Hong Kong (香港) - Lin Heung Tea House (蓮香樓)

Dim sum (点心) is a must try delicacy in Hong Kong. Going to Hong Kong and not eating it is just laugh out loud. On my first visit back in 2011, we went to Choi Fook Restaurant (彩福酒家) nearby our hostel for dim sum breakfast. We simply chose a eatery within the hostel area as we didn't really do a lot of planning. However, this time around, after much researches, we decided on Lin Heung Tea House (蓮香樓), one of the oldest restaurants in the city island.

The corner shop

Located along Wellington Street, Central, close to the cha chan teng we went last night, it might takes some times to find this corner shop if you are not familiar around Hong Kong streets. Just proceed to the first floor once there and look for a table as this restaurant is quite popular among the locals, especially those uncles and aunties who love their dim sum breakfasts after morning exercises.

It was quite full when we arrived

Most of the customers are elderly folks with their morning teas and newspapers

By the time we reached Lin Heung Tea House, it was about 9 a.m. and we were supposed to be extra early for today's activity, Hong Kong Disneyland! No thanks to my travel companions but more on that later. We managed to find some empty seats, sharing our tables with one elderly couple and an uncle. Like I said, this dim sum parlour is very popular and chances are you have to share your tables (搭檯) with random strangers.

The regulars Iar gao, siew mai, and char siew pao are a must

Hong Kong-style chee cheung fun (香港猪肠粉)

As we were rushing, we just "eeny, meeny, miny, moe" our ways through the selections. Born and raised in Ipoh means we have our fair share of having good dim sum for breakfasts and the regulars like har gao (虾饺), siew mai (烧卖), char siew pao (叉烧包), etc are something we are familiar with. However, there are some that are unique in Hong Kong and we have no idea what it is. In short, we pointed at the dim sum that looked appetizing and just whacked it.

Something you only see in Hong Kong dim sum scene

I have no idea what these are called

We made sure that we had a hearty breakfast as we were planning to skip lunch in Disneyland. We heard tales of expensive foods inside the theme park and wanting to save up money, we just went on a hunger strike. We spent about an hour in the restaurant before leaving to Disneyland. Truthfully, you would not want to take your sweet time eating in the restaurant for there are always peoples waiting for a spot. Once you are done with it, better to take your leaves and give your tables to the arriving guests.

Spring rolls (春卷)

Dong gu mai (冬菇卖)

We spent about HKD 240 for 4 of us (about RM 96) which I think is rather decent. About the taste, I remembered my fellow travellers telling me dim sum in our hometown is better. I quite agree with that. Not bad but we had better. Service wise, nothing to compliment about as it's the standard Hong Kong rude service. If you are hasty when choosing, the aunties pushing the carts might gives you a glare or two.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

Address to Lin Heung Tea House is as followed: 160-164, Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.