If you have been to Hong Kong and in search of the original Mak noodles, be prepared with a big and expandable stomach. There are so many versions and links to the original Mak Woon-Chi’s creation. I tried linking up and finding out which is the main descendant but in the end, not much results as the stories are very similar. I found the two most popular noodles after Mak Woon-Chi’s. Just a little history, Mak Woon-Chi the pioneer and the one who created wonton noodles brought this delicacy from Guangzhou to Hong Kong.

The recipe hasn’t changed throughout even till the earl 1960s as this dish was served to the then President of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-Shek by Mak Chi-Ming, a third-generation descendant of Mak Woon-Chi.  Now with Mak’s Noodles and Mak Mun Kee’s version, they do have their own share of supporters, each insisting that they are the true originals. Even one of them has started franchise in Singapore, Mak Man Kee and they are opening another branch soon.

Mak Mun Kee Noodle Shop 麥文記麵家

I started off searching for them upon checking into my hotel in Hong Kong, luckily it was within walking distance and to be honest, I was hungry then and couldn’t wait to try out why, why so many people recommended Mak’s. The setup of the eatery is typical of Hong Kong food places. Tiny space with round tables where people would just come in and find a seat which is empty, most of the time, sharing a table with others and it’s also quite a culture especially during lunch hours where people would focus on their food and leave the place. 

At 3:15pm, this place still packs with people and I understand now why it is considered the best wonton noodles. I ordered a bowl of wonton noodle soup and the other, dried noodles with shrimp dumplings. The soup has a very strong shrimp flavour which I have yet to taste before. The consistency in the handmade noodles is springy and needs a little effort to bite it off. Generous amount of prawns (one and a half slice of it) are found in each wonton and the texture of the prawn indicates that the meat is fresh and I savour every single bit of the meal. I enjoyed this and love it very much.

Mak’s Noodles 麥奀雲吞麵世家

The other “twin’ of the Mak legacy, is here to show that they meant business too. With an equal busy crowd, this outlet located at Wellington Street is popular as well. The space in the shop is bigger and articles and pictures of their success decorate the front window of the shop. We ordered the usual soup version of the wonton noodles and a plate of 捞(dried version) sprinkled with dried prawn roe and a bowl of wonton soup by itself.

The most sort after itinerary when you’re in Hong Kong is going up to this magnificent view of the sparkling skyscrapers of the Hong Kong Island. If you have only one thing that you can do here, Victoria Peak will be your choice.  Many tourists would prefer to visit this attraction towards the evening and you can choose to take the Peak Tram up.

You spend hours taking pictures enjoying a little bit of shopping at the Peak Tower at about 396 metres above sea level. There are a wide array of restaurants and shops and entertainments for everyone but I would like to bring you to attention would be the Italian casual dining at Wildfire+.

Dining at the top is a unique experience and I am fortunate to have one of the best views of the Hong Kong skyline while having your dinner. This place packs a punch as its one of the restaurants at Peak Tower with the best view.  A comfortable and less restricted atmosphere where you can dine with your friends casually as you enjoy the wonderful variety of Italian food and why not pop a bottle of sparkling wine and enjoy this lovely evening?

Friendly service staffs who recommended us to some of the restaurant’s specialty like the Wildfire Supreme, a masterpiece pizza which comes in the size of 12” or 24” (fit for a King) which consists of ham, pepperoni, sausage, bell pepper, onions, mushrooms (my favourite!), kalamata olive, spread with their unique tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese! Done in the open-flame, the thin crust pizza, tossed freshly upon order and with an Italian flare from the center to the very edge. All of their pizzas are made under blazing fire, adding the unique charred flavour to them and I guarantee you which ever flavour you choose, the crusts don’t fail.

Having a headache about what to have for our appetizers, we ended up getting the best out of the selection. The Wildfire Appetizer Platter gives you a great start to your dining experience with calamari fritti, smoked salmon (this is heavenly), chicken wing marinated with yummilicious house sauce and quesadilla to balance up your taste bud and ready for the pizzas to be served.

Diners in the restaurant got up from their seats once in awhile whipping out their mobile cameras (I did that too!) capturing moments of the wonderful scenery as they dine merrily, chatting with their partners and friends, and embracing such a beautiful evening. Thank you for such a wonderful evening and kudos to the group of chefs and staffs of Wildfire+ @ The Peak for the lovely meal, 唔該!

Do have a read on my journey of food and travel in Macau and of course Hong Kong during this trip! Have fun reading and do share them around! Cheers!

THE PEAK TOWER
Tel: +852 2849 5123
Address: Shop 2, Level 1,
The Peak Tower,
128 Peak Road, 
Hong Kong

Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri 12nn - 11pm
Sat, Sun & PH - 11am - 11pm

When someone asks you about the good food in Hong Kong, what are the dishes that you would suggest? Similar to Singapore, Hong Kong has a great culture of superb food from the streets all the way to fine dining restaurants and Michelin Star eateries. In this article, I will share with you what are the MUST eats when you’re there!

The simplicity of food as you walk along the streets trying out the little stalls tucked in shops along the alleys and pathways. Wonderful bean curd freshly made daily which can be found at Lamma Island, “fish egg” 魚蛋 or rather what we know as fish balls cooked in spicy curry. Or why not try out the dried cuttlefish and shishamo grilled on charcoal and drizzled in special sauce as you walk along the breezy fisherman village in Tai O. Fancy the local drinks Yuanyang 鸳鸯 or 港式奶茶 to cool yourself down which can be found in nearly all eateries.

Dim sum is everywhere in Hong Kong and my top three choices are:

Tim Ho Wan 添好運點心專門店
A popular chain outlet which you can even find in Singapore, Tim Ho wan had earned its reputation as the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant which only the outlets at Mongkok and Sham Shui Po gained those hard-earned one stars.

T'ang Court 唐閣
Top 10 restaurants in Hong Kong, and a two star Michelin award, the real treat for your dim sum fix is here. It is known for the extravagant and freshness, creating local delicacies with luxurious ingredients. You can even enjoy other sumptuous food in this luxury restaurant located at the Langham.

Maxim’s Palace 美心皇宮
Come early and enjoy the fresh dim sum and a very cozy environment. You can spend hours catching up with your friends as the service staffs push traditional Dim Sum steam carts around the restaurant. Order and receive your food on the spot.

Porridge is one of the staple foods for the locals and for tourists, many would visit Ocean Empire 海皇粥店. Traditional porridge ingredients like century egg and pork slices, to fresh slice fish and also seafood versions are available on their menu. The other favourite of mine would be fried dough wrapped with rice noodle sheet 炸兩. Sprinkled with spring onions and dashes of light soya sauce, the simplicity of food but not lacking the flavourful tastes and textures.

Pastires and bakeries are widely available in Hong Kong. You can easily get some bread which is conveniently available in most shopping malls or along the streets, small eateries like Kam Wah Café 金華冰廳 for a Po Luo bun (pineapple bun) or egg tarts and dessert shops and talking about desserts, Yuen Kee Dessert源記甜品專家 located at Sai Yuan Lane is one of the popular hangout place for locals especially after dinner and till midnight.

You can order a slice of sponge cake to go with your hot desserts.  Yee Shun Milk Company 義順牛奶公司 is another place if you would like some curdled milk for dessert. They have a variety of flavours and it comes with hot or cold ones. How about a ice cream from a mini ice cream van? It’s a good fix to cool yourself down especially I’m there in summer.

Who can forget about roast goose meat and other roasted meat which is one of the must haves when you’re here in Hong Kong. Yat Lok Restaurant 一樂燒鵝 located at Stanley Street, is a must go to have the juicy goose drumstick (depends on availability) and you can have it with rice or their handmade egg noodles. The crispy skin and the fat in the meat is divine and I am totally in love with it! And the other two places where I think they have good tasting roast meat would be at Maxim’s Palace 美心皇宮 as well as Zheng Dou 正斗粥麵專家 which can be located at the Hong Kong International Airport. One of the best roasted pork which I had for my dinner was at Lei Garden 利苑酒家, cozy setting and I have to say their roast goose is comparable too!

Looking for a late night snack or supper? Walk along Temple Street and you should chance upon these two shops, Hing Kee Restaurant 興記煲仔飯 & Four Seasons 四季煲仔飯. In fact there are many such places around Temple Street for you to choose from.

Both stalls have tasty clay pot rice which is cook from scratch upon order and they have sides like fried oyster omelette or seafood like the mantis shrimp in cereal. The difference between the ones in Singapore to those here, they come without any sauces and you can just add in your preferred amount of dark soy sauce.

From breakfast till supper, having local street food to dining in a posh restaurant, you will enjoy the wonderful variety meals in Hong Kong. Be it a short trip or hopping around the area going to Macau or Shenzhen. I am sure you will enjoy the recommendations that I have painstakingly put up for you. Take note and share with me what are your favourite places to eat in Hong Kong and I will try to cover them when I’m back the next time! Cheers!

I will not forget how Hong Kong is being depicted a place to “Eat and shop and shop and eat” (not sure if anyone has seen this commercial?!) A place where great food is around every corner, where you will find wonderful shopping places day and night. I am very sure most of us would have visited Hong Kong before. I shall not bore you with the historical and geographical aspects of this place. It’s a place where you might also bump into a couple of celebrities (if you’re lucky, as I have not even seen one on the streets yet.) and maybe even walked into a street where it’s been featured in one of the scenes in a Hollywood or Hong Kong movies.

You might have read so many articles and blogs sharing about what to do in Hong Kong and I am sure there are many out there who know even more than me. Here, in my humble little blog, I will share with you a little bit of what you can do alternatively, if you are not looking for places to shop or even malls to visit. I shall share with you my short trip to Hong Kong and where I went and perhaps, maybe, it might inspire you to visit these few places the next time you’re there.

Travelling around Hong Kong
The public transport in Hong Kong is similar to what major cities can offer. By foot, with so many links from one famous night market to the next, many would find themselves walking a lot and there are areas with escalators and travellators to ease your sore knees and feet.

There is the MTR (mass Transit Railway), iconic Trams, taxis (which I don’t usually hop on as the rest are sufficient to bring me where I wanna go cheaper) Ferries to cross over to the other side of the island and buses which consist of the usual double decker and the convenient light buses (mini bus). 

A place where I would visit every single time when I’m there would be the Wong Tai Sin Temple. The temple claims to ‘make every wish come true upon request’ might have something to do with its popularity. Home to three religions (Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism) its natural setting and beautifully ornamented buildings with the backdrop of high modern apartments give you the serene feeling that time is put to a halt at this very location. It’s a very popular place for prayers, photographs and cultural exchange. Do try to arrive early in the morning to beat the crowd frenzy and I’m sure your prayers will be answered!

Clustered around a section of Des Voeux Road West in Sheung Wan, commonly known as Dried Seafood Street, this is a place where you will be able to buy dried and preserved seafood like scallops and sea cucumber at competitive prices. It is filled with live especially before the Chinese Lunar New Year!

Lamma Island (南丫島), also known as Pok Liu Chau (博寮洲), which is a part of the Islands District, is the third largest island in Hong Kong. A place where you can run away from the bustling city and concrete jungle, immerse yourself into the wonderful nature and some nice seafood. And do you know that famous actor, Chow Yun Fat, grew up in this lovely island?

Tai O is another island that you can get away to for a day at this fishing village. Wonderful villagers who welcome you as you walk around the dirt paths, occasionally walk into the courtyard of someone’s place as they set up make shift stalls selling grilled seafood which is caught locally and dried for later use. Over the years, this place has become one of the main tourist attractions but it is still a place to go to if you prefer a laid back visit and away from modernisation. 

Night markets bring live to the city that never sleeps. From the popular Lady Street to the famous Temple Street, who can resist the cool evening weather walking in the market, grabbing cheap bags and accessories, toys for the kids, and even creative souvenirs for your friends and family back home. It’s a place where you can spend hours shopping and I would say it’s definitely much better than our Pasar Malams (night market in Malay) in Singapore.

You should be enjoying yourselves and are you planning to get anything back from Hong Kong? Many would consider ordering roasted goose and some would prefer to get local pastries back. Kee Wah bakery 奇華餅家 suits those who prefers to buy popular Cantonese stuffs back. Beautifully packaged and designed, the products at Kee Wah are suitable for gifts and it’s also available online!

Of course there are so many more places that you can go to and do share with me with the places that you've been to and I can visit the next time. But before I end here, don’t you want to know where I have been for the wonderful good food in Hong Kong? Follow me on my next blog for the Eat Eat Eat Hong Kong!