If you follow me on Instagram, you might already know that I visited Hong Kong recently. Although, Hong Kong is my hometown where I was born, I am not all that familiar with the city, particularly the hidden gems for a fine meal or a good deal. For this trip, I decided to stay away from tourist attractions that I've already visited a few years back, namely the peak, avenue of the stars, Disneyland, Stanley and Ocean Park.

Luckily, I have few friends who are living in Hong Kong currently, and are able to bring me around for a foodie excursion around the city. So this post will be the first edition to my Foodie Gone Overseas, featuring my dining experiences in Hong Kong.

{Pizza Express}

If you want a nice harbour view of the city while enjoying some pizzas in Hong Kong, be sure to try out Pizza Express. We were in luck when we walked into this restaurant with no lineups and to be seated at the window seat with absolutely stunning harbour view that night. My friend told me usually all the window seats would be taken or need to be reserved. Even if you are seated at the window side, the view would be blocked by ferries and yachts sometimes. So it was a perfect environment for us that night. Food-wise, they have a variety of hand-stretched, thin crusted pizzas with fairly creative toppings. In terms of taste, though, it is definitely not comparable to the pizzas I have tried in Canada. Overall, the environment speaks louder than the food as it is undeniably impeccable. But then, where else can you have pizza with such stunning view in Hong Kong?

{Stunning view of the harbour of Hong Kong}

{Four Seasons Romana pizza with a different flavour in each quarter: mushrooms, pepperoni, olives, capers and anchovies mozzarella}

{Spaghetti ai Frutti di Mare: prawns, clams, mussels, squid, white wine & pomodoro sauce}

{Mitsukiya 瀰月屋}

This is the second time I've been to Misukiya already. I really enjoy their Japanese desserts, a different alternative to the many Chinese desserts places out there in Hong Kong. The dessert place is quite hidden, as it is located in the basement of Woodhouse building. I like to sit on their tatami flooring so that I can fantasize myself as if I am dining in Japan. But if you do choose to sit on the floor, make sure your socks are clean because you'll need to remove your shoes for that, otherwise it would be quite unappetizing. It's also ideal to have someone who reads Chinese or Japanese to go with you, since their menu is only written in these languages only.

{Love these jelly pearl things called 清閑玉, each one has a different fruit slice inside.}

{瀰月三色 (湯菓矛，葛軟茲，茶巾): red bean paste fish pastry, green tea/brown sugar jellies and konjac noodles with icy brown sugar sauce}

{綠茶奶酪燒 Waffle with Green Tea Yogurt}

{綠茶奶酪燒 Waffle with Green Tea Yogurt: Waffles are a bit too hard, but the green tea yogurt dip is excellent}

{花見丸子 fried mochis with red bean paste - soft and warm, one of my favourites}

{Fried rice cakes - a little bit dry}

{葛軟米茲 (莓味) Strawberry flavoured mochi-like jellies, very refreshing!}

{Dip with matcha powder to balance out the sweetness}

{四季煲仔飯 Four Seasons Pot Rice}

Now, if you want to try some local Chinese food, and have lots of time to spare, this is the place to have some good old fashion clay pot rice. The restaurant doesn't look classy or pleasant from the outside, but like we always say, never judge a book by its cover, right? Never judge a restaurant from the outlook and decor is what I've gathered from experience. My friend brought me here and we arrived around 8-ish. The lineup was so long that I couldn't see where exactly I was lining up for. However, during half way of the queue, the staff approached us to take our orders. So when we got our seats after an hour or so, the food was also pretty much ready. Their pot rice is per person serving, so my friend and I both ordered a pot for ourselves, plus a pot of veggies & meat soup to share. Their clay pot rice is flavourful and the chicken is tender and moist. You need to put the lid on the pot for a bit longer if you like to have those burnt rice at the bottom of the pot. Their soup is surprisingly tasty, quite a big portion for two people too. Not to mention, their price is very reasonable, around $30HKD per pot rice. But then, is it worthwhile for the wait though, that really depends on how hungry you are. I was told that their oyster duck egg pancake is a signature and very popular too. I regretted for not trying it as I was trying to stay away from crispy oily food at the time. Perhaps, I should try it next time when I visit Hong Kong again but only if the lineup isn't that long.

{白鱔滑雞煲仔飯 Eel & Chicken Pot Rice}

{Look at the line up, all the way to the yellow sign}

{Tung Kee Dessert 同記糖水甜品專門店}

There are a lot of dessert joints in Hong Kong, and we picked this one particularly because it is right in the area of our dinner. My friend ordered the 海底椰皇燉奶 (coconut boiled milk) and I ordered the mango trio. I had trouble deciding what to order from the menu, so I figured the trio would satisfy me. And I am a mango freak, so does everyone else in Hong Kong. That's why you'll see a lot mangoes in their desserts. Although, Tung Kee desserts are not all too inspiring or exquisite, but what can you expect from merely $28HKD? I'd go back if I'm in the area, but won't be visiting purposely.

{海底椰皇燉奶 Coconut Boiled Milk - pretty good and cheap for $28HKD}

{Mango sago with pomelo, mango ice cream with crunchies and mango pudding - your average dessert trio}

{泰式生香 Favorite THAI}

It was a late afternoon when I visited this place with my friend and it was empty. A little bit skeptical about their food at first since there was no line up that you normally see everywhere else. It's a weird thing in Hong Kong, but sometimes it serves as a guide. But like I said, never judge a restaurant by its appearance, so even when it was empty, my friend and I still gave it a try. Good that we did because their food was excellent. We ordered the Thai Fried Rice, veggies and pork neck. Everything was well-seasoned and full of flavour. My friend and I had to fight for the last scoop of rice from the plate.

{Thai Fried Rice, Pork Neck and Veggies - wonderful flavour!}

{Kaminaribashi 雷橋}

My first time having Japanese all you can eat barbecue. Thanks to my friend for the suggestion or else I would not be able to understand why Japanese grill is so trendy in Hong Kong. The restaurant has a rustic Japanese interior, the seats are on the floor, but are comfortably sectioned in for the legs. They have a strict 2 hour dining time and offers a variety of meat such as beef, pork, chicken, lamb, seafood and side dishes. What I like about this place is that their portion is quite small which allows you to order more selections to try without being wasteful. Their sashimis are quite fresh and clean. Their meat is preseasoned and also comes with different sauces to enhance its flavor. Overall, Kaminaribashi is good for a group of friends to mingle and chat especially if you don't mind to spend the time to grill your own food. I think my friend and I spent more time chatting than actually eating.

{Fresh sashimi platter on ice}

{Huge geoduck sashimi}

{Assorted preseasoned meat}

{Assorted meat with seasoning}

{Smile Yogurt & Dessert Bar}

I was very curious about this expensive ice cream that my friend wanted to try with me. I mean, what kind of ice cream can be expensive?  Then I realized, it is actually frozen yogurt, quite extravagant frozen yogurt. When I arrived to the store, there was a mini lineup. Just by looking at their lovely display got me excited. Each of their yogurts is fancy looking and consists of different ingredients. Price ranges from $50-80HKD depending on how lavish your yogurt is. You can also choose your own toppings/fillings to make your own one-of-a-kind yogurt, but would probably be more expensive than if you order from the menu. I actually spent a good 10 minutes deciding which one I should get. And I finally landed on the Golden Smile. It consists of fresh mangoes, mango sauce, raspberry & cranberry pudding, homemade crumbs, lemon sorbet and a crispy slice of pineapple and a gold covered strawberry on top. My friend ordered the Mango Fever, which consists of nothing but mangoes: mango slices, mango pudding, mango & passion fruit marshmallow, homemade crumbs, chocolate curls and mango sorbet. Their yogurts claim to be less fattening and higher in calcium than regular ice creams. Although, the size looks massive, they are quite light in texture. I was actually able to finish the entire cup without feeling too full (don't judge me!).

{Golden Smile and Mango Fever}

{I had to put up a golden smile for my yogurt too!}

{Kam Wah Café 金華冰廳}

Looking for a good afternoon snack after a long walk in Hong Kong? Kam Wah Café has one of the best pineapple buns! They are made fresh daily with crispy and flaky surface and a soft interior. For those who do not know, pineapple buns are not made out of pineapples, it got its name only because it resembles the look of a pineapple. So don't be surprised if you do not find any fruits inside the bun. Their signature is actually the pineapple bun with a thick slice of butter sandwiched inside. But for me, I was hungry that time, so I got it with pork chop inside. The café is pretty packed, you cannot take up the entire 4-people booth if it's only two of you eating. You also have to order a drink on top of the pineapple bun if you wish to sit down. Pineapple bun is one of the popular local delicacies from Hong Kong. It is a must try and Kam Wah has it best.

{Namdaemoon One 南대門韓國料理}

I've never had Korean food in Hong Kong, but I kept hearing from my friends that there's no pork bone soup in this city. So, my friend brought me to the Korean town of Hong Kong to find out myself. And really, no pork bone soup on the menu from any restaurants. We went to Namdaemoon One, which is located in Tsim Sha Tsui. We ordered kimchi fried rice and a pot of soon tofu. I find the food and menu not as delish and diverse than the ones in Toronto. The soon tofu is a bit on the sour side and has no meat. The kimchi fried rice, however, is very appetizing and flavourful. Their side dishes are also slightly to the bland side. For sure, you will have better Korean food in Toronto than in Hong Kong.

{Kimchi fried rice, soon tofu and side dishes from Namdaemoon One}

{Via Tokyo}

Another popular Japanese dessert joint in Hong Kong, which is famous for their matcha (aka green tea) ice creams. A long line up on a weekday afternoon can tell you just how popular this place is. Their perfectly swirled matcha ice creams are made from Hokkaido milk so they are rich and have a really strong matcha flavour. Most of their desserts come with soft and chewy mochis in which you can also choose to pour syrup over them to enhance the sweetness and even out the hint of bitterness from the matcha. It is indeed a delightful treat for the afternoon. Next time, I'll try the matcha latte.

{Matcha ice cream with rice crispy and mochi 脆脆白玉綠茶雪糕}

{Red Bean Matcha ice cream with mochi 白玉紅豆抹茶雪糕}

{Ipuddo HK 一風堂}

You can't make reservation at Ipuddo and there's always a long line up for it. That seems to be the trend for all the branches of Ipuddo across the globe. I almost had the chance to try their ramen when I went to New York two years ago, but was intimidated by the long wait so never gotten to try until now. Their ramen is in fact savoury but not too salty. Their half-boiled egg is excellent with a perfect soft yolk center. Their noodles are quite spongy and just about the right amount of broth. Their spicy noodles, however, are not that spicy. I also tried their crispy salmon and dumplings, both were decent but nothing spectacular, so I'm not too sure why there's a rave for this place.

{Akamaru Shinaji 赤丸新味, dumplings, crispy salmon}

{Cong Sao Dessert 聰嫂私房甜品}

As I said earlier in the post, there are a lot of dessert joints in Hong Kong. They need to be creative and provide above average quality in order to survive from the many competitions. And Cong Sao Dessert is one of the good ones I've tried. This is also my second time visiting this dessert joint, even though my last visit was at a different branch. So for them to be able to run a few branches in the city says a lot about this joint. One of their hottest items is their Longan Ice Sorbet with Nata de Coco 龍眼椰果冰. It is very refreshing to have on a hot summer day with loads of smashed longan fruit. I like to go with my mango as usual, so I ordered the mango milk custard 芒果奶昔雙皮奶. Big mango slices on top of the pureed milk custard. The taste is natural and yummy, although the milk custard could be milkier in texture. I just can't wait to go back again!

{Mango puree milk custard 芒果奶昔雙皮奶}

{Longan Ice Sorbet with Nata de Coco 龍眼椰果冰}

That sort of wraps up my food excursions in Hong Kong. There were many more that I left out from this trip, but I'm pretty sure this post is long enough to digest already.

Where do you like to eat in Hong Kong? I'd love to try out on my next visit.