Tai Hang Hangouts

Who knew that a cute little ‘hood like Tai Hang could actually be a foodie’s paradise? A seemingly nondescript residential area, Tai Hang lies just a few minutes’ walk southeast of bustling Causeway Bay. Best known for the fire dragon dance that winds through its narrow streets during the Mid-Autumn Festival, in recent years the neighborhood has witnessed the proliferation of dozens of little restaurants. Restaurant owners say that the community is tight-knit and supportive; competing places even lend each other ingredients. These joints are also relatively undiscovered—most people we met eating there are either loyal customers or local residents. For all you newbies out here, here’s a roundup of five of the best eats in Tai Hang.

Daruma Ramen House
Proprietor Charlie Chan founded Daruma Ramen House as a hobby to complement his burgeoning fashion business—but it’s now one of the most popular ramen shops in the area. “I’ve eaten ramen in Japan for 10 years,” Charlie explains. “But no ramen in Hong Kong is as good as the ones I’ve tasted there, so I decided to bring real Japanese ramen to Hong Kong.” While Daruma’s other dishes are made with a lighter broth, its signature ramen is served with an incredibly thick, flavorful broth made out of pork bones that have been stewed for 10 hours. It’s so special that they only make 15 bowls of it every day. The broth is poured over noodles imported straight from Nippon and garnished with a runny egg, sweet corn, fish roe, spring onions, seaweed and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly. A heaping bowl comes with a plate of marinated garlic, beans and vegetables. Other snacks for sale include chicken wings stuffed with fish roe and yam and chestnut croquettes.
Shop E, G/F, Ming Sun Building, 92 Tung Lo Wan Rd., Tai Hang, 2565-6600, www.daruma.com.hk

Choi’s Kitchen
Though this restaurant opened its doors in Tai Hang a mere six months ago, it actually has a long history in Wan Chai. For over 20 years, Chef Choi Yin-tong ran a successful claypot rice joint there under a different name. After he retired, he closed down his shop in Wan Chai, leaving many devotees thinking he was out of the kitchen for good. At the urging of his family, however, Choi made a comeback—at the ripe old age of 61—and opened a new restaurant in Tai Hang that serves claypot rice and Cantonese cuisine. Other popular dishes include sweet and sour pork, fried squid with white pepper and beef brisket in broth. A stickler for detail, Choi use only the freshest ingredients that he buys at the market each day.
Shop A1, G/F, 9-11 Shepherd St., Tai Hang, 3485-0501

Cheen Hao Gum
This quaint little dessert parlor tucked away in a side street, has been around since 2009. The restaurant’s owner, Mario, recalls how much has changed since Tai Hang was a neighborhood best known for car-repair shops. Cheen Hao Gum’s menu is extensive, encompassing both Chinese and Western desserts. Some even fuse the two, such as a gimmicky dish of chocolate tong yuen (glutinous rice balls) in a malted, sweet Vitasoy soup. We sampled their newest offerings, a green tea tofu pudding and an ice cream puff. The pudding had subtle matcha flavors that weren’t overly sweet, while the puff was more traditional, with cookies-and-cream ice cream sandwiched between two fluffy pastries.
4 Shepherd St., Tai Hang, 5178-0010

Vietnam Station
A joint favored by locals, Vietnam Station has all the trappings of any typical Vietnamese restaurant. Their most popular dish, which is also Chef Ah Shui’s specialty, is a huge bowl of soft rice noodles, beef slices, beef balls, tendons, tripe and turnips, all garnished with a liberal amount of onion, parsley and (of course) some pungent fish sauce. Try their shrimp and pork rice-paper roll, and top it all off with some fresh coconut juice.
G/F, 136 Tung Lo Wan Rd., Tai Hang, 2895-0788

Chao’s Hotpotter
There are Chiu Chow restaurants aplenty all over this town, but this one specializes in hotpot. What sets Chiu Chow hotpot apart, owner Ted Lam explains, is that the cow is the star of the show—not just its meat but also its innards and the bones (which are used for the broth). Any leftover beef goes into beef balls, which are handmade each day and a favorite among regular patrons. Other popular dishes include Japanese oysters, pork belly slices and dumplings—one kind is innovatively filled with cheese and salmon. Chiu Chow hotpot is also known for its plethora of sauces, especially shacha sauce, which is traditionally made out of soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilis and dried shrimp. Chao’s special recipe mixes in sesame sauce to balance out the strong flavors, so make sure to dunk your beef generously.
22 Shepherd St., Tai Hang, 2890-9308