bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

She Wong Lam

Iron cages and wooden drawers with “poisonous snake” tags on them are scattered throughout She Wong Lam. This prominent and longstanding snake restaurant has been serving customers for over 100 years. Snake soup is the only delicacy on the menu (although snake gall bladder is sometimes available). The thick broth consists of sliced snake, mushrooms, seafood, dried tangerine peel, ginger and chicken, and is then topped with lemongrass.13 Hillier St., Sheung Wan, 2543-8032.
Se Wong Sun

Se Wong Sun serves a variety of dishes, including the weather-appropriate snake-meat claypot rice. During peak hours at this popular restaurant, you might need to sit on folding stools in the middle of the street to enjoy your meal.G/F, Fortune Mansion, 10-12 Cross St., Wan Chai, 2891-6639.
Se Wong Yee

Michelin-recommended Se Wong Yee serves traditional snake soup with chicken and mushroom topped with chrysanthemum petals and lemongrass.24 Percival St., Causeway Bay, 2831-0163.
Shia Wong Hip

Founded in 1960 and located on busy Apliu Street, the old-school Shia Wong Hip crafts its own signature snake liquor alongside other snakey dishes. Famous main courses include deep-fried snake meatballs and steamed snake meat with fish maw drenched in a homemade sauce. For added effect, the place uses a vintage wooden wardrobe to lock up their poisonous snakes.170 Apliu St., Sham Shui Po, 2386-9064.
 
Ask an Expert
Eighty-four year-old Mak Kong, also known as Dai She Mak  (Or “Big Snake Mak” in Cantonese), is the official snake expert at She Wong Lam. He tells Mark Yuen about the most popular edible snakes in Hong Kong, and where they all come from.
What kind of snakes are eaten in Hong Kong?
	“We mainly use five kinds of snakes, including the Asiatic rat snake, the Chinese cobra, the banded krait, the radiated rat snake and the Chinese krait. Chinese restaurants also use cai she (snakes that are raised for eating) for making different snake dishes such as stir-fried sliced snakes and snake hotpot.”
Where are the snakes from?
	“They’re all from Mainland China, as the snakes found in Hong Kong must be declared and kept by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. But the number of snakes from the mainland is getting scarce, since China seldom exports them nowadays. Also, some species now are under protection and can no longer be sold.”
How do you tell a tasty snake from a not-so-tasty one? For example, any hints from its color, firmness or texture?
	“According to my 66 years of experience, basically, snakes that bite upon arrival are good. There’s no relationship between the color and the quality. The snakes’ skin color changes according to their habitat—for example, if they grow in soil, their skins will be pale yellow.”
 
Back to main page.


Best of the Best: Quotes from the Most Prominent People in Hong Kong

Designer Comma Leung is Crowdfunding to Make Wallets for the Blind

What Do I Need to Know to Survive in Hong Kong?

HK Mag Staff Pick Their Favorite Eats for the Last Time

HK Magazine Archive

Snake Restaurants

Shia Wong Hip

Magazines

Like it or not, Hong Kong is home to snake restaurants aplenty. If you're not squeamish, you can give these places a try. By Maggie Yeung 


Snake Restaurants

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Like it or not, Hong Kong is home to snake restaurants aplenty. If you're not squeamish, you can give these places a try. By Maggie Yeung

She Wong Lam

Se Wong Sun

Se Wong Yee

Shia Wong Hip

Like it or not, Hong Kong is home to snake restaurants aplenty. If you're not squeamish, you can give these places a try. By Maggie Yeung