Before I bid adieu to 2015, my husband and I had our last out-of-the-country travel – a fun trip to Hong Kong with AirAsia & Vikings group for their Dine and Fly promo – their first ever collaboration that just recently concluded. AirAsia and Vikings gave free trips to Hong Kong and Malaysia including hotel accommodations for three days and two nights to 2 lucky winners. What a treat!
The main agenda of our trip was a fun Hong Kong food tour. This trip was made even more fun because some of #TheKTG (our little food group), not to mention the usual bloggers and media personalities were part of the trip as well. Just imagine… the entire 3D/2N escape was filled with tons of laughter, boo-boos, a considerable amount of walking and scouring for good eats. This doesn’t even include our actual Hong Kong food tour and whatnot. This particular Hong Kong trip was truly an unforgettable one. Not only because of how fun it was but also because during our Hong Kong food tour, I had my first taste of snake!
So, I suggest you read on and maybe take down a couple of notes. Who knows… your note taking might come in handy should you decide to go on your own Hong Kong food tour in the future.
All set for our amazing Hong Kong food tour
Our guided Hong Kong food tour was led by Eating Adventures, a company that actually offers these kinds of fun journeys. This Hong Kong food tour took us about 4 hours to complete, covering 8 amazing food stops. A selection of what to try and where to eat when in Hong Kong – from backstreet shops to mainstream restaurants in Mongkok. I have been to Mongkok several times before to look for good finds and great buys but this was my first time to actually immerse in their culture by experiencing their local fare.
Mongkok which means “busy corner” is a place filled with vibrancy and life. The place is rich in culture, amazing finds and extraordinary eats. So, be well prepared to wiggle your way around crowded sidewalks while savoring forkfuls of flavorful offerings.
1st stop: Sham Tseng Chan Kee Roasted Goose
For me a good roast goose has to be juicy, tender, and of course plump with nice crispy skin. Thankfully, this restaurant serves exactly that! The goose tasted heavenly especially with the plum sauce which will most definitely make you want to eat more rice! What a great start to our Hong Kong food tour.
Contact Details
427-427A Reclamation Street Mong Kok
2nd Stop: Mongkok Market Tour
Egg Tart at Hung Fai Cake Shop (HKD4)
The smell of freshly baked egg tarts wafting out of the bakeshop is heaven! And nothing beats eating freshly baked Egg Tart right out of the oven! By far this has been the best (and my favorite) egg tart. Better and cheaper than Tai Cheong. It’s delightfully flaky with a sweet custard cream that sits perfectly in the middle. My favorite treat whenever I’m in Hong Kong.
Live Chicken Shop
If you want to buy live chicken, there’s a store in Mongkok that actually sells that. They also have cut-ups available, too.
Bean Curd Pudding (HKD7)
This Bean Curd Pudding reminds me of our local Taho. But instead of syrup and tapioca, they use yellow sugar from sugar cane as the sweetener. Try the Soya Milk at HKD5, it’s just as good as the pudding.
Contact Details
Yan Woo Bean Curd Shop
Mongkok Market
Chinese Mitten Crabs at the Fish Market
You can get Chinese mitten crabs in this area. These Chinese mitten crabs from Shanghai are only available in autumn and only bought for its yolk or crab fat. They’re normally sold at HKD100 for 8 crabs.
Trivia: Chinese housewives go to market 2x a day to get the freshest meats and catch.
3rd Stop: Chinese Herbal Tea Shop
Our next stop during this Hong Kong food tour was a herbal tea shop which sells different kinds of tea. They even have Haw Flakes for sale at HKD5/pack. I actually hoarded some.
4th Stop: Sher Wong Yip Snake Shop
My first time ever to eat snake! They say a bowl of snake soup is good to keep you warm on a cold day. Apart from snake meat, there’s shredded chicken meat also. You’ll easily distinguish the snake from the chicken – snake meat was kinda chewy. Overall, the soup has the same texture and flavor like that of a bird’s nest. A large bowl like this is HKD65 while a small bowl costs HKD40. Did you know they use Chinese Cobra brought in from China for their soup? We even saw frozen snakes and newly shredded snake meat when we arrived. This was most definitely one of the biggest highlights of our Hong Kong food tour. Go figure!
TRIVIA: Andrew Zimmern visited this very place to eat some snake soup, too!
5th Stop: Dim Dim Sum (Mongkok)
The dishes here should not be missed! My husband who is not fond of dim sum or Chinese food in particular, absolutely loved it! They have a lot to offer but here are my favorite picks.
Crispy Rice Flour Rolls with Shrimp (HKD28/2 rolls)
This one’s my favorite of all! On the outside you’ll see a soft wrapper but when you bite into it, it has an extra crunchy noodle-like ingredient wrapped around it. The rolls have a delightfully complex texture. Tasty, lovely and splendid!
Chiu Chow Style Dumpling (HKD18/3 pcs)
Deep Fried Dumplings with Wasabi Filling (HKD19/3pcs)
Contact Details
DimDimSum Dim Sum Specialty Store
Wan Chai Branch: 2891 7677
facebook.com/dimdimsum.hk.english
6th Stop: Fish Ball Shop along Tung Choi Street (HKD3/stick)
How can you tell where the best street food is? Look around! When you see a sea of people swarming around particular food spot, that’s it! Nothing fancy here, just good ‘ol street food! This fish ball was hot and spicy! Absolutely smashing!
Contact Details
Tung Choi Street, Mongkok
7th Stop: Red Bean Pastry Bun at Red Bean Pastry (HKD4)
Red bean rolled in glutinous rice that can be likened to tikoy. I like eating it warm.
Contact Details
G/F 135 Fa Yuen St. Mongkok
8th Stop: Modos
We ended our Hong Kong food tour at Modos. This 4-month old ice cream shop along Bute Street sells premium pudding and ice cream. A full cup of Pandan ice cream is HKD25 but what we had was half cup, just enough to cap off a good meal.
I’ve been to Hong Kong a good number of times already but this place still amazes me. Discovering Hong Kong this time on a totally different level made me fall in love with this place all over again. This Hong Kong food tour has given me a fresh interesting mix of new experiences and fresh learnings. Always fun to travel and explore while getting out of one’s comfort zone.
Special thanks to Philippines AirAsia, Vikings Luxury Buffet and Eating Adventures for this awesome and unforgettable Hong Kong food tour!
Philippines AirAsia
Philippines AirAsia is part of the AirAsia Group that has been awarded the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for seven consecutive years running by Skytrax since 2009 to 2015.
Philippines AirAsia operates flights between Manila and Hong Kong every Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday.
Vikings Luxury Buffet
Philippines’ larget buffet restaurant. Vikings has redefined the standards of dining in class and style. Indulge in mouthwatering cuisines from across the world one plate at a time, specially prepared by their team of world-class chefs.
Eating Adventures
Provides personalized food tours for an unforgettable experience with fully licensed local tour guides who speak fluent English. With Eating Adventures, you only not get to eat, you also learn about the local history and culture as you wander around.
Globe Roam Surf
Enjoy unlimited mobile data when traveling abroad for only Php599 per day with Globe Telecom’s reliable and incredibly wonderful Roam Surf promo for prepaid and postpaid. Sharing your out-of-the-country adventures realtime has never been easier and worry-free!
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