Hong Kong: Street Art, Quick Bites and Mrs. Pound

After a 14 hour flight, I landed in Hong Kong but was too tired to pursue food immediately. So I left it for the next day. I set out bright and early around 10 a.m. (that’s early for me!) and discovered the rest of Hong Kong thought that was too early. Every restaurant I wanted to try didn’t open until 11 or 11:30 or even noon! Wow, these Hong Kongers are my kind of people. But that left me with what to do about breakfast/brunch/early lunch.

 

 

I decided to drop into fast casual Tsui Wah which has a chain of restaurants across Asia. It’s homey and reminded me of spots I went to with my great grandfather as a kid. I would often get macaroni soup with ham. But this day I decided to get noodles with pork and preserved vegetables. It came with a hot drink and a bun. I found the bun odd so I left it alone. The milk tea was slightly watery but fortifying for my long day of walking around the Central district.

 

Tsui Wah

G/F-2/F, 15-19 Wellington Street
威靈頓街15-19號地下至二樓
Hong Kong  —  852 2525 6338

MTR: Central, Hong Kong Island

I then decided to walk around Central district because I heard there was lots of street art. I certainly found a treasure trove of it. I happily snapped away, ignoring the fact I wasn’t really satisfied with my first meal.

 

Luckily I spotted Cheung Hing Kee which specializes in Shanghai buns (aka sheng jian bao). I got an order and looked at the popular egg tart spot, Tai Cheong across the street. I decided to come back for one of those later.

The dumplings were indeed juicy and I loved watching them make them and then steam them. This mini-chain received one Michelin star and was the first of five Michelin restaurants I went to in Hong Kong.

Cheung Hing Kee

Shop 1A, G/F, 52-60 Lyndhurst Terrace
擺花街52-60號地下1A號舖
Hong Kong  —  852 2690 0725

MTR: Central, Hong Kong Island

 

 

I was walking along Hollywood Road until I reached what I thought was the end of the road. I stopped to look at some artwork set up outside a shop, Nido Asia. The beckoned me in to take a look around. Currently there are many Colombian items from Studio Ingrid Burgos.

 

Nido Asia opened this year as a place for artists and I spent a lot of time there with Ingrid. If I lived in Hong Kong, I would be by often.

Nido Asia

254 Hollywood Road, Hong Kong  —  (852) 9687-2962

MTR: Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island

 

 

Ingrid walked me to Mrs. Pound which she described as artsy. She was right. I loved all locks on the front gate to the pink interior.  Mrs. Pound is part of the Ming Fat group which operates several restaurants and bars in Hong Kong. Later that evening I would check out Dr. Fern, a gin bar they have.

But first, a real meal! I consider this my first real meal in Hong Kong (not knocking Tsui Wah, but that wasn’t what I really had in mind). I ordered the Laksa because I love that curry soup noodles dish. This one came with one fat prawn and a nicely cooked hardboiled egg that was pure egg yolk porn. I also loved all the fish balls and tofu puffs. Although the food was already flavorful, douse a few items in the sambal and you’ll quickly become addicted.

 

 

I understand enough Cantonese to get around though I don’t speak it much. At Mrs. Pound, I suspect it’s very much an expat sort of place. I didn’t hear a single word in Cantonese here. Still, it did feel like part of the Hong Kong landscape.

Mrs. Pound

G/F, 6 Pound Lane
磅巷6號地舖
Hong Kong  —  852 3426 3949

MTR: Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Island

 

I saw many outdoor markets. Many tucked away in between high rises.

 

This was probably the fanciest outdoor butcher shop I saw in Hong Kong. It was very clean.

 

I’d been out walking for hours by this point so I headed back for a snack and reward- the egg tart I spotted earlier from Tai Cheong.

The custard part was perfect but I discovered there are two types of egg tarts. And I’m not talking about the Macau kind with the bruleed tops. This had a crunchy crust! My aunt later told me she prefers it this way. But I’m used to the ones here in Los Angeles with buttery flaky crusts. Ahhh, I’m learning new stuff all the time about Cantonese food!

 

Tai Cheong Bakery

G/F, Lyndhurst Building, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace
擺花街35號中環大廈地下
Hong Kong  —  852 2544 3475

 

MTR: : Central, Hong Kong Island

 

© 2018 The Minty

*** For my Hong Kong posts, I will provide the address in both English and Chinese as well as the MTR (subway) stop if available.