Sometimes I'm just curious about how foreigners think about my hometown, a place where I came from. So today I'm gonna share something, and somewhere that one of my Taiwanese friends asked me to take her there when she was in Hong Kong for a short stay. I was quite surprise that most of them I had never even heard of them before. Now I kind of doubt that whether I truly came from Hong Kong or not...
Visit Star Ferry Pier Ferry Terminal & Victoria Harbour
I guess no foreigner would leave Hong Kong without a ride on a Star Ferry. This cheap ride gives you a spectacular Victoria Harbour view of Hong Kong. No wonder my friend asked me to take her there for thousands of pictures! It's even more beautiful with a blue sky!
Take the Peak Tram to the Victoria Peak
This could be one of the first thing you should do when you are in Hong Kong. The view from Victoria Peak varies as it depends on the weather conditions. However, if you were lucky enough, like me, you could even take nice pictures later on even it was extremely foggy at the beginning. The best comes for those who waited! It's proven now (by me). This is so true!
Take a rest at the one and only Starbucks at Duddell Street, Central
If you ever felt tried after a long exhausting day, why not taking a rest at this Starbucks in 60's Hong Kong style? This cafe does not only offer you the usual things you could get from other chained store like coffee and latte, but also something very Hong Kong, like red bean pudding cake, milk tea, and more! This could make a very good photo spot, and a place to just chill with friends and family! This Starbucks is located at Duddell Street, where it's just right next to the well-known Duddell Street Steps and Gas Lamps! Don't forget to check them all out!
Explore Choi Hung Estate with locals
Rainbow is one of the biggest hits at the moment. And I could see why this makes our Choi Hung Estate becomes a place to be checked in. To be honest, I saw this a thousand time before, and I didn't find the best out of it until a foreigner took me there. We explored a bit of this estate, by following me (I'd call myself a local). This place couldn't be more localist, you could possible see people who live there doing their laundry, students in uniform playing basketball, or even some elderly doing Tai Chi exercise.
Take a "Transformer Tour" to Montane Mansion
You know what? I have never seen Transformer in my life. But everyone talked about this place like you couldn't miss, even my Taiwanese friend, so she took me here to check this Monster Building out. I should probably watch the movie before I go there again, so that I could put myself into the movie scene!
My friend and I talked about food most of the time for the whole trip. She took me to every single eatery that I had never even heard of (or been to), I guess it's because all these restaurants are well-known by tourists? So now I'm gonna tell you how I think about these places as a local.
Eating dim sum in Sai Wan neighbourhood at Sun Hing Restaurant
This dim sum restaurant is cute! Well, I mean the staff there, they made me feel as warm as a home. I couldn't even believe that they cut the the glutinous rice with Lotus Leaf in a heart shape... they are just so friendly! Their dim sums are very traditional and delicious! I would definitely recommend you to try every single dish till you are too full!
Sun Hing Restaurant | No.8 Smithfield Rd, Markfield Building, Sai Wan, Hong Kong ★★★★☆
Get a rice in a clay pot at Hing Kee in Temple Street
I think rice in a clay pot is definitely one of my favourite Hong Kong dish! And this time my friend took me here. It was my first visit to this restaurant and I liked it very very much! Rice cooked in a clay pot tastes never the same as streamed rice! I like how the bottom bit overcooked and dried out which makes the rice crispy and crunchy! Also, enjoy it with the soy sauce provided is always a good idea! We also ordered oyster pancake, my friend said she likes it more than the one in Taiwan! WOW Hong Kong wins this time! I can't think of any more words to describe it but it's just too yum!
Hing Kee | No. 15 Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon ★★★★☆
Enjoy high quality Hong Kong dessert at Cong Sao Star Dessert
Now it's time to talk about dessert after meal! Mango Pomelo Sago is their signature dessert that you do not want to miss. It filled with so much stuff in it! You could enjoy every bit of it in every single spoon! This makes the price very reasonable! I'd definitely come back for another one when I need a dessert, or two!
Cong Sao Star Dessert | 23 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong ★★★★★
Trying out different favours of Mammy Pancake
Nothing beats everything made by our mammy! I think everyone will agree with that. Mammy Pancake has no exception. It offers the best and a huge variety of egg waffle that you can‘t even imagine. That was my very first time I ever tried a Matcha Egg Waffle with chocolate and I’m just so into it! The waffle was so fluffy and crispy, and the chocolate chips was melting but crunchy; it’s just an all-in-1 sensational taste! I’d definitely come back and try different favours next time!
Mammy Pancake | G/F, 7 Kin Ming St, Tsuen Wan ★★★★★
Grab the most Chinese dessert at Kai Kai Dessert
Not so many places have offered the most authentic and traditional Chinese dessert in Hong Kong, but Kai Kai has everything for you to try out as a tourist, especially if you are a foreigner. In here, they serve us all different sorts of homemade dessert in old classic Chinese styled bowls. I have to tell you that the Sweet Potato Soup with extra Ginger did have the taste of home. Although the ginger bit was a quite strong for me, it was tasty in overall. If you are looking for the taste of local, this is the place for you.
Kai Kai Dessert | G/F, No. 29 Ning Po St, Jordan, Kowloon ★★★★☆
Thank you my friend who came all the way to Hong Kong from Taiwan to be my personal tour guide! Hopefully next time when you came visit me again, I'd be an expert of HK!