Who said that eating out in Hong Kong is now passe? It is true that the rage now is to go to other parts of China to discover other culinary delights, especially in Shanghai. But Hong Kong has been suffering from a slow down in the economy and tourism like most Asian countries since the economic bubble busted in 1997.

            As a result, many restaurant have closed down due to lack of business and reduction in the number of tourists that come to Hong Kong to shop and eat. In the past three years Thais have refrained from traveling over seas and have held on to their money. Fewer Thais, whose favorite past time is to have a good time, shop and eat, have been going to Hong Kong.

            Restaurants in Hong Kong had to take some cost saving measures to survive but what they cannot do is to save on the quality of the raw materials used and the skilled chefs that they hire. We have seen many restaurants closed because of these cost cutting measures and the lack of patrons who came in the past in droves to eat in Hong Kong.

             Before Christmas last year, I went to Hong Kong as usual with my friend’s family. This has become a tradition for the Limprana family and myself. We go to Hong Kong for the weekend to shop a little and eat a lot. One of the restaurants that served Chiu Chow cuisine, the cuisine of the majority of Thai Chinese, was called Tung Kitchen was closed down. It shut its door not as the result of the economic turn down but rather the chef owner, Chef Tung, died of a heart attack and their was no one to carry on his work. Much to our regret, we had to find somewhere else that served the kind of Chiu Chow food that was made at Tung Kitchen. Khun Visit Limprana, my friend came to the rescue. Through his many connections in Chinatown in Bangkok he suggested we go try this new place which was on the Hong Kong side. The owner’s son married a Thai lady and has two Chiu Chow restaurants there.

             Thank God for Khun Visits connections. The restaurant had been there for over 30 years and they served the kind of traditional Chiu Chow cuisine there. They were all ready to receive us when we turned up at their more recent restaurant. Thanks again to Khun Visit’s prior arrangements. We met Raymond one of the owner’s son who is married to a Thai lady Khun Nie and his brother Edmond. The first meal they served was more on the line of nouvelle Chinese cuisine that their chef created for the locals as a set menu. The food was delicious but was not what we had wanted to eat. We wanted the traditional Chiu Chow cuisine like braised goose and pork intestine and pork belly. Our host was so gracious that they invited us to eat the traditional Chiu Chow cuisine at their original restaurant before we left Hong Kong the next evening. How could we refuse? I am such a glutton that I would not pass up this offer for anything.

             On the day of our departure to Bangkok, we checked out of the hotel left our luggage with there and was picked up by Edmond. We arrived on the Hong Kong side at Causeway Bay at Pak Chiu Chow Restaurant. A booth with braised goose, braised pork belly and steamed crab greeted us at the entrance to the restaurant. We met the whole family including the mother and father and all the kids and in-laws. It was like going to eat at a family home and we were having a family reunion. Both Raymond and Edmond was very gracious and we indeed great host. They both have lived away from Hong Kong in Canada and New Zealand. I did not have to speak Chinese which them and we felt like they were our long lost friends after the first course was served.

             We had chilled steamed crab served with sour Chinese dipping sauce. The crab looked like giant blue crab. The meat was very sweet and there was lots of it. Then came the braised goose, pork and goose legs, which was and still is the standard fare for Chiu Chow cuisine. All these meat were braised in Chinese herbs and spices and they were not at all dry but moist and very aromatic. I had wanted to eat them with a small bowl of rice but was afraid I will be too full by the end of the meal! We then had abalone braised with goose legs, which was heavenly. There was also braised sea cucumber with vegetables.

             The sea cucumber was perfectly done, not too hard and not too soft as not to be able to feel the special texture of the meat. The Chinese believe that sea cucumber has medicinal properties which helps you live longer and healthier. We had the giant crawfish steamed with seasoned sticky rice. It was an unusual way of preparing the crawfish but it brought out the sweetness of the meat and the sticky rice gave it some body. Whole boneless stuffed chicken, deep-fried and served with just sweet soy dipping sauce was a wonder. This dish had to be ordered in advance but it was worth the wait. There were many other courses but what I really like and could possibly call my favorite dish if Ee Mee. This is a special noodle dish blanched and soaked in stock, then pan fried slowly to make a pancake, which is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The funny thing about this dish is what you season it with when you eat it. You add granulated sugar and soy vinegar to the dish and eat it just like that. The taste combination sounds strange but it is very delicious. I experience different texture and flavors in each mouthful. Ah, I did make a pig of myself during this course!

             I suggest that if you want you return to Hong Kong to eat, there are still undiscovered places to for you to try and Hong Kong still has some great food. Even if it is no longer fashionable to go to Hong Kong to eat any more for some people but I will still return there every year for this pilgrimage.