The best Shanghainese restaurant in Hong Kong, according to a food scientist and Shake Shack executive who also loves sushi and steak
- Cindy Yang, a food scientist who works as a regional culinary manager for Shake Shack, is an ‘adventurous foodie’ who loves seeking new flavours
- She tells us about her go-to Chinese restaurant in the city and its hairy crab feast, and why she rates the Kansai-style sukiyaki at a favourite Japanese place
Food scientist Cindy Yang is Shake Shack’s regional culinary manager for Asia-Pacific. Her latest creation for the burger chain is a seasonal treat, lava custard mooncake milkshake. She spoke to Andrew Sun.
When I was a child travelling with my family, my dad would drive for hours just to find a nice restaurant to eat at. That shaped my food personality to be adventurous, always seeking new and exciting things to try and I rarely settle on something ordinary when I am travelling.
My favourite Chinese restaurant is Liu Yuan Pavilion (3/F, The Broadway, 54-62 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2804 2000). They serve the best southeastern Chinese dishes, many of which are unavailable elsewhere in the city.
The dishes are mildly seasoned but delicious. I go for the hairy crab feast menu every autumn. The huadiao drunken chicken, pan-fried pork buns, smoked pigeon, double-boiled pork with bamboo shoots, and braised “lion head” meatballs are not to be missed.
Sushi Kuu (1/F, M88, Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 2971 0180) is always top of my list when I’m craving Japanese. It offers sashimi (sea urchin and toro) and wagyu beef with a selection of Japanese sake.