Queues waiting outside a certain dessert chain for a mango drink or pudding are a common sight in Hong Kong. But the best mango pudding isn't found at a chain store. It's available from a cosy shop in the backstreets of Causeway Bay with the mildly ostentatious name of Grand Place. What sets this shop's delicious dessert apart are the huge slices of juicy mango embedded in the light-coloured pudding. And every serving comes with a plastic tube of milk for those who fancy it.
The mango pudding cup (HK$18) is MSG and preservative free and not overly sweet. Other homemade, ready-to-eat fare has already garnered favourable reviews for the retro-style shop, which recently celebrated its first birthday. 'The mango pudding is one of the best-selling items in our homemade collection. It's freshly made every day to our own secret recipe and has become a party favourite,' says owner Sandy Suen.
Those who are in a rush can buy pre-packed cups to take away but if you have time, you might want to sit and enjoy the eatery's other favourites, such as curry chicken (HK$58), sauteed abalone (HK$800-HK$1,200; advance orders essential) and nutritious Chinese soup (HK$68).
If you're lucky, you might even run into a celebrity or two. Grand Place has won over such famous faces as Veronica Yip Yuk-hing and Elaine Ng Yee-lei.
Grand Place is at G/F, 24 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay; tel: 2643 3199.
