Soup Dumplings in Hong Kong

[dlgc]

We will be visiting Hong Kong in the middle of March and would like to have some Soup Dumplings for lunch while we are there. Any suggestions where we might find them? Also we would love to hear about some great Cantonese restaurants also for lunch, price is not a problem, we just want geat food. Thanks

[PhilD]

One other good option yet o be mentioned is "Madam Sixty Ate" it's pretty new and has an Aussie chef who delivers good contemporary food. Useful when you want an alternative choice. Try to avoid Saturdays as they don't cope well with big tables but when it. Good it is very good as a good regular spot (i.e. not a big night out fine diner).

[dlgc]

PhilD, Thanks for the suggestion. We will need to eat some food other than Chinese as my husband is not a big fan of Asian cuisine. On the other hand I can eat it 3 times a day but I will bow to his wishes now and again and eat a western meal. So more Western suggestions are certainly wecome along with more Asian for me.

My lists of restaurants and what to eat at them is certainly growing thanks to you and Charles. I would be lost without you two.

[Hot Chocolate]

My "sophisticated NY friends" took me to Hee Kee Fried Crab ... it was next to under the bridge which was featured on Anthony Bourdain (perhaps creme de la creme for NY foodies). The food was quite good. we had a good time there.

For my "sophisticated" NY friends who have a hankering for good Western i take them to:
Mirror
TBLS
Cafe Gray
208 on hollywood
8 1/2 otto e mezzo (white truffle season!)

I also take my "sophisticated NY friends" to the private kitchens such as:
Magnolia Grill (Cajun food)
Yin Yang
Xin Yi
Da Ping Huo (Sichuan)

If your husband is a fan of indian food then I'd currently suggest Ista on Hollywood road. (generally i've found american's consider "Asian" food to mean more chinese and Indian food is under the "curry" category). As a previous poster however suggested, even the average chinese food here is light years better than the best chinese food of the US of A. Maybe he can give it a try one last time.

[dlgc]

Hot Chocolate, It's not that he doesn't like Chinese food, he just doesn't like it here in the US. He does enjoy it in HK, but 16 meals is a lot to ask of him. I'm sure I'll also enjoy a break and have a few Western meals. He does like Indian food so I will certainly look into Ista, thank you so much.

[dlgc]

Can someone please give me some feedback about Manor Seafood Restaurant in Causeway Bay. Charles, PhilD any thoughts..................

[Charles Yu]

Just scroll down the page!! Fellow chowhounder Lau just posted a detailed review!
IMO, one of the better traditional Cantonese restaurant. Though not Michelin rated but some dishes like their 'B-B-Q golden medallion chicken' is excellent!

[dlgc]

Charles and PhilD, is Tang Court up there with Man Wah, Fook Lam Moon and Lung King Heen. If you had to choose 2 out of these three which ones would they be. Just trying to put the expensive meals to rest so I can work on the rest. Are there any other great stared restaurants we should consider. What about Tin Lung Heen, is it up there with the best. We will eat at all or any that you think are not to be missed, and fill in the rest with the others you have suggested. Thanks again for all your help.

[Charles Yu]

Although I do not put a lot of weight on the Michelin Guide for Hong Kong. However, irrespective of global location and types of food, I do pay attention to 'demotions' of establishments!!
Based on the latest 2012 guide that just came out, Tang Court just got demoted from a 2* to a 1*. In my mind, there must be a reason behind the move! The 2* Ming Ccourt is still a 2*!
On the other hand Man Wah just received a star. This, IMO is long overdue!! Its one of the most elegant Chinese restaurant in town, with great food, service and view. The presence of the restaurant inside the Mandarin speaks for itself!!
Haven't eaten in TLH, but, it too just receive a star!

[PhilD]

I haven't tried any of them yet....I live here so have time and don't need to cram them in. I loved Ting Lung Heen and thought it a fantastic dim sum lunch, I need to try the rest but tend to go to places that fit in with how we live so top places for treats. Thus I eat in 3 stars on holiday not at home. Am I weird ?

[dlgc]

PhilD, NO you are not weird. We don't eat in 3 stars here in Miami, we also eat the way we live.
We only go way out on restaurants for birthdays etc or when we are traveling. I just want to sample everything Hong Kong has to offer and that means Maks for soup and a 3 star or two for dinner.

Any more suggestions would certainly be appreciated.

Where are you both having dinner this weekend?

[PhilD]

Last night it was mainly liquid with lots of Tsing Tao st a Chrismas party, lunch today is at the Italian Womens Assoiciation Christmas Fair, and then a much anticipated dinner at TBLS - booked 3 months ago. Tommorrow may well be dim sum but my partner is threatening a walk so I will need to craftily target one that ends near a good lunch spot, and as it has suddenly got quite cold a lunch place that is quite warm and cosy.

[dlgc]

Sounds like a great weekend.
Can't wait to hear your views on TBLS.
Have a wonderful weekend

[dlgc]

PhilD, How was TBLS?

[dlgc]

Charles and PhilD, Is it worth a trip to Lamma Island in March for a seafood lunch? How long is the trip there.

[Charles Yu]

When you said 'seafood lunch at Lamma Island', I presume eating at Rainbow Seafood Restaurant?
If you have the time, its a great experience. I would also add some 'hiking' to your food and sight seeing itinerary. Foodwise, it borderlines between good to very good. Lack of sophisticated preparation technique ( as compared to some of the Michelin rated restaurants in town ) is compensated by the ultra freshness of the ingredients!
You can catch a ferry at TST near the clock tower or Central pier 9 on Hong Kong Island side. Trip takes around 45 minutes. Lovely harbour view!!!!!

[dlgc]

Sounds like a must see and do. We have eight days so if the wether is nice we will give it a try. Thanks.
Is Rainbow Seafood the best place or should we know about another option.

[Charles Yu]

Lamma island is a big touristy place so there are quite a few seafood restaurants scattered around. Better do an 'Openrice' search. I recall seeing a lot of restaurants ending with ' Kee'!!
BTW, there's also an amazing ' Turkish' place selling great Kebabs of all things!!! Ha!!
Try avoiding going to the island on Sunday!!!!!!

[huiray]

http://www.openrice.com/english/resta...

[dlgc]

Thanks for the information. Sunday will be a dim sum lunch, so we will try and go during the week when I hope it will be quieter.

Where can we go to get a great Sunday dim sum expierence and reserve in advance other than the Four Seasons.

[huiray]

Charles Yu & others would be able to answer your dim sum question better.

[Charles Yu]

Almost all good dim-sum restaurants especially those inside hotels take reservations!
Hong Kong side, my favourites are Celebrity Cuisine, Fang Tan, Fook Lam Moon, Lei Garden, Island Tang, Man Wah, Regal Palace, Summer Palace....etc
Kowloon side Lei Garden, Yan Toh Heen, Ming Court, Tang Court, Celestial Court, Sun Tung Lok, Fu Ho, Star of Canton.....etc And that does not even include new establishments like Tin Lung Heen etc which I have not tried!!
GOOD LUCK in picking!!!

[dlgc]

I really don't know where to begin, so I guess our best bet would be the Four Seasons. Do I need to reserve in advance from here and if so how long in advance.

[Charles Yu]

If you have the time, do some checking on Openrice.com. Actually, if quality of food is what you are after, I would pick Fook Lam Moon over Lung King Heen in the Fourseason. The latter offers more 'modernistic' and better plate presentation dim sum. However, for the purist of traditional dim-sum. FLM is the place.

[dlgc]

Then Fook Lam Moon it is. We can enjoy Lung King Heen one day during the week. Do we need to reserve FLM in advance from here or is a day or two enough for a Sunday lunch.

[Charles Yu]

Sunday lunch! Play safe, allow at least 2 weeks in advance!!
http://www.fooklammoon-grp.com/en/res...

[PhilD]

I quite like Lamma for a break from crowded and busy HK but I don't really rate the food that much. I do take visitors for the experience but never build up hopes of a great meal - although the beer is cheap. Maybe Ii have yet to find a good place, on my last visit i followed the advice of a trusted colleague but whilst she is a dedicated foodie she rarely heads out that way so maybe her advice was suspect. Interested to see what you think.

[dlgc]

We will either try Rainbow or the place that was featured on the Layover last week. I think it might be a nice way to spend a few hours out of the crowds of Hong Kong if the weather cooperates. Does the ferry run often?

[PhilD]

Yes, the ferry is quite frequent and Rainbow has it own free boat from Aberdeen harbour, although geting there from Central takes time.

[dlgc]

Can I take a ferry from Central where the Star ferry docks.

[PhilD]

Yes - it is from one f the wharves on the left of star ferry, I believe they go every 90 mins to Sok Kwu Wan but check the timetable as it is an iregular timetable.

[dlgc]

Thanks, will do.

[dlgc]

Our trip is just a month away and I'm trying to settle on our dining options. We will be in Hong Kong for seven days right before the Rugby 7s. Right now the list looks like:

LUNCH
Zen
H One
Din Tai Fung
Sunday Dim Sum at Lung King Heen
Liu Yuan Pavilion
Ye Shanghai

DINNER
Crystal Jade
The Square
Isola
Fook Lam Moon
Tosca
Man Wah

Please critique any and all of our choices as we really want to expierence some great meals. How soon should I call for reservations. Thanks again for all of your help in planing our trip.

[Charles Yu]

Curious about your pick of Crystal Jade since IMO its just a slightly inferior version of Din Tai Fung?!
Are you picking Tosca for the view or the food?! If emphasis is on food, why not Otto e Mezzo? Great Italian food!
3 Italian meals on your list!! You must LOVE italian food?! No French?! Amber or Caprice?!

[dlgc]

Hi Charles, I was waiting for you and PhilD to respond. The three Italian restos are for my husband. French is a little to rich for us. Tell me about Otto e Mezzo, it wasn't on my radar. Tosca was chosen for the view, to see the Hotel and also for the food. Are we better off going there for lunch?

As far as chinese food goes is my list okay? I have read good things about Crystal Jade what are your objections. Have I left out any must go to places. Should we include a trip to Lama Island for a seafood lunch?

[Charles Yu]

Hello again!
Otto e Mezzo is the only Italian Michelin 3* outside of Italy! May be that alone speaks for their food!. If the chef is in, the food is amazing! When Dr. Ho obtained the 'world record price' truffle from Alba, he entrusted Chef Bombana of Otto to prepare it! NOT his own 3* Gallera Robouchon over in Macau.
Lama is good, but if you got the time then take a 15 minutes train ride to Tai Wai in New Territory and have some roast pigeon and Fried wild sea prawns in peppered salt! at the 1* Fung Lum.
Lastly, like western food every where, lunches often offers better value.

[dlgc]

Lunch sounds great. I would love to eat Chinese food for lunch and dinner for the eight days we are there, but my husband just can do it so a few Italian meals are there for him. What do you know about H One in the IFC Mall.

Are there any chinese restaurants that you think are missing from our list.

[Charles Yu]

Relax digc!! Based on all the info and feedback...etc. You WILL have a great time! No need to do anymore fine tuning!!

As for H One. Its a comfortable Italian restaurant serving decent to good ( by chowhound standard ) classic Italian fare. However, be sure to book early and ask for a 'window table'!!!! Great view!!

[dlgc]

Thanks so much Charles for all your help. Are you going to be in Hong Kong in March, if so we would love to meet you and thank you in person!

[Charles Yu]

Unfortunately, not this year!! But, THANK YOU!! Glad to help!
Meanwhile, have a great time!! and do report back!!

[dlgc]

Thanks Charles, I'll report while there or as soon as we return.

[dlgc]

We are leaving in 10 days. I just wanted to check in to see if there are any new restaurants we shoud try not already mentioned above.

[dlgc809]

We returned this weekend and I'll give you a quick recap of our eating adventures.

Zen - lunch was great, hard to secure a reservation the day of so we reserved for the following day and we loved our lunch. We started with roast BBQ pork which came sliced and was a huge portion. The next dish was lobster with noodles and vegatables. This was outstanding. We were so full we could not finish.

Crystal Jade - lunch was dim sum and chicken and nuts with chilli peppers, great!

Our next visit there we had shrimp with egg whites, lo mein noodles with seafood and BBQ pork buns. Their soup dumplings were the best we had.

I know that this is a chain but the food was great and the service perfect. We loved the warm tea in a glass that they serve as you sit down.

Fook Lam Moon - dinner. We will never return as we were ignored for quite a while before someone came to take our order and one hour later our order arrived or lets just say half arrived the other half never appeared after many requests. No a great expierence.

Tosca - dinner, the view was amazing but the food did not live up to all the hype.

Lei Gardens - dinner, at IFC. this was possibly one of the best meals we have ever had in our 3 trips to HK. We were six poeple and we had a variety of dishes. Peking Duck, BBQ Pork, Chicken Hot Pot, Prawns with garlic, spare ribs, lettuce wraps, fried rice and others that I can't remember. This was an outstanding meal with service that was excellent.

The lounge at the Four Seasons had wonderful wanton noodle soup and salads. The service was over the top.

Lung King Heen - Dim Sum Sunday lunch. Everything was beautifully presented, and tasted great. Their BBQ pork and pinenut buns were the BEST!!!!! We ate so many dumplings I can't remember all that we had.

Ye Shanghai - dinner, Pacific Place another great meal, spicey and wonderful.

Isola - dinner, IFC This restaurant was a big dissapointment. We had eaten there a few years ago and loved it. This year nothing tasted good. The bread, pasta and desert were sub par at best. It was also very shabby looking for their price point. Menu was dirty etc.

We just ran out of days and could not do justice to our list of restaurants so a return visit is necessary.

Thank you for all our help in planning this great trip.

[Charles Yu]

Glad to hear you have a nice time, overall.
Sorry about Fook Lam Moon. Guess inconsistency are growing rampant amongst Michelin star restaurants these days!!

[fracmeister]

This is our favorite place here. Not really expensive by western standards but a bit pricier than standard Hong Kong fare. I know of two here, one in TST and the other in Causeway Bay.

Trust me on this one. It is wonderful

[PhilD]

Any clue to which restaurant you refer...?

[Charles Yu]

I think its Din Tai Fung?!

[dlgc]

I have been hearing a lot about China Club and would like your thoughts, Charles and PhilD. As you can see I'm still looking for interesting places with great food. 16 meals is a lot to plan for.

Also please give me your thoughts on Tim Ho Wan, 1* is it worth the visit? Thanks again for your help.

[PhilD]

China Club: I go there quite frequently, it is a safe bet for visitors and the artwork and decor are really worth seeing. I like the "Long Bar" for a drink and the upstairs (smokers) bar has a good view. The main restaurant has fairly standard food, nothing that really knocks my socks off but safe for its audience - they do a noodle pulling show and tea pouring shows. It is a private club so you can't just ring up for a reservation. Some concierges seem to have a way. And there is a dress code.

Tim Ho Wan: there is a new third branch under the IFC (the floor under the airport express check-ins - makes sense when you get there) which opened a few weeks ago. Note: it's name is not in English. It is quite small and popular, our wait on a Saturday was 50mins but we did try for a table at 1:00. It has quite a short Dim Sum menu and most things are good, the baked pork buns are definitely the star, others are good but there are better. Overall it is fine meal but the real selling point was a HK$126 bill for two for a nice big lunch, many places of similar quality are going to be $200 to 300 for the same food. They do take-away as well which is faster - you can pop up to the roof of the IFC and eat with a view.

[dlgc]

Thanks PhilD, I will ask the concierge at the Four Seasons if he has an in at the China Club. Its wortha try, the worst thing he can say is no. I have been reading great things about the art and decor so would like to get in.

I think we will skip Tim Ho Wan, a long wait is not for us, we would prefer to go where a reservation can be made.

What do you hear about Lei Gardens lately, I am reading mixed reviews. I see that they have two seatings for Sunday Dim Sum. Are we better off there or at the Four Seasons for Dim Sum on Sunday. We enjoyed Lei Gardens on our last trip for dinner one night .

We also had a lunch at Zen. Any thoughts ..........

-----
Lei Garden
IFC Mall, Hong Kong , HK

[PhilD]

Tim Ho Wan could be good for breakfast though. I would head to the FS for a Sunday Dim Sum - assume you have lready booked. Lei Gardens I quite an easy reservation given the number of branches.

I assume you mean Zen In Pacific Place? I think it is OK happy to drop in if shopping there but wouldn't cross town for it. This lunchtime is Fu Sing in Causeway Bay and I am keen to see if the BBQ meats are as good as usual - I recent report suggested otherwise.

-----
Lei Garden
IFC Mall, Hong Kong , HK

[Charles Yu]

Thanks PhilD for providing all the inputs and answering all the questions! Guess I can go to bed now!! Ha!
@digc Just a couple of things:
- Irrespective of where you go for Dim Sum on a Sunday. For sure you will require to wait - Even with a reservation!!
- Fellow chowhounder Fourseason just ate at the 'flagship' Fu Sing in Wan Chai a few weeks ago and was very disappointed with the quality. Especially the 'Wor Gor B-B-Q pork that PhilD eluded to!!
- As for Tim Ho Wan. Since its so near to your hotel in the IFC complex. Why not pay it an 'off hour' visit and take out some of those ' baked to order' B-B-Q buns. Nice snacks!!! Make sure you have Kleenex ready.!

[PhilD]

Back from Fu Sing Causeway Bay. The roast pork and BBQ pork were both on form an enjoyable, I thought the roast pork was especially good.

The other dishes we ate were good. But, service was dire. First we ordered, ten minutes later we are told the blackfungus and prawn dumplings are sold out. We say we will order another dish, the sever disappears and we wait. Eventually food arrives, but then stops. A long wait - "sorry the baked BBQ pork buns are sold out, would you like free mango pudding". No we will order some steamed buns instead and some other dishes. Eventually the rest of the order arrives but the buns don't. We decide to order the mango pudding, ten minutes later "sorry sold out".

We give up and pay the bill only to find we are charged for mango pudding - which not so long ago was given away free anyway. Not enough to put me off a return visit but definitely not a good experience.

[dlgc]

PhilD, How far in advance do we have to reserve for Sunday Dim Sum at the Four Seasons. We won"t be there until March!

Yes, I did mean Zen in Pacific Place. We enjoyed it the last time in HK for the peope watching as much as for the food

Charles, An off hour visit to Tim Ho Wan sounds perfect. We can always manage a snack or two. A diet when we return home is also on my list!!

[M_Gomez]

dlgc, I'd reserve at least a month in advance for Lung King Heen at the Four Season's Sunday dim sum lunch.

I love the roast pork at Zen in Pacific Place, I'd been a loyal customer of theirs for nearly 20 years now, and I still love each visit.

[dlgc]

M_Gomez, I'm so glad to hear that you still enjoy Zen. On our first trip to HK we were not too adventurious in our eating and found ourselves at Zen more than once. I do remember the roast pork, yum, can't wait.

[dlgc]

Charles and PhilD, where would you suggest we go for some claypot rice for lunch.

[Charles Yu]

Kwan Kee on Queen's Road west, Western District?!
http://www.openrice.com/english/resta...

[dlgc]

Thanks Charles, Is this the only place for claypot rice. The chicken claypot looks great. I would like to find somewhere a little closer to Central if possible.

[Charles Yu]

OK! How about 'Ser Wong Fun' on 30 Cochrane Street, Central?! Its next to the escalator in the Soho district, just a stone throw away from Mak's Won Ton.
http://www.openrice.com/english/resta...

digc: I'll let you do the honour of posting the '100'!! reply!!! Wow!

[dlgc]

WOW is right. It's hard to believe that my simple question about soup dumplings has grown into this informative discussion. All the thanks go to you, PhilD and a few others.

Thanks for a more central location to find some claypot, they really look good. What should we order other than chicken or pork.

[Charles Yu]

I understand fellow Austrian chowhounder 'Nilescable' and Singapore chowhounder ' fourseasons' will be in HK around March. You folks should arrange for a chowmeet?!
In the past, I used to make the planning and arrangement for such chowmeets. Unfortunately this time, I won't be able to make it. Sigh!! !:(

[dlgc]

Thank you for the information, we will certainly be trying some of these restaurants.

We are looking for the dumplings that are filled with soup that explode in your mouth. Any thoughts on where we can find them.

[Charles Yu]

The handmade Shanghainese delicacy is known as Xiao Lung Bao. One of the best rendition is from the Michelin 1* Din Tai Fung. Liu Yuan Pavilion in Wan Chai and 'Old Hong Kong inside the MIRA hotel also made great ones too!
For Din Tai Fung, prepare to wait in line especially during the lunch time rush. Whilst eating the dumpling, bite a small hole hole at the top to let out the steam first , otherwise you might get burnt!

[dlgc]

Thank you so much. Din Tai Fung will be our first stop, and Old Hong Kong will be our next.

[Charles Yu]

Good choices! Enjoy!!
BTW, within the MIRA hotel complex there are quite a few Michelin Star establishments including the 3* Sun Tung Lok ( 8 local and overseas chowhounders held a Dim Sum chowmeet there in March of this year! The innovative ' Shrimp paste pattie topped with crispy roast suckling piglet skin ' was very addictive! )!!

[dlgc]

I just looked up the MIRA Hotel and they have no listing for Old Hong Kong. Is it still there. Sun Tung Lok looks really good. We are planing to try the Michelin star cantonese restaurant at the Four Seasons. Have you been there? Any information would be appreciated.

[Charles Yu]

Oops!! Got the restaurant name slightly skewed. Should be 'Hong Kong Old' Restaurant!! And its in the Miramar shopping plaza adjacent to the MIRA hotel!
http://www.miramarshoppingcentre.com/...?

The Michelin 3* Lung King Heen in the Fourseasons is one of the most contentious Michelin stars establisment in Hong Kong. Often critiqued to be over-rated for dinner, however, dim sum is quite outstanding and innovative. Furthermore, the harbour view from a window seat alone is worth the visit! View is harbour plus Kowloon skyline. For a reverse, that is, harbour plus Hong Kong island skyline, you can give the 1* Yan Toh Heen inside the Intercontinental Hotel a try! Equally great dim sum. Lastly, you should also keep the new 'Tin Lung Heen' on the 103rd floor of the Ritz Carlton hotel in mind! I've seen the view from atop but have not tried the food yet. However, knowing the quality of Ritz Carlton, the food in its restaurants should commensurate with the hotel's reputation?! Back to the Fourseasons. You should try to find time and have a meal at the 3* Caprice!! You won't regret it!!

Anyways, almost all the establishments we touched on are the creme de la creme of Hong Kong eateries. I don't think you will go wrong with any of them.

-----
Lung King Heen
Finance Street, Hong Kong , HK

[klyeoh]

Lucky you, dlgc, you've got Charles Yu - the go-to guy for HK dining options - to give you dining tips :-)

Charles, you're killing me with all these Canto food description & photos whilst I'm here in East Java. Anyway, am off to HK on first week of Dec, so definitely making a beeline for Tin Lung Heen and Hong Kong Old Restaurant :-D

Re: Lung King Heen @ Four Seasons - great ambience and view. So-so service. Surprisingly disappointing food the last couple of times I was there.

[Charles Yu]

klyeoh!! You're too kind! I'm just trying to help and give my 2 cents worth. ( After today's market plunge, worth may be only 1.5 cents! Ha! )
Hay! All those Indo food you posted on facebook look pretty appealing!! But then, in this South East Asian food wasteland of mine' ANYTHING that is spicy, fried or seafood look yummy!!
Looking forward to your write-up on Tin Lung Heen. I'll e-mail you the 360 view from there to wet your appetite!!

[dlgc]

Charles, thank you again for your help. We are staying at the Four Seasons so their restaurants are a must try.

Are there any reviews of Tin Lung Heen that you would trust. The Ritz looks very interesting and I would love to get over there and give it a try, but with our limited time in HK we don't want to waste a meal if we don't have to.

Hong Kong Old looks great and it's now on our list for lunch. How busy is it. Do we need to eat at an off hour to get in or do they take reservations.

[Charles Yu]

Hello digc,

You are most welcome!

Openrice.com is one of the most followed and reliable foodie website in HK. So far the ratings for Tin Lung Heen have been stellar with 10 thumbs up and zero thumbs down!
http://www.openrice.com/english/resta...

BTW, from the Four Seasons, its only a '<5 minutes one stop' subway ride to the ICC where the Ritz Carlton is located!! Extremely convenient! After reading the reviews and the pics, I'm sure you'll make time!!! Ha!!

Back to 'Hong Kong Old', as with ALL good restaurants in HK during lunch time, its always better to make reservations ahead of time to avoid disappointment!!!

[dlgc]

Charles,

Hong Kong Old takes reservations, Wonderful!!!!

We will be certain to get over to the Ritz for a meal or two if what I have read today is true. WOW, lots of good hotel restaurants to pick from.

We will be in HK for eight days so I'm sure we will repeat a few favorites. I'm always open to suggestions, so please keep them coming.

[Charles Yu]

Eight days in HK?! Great!!

If you want some quiet relaxation away from all the noise pollution, pick a nice day and take a trip to the fishing village of Sai Kung! Purchase live seafood from vendors and take them to the Michelin 1* 'Loaf On' and have them prepared for you for a small surcharge. Their in-house dishes are very nice as well!
http://www.openrice.com/english/resta...
You will not get this kind of experience and this calibre of seafood in North America! BTW, click on both the English AND Chinese reviews for more food pictures.

Wow! Interesting how a short inquiry about soup dumplings expanded to full blown discussions on Michelin Star restaurants and 'buy your own seafood'!!

[PhilD]

Charles it may be only 5 mins on the MTR but it is about 15 mins on the escalators to get up to the Ritz Carlton....good to take a map and a compass...and ask for directions. I am certain there must be an easy route but I always get lost!

[PhilD]

Klyeoh - I should be back in town first week of December as well - it would be good to meet up.

[klyeoh]

PhilD, yes, I'll be in HK staying at the Island Shangri-la this time. Let's stay in touch!

[Charles Yu]

You guys should add local chowhounders HKTraveller, SChung and Uncle Yubai to your chowmeet?!! They joined the chowmeets that I organized 4 years ago and have participated ever since!

[NilesCable]

I will be in HK from 21st to 24th of March and would love to have a chowmeet, even tough my heart is bleeding that Charles will not be there. So if anybody has time at that dates and wants to meet up, give me a note!

[Charles Yu]

Yes my friend! I too am going to miss our annual chowmeet next year!! However, I have a feeling some of you chowhounders like Fourseasons, HKtraveller, PhilD, Uncle Yubai...etc can get together and have a Charles Yuless chowmeet!

[dlgc]

Another question, is it worth a stop at Maks for wonton noodle soup. Where else can we sample this that's as good or better than Maks.

[Charles Yu]

Wonton noodles in Hong Kong - YES!!!!!
Mak's - No!!!
Instead, head further east to ' Mak An Kee Noodle at 37 Wing Kut Street. Their version IMO tasted better and better value to money!
You can read all about this delicacy here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/399024

[dlgc]

Charles, Thank you, you are a weath of knowledge. Mak An Kee is now on our list. We will compare it to Maks...........How is Tastys' we will right there at the Four Seasons and can run in for an afternoon snack if you think it's worthwile.

[Charles Yu]

Tasty's pretty fine as well! The Kowloon branch in Hung Hum is my Kowloon go-to place for ' Cantonese style' noodles and congees. Love their ' yellow sand' pig's liver congee! You won't eat that calibre of pig's liver outside of the Orient!!
BTW, try to avoid the lunch time crowd at the IFC Tasty's. Like NYC Time Square on X'mas eve!! Ha!

[dlgc]

I think we will try theKowloon branch if you think it 's not as busy. We will leave the pigs liver for you! Can we make reservations there? Do you have an address, I can't find it on line.

[Charles Yu]

The 'food' complex where Tasty's is located is a fascinating place to visit. Every establishments there was 'endorsed' by the famous local food critic Chua Lang. The Northern Chinese cuisine place is one of my Mother-in-law's favourite. Famous for its spicy Dan-Dan noodles
Back to Tasty's. Their standard of cooking is pretty high. Especially the 'wok-hay' ones. My favourites, apart from the won-ton and 'fung sing' shrimp dumplings are the ' Gone Chow Ngau Ho ' ( Fried rice noodle 'Ho-Fun' with sliced beef, yellowing chives and bean sprouts ), Penny hot-sauce shredded pork lo-mien ( stirred noodle ), 'chop-sticks tender' braised beef brisket and tendons in Chui Hau brown sauce......etc
No pig's liver?!! You are missing a lot my friend!! If done right, they can be better tasting than Foie Gras or Italian Provimi veal liver. I said 'if done right'! since I had a version cooked by the Michelin 3* chef Alan Sanderen of Lucas Carton in Paris sometime ago that was a travesty!! Pig's liver in dark chocolate sauce!!! A total mismatch!!

[dlgc]

I'll still leave the pigs liver for you, Charles. This does sound like an interesting food complex, just the type of place we will love. Does Tasty take reservations? If you have an address I would appreciate it, as I couldn't find one online. Thanks again Charles, you are a wealth of fabulous information.

[Charles Yu]

Sorry!! Telephone reservation not accepted! However, every time I went, I did not have to wait long, even when they were busy!!

Address is:
Tasty ( Hung Hom )
Shop111, 1F, Whampoa Plaza
Site 8, Hung Hum, Kowloon
Tel: [phone]

With you folks staying in the IFC complex, you'll most probably be saturated with 'name brand' touristy high end shopping. The area where Tasty is located is surrounded by more down to earth retail premises, You can walk and browse around after your meal and see how the local live and shop. There's also a big 'Japanese department store' in the form of a yacht across from the food complex!

Word of advise, Whampoa complex is NOT MTR accessible. Best to take subway to Hung Hom and grab a HK $10 taxi ride there!

[NilesCable]

This is also a good tip for my next visit in March. I am planning to visit Whampoa for two years now but never found the time to do it. But I will do it next March with your recs in mind, Charles!

[dlgc]

Thanks Charles, I think we will cab it there and back. The shopping sounds interesting. How far time wise is it by cab from Central.

[Charles Yu]

@ Nilescable. What a pity I cannot join you for a chowmeet at Hung Hom this coming March! Sigh! You should venture outside the Whampao area. Tons of interesting foodie places especially at night!

@ digc The cross harbour tunnel can be a very unpredictable beast, depending on hours of the day, jourmey time can range from 15 to 30+ minutes!!

[dlgc]

Thanks Charles. We might have to rethink this journey. Is it a not to be missed spot or can we replace it with somewhere else.

[Charles Yu]

Try the Tasty inside the IFC instead!.
For another food complex, head over to the Food Forum next to the shopping complex - Times Square in Causeway Bay. 11 floors of eateries!!. Remember to head to the basement and take a look at the supermarket - City Super. Be amazed! Just Spanish and Italian ham alone, I believe they carry over 10 grades and varietal!!

[dlgc]

Tasty at the IFC is a great idea. Where is The Square and is it worth a visit? Have heard different reports about it.

[PhilD]

There is a City Super in the IFC as well.

[Charles Yu]

The Square is a Michelin 1* Cantonese Restaurant inside Exchange Square. Seldomly mentioned but food is actually very good. If my memory serves me right, they have a delicious dish involving Fried Crispy Prawns with Tangarine Sauce. Plate presentation is surprisingly artistic for a Chinese restaurant!

[dlgc]

I would really like to have a recent review of The Square, as it really looks good to me. How far is it from the Four Seasons? A 1 Michelin * seems worth a try.

[Charles Yu]

Exchange Square is just next door to IFC. 5-10 minutes walk max.,
See whether this might help?!
http://www.openrice.com/english/resta...

[PhilD]

I was there earlier this year. It was OK but I didn't leave me wanting to return.

That said it was a client function and thus a banquet with a succession of their top dishes which should be a good way to sample a restaurant. I am not certain it is a good way to do this but I am not certain why I say that as it should be an ideal format for a top Chinese restaurant. Maybe it's because I have bee to lots of these banquets at top places and none of them prompt me to return.

[dlgc]

All the reports that I have read are OK, not great. We are looking for the best food in Hong Kong. We have friends joining us for our last 3 days and want them to enjoy every meal. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

[PhilD]

I think it depends where they re coming from. Average Cantonese food in HK is far superior to good Cantonese food in many other cities. Thus I often choose a resturant for the ambiance location etc rather than purely the food. For visitors I ten to head for the Chairman for classic food, for Dim Sum one of the top hotels one day and then somewhere like FuSing for a contrast the next - one is not better than the other but simply a different experience.

The other question is how many people will you have in your party. Some places are really only good if you have a good number to share dishes.

[Charles Yu]

For BEST Cantonese?! Stick with Fook Lam Moon in Wan Chai.
I also heard from a foodie friend mentioning about a brand new restaurant that just opened up one floor ( 102 Flr ) below Ritz Carlton's Tin Lung Heen. Operate by one of the best chef in town, food apparently is amazingly good but also amazingly expensive!!

[PhilD]

Charles I assume you mean Dragon Seal on the 101st floor by Wong Wing-Chee HK's " celebrity chef". According to a Time Out the food is not a lot better than his chain of restaurants called Dragon King. Apparently they deliver fusion cuisine and serve in a more western style so easier to share.

Also on this floor are Inakaya (Japanese) and Hive 101 a bar. Obviously the Ritz Carlton has bars and other restaurants as well but you can't get up from 101 to the hotel you need to go down and then up in the hotel lift.

[dlgc]

PhilD, these are very sophisticated New Yorkers who travel alot and enjoy good food. I just checked out Dragon Seal but I wasn't thrilled with all the reports.

Charles, I think we will try out Fook Lam Moon before they arrive, and also Yung Kee, the men love duck and goose. Are there dishes for the picky women.

The top hotel restaurants also seem to be the right match........which one would you all choose.

Thank you everyone for your continuing help, I really appreciate all the time spent trying to help me.

[Charles Yu]

Did you check Dragon Seal on Time Out or Openrice?! For Chinese food review, I generally put my trust on Openrice!

Apart from some really over-priced and touristy spots in Beijing and Shanghai, I doubt one can find more sophisticated 'Chinese food' outside of Hong Hong.
As such, are your main ' sophistication' criteria on food quality? service? ambiance? decor?! wine pairing...etc. Places that have great food might not necessarily provide the best decor and service!! eg., Great food: Fook Lam Moon or Tim's Kitchen but OK service ( by western Michelin standard ). Great service ( ie commensurate more with western style,multiple Michelin star restaurants ) but questionable food: Lung King Heen or Sun Tung Lok

What in-depth understanding of Chinese/Cantonese cuisine does your New Yorker friends have? Are they in the position or have the understanding/appreciation to differentiate the quality of ingredients used in Chinese cuisine?. eg., types of live South China Sea Garoupas used for steaming ( they can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollar per fish ). Likewise, abalone used in more sophisticated meals can range from non-Japanese few hundred HK dollars per pound varietal to $100,000!! per pound dried Japanese ones!! Exotic expensive ingredients aside, sophistication can even be found on a simple dish like roasted crispy skin three layer pork belly?!! The one made famous by the aforementioned chef Wong involved roasting the pork 3 times!! Each time scrapping off the top burnt layer before returning to the charcoal kiln! Local foodies appreciate and enjoy the end result of this laborious effort. But will your friend? Another good example is wine vs tea! They might be wine connoisseur but do they possess the same appreciation for tea? Some Chinese tea leaves can cost more than a bottle of Chateau Petrus!! 'Sophistiacted' restaurant like Yan Toh Heen even has a 'tea' list/menu!!

Bottom line is, make sure your friends appreciate what they are eating!! ( Nothing beats Russian Beluga caviar paired with vintage Krug Champagne when it comes to sophistication?! However, personally, I know of individuals who found Champagne too fizzy, sour, dry and crisp and caviar too fishy and salty! Another great story was years ago, friend of mine and myself took some overseas visitors to eat at the then world famous ' Charlie Trotter ' in Chicago. After the mega-bucks tasting menu meal a few of them actually commented that they would have preferred having some soya-sauce chicken from China town instead!! @#$^^$%!!! )

Finally, a word of warning about Yung Kee. It has unquestionably one of the Best Kitchen in town!! Pre-arranged meal by regulars and served in the club level can wow even the most discriminating palette and be totally out of this world. However, food served in the same premise but on a different floor and ordered by 'non-regulars' could be very much different! Good Luck!!!

-----
Lung King Heen
Finance Street, Hong Kong , HK

[M_Gomez]

Charles, when dlgc said the friends are "sophisticated New Yorkers who travel a lot and enjoy good food" - the first thing that came into my mind would be that they'd want some place with ambience and a good bar, for eg Lung King Heen or Bo Innovation.

I think they would never appreciate "Chinese" places like Fook Lam Moon, Tim Ho Wan or Yung Kee (they'd probably shriek in horror when they see Mak's Noodles). Don't think we'd even need to speak about looking for authentic tasting Cantonese fare. I'd experienced Chinese food in New York and other US cities and believe me, you wouldn't even want to compare what they serve there to what we have here in HK.

[dlgc]

Charles, I think you understand what a foodie expects is different from a sophisticated New Yorker. They will only go by taste and ambiance. The hotel restaurants seem to be the safe route, and I would be inclined to pick Lung King Heen for them unless you have something better for them. They will be out touring all day and exhausted. They are also staying at The Four Seasons so this will be easier for them. If it was solely my choice I would pick Fook Lam Moon which we will try before they arrive. The cantonese food that they will expierence in HK is so vastly different from anything that we have here in the US that any meal will be eye opening for them. None of us are tea drinkers so that is not an important part of our meal.

Yes I have been using OpenRice, and will now check out Time Out, Thank you.

We would love to be able to have a meal on the 4th floor at Yung Kee, just the two of us. I am hoping that the Hotel will be able to arrange this. We will not eat there otherwise. There are too many other great restaurants to try.

M_Gomez, You are so right, they would run in horror at the sight of Maks Noodles, yet we can't wait to try it. We also have been to HK before and understand the eating culture there.

I don't think Bo Innovation is the type of restaurant they are looking for in HK.

I think they might like Lei Gardens for lunch if they are near the IFC. I so want them to love HK the way we do. Where else would you suggest they have lunch as they will be seeing the whole city. We will only be having one meal with them as they are traveling with other friends. I would like this meal to be outstanding, the one they will talk about afterwards.

Again than you all for all of your knowledge and input. I only hope that some day you will travel to Miami Florida and I can do the same for you. Please keep your ideas coming, I do appreciate it.

-----
Lung King Heen
Finance Street, Hong Kong , HK

Lei Garden
IFC Mall, Hong Kong , HK

[Charles Yu]

Hello dlgc!

I almost forgot! Since, for your sophisticated New Yorker friends, you are looking for the ' whole package' ie., Food, Service, ambiance, view....etc .You have to put 'Man Wah', the Chinese Restaurant inside the Mandarin Oriental as a potential candidate! Satisfy your criteria nicely. Its also within walking distance from your hotel!

FYI, IMO, as well as opinion from others, dim sum at Lung King Heen has more appeal than their dinner! Good but not 3* calibre!

There's a Michelin 1* Lei Garden inside the IFC where you can have either Dim Sum lunch there or dinner!

Been awhile since I last visited Miami! Only exposure to this great city of yours nowadays is through watching 'CSI Miami'. Will definitely take you up on your offer if we head your way! May be we can even have a 'chowmeet'?!

-----
Lung King Heen
Finance Street, Hong Kong , HK

Lei Garden
IFC Mall, Hong Kong , HK

[dlgc]

Charles, You are the best!! I will change our plans to Man Wah unless you come up with a better idea.

Other than Lei Gardens, Din Tai Fung ,Fook Lam Moon, The Square and Maks where else should we go. Lunches and dinners, remember we have 8 days of eating! How about the Chairman or Liu Yuan Pavilion?

Miami has become quite the reataurant city, we just had a great dinner at Joes Stone Crab this evening. It will be my pleasure to help you any way I can if you choose to visit paradise ( Miami ). A chowmeet sounds like great fun.

-----
Lei Garden
IFC Mall, Hong Kong , HK

[Charles Yu]

All Chinese food and no western during your 8 days stay??!! Just in case you are in the mood for some western food, I would try having a meal at either Caprice, Amber or Otto e Mezzo. ( Michelin 3* French, 2* French and 2* Italian ). As good as any in Europe!

Fine Shanghai food at either Liu Yuan Pavillion or Ye Shanghai ( Kowloon ) would be a great idea to break the 'Cantonese food monopoly'.

If you still have time slots for more good Chinese food, then by all means add the following chowhounders' favourite to your list: Tim's Kitchen, Hoi King Heen and the Chairman.

What's Japanese food like in Miami? May be you can have a Japanese meal at Sushi Kuu?! ( South China Morning Post's food and wine editor's favourite Japanese restaurant! ) - Something good but different! Wellington street is pretty close to your hotel.

Guess you like crab??!!! If that's the case, may be try out the famous ' typhoon Shelter crab' ay Hing Kee? Spicy but goooood!

[PhilD]

"I would try having a meal at either Caprice, Amber or Otto e Mezzo. ( Michelin 3* French, 2* French and 2* Italian ). As good as any in Europe!" - I am not really certain that is really true. They are OK but not in the wow category. I have any better meals in Europe and head for Paris for that specific reason later this year.

I took my team to The Chairman recently who are mostly local ladies who know their food - it really impressed the especially the overall quality of ingredients and cooking. They will put together a meal with smaller portions if asked so you can sample more.

[Charles Yu]

Hello PhilD

IMHO, I believe dining out in fine Michelin calibre establishments nowadays, be it in NYC, Tokyo, Paris or Hong Kong....and ended up with a great ' wowable' experience, often involves an element of 'luck'! It does not matter how sophisticated the ingredients, preparation, taste and plate presentation is, if the dish does not 'hit the right note' with the patron, then stars, no matter how many will not twinkle!!

Furthermore, I think there is a difference in the way we order?! By ordering the 'right' dishes from an a-la-carte menu can easily propels an otherwise non-spectacular restaurant way up one's favourite list. On the other hand a mishap or two in a multi-course tasting menu might over-shadow all the other positive experiences and create a lasting negative impression. ( the human brain tends to remember negative more than positive ). This might push a multi-star establishment way back of one's eat list?!

Are Parisian/European Michelin 3* restaurants really that much better than similar ones abroad, say, Tokyo, Osaka, NYC or Hong Kong? I don't think so?! Some of the best French meals I had was actually in Tokyo and NYC and not in France!

During my 2 years stay in Paris a while back, I had the good fortune of eating in over 70 Michelin stars establishments, in Paris and all over France. Indeed, I did have quite a few mind blowing great meals. However, I also had my fair share of disappointment and culinary disasters! eg.,
- I was served 'mushy' langoustine in the famous Paris 2* seafood restaurant 'Divellec' that I have to return and prompted the chef to come out of the kitchen to apologize!
- The pig's liver with chocolate sauce from the 3* 'Lucas Carton', which I already eluded to, was plain weird and awful.
- The 2* 'Michel Rostang', famous for preparing some of the best Bresse chicken dishes in France, served me a dry, bland and unimpressive concoction.
- The wait staff of the 3* 'L'Esperance' actually showed me 'attitude' when our party queried that some of our lamb dishes were over-cooked!!!......

Back to Hong Kong. I honestly believe the language barrier exhibited by some of the local wait staffs coupled with the lack of exposure to real western fine dining etiquette in their training might play a major role and inhibit the stature of an establishment like Caprice from attaining the pinnacle of a 'total package' Michelin 3* restaurant!!

However, if one just focus on the food, some of the dishes I had at Caprice were as good, if not better than similar dishes I had in some top Parisian 3* like Le Cinq, Taillevent and L'Ambroisie. In fact the best tasting 'western' pigeon dish I had was at Caprice and not in some 3* in Burgundy!

Bottom line is, good tasty food is good tasty food, no matter which part of the world one is! For an 8 days stay and at least 16 meals to savour, there is nothing wrong, IMO, to break up the monotony of having Chinese day in day out and have some good western cuisine instead, Even if they are French and not cooked by masters like Alain Ducasse himself!

A few years ago, I spend over a week in Switzerland. During the last day, I was so sick of eating western food that I dished out around US$30 for a plate of Fried rice in a Geneva Chinese restaurant! Nothing close to Yung Kee standard, however, at that time, I was so deprived of Chinese food, I found the rice tasted totally out-of-this-world and I would gladly award that Chinese restaurant a 3*!!!! Ha!!!

[dlgc]

Charles, I totally agree with your thoughts on 3* dining. It's not important to us, we just want to taste the best food HK has to offer, whether its 1*, 3* or no star.

A few western meals are needed so we don't get tired and blaise about all the wonderful Asian food we are about to experience.

As my list is growing I can't thank you and PhilD enough. With out your input, we would not have known where to eat and find the best in HK.

Please keep this thread going with more of your suggestions.

[PhilD]

Charles, clearly a matter of opinion we had far better meals at Le Cing and Taillevent, even though they are now longer 3* than we had at Caprice. We don't think it's a bad restaurant just it isn't really a destination for a visitor. As a resident I will head back as it is far closer tan Maceau or even France. But I go back understanding it's relative standing.

Agree it is good to get variety in HK but lets not exaggerate the quality of the European restaurants in HK.

Our servers at Caprice were mainly French includinding most of the key people including the Sommelier, Maitre'd and the cheese meister ( they are proud of the cheese room) so not certain I agree with your language /exposure comment.

[klyeoh]

Same sentiments from me, PhilD - whilst I enjoyed Caprice, Amber and L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (my fave 3 French spots in HK), none of them were remotely near the standards I experienced at Alain Ducasse in London a couple of years back.

[Charles Yu]

Talk about Ducasse. If one got the time ( @ digc ) do give ' On Lot 10 ' a try. Restaurant is almost next door to 'The Chairman' Small and intimate and great value for money. The chef David Chang ( who follows chowhound ) honed his skill under Ducasse for over 7 years and was actually his sous before returning to HK to open up his own place a few years back!

[dlgc]

Wow!!! we will make the time. We love Ducasse so this will be a real treat for us. The reviews are not too recent, but they sure were good. Charles, please keep your great ideas coming.......Thanks again

[Charles Yu]

digc! You might be interested in reading this?!
http://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2011/0...
If you are really interested in going, I would suggest calling ahead and talk to David and have him arrange something 'special' for you folks?!

BTW, have you noticed your initial ' short ' inquiry about soup dumplings has expanded to discussing Michelin 3* cuisine and now garnered over 68 replies?!!! Wow!!

[PhilD]

Suspect a typo on David Lai's name - although if Chang was now in town that would be interesting...!

Have not been to "On Lot 10" but have been to his newer place "bistronomique" in Kennedy Town. I really enjoyed it and will head back. It is good night out with friends, if it was in Paris it would be a decent but not outstanding bistro, but that said in HK it is good. The food is mod French bistro rather than Ducasse, David has worked in quite a few kitchens so probably takes influences from around the place.

[Charles Yu]

Oops! You are right!!!
David Chang going to open up Momofuku in Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto. Been bombarded by news these few days! Must have been brain washed! Ha!

[dlgc]

You are right Clarles, this thread has really grown.

I'm still looking for interesting places for lunch and dinner, 16 meals is a lot when I don't want to repeat if possible.

Will the weather be cold then, remember we are from Florida where the adverage temp in March is about 75 degrees.

[PhilD]

March should be OK, it was quite cold in Jan and Feb here last year but was warming up. A light jacket or pashmina are sensible items to bring. I have a suspicion that the air conditioning is turned up in the winter to make restaurants etc really cold. I believe It is all a conspiracy to sell all the European winter fashions that are in the shops at the moment. Why is this relevant to Chowhound? Well the restaurants can be quite cold so whilst it maybe very warm outside you will not enjoy your food if you don't have something warm to wear when dining out.

[scoopG]

Well, weather-wise, think of Shanghai as being just like Jacksonville and Hongkong like Cuba.

[Charles Yu]

Agree with PhilD. However, based on my annual visits during the past 4-5 years, March is one of those weird month that, depending on weather front, can give you a few days of only 60 degrees weather. A sweater and a jacket is definitely a good idea!
Now, back to food! For something totally different, do give the Indonesian Restaurant 'IR 1968' in Causeway Bay a try. I found the exotic flavour of some of the dishes quite appealing and enjoyed my experience there. Very good Satay cooked over charcoal and beef rendang
How 'adventurous' are you folks? Fancy putting on your jeans and try out some snake soup at the pseudo- hole-in-the-wall 'Ser Wong Fun' in the 'Soho' district?. Real delicacy for the locals during the winter months. Taste like chicken. Not joking! You can augment it with some Chinese roasted meat dish and clay-pot rice!
In fact, 'Indian Food' in Hong Kong is pretty good due to the large population of South Asians living there. Huge number of eateries congregate around the Chung Hing Building in TST, Kowloon. However, staying on the island side, I found 'Bombay Dreams' on Wyndham Street ( again quire close to your hotel ) very enjoyable. Just follow the aroma! Ha!

[dlgc]

Wow, Charles, we love Indian food so Bombay Dreams will go on our list

I think I wil leave the snake soup for you to enjoy.

What is clay pot rice. I see it mentioned in many reviews but have never ordered it, we always order fried rice. It would be nice to try something different, we both love rice.

PhilD, The last two times we were in HK we were there in Febuary and it was cold....45-50 degrees, thats cold for a Floridian! I will be sure to pack some sweaters and a jacket or two. Thanks for the heads up.

[Charles Yu]

Clay pot rice is just a glorified form of ' seasoned ' rice cook in a clay pot on charcoal. 'Seasoned' refers to toppings added to the rice and then cooked with the lid close, a few minutes before the rice is ready. One can have chicken with Chinese mushrooms, preserved Chinese meat and sausages, pork spareribs with fermented black beans and garlic and my favorite, frog legs with Chinese mushrooms, red dates and ginger julienne....etc. With the addition of some sweet premium soya sauce to the mix, the final product tastes yummy!!!

No snake soup?!!!! Chicken!!!!!! Ha!! I thought Floridians eat snakes and alligator meat?!

[NilesCable]

Basically Hongkong is on the same line on Earth as the Bahamas. So you can have up to 86° in March, but I also experienced a cold 39° with heavy rain in the past five years. As I leave from Austria, where it is much colder in March, I always have my winter jacket with me and also pack for both cold and warm weather to be sure. But even when it is warm I recommend you to have a thin jacket with you at all times, as the air condition inside buildings can give you a cold faster then you would think, especially when you are not so much used to the colder weather coming from Florida.

[PhilD]

I agree Bombay Dreams is pretty good and is my regular go to place for an Indian. Chung King mansions IMO is very over rated - its cheap an the food quality reflects that.

Noticed this interesting article on WOM about classic Cantonese food in HK - both spots are recommended:http://www.womguide.com/hot-features/...

[Charles Yu]

There are a few eateries inside of Chung King ( on the upper floors ) that are supposed to be really authentic and good. But the place is too 'seedy' for me to roam around to find out. PhilD, you are one brave man!!!

[klyeoh]

Charles, how fascinating with regards to IR 1968 Indonesian restaurant - with the large Indonesian community in HK these days, Indon food authenticity there must have improved somewhat - I must give that a try next month.

[Charles Yu]

The taste appealed to my Torontonian/Hong Kongese taste buds. However, unsure about sophisticated 'South East Asian Foodie Masters' with discriminating taste like yourself and Calvin!!

[PhilD]

He has just opene in Sydney to great reviews - looks like he is really expanding his international operations.

[PhilD]

We tried "On Lot 10" on Saturday night and I assume it must have changed since you last ate there. To start a Basque Boudin and a salad, the boudin was OK but not especially basque or especially different to a supermarket bought product, the salad was almost inedible as the dressing was out of balance with too much vinagar. Most of the mains are fo shareing and appear to be simply cooked chops or steaks, so instead I chose the Foie Gras stuffed pigs trotter: I hoped for a reproduction of the classic Koffman dish but was disapointed. I turned out to be a fatty one dimensional dish which was a struggle to finish. My partners rack of lamb was undercooked (and she likes it rare), and badly trimmed, so lots of fat that hadn't been rendered. All in all food I can cook better at home so we won't head back - it was full on Saturday so clearly popular i wonder has the chef got too stretched now he has other ventures?

.

[Charles Yu]

'Foie Gras stuffed Pig's Trotter'!! Now, THAT really brings back tons of fond memories!! I had that dish at Boyer's 3* Les Crayeres in Reims years ago. My first Michelin 3* outside of Paris. What was truly memorable about that meal was not the various entrees but 'the dessert'!! A French version of 'death by chocolate' with 11 different mini chocolate desserts presented on a silver platter all for moi!!!
Ah! Those were the days!!

[PhilD]

OK time to eat my words. Three two stars in a month, yesterday we had the special wine set menu at Amber (Sundays only?). Far better than recent meals at Le Cinq and The Ledbury. I will write it up with photos.

[Charles Yu]

Happy Year of the Dragon, PhilD!
Its Chinese New Year day, why are you up soooo early??!!
Actually, I quite enjoy Amber. Find it 'consistent'. Never had a disappointing meal there.
BTW, which is the other 2*?!
Good food, good wine and good sleep! Go back to bed my friend!! Ha!!

[Charles Yu]

Hello PhilD! Me ( Yu ) again!!
Comparing our culinary experience/interest from our respective profile, we sure have quite a lot in common. Just curious to know when it comes to Michelin 3*s in France, which 'camp?! ' do you prefer? The more 'nouvelle' style of say a Pierre Gagnaire or the more traditional style along the 'Burgundy' trail? Since your favourite was at Auberge de l'ill, I guess it must be the latter. When I visited Alsace, I picked Au Crocodile and Buerehiesel. Wasn't that impressed with the former. May be Jung was getting too old?!

[PhilD]

Actually a very broad taste. Enjoy the leading edge of Mugaritz as much as the tradition of Lameloise and equally at home with eating a decent burger as I am a 40 course degustation.

[dlgc]

Charles, We certainly are up for a few Western meals while in HK. Having been in Paris in August I think we will pass on French food and head to Otto e Mezzo, I trust your judgement. We also enjoyed Isola the last time we were in HK, is it still considered good. Ialso have Cafe Causette on my list. Any thoughts on it.

We enjoyed Ye Shanghai, and we will also try Liu Yuan Pavillion. How far is it from the Four Seasons. The Chairman has been on my list so we will go there too.

We have two fabulous Japaneese restaurants, Nobu and Makoto here in Miami, so there is no need for us to have Japaneese in HK unless we run out of your recommendations.

PhilD, thank you for your input, we will try the Chairman. Any not to be missed dishes there? I did reconize you fron the France Board. When are you going to Paris?

[PhilD]

Otto is a different league to Isola, which has reopened after being closed for a refit. Isola is nice for the location but I always think of it as an unassuming birthday meal rather than a destination. Otto is far better but not patch on Italy so depends on how good th Italian food is that you are used to - it is also quite expensive.

Cafe Causette in the Mandarin I fine, I use it for business lunches as it is quite safe especially if you don't know the people well' good for salads, fish and chips an other international stuff. Better to head to the Mandarin Grill although maybe a bit mod for your tastes. Their downstaiirs bars are also quite nice especially beer in a pewter tankard.

For Japanese "Sushi Sase" is the current must try in HK - if your yardstick is Nobu it may be worth trying the real thing (after all isn't Nobu South American/Japanese fusion?).

I am in Paris again just before Christmas then London for a trip to the Ledbury.

[dlgc]

PhilD, The Mandarin Grill looks wonderful, certainly worth a visit. Have you been to the Lounge at the Four Seasons, and if so please let me know if it worth a visit.

We will try Otto. Italian here in Miami is nothing like the food we have had all over Italy. It's much too Americanized for our tastes. But that is what happens when you love to travel, you get spoiled!

Beer in a pewter mug will be tried for sure, sounds like our old college days, fun.

I'm sure we will break down and have Sushi one day for lunch, so Sushi Sase is now on our list. Where is it located? Any not to be missed dishes? The same for the Chairman.

[PhilD]

Not been to the FS lounge, once went in for a drink but I think it was serving lunches so headed elsewhere. The Chairman is all good, it has a short manu unlike the big traditional places, do try the century eggs. They are confronting to many westerners but these are one of the best renditions so if you are going to try them here is the place - and cheap so if you don't like them not abig loss. Sushi Sase is in Soho on Hollywood Road - and as the name suggests the sushi is pretty good, but they are famed for their set kaiseki.

[Charles Yu]

@ PhilD. Did Sushi Sase changed management or hired some new 'Japanese' chefs recently? Previous experience was luke warm with fair food and expensive pricing. Also, Openrice reviews were more negative than positive!
@ digc. For Japanese, I will not use Nobu as a yardstick. If you have eaten in New York, I will use either Sushi Yasuda of old or Sushi of Gari as reference point.

[PhilD]

Charles - I have only lived here since January, but I understood it was quite new. Have you tried it on many of your vacations over here?

As to Open Rice reviews my experience of them is that they are similar to Trip Advisor - maybe it is better in Cantonesecbut in English I find some of the write us quite surreal - especially comments on service.

[Charles Yu]

Had lunch there end of March and found the quality and 'neta' selection of the sushi so-so. Tempura batter was also not 'delicate' enough and a bit on the 'thick' side. May be after the Tsunami, they manage to hire some good chefs from Japan?!

[NilesCable]

Charles, you are welcome to give me your recommendations!

[fracmeister]

10$? Flag fall is 20$ HK (less than 3 US) but it shouldnt be much more.

[Charles Yu]

Your request for 'Soup Dumplings' covers a category that includes either ' Cantonese' style or Northern/Shanghainese style!!
For Cantonese Won-Ton or Shrimp Dumplings style, most 'noodle' houses like Mak's ( Central),. Mak An Kee ( Central), Mak Man Kee,( Jordan ), Ho Hung Kee ( Causeway Bay ), Tasty's ( Central or Hung Hum )...etc all have decent to great ones! ( for the discriminating foodies, its not just the quality of the dumplings they are looking for ( fillings and thickness of skin..etc ), but the whole package of broth and associated condiments as well).
For Shanghainese style ( dumplings using more pork, cabbage, chives...etc as fillings ), there are Dumpling Yuan and Wang Fu, both in the Central district. Also, one can always head over to Din Tai Fung in either TST or Causeway Bay. Crystal Jade in TST is fairly similar to DTF as well.
As for 'great' Cantonese restaurants, some of chowhounders' favourites include Lei Garden, Fook Lam Moon, Yan Toh Heen ( great view as well ), Manor, The Chairman, Cuisine Cuisine at the Mira, Hoi King Heen.....etc. For lunch, almost all of them serve Dim Sum. You can order a few dishes on the side to augment them! If you are really adventurous, take the train to Tai Wai in the New Territories and have some great roasted pigeons and fried live sea prawns with spicy salt and pepper!! Yummm!
Enjoy and Good Luck!!