21. Lotus seed paste
Here's a lesson in making a silk purse out of a sow's ear: Take some dried lotus seeds -- those hard, pale, dime-sized bullets of little flavor -- soak, stew, grind to a paste, pass through cheesecloth, add sugar. Then comes the tricky stage. Dry-cook the sweetened paste in a huge wok, teasing out the nutty, caramelly flavors without burning it. When done right, the fruit of the exhausting labor is rich, velvety lotus seed paste that can be stuffed in fluffy white buns. We love the paste stuffed in Lin Heung's buns with a nub of salty egg yolk.
22. Typhoon-shelter crab
Hong Kong's typhoon shelters used to harbor a community of 'boat people' who made their homes on sampans. Out of the community rose a distinct culinary culture that centered on freshly caught seafood served with plenty of spices and 'wok hei' -- good wok-wielding skills. Little remains of Hong Kong's boat people today but their excellent food culture is ever popular, in particular, the spicy crabs served at Under the Bridge heaped with fried garlic and chilli peppers.
23. Egg noodles
A quality egg noodle depends on its egg flavor and al dente texture. Egg noodles don't get much better than at Ho To Tai Noodle Shop, which has been in business for over six decades. Our favorite is the shrimp roe-covered noodles served with a bowl of fish soup. Salty shrimp roe is generously sprinkled all over strips of noodles that have just the right amount of elasticity and egginess. Ho To Tai's wontons are also reputable and made to the size of a dollar-coin, as is the tradition.
24. Milk tea
It's colonialism in a cup. You could argue that afternoon tea is the single most pervasive legacy of British rule, enjoyed as it is by Hong Kongers from all walks of life, and milk tea is the most potent symbol of English traditions fused with Chinese sensibilities. Top-notch milk tea is made with a special blend of black Ceylon tea that is strained through silk stockings and mixed with evaporated milk. A good cup is bitter, full-bodied and velvety smooth.
25. Joy Hing's cha siu
In this town, Joy Hing is synonymous with 'cha siu' -- Cantonese barbecued pork. Be sure to order 'half fatty, half skinny' cha siu for the best cut: moist, not greasy, honeyed yet smoky.
26. Cha siu baau
Barbecued pork stuffed into a bun deserves its very own shout-out here. Because, when we break open a soft white steamed bun and see the glistening mauve filling of diced cha siu with extra barbecue sauce spilling out and sniff the heady perfume of wine, soy, and hints of caramel, we're moved. North Garden calls theirs 'cha siu mantou,' giving the traditional bun a northern Chinese twist.
27. Claypot rice
For those willing to turn a blind eye on the two-star service and focus on the five-star signature dish, Kwan Kee Claypot Rice is a must-visit. Hardly ever an empty seat, Kwan Kee does rice crustily well using charcoal stoves that are near-extinct in Hong Kong. Whatever toppings you choose, be sure to add some Chinese preserved sausage. All the juices and fat from the meat will drizzle into the rice, adding to its pleasant aroma and taste.
28. North Point mini egg cakes
Crackly on the outside and spongy on the inside, this street-side joint’s mini toasted egg cakes -- called 'gai daan tsai' -- is a clear winner in a city where the snack is just as ubiquitous as potato chips in a convenience store. At North Point Mini Egg Cakes, the eggy batter is toasted to golden-brown perfection and everyone from office workers to housewives crowd around each night for a delicious morsel.
29. Tang Lung Street's Thai shrimp sashimi
Dingy Tang Lung Street may not be known as the most savory place to eat raw crustacean dishes in Hong Kong, but Thai Shing Restaurant’s shrimp sashimi has us returning time and time again with no upset tummies so far. Dished up in a bed of ice and garnished with a slice of raw garlic, the shrimps at Thai Shing are fresh with briny flavors. The chewy delicacy is best eaten dunked in the accompanying chili sauce.
30. Mulberry Mistletoe tea
Traditional Chinese medicine rarely tastes this good. Yuen Kee Dessert‘s Mulberry Mistletoe tea is a delicately sweet Chinese dessert with medicinal qualities, such as reinforcing the kidney and warding off rheumatism. Mulberry Mistletoe tea’s uncluttered flavor has a quiet, nostalgic charm in a city of frantically evolving food trends. Most old-timers at Yuen Kee Dessert like to add boiled lotus seeds to their order and pair the sweet tea with a steamed sponge cake.