Source:
https://scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3158641/noodles-spicy-sichuan-and-shanghai-buns-where-fan-chinese-food
Lifestyle/ Food & Drink

Noodles, spicy Sichuan and Shanghai buns: where a fan of Chinese food likes to eat in Hong Kong

  • Jared Lawler, who comes from Melbourne and owns coffee shops in Hong Kong, is a big fan of Chinese street-style noodles
  • He also likes Middle Eastern and Sichuan food, but his favourite meal is a private dinner cooked by his friend, private chef Dorian Le Bigot, on Lantau Island
Cheese, noodles, spicy Sichuan and buns from Shanghai. Jared Lawler, who is from Melbourne and owns three coffee chops in Hong Kong, shares his go-to restaurants.

Hospitality veteran Jared Lawler, a native of Melbourne, Australia, founded The Porter, a bespoke service-oriented coffee shop. It has recently opened at a third location in Hong Kong, One Island East.

I’ve been in Hong Kong over three years, and a wild three years they’ve been. But the city is very robust, and I’ve quite enjoyed it. Of course, I love the food. I especially like things spicy.

My last holiday before Covid-19 was to Chengdu, where I got to learn to cook Sichuan food. Yu Chuan Club (Shop B, 1/F, Hundred City Centre, 7-17 Amoy Street, Wan Chai, tel: 2838 5233) is a very simple place and it reminds me a lot of my travels there.

In terms of local cuisine, I enjoy Tsim Chai Kee Noodle (Jade Centre, 98 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 2850 6471). I go there enough that the aunties have started to remember me. I love the broth – the flavour is so complex and the experience is always warming.

Dry-fried chilli chicken from Yu Chuan Club in Wan Chai. Photo: SCMP
Dry-fried chilli chicken from Yu Chuan Club in Wan Chai. Photo: SCMP
Wing Kee Noodles has two branches in Causeway Bay. Photo: SCMP
Wing Kee Noodles has two branches in Causeway Bay. Photo: SCMP
Clockwise from top left: knafeh; lamb ribs; grilled octopus, and; hummus from Francis in Wan Chai. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Clockwise from top left: knafeh; lamb ribs; grilled octopus, and; hummus from Francis in Wan Chai. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Wing Kee Noodle (several branches, including 27A Sugar Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2808 2877) does cart noodles. Again, it’s just an interesting local experience. I was fortunate one day to bump into one of the chefs preparing the broth. There are so many layers of flavour and you can really taste the heart put into it. It was so nice to have a look behind the curtain of their production there.

Francis (4-6 St. Francis Street, Wan Chai, tel: 3101 9521) reminds me of working in the Middle East and also of home in Melbourne with its very large Middle Eastern community. I love their approach to food and hospitality. Francis just nails it every time I visit. It’s very nostalgic.

Cheung Hing Kee’s Shanghai pan-fried buns are a must snack, but I prefer the locations in Tsim Sha Tsui (48 Lock Road, tel: 2915 0389) or Wan Chai (76 Thomson Road, tel: 2778 3362), as they seem more consistent.

For visitors, Oi Man Sung (1 Shek Kip Mei Street, Sham Shui Po, tel: 2393 9315) is always a delight, capturing the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Hong Kong in one experience. Other fun experiences include the Kang Kee Noodles shop (4 Tai Wo Street, Wan Chai, tel: 3689 1153). I love the theatre of seeing noodles being made here.

La Cremerie (4 Swatow Street, Wan Chai, tel: 2614 0944) is heaven for me, as I love cheese. After a long day of work I usually stop by to pick up some cheese. I love shopping for Thai ingredients at Tree Thai Grocery (Luckifast Building, 1-13 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai).

Villa Aether on the south coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong.
Villa Aether on the south coast of Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

If I had to choose one thing to splurge on, I would book Villa Aether, a stunning villa at Pui O beach in South Lantau Island, for a staycation and have our friend, private chef Dorian Le Bigot, cook for us there. We did that once and it was by far one of the most ethereal eating experiences I’ve ever had.

Right now, I’m focused on developing The Porter. We started just when Covid hit so it was quite terrifying, but we have a lot of passion for the concept, which is to help set the tone for the day for customers. Landlords now are also more interested in using hospitality to improve tenant experience.