Michelin recently expanded its series of restaurant and hotel guides to include Hong Kong and Macau. The 2009 Guide awards one, two and three stars to a total of 22 restaurants in Hong Kong. While it was exciting to see the city recognized for its fabulous international and Chinese cuisine, some locals have criticized Michelin because many of the eateries evaluated were of the former rather than latter persuasion.
I personally did not take issue with the Guide’s inclusion of western restaurants in Hong Kong; after all, it is Michelin. Nevertheless, locals raised some valid points regarding where one finds the best Chinese food in Hong Kong. The thing is, you don’t need to spend a small fortune – or visit one of these starred restaurants – to get an incredible Chinese meal here. Chinese do not judge or value ambiance in the same way westerners do, and many of the best dishes I have had in Hong Kong were at some pretty downscale locations.
A restaurant reviewer once treated Erik and me to one of the most amazing Chinese meals we have ever had – on the third floor of a fish and vegetable market (ambience:0, food: a perfect 10). We have also enjoyed some delicious noodles while sitting on stools at one of the local open air food stalls found around the city, locally known as Dai Pai Dong.
My father and his wife introduced us to the non descript-looking Dragon Noodles and Dumplings on their last visit. My father’s initial description, “rough and ready,” has replaced its formal name forever in our book, and it now ranks as one of our favorite places to eat.
Last Saturday we visited the “Rough and Ready” and for HK$250 (about US$35), three people ate a wonderful meal comprised of homemade pork and vegetable noodles, scallion pancakes, green beans with minced pork, and Shanghai dumplings. We even received free childcare in the form of an enthusiastic chef who gave our daughter a personal tutorial on how to make a good noodle.
Don’t get me wrong, the Michelin restaurants in Hong Kong indeed offer an incredible eating experience, but one should also include a “rough and ready” Chinese restaurant on his Hong Kong itinerary. If you stick only to the upscale – or western – restaurants, you will you miss out on the “real” Hong Kong. Not to mention a good meal.
Here’s where to find our favorite noodle shop:
Dragon Noodles and Dumplings
Shop G01, Toyo Mall
Inter-continental Plaza
94 Granville Road
Tsim Sha Tsui East
Kowloon
Tel. (852) 2983-9922