Hong Kong Travel Guide

Cantonese culinary hall! Must-eat: Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng (silk-stocking milk tea + pineapple bun + egg tart + wonton noodles + char siu rice), roast meats (Yung Kee roast goose/Kam's Roast Goose), dim sum (Tim Ho Wan—the cheapest Michelin!), Spicy Crab under the Bridge, claypot rice (Hing Kee at Temple Street), egg waffles/griddle cakes. Lan Fong Yuen (birthplace of silk-stocking milk tea), Kau Kee Beef Brisket (the queuing legend), Australia Dairy Company (scrambled egg toast is unbeatable). Spice level: not spicy!

Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng = the soul of Hong Kong food culture. Unspoken rule number one: the waiters aren't rude—they're just extremely efficient. "Leng zai/leng lui, sik me ye?" (Handsome guy/pretty girl, what are you eating?) is the standard opening line. You must answer within 3 seconds—hesitate and you'll get an eye roll. Second: sharing tables is the norm—in crowded cha chaan tengs, strangers sit at the same table each eating their own food with no need for socializing. Third: cha chaan teng terminology—fei sao zau naai (coffee with no sugar and no milk), zau ceng (no scallions), gaa dai (extra rice or noodles), dung jam +2 man (cold drinks +2 dollars), OT (lemon tea), ning lok (lemon Coke), teoi tung (ham macaroni). Fourth: milk tea is the soul of cha chaan teng—silk stocking milk tea (Ceylon black tea blend + Black & White evaporated milk), every cha chaan teng has its own secret tea blend recipe. Fifth: caan daan min/sa deoi ngau juk gung zai min/Swiss chicken wings/French toast/company sandwich/pineapple bun/egg tart—these are the standard menu items. Sixth: cha chaan tengs sell breakfast in the morning (satay beef noodles + milk tea), rice plates at noon, afternoon tea in the afternoon (French toast + iced lemon tea), and small dishes in the evening—covering Hong Kong people's stomachs around the clock. Hong Kong recommendations: Lan Fong Yuen (birthplace of silk stocking milk tea)/Australia Dairy Company (scrambled egg toast is unbeatable)/Wah So Bing Sutt.

Roast goose = the king of Cantonese roast meats. The uniqueness of Sham Tseng roast goose (originating from Sham Tseng Village, Hong Kong): the goose breed must be Qingyuan black-maned goose (90-day growth period, firm meat with evenly distributed fat); marinating—the goose cavity is stuffed with a secret sauce (fermented red bean curd/sesame paste/five-spice powder/minced garlic/sugar/salt) and the opening is sewn shut; glazing—white vinegar + maltose + Dahong Zhejiang vinegar brushed onto the goose skin and air-dried; oven temperature—roasted at 230°C for 40-50 minutes, the fat under the skin is rendered out and the skin becomes crispy. The crispy skin glaze formula is each shop's top secret. Good roast goose: the skin is so crispy that tapping it with chopsticks produces a crackling sound, the meat is tender and juicy, and the subcutaneous fat is just melted without being greasy. Serve with sour plum sauce to cut the grease and enhance freshness. Recommendations: Kam's Roast Goose (Michelin one star)/Yung Kee/Sham Tseng Chan Kee Roast Goose.