Meet the Meats
The eating habits of the carnivorous Hongkonger—plus more meat tips than you can shake a sausage at.
We’ve always been a city of animal lovers. Beasts shunned as too deadly or fugly in other cultures have always found a welcome spot on our plates. But the one dish local diners have been most loyal to is the pig; truckloads of squealers arrive every day from across the border to be slaughtered, sliced and served as cha siu and siu yuk.
That said, beef has been making serious inroads into the local dining culture over the years. As Hong Kong becomes more international, and steak establishes itself as globalization’s preeminent dish, our traditional meat of choice has found itself jostling for space in kitchens with a new competitor. We look at this battle of the species from all angles of the business, from Chinese-prepared Iberian pork to how all that fatty beef jives with your cardiovascular system.
Also see, Is Red Meat Bad For You? and Meet Meat Man, with 30 odds years of experience he knows what cut and type of meat best just by telling him what you're planning to dish out.