Hong Kong dining: food industry veteran’s favourite restaurants, from Cuisine Cuisine to Mak’s Noodle
Benjamin Lung co-opened the much-loved former Lan Kwai Fong Italian eatery Va Bene almost 30 years ago and is now director of Papi, a casual Italian restaurant in Causeway Bay. He tells us his favourite dining spots in the city
I cook a lot at home now. As I get older, I’m more ingredient-focused and eat simpler food.
Being Cantonese, I love wonton. I used to like Mak’s Noodle on Wellington Street in Central, but now I go to the one in Causeway Bay (37 Leighton Road, tel: 2893 0006). I find the taste better there.
I like hole-in-the-wall places too. In winter, one of my favourites is She Wong Lam (13 Hillier Street, Sheung Wan, tel: 2543 8032). They serve snake and nothing else. I remember my parents driving us there and they would slit the snake open in front of you to serve the gall bladder.
My kids love a tiny Vietnamese place called Viet Chiu (406B Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun, tel: 2333 6551). It’s not exactly comfortable, but it’s very consistent. The soup base is very good and they have the best steamed rice rolls.