Dining out in Hong Kong

Being in Hong Kong for a year-long teaching assignment allowed me to become more familiar with the distinctions between the regional cuisines of China, which encompass eight great cooking traditions of Anhui, Canton, Fujian, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, Hunan and Zhejiang.  Each tradition is characterized by regional influences, as well as different ingredients, flavors and cooking methods.

Due to Hong Kong’s legacy of being multicultural and a popular tourist destination, you can experience the many different traditional cuisines without having to go very far.  This blog post will focus on excellent dining establishments that specialize in three of these cooking styles: Sichuan, Shandong and Cantonese.  All are premium restaurants with a distinctive atmosphere and exceptional service.

Dining at Grand Majestic Sichuan

A new favorite dining spot located in the heart of Hong Kong’s Central district is the Grand Majestic Sichuan. As the name implies, the cuisine originates from the Sichuan province and is rich in oil and spices, particularly hot chilis and mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns.  I love this cuisine for being bold and inducing sweat on the forehead!  Without a doubt, this is my preferred cuisine among the traditional eight.

pork belly and cucumber with spicy garlic sauce

The cozy dining room is elegantly furnished with plush, royal-red seating adding to the ‘majestic’ feel of the restaurant.  Servers are attentive and dressed in traditional European fine dining uniforms.  The wine menu is eclectic and the dishes inventive, including the steamed eggplant with green chilis and the firecracker chicken.  Arriving early for your dinner reservation means you can take advantage of the outdoor patio for pre-dinner drinks.

chicken in a bed of Sichuan chilli peppers

Dining at Hutong

An old favorite dining experience from our previous stay in Hong Kong is Hutong, located in Tsim Sha Tsui and featuring “fiery northern cuisine”.  The Shandong region is most associated with this cooking tradition, but also has influences from the cuisines of Beijing, Mongolia, Russia and North Korea.  These dishes favor preservation of original flavors and, as such, are lightly seasoned.  Hutong excels at this tradition yet introduces a fiery touch in its approach.  Examples are the Kung Po chili prawns served with sweet Shaoxing wine sauce and the Red Lantern crispy soft-shell crab with Sichuan dried chili peppers.  Highlights of Hutong include décor inspired by the alleyways of Beijing and a breathtaking view of the Hong Kong island skyline and harbor.

Dining at Madam Fu

Another delightful establishment is Madam Fu Grand Café Chinois, located in a re-purposed 1880s colonial-era building that formerly served as a police station and barracks. While a visit to this complex is compelling on its own, dining at Madam Fu is the real treat.  The restaurant comprises several rooms, each offering a unique design, as well as two extravagant verandas with views to the barracks Parade Ground.  Our favorite room is their elegant, colonial-inspired Grand Café dining room, with its plush, green banquet sofas and high, wood-panel ceilings.

flaming prawns

The cuisine at Madam Fu is a contemporary expression of traditional Cantonese dishes, which originate from the province of Guangdong, an area which includes Hong Kong.  This is the traditional cooking most found in American Chinatowns and characterized by fresh ingredients (lots of seafood and pork), simple cooking techniques and balanced flavors.  One of my favorite Cantonese dishes is Char Siu pork, which is roast pork with a smoky barbeque sauce comprising hoisin, soy and Chinese five spice powder.  But when dining at Madam Fu, we are usually steered toward some of the restaurants specialty dishes, which include golden pork belly with mustard, flaming prawns and firecracker chicken.

Sik Fan Lah!