HONG KONG — Hong Kong is for lovers ... of food. From Michelin-star dining experiences to exciting street food tours, this Far East metropolis is sure to bring out your inner Anthony Bourdain.
Though the cuisine reflects worldwide influences and 150 years of colonial rule, Cantonese flavor dominates, and this being a port city, it's seafood-centric. But tradition goes head-to-head with trends, and the current food fads du jour are Korean food, soft-serve ice cream (fro-yo died six months ago there) and green tea (think green tea ice cream, green tea cappuccino, green tea noodles).
To have an authentic Hong Kong food experience, you have to keep a high-low mix in mind, because both are part of the current vibe.
A few places to sample:
The Langham Place, Mongkok on Kowloon Island served as my home base while in Hong Kong. My culinary adventure began at the hotel's Ming Court, a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant.
Ming Court is one of a few high-end Chinese restaurants in the world that also offers an impressive wine cellar, which stores more than 430 wines. What's more, it offers an innovative high-tech iPad app called "Wine Buff" that allows guests to search the menu and find the perfect wine to pair with any dish on the menu.
Highlights included an amuse bouche of chilled creamy silk tofu topped with an Italian black truffle sauce and a gold leaf, followed by a signature dim sum medley of drunken shrimp dumpling, Alaskan king crab meat, Shanghainese pork dumpling and a delicate flower blossom spring roll with minced shrimp, a deep fried crisp baby pigeon cut but served whole (beak and all) — all paired with crisp French wines.
The "Sweet Wonderland" dessert provided a dramatic ending. A mango liquid with pomelo, coconut and Sago cream, black sesame bean curd pudding, an Osmanthus, wolfberry (goji) curd, and a chilled cheese tart placed atop a platter and served chilled and fuming from dry ice lying beneath the sweet creation.
A cocktail from the hotel's newest addition, Alibi is a must. Resident mixologist Leo Cheung creates custom cocktails that resemble works of art. Ask for the Jack Rose made with apple brandy, grenadine and fresh lime or the decadent Gentle Bell, with Godiva chocolate liqueur, chocolate bitters and raisins.
Little Adventures in Hong Kong, a street touring company, pairs visitors with "insiders" (like chefs and bloggers) founded by former New York Times and National Geographic journalist Daisann Mclane. The Sheung Wan, Central and Sai Ying Pun neighborhoods of Hong Kong represent an area that is changing fast in the food scene (thanks to gentrification and rising rent pricing) but is still a hub for authentic mom and pop noodle shops, bakeries and dried-fish markets.
A 1950s-'60s style Chinese diner transformed an American staple by serving thick cut white toast drenched in butter and condensed milk; it also offered us a local starchy favorite, pineapple buns, a pineapple-free sweet treat with an exterior that resembles the skin of a pineapple, hence the name.
Next up, the best wonton noodle soup spot in town where we continued to feast on stewed beef brisket noodle soup and shrimp wontons soaked in a clear fish broth. Unlike the American-Chinese take, the authentic version of wonton soup is less salty, more fishy and the broth is almost crystal clear — a cooking method that takes hours to perfect.
Also in Sheung Wan, located on the antique store-lined Hollywood Road, is hipster hangout Mrs. Pound. Part restaurant, part speakeasy, the trendy hidden gem is located behind a faux stamp store facade, and its entrance is revealed with one hit of a secret button. Tres cool.
The menu is just as quirky and cool as the psychedelic retro diner decor, offering up modern-day takes on Malaysian and southeast Asian food.
Served on small plates, a Thai pomelo seafood salad with carrots, daikon, shrimp, squid, coconut shavings and ginger-lime dressing, and a rainbow curry kale salad with red cabbage, carrots, peppers, almonds and ginger-peanut dressing were a welcomed retreat from the heavy dumpling and noodle dishes we had been consuming.
Like the claustrophobic and crowded streets of this eastern gateway to China, trying to experience all the city has to offer can be overwhelming. Just take it one bite at a time.
For more Hong Kong culinary ideas, head to our Stylize blog on bostonherald.com.
For more information about Hong Kong, check out http://hongkong.langhamplacehotels.com; www.littleadventuresinhongkong.com; www.discoverhongkong.com.
Source: Foodies will find Hong Kong delish goes
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