Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [126]
TAI PING KOON
Map Soy Sauce Western, Chinese $$
2576 9161; www.taipingkoon.com; 6 Pak Sha Rd; meals from $150; 11am-midnight; MTR Causeway Bay (exit F)
Soy sauce Western Click here is believed to have been invented in the kitchen of the first Tai Ping Koon, founded in 1860 in Guangzhou. Today tasty classics such as smoked pomfret and roast pigeon are still served in neat, if a little worn, surrounds by the waiters who have been around for decades. The restaurant is also famous for its soufflé, which is sized like a hen and comes in a casserole. There are branches in Yau Ma Tei ( Map; 2384 3385; 19-21 Mau Lam St, Yau Ma Tei; MTR Jordan, exit B2) and Tsim Sha Tsui ( Map; 2721 3559; 40 Granville Rd; MTR Tsim Sha Tsui, exit B1).
WEST VILLA Map Cantonese, Dim Sum $$
2882 2110; Shops 101-102, 1st fl, Lee Gardens Two, 28 Yun Ping Rd; 11am-midnight Mon-Sat, 10am-midnight Sun; MTR Causeway Bay (exit E)
West Villa does the char siu (barbecued pork) job well – just slightly charred at the edges and with a golden lean-to-fat ratio. But char siu ($118) alone would not have earned this modern family-run operation a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin people. It also makes some of the best soy-sauce chicken in town ($150 for half) and a beautiful soup ($298, pre-ordering required) comprising chicken, conch meat, honeydew melon, and a dozen other ingredients its competitors would kill to know. There’s a branch in Taikoo Shing ( Map; 2885 4478; Shop 208, 2nd fl, Cityplaza II, 18 Taikoo Shing Rd; MTR Tai Koo Shing, exit D2).
DELICIOUS KITCHEN
Map Shanghainese $
2577 7720; 9-11B Cleveland St; 11am-11pm; MTR Causeway Bay (exit E)
The Shanghainese rice cooked with shredded Chinese cabbage is so good at this cha chaan teng that fashionistas are tripping over themselves to land a table here. It’s best with the honey-glazed pork chop (from $43 including rice).
GOLDFINCH
Map Soy Sauce Western, Chinese $
2577 7981; 13-15 Lan Fong Rd; 11am-12.30am; MTR Causeway Bay (exit A)
Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung and Faye Wong dined here in Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love and 2046. If that doesn’t get you through the door, the decor, which has remained unchanged since the ‘60s, should. Food-wise, steer clear of the steaks and you’ll be fine.
MAN FAI Map Noodles $
2890 1278; 22-24 Jardine’s Bazaar; 9am-2am; MTR Causeway Bay (exit F)
Any time of day you can see people squeezed together here at the few communal tables, slurping up noodles. It’s not a heaven for hygienists, but it is for Chiu Chow squid-ball lovers. The signature balls, desired for their al dente texture, are served with a variety of noodles ($20) and with other ingredients such as beef balls and crispy fish skin (assorted $23).
PUMPERNICKEL CAFE
Map Bakery, European $
2576 1302; Shop B, 13 Cleveland St, Fashion Walk; set lunch from $68; 11am-11pm; MTR Causeway Bay (exit E)
This laid-back cafe treats its bread with as much reverence as its salads and pastas, which makes it a refreshing choice for a light meal. Intellectual types like to fuel up here before attending the 4 June candlelight vigil at Victoria Park. There are branches in Tin Hau ( Map; 2578 0854; 1A Lau Li St; 9.30am-11pm; MTR Tin Hau, exit A2) and Sheung Wan ( Map; 2815 3711; Shop 4, Golden Centre, 188 Des Voeux Rd; 8am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm Sat; MTR Sheung Wan, exit E2).
TONKICHI TONKATSU SEAFOOD
Map Japanese $
2577 6617; 412, Podium 4, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Rd; meals from $150; noon-3pm, 6-10.30pm; MTR Causeway Bay (exit D4)
The battered fried pork chop and oysters at this place measures up to the top shops in Tokyo, and it comes with the obligatory pestle and roasted sesame. There’s a branch in Tsim Sha Tsui ( Map; 2314 2998; Ground fl, 100 Canton Rd; MTR Tsim Sha Tsui, exit A1).
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THE PEAK
You’d hardly venture all the way up Victoria Peak for a meal; food here takes its place in the queue behind the views and the