Milk tea, crispy chicken, her favourite congee: where a hotelier and restaurateur goes to eat in Hong Kong
- Maria Lee has been working in hotels and hospitality in Hong Kong for decades, and has collected many favourites for dining out along the way
- From a cha chaan teng she has been going to for 50 years to a Michelin-recommended congee shop, her favourites offer a taste of Cantonese cuisine
Businesswoman Maria Lee was Hong Kong’s first female hotel general manager in 1987 (of the Asia Hotel). She then founded The Rosedale Hotel Group and is now developing an elderly living concept in Happy Valley. She spoke to Andrew Sun.
I like any kind of authentic cuisine prepared in traditional cooking style but with a creative setting.
A location I like is Cheung Hing Coffee Shop (9-11 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley. Tel: 2572 5097). I’ve been going there for 50 years since I was young. Although the ownership has changed hands, the venue is still memorable. I like the satay beef macaroni, and pineapple bun with a milk tea with less sugar.
Another favourite is the Wan Chai location of Trusty Congee King (various locations including 7 Heard Street, Wan Chai. Tel: 2882 3268). They’ve been listed in the Michelin Guide for 12 consecutive year in the Bib Gourmand category award.
Shung Hing Chiu Chow Restaurant (29 Queen’s Road West, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2854 4557) offers a scrumptious menu and it is always a full house for dinner. The food quality is very consistent. If you know how to order, it is also not expensive at all. Do not expect hotel-style service, but the food is always good.
I always like to order the bean sauce chicken. It is not on the menu and you need to order it one day ahead. I would say this is our family’s favourite restaurant.
I like taking visitors to clubs, whether it’s the Country Club, Football Club or Parkview Club, because the restaurant standards are very high. But aside from clubs, Yue (Shop 1301, 13/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2838 2968) offers very good quality cuisine. The deep fried crispy chicken with scallions is the signature dish.
Since I do travel a lot, I have some favourite places outside Hong Kong. For example, in New York I like Peter Luger Steakhouse (178 Broadway, Brooklyn. Tel: +1 718 387 7400) which has been around since 1887.
In Seville, Spain, the Restaurante San Fernando (Calle San Fernando Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville. Tel: +34 954 91 70 000) is really beautiful.
In Taiwan, I like the traditional flavours of Shen Pu Shang Yan (Np. 152, Section 4, Xinyi Road, Da’an, Taipei. Tel: +886 2 2755 3999). Lastly, Hua Yu Wee (462 Upper East Coast Road, Singapore. Tel: +65 6442 9313) is another classic eatery specialising in seafood. It dates back to the 1950s.
