While touring along the Island Line in Hong Kong, many travellers travel up to the mid-section at Causeway Bay. In fact, an array of fabulous local eateries rubs shoulders in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island and offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of the city.
The MTR stations in the Eastern District are renowned for their proximity to a wealth of Chinese restaurants, each offering a unique culinary experience. For authentic Shunde dishes, look no further than Fung Shing (North Point). Fancy some delicious, Teochew-style braised dishes? Look out for Chiuchow Delicacies (North Point). For those who crave traditional Cantonese flavours, Shek Kee Kitchen should hit the spot. Sister Wah, a mecca of beef brisket in clear broth, towers in the region. And if you're a fan of innovative dishes, Fisholic (North Point)'s creative fish-based snacks will surely pique your interest.
Not only does the Eastern District boast a variety of restaurants, but it is also home to numerous hotels, including the stylish and conveniently located TUVE in Tin Hau. When planning your next trip to Hong Kong, consider using the Eastern District as your base. Its central location makes it the perfect starting point for exploring the most authentic aspects of Hong Kong culture!
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Tin Hau
Sister Wah
This family-run eatery represents quintessential beef briskets in clear broth. Preparing this dish is no easy feat. It honours its local roots by using fresh local beef brisket — prized for its rich flavour and lack of strong beefy odour. The preparation requires these steps: cleaning, blanching, seasoning, and braising the beef briskets. After the initial works, simmer them in a clear broth made with over a dozen spices, resulting in tender and elastic meat. Sister Wah's beef briskets feature various cuts, such as hang lam (boneless short rib) and bung sa lam (hanger steak). You'd better visit this institution early, as these delicious briskets are subject to availability. Other crowd-pleasers include Shanghainese snacks from vegetable and meat wontons to drunken chicken, which is seasoned for several hours in a “white sauce”, a light-coloured marinade mixed with rice wine. The sauce is described as “white” in Chinese in comparison to the traditional dark marinade that is made with soy sauce.
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Shek Kee Kitchen
Shek Kee Kitchen serves cha chaan teng-style meals and stir-fried noodles of different kinds during the day, and in the evening, it transforms into a restaurant specializing in family-style Cantonese dishes.
What sets Shek Kee Kitchen apart is the personal touch made by its owners, Shek Yuchong and his wife. The couple is committed to quality, personally sourcing ingredients from the markets in Shau Kei Wan or Aldrich Garden every day. Some stalls even have their own fishing boats, ensuring a variety of high-quality seafood. This personal touch is evident in the steamed fish, a favourite among regulars. It is fresh and enticing, embodying the comforting flavours of home for Cantonese people.
Additionally, come for the pan-fried handmade cuttlefish cakes, which have a chewy texture and delicious flavour. The restaurant's signature dish is braised tofu with stir-fried shrimps. It offers a savoury and fresh taste that pairs perfectly with rice. Another staple is their barbecued pork ribs, infused with dried tangerine peels to release an exceptional aroma.
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TUVE
The TUVE Hotel stands next to the Tin Hau MTR station, almost going incognito on the bustling Tsing Fung Street. Upon entering the hotel, guests are greeted by an airy entrance that is decorated with steel bars. Natural light flows in through the bars and light up the dimmed interior. The industrial-style reception features walls dotted with star-like lights, creating a mini-lighting show that instantly transports visitors to another world.The hotel's minimalist design uses wood, concrete, oxidised metal and marble to create a harmonious and textured space. The marble-textured bathrooms in the guest rooms, paired with the minimalist New York skincare brand Le Labo, become focal points of the space. Together, they exude elegance and charm — perfect for travellers who appreciate design aesthetics.
North Point
Fung Shing (North Point)
Fung Shing is a long-standing establishment in Hong Kong. Having opened in 1954 on Irving Street in Causeway Bay, it has a branch in North Point established in 1978. This eatery has long been pulling crowds with its nostalgic Cantonese cuisine and Shunde dishes, embodying the essence of a traditional Hong Kong Chinese restaurant.
During breakfast and lunch hours, the establishment serves dim sum and stir-fried dishes. The most sought-after items include dumplings in soup, fried fun gor dumplings, and sa yung (a sweet, deep-fried bun of dough). The restaurant offers an array of nostalgic dishes, with three “chicken” dishes standing out among its offerings. Despite the name of the wild chicken roll, this dish is deep-fried pork and ham rolls. It uses fresh fatty pork marinated overnight in rose cooking wine, wrapped with Jinhua ham and then deep-fried to perfection. It is aromatic and has a flaky texture. The other two — the Jade-clad Frog Legs (fried frog legs, known as “field chicken” in Cantonese) with asparagus lettuce, and the Dragons Flying Through Phoenix Wings (chicken wings and ham) are examples of rare, traditional Cantonese craftsmanship that are hard to find elsewhere.
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Ancient Moon
Ancient Moon is one of the few Singaporean and Malaysian restaurants that has earned a Bib Gourmand recognition from the MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong. The owner, Lico Fung, opened the restaurant after falling in love with chilli ban mian, hailed as “board noodles" that are common in Hokkien-speaking areas.
The limited menu features a variety of dishes brimming with Singaporean and Malaysian flair. One signature dish is the Malaysian ban mian served with homemade chilli paste that adds a delightful kick. In addition, the Malaysian bak kut teh (translated as pork bone tea) is advertised as MSG-free and has a herbal flavour, with unlimited refills available. Diners can also opt for the peppery Singaporean-style bak kut teh. Fung's creativity shines in the Ikan Goreng fried fish rice, a twist on Singapore's pepper crab. This dish features a whole crispy fish drizzled with peppery crab sauce and served with rice. It's a more convenient option than eating a crab, yet it offers plenty of meaty flavour.
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Chiuchow Delicacies (North Point)
Located on a side street in the North Point area, Chiuchow Delicacies (North Point) is run by Li Chiu Man , who was initially engaged in the IT industry. He went on to open a Teochew-style noodle eatery with his father-in-law. The duo recruited an experienced cook, Lin, who has over 20 years of experience in Teochew cuisine under his belt, to help with the braised dishes. This collaboration has led to a diverse menu featuring various stir-fries and Teochew-style "da leng". With its casual, comfortable interiors and affordable prices, the restaurant has become the most popular Teochew-style establishment in the area.
The restaurant's signature dish is the braised goose slices, made from a nine-catty Shitou goose, known for its strong flavour and tender meat. The braised broth is lightly seasoned with herbs and contains no MSG, aiming to highlight the authentic flavours of the ingredients. Other popular staples include goose livers, goose wings, intestines, and cuttlefish. To taste other real deals, try the oyster congee, oyster pancakes, and the rich, oily chilled fish.
She Wong Leung
Another mecca in North Point is She Wong Leung, one of the few snake eateries listed on the MICHELIN Guide’s Bib Gourmand selection.
This small eatery has been in the community for over two decades, serving snake soup year-round. The owner, Yip Kwok Leung, studied traditional Chinese medicine, allowing him to enhance the snake soup with various medicinal herbs according to the seasons. For example, in spring, he adds ingredients such as China root, baizhu, and job's tears (also known as adlay millet) to dispel dampness. He incorporates herbs like sand ginseng and scented Solomon's seal to reduce excessive body heat in summer. With the right proportions, the snake soup will not bring excessive heat to our body. It can be enjoyed throughout the year for its health benefits.
Fisholic (North Point)
The restaurant boasts a selection of dishes that blend fish with Hong Kong's street food, cha chaan teng-style flavours, and Western elements — resulting in light meals that evoke fond memories and heart-warming surprises. The owner, Hyvan, uses various types of sea fish, including black lizardfish, golden threadfin breams, yellow pike congers, and red bigeyes and firmer deep-sea fish. This ensures a delightful texture and a burst of freshness in every bite.
The dishes at this eatery are not just inventive, they are downright playful. For instance, fish skin is crafted to mimic Mexican tortilla chips, paired with homemade avocado dip and tomato salsa. The Thai-style fried shrimps with shrimp paste, served with fish lo mein (noodles without broth), are not just aromatic and flavourful, they are a delightful surprise. The deep-fried fish, resembling deep-fried chips, releases an enticing aroma. And the Fishotto, a playful take on Italian risotto, is brimming with freshness and fun.
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This article is written by Gloria Chung and translated by Vivianna Cheong. Read the original article here.
Further Reading: Video: 2 Days In: Hong Kong
