I Know a Place: Alan Lo from the Press Room Group chooses his favourite restaurants

My father was an avid collector of 20th-century Chinese ink-brush paintings, so I grew up visiting museums and artists' studios. And I visited a lot of amazing hotels and restaurants while travelling with my parents.

This was mindboggling for a kid, and the result is that I look for places where chefs are passionate about their food, no matter how "street" or posh it is. A dai pai dong can be just as good and interesting a culinary experience as a Michelin-quality restaurant.

Growing up in a Cantonese family in Hong Kong, home-cooking has always been my comfort food. I crave steamed minced pork with salted fish, and a beautifully done steamed fish, especially after a long trip to the US.

My wife Yenn [Wong] and I are both in the restaurant business, and there are a few places which are special to us.

The first restaurant is the legendary (1/F The Peninsula, 19-21 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2696 6763) for its solid European dishes and the beautiful one-of-a kind dining room.

Second is (25 Tung Lo Wan Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2882 8013). This is where we get our pasta fix before going on a diet or detox. Finally, there's (Amigo Mansion, 79 Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley, tel: 2577 2202). It's difficult to resist its retro charm, although coping with the waiters' attitude requires a sense of humour at times.