Holy Dish

Jewish

There are currently five operating synagogues in Hong Kong, but there is only one rabbi with a voice as enchanting, a wife as foxy and children as cute as Rabbi Netanel Meoded of Kehilat Zion-Hechal Ezra Synagogue in Tsim Sha Tsui. Oh, and the food is oy vey delicious. Every Friday night, Rabbi Meoded leads Shabbat (Sabbath) services, which always conclude with a delectable feast. Middle Eastern specialties, kosher Chinese dishes, and a baba ghanoush so smoky your tongue will melt into your heart. Since Hong Kong’s Jewish population is mostly transient, the Shabbat dinner can range anywhere from an intimate group of regulars to 200-person banquets. The services are attended by an incredibly international crowd; you’re likely to run into diamond dealers or people in the shmatta trade. Either way, be prepared to carry on a conversation in at least two languages at once.
1/F, 105, 62 Mody Rd., Wing On Plaza, Tsim Sha Tsui

Muslim

Christ’s followers have the whole Sunday, but for Muslims holy time is Friday at lunchtime, and there’s no better place to catch it than at Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre in Wan Chai. After ablutions (the cleansing ritual) and prayers, lunch is served in the canteen. Expect lots of curries, and usually Halal chicken (there’s no lamb when you’re only paying $10-$15). Actually, the food isn’t that great. Which is fine, because you only go to the mosque for prayer, right? Insha’Allah.

For fine Muslim dining, Habibi in Central offers the best Egyptian cuisine in town. And yes, they’re Halal.
Islamic Centre: 40 Oi Kwan Rd., Wan Chai
Habibi: 112-114 Wellington St., Central, 2544-9298

Buddhist

If you squint during a meditative stroll through the serene Nan Lian Garden before Chi Lin Nunnery, you can almost fool your ego into thinking that you’re in Kyoto. To the side of an impressively fake waterfall, you’ll find Lung Men Lou, a green building masquerading as a hill, housing the Chi Lin vegetarian restaurant. They have soup du jour and an ever-rotating menu of fresh vegetables, pine nuts, lotus root, gingko seeds, fungi, veggie wontons and rice crispies in sweet and sour sauce. Pick a window seat—you get a panoramic view of Nirvana in the form of T’ang-style gardens, pavilions, pond and all.

Can’t let go of the attachment to consuming dead animals? Mou man tai—you’re in Southern China; now there are myriad forms of wheat gluten and soy products that mimic the sinewy texture of flesh, muscle, and the crispiness of deep-fried skin. Gaia Veggie Shop, a favorite for monks and nuns, serves vegetarian “roast pork,” “cha siu,” “Peking duck” and even “sashimi” that taste uncannily like their real counterparts.

Chi Lin Vegetarian, Diamond Hill, Kowloon, 3658-9388
Gaia Veggie Shop, 8/F, Goldmark, 502 Hennessy Rd., Causeway Bay, 2808-1386

Hindu

For a community as significant and as proactive as the Hindus in Hong Kong, one would expect devotion on a larger scale than a single temple in Happy Valley. But as they say, it’s not the quantity, it’s the quality­ (and the fact that nearly every Indian has their own mini place of worship at home). Sunday is holy—but don’t expect longwinded sermons on righteousness and belief. No, this is the oldest faith in the world, and it’s got staying power for a good reason. There are energetic music sessions with tablas and sitars, life-affirming tales of adventurous gods, and a massive room for socializing—but the best part is yet to come. The whole affair is followed by a free all-you-can-eat meal, featuring an ever-changing healthy-and-heavy selection of veggie curries, basmati rice, dahl and other delicacies served on silver plates. It’s a protein-rich diet, with lots of lentils, chickpeas and other pulses. They’re not light on carbs either. Remember to get prasad, an offering made to the guru or the deities in the form of fruits or homemade Indian desserts and sweets.
1B Wong Nai Chung Rd., Happy Valley

Sikh