Hong Kong is known for many things but among foodies the Cantonese version of dumplings or Dim Sum is king. The traditional way to indulge in Dim Sum is on a lazy Sunday morning. Women walk by with carts or baskets of food showing off the foods and with a simple nod you are digging into a tremendously delicate shell filled with gooey sweetness and spice.
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When you ask Sydney if she is hungry she will reply “Chicken-Rice”. It does not matter the time of day or place be it 10 am by the the pool if she is hungry it is always “Chicken-Rice”. When the lady showed us her favorite foods wrapped in a banana leaf we had a happy girl.
Woman cannot live on Dim Sum alone as much as I would like to try so we ventured off to see more of Hong Kong. Andy’s and my tour guide for our final evening was our old friend Matt. I met Matt the day I moved into my freshman dormitory at Duke and later he lived in the same “college” which is loosely like a fraternity where Andy and I were the semester we met studying in Sydney. It had been over a decade since I saw him in person so it was fun to catch up.
Matt and I Drink Beer from Porcelain Bowls
Matt is a independent contracter who helps companies with web design. He has lived several places in the world most recently in London. However, he fell in love with the vibe of Hong Kong and moved here a year ago. He was proud to show off his adopted city. He took us to a fantastic restaurant in the Java Road Market.
The restaurant was filled with locals. There were many people in large groups who appeared to be there for celebrations. ”Ruby” is the jovial host. Matt informed us that as the beer flowed more freely his antics became more wild. At one point in our meal he led the restaurant in a rendition of “We Will Rock You”. Hundreds of people clapping and stomping in the hall made it feel like a party indeed.
A small portion of the market. "Ruby" can be seen taking orders in the back.
The food was as fantastic as the atmosphere. We had wonderful spicy crab with vegetables.
Black Squid Ink Pasta with Calamari
Hands down though my favorite dish was the Pepper Crusted Whit Fish. The crust was an intricate mix of bread crumb, chili and black peppers. I could have eaten the crust alone all night. Hmm…maybe Syd’s onto something, my new mantra will be “Pepper Fish”
After dinner we headed to the Happy Valley Racecourse which is a Hong Kong institution. The track was first built in the current location in 1845. The city has sprung up around the course which makes for a fascinating sight.
The hour grew close to midnight. Andy and I rushed back to the sitter. The kids get up at 6 am regards of what we did the night before. Matt who leads a much different life thought the night was too young and headed off to the bars for a bit longer. I was grateful for a while to be part of the Hong Kong scene. Now to dream of winning big at the race or “pepper fish”….
