Hong Kong is known to be a heaven for shopping and eating, and with all the famous chains and restaurants waiting for you to try out, it can be a series of tough choices to pick out what you should really go for. Here a list of what you absolutely must have during your trip, especially if it is your first time there.
1. Roast Goose
Your experience in Hong Kong is not complete if you miss out on having the famous roast goose. Typically served in restaurants specialising in Cantonese cuisine, a good roast goose has so many highlights – a crispy skin, tender meat and smoky flavour which is usually complemented by the accompanying plum sauce. It is oily, juicy and fat but it is worth every calorie.
2. Curry Fish Balls
This delicious Hong Kong street snack is a cheap and popular one, and some stalls even serve them in different levels of spiciness. It is made of mostly flour and very little fish meat (but still has a springy texture), so most of its flavour comes from the hot curry that they are simmered in until someone comes along to buy some. It is best consumed during winter as it will warm you up immediately!
3. Polo Bun
Polo means “Pineapple” in Mandarin; however, the famous Polo bun does not contain pineapple at all, but rather got its name from its resemblance to a pineapple due to its yellow colour and pattern on top of the bun. The most traditional way to eat it is to add a thick slice of butter, but there are places that offer alternatives, such as slicing the bun in half and adding fillings like tomato slices and luncheon meat and serving it as a burger.
4. Egg Waffles
This is such an iconic snack that you can now find it in Singapore as well. It is made the same way as a normal waffle – by adding the batter to a griddle. However, the texture is thinner and therefore is loved for its crispy and light skin with a fluffy centre. It is more of a simple childhood snack to most citizens who used to eat it plain as it is, but many cafes have evolved this snack to become a glamorous dessert by making it in a variety of flavours and topping it with ice cream and fruits.
5. Iced Hong Kong Milk Tea
This sweet and fragrant beverage is so popular it is a basic item on almost all menus in Hong Kong restaurants and eateries. Instead of adding ice into directly into the cup like we usually do, your cup of milk tea is half-submerged in a bowl of ice. This helps to keep your drink cold while preventing it from getting diluted from melted ice. Some places even go a step further by making their milk tea the traditional way, with a pantyhose or stocking, to give it smoother texture.
6. Dim Sum
When we think of Hong Kong, it is inevitable that dim sum comes into our mind too. The joy of having dim sum is that there are dozens of selections to choose from – whether you are looking for steamed deep-fried or baked ones. Having dim sum as also known as yum cha as the food goes with tea. If you are looking instagram-worthy ones, the famous Dim Sum Icon does it really well and is guaranteed to make you squeal in delight with every item that arrives on your table.
