Food in Hong Kong

  There are many famous food in Hong Kong no matter “Street food” or restaurants. There are few things foreigners may experience. First of all, it is common to share a table in Hong Kong in most places apart from restaurants. Crowded places expected you to eat and leave as fast as you can. Moreover, some poor restaurants may required customers to “Serve” themselves because it is very busy in the restaurant.

Yum Cha(飲茶)  
  The best known of the food in Hong Kong must be “Yum Cha”. Basically, “Yum Cha” is the Cantonese tradition of brunch involving Chinese tea and dim sum. Yum cha generally involves small portions of steamed, pan-fried, and deep-fried dim sum dishes served in bamboo steamers, which are designed to be eaten communally and washed down with tea. People always go to “Yum Cha” once or twice a week with a large group of people. Some western tourists may not like it because of the noisy environment, however, it is really normal and cultural, if there is not crowded or noisy, it must not be a great place to “Yum Cha”. The best know food in “Yum Cha” basically is Dim Sum including Spring roll(春卷), Rice noodle roll(腸粉), Barbecued pork bun(叉燒包), Pineapple bun(菠蘿包), Turnip cake(蘿蔔糕) or Shaomai(燒賣), etc. There are still a lot of choices but these kinds of dim sum are the most popular foods when people go to “Yum Cha”.

Dai pai dong(大排檔)
 Actually, there are not that much Dai pai dong in Hong Kong nowadays but there are many improved version of Dai pai dong such as the decorations. And it isn't call Dai pai dong anymore but just a name with the cantonese of restaurant. The price of it is cheaper than those restaurant in the shopping mall but the quality is much better. Most of these restaurant located in the street or Street market( we call it 街市). It mainly served main dishes. The most popular is BEEF CHOW FUN NOODLES (干炒⽜牛河GON CHOW NGAU HO).

炸魚皮 (fried fish skin)

Noodle Restaurant  
  If you are not interested in fried food, you should go to noodle restaurant, there are a lot of noodle restaurants located at Hong Kong because it is one of the sign to represent Hong Kong. The quality of it is great and fast which means you can eat it within 10 mins after you ordered. The price of it is quite cheap. The most popular choice is fish-ball noodle. Due to the fact of the competitor, people adding different source and try to be the unique one and attract customers. However, my opinion is the original one always is the best. Also, if you add some "fried fish skin" in Cantonese, we call it "炸魚皮" with the noddle, the taste will be really great  and it is the common way how a local Hong Kong people usually eat in the noodle restaurant in Hong Kong.

unlicensed street food

Licensed street food

Street Food  
  If you come to Hong Kong, you must have to try Street food, it is the landmark of Hong Kong. No matter it is licensed or not. Hong Kong street food is characterised as the ready-to-eat snacks and drinks. The best known foods are egg tarts, fish balls, egg waffles and stinky tofu. I personally think  stinky tofu is bad but I don't know why many people love it. They can be found throughout the city, especially around Mong Kok, Causeway Bay, Yuen Long, Tsuen Wan, and Kwun Tong. If it is licensed, it probably may offer some sits for customers, however, if it is unlicensed, it may not have. However, my opinion is I think both of them are the same no matter it is licensed or not, sometimes I think those unlicensed street foods are even better taste and cheaper than those licensed, what I think is the most important is the food must be clean.

Siu mei  

  Siu Mei is the generic name in Cantonese cooker given to meats roasted on spits over an open fire or a huge wood burning rotisserie oven. It creates a unique, deep barbecue flavour and the roast is usually coated with a flavourful sauce which is a different sauce is used for each variety of meat before roasting. However, the price of it is more expensive than the main dishes but if you travel to Hong Kong, it is a great opportunity to try Siu Mei as it is the best in the world even some other Asian countries may also have. It is normal for people to eat at home as well even it is not cheap, in my life, my family usually eat Siu mei every first, fifteen and thirty in the Chinese Calendar because of the culture. Usually, people prefer to eat Siu mei with rice and soy sauce.