‘Deadly good’ pineapple buns, Instagram-worthy chicken, seafood on a boat: Hong Kong food recommendations

Kimberly Kwok says customers at Happy Valley’s Cheung Hing Coffee Shop don’t know they can get the pineapple bun with runny eggs and spam – ‘I love it’
She shares her top picks for okonomiyaki, aged kimchi and pork stew, beef brisket noodles, siu mei and much more

Food and Drinks

Andrew Sun

Published: 4:45pm, 5 Oct 2023

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In addition to being the founder of Mighty Oaks International Nursery and Kindergarten in Kennedy Town on Hong Kong Island, Kimberly Kwok recently created Acorn Playhouse, a concept combining indoor education and play zones for kids and a cafe and co-working space for parents trying to balance childcare with work. She spoke to Andrew Sun.

I love food a lot. People actually joke that my eyes light up for good food more than they light up for my husband. But we grew up eating a lot of wonton noodles, pineapple buns, in a lot of cha chaan teng, all the local stuff.

I like casual restaurants. I don’t like meals that last more than two hours – I don’t have the time. I want to go home, Netflix and sleep.

If I am eating by myself, I really like Solo Udon (Shop 3, G/F, V Point, 18 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay. Tel: 6790 5970). I really like mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and theirs is served cold so, during summer, it’s really nice and refreshing. The udon is also very al dente.

Okonomiyaki with pork from Kozy Okonomi-yaki Teppan-yaki in Causeway Bay. Photo: SCMP

With friends, I like Kozy Okonomi-yaki Teppan-yaki (9/F, Circle Plaza, 499 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2591 1281). The service is a bit slow but the food is really good.

I also like Kona (16 Lin Fa Kung Street West, Tai Hang. Tel: 2881 6339) for yakitori (skewers). There’s a smoked chicken dish that comes out sizzling so it’s very Instagrammable.

I’m on a low carb diet now and for comfort food, we go to Shimo (24/F, Oliv, 15-21 Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2321 5155) which does sukiyaki – a hotpot-style dish.

Spicy seafood noodles at Han Ah Rum in Causeway Bay. Photo: SCMP

I also like Kaya (9/F, Soundwill Plaza 2 – Midtown, 1-29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2838 9550) for Korean grilled beef. I also like their army stew.

Another good Korean spot is Han Ah Rum (6/F, Causeway Bay Plaza 1, 489 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2866 6927) for their aged kimchi pork stew.

For comforting local food, Eight Treasures (124 Electric Road, Tin Hau. Tel: 2889 8366) does great beef brisket noodles. The soup is more medicinal in flavour and tastes like there’s less MSG. You have to order the butterfly-cut brisket because it’s fattier.

Noodles with turnip, beef brisket, tripe and tendon at Eight Treasures in Tin Hau. Photo: Eight Treasures

I live around Happy Valley. People tend to go to Cheung Hing Coffee Shop (9-11 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley. Tel: 2572 5097) for the pineapple bun, but most don’t know they can get the pineapple bun with runny eggs and spam. It’s so deadly good. I love it. It’s salty and sweet and if you accompany it with a milk tea, it’s amazing if you’re not on a diet.

A pineapple bun at Cheung Hing Coffee Shop in Happy Valley. Photo: SCMP

For entertaining visitors, there’s a fishing boat called Shun Kee Typhoon Shelter (Causeway Bay Water Selling Kiosk, Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter. Tel: 8112 0075). From the pier across from the World Trade Centre, you get on a little boat to get on a big fishing boat where you can eat typhoon shelter crab and other dishes. The food is pretty good and tourists think it’s a cool experience.

Crab at Shun Kee Typhoon Shelter. Photo: Instagram/@hungryfoodbabe

For dim sum, I like Moon Bay Chinese Cuisine (8/F, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 2332 9383). They also do great suckling pig, but it’s expensive.

A real local experience is Shun Hing Cha Dong (5 Ormsby Street, Tai Hang. Tel: 2576 6577). The char siu eggs dish is really nice and it’s a grungier experience.

Sausage and cured meat clay pot rice at Wing Hop Sing. Photo: SCMP

For claypot rice, my favourite is Wing Hop Sing (360 Des Voeux Road, Shek Tong Tsui. Tel: 2850 5723). I like the mince beef with runny eggs in claypot rice. The crazy thing is they only open until 4pm.

The food at LPM (Shop 1, UG, H Queen’s, 23-29 Stanley Street, Central. Tel: 2887 1113) is really good but personally, I enjoy their tomatini cocktail. It’s refreshing, with just the right amount of kick.

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