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Hong Kong dining & recommendations
LifestyleFood & Drink

Favourite Hong Kong restaurants of celebrity chef Judy Joo, founder of Jinjuu

Little Bao, Ho Lee Fook and Mott 32 are among the go-to dining destinations of Korean American who hosts Korean Food Made Simple on the Asian Food Channel

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Judy Joo, celebrity chef and founder of restaurant Jinjuu.
Grace MW Wong
Like many people, I am obsessed with food. To most people, Korean food means fiery dishes, barbecued meat, jap chae noodles, bibimbap, chicken pot and soup; but in fact not all Korean dishes are spicy. Last December, I opened my first overseas branch of Jinjuu (UG/F, California Tower, 32 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, tel: 3755 4868).Jinjuu’s concept is very different – it doesn’t exist anywhere else. I want to show the world that Korean restaurants can be hip, cool, fashionable and sexy.

I lived here for three months prior to the opening and have been coming back periodically so I get the opportunity to eat my way around town whenever I can. I have tried some Korean barbecue places in Tsim Sha Tsui but nothing really stands out. When I am dining out, I pay for both food and service. I expect good food, meaning fresh ingredients with nice flavours. I don’t like having ordinary meals and being charged a lot of money.

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May Chow of Little Bao in Central. Photo: Edward Wong
May Chow of Little Bao in Central. Photo: Edward Wong
I love the pork bao, love the concept, love the vibe, and love May [Chow] of Little Bao (66 Staunton Street, SoHo, tel: 2194 0202). Her place is a fun, edgy, hipster eatery.
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I love Chinese cuisine, and Sichuan and Hunan are my favourite regional delicacies. Ho Lee Fook (1-5 Elgin Street, SoHo, tel: 2810 0860) is where I enjoy outstanding vegetarian dishes such as their asparagus with broccoli. I am also captivated by their wall of cats.

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