Cuisine of Hong Kong
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Hong Kong, as the crossroads of eastern and western culture, has developed a blend of eating habits incorporating Chinese, notably Cantonese, and western cuisines. It is reputed as the "gourmet paradise". As a place where the world meets, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and other Asian restaurants are also very common. Fushion and localised cuisines of various styles are commonly found and served in restaurants in Hong Kong.
Most people serve Chinese cuisine at home. While most people are of Cantonese ancestry, there are also many Hakka (among the indigenous residents in the New Territories), Teochew (Chiu Chow, Chaozhou) and Shanghai people. Home dishes are usually a mixture of these traditions. Rice is eaten with most Cantonese meals.
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[edit] Hong Kong style dishes
Certain indigenous residents in the New Territories have a tradition to have Poon Choi during festivals. Cake shops HI in Yuen Long are famous for Lo por cakes.
Breakfast and lunch in Hong Kong usually consists of Dim Sum. Many varieties of Dim Sum are available in Hong Kong restaurants, such as Cha Siu Bao (叉燒包) (BBQ pork bun), Ha Gao (蝦餃) (shrimp dumpling), Pai Gwut(排骨) (Pork Ribs) and Gai Gurk(鳳爪) (Chicken Feet).
Seafood is another area of Hong Kong cuisine that fascinates its visitors. Hong Kong people in general do not favour preserved, frozen fish, but prefer fish that is prepared fresh. Therefore, when a customer orders a steamed fish, the whole fish, still alive, will be presented by the waiter to the customer, who will examine its freshness and size before it is sent to the kitchen for preparation. This routine goes for other seafood like lobsters.
Hong Kong's most celebrated chef, Yeung Koon Yat (楊貫一), developed his famed "Ah Yat Bao Yu" (阿一鮑魚) (Ah Yat Abalone) and has helped greatly to put abalone into the spotlight of Hong Kong cuisine. It is considered to be the most expensive dish in the territory, each abalone costing thousands of Hong Kong dollars in his Forum Restaurant. Large abalones are much sought after by Hong Kong people.
Another famous dish is the Roast Goose by Yung Kee restaurant in Central. The Yung Kee Roast Goose is so delicious that many Hong Kong people would pack one with them as they travel on a plane to another country, to be presented to their family or friends abroad as a souvenir from the territory, thus earning the dish the nickname "Fei Teen Siu Oh" (飛天燒鵝) (Flying Roast Goose).
Hong Kong's very own five star French restaurant, Amigo, is located on Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley. It was first established in 1967 and moved to its current premises in 1976. It is staffed by Hong Kong people, including the chefs, yet the cuisine is among the very best in the territory.
One of the more comical but much celebrated facts is the love of Dan Tat (蛋撻) or egg tarts by the last British Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten. His great love of egg tarts is much appreciated by the Hong Kong people, as it allows the people to see his lighter side. Tai Cheong Bakery, his favourite egg tart bakery in Central, now serves a "Fei Pang Dan Tat" (肥彭蛋撻), literally "Fat Patten's Egg Tart" to its customers.
- Traditional breakfast food includes congee and Yau Cha Kwai (油炸鬼 literally oil-fried ghosts); however, bread and butter, egg, sausage, etc., are now popular.
- Cha Chaan Teng (茶餐廳) serve inexpensive food such as instant noodles, wonton noodles, beef brisket noodle soup, vermicelli (rice noodles), fried eggs, rice dumplings and congee, but what is actually provided varies. Dai pai dong were once common, but now close to extinction due to strict sanitary regulations and bureaucratic licensing. There are also many fast food restaurants serving Chinese dishes, such as Maxim's and Café de Coral, as well as many kaiten sushi bars.
- Lai Cha (奶茶), also known as milk tea brewed with silk-like cotton bag filters with a mixture of several types of tea leaves and mixed with evaporated milk before serving, is a fascinating fusion of cultures. And Yuanyang (鴛鴦) is a special Hong Kong concoction of milk, tea and coffee.
Cantonese restaurants serve dim sums from early morning to mid afternoon. Vegetarian restaurants serve dishes that are meat-like. Some temples and monasteries, such as the Po Lin Monastery and the Yuen Yuen Institute, also serve Buddhist cuisine.
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Typhoon shelters, where many fishing boats stay, imported many food from Southeast Asia. Some restaurants in Wan Chai serves post-war typhoon shelter–style dishes.
[edit] Locales
Major food districts are Causeway Bay, Kowloon City, Lan Kwai Fong, Tsim Sha Tsui and Soho. Stanley, with its expatriate population, has many seaside pubs and European restaurants. Sai Kung, Lamma Island, Lau Fau Shan and Lei Yue Mun serve seafood. Old fishing towns such as Cheung Chau and Tai O also have many original restaurants.
Most pubs and bars are at Lan Kwai Fong, Lockhart Road and Jaffe Road of Wan Chai; Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East; and around Prince Edward MTR station in Mong Kok. Since 1991, Oktoberfest has been held annually on Canton Road.
[edit] Famous Chefs
Many celebrtity and star chefs have opened restaurants in Hong Kong, including:
- Spoon by Alain Ducasse (InterContinental Hotel) - Alain Ducasse
- Pierre (Mandarin Oriental Hotel) - Pierre Gagnaire
- L'atelier de Joel Robuchon (Mandarin Landmark Hotel) - Joël Robuchon
Nobu Matsuhisa is due to open their restaurants in Hong Kong in late 2006.
[edit] World's Most Expensive Truffle
The world's most expensive truffle, a 1.51 kilogram rare White Alba truffle, was sold for 125,000 Euros (Hong Kong Dollar $1,250,000; US $160,000) on November 13, 2006 to Hong Kong property tycoon Sir Gordon Wu, who planned a charity dinner at Toscana Restaurant in Hong Kong. This price beats the previous world record of 95,000 Euros for a 1.21 kilogram White Alba truffle in 2005. Both the 2005 and 2006 truffles were sold to Hong Kong, demonstrating Hong Kong people's demand for top quality cuisine.
[edit] See also
- Culture of Hong Kong
- Chinese cuisine
- Cantonese cuisine
- Hakka cuisine
- Chiuchow cuisine
- Shanghai cuisine
- Hong Kong tea culture
- Private kitchen
