Hong Kong: Roast goose and porridge

Hong Kong is a tourist and food haven.

Chinese New Year is coming, and I wish that I am visiting Hong Kong on a family trip instead.

Other than all the good things of being with your family, I LOVE Hong Kong’s food VERY VERY much. I visited Hong Kong in November 2004, just before the winter started.

I will still drool at the thought of the Roast Goose at Yung Kee. Argh! My hubby had been trying to find it in the afternoon, but we somehow missed the branch nearer to our hotel. Then, while we were walking around at night to over the “half hill” area, we ended the walk by going through Lan Kwai Fong. Taa daa.. it appears right in front of us when we are not looking for it. And were we lucky? Yes, it was the time for the last order!!! I ordered it to go with porridge, and my SO had ordered another porridge (cos he tasted ‘ roast goose’ for lunch and it was nothing much) Anyway, my porridge was super smooth, and I swear I could have down it without anything else. The goose.. hmmm juicy sweet and tender. (I wonder what he ate in the afternoon, roasted duck?) My hubby was not so lucky, his exotic sounding porridge turn out to be pig’s innard porridge. As we both do not take these, we really wasted it. Anyway, his porridge was still very good! After the nice supper, I must have smiled all the way back to my hotel.

The downside of the story was of course, it was the closing time, and we could not order second helping. The next time I visit HK, I must go to Sha Tin and get some of the Sha Tin roasted pigeons and visit my grandaunt, bird flu or no bird flu. Talking about Sha Tin, I spotted a very nice hotel right next to Sha Tin Station. Park Royal. That will be on the top of my list next time.

Porridge porridge. The chill is setting in here and again I wish to have porridge, HK style. We stayed in two hotels and one of them was Stanford Hillview Hotel (name sounds grand….) which is conveniently a block away from the very popular Ladies market. I have never been so enthusiastic all my life about getting out of bed for breakfast. No, it is not the hotel breakfast. It is one of the shops where locals go!!

The porridge (pork and other variety) in the shop a few doors away was great, esp when you have it with those super crispy and big “yau chah kuay” (you tiao), accompanied with sips of soya bean milk and HK style “nai chah”. They have a big pot of oil right at the front of the shop, and it was literally fried seconds before they bring it to your table. Oh, did I tell you also that their “lo bak kow” (turnip? cake) was wonderful and the fried bee hoon was great too? We ordered one portion each of these and shared it out, and still felt very full. On the first morning, we saw a few girls eating the same amount as we BOTH did (yes, combined), and on the second morning, we saw more examples. By then (end of my one week trip to HK), I was totally envious of the HK gals. They are so slim and yet can eat so much! It must be all the walking up and down the slopes! I will find a sloppy town to live next… so that I can eat and eat and not grow fat. Ok, may be I should just live in HK.

p/s: Stanford Hillview is really a steal for its location! Short walk from either Mongkok or Jordan MTR, and you will walk past Ladies market on your way there. In other words, it is a short and interesting walk to the stations. However, I will not guarantee that it takes only 5 or 10 minutes to reach, cos I never did. I was waylaid by Sasa and Bonjour(cosmetic and skincare at a steal) many times, and of course, the famous desert shop- Hui Lau San.

In short, Hongkong is what the tourism people promised: Shop, eat, shop, eat.