between. The amount of food offered at each stop is generous, so you can make the tour a late lunch or have a light snack before.
Tsim Chai Kee Noodle
Our first stop was the nearby Tsim Chai Kee Noodle for a hearty bowl of King Prawn Wonton Noodle. This informal, subterranean canteen is known for its excellent, budget wonton noodles and it attracts a queue everyday for lunch. It was recommended in the 2010 Michelin Guide and focuses on just six house dishes, including Fish Ball Noodle and Fresh Sliced Beef Noodle.
We were served a large bowl of steamed, silky king prawn wontons and slim noodles in a perfectly seasoned, comforting broth. It was one of the best wonton noodles I’ve ever tasted and an unbelievable bargain at just HK $20 (around £1.60). I recommend making Tsim Chai Kee Noodle part of your itinerary for a light and affordable lunch that will leave you with enough spending money for evening cocktails.
Lung Kee Restaurant
After a short walk uphill, we visited Lung Kee Restaurant for their house speciality, Barbecued Pork Rice. The tiny, no-frills restaurant is attached to a speciality meat shop, where barbecued duck, goose and pork are sold. Lung Kee also produces barbecued meat for a number of restaurants in Hong Kong, who favour its slow-cooked, fatty meats.
Lung Kee’s barbecue pork is succulent and juicy, with a honeyed sweetness on the edges and the plain steamed rice lets the flavours of the pork stand out. It’s a great place for a quick barbecued meat fix when in Central.
Gage Street Market
On the way to our next stop, Silvana talked us through the fresh produce at the open market on Gage Street, introducing us to Asian vegetables such as winter melon and locally-popular fish. We also stopped outside a shop with a rather pungent aroma, selling dried seafood such as scallops, oysters, abalone and even shark fin.
Kung Lee Sugar Cane Juice
By now, we were ready to cool down at Kung Lee Sugar Cane Juice. Opened in 1948, the old-fashioned, family-run shop serves sugar cane juice fresh from the press and is also known for its turtle herbal jelly. Sugar cane juice is refreshing, light and very sweet, plus it has an impressive number of health benefits, from aiding digestion to warding off flu.
Tea Studio
Feeling revived from the sugar cane juice, we headed to Sheung Wan and walked past Man Mo Temple and the many independent boutiques and cafes. We visited Tea Studio, a haven for tea-lovers that could easily be missed from the busy street.
Tea master Ivan Chiu offered us a welcome drink of green tea before we had a tasting of different kinds of tea. He explained the origins and character of different teas and how Chinese people select a tea depending on their body’s needs. He told us that green tea cools the body, while Oolong is good for digestion and white tea benefits the skin.
He answered all of our tea-related questions and then performed a traditional tea ceremony, which we were all invited to try ourselves. It was a fun, educational part of the tour and all foodie tour guests are offered 20% off all purchases. I bought some exquisite Iron Buddha Oolong tea to take home and it came presented in a red box and little canvas tote bag – perfect as a souvenir or gift.
Dim Sum Square
It was then time to indulge again at nearby Dim Sum Square. We tried a selection of Dim Sum including Har Gao (shrimp dumplings), Siu Mai (pork dumplings), Jaa Chun Guen (spring rolls) and Char Siu Bao (crispy BBQ pork bun). The Dim Sim was pretty good for a cheap lunch on the go, but I found the sugar-dusted Char Siu Bao a little too sweet.
Hei Lee Cake Shop
For a light dessert, we headed on to Hei Lee Cake Shop for a delicious Daan Taat (egg tart), warm and fresh from the oven. This petite Chinese pastry shop also offers savoury and sweet buns, biscuits and filled pastries that are baked daily on the premises.
The Hong Kong Foodie Tasting Tour is a fun, active way to discover Hong Kong’s foodie spots. The tour leaflet also includes a list of recommended restaurants serving authentic Chinese food to visit at leisure.
The Hong Kong Foodie Tasting Tour: Central & Sheung Wan is priced at HK $690 for Grown-up Foodies (age 15 and above) and HK$490 for Young Foodies (age 5-14). For more information and booking, visit: www.hongkongfoodietours.com
Chérie City was a guest of Hong Kong Tourism Board
All photos by Chérie City
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