Feasting in Hong Kong

Boy are we lacking a selfie stick!!

Greetings from Hong Kong! As I write this, we are wrapping up our final full day here in this remarkable city. There is something really special about the crazy skyscrapers, the blue water, the green mountains, and the hectic and uber crowded streets. You really feel like things are HAPPENING here. Unfortunately, Nate came down with a nasty cold but he’s been a real trooper and we’ve still done a lot of great activities and of course, lots of eating. And people, I am telling you, people in HK are EATING! People are eating all the time!! There is literally food EVERYWHERE. You can buy it off the streets or in any of the zillions of restaurants which are packed every which way.

A typical day for us started out at Craft Coffee Roasters - a modern little coffee shop near our hotel in Mong Kok. Nate usually had a croissant (or two) and I enjoyed their yogurt/granola combo for a probiotic boost. Some cherries bought from the local market on the side. And that was usually the last healthy thing eaten of the day. I have to say - I pretty much didn’t say “no” to anything while I was in HK. For lunch, we usually found our way into a little dim sum shop for some kind of soup and stir fry situation - questionable meats and noodles and dumplings galore. For dinner, we often went a little more international, and enjoyed excelled Thai, Italian and Japanese fare. HK in general feels much more international than Shanghai - makes total sense. We also enjoyed fancy cocktails at one of Hong Kong’s famed scenic bars - one of my drinks had a sprig of rosmary popping out of it and the glass was dipped in cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Nate even got to choose the tonic AND the gin that went into his classy G&T.

Hong Kong folks definitely seem to have a sweet tooth - people are lined up outside of bakeries, and there are usually two or three per block. We tried some fun bakery treats, including the famed egg tart, sweet buns, waffles, croissants, and nuomici (a glutinous rice dumpling with lots of shredded coconut). And there was an ice cream or too. Check out our culinary adventures below as I stuffed my face through this truly amazing place. I said goodbye to Nate today - always sad - as he is off on more adventures as I return back stateside for more blogging and consulting.

Say whaa? China Eastern served us ice cream in flight!

My typical breakfast view <3

Lunch at a “cha chaan teng” - tea restaurant. Some gamey meats over rice and a sprinkling of veggies.

Branching out and enjoying some pizza and pasta.

Nate’s squid ink ramen at Butau Ramen. I went for the original tonkatsu broth - less adventurous!

Gamey noodles and fish dumpling soup for lunch.

sweet puffy treats abound at HK bakeries

Sashimi break!

Our Thai spread at Thai BBQ 2 - pad thai, green curry, and tom yum soup. The best.

Check out Mong Kok’s food markets below - live fish galore!

My best tip and trick for dining in HK? This guide was our go-to. If you’re looking for the “recommendations from a local” kind of thing, I highly suggest checking that list out. Many thanks to Nate for stumbling upon it! My Fodor’s book had pretty decent recommendations too. Also, Sassy Hong Kong covers everything from afternoon tea to the best bars with views.