Asia’s cosmopolitan metropolis is the home of Cantonese food but the region’s cuisine reflects its varied history.
Best enjoyed with a dash of red vinegar, prawn wonton noodle soup is a traditional, quick lunch dish in Hong Kong.
Food is an integral part of any culture, and that’s certainly the case in Hong Kong. While its cuisine is strongly influenced by its Chinese roots, it also reflects the city’s cultural diversity and rich history — from its time as a British colony to its current status as a cosmopolitan metropolis.
There are four common types of carbohydrate: juk (congee), fun (rice noodles), mein (wheat noodles) and fan (rice). Congee is mainly eaten as a breakfast food, as is cheung fun (plain rice noodle rolls with sesame sauce and sweet soy sauce). But locals also enjoy a leisurely yum cha (brunch with tea) of dim sum.
For Canto-Western cuisine, visit a cha chaan teng. These British colony-era cafes are known for their good-value set menus and simple food, such as ham and macaroni soup, and satay beef with instant noodles. Wash it down with a cup of Hong Kong’s signature milk tea.
For lunch, noodles are a favourite. Wonton mein (wonton noodles), ngau lam mein (braised beef brisket noodles) and che jai mein (cart noodles) are among the most popular. While lunch is usually a quick solo affair, dinner is all about getting together with family and friends. Hotpot is great for this, with diners dropping raw ingredients — fish balls, vegetables, beef slices, seafood — into a soup base flavoured with ingredients such as pork bones, tomato, fish or mushrooms.
There aren’t just three meals a day, however — late-night supper is known as siu yeh and is an essential way to unwind after a long workday. Afternoon snacks abound, too, with street foods such as curry fish balls and fake shark fin soup.
As for sweet things, Hongkongers like these at all times of the day, but especially at night. Chewy, glutinous rice balls, taro balls and sago (tapioca) are popular, as is shaved ice with red (adzuki) bean and condensed milk.
Must-try dishes in Hong Kong
1. Gaibo
Unique to Hong Kong, this dish (also known as chicken pot) is two in one. You start with chicken in a clay pot with spicy mala sauce; once most or all of the meat has been eaten, soup is added. Diners can then order raw ingredients to cook in it, hotpot-style.
2. Char siu
Whether eaten as a simple everyday meal or finely prepared in a restaurant, this roast meat is arguably one of Hong Kong’s most loved. A rich marinade gives the pork a savoury and complex flavour, while a caramelised maltose glaze adds pleasant sweetness and charred notes.
3. Wonton noodles
The noodles in this dish are made of flour and alkaline water — resulting in a bouncy texture — and served in a delicate, clear broth of dried flounder and yellow chives. Some places stick to traditional small wontons, while others add big ones with shrimp. It’s best enjoyed with a splash of red vinegar to balance the alkaline flavour.
