Chasing Dim Sum Dreams With My Son in Hong Kong
A dispatch from a food lover's first Hong Kong adventure
I had wanted to visit Hong Kong ever since my first dim sum experience in high school. There was something magical about the flavors, textures, and presentation in those circular bamboo baskets. I knew immediately that the Cantonese had discovered one of life’s great pleasures — dumplings and sauces, complete with hot mustards and chili oils, that transport the willing to culinary nirvana.
Having now explored Hong Kong for over a week, I’ve quickly learned that this stunning metropolis is about far more than dim sum. East meets west here. The vestiges of the British Empire can be found in everything from the egg tart to the name for Victoria Harbor. English is spoken almost everywhere I’ve been thus far.
Yet the city is also very Cantonese. You can hear the pride when locals describe places as “eastern” or “western” restaurants. As if there’s a strict separation between church and state.
Hong Kong is also this amorphous part of China that still has most of the freedoms of western societies with free markets, open internet, and free speech. Although the degree of any of these “freedoms” is probably best left untested.
As I write this I’m looking out at the Agricultural Bank of China, which is the second largest bank in the world in total assets. It’s state-owned like many of its Chinese banking peers. In fact, the top 4 banks in the world by total assets are all Chinese state-owned banks.
While this form of state-directed capitalism may be foreign to us Westerners, it’s only part of what makes Hong Kong unique. This is a city where Chinese order and culture combines with Western influence to create something new and unique. I have explored it the best way I know how—through the food.
Cha chaan tengs: the great Hong Kong diners
Let’s start fast and casual with Hong Kong’s version of fast food: cha chaan tengs. I have tried three thus far, and they’ve all been delicious in their own unique way. They serve simple, soulful food in a diner-like setting.
Cha chaan tengs are quite common for breakfast and lunch, although I suppose you could patronize them for dinner too. Expect noodles and meat in a soup base that often includes tomatoes alongside eggs and toast. Congee with meat can occasionally make an appearance too. And recently, my mind was blown by the steamed milk pudding that tasted like decadent custard at the famed Australian Dairy Company.
I love diner culture in America and particularly New York City, so the cha chaan tengs spoke to me immediately. The service has been caring and kind to me and my 4-year-old dining mate, even when operating at peak efficiency. As if we were welcomed into someone’s home. Which is at odds with the stereotypical view of Chinese service being rude and indifferent.
I’m not saying you won’t encounter bad service at cha chaan tengs, especially at the frenetically paced Australian Dairy Company, but in my limited experience, it’s been wonderful. And while these places won’t take you to the heights of Chinese culinary might, they deliver soul and love. They’re low key and accessible to everyone. To give you an idea, we ordered two full meals with iced lemon tea (try it!) and the final bill was a little over 100 Hong Kong Dollars or about $13 USD.
You’d be hard-pressed finding one entrée for that price in a Manhattan diner today.
Come for the dim sum, stay for the roasted goose
Prior to coming to Hong Kong, my experience with Cantonese cuisine was mostly limited to dim sum. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest and now living in New York City, I’ve been blessed with many good dim sum options by American standards.
Unsurprisingly, Hong Kong has a wide spectrum of dim sum spots. They range from the historic like Luk Yu Tea House and the traditional like Lin Heung, where diners flag down ladies pushing carts, to elevated options like The Chinese Library. At the historic and traditional spots, you’re more likely to find a wider spectrum of options from shumai (ground pork) to chicken feet (one of my favorites, but my son draws the line here).
Fancier dim sums feel like sitting for afternoon or high tea at upscale British hotels. But instead of cucumber sandwiches, you get unlimited dumplings during Sunday brunch at places like The Chinese Library. It gets extra points for being inside the historic Hong Kong police station, Tai Kwun.
No amount of luxury and history, however, can beat dim sum made with love. As I expected, I liked the fancier dim sum at The Chinese Library the least. Yes, the other options were greasier and dingier, and I’m not sure when the last time the carts or floors were cleaned, but no amount of Christofle could match their flavor.
For as fancy and sophisticated as The Chinese Library was, their dim sum offerings were generally gummier and not as fresh. Which goes to show that the best food in a city is oftentimes not found in upscale dining rooms.
That’s why I have dragged my 4-year-old deeper into the alleys and side streets of Hong Kong’s neighborhoods. When his legs have tired from the hills, I have stuffed him in a sling over my shoulder.
I’m not sure how much of this trip he’ll remember, but I know how powerful some of the earliest flavors are to my memory bank. Which is why I was most excited for him to try something that’s far harder to find in America than dim sum — the perfect roasted goose.
Both the internet and the Michelin guide recommended Yat Lok. It’s a one star joint with an unassuming store front. Cash only. Minimal English from most of the staff, which is always a good sign.
We went right as it opened at 10 AM. Goose for breakfast? When in Hong Kong, why not.
It arrived glistening in a glaze that apparently takes over 20 steps to prep. Then they chargrill that goose until the meat is falling off the bone. The flavor is so rich, almost along the lines of a well-executed pulled pork, with the marinade doing the heavy lifting on the crunchy skin.
We took down a quarter goose. Paired with a little barbecued pork, noodles, and greens, it redefined the breakfast of champions. My son and I talked about that meal for the next 24 hours (at least), much to the chagrin of my wife who missed it (and prefers not to dabble in goose).
Yat Lok may be the most famous goose joint in Hong Kong, but it’s one of many. I plan to try a few more before I jet out of here in another week. And I’ll share with you the secret knowledge that was given to me about these spots — generally disregard the Google or TripAdvisor ratings because they’re unreasonably harsh. So long as a place has over a 3.4 rating, it’s probably really good (most Westerners have dinged Hong Kong restaurants for bad service when what they’re really complaining about is a cultural difference).
We need more roasted goose in the West. It’s been my favorite meal thus far. And it’s also been one of the cheapest.
Trying Western food in the East
One of my favorite things to do when traveling is visiting McDonalds. Before you laugh and judge, consider that McDonalds adjusts its menu to the locale. Certain staples will always be there like the Big Mac, but McDonalds in Paris, for example, serves wine and pain au chocolat. I enjoyed a glass of Bordeaux with my Royale with cheese back in 2010.
To be clear, I almost never dine at a McDonalds in the United States. I was raised on it and I prefer to avoid it at all costs because I’d rather patronize the local diner or teriyaki shop. But when I’m abroad, visiting McDonalds is like conducting research.
So I had to try it in Hong Kong. And you know what? The Hong Kong McDonalds are basically cha chaan tengs.
For breakfast they offer twisty pasta with sausage and egg in a broth. Very similar to what you can order at any cha chaan teng. And it’s pretty good! Not to mention, usually packed at all hours of the day.
We also found an American diner in the Central neighborhood that we tried for breakfast one morning. They specialized in pandan waffles, derived from the tropical pandan plant that’s widely used in Southeast Asian cooking. They were sweet with subtle floral notes and nutty undertones.
Some might think that seeking out McDonalds and American diners while abroad is not immersive, but I beg to differ. Experiencing how other cultures interpret American culture is fascinating. Their diners may have waffles and coffee, but their versions may include pandan and milk tea.
If you only go to eastern or purely local spots while visiting a city, you’re missing out on how they interpret your home cooking. And what I’ve generally found is that their interpretations are better! They challenge our orthodoxy and push the limits on how we view our food and ourselves.
Hong Kong is my new favorite city
I grew up going to Vancouver, British Columbia as a kid. As a Seattle suburbanite boy, it was otherworldly. Its glass skyscrapers surrounded by water, trees, and mountains felt like something out of a novel.
Hong Kong gives the same vibes. It’s an even more bustling metropolis than Vancouver that’s also surrounded by water and pristine nature. It’s even more multicultural than the extensive diversity one can discover in the Vancouver area. And its narrow streets and hills are fascinating to explore, offering stunning vistas of the city, harbor, and hills along the way.
Even though I’m somewhat limited on what I can do on this trip with my 4-year-old travel companion, this city has opened her arms to us. It’s challenged our preconceived notions not only about Cantonese culture, but our own Western thinking. It’s thrust us into the beautiful chaos of a bustling city, the likes I haven’t discovered since experiencing the energy of Manhattan for the first time over a decade ago.
Like New York City, Hong Kong is the type of place where no two days are the same; where a story hits you in the face the minute you step outside; and where a new cultural experience is around every corner and down every alleyway.
This is a city where east meets west, order meets chaos, and democracy meets autocracy. It’s unclear what will happen to Hong Kong when its guaranteed autonomy under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework expires in 2047. How that could impact Hong Kong’s historic western influences, not only in politics but culture, is anyone’s guess. But until then, I hope to return early and often, while losing myself in Hong Kong’s streets with my son in tow.
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So are you in Hong Kong on business or is this some kind of vacation? I knew there was McDonald's all over the world, but I guess I never really thought about it much. This was really interesting to hear about how they create their menus around the food they serve and eat in different locations.
Personally, I think that's kind of cool that you visit different ones and you're right, it is a reflection of the culture. So a neat kind of experience.
But it looks like you and your son were having quite the good time there, eating goose for breakfast.
This reads like Anthony Bourdain meets parenting memoir, and I mean that as the highest compliment. May your son always remember that first bite of goose and the magic of exploring side streets with dad. Have so much fun, John...