Hong Kong (香港) - Central (中环)

As mentioned earlier, the last day of this Hong Kong trip was dedicated to shopping. We decided to just walk around in Central for the whole day, exploring what the district has to offer.

Chinese New Year decoration in Time Square

My friend's surname is here, as a road name...wonders if they're related?

We split up so that each and everyone of us got to see what we wanted to see. I myself went around for an hour or so either window shopping or shopping before going food hunting instead. I can't really spend the whole day shopping.

Typical Hong Kong scene

Popular snack, red bean steamed pudding or put chai gou (砵仔糕)

I was led to Kampung Boy City Gal's Hong Kong food guide when I was doing researches on famous food joints. Quite a number of them are in the Central district so I ended up visiting 2 of them. Looking at the list, I regretted not making a trip to Starbucks at Duddell Street as I stumbled upon photos of the branch and it is so atmospheric, resembling a cha chan teng.

1. Mak's Noodle Ltd (麥奀云吞面世家)

There was a long line waiting outside when I had found the restaurant. When I finally was seated, sharing table with a couple, I ordered a bowl of wan tan noodle, their specialty. I can understand the popularity of this restaurant for the noodle is indeed very delicious. The noodle itself is chewy while the soup is flavorful. As for the wan tan, it was wrapped with succulent prawns. 

The restaurant constantly crowded with people

Non stop cooking

Worth the HK$ 33, which is about RM 13.20. Definitely the priciest wan tan noodle I had in my life. As for the service, do not expect anything pleasant and it's best to leave the place after you had your noodles. Address is as followed; G/F, 77, Wellington Street, Central.

2. Tai Cheong Bakery (泰昌餅家) 

Another food joint with long queue, this time, it's for egg tarts. Again, I lined up for it and bought myself half a dozen of egg tarts. These egg tarts are best eaten hot, right out from the oven. 

Tai Cheong Bakery

The egg paste is smooth and sweet while the pastry skin soft, a perfect combination. Their egg tarts are priced at HK$ 6 (about RM 2.40) per piece, slightly expensive from other lesser known but equally delicious bakeries. 

Fresh from the oven

I remembered 2 Koreans came over and asked for direction towards this Tai Cheong Bakery. I guess this shop is not to be taken lightly.

Before I met up with them, I continued to explore Central. Most of the roads here are steep, hence, there is the Mid-Levels Escalator to help you out. I find this totally unique, to see a working escalator out in the open and not inside any building.

Mid-Levels Escalator

Hong Kong's streets are always crowded with peoples

When everyone was happy with their shopping outcomes, it was time to board the Airport Express from Hong Kong Station. Overall, a fulfilling winter adventure in Hong Kong.

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Hong Kong (香港) - Temple Street Night Market (庙街夜市)

Night markets are popular destinations in almost every corner of Asia, Hong Kong included, and Temple Street Night Market has to be among the famous ones in this city island. After we finished with absorbing the night views from Sky100, we then proceeded to the night market.

Temple Street Night Market

Named after a Tin Hau temple within close proximity, Temple Street Night Market is a popular destination for both locals and tourists. This place also serves as a backdrop to many memorable Hong Kong movies and series I grew up watching.

Just like the Ladies' Market, you can hunt for souvenirs and do your shopping sprees here. From kitschy items such as key chains and  fridge magnets to functional goods like shoes and luggage bags, you can find it all in this night market. The best part about shopping in these street bazaars is that bargaining is a necessity to get the best deal out of it.

Shopping time

However, unlike Ladies' Market, you can find street foods in this night market. Restaurants are plenty along the streets so if you ever go hungry, you can stop by at one of them and have your meals.  We managed to get ourselves locals' favourites like curry fishballs and eggettes or egg waffles (鸡蛋仔) as snacks.

A rather popular restaurant

Curry fishballs

Eggettes/Egg waffles/Egg puffs

Another high point of Temple Street Night Market is the stalls of fortune tellers and opera singers. Asians are generally very superstitious and a strong believer of feng shui (风水). So, do stop by at the fortune tellers stalls and have your future explained for you.

Array of fortune tellers stalls

*TO BE CONTINUED*

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

To go to Temple Street Night Market, take the MTR to Yau Ma Tei Station, Exit C, and turn to Temple Street at Man Ming Lane. You can also alight at Jordan Station and take Exit A. Turn right into Jordan Road before taking another right turn to Temple Street. Generally, stalls begin to open after the sun goes down until late at night, about 2 or 3 a.m.

Hong Kong (香港) - Tai Yuen Shark's Fin Seafood Restaurant (泰苑鱼翅海鲜酒家)

After we finished touring around Lamma Fisherfolk's Village, we went back to Lamma Island and decided to have a late seafood lunch (it was about 2ish to 3, I believe). As I mentioned earlier, there are many seafood restaurants along the main street and each one of them are vying to have you as their customers.

Tai Yuen Shark's Fin Seafood Restaurant

We surveyed the choices and came to a conclusion; all the restaurants were more or less the same. These restaurants are well-versed with us tourists crowds and have prepared numerous set meals for us to choose from. These set meals cater to various numbers of peoples with minimal differences between them in term of prices and dishes. Most of it consists of chicken, prawns, vegetables, fish, clams, and so on. In a way, it does make it easier to decide.

View from the restaurant

Tai Yuen Shark's Fin Seafood Restaurant was our choice after much deliberates on the dishes. Despite the name, we did not order any shark's fin. In fact, we were not sure if their signature dish was shark's fin related. Anyhow, our set of four persons arrived in no time after we ordered. Too be frank, I again forgot much how the food tasted like except the clams in black bean sauce which tasted rather nice, if I remembered correctly. Well, I'm writing about my Hong Kong trip happened back in January now in December.

Fried calamari

Prawns

Fishballs

Scallops

Clams in black bean sauce

Vegetable

Fried rice

The whole lunch inclusive of drinks (selections of local beers or canned beverages) cost us HK$ 398 (about RM 159 for 4). I strongly believe you can have these seafood here in Malaysia in a lower price with fresher seafoods. After the meal, we departed the island, taking the 4.05 p.m. ferry ride.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Hong Kong (香港) - Four Seasons Hot-Pot (春夏秋冬火锅)

It is a common practice to go for a steaming hot-pot during cold season. That was what we were aiming for to be our dinner in the second night of Hong Kong. After experiencing the magical wonders of Disney the whole day and ended it with a fantastic firework show, we reluctantly leaved Hong Kong Disneyland and went back to city centre.

The entrance is located along an alley and you have to climb the stairs to reach it

Just like the first night, our dinner was rather late as by the time we found a hot-pot restaurant, it was already 10 p.m. We stumbled upon the restaurant on our way back to the hostel. There are a few branches and this Four Seasons Hot-Pot is a North Point branch, located within walking distance from our hostel.

Some of the servings we ordered

It was rather empty but understandably so considering the time and all. We ordered a few plates, mostly fish, chicken and vegetables, as they only served a la carte. As the menu is in Chinese, we had to ask the waiter to help translate for us. He was rather shocked to see us 4 Chinese not able to read Chinese characters but speak Cantonese fluently. Well, that's Malaysian Chinese for you.

The soup bases we asked for were plain and ma la (麻辣) soup, a spicy soup combining Sichuan peppers and chili peppers. We often see it in Hong Kong dramas and were interested in trying it out. We regretted immediately for it was dead spicy and a bit oily.

Plain and ma la soup bases

Overall, it was an unique experience, especially with the ma la soup. However, I doubt I will go for another round. Try it purely for the ma la soup if you like hot and spicy. Total cost of the meal was about HKD 350 which is about RM 138 for 4 persons. 

Surprisingly, by the time we were about to leave, the crowds began to arrive. It was not as empty as we first entered. I guessed the locals really enjoy steaming hot foods during cold weather.

This was the crowd when we were about to leave

*TO BE CONTINUED*

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

Restaurant Four Seasons Hot-Pot is located in 177 1/F, King's Road, opposite Fortress Hill MTR Station. For more information, visit their website here.

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. 

Hong Kong (香港) - Tsui Wah Restaurant (翠华餐厅)

Cha chan teng (茶餐厅) is an establishment of Hong Kong, part of every Hongkie's life. Like our kopitiam, a visit to the city island is not complete without a stop at one of the many cha chan tengs. Almost all cha chan teng opens till late at night, serving as a food joint for those who work overtime or just looking for late night snacks. And a perfect restaurant for us hungry tourists caught in a long queue descent from The Peak.

Tsui Wah Restaurant

Tsui Wah Restaurant is definitely among the famous ones in the island. With several branches scattered across Hong Kong, it definitely not that hard to look it out and we went to the one nearest to us, in Central. It was about 11 p.m. when we reached the restaurant, a late dinner we were having. The crowd was thin but what do you expect at this hour?

At least it's not deserted

We made our orders to the surly waiter, something we kept seeing throughout the trip. Well, the islanders are not known for their well manners, anyway. The meals we had were nothing to shout about and were rather pricey. The milk tea was bland, something that even the adorable cup cannot compensate for. The noodles were dry and a bit tasteless, according to my friend and his sister.

Milk tea (奶茶)

King Prawn in XO Sauce with Tossed Noodle

Stirred Noodle with Shrimp and Szechuan Chili Sauce

Luckily, I find the one I ordered (noodle in fish soup) was flavourful, albeit a tad too peppery. As for the pork chop bun, a simple delicacy that fulfilled its purposes of filling our stomachs.

Fish Balls and Fish Cakes with Rice Noodles in Fish Soup

Crispy Pork Chop Bun with French Fries

I can't remember how the crispy bun with sweet condensed milk tasted. A spark in your mouth? Delightful? Nothing special? No, nothing in my mind. Maybe that is the answer itself.

Crispy Bun served with Sweet Condensed Milk 

Prices (subject to change)

King Prawn in XO Sauce with Tossed Noodle - HKD 50

Stirred Noodle with Shrimp and Szechuan Chilli Sauce - HKD 50

Fish Balls and Fish Cakes with Rice Noodles in Fish Soup - HKD 32

Crispy Pork Chop Bun with French Fries - HKD 33

Crispy Bun served with Sweet Condensed Milk - HKD 16

Milk Tea - HKD 16 (hot), HKD 18 (cold)

*TO BE CONTINUED*

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

There are a total of 25 branches all over Hong Kong. Hence, it is not hard to find one nearest to your location. The one that we went to is located at Wellington Street, Central which opens 24 hours. To look up for its branches and operation hours, go to this website.