Snack Attack
Dorothy So hits the streets to find the hottest street-side snacks in town.
The street-food shops of Hong Kong have much more to offer than the same old curry fishballs on a stick and Taiwanese bubble teas. From authentic Mexican tacos to innovative ramen-filled buns, get a taste of the city’s new wave of street eats.
Too Hot to Handle
If you manage to fight your way through the crowds perpetually hovering around this busy spot on Sai Yeung Choi Street, hit up Tea House street stall and order a bowl of their Chung King style noodles. Thick strands of slippery potato starch noodles swim in a bright red spicy and sour chili broth filled with fragrant sesame seeds, chopped cilantro and a nice helping of crunchy peanuts. The noodles pack quite a spicy punch though. If you don’t think you can handle the heat, get the staff to dish up their less spicy version.
Shop A1, 24 Sai Yeung Choi St., Mong Kok.
A Bite of Bitte
Bitte Bitte hotdog specialist has no sit down eating—just a few high tables set up for diners to enjoy their dogs à la street-side. The concept is German-style frankfurters, served in a fusion Japanese style. Choose any of their nine-inch grilled-to-order hot dogs (with a choice of six different sausages) with 13 different toppings.
The “cheese ‘n chili” dog is a popular choice, but we also recommend the “alligator bites” with avocado and diced tomato. While you’re at it, order a tub of their sliced sausages, served with either German potato cakes or crunchily delicious French fries. Again, you can choose different add-ons, from junk food classic cheese sauce, to an oishii “teri-mayo” topping.
Shop B&C, Hoi Tao Court, 15 Cannon St., Causeway Bay, 2777-7220.
Sausage of the Sea
Street-side stall Sausage Family specializes in fresh-off-the-grill Taiwanese-style ham and seafood sausages in four flavors. The squid ink sausage is a popular choice, with its striking jet-black appearance and strong, peppery flavor. Also worth trying is the flying fish roe sausage, which has pearls of salty roe speckled throughout the tender pork meat, making for an interesting medley of textures. The other two sausage choices are filled with chunks of tuna and delicately flavored sakura shrimp. And if you can’t choose which sausage you want, go for the combination option, which allows you to sample bite-size sausages of three different flavors at $15 a skewer.
517 Lockhart Rd., Causeway Bay; 1A Shu Kuk St., North Point, 8101-3688.