We know where we wanna go when we’re hungry — but where do the superstar chefs go when they’re not manning their own kitchens? We asked and they answered.
Norma Chu, Day Day Cook
“Every time I come back to Hong Kong from overseas, there are certain things that I crave. So for lunch I would crave certain things like siu mai and cheong fun. I’m not picky about the shop, I just need those few things — it’s kind of like soul food for me.
I also really like fishball noodles, so there’s an Aberdeen Fishball & Noodles Restaurant I would go to sometimes for lunch. For dinner, there are certain things I don’t cook at home, Japanese being one of them. Recently I really like Sushi Gin in Causeway Bay, but it’s more modernized omakase-style.
For more traditional Japanese, I really like Sushi Ginza Onodera in Sheung Wan, a walking distance from my studio. I really like oysters, so I would go to my friend’s restaurant Fridge ’cause they have the best oysters. Oysters and Champagne make me happy after a stressful day.”
David Lai, Fish School
“My day off usually lands on Sunday, so that’s when family and friends get together to eat as a group. Dim sum works pretty well, as the food is casual and everything can be shared.
We usually rotate between a few restaurants: Fook Lam Moon and Seventh Son in Wan Chai and Fu Ho restaurant in Causeway Bay. The food at these places is always reliable.”
Richard Ekkebus, Amber
“Situated in the cul de sac of Kau U Fong, the tables at The Chairman are covered with white linen and the white porcelain tableware is set with white paper napkins. The service is great here and knowledgeable and gladly assist you in your choice-making.
Remember to ask when reserving to be seated upstairs. Tall guys like me should watch your head as the ceiling is rather low — but that is what makes it so cozy. The real reason I come here with friends and family is for the traditional Cantonese cuisine, and my local foodie friends confirm this is a place like ‘the good old days.’
The dishes are prepared with carefully selected, seasonal, locally sourced, fresh, premium and often organic ingredients. The chef permits himself to use some rather non-Cantonese ingredients such as aceto balsamico, Pommery mustard and sake, and has quite a few spicy dishes on his menu with Sichuan green peppers that they import themselves.”
Margaret Xu, Yin Yang
“I love going to Sun Hon Kee | 新漢記, a Hakka seafood-based restaurant in Fanling. They have authentic ethnic fishing village dishes like homemade squid ink balls, dried baby fish and river prawns, as well as noodles made of fish meat.
I keep going back for the authentic ingredients and taste. My favorite dish is the stir-fried fish noodle, made of mainly fish meat and stir-fried with mushrooms and celery and tasty vegetables. This is better than any other provincial fish noodle dish I’ve had in Chiu Chow restaurants.”
Ngai Hong-Kin, Sha Tin 18
“I like trying out different cuisines, including Japanese, Korean and Western, as they provide inspiration for creating new dishes. Korean food is trending now and there is a restaurant near my home called Cafe Seoul, which I have visited several times.
Located in Tai Po close to the Tai Wo MTR station, this restaurant is not too crowded and offers authentic Korean dishes at reasonable prices. It’s worth a visit if you like simple Korean dishes. Some good choices are bibimbap, kimchi pancakes and spicy beef soup.”
Vicky Cheng, VEA
“For something local, I like Sam Tor noodles a lot. I always order noodles with goose intestine and pork liver: it’s consistent, fast and delicious. I don’t necessarily go on my day off, though, since they are closed on Sundays.
I also often go to Yat Lok for roast goose. I find myself always in these two places. Otherwise, I try my best to eat local or Chinese food, as I really want to explore Chinese cuisine.”
