Hong Kong baby!: Hong Kong-A Gastronomist's Paradise

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Hong Kong-A Gastronomist's Paradise

It never ceases to amaze me when foreigners come to Hong Kong and approach local fare skittishly. The fear of food poisoning is relevant and real, though no matter what kind of place you go to, here or in the West, you can get sick. In fact, the only time I have gotten really ill here was when I ate at a really nice dim sum place (granted, I ate chicken feet, which was VILE, but at least I tried it!). I understand the concept of "comfort food," and wanting to enjoy the food that you know and love, but the whole point of visiting Hong Kong, which is so far away from home, is to go beyond your comfort zone. Come on, people!

That is why I have been so pleased with the adventurous attitudes of all of my friends who have visited me here in HK (Eileen, Megan, Lara, Corinne, Shane, Christian, Danielle, Santiago, and Chidiogo). They were all too eager to get their hands (and stomachs?) dirty, immersed in the delicacies that Asia has to offer. The most adventurous guest to date, perhaps, was my brother, Shane. He not only wanted to eat a lot (his goal was to gain 10 lbs, or so he said), he wanted to eat the most outrageous things. Hence, he even tried pigeon, which even I have not dared try. Flying rats? Not unless I'm starving!

Hong Kong is truly a gastronomist's paradise (Check out this link for a personal account of Hong Kong food:
http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2008/12/hong-kong-memoir). In fact, Hong Kong offers so much amazing exotic foods at such low prices, it's almost blasphemous to dine at a Western style restaurant, where the food is often mediocre and the prices exorbitant. Why not try Cantonese egg custard buns, Sichuan style spicy noodles, Shanghainese pork dumplings, or Beijing duck instead? Or, if you prefer south/southeast Asian foods, you can find delicious Vietnamese Pho, Thai Tom Yum Gai (coconut soup) or Indian curry. For the latter, you must venture to the notorious Chung King Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, where the place is so authentic that you almost feel like you are in a foreign country.

So come to Hong Kong--if not for me, then for the food!

Shanghainese pork dumplings