48 favourites: Hong Kong's tastiest spots

We challenged four of our writers - Bernice Chan, Yvonne Teh, Kevin Kwong, Adam Wright and food editor Susan Jung - to reveal their tastiest spots ...

Susan Jung

Published: 8:30am, 24 Oct 2013

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Old-world Hong Kong atmosphere

Lin Heung Tea House

For a trip back in time to 1920s Hong Kong, rise soon after daybreak for yum cha at Lin Heung Tea House. You'll probably be seated next to an old man with a birdcage and totally ignored by the surly, elderly waiters, but grab whatever dim sum takes your fancy from the passing carts and soak up the vibe. AW

Cantonese restaurant to wow visiting foodies

Manor Sea Food Restaurant

I've brought everyone from food writers Nicholas Lander (the Financial Times), Fuchsia Dunlop, Fred Ferretti and Eileen Lo Yin-fei to pastry chef extraordinaire Pierre Hermé to this traditional Cantonese restaurant. Pre-order the gum chin gai (gold coin chicken) and suckling pig. Also try the black bean chicken, steamed crab with rice wine, and fried eggplant with salted egg yolk. SJ

Malaysian

Café Malacca

You'll hear Malaysian and Singaporean accents at this restaurant, which serves up delicious Straits cuisine. The satay is excellent, as is the fried carrot cake and the char kway teow. SJ

Omakase meal

Sushi Kuu

Sit at the sushi bar and leave the selection of dishes up to the chef (mention any dietary restrictions you have beforehand). It will start with cold dishes and sashimi, and progress to hot items before ending with sushi and dessert. SJ

Pizza

Motorino

Pizza connoisseurs know the crust is just important as the toppings - and the crust on the sopressata pizza is fantastic. SJ

Casual French

On Lot 10

On Lot 10 serves family-style French cuisine - the main courses come in big portions meant to be shared. Fans of "nose to tail" eating will be pleased, because chef David Lai makes use ofoffcuts, such as cockscombs, tête de veau and kidneys. SJ

Formal French

Robuchon au Dome

Robuchon au Dome meets the definition of a Michelin three-star, "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". Fortunately, it's in Macau, not France, so it's only an hour away by ferry. The food is fantastic, whether it's a five-course set lunch (a bargain at HK$688 plus 10 per cent) or a lavish dinner. The wine list is arguably the best in the region. SJ

Glutinous rice suckling pig

Kimberley Chinese Restaurant

We love this pig so much that on one occasion we ordered four - to feed 16 of us. The small piglet has been boned, stuffed with flavourful glutinous rice then roasted so the skin is crisp. SJ

Izakaya

Japanese Sushi Bar Tomoe

The menu here isn't the most extensive, but the food is delicious, and served on beautiful ceramics. Best of all is the atmosphere inside and friendly staff. SJ

Pub grub

The Globe

Posh pub food doesn't get much better than this in Hong Kong. Steak sandwiches, a gourmet venison pie, proper bangers and mash - all washed down with arguably the best selection of bottled and draught beers in town. What's not to like? AW

Five spice chicken

Tai Wing Wah

The whole chicken at celebrity chef Hugo LeungMan-to's flagship restaurant is a bargain at HK$75. It's moist, tender and perfectly seasoned. YT

Pre-performance bite

Qui Ristorante Italiano

I love grabbing a quick bite at Qui Ristorante Italiano before a show at the Kwai Tsing Theatre. It's close enough for a tipple during intermission, or even a meal after the show. KK

Outdoor dining

The Peak Lookout

When next on The Peak, beat a path through the hordes of tourists and head straight to this little oasis for a flashback to colonial times. Grab a table in the gorgeous outdoor garden near a banyan tree, take in the expansive views and enjoy the extensive menu of Eastern and Western favourites. AW

Yakiniku (grilled meats)

298 Nikuya Kitchen

As you'd expect, the meats at this DIY barbecue restaurant are the stars. The thick-cut ox tongue is fantastic, as is the sliced sirloin yaki shabu with ponzu. We also like the savoury pancakes, made with pork and kimchi, or beef and cheese. SJ

High-end sandwich

C'est la B

The rainbow club sandwich at C'est la B looks great with bamboo charcoal, beetroot and saffron breads and fillings of roast chicken, French ham, cheese, omelette and avocado. BC

Cheap sandwich

Yue Hing

I'd choose the sandwich here over Pret a Manger any day - it's cheaper and tastier. Made with luncheon meat and egg, it's taken up a notch with the addition of peanut butter and condensed milk. Try it with toasted bread - it's even better. SJ

Indian

Gaylord

As much as we love a curry in Chungking Mansions, it's not exactly a fine-dining experience - which is where Gaylord comes in. This Tsim Sha Tsui institution serves up sublime Indian cuisine, such as chicken makhanwala and lamb chops in an elegant atmosphere. AW

Char siu

Tin Lung Heen

Barbecued pork - a ubiquitous dish at siu mei (roast meat) shops and on Cantonese menus - is luxurious here because it's made with Iberian pork. It's succulent and decadent. SJ

Cheese course

Caprice

Save room at lunch or dinner for the cheese course at Caprice. The enormous board has a great selection of the usual suspects: aged comté, mimolette and Brie de Meaux - but also varieties that you've never heard of. SJ

Dim sum

Victoria City

What I like most about Victoria City is they're always coming up with new items. Aside from the standard shrimp dumplings, my favourites are the XO cheung fun, xiao long bao with hairy crab roe, baked minced meat pies and bo lo char siu bao. SJ

Place with a view

Aqua and Hutong

Aqua (Italian/Japanese) and Hutong (Northern Chinese) at One Peking offer a breathtaking, uninterrupted view of the Hong Kong skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows. Perfect for making an impression on some special visitors from out of town - or on that all-important first date. AW

Wet market, Chinese

Tung Po

The food here is good, but nothing to rave about. What makes it special is the atmosphere: it's raucous, friendly and fun. Catch owner Robby Cheung on a good day and he'll crank up the music and try the moonwalk while wearing his knee-high rubber wellies. SJ

Wet market, French

ABC Kitchen

Fans of M at the Fringe will recognise the menu at ABC Kitchen, opened in the market by employees of M after it closed several years ago. You'll be eating roast suckling pig and pavlova on red-checked tablecloths next to shops selling fish ball noodles and curry. SJ

Roast goose

Yat Lok Barbecue Restaurant

This specialist in roast goose was featured in No Reservations by Anthony Bourdain, who said enthusiastically: "It's all about the goose!" He concluded: "It's worth flying all the way to Hong Kong" from the US." YT

Steakhouse

Blue Butcher

Blue Butcher takes its beef very seriously - it's dry-aged in house. The wagyu and Black Angus rib-eye practically melt in the mouth, and the salt bush lamb rack and slow-roasted lamb shoulder are not to be sniffed at, either. Carnivores will be in heaven. AW

Yunnan Noodles

Kiu Heung Yuan Yunnan Rice Noodle

Choose between "wet" (with soup) and "dry" rice vermicelli, pick the spice level and select the toppings such as white radish, fish dumplings, and pig intestines. This low-key spot is not a place to linger - it's small, and the tables are close together. SJ

Kaiseki with a view

RyuGin

The view from the ICC tower is a treat, and indulging in delicious kaiseki at RyuGin is unforgettable. The finest ingredients are prepared in innovative ways. Try the corn custard with shrimp broth jelly and grilled eel. BC

Stuffed chicken wing

Celebrity Cuisine

Most Chinese restaurants use glutinous rice to stuff their boned chicken wings; Cheng Kam-fu, chef of Celebrity Cuisine, uses bird's nest. The result is delicate and luxurious. Cheng's home-style dishes are also good, such as the fried baby pigeon, fish head clay pot and pi pa doufu. SJ

Peking duck

Sha Tin 18

The skin of the Peking duck at Sha Tin 18 is unlike any other we've tasted: lighter and much more delicate. The meat is secondary, but it's still good when wrapped in the thin pancakes and moistened with hoisin sauce. SJ

Post-yoga nibbles

METropolitan Café

After a yoga session nothing beats a fresh green salad at METropolitan Café. The serving is reasonably big and very filling, and there are six different tasty dressings including thousand island, honey mustard and balsamic vinaigrette. KK

Gai daan jai

Lee Keung Kee North Point Egg Waffles

Often called "Hong Kong-style waffles", gai daan jai translates to "little chicken eggs". The ones served here are pleasingly crusty on the outside while superbly fluffy within. YT

New (Chinese) kid on the block

The Boss

I like The Boss so much I've eaten there two more times, since reviewing it in August. The dim sum is good, as are the fried chicken with house-made shrimp sauce, and baked crab with vermicelli. SJ

Japanese cocktail bar

Butler

Tucked away in an office building, Butler is just like some of the cocktail bars you'll find in Tokyo. The bartenders are obsessive and meticulous, and mix up drinks tailored to the tastes of the customers. SJ

Sake bar

Sake Bar Ginn

This place serves delicious food and a range of drinks (including Japanese whiskeys and microbrew beers). But with more than 100 premiums varieties available, there's no question that sake is king here. YT

Chiu Chow

Chao Hui Guan

The lo sui (master sauce) meats at this eatery are fantastic, especially the goose liver. Also worth ordering are the raw marinated seafood (especially the prawns), pan-fried goose intestines and - when in season - the thin-shelled mussels with basil and fermented bean paste. SJ

Burger joint

BurgeRoom

When only a hamburger will do, try this gem on a Causeway Bay backstreet - it's well worth the trip. Everything's cooked to order and even finicky foodies won't be able to resist the foie gras, portobello mushroom or ling fish with chilli burgers. AW

Sichuan hotpot

San Xi Lou

San Xi Lou does Sichuan hotpot right - with chillies and Sichuan peppercorns bubbling away in a menacing red soup. The other Sichuan dishes are delicious and fiery. Try the mapo doufu. AW

Steamed crab dish

The Chairman

While all the food is good here, it's the steamed flower crab with aged Shaoxing wine and fragrant chicken oil that everyone raves about. The crab is succulent and sweet, and the sauce is so good you'll want to scoop up every last drop. SJ

Hairy crab dish

Shanghai Lu Yang Cun Restaurant

My favourite way of eating hairy crab is to let someone else do the work for me. Here, they serve whole crabs the traditional way, but even better are the hairy crab noodles. The sauce has such an abundance of roe and meat that it teeters dangerously on the edge of too much. SJ

Luxe desserts

Sevva

If you have any money left after what is likely to be a fabulous meal at Sevva, don't scrimp on dessert: a dangerously decadent selection awaits. The "original crunch cake" and "Marie Antoinette's crave" are to die for. AW

All-day breakfast

Classified

Classified offers an all-day breakfast that is a godsend to those suffering after a big night; the wine selection will also be welcomed by those seeking the hair of the dog. AW

Pasta dish

Ammo

It was a close race between the angel hair pasta with uni served at Ammo and the wild boar ragout tagliatelle at Gold. The angel hair won - but simply because I love uni more. The secret to its success is that the uni is just barely warmed, and there's enough of it. SJ

Beef brisket

Sun Sin

You can order beef brisket in different degrees of leanness, and with or without tendon. The meat is cooked with five spice and white radish, and served in a light broth. SJ

Beef ball noodles

Tak Fat Beef Ball

When dining in the Haiphong Road Temporary Market, look out for the vendor serving noodles in orange bowls. The beef balls here have a nice, bouncy texture and are flavoured with ginger and dried tangerine peel. SJ

Bakery

Boulangerie Bistronomique

This place serves very fine French breads and pastries, which are baked onsite, and a small menu of savoury items, such as sandwiches and cheese. They also sell high-quality French products including sardines, juices and Christine Ferber jams. SJ

Sea urchin dish

Amber

I order sea urchin whenever I see it on the menu. Chef Richard Ekkebus makes a luxurious ingredient even better by adding lobster jelly, cauliflower and caviar. SJ

Hunan

Cafe Hunan

Space is tight in this small restaurant, but diners crowd in for the authentic food. Try the yin yang fish head, which has green and red preserved chillies; the shredded potato with hot and sour sauce; and stir-fried pork with Youxian dried bean curd. SJ

Steamed crab claw

Tim's Kitchen

It's hard to fault the crab claw steamed with egg white at Tim's Kitchen. Only the biggest, freshest crab claws are chosen, while the silky egg white has a hint of ginger. BC

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