Hong Kong Island Restaurants

Din Tai Fung is a chain of restaurants that is originally from - gasp! - Taiwan. As this is Hong Kong, the restaurant is able to proudly display the New York Times article that uses the island's name. It is a dim sum restaurant in a more modern setting. There are no carts of food from which diner choose. Instead, there are ample menus from which you are expected to selected the dishes you would like to eat and then hand it over to the waiter. The restaurant is huge, bright and clean, with lots of space, so you don't feel too crowded despite the fact that over 100 people are probably enjoying a meal with you. The waitstaff here are all very friendly and curteous, always eager to help and ensure that the meal is satisfactory. Best of all, there are plenty of pictures to guide you through the menu, so you never have to feel as if you have no idea what you're eating.

Favorite Dish: I came to this restaurant at the end of my time in HK, so I was already trying to watch what I ate. I had spicy pickles, wonton soup and shrimp dumplings. Portions here are ample and prices are decent, so it is rather easy to over eat.

Nepal is an upscale restaurant in Soho that I found thanks to the hotel's tourist magazine. It is a very popular locale, so if you arrive late, don't expect to find a table waiting for you. The space is small and a bit cramped, but the waitstaff are excellent and the food is divine. The owner is Indian, but many of the women working at the restaurant appear to be Nepalis themselves. I had had Nepali food in Kuwait at a migrant workers' restaurant, and was a bit unsure about coming here, but in truth the food was not only delicious, it was all prime cuts of meat and delicately cooked sauces. The clientele is largely young to middle-aged professionals, and you should not expect to hear anyone speaking Cantonese here. You will, however, hear a myriad of accents in English, and the occasional smattering of French.

Favorite Dish: I don't remember exactly what I ate at the restaurant, although I do know that it was a sort of royal lamb curry that was served with hot, sticky garlic naan. A small salad and large crackers (I always forget their name). The kitchen also prepares great mango lassis. The food is very spicy, but nevertheless incredibly tasty and delicious!

This is one of the reason that I love Hong Kong. The restaurants are amazing if you know how to find them. Let's started form the local cheap to International expensive!

In Kowloon local usually goto Mongkok center (take the metro to Mongkok station exit E2). The most busy place in Kowloon for shopping and dinning. All small restaurants around there with cheap price. Whatever you walk in any, they all good and cheap except in the Hotel or big shopping mall. You can try the Won ton noodle, congee, Taiwanese...etc. Otherwise just goto Tsim Sha Taui, all the restaurants are little bit more pricey but not too bad except you goto the hotel restaurant or the Harbour city shopping mall or the restaurants have a good view of Victoria harbour!

Still cannot find anything you like then you can take HK$2.2 Ferry at Tsim Sha Taui Star Ferry goto Cantral! The New Pier in Hong Kong Island Central next to the IFC where is the most lesuires shoping centre. For sure, most of the western cuisine Restaurants there have a excellent good view of Vistoria harbour at night and the price will be Expensive but still full house most of the time, so better make a reservation. Therefore, if you not concern price, then you should get a table next to the windowe side around 20:00 because you can also see the Laser Show from the buildings along the harbour!

Meanwhile, if you are not very interested the laser show or any Victoria harbour view. I will recommand you goto Soho. You can take the Green mini bus no.22 HK$8.5 at the pier go there (you can asked the driver remind you to get of at the Soho). Soho where is the place for all the European Cuisine with good wine. The Soho District is 2 street but only restaurant. The prices are bit cheaper then IFC but not as cheap as the local and depends what and how many wine you order.

Eventually, you want a venture and explorer for Asian or Cantonese cuisine. You should take the $2 tram from central (or the MTR=Metro) to Wanchai or Causeway Bay. The Lockhart road along with alot of restaurants for seafood. However, I find out there are some with same owner is a trap for touists, what are shame! So, I recommanded you can goto "Yuet Wan Wui Seafood Restaurant" address: Shop B, 405-419 Lockhart road, Wanchai. The restaurant in between 2 smiliar restaurant which are BAD, so make sure you goto the right one. For Asian restaurants should goto Causeway bay. In there, Most of the restaurants are good and with reasonable prices.

have fun and enjoy your trip!

My close friend from college, Nick, did not expect me to call so early on a Saturday morning, and as I did not totally realize the time change, hindsight tells me a 7am wakeup call was not very friendly of me. After a couple groggy words, he mentioned that if I showed up at his place, dropped my bags off he knew the place to get over his sleep loss with some good old fashioned greasy spoon. Not what I was expecting for my first meal, in Hong Kong, but you know what they say about beggars and choosers.
The Flying Pan is a great little breakfast spot on a Saturday morning, especially if you get there before the crowd. As we grabbed two seats family style amongst the others in there, we chose from a fairly extensive omelet menu, and the heartiest omelet was the choice for both of us. The coffee was brewed American style, and was not the best in the world, but great for the morning time. I also chose a juice, but I am not sure what the name of it was…definitely not one from America. The omelet was in fact very hearty, with a good mix of egg and toppings. Overall, it definitely hit the spot and got me started for a solid day of sightseeing before my next plane to Malaysia the following day.

Its a local's corner cafe, located just up from Lan Kwai Fung.

The chairs are soft and inviting. The windows are large and give you a nice view of the small streets in the area. If you are a customer, they offer two computers with free internet. Its a great place to stop, catch your breath, take a snack and check your emails.

Favorite Dish: For breakfast, their yogurt parfait is good, with a mix of granolas and fruit. A good pick-me-up in the morning for a day on the town.

Their sandwiches and salads are also very good and resonably priced.

Staying with friends who live in Hong Kong, we were able to visit a few places that they prefer instead of hitting the places that all the tourists go to. A popular place among the local buisiness professionals is Nha Trang. It is usually busy, but does not require reservations (a good idea on a Friday or weekend). The food is excellent and the prices are reasonable.

Favorite Dish: We had several dishes and split them family style. The spring rolls and crab rolls were awesome! The fish and phad thai are delicious too!

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This is a true treasure from the old days, to call this restaurant "special" would be a great understatement.

- The experience: Don't go there just for the great food - prepare yourself for a culture shock. If you are looking for lunch PLUS a dose of old hong kong dining culture, this is for you.

- "No-thrill" ambiance.

- If you want comfort with a sterile, quiet and relaxed atmosphere, this is NOT it.

- To start, the restaurant is almost always packed. There is no "number" system. You are on your own - scan any open "seats" and seat yourself. Avoid the 1 PM lunch hour - best time to go is 11:15 AM.

- Be prepare to share table with strangers, most tables there are shared. You are sharing with locals - white & blue collars; retirees; etc. It is not uncommon for 4 to 5 different "parties" to share one table.

- The waiters will try to accomodate and seat you - but be aggressive and "hunt".

- If you don't speak Chinese, hand gestures work best.

- Once you are seated, you will be asked what kind of tea? Say "Heung Pin" for jasmine unless you have another preference.

- They will get you your own tea kettle PLUS a flat round bowl with hot water in it. That bowl is for you to sterilize your eating wares - rinse your bowl, cup, chopsticks in it.

- You will be given a ticket and servers will mark the ticket as you get your food.

- They wheel out the dim sum in hot carts - just pick what looks good to you - don't ask them "what it is".

- It is OK to walk up to any cart and "take" the items you want, so long as you bring the check with you for them to mark it.

- When you need more water in the kettle (more tea), leave the lid open and they will come around with the hot water.

- When you are done, take the check and pay at the cashier up front. No tipping is necessary.

You may LOVE this experience or you may hate it, but you are in hongkong - and this is certainly as "hongkong" as it gets.

Favorite Dish: My personal favorite is the "gai joan fan" - steamed rice with chicken and chinese sausage. All the dim sums are great.

Their "cha siu" (bbq pork) is also famous - it is more fatty but that is supposed to be (lean is NOT considered as good in Chinese food). You have to order the "cha siu" with the waiter. Just hand the waiter the check and order "cha siu" for just the meat or "cha siu fan" for meat with rice.

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Maxim's has many branches and they specialised in "Dim Sum" - literary means "touched the heart". We went to the one at City Hall. As usual, you will need to get a number and wait to be seated - this system is pretty organised. Everyone was patient and waited for their turn, no argument of any kind. There were so many people waiting in front of us but we waited patiently for our turn. It was three-quarter of an hour of waiting before we were directed to our table. The waiter and waitresses were very efficient. Once seated, they will serve you tea and laid down the cutleries and a card that records your orders.

Trolleys were moving around with a wide selection of "dim-sum". Take your pick.. There are so many to choose from that you are sometimes so indecisive of what you want... everything looks so delicious. Everytime you order, the waiter/waitress will mark it down on the card. You can order ala-carte dishes of meat, noodles or vegetables.

Favorite Dish: We ordered a variety of "dim-sum". Some comes in bamboo baskets, some in tiny dish.
We had : "har gau" (steamed shrimp in thin rice flour skin), "siew mai" (steamed minced meat wrapped in wantan skin), century-egg & meat porridge, "char-siew" pau (steamed bun with minced BBQ meat), "Ngor-cheong" (Goose feet), egg tarts and some others which I can't remember the names...

Each serving of bamboo baskets or dish is about HKD20 to HKD26

See more pictures of delicious "dim-sum"