Don't know what to eat or buy in Hong Kong? This guide is a must-read!
When traveling to Hong Kong, you must try street food. Besides the crowded Mong Kok, there's another great place: Kwai Chung Plaza! Its location is also very convenient, right at Kwai Fong MTR station.
First up is the shredded chicken cheung fun from Waffle Corner. Since I hadn't tried it before, I gave it a shot. The cheung fun is generous in portion and very smooth, and with the sweet sauce, it's absolutely amazing.
Second is the crab roe and truffle takoyaki from Shin Takoyaki Musou. The outer skin is crispy, and the combination of crab roe and truffle isn't too salty. Plus, there's a huge piece of octopus inside!
Third is the Hong Kong street food staples: curry fish balls and beef offal! The fish balls are cooked until soft and flavorful, perfect for popping one after another. The beef offal is also delicious—tripe, intestines, and other innards simmered with cinnamon, bay leaves, star anise, and other spices, bubbling away in the pot. A bowl of hot offal is cut up, sprinkled with scallions and cilantro, and dipped in sweet chili sauce—absolutely heavenly.
Fourth is the tossed noodles (lo mein) from Baiwei Shop, which I heard is the same type that Jackson Wang likes! You can customize it with ingredients like squid, seaweed, corn, and imitation crab meat. It can also be a full meal.
Fifth, I recommend desserts. On the second floor, they have durian mango ice and mango pomelo sago (yeung ji gam lou). They use fresh durian and mango. The mango pomelo sago is not overly sweet—the sweetness is just right.
After eating and drinking, of course we need to buy souvenirs for friends and family. We can walk along the outside pedestrian bridge to the second floor of Metroplaza. I heard from Hong Kong friends that the palmiers, cookies, and egg rolls from Royal Pat are delicious. So this time I definitely had to buy some to try myself. The staff were very enthusiastic and offered samples! I tried the palmiers and egg rolls. Their egg rolls are honeycomb-shaped, very crispy and fragrant. There are many flavors to choose from: original, coffee, Earl Grey, and seaweed.
Later, I bought the Royal Pat Eight-Flavor Palmiers, which include original, Earl Grey, hazelnut, coconut, sesame, five-grain, almond, and spicy Sichuan. You can try all the flavors at once—it cured my choice difficulty! The original has a strong egg aroma, and the almond and hazelnut ones are full of nutty flavor. But my favorite is the Earl Grey palmier. The surface is coated with a thin layer of tea leaves, making the Earl Grey flavor more prominent. It has a light tea taste and is not too sweet—truly memorable!
According to the staff, Royal Pat has over 40 stores in Hong Kong, so you can visit one nearby. If you're unsure which to buy, you can do as I did and get the eight-flavor palmiers!
Alternatively, you can buy products from the Royal Pat Hong Kong Story series. I was deeply attracted by its packaging, which features Hong Kong landmarks like the tram, double-decker bus, and Victoria Harbour—it's really beautiful! I think this series is perfect for gifting to friends, as not only are the palmiers and egg rolls delicious, but the packaging is also exquisite!
Since my family likes preserved fruits like preserved plums and olives, I went to Yiu Fung to buy some preserved plums and olives to share. The dried tangerine peel plum has a mild citrus flavor with a sweet aftertaste. The cool plum is perfect for summer—it feels refreshing in the mouth! I'm a fruit lover, so I also bought dried peach slices. I think these offer great value at 40 HKD per pack.
The last stop was Donki, the snack shop loved by both adults and children! Usually, as soon as we enter, adults and kids go their separate ways—adults head to the daily necessities section while kids make a beeline for the snacks! I think Donki has a very comprehensive selection. Basically, every time I come to Hong Kong, I visit. Every time I say I won't buy anything, I always come out carrying bags and bags!
