Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tea urn and cups
Thomas Santalab / GETTY IMAGES ©
Walled Village Cuisine
The modern history of Hong Kong begins with the First Opium War, but the roots of its
cuisine go much further back. The local inhabitants who dwelt here ate what they could
herd, grow or catch from the sea. Certain ancient food traditions from these peoples remain,
most notably walled village cuisine, best known for the 'basin feast' (,
poon choy
). The
story has it that the last emperor of the southern Song dynasty (AD 1127-1279), fleeing
from the Mongols, retreated to a walled village in Hong Kong with his entourage. The villa-
gers, lacking decent crockery, piled all kinds of food into a large basin to serve the royal
guests.
Poon choy
has become a dish for festive occasions in the New Territories ever since.
International Cuisine
From monkfish-liver sushi to French molecular cuisine, Hong Kong has no shortage of great
restaurants specialising in the food of other cultures. The variety and quality of Asian
cuisines is outstanding, surpassing even that of Tokyo. Then there's the exceptional array of
Western options. Hong Kong's affluent and cosmopolitan population loves Western food,
especially European. This is evidenced by the number of international celebrity chefs with
restaurants here, such as Joël Robuchon and Pierre Gagnaire. Prices at these and other top
addresses can be steep, but there's also a burgeoning number of excellent eateries special-
ising in rustic French or Italian that cater to food lovers with medium-sized pockets.
VEGIES BEWARE
There are 101 ways to accidentally eat meat in Hong Kong. A plate of greens is prob-
ably cooked in meat stock and served with oyster sauce. Broth made with chicken is
a prevalent ingredient, even in dishes where no meat is visible. In budget restaurants,
chicken powder is used liberally. The safe bet for vegies wanting to go Chinese is to
patronise vegetarian eateries or upscale establishments.
Self-Catering
(
www.wellcome.com.hk
)
, have megastores that offer groceries as well as takeaway cooked
food.
