Knitted art pioneer Movana Chen on the best chicken rice in Hong Kong, and other favourite restaurants
- Hainan Chicken Experts in Sai Wan Ho is aptly named, says artist – it’s chicken rice is unbeatable. And she loves the claypot rice at Tai Po’s Chan Hon Kee
- She is also a fan of Kennedy Town newcomer Slowood’s vegan and vegetarian food, and of the Turkish coffee in New Territories destination Tai Mei Tuk
Visual artist Movana Chen is known for her knitted artworks. She studied fashion design at the London College of Fashion and received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in Hong Kong.
I’m not really a one-kind-of-food person. I enjoy trying cuisine from all cultures. I know what foods I like, and what I want to eat. I prefer simple, fresh, not overly complicated food. I like to feel the environment and know about the food [at a restaurant] and form a relationship from dining.
Slowood (Shop 1-3, The Hudson, 11 Davis Street, Kennedy Town, tel: 2818 0203) is my new favourite space to eat. It is all vegan and vegetarian, and it’s not like a formal restaurant. You can see all the ingredients around the room, as many of them are sold in the store.
The chef prepares the food from those ingredients. You can really feel that food is a journey there; it’s special. The bread is baked in-house.
I like Ajijiman Japanese Restaurant (45 Tai Hong Street, Site B, SoHo East, Lei King Wan, Sai Wan Ho, tel: 2539 0098). It’s near my home in SoHo East. I love the unagi rice. I have been going there for 15 years, often by myself.
It’s not really a guilty pleasure, but I like barbecued squid and street food in general. I like small snacks that you find on the way somewhere, and stop for a moment to enjoy something local. The small curry fish ball store that translates to Fish Ball Guy (Shop A28B, Tai On Building, 57-87 Shau Kei Wan Road, Sai Wan Ho), has cheap, yummy street food. It’s only HK$5 for five home-made spicy curry fish balls.
In the same location, Hainan Chicken Experts (Shop A32B, Tai On Building, 57-87 Shau Kei Wan Road, Sai Wan Ho) is a small chicken rice stall that always has a queue. I think it’s the best chicken rice in town.
Another place I enjoy is Pure Veggie House (3/F, Coda Plaza, 51 Garden Road, Mid-Levels, tel: 2525 0552). They do vegetarian dim sum in a nice place, worth the walk up through Hong Kong Park.
Pimary & Co (25 Lo Tsz Tin Tsuen, Ting Kok Road, Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po, tel: 2408 8938) is a concept store hidden in Tai Mei Tuk. They sell sustainable skincare and home products but I love the Turkish coffee there.
I also love the local food at Chan Hon Kee (91B Wan Tau Street, Tai Po, tel: 2658 2277), especially the steamed rice rolls and clay pot rice.
