Hong Kong
Spent a few days meeting the in-laws and explored the densely packed roads.
Our honeymoon trip was postponed for about a year with hopes to visit our homelands of Hong Kong and South Korea after we got married in October 2017. We planned the trip for the winter of 2018 and stopped by Hong Kong first. It was my first time there and I was excited to meet Cheuk’s extended family members to learn more about his family and culture.
We had less than a week to explore and it was filled with memorable meals including Cantonese banquet style dinner, endless dim sum, hole-in-the-wall noodle shop, and Asian fusion restaurants. I didn’t do a lot of pre-planning because I wanted to reserve most of our time for things the family wanted to do.
Our first stop was at the iconic Australian Dairy Company serving up traditional Hong Kong style breakfast. They’re known for a super quick service, with an average customer visit time being only 10 minutes, and rather straight-forward interaction with the staff. I don’t want to label this experience as “rude” because it’s just a different type of service culture than what most Americans would expected at an American estbalishment. You’re just there to get business done and move on with your life.
The line wrapped around the block even though we got there around 9AM and I think we waited for about 45 mintues before getting seated. We sat next to two Japanese travelers at a tiny booth, as you can see in third picture above. I didn’t mind it at all though. Cheuk and I both ordered the Breakfast Set menu ($38 HKD / person) that included the classic macaroni soup with ham and eggs, fluffy scrambled egg toast, and a delicious cup of iced milk tea. I still can’t forget the taste of the milk tea, I love the strong black tea flavor and the creamy sweetness.
One of Cheuk’s cousins recommeded that we visit Tai Kwun, a former police station that has been converted into a heritage and arts center. It was a cross between an art gallery and an interactive walk-throughs of the local history. The surrounding neighborhood was full of little shops and restuaraunts. We spent half a day walking around and investigating everything that caught our eye.
We had our fair share of dim sum, everything from the typical restaurant with ladies pushing steaming carts to a more modernized take on cute buns. The buns with googly eyes were from Yum Cha at Causeway Bay, located right by all the luxury shops. We snagged a nice table by the window and got to people watch as we waited for our food. We were there on Christmas Eve and it was nice to see the plaza below decked out with lights, tinsel garlands, and people bustling around for last minute gifts.
One of my favorite meals was from Tsim Chai Kee Noodle Shop which was featured on the Michelin Guide. I must say, it did not disappoint! They’re known for their Wonton Noodle Soup with bouncy noodles, flavorful broth, and hearty wontons. I will never be satisifed by another wonton noodle soup.
Overall, I’d say our trip in Hong Kong was too short. If it hadn’t been for the pandemic, I’m sure we would have gone again to visit our in-laws and enjoy more of what the land has to offer.