Abalone, lobster, dim sum: favourite Hong Kong restaurants of Chinesology chef

Saito Chau is the culinary director of Chinesology, of the Mira Group, in IFC Mall – one of the first Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong to attain halal certification. He spoke to Andrew Sun.

I was a greedy eater when I was small, especially when it came to meat and seafood – but I had very few vegetables. My grandma was a great cook, working for a big family. She taught my mother how to cook. I used to sit and watch them.

When everybody was at work and it was just me and my sister at home, I was always hungry, so I learned to make ice pops – using Ribena, cola or cream soda mixed with condensed milk. The first real dish my mum taught me was salt-poached chicken. This is when I started to develop an interest in cooking.

As a chef, I eat out mostly at midnight after work. Ju Xing Home (418 Portland Street, Prince Edward, tel: 2392 9283) is a favourite. Chef/boss Ng Kong-kiu is a good friend. We always order dishes like the signature lobster with vermicelli, Sichuan-style boiled fish, salt-baked Wenchang chicken and steamed fish. His lobster is so good, I asked him how he made it, and he actually showed me.

I take visitors to Forum (1F, Sino Plaza, 255-257 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2869 8282). Even just once in your life, you have to try their abalone – not just because they have three Michelin stars. I know chef Adam Wong and got to know legendary chef Yeung Koon-yat before he died. He was always very nice and taught me a lot. They know so many secrets about cooking abalone. For lunch, the dim sum is very good too.

For celebrations, The Demon Celebrity (Shop 1102, 11/F, Food Forum, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 9139 3200), by chef Cheng Kam-fu and “Demon Chef” Alvin Leung, offers unique ideas like chicken wing stuffed with bird’s nest and stir-fried pork tripe tip. People who know Cantonese cuisine will appreciate it.