Stir-fry, dim sum and more: a bar owner’s picks for good Cantonese food flavoured with ‘wok hei’ in Hong Kong
- Billy Ha works in the hospitality business and appreciates old restaurants where you can taste the history and skills of the original chefs
- He loves Cantonese cuisine, goes to places in Sham Shui Po for traditional dishes, and names two spots in Central with prices ‘even cheaper’ than in Kowloon
Avid street-life photographer (@spoonek9) Billy Ha is a partner in two bars in Central, Hong Kong: Dio and The Social Den. He spoke to Andrew Sun.
I grew up in a tight-knit family in public housing and there was a lot of home cooking, mostly Chinese. But I spent my formative years in the US and that is where I learned to truly appreciate the dynamics of Cantonese cuisine.
I appreciate food in many forms, but especially age-old establishments that still have their original chefs in the kitchen.
Places like New Yung Kee (118 Fuk Wa St, Sham Shui Po. Tel: 2387 1051), Oi Man Sang Dai Pai Dong Restaurant (Shop B-C, 1 Shek Kip Mei Street, Sham Shui Po. Tel: 2393 9315), Man Fat Seafood Restaurant (55 Fuk Wa Street, Sham Shui Po. Tel: 2386 6118) and Ladies Street Sik Faan Co. (Shop B, 1/F, Witty Commercial Building, 1A-1L Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok. Tel: 2685 1618) all serve fresh ingredients sourced daily and lesser known traditional dishes, sometimes with their own twist.
There are also a number of hidden gems in Central on Hong Kong Island, where I work. Chung Kee Congee (32-34 Gilman’s Bazaar, Central. Tel: 2544 0208) and Fish Ball King (36 Gilman’s Bazaar, Central. Tel: 2891 1838) are my go-to choices in the Gilman’s Bazaar alley. They are quick, very tasty and prices are even cheaper than those in the Kowloon side.
If I am out late, Yuen Hing (34-36 Gilman’s Bazaar, Central. Tel: 2545 2219) offers quick no-fuss wok hei stir-fries until way past midnight.
10:03
Wok hei: why do stir-fry dishes taste better with the ‘breath of the wok’?
Outside Hong Kong, I really like Sorn (56 Soi Sukhumvit 26, Khlong Tan, Bangkok. Tel: +66 99 081 1119).
It is essentially a luxury residential unit and feels more like entering someone’s home than a restaurant.
The menu rotates with the season, but I would say every course is memorable.
In Tokyo, Asadachi (1-2-14 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. Tel: +81 3 3342 1083) is the most well-known restaurant in Omoide Yokochō, a narrow lane filled with dozens of restaurants.
This grill restaurant stands out for its old wooden furniture, and the family will not rush diners regardless of whether there is a queue of people waiting.
When I was there, I noticed a huge block at the end of the counter with quite a few organs and frog legs. The youngest chef patiently explained the menu to me – I was not too enthusiastic on the quirkier items, so I ordered the usual beef, chicken gizzards and some veggies. The smoky chargrill aroma from every bite was transcendent.
